Fatigue: Natural Remedies for Getting Your Energy Back.

Photo by futureshape

Feeling lethargic, fuzzy headed, or having trouble concentrating?  Fatigue is a common problem that can often be the first symptom of more serious imbalances.  Western medicine has no remedy for fatigue other than stimulants like caffeine or prescription amphetamine-class drugs.  While these substances certainly do make you feel more alert and awake, they don’t fix the underlying problem of fatigue, in fact, in the long run they might make it worse.  In this article we will discuss some of the common causes of fatigue and some simple remedies that may help you feel more awake and alert.

Fatigue is so tricky to treat because it can be indicative of numerous health issues.  Thyroid disfunction, depression, viruses, adrenal insufficiency, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lymes disease, and even food allergies can all cause fatigue.  But often fatigue is just a sign that our bodies are run-down.  If the simple remedies in this article don’t help, or if your fatigue is interfering with your work, see your doctor to rule out more serious disorders.

Sleep:  My patients hate it when I tell them to get more sleep.  But the truth is, this time of year especially, our bodies need more sleep.  It is not uncommon to need 10 or more hours of sleep in the fall or winter.  It is only very short time  in human history that we have developed the capacity to extend our productive hours into the night-time.  Our bodies haven’t evolved to keep up with modern technology.  Traditionally we relied on this time of year to re-charge our batteries and prepare for next spring and summer.  If your body is needing to sleep more, let it.  Even getting an extra-hour of rest can make a world of difference.  Don’t push your body to act the same way it does in spring and summer, let it go at a slower pace. Your body will thank you come spring.  If increased need for sleep is the only sign of fatigue you have, then don’t read any further, you just need to give your body the sleep it craves.

Exercise: In the fall and winter we need to tone down our exercise routines, but not stop them all together.  The body naturally wants to conserve energy during the winter, letting it do so is healthy, but we still need to move.  Why not switch your normal workout to yoga, tai-chi, or walking?  Let your body warm up to the point of breaking a gentle sweat, and then slow down.  Try to strike a balance between complete inactivity and pushing yourself too hard.  After the solstice in late December, you will naturally feel your body wanting to pick up the pace.

Herbal Support: Herbal support to help with fatigue often focuses on revitalizing the adrenal glands.  Herbs that have been used for centuries to give energy and vitality are Ginseng, Eluthero, Astragalus, Cordyceps and Licorice.  There are several formulations out there that can be helpful fatigue like the Chinese remedies Si Jun Zi Tang, or Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang.  Unlike caffeine, which alleviates the symptoms of fatigue, but leaves you more tired in the end, these herbs help you feel more awake as they replenish your body.  Some of these herbs actually help you sleep better too by balancing the body’s circadian rhythms and adrenal cycle.

Acupuncture:  This gentle therapy helps to balance the body’s system by stimulating points along the skin with thin needles.  In a typical acupuncture treatment, your whole health will be assessed to determine the pattern of imbalance that is causing fatigue.  Acupuncture can work regardless of any western medical diagnosis you may have, and it is often a great adjunct therapy to western treatments.  Acupuncture, like any other physical form of therapy, works best when it is used regularly.  For a problem like fatigue, you may need a series of treatments to really solve the problem.  Your practitioner can best help you determine a time-line for your treatment.

Diet: Diet plays an important part in your overall energy.  If you suffer from fatigue it is essential that you avoid sweet, greasy and starchy foods.  These foods have a sedating affect on the body.  Also in the winter months, it is wise to consider avoiding too many raw or cold foods.   According to the theory of Chinese Medicine, the digestive process is compared to a furnace, food is the fuel and your energy is the fire that burns the fuel. Too much greasy, cold or raw food is like putting wet wood on a fire, it’s harder to burn and it doesn’t burn clean, as a result, your  body has to work harder and this drains you of energy.  Try switching to lighter meals consisting of whole grains, steamed or sauteed veggies, fish, chicken or grass-fed red meats, and good fats like olive oil, fish oil and flax oil.

Food Allergies:  You may want to talk to your health practitioner about food allergies if your fatigue is also accompanied by indigestion, gas, or chronic diarrhea.  Your naturopath or acupuncturist can help guide you through an elimination diet to see if your symptoms are caused by food.  This is a lengthy and often difficult process, so try the remedies listed above first, before you suspect a food allergy, and it is best to work with a professional during an elimination diet.

Most of the time, fatigue will remedy itself if you take proper care of your body.   If these simple remedies don’t alleviate the fatigue, please think about seeing your doctor, or a natural-health practitioner, to rule out more serious disorders.

[Via http://allisoncarr.wordpress.com]

The pulse could be affected by medicationes, by Dr.Arthur Fan

The Pulse diagosis is one of main methods in Chinese Medicine. Traditionally, the evaluation impression could be reached after four style of disgnostic methods. So, patient’s pulse is important in this pressecc.

Traditionally, doctor consider the pulse reflect patient’s constitution and patient’s illness manifestation. However, it may be affected by many other condition, such as exercise,medications.

The medications affect patient’s pulse very much, for example, if patient uses Progesterone, the pulse is slipery and like already get pregnanted.

The beta-blocker could decrease the pulse rate and force, so the pulse may be weak and slower than should be; The anti-hypertension drugs also affect patient pulse depending on specific style of action.

Some medications may be in-directly affect the pulse. For example, some antibiotics may hurt patient’s stomach, causing gastritis and pain, which may cause patient has a string pulse.

Author Symposium: ALL ABOUT CHI

An acupuncturist, a Reiki teacher, and two artists who work with chi and creativity and chi gung will present their healing arts on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 2-4 p.m. at Berkeley Public Central Library in downtown Berkeley. This is the second author panel in the free series Get Well! Alternative Practitioners Talk With You About Healing, sponsored by North Atlantic Books and Berkeley Public Library.

Moderator for the Nov. symposium is Lindy Hough, Co-Founder and Publisher of North Atlantic Books in Berkeley.
The panelists:
- Kaleo and Elise Ching, Chi and Chi Gung;
Authors of Chi and Creativity: Vital Energy and Your Inner Artist
- Don Beckett, Reiki healer;
Author of Reiki–The True Story: An Exploration of Usui Reiki
- Robert Johns, Acupuncturist;
Author of The Art of Acupuncture Techniques

Authors will describe their practices and theoretical framework and read from their books. Audience questions will be followed by a book signing.

Kaleo and Elise Ching live and practice in El Cerrito, Robert Johns practices in Berkeley, and Reiki teacher Don Beckett is from Mesa, Arizona.

“We’re interested in helping people understand how these modalities work and how effective they are. Hearing how our authors, who are also practitioners, treat different diseases helps people see whether a given modality might be helpful with their own troublesome conditions or something a loved one is struggling with.” Most people who don’t use alternative medicine find it hard to distinguish how these different systems work. “The goal of the November panel is to have the audience come away with a clearer idea of how chi energy works in Reiki, acupuncture, chi gung and creative work,” Hough said.

“The Berkeley Public Library is excited to be working in partnership with North Atlantic Books to better serve the interest in mind/body/spirit their readers are seeking,” said Douglas Smith, Deputy Director of the Library. “We’re pleased to be expanding our programming, outreach, and collections in these important directions.”

ALL ABOUT CHI
Get Well! Alternative Practitioners Answer Your Questions About Healing series
Saturday, November 21, 2009
2pm-4pm
Berkeley Public Central Library
3rd Floor Community Meeting Room
2090 Kittredge Street
Berkeley, CA 94704

Wheelchair accessible. To request a sign language interpreter, real-time captioning, materials in large print or Braille, or other accommodations for this event, please call (510) 981-6107 (voice) or (510) 548-1240 (TTY); at least five working days will ensure availability. Please refrain from wearing scented products to public programs.

The waiting game

Waiting for January for our first insemination is proving to be difficult.  I feel like I need to do something to get my body ready and hopefully improve my chances to conceive.  A couple of weeks ago I had blood tests done and it was hard to wait for the results to come back.  Everything came back normal including my cholesterol, but my thyroid is on the high end of normal.  My doctor thought about putting me on medication, but I really don’t like that idea.  I want my body to regulate itself without putting unnatural things into it.  So I decided to do acupuncture as a way to treat the thyroid and help ready my body for pregnancy.

Yesterday was my firs appointment with the acupuncturist.  I’m really fortunate to have insurance that values alternative medicine.  My appointments only cost me $10 and the clinic is within walking distance, although it’s raining a lot so I don’t see me doing that at the moment.  I went into the clinic, filled out some paperwork, and was offered an assortment of teas and water while I wait.  The acupuncturist, who I was scheduled with, walked into the clinic wearing brown knee high boots, red skirt, dark orange sleeveless top, and long black dreadlocks.  She led me into another room with a wicker chair and a massage table.  The walls were painted in a light brown color with the tan ceiling.  We talked for a half hour about my long cycles, the thyroid, and hormones.  She looked at my tongue a few times and commented on how thick it was.  I felt very comfortable with her and remember thinking how happy I was that I had chosen this place to do treatment.

After she inserted the needles, turned on some Chinese ting-dong music, and left the room, I thought about my dad.  A little over two years ago, I had my dad do acupuncture to fight the fatigue and pain he was feeling.  The A. doctor kept saying that there was something wrong with his liver, but we didn’t really pay that much attention since that was not were the pain was.  We went to my dad’s lung specialist (he had lung cancer a year or two before, which led to a small part of his lung taken out, but no chemo) because the pain wasn’t getting any better.  I was just about to start grad school, finishing up my B.S degrees (yes, 2 of them) when we learned that he had several tumors throughout the body, including the liver.  Lying on that table with the needles sticking in me brought me back to what he must have been going through when he was having acupuncture.  If I could have traded places with him I would have, to take all the cancer out of his body and place it in me.  It was hard to get married without him physically being there, but I know he was there in spirit.  I have a whole new life that he’s not here for.  He never met my wife and she feels sad for that.  She says that she thinks about him every now and then.

Anyway, the acupuncture was great and I look forward to doing it again next week.  I’m still trying to remember to take the prenatal vitamins and I have modified my diet to be healthier.  Like I might have already said, we don’t eat any red meat, no fast food (which was hard for me to break that habit), and we even make our own bread thanks to my sister-in-law for that wedding present!  I’m committed to exercising 3 days a week and I’ll build up to more as time goes on.  I’ve been told not to go on a diet because that could mess up the hormone levels and my cycles.  I’m definitely overweight with a high BMI, but my doctor assured me that just losing 10 pounds by January would help increase my chances, though it’s not necessary. Since I have seen her, I have lost almost 5 pounds with doing nothing more that eating healthy and moving a bit more.

Learning through experience at the Teaching Clinic

Anna Bernard recently joined LCTA as Teaching Clinic Practice Manager.  Here she tells us a bit about herself and explains how the clinic works.

Anna tells us what happens in the LCTA Teaching Clinic

 

I’ve been a qualified acupuncturist for seven years.  I ran the Neal’s Yard therapy rooms five years ago and then left to focus on my own practice.  I worked with Zita West for a year and set up a vocal clinic specialising in singing and presenting for voiceovers which is the other thing that I do to earn a living.  Coming back into such a creative college environment is great; the student environment is fantastic, it’s the best environment to learn in.

In my role as Teaching Clinic Practice Manager I co-ordinate all of the student clinics across acupuncture, herbs and tui na.  I look after both the day-to-day and the strategic management of the clinic, looking at the patient experience and working out how we can give our students the best possible teaching.  This includes ensuring that we attract enough patients for our students to learn from, so I am looking at ways of branching out into the community.

The ideal patient is probably a difficult one: whether it’s a difficult case or just a difficult personality; for instance, a patient who turns up late, or one who doesn’t turn up at all, although it is nice to have a patient who they treat weekly for 12 weeks and see them get better – as this gives the students confidence.  But whilst they are a student it’s also good to have a difficult case so that they can experience as much as possible before they graduate and set up on their own.

The final year students have four clinic blocks lasting eight weeks each and the number of patients is built up slowly but surely so that in the first block they will treat one to two patients per week and by the fourth block, they will have a fairly solid clinic day.  We make sure that they have enough patients to be continually learning.

Part of the clinic day is a two-hour discussion as a group with the clinic supervisor.  There is a set amount that has to be taught in the clinic for each block and the discussion time is also used to discuss stuff that comes up with patients.  So if a student has an interesting case, they have the opportunity to discuss how best to deal with it and all the students have a chance to learn from it through discussion.

The Teaching Clinic gives the students a really valuable insight into what it is like to run a practice.  They get to experience the good and the bad days, the easy and the difficult patients and they learn how to deal with their personal issues – it’s a real journey.

This group of third years is incredible, they have been so good and all the supervisors are really pleased with their progress in this first clinic block.   They work fast and are focused, they’re a very strong group.  This is really exciting for me and you can really feel it in the clinic as well – people are coming back and booking in all the time.  Part of the requirement of the clinical year is that students see and retain a certain number of patients, so this cohort have got off to a great start.

There are clinics available every day apart from Wednesdays and if you don’t mind being observed, it’s a fantastic way to get treated.

For more information about the LCTA Teaching Clinic see the news and information section of the blog.

Headaches are a Pain in the...

Pain

There Are Different Kinds of Headaches

What causes them?
Contrary to some of my colleges some headaches are treated better by other means than Chiropractic.  Acupuncture and yes even medicine work.  Trust me when you have been driven to your knees and crippled by a headache you will try anything.
Headaches are most commonly caused by

• Tension in the muscles
• Changes by vascular constriction
• Sinus congestion

Chiropractic seems to work best in the types of headaches that are based around muscle tension and changes to vascular flow. Sinus headaches have also had success, but they are likely to have a more complicated cause.
There are three main types of headaches typically found in a chiropractic office:

• -Migraine headaches
• -Tension headaches
• -Cervicogenic headaches

The last type of headache mentioned sounds a bit scary, but it just simply means a headache that is caused by referred pain that originates within the bone, muscles, or nerves of the neck.
Tension Headaches
If we become stressed, scared, or angry, your body will respond with increased muscle tension in the head, neck, and shoulders. This reaction is called the fight or flight response, and it is the normal response to stress. If we are stressed often (as most of us are) and we can neither run or fight, the muscle tension becomes a habit.
This can lead to some imbalances in the way we hold our body, which in turn leads to more muscle tension and pain. Chiropractic treatment can relax these muscles and realign the spine’s structure to put and end to the vicious cycle of pain. Those seeking chiropractic care for tension headaches can often see a marked improvement in just a few treatments as the nerves become less irritated and the muscles begin to relax.
Migraine Headaches
Migraines are brought about by changes in vascular flow, triggered by a variety of factors such as different smells, foods, weather, hormonal changes, and stress. These often very painful headaches do not always start off as pain. They can begin with nausea or the person may experience a halo effect called a visual aura.
Recent studies have shown chiropractic treatment may play a significant role in reducing the number of migraines a person has. By careful manipulation of the neck and spine, chiropractic adjustments may be able to reduce nerve irritation in the spine, thus preventing radiating or referred pain, and improve vascular flow.
Treatment Types
Chiropractic care can best help:  Tension, and Cervicogenic Headaches.  It centers around manipulation of the spine and neck to improve blood flow and posture. To reduce the headaches, the chiropractor will perform spinal adjustments using his hands, but may also include massage, trigger point therapy, or other types of complementary treatments to address the problem. The doctor of chiropractic will probably also include some home care recommendations such as stretching exercises and posture education to help keep things balanced between visits.
Acupuncture care can best help:  Migraines, Vascular headaches.  Acupuncture centers on energy and the balance of flow.  It sounds a bit hooky to the lay person, but its been around for over 2000 years and people use it every day to alleviate their headaches.

Acupuncture Beneficial for Many Age-related Illnesses

Acupuncture originated in China more than 5,000 years ago and continues to be a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  The acupuncture points provide gateways to influence, redirect, increase, or decrease the body’s vital substances, qi (energy) & blood, to help correct many of the body’s imbalances.

You are probably thinking “ouch” but actually, the needles used for acupuncture are very thin and delicate.  You will not even feel most of them go in if you have a good practitioner.  And once the needles are in, you still won’t feel them except for feeliing maybe extra pressure in that area for a moment.  On one of my visits for acupuncture, I started to get up, thinking all the needles were out.  The ones I could see were gone but there was still one in my forehead, which I didn’t realize was still there.  It is a very relaxing experience and not at all painful.

I saw a presentation on senior care in China recently and it was noted that most of their nursing homes offer acupuncture treatments for everything from stroke to memory loss to depression.  It is routinely provided as part of the senior’s daily activities- grab breakfast and then show up for an acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture is beginning to be covered by more health insurance plans in the U.S. and offered in integrative medicine programs at hospitals and clinics.  In addition, more acupuncture research studies are being done to provide us westerners with the proof we seem to need before giving something new a try.  And much of this research is studying the benefits of acupuncture for age-related illnesses.  If it benefits the elderly in other countries, it can benefit the elderly in our country.

One national study showed half of 78 stroke patients receiving standard rehabilitative care, who also received acupuncture treatment recovered faster and to a greater extent, spending 88 days in a hospital or nursing home compared to 161 days for those without acupuncture treatment.  And guess what?  This saves dollars for insurance companies which is another reason acupuncture research is taking place and the reason there is a movement to incorporate it into health insurance plans.

I have found acupuncture to work amazingly well and to be the most cost-effective treatment for ailments.  I fell on my elbow a couple years ago and several months later still had a bump on my elbow along with shooting pain, at times, when my elbow hit something just wrong.  One acupuncture treatment later and the bump disappeared, along with the pain.  All for just $35 at my local college of oriental medicine.

As a caregiver, you may want to find out what acupuncture offerings are available in your area and if there are discounted pricing for seniors – the clinic near me does offer senior discounts.

Source:

http://caregiverlist.com/blog/julie/archive/2009/01/09/acupuncture.aspx

The Relationship of Acupuncture and Infertility

There are dozens of couples who may be infertile out there. And often times, these couples have tried every 21st century medical treatment that is being offered out there. This is not their fault if they have done so since almost everybody thinks that infertility is a new age disorder. Sure it may have been popularized in this era, but even way back, there are couples who have had the same dilemma. And so, after tiring from these new age treatments, it may be about time to look into the old or traditional ways, it is time to delve along the lines of acupuncture and infertility.

As the new age came in and since infertility is still a problem, doctors have looked into acupuncture and infertility as a means to resolve it. Even as mysterious as traditional Chinese medicine gets, some doctors who are not patrons of this form of treatment have started going in this direction since the forefront of western medicine alone can suffice.

Known to the Chinese population, acupuncture is a form of therapy that the ancient Chinese are using to battle diseases and as a means of therapy. Acupuncture has been around for almost five thousand years, but the efficiency of this therapy produces results. Research has shown that 70% of the quarter of the world’s population has gone through acupuncture. And acupuncture and infertility is dated back until 11 AD as a method of curing the disorder.

From a research of a doctor, he claims that acupuncture is normally referred to patients that have attempted one or several tries at IVF (invitro fertilization), and the doctor is trying to supplement the success of the treatment by pairing it with acupuncture to go beyond infertility. And this is even going beyond their western beliefs.

Acupuncture and infertility benefit from it because acupuncture assists with the regularization of menstrual cycle and once again ignite the sperm, but at the same time help the body reform back to its original state.

A process of acupuncture and infertility is inclined to rely on needless that are being pinned strategically on points that appear to be grid-like in pattern that begins from the head until the feet and around the body. The needles are focused to ignite key energy points in the body which are understood to balance out the bodies emotional, spiritual and mental aspects. And for women that are infertile, this is a good way to re-establish them.

Towards infertility, acupuncture may help a woman cross the line from infertile to fertile by allowing the body to move and regain its efficiency where in turn, allows the previous procedures to work faster and take effect. This is coming from a study of a hundred and sixty women who has undergone acupuncture and infertility. And its findings have proven that acupuncture does help a woman who has also been treated by IVF. In turn, this will allow the woman to become pregnant naturally and have that baby she has always wanted.

'Being' in Action

Yesterday I had an acupuncture session scheduled for 6:30 P.M. On my way to my appointment I spoke to a friend and told her where I was headed. She asked if there was something wrong with me.

“There must be something wrong if you’re going to have acupuncture,” she said.

“Everything is fine,” I said. I was going to have a self-care, feel good, preventative medicine treatment and was very much looking forward to my session.

I bounded off the 6 train at 68th St. and Lexington Ave. and walked several blocks to the office of my gifted acupuncturist (who is also a good friend). I rang the bell and out walked Susan with a furrowed brow and a frown.

“I screwed up,” she said. Her regular Tuesday, 6:30 P.M. client, whom she thought was not coming this week, had shown up unexpectedly.

“He’s in there now. I didn’t know what to do. Can you wait until 7:30 and I’ll treat you then? I feel so stupid. I’m sorry.”

“Waiting an hour doesn’t work for me,” I told her. “Let’s talk tomorrow and reschedule.”

“Oh, Joe, I feel so awful.”

“It’s OK,” I assured her, knowing that my words may not soothe her.

I left the office as content and happy as ever. I spontaneously decided to walk north on 5th Avenue and give myself a chance to experience the sights and sounds there. What a gift! The taxis, buses, joggers, and dog walkers went about their business as I strolled. There was the Metropolitan Museum of Art without people or traffic in front of it, the Guggenheim Museum lit up and inviting me in to the Kandinsky exhibit, Central Park beckoning with the colors of fall leaves, doormen chatting on cell phones and hustling to help tenants with bags and kids.

“Look how this evening turned out,” I thought. “I’m so glad I took the time for this. This is my self-care session.” And off I went to Starbucks to sit, enjoy a cup of tea, and write.

“When you release expectation and allow your self to be present to what is, you marry mind and spirit. Giving your self a chance to ‘be’ is one of the greatest gifts you can ever give receive. What can you do now that is full of ‘being’?”

Amen!

Are you feeling stuck, unmotivated, or lost in a sea of fear-based thinking?

There are still a few spots left for my 30-Day, Small Group Magical Manifesting TeleCourse. Details below.

30-Day Magical Manifesting TeleCourse

This five-session Law of Attraction Coaching Intensive is designed to help you break through self-imposed barriers, get you focused on your J.O.B. (Joyful, Outrageous, Bliss), build your Trust Fund, and create more of what you want in your life.

When: Tue., Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24, & Dec. 1, 8: 30-9:30 P.M. ET

Where: TeleConference Line (phone # given upon registration)

Your Investment: $150 when you register and pay by Oct. 20th, $215 after Oct. 20th (Fee includes daily, inspirational updates, a 1:1 On-Track session, and ongoing support throughout the course.)

Registration and info: joemonkman@earthspiritworks.com, 917.609.5682

Today I am grateful to Susan for the opportunity to be in the practice of being, to the sights and sounds of a Fall evening in NYC, for my ability to say no, to Starbucks, morning laughs at the gym with the Diva of Harlem, thinking BIG, meditation, new business opportunities, my book agent, editor and publisher, Hay House Publishing and Radio.

Thanks and peace to all!

Joe

Statutory Regulation Of Alternative Medicine: What Good Will It Do?

In the UK, statutory regulation of practitioners of herbal medicine and acupuncture has been advocated by a House of Lords’ Select Committee and by three subsequent Dartment of Health (DH) working groups as well as the vast majority of respondents to a previous DH consultation on this subject (the Pittilo consultation and report). The NIMH is strongly in support of statutory regulation of this sector. They feel that only statutory regulation of this sector can enable the public to identify qualified practitioners and maintain the availability of a full range of herbal medicines in herbal practice. The same discussion is going on in other countries, the Netherlands for example.

Is it true that statutory regulation will protect the public against the risks of alternative medicine?  Many people think not and we agree with them. The pitfalls and downsides of the suggested regulations have been aptly described in a submission that was sent to the Pittilo consultation. You can read it here. There is a summary on DC’s Improbable Science, as well as extensive information on the Pittilo report itself.

External Qi Healing Training part 1

What an enlightening and educational weekend!

There are 26 of us from all over the country that signed up to receive training from Master Chen in his External Qi Healing method.  I think I can safely say that everyone in the group will admit Master Chen is extraordinary.

It is hard to believe, but due to the political atmosphere in China, Master Chen would not be allowed to teach a lot of what he is teaching our class here in America.  We students are extremely lucky to be receiving instruction of a teacher of this caliber.  First off, there are not that many Taoist priests on the planet, and the majority of them live in China.  Of these few priests, little have had the extensive training that Master Chen has had.  Although I’m pretty sure he would not admit it, he is among the elite of his community.  Also hardly any of the Taoist Masters speak any modicum of English.  So for an American, who does not know how to speak Chinese, learning anything from a Master of Wu Dang is an absolute rarity.  But because of his command of the English language, Master Chen is easily understandable as a teacher.  He cracks jokes.  His style of lecture is animated, and he is easily approachable for questions.  The man is a walking library of Taoism, Chinese culture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. And the best part, he is more than willing to teach those who wish to learn from him.

And learn we did!  Most days Master Chen lectured for at least ten hours.  It was an amazing amount of information that I will likely be spending the next couple of months digesting.  We were also taught forms of Qi Gong that are not taught anywhere but at Wu Dang.  Needless to say, I have a lot of work ahead of me in memorizing these forms and putting them into my daily routine, but I look forward to the challenge.  When I get them learned, I guarantee that my own health and energy will be improved.

I am looking forward to learning more from Master Chen in December. This weekend was mind-blowing and we’re only getting started on the journey.  I will be sure to keep my blog readers posted on how I am progressing in this training, my struggles and my successes.  But I honestly believe that I will become a better practitioner through this training.  This of course means that my treatments will be more effective and I will be able to help more people.  That is the ultimate goal.

Anyhow, as I’ve said, I will be keeping you posted.  Please keep me in your prayers and positive thoughts, and I will continue to work hard so that I can be of better service to you all.

Acupuncture for Pre-Labor

Pre-Labor Acupuncture

I have had really great success treating pregnant women and helping them to get into labor “on-time”. In this litigious day and age very few women are allowed to carry past 41 weeks. Unfortunately, babies do not always agree with this time line which, leads to anxious moms thinking about pitocin, cervadil or a scheduled section date. Stressed out moms make for tight muscles and a tense cervix which, is less than optimal if you are trying to go into labor.

I have had the fortune of working with a lot of pregnant women and have had great success with a pre-labor protocol that was created by Debra Betts, a renowned midwife and acupuncturist from New Zealand. I have noticed that most of the women who have gotten the pre-labor treatment go into labor “on time” usually by 40 weeks, and have had relatively short, unmedicated labors. It is rare that the women even need acupuncture induction to start labor.

The treatment commences at about 36-37 weeks gestation and ends at the onset of labor. Treatment consists of a core group of acu-points that help facilitate muscle relaxation, a softening of the cervix and relaxation for the mind. During treatment I also addresses acute and constitutional issues that may be affecting the woman. This could be reflux, insomnia, back pain etc…

A recent study showed a 35% reduction in the number of inductions, (for first-time mothers this was a 43% reduction) and a 31% reduction in the epidural rate. When compared to a local midwifery practice (with no acupuncture) there was 32 % reduction in emergency Cesarean Sections and a 9% increase in normal vaginal births. Read the full study: http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/aama_marf/journal/vol17_3/article_2.html
I am offering a Baby Special! Anyone who signs up for a pre-birth treatment before January 2010 saves $50.00 off the regular price. For first time patients the cost is $275 which includes an initial one and a half hour intake and treatment and three follow up visits. If you have seen me before the cost is $250.00 for four visits.

Sickness and healing, combination

I’ve got sick in Thursday. Nothing serious just cold. Doctor of insurance company prescribed some medicine and I’ve got them in no time for free. So that’s Ok.

But I’ve got an interesting tip of advice from a man whom I’ve never seen coughing or sneezing for two years. “As you begin to feel that you’re getting cold massage your ears, so they were reddish and burning. Do you know how many important points are located on our ears that are responsble for our health?”

Thinking of this I remembered that, actualy, I do know I’ve read it in a soviet sport magazing when I was a child.

Our ears look like an embryons and every part of ear corresponds to a body part. Look at the picture below.

ear and embryon

And the major points of our ears are shown below.

ear

So maybe he was right? Activating these points I would activate my organs and defence forces. But as he said it’s late now when I’m sick already. Should try it another time.

And now, what was a reason I’ve got sick? Was that sick colleagues spreading germs? At some point – of course.

But if to dig further, I do belive that all our sicknesses and diseases are produced mentally. I’ve learned it through Louise Hay books and accepted it!

It’s so true!

What were my thoughts before I’ve got sick? “I hate my job! I do not want to go to the office everyday! I want to stay at home!”  As a result I’m at home now, the only disappointment that it’s the weekend and I would love to spend it outside!

Be healthy and think positive!

"Grand-Opening Event!"

Join us Oct 2 & 3! Phoenix Holistic Health Center 4747 E. Elliot Rd Suite #13 Phoenix AZ 85004

Friday Oct. 2nd 3 pm - 7 pm

“Ribbon Cutting @ 4 pm”

Saturday, October 3  10 am – 3 pm

*Immediately following the ribbon cutting, please join us for organic coffee, healthy hors d’oeuvres, educational lectures, games for adults & face painting for the kids with live music on Friday and Saturday.

 Door prizes every hour and raffle drawings

  Call (480) 753-0888 for more information 

No More Pills!!??

Staying healthy and fit has been the primary goal of everyone’s life and people spend millions of dollars on pills and therapies. Well, there are numerous alternative options to keep your body fit and without diseases. The holistic methods proposed by Jonathan Breslow are the best in the business and one can find a lot of information on his website.

The Website is a nearly a medical centre by itself, giving you valuable insight into Breslow’s holistic medical therapies. The most effective of his therapies include the classical homeopathy and acupuncture. It’s not about the chemicals and no tough pills to swallow. The treatments are herbal and without any side effects. Jonathon Breslow is a reputed licensed acupuncturist, registered professional in homeopathy and you can view a lot more of his credentials in his site.

This Southern California holistic is physically located Camarillo, CA. But Breslow Wellness has patients who visit him from all over Southern California, including Los Angeles, Ventura, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Woodland Hills and the San Fernando Valley. The site gives you how his treatments differ from the rest and you can also read about the patients of his who have found relief from their ailments.

All his therapies are a permanent solution unlike the rest of the treatments that only cure your diseases temporarily. Even more amazing is the fact that he does not charge you much and can cure your ailments in very quick time. More information about his life and therapies can be obtained from his site. Make sure you

fix an appointment right away!!!

st george acupuncture

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Dr. Brian N. Hardy is the leading expert in alternative medicine in the St. George and the Southern Utah area.

We specialize in pain management, acupuncture, chiropractic, nutrition and spinal decompression.

If you want to stop your pain and improve your health, Give us a call today: 435 688-8830

click here

[Via http://techsech.wordpress.com]

Help Pushing Reset

Image from iStockPhoto

It’s been several months (five, to be exact) since I last paid a visit to my acupuncturist. I was seeing her religiously every other week up until the end of March 2009. At first I sought out acupuncture to help reduce stress, anxiety, sleeplessness, and most importantly, to help me regulate my cycles after being on the pill for so many years. And it worked! But then my expectations changed. I haven’t been able to admit this to myself until now, but I wanted acupuncture to help us get our BFP. Those are unrealistic expectations and I should have caught myself sooner. It fixed what I needed it to, and it was time to move on. But the break-up with my acupuncturist was still so hard. I developed almost a friendship with her and I knew she was rooting for us from the bottom of her heart.

With the changing of the seasons and two months, going on three, of pumping my body full of chemicals I decided it was time to push the rest button. I made an acupuncture appointment and it was absolutely lovely. It was so good to see her. She mostly worked on my back to help energize and cleanse. She also worked on a scar that I have on my right shoulder blade from a mole removal. She said her teacher believes that scars can inhibit the flow of your qi and apparently the right shoulder is a ripe spot for fertility.

I have zero expectations coming out of this session beyond a simple reset. I definitely feel refreshed. I will see her again in a month for another reset. Sometimes you just need to feel like you’re turning a new page. Leaving the has been behind you, and looking ahead to everything that could be.

[Via http://ventingvagina.wordpress.com]

Releasing The Mind

When you want something so bad, you’ll do anything to get it.  I want a baby really bad and I have done some interesting things trying to get pregnant.  Every time I read something, or hear a story about a way someone got pregnant, I would try it. For instance, I have put crystals under my mattress to bring good energy to our love making. I make my guy hold my legs up in the air after.  A friend of my cousin was trying to get pregnant and they did by doing it doggy-style every night.  The things we will do to get pregnant.

When I think of getting pregnant I think -Mind, Body and Spirit. First body, I went to my OBGYN and checked my female parts. I have one ovary  because of Endometriosis the cyst had engulfed my right ovary the doctor couldn’t save it. I am thirty eight years old which means my egg count is lower. I found out I was fertile and my one Fallopian tube is open but I am a little low in Progesterone. The OBGYN offered some pills to get the Progesterone back to a normal level. I don’t want artificial hormones in my body especially effecting my unborn baby. There has to be more of natural way?

We hold ourselves back from what we want because of our mind. My eighteen year old daughter got pregnant this year. I struggled with it so much I cried for about a week. I wanted her to go to college not follow in my foot steps. I was a young mom. I also struggled with the thought of how can I be a new mom and a grandmother. My mind was telling me I should choose. Our mind is very powerful. I had to hit “Ctrl” “Alt” and “Del” to stop my thoughts. I know in my heart that I will be a loving grandmother plus love my new child as well. Letting Go of those harsh thoughts were the first thing I needed to do with getting my mind ready to bring this child into the world. I lost my job at the end of March so I felt like a looser. Letting go of those harsh, negative thoughts about my identity with career will enhance my chances of getting pregnant. Keep pure love in your heart and mind will hopefully increase my chance of getting pregnant.

[Via http://iamgettingpregnant.wordpress.com]

Energy Medicine

Underlying the material structure and physiology of our bodies is an energetic level.  Our sensory perceptions of the material forms of our bodies and our surroundings are somewhat illusory:  to our senses everything seems very solid and distinct, but actually what we are perceiving is mostly empty space with energetic connections.  Our understanding from modern physics and ancient spiritual teachings is that what we term matter is interchangeable with energy and that matter is simply a more dense form of energy.  Clinically we can view the material form of our bodies as a lower frequency version of our energetic nature. 

Disease begins at the energetic level long before it can be detected physically, and healing usually begins at this same energetic level.   When body energy is flowing correctly and in the right quantities, the chemical/structural aspects of the body come into alignment with the body energy and healing proceeds rapidly.   We see this over and over in the clinic. 

Our understanding is that chronic disease or pain states usually occur on an energetic level first; when these imbalanced states persist for periods of time ranging from weeks to years, a physical change occurs that reflects this.  It is at this point that the Western Medicine diagnostic methods can usually identify the problem. 

So many times patients have gone to Western medical doctors with various symptoms and been told that the lab tests do not show any problems.   However, as time passes and the patterns become frozen into physically detectable forms, treatment becomes much more difficult.   If imbalances are treated in their earlier energetic phases, balance is much easier to restore and most physical symptoms can be avoided.  It is these energetic imbalances that we focus on discovering and correcting with our WholeHealth WellnessTM techniques.

Coming soon:  The four predominant historical  systems of Energy Medicine.

[Via http://darshankhalsa.wordpress.com]

The Road to Recovery... Is Much More Than One Event

I easily walked 2 miles today, without soreness or pain. Why, you ask, would that be a big deal? Mostly because I just had ACL replacement surgery (as well as other work) in my right knee just 3.5 weeks ago.

That’s right. Just 3.5 weeks ago. In surgery involving cutting a “new” ACL, threading it, screwing it in, and closing me up.

After 2 years of working out on an injured knee in Tae Kwon Do and other various activities (including getting through my 1st and 2nd degree black belt tests), I finally decided to get it fixed on August 12th. I had been made to understand it was quite a mess, including an ACL and menisci tear, as well as some bone spurs.

Let me tell you that I’m no stranger to knee injury! I had my other ACL replaced in 2005, and had to get some meniscus work done in that knee earlier this year. So I knew exactly what to expect from surgery… I had a great, quick recovery (I was back to TKD in 8 weeks last time), I figured with the mess in there, recovery would be a bit longer this time.

I’ve totally proven myself wrong, and I should again be back in TKD by October.

Here’s the timeline thus far: The day after surgery, I dumped the Percocet (hate that stuff, I’ll never go more than a few doses of it in the MOST dire of emergencies) and switched over to ibuprofen (Advil). 48 hours after surgery, I dumped the immobolizer and the crutches, and used a cane… for about 24 hours. Then I dumped that, too. When I went to physical therapy 2 days after surgery, I got grief for not wearing the immobilizer (my response was, “Well, the doc told me that I only had to wear it until I could bear weight on it… and I can do that fine now!”). However, surprise surprise when I could bend my knee to almost 100 degrees – which is typically the goal 2-3 weeks out! At 1 week, I wasn’t even walking with a limp anymore… and a bend check measured me at 123 degrees, with almost complete extension already (I will also note here that my doctor told me that I may not ever get full extension in that knee again… proved him wrong! ). At my 9-day follow-up with my surgeon, he was (and I never use this word) absolutely tickled about my speedy recovery. Now I’m at 3.5 weeks out, and I’m on the elliptical (no resistance), starting to walk/jog again, working out on the Wii Fit, and actually did weapons practice for about an hour-and-a-half yesterday — with no pain (I was just a bit tired last night!).

So, am I lucky? I would say that’s part of it. I have always been a quick healer. Also, I hate going to doctors, but my orthopaedic surgeon is 3 for 3 successful surgeries with me and my knees… therefore, I would recommend him to ANYONE who needs ortho help (here’s his info: Dr. Derek Reinke, Cary Orthopaedics: http://www.caryortho.com/physicians_sms.html#06).

But I believe there’s a LOT more than luck to it!

I continue to be amazed at how absolutely wonderful I feel just 3.5 weeks out from surgery, as are most people I know (including my orthopaedist and physical therapist). I had a quick recovery last time, but I remember still having a lot of soreness (there’s VERY little right now) and swelling (nonexistent today!) at this point for the first ACL. I’ve reflected A LOT as to what’s helping me along on this recovery, and I’m going to tell you what I think – what I know – directly contributes to this amazing story… first reminding you that I’m 40 years old, not a professional athlete, and regardless of my healthy habits, do (thanks to my aging metabolism) need to lose about 20 lbs:

• Eat natural, organic, and healthy. I REALLY started looking at food labels about 7 years ago, when I needed to find the cause and solution for migraines. In that process, I learned that migraines are often tied to digestive sensitivities and toxins built up in your system. So, I did a real detoxification with a naturopath (another wonderful pic: Dr. Maurice Werness, http://www.wernesswellness.com/). A note: You know all those “magical lose-weight detox shakes” out there? Don’t use them without going to an integrative Western physician or naturopathic physician to work out a personalized program for you. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time and money. I did a full detox program for my system, and it was long-term and worked wonderfully – without risking my health. I also found out that part of my problem was due to sensitivity to cow dairy, especially in combination with other protein foods.I know everyone hates to hear this, but we (meaning I did this with my husband and two kids as well — because I love them) cut out the junk, and really just went back to basics. By junk, here’s what I mean:

• NO “STANDARD” FAST FOODS. We don’t go to McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Hardee’s, or Jack-in-the-Box. We just don’t do it. If we must do fast food, we’ll go to a sub shop, get it on whole wheat, and stay away from the fatty subs… as well as cheese and mayo (though I will get “a little” of the lite mayo). Don’t tell me that kids can’t live without fast foods — mine won’t eat them anymore, because the last 2 times they had food from one of those places, they had sick stomachs for the rest of the day… and at 11 and 13, have no desire for it!
• No high fructose corn syrup. There is the occasion when we have absolutely no choice, but otherwise, it doesn’t exist in our household. We only get 100% fruit juices, watch the labels, and we shop at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods — stores that don’t allow it as an ingredient in the food on their shelves.
• No partially hydrogenated oils. Ditto above.
• No “whites.” We don’t eat white rice, white bread, white flour, or use granulated (white) sugar. Whole grain and unrefined are key, and are so much healthier for your longer-term energy. My kids are so used to this, that when they go over to other people’s houses and have white bread – or even the commercialized “honey wheats” that are out there – they tell me that the bread is nasty and has no taste to it. We even use sweeteners that are more natural – raw, unrefined sugar or dehydrated cane juice, or raw (unprocessed), local honey.
• Watch what’s put into the meat you eat! I would never tell people that vegetarian or vegan is the only way to go — I love my meat too much (as does the rest of my family). However, know what the animal was fed or given! Free range, grain fed and NO HORMONES, if you can possibly help it! I know the beef is more spendy with that requirement, but folks, FYI, it’s illegal in the United States for poultry to be injected with antibiotics or hormones (all that labeling you see? Marketing!).
• Eat colorful foods. Eat fruits and veggies. Period. No way around it! If you really can’t seem to get the 7 servings per day that you’re supposed to, take a supplement made from fruits and veggies (NOT chemical substitutes), like Berry Green powder (http://www.4allvitamins.com/product_info.php/products_id/408%7B1%7D4) and/or JuicePlus (https://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/content/Home.soa?site=gw44091). Also, I’m going to say this again: Go natural/organic! No man-made, dangerous chemicals or pesticides.
• Choose your vices, and do the best with them that you can. I love ice cream, period. Due to my cow dairy sensitivities, I don’t drink milk anymore (I love almond milk, though!), or eat a lot of standard cheese (I love goat cheese, though, which doesn’t cause me problems). However, I really, really love my ice cream! So, though I’ve just had to accept the fact that I will never give it up, I do the best I can: we make our own ice cream with our awesome Cuisinart ice cream maker — and we use organic cream, 1% milk, evaporated cane juice sugar, and organic/natural ingredients. Still a vice, but not AS bad!

• Exercise! Turn off the TV and DO something! You don’t have to be a martial arts freak like my family and me, but even if you talk a 30-minute brisk walk every day, they’ve shown that it does a lot for your overall health. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park further back in the parking lot, instead of vying for a space up front. Also, since our kids were little, we just don’t have the TV on during the day. At all. OK, on the weekends, we’ll watch a movie if we’re home, but we find plenty else to do otherwise. We never allowed video games until this past year, when we got the Wii, but even most of the games we have for the Wii make you have to DO something — like the Fit, Outdoor Adventure, and Sports Resort. It also keeps us doing stuff together.I partially attribute my quick bounce back from surgery to the long-term development of my muscles from  the Tae Kwon Do and other activity built into my everyday life.
• Do what you can to put only natural and healthy things onto and into your body; minimize the manmade chemicals! Try eco-friendly, natural soaps and detergents… and try to get organic materials when you can. If you look at a lotion bottle, and half the label consists of 12+ letter chemical words on the ingredients list, use something else. The skin is the largest organ in your body, and absorption through the skin is one of the most direct ways of getting something into your bloodstream, meaning bad chemicals aren’t just applied to your skin… they are absorbed directly into your bloodstream (think DEET in most commercial bug sprays!!). Keep that in mind! It takes some research, but there are plenty of other ways to handle different skin situations (including bug repellants – try rubbing some fresh rose-scented geranium leaves on your skin, which smell a lot better and do just as good a job) — even sunscreens!
• Watch it with Western pharmaceuticals. My naturopathic doctor put it really well in a conversation we had once: Holistic medicine – which is the philosophy of Eastern medicine, and has been around for thousands of years – is great for the equivalent of 0-60 mph. It’s preventative, and allows the body to deal better with the shock of something above that 60mph mark – where Western medicine has a definite stronghold. So keep that in mind when dealing with today’s Western medicine. There are too many doctors out there today who would rather just put a Band-Aid on a symptom instead of fixing the cause. Only take what you have to, and watch carefully for over-medication! For example, I went to a quack of a dermatologist several years back when I was on the tail end of an allergic hives rash. I know that when I do get those rashes (I have sensitive skin), they’re usually gone in about 2 weeks. It had been 7-10 days since the outbreak. Even with the rash fading, she prescribed an outrageous amount of Prednisone, and also told me to take a Zyrtec in the morning and an Allegra at night. A bit overkill, wouldn’t you think? I never used anything but a few Allegra, and the rash was still gone in a few more days… without other side effects.
• Be in control of your situation… vs. letting a situation control you. Do the best with what you have, and always strive for something more. If I would have just accepted what the doctor told me when I originally had my first ACL replaced, I wouldn’t have pushed myself so hard to get back to TKD. I faced the soreness and discomfort by working on it constantly during recovery. Even this time, the day after the surgery, when I had the immobilizer on (basically, a full ankle-to-hip splint), I was lifting the left myself in the immobilizer to move, to adjust, to get onto and off the bed/couch. When my physical therapist told me to do 3 reps of 15 of a certain exercise at home every day, I’d do 4 reps of that exercise… and 2x/day, if I could manage it. I quit taking the narcotics the day after surgery, and instead used ibuprofen to deal with discomfort and swelling… and I think my body adjusted more quickly and I was able to cope better mentally in a shorter period of time because of it. I self-monitored the dose, lowered it as I could, and by this past week, when I hit 3 weeks post-op, I stopped taking the Advil altogether. Only on days like yesterday, when I could feel the achiness settling in (after overdoing it a little bit), I took a few to cut that off at the pass.
• Learn to listen to your body, and find the natural  bodywork that works for you. I started craniosacral therapy shortly before I worked with a naturopath on the detoxification to naturally combat migraines without having to pop pills for the rest of my life. I’ve gotten so much more out of it than the original intention! My craniosacral therapist (another wonderful practitioner… Lisa Werness, http://www.wernesswellness.com) has been able to help me combat my joint injuries from the Tae Kwon Do, and really has helped with my body alignment to minimize pain from those injuries and prevent others. Also, I don’t get migraines anymore! I used to have one every other week or so… I’ve been seeing her for about 7 or 8 years now, and in that time, I think I’ve had 2 migraines through that whole period! I also get regular massages (which relax the muscles – and mind -  while helping to detoxify your body of built up toxins), and I’ve recently discovered the wonders of acupuncture (another great plug here, for my awesome acupuncturist: Fran Ammons, LAc http://www.acupuncturenc.com), for everything from rashes to bad bruising to minimalization of discomfort and sickness.The point is, there are many, many non-prescription options to dealing with your bodily woes. And yet, there are times when you must take pharmaceuticals. Just find a healthy balance of how to use the best of both Eastern and Western medicines to keep your body in the best shape possible.

So, there you have it. I’ve wanted to write this blog for awhile, because I’ve had so many people ask me why I thought I’ve had such an awesome, quick recovery thus far. But beyond this surgery, I look at my family’s overall health — looking at our habits, and how we really focused on healthy diet and living for the past 7 or 8 years, and I will say this: The best testament is every year when my kids go to their pediatrician for their annual checkup, and the doctor looks at the charts and says, “Well… I haven’t seen you since this time last year.”

Enough said. Can you put a dollar amount on that kind of quality of life? Think about it!

I’m sure this all seems like a lot to take in. Many people might say, “This is SO MUCH… how could I even start?” Well, we did. Little by little. We just made a conscious effort to do SOMETHING today. It’s just baby steps… and a decision to make it better (whatever that is).  Because that’s the only way we, as a society, will get ourselves back to better health… and a better planet!

[Via http://unitedinsolitude.wordpress.com]

Acupuncture and Tennis Elbow Pain

Acupuncture is one of the most effective treatments for tennis elbow. Usually the pain is very tender, localized and has a very sharp stabbing quality. Acupuncture in most cases works better than Ultrasound, Laser, massage or any other therapy. In about 2-3 (ever other day) sessions you can see improvements. Many of our patients even start playing after the third session. If you or someone you know suffers from tennis elblow, let them know that acupuncture works very well. If you have any questions call our office at (949)679-4111 or visit our website at: http://www.MyIrvineAcupuncture.com

[Via http://irvineacupuncture.wordpress.com]