ESEMA Healing Arts » Herbal Medicine

Vitamin D

Erin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:41:09 +0000

It is by far the most-talked about vitamin this year – with growing research proving that a Vitamin D deficiency can cause not only calcium deficiency (which can lead to osteoporosis), but other serious illnesses and hormone imbalances. So why all the fuss now? A study done in 2007 found a whopping 50% of women of childbearing age significantly deficient in Vitamin D and other research demonstrates a connection between cancer-survivors and adequate Vitamin D. Many of my patients have begun taking a separate Vitamin D supplement, as directed by their doctor, and those that aren’t are asking questions about what this mysterious vitamin is, how much we need, and how to know if we are getting enough.

De-Mystifying Your D

Vitamin D is a unique nutrient, which is actually considered a hormone rather than a vitamin, and therefore plays many important roles in the body. The most famous is its function to facilitate proper calcium absorption, thus promoting healthy bone mineralization and preventing osteoporosis. However, recent studies have shown that sufficient Vitamin D also plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy immune system, nervous system and endocrine system, while also preventing serious illnesses like cancer, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. A deficiency may also be contributing to a couples inability to get pregnant, or other disruptions of hormone balance.

How Much Is Enough?

The only way to know if your body is struggling without enough Vitamin D, is to get your levels checked at your doctor’s office. Through a simple blood test, they can see the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD – aka “Vitamin D”) in your blood, which should be no less than 15 ng/mL (and ideally at 40 ng/mL). Based on your individual assessment, your health care provider can help you find the best plan to increase your Vitamin D levels to prevent illness and keep your body functioning at its best.

How to with Supplement Additional Vitamin D

The best way to get Vitamin D is through exposure to sunlight (see below), but there are some ways to incorporate the nutrient into your diet. However, the few foods that actually contain Vitamin D, do so in minimal amounts, making it especially difficult to maintain healthy levels without supplementation. Here is a list of foods with Vitamin D that you can play with:

Salmon (especially wild-caught)
Mackerel (especially wild-caught)
Tuna Canned in Water
Sardines Canned in Oil
Milk (fortified with vitamin D)
Egg Yolks
Beef or Calf Liver
Some Fortified Cereals

The appropriate dosage of a Vitamin D supplement is a controversial one. Research and medical doctors are safely using anywhere from 1,000 IU (international units) to 10,000 IU in adults. Dr. Andrew Weil and the Vitamin D Council are two reputable sources that agree on a 2,000 IU dose (above and beyond a normal multi-vitamin, which commonly have between 200-600 IU) as safe for most adults between the ages of 15-70, and to increase that number if the individual has little to no sun exposure. The quality and the type of supplement you are taking also make a difference (ie: Vitamin D3 is most similar to that which we get from the sun, as opposed to D2), so it is important to discuss with your doctor and get a good recommendation.

The good news is you can’t over-produce Vitamin D from sun exposure or diet, but careless supplementation can lead to toxicity in some cases. Vitamin D toxicity can present as fatigue, constipation, dizziness or heart palpitations. Medical professionals agree that while it is important not to have “too much of a good thing,” supplementing with Vitamin D is difficult to reach toxic levels. The amount of Vitamin D your body naturally produces after an hour of sun-exposure can reach levels of 15,000-25,000 IU, so there is little to be concerned about when supplementing with 1,000-2,000 IU per day. The best way to avoid toxicity is to get your nutrient levels checked to see if there is a need first.

Let The Sun-Shine On

It is true, that the sun is the most natural and potent way to get your fix of Vitamin D – at a much higher level than we can consume nutritionally. Best of all, you absolutely cannot overdose on Vitamin D this way. Your body knows exactly how and what from the ultraviolet rays to absorb through the skin to produce your nutritional quota. Of course, we all know the damage too much sun-exposure can cause separate and aside, so it is important to take certain precautions.

Vitamin D absorbs best without sun screen, so don’t be afraid to sit out unprotected for 10 minutes each day before applying spf 15 or 30 lotion (note: always apply spf to your face, and be mindful if this recommendation is not a healthy choice for you, and use other ways to get Vitamin D)
Adequate Vitamin D absorption may take longer in people with darker skin tones (up to an hour, say several sources), so these individuals may want to consider supplementing with another form of Vitamin D to prevent prolonged unprotected sun exposure.
If you have fair skin, or a history of skin cancer, avoid unprotected sun exposure and get any Vitamin D needed from a supplement or dietary nutrition (plus some Vitamin D will absorb through sunscreens, just at a slower rate).
Vitamin synthesizes slower through the skin as we age, so it is important to continually keep up on checking your nutritional levels. And don’t forget about seasonal changes! Research has shown that people living below the latitude of Los Angeles year-round are least likely to have a Vitamin D deficiency. So if you are a local New Yorker (like me), or other Northern Hemisphere resident, be mindful as that summer sun starts to set and your clothing becomes all that much thicker. You may need to adjust your Vitamin D intake in the winter.

Sun Safety

In the hot summer sun this year, it is important to protect your skin from the harmful sun rays if you are spending any length of time outside. Sunscreen is the best way to do this. It is recommended to either saturate your skin with an spf spray or use 2-3 Tbsp of lotion at a time, and to reapply every 2 hours or after swimming. Consumer reports listed the following as the best and most effective sunscreens on the market right now:

Up & Up Sport Continuous (Target),
Walgreens Sport Continuous
Banana Boat Sport Performance Continuous
Aveeno Continuous Protection.

A Brief History of Medicine

Erin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:07:13 +0000

“Doctor, I have an earache…”

2000 BC ~ “Here, eat this root.”

1000 AD ~ “That root is heathen; say this prayer”

1850 AD ~ “That prayer is superstition, drink this potion”

1940 AD ~ “That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill.”

1985 AD ~ “That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic.”

2000 AD ~ “That antibiotic is artificial – here, eat this root!”

~author, unknown

Going around full circle, I wanted to share this enlightening, humorous and fun short poem sent to me by one of my patients. A lot of today’s movements are going back to the beginning for useful advice on health, medicine, nutrition and body care. As we become more conscious of the impact our decisions have on our health and the planet – organic, “green” and natural are coming back into fashion. Food is another great example, as we move out of the grocery shelves (while less money up-front and quick in preparation) and back to the farmers market (what you’ll save in health care bills far compensates the cost up-front, and promotes sustainable agriculture for farms just like our ancestors).

The same is true for acupuncture, herbs and other complimentary medicine practices – which may seem like a luxury, but are actually more like insurance. We are a clinical practice, focused on the medical needs of our patients through detailed health history discussions and sending them home after treatment with, well, roots (like the ginseng root pictured above). While there is no question that modern technology has given us incredible tools, stepping back – in some cases – is more like taking a step forward.

Some of my favorite resources for stepping back and staying modern:

Gorgeously Green – Do it yourself (and from the garden!) skin and beauty-care products

Suncoat Cosmetics – Formaldehyde, Toluene & Phthaletes Free (aka: Toxin-Free) Nail Polish

Sara Snow – Advice on Green Living for all areas of your life, from the family of Eden Organics

Erba Organics – Organic & natural body products for baby and mom

Healthy Bitch Daily – On the front-lines of hip and healthy, this daily email will keep you in the know

“In Defense of Food” - One of many wonderful books on healthy eating by Michael Pollan

My City Garden

Erin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:25:30 +0000

As an a herbalist, I love plants – primarily studying and utilizing them for nutritional and healing purposes – but they are also beautiful to look at and liven up the room. They are truly inspiring and we have a lot to learn from their nature and individual properties. Having said that, I sheepishly admit that I am not very good at growingplants. I attribute this mostly to the fact that my studies have kept me moving around the globe for the better part of the past ten years, without time to properly incubate new botanical life. But the reality is that I am used to working with plants during their harvesting and consumption phase – not the sprouting and growing periods. I need practice.

I invite you to join me as I take you on a tour of the small beginnings that are my first (city) garden.

You have to get creative when planting a garden in the city. There is no out-door patio to make a mess on, so certain precautions are necessary when working indoors (like newspapers and properly aligned trash bins). A window-sill is about the only place where sun-happy plants will thrive, and it just so happens my New York City apartment windows face east so they can soak up some nourishing rays.

The San-Diegan Passion Flower

The large pot you see in the above photo is a Passion Flower plant, given to me as a junior plant sprouted from a larger mother-plant owned by my good friend Grace. Her mama-plant travelled all the way from San Diego, and has since thrived in New York City. This beautiful vine has sweet nectar, curly-cue sprouts and the most beautiful flowers (I’ll be sure to post some photos once mine finally bloom). I am happy to say that I have had this plant for nearly a year now, and it continues to grow and thrive.

The Lily

The second pot was my first attempt at growing a Chinese herb (Bai He/Lili Bulbus) and also my first attempt at growing a plant from a seed (which I obtained from a Chinese Herbal garden upstate). Although you can’t tell from this photo, after months of watering and a lot of love, the seed has sprouted! In Chinese medicine, we use the bulb of the lily plant to nourish the lungs – and find it especially helpful when recovering from an upper respiratory infection, in cases of chronic asthma or a restless spirit (ie: insomnia) which can present after a prolonged period of grief.

Aloe Vera

The third plant (and also pictured here) is aloe vera, one of the most useful plants to have around the house. Sun-burns, cuts, scrapes, scars, dry skin, rashes, skin irritations, acne – the jelly in the center of the big cactus leaves can be used for so many things. It can even be taken internally for dry constipation. I remember when I was a kid and I had a huge scar on my forehead from tripping and falling head-first into the corner of the piano (ouch!). My uncle Bill was visiting from Big Sur, California, and got me an Aloe plant. I walked around the house and slept every night with an open leaf taped onto my forehead for probably a month. It looked silly at the time, but to this day you can only faintly see the scar if I crinkle my nose – it works.

My fourth and final plant is a simple rubber plant, which I basically just got because I liked the deep-purple leaves (and my friend Krystie insured that it would endure anything).

My next addition to the city garden coming soon: Culinary Herbs ~ Stay Tuned!

PURE Wellness Event – A Great Success!

Erin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:57:49 +0000

Last night’s Wellness Event, hosted by PURE Yoga East was a huge success and loads of fun. Many thanks to all the wonderful folks who turned out, and to PURE for hosting such a holistic event in their serene space. A truly inspiring group! See a photo recap after the jump.

I offered complimentary Tongue & Pulse Readings with auricular acu-pressure for stress relief, along with herbal trailmix. Thanks to my handsome associate, Jason, we had a well-organized line formed throughout the night so that everyone could experience the benefits of Chinese medicine.

In the end, nearly 30 people came through our booth. I was delighted to see such an outright interest in our services and have the opportunity to connect with people about this healing modality. If you missed the event and would like more information about Chinese Medicine, please email me.

The lovely ladies hosting this event and enjoying the festivities: PURE’s General Manager, Laina Seplow and Regional Membership Manager, Elena Pezzo.

The central room in PURE’s lobby. As you can see, it is a beautiful space with a great turnout of yogi’s.

Plenty of room for learning about new modalities while sipping fresh squeezed juice from Monavie, enjoying Organic-Vegan Cookies and receiving a decadent chair massage from Equinox’s Spa.

Unfortunately, I was not able to get around and meet all the other practitioners formally, but Nicole Maggio of Biosyntonie and I had a chance to connect before the nights end. Biosyntonie, I learned, was founded by a French scientist and provides a non-invasive, powerful way to ignite the bodies own healing capabilities.

Here, a participant enjoys a relaxing Biosyntonie treatment. To learn more about this revolutionary healing method and set up a personal session with Nicole, please email her.

More Event Festivities.

Justin Schantz and friends made a special appearance for the event.

The beautiful PURE Waiting area. Thanks again to everyone who made this night possible, and such a success!

In good health,

Erin

Chinese Food Therapy: Herbal Trail Mix

Erin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:20:59 +0000

Ever thought that your morning muffin or stir-fry lunch contained not just sustenance, but healing properties? Ancient Chinese medical theory has ascribed certain energetics and functions to many common foods, that still remain true today. Such properties are very different from nutritional values (vitamins, calories, fats, fiber, etc), which came later in the evolution of the nature of food. Let’s take watermelon (Xi Gua) as an example of this idea: our analytical mind knows that this delicious fruit is sweet, refreshing and nutritious with its high water content and fiber. The energetics of this food according to Chinese theory are cooling and damp draining, and therefore can prevent heat stroke on a hot summer day and promote healthy water metabolism by ridding edema. A more relevant example for the winter season would be lamb (Yang Rou), which is warming to the system and promotes optimum functioning.

Food therapy is considered to be the number one treatment in preventative care and healing therapy. In modern China, there are special restaurants where one can go to receive tailored medicinal meals. After a visit with the Chinese medicine doctor, a pattern diagnosis is ascribed which can then be brought to the chef at such a restaurant. Food will then be prepared in accordance with individual needs – to nourish, eliminate or course any given imbalance. This notion contradicts the idea that one particular diet is best for everyone, but rather tailors nutritional choices based on individual need. What may help one person lose weight and feel energetic, may not be the right fit for someone else. I had the fortune of experiencing this model for myself at the medicinal food restaurant across from the hospital during my one-year clinical rotation in Hangzhou, China.

Chinese herbal medicine utilizes the combination of roots, barks, leaves, stems and berries to promote health and vitality. It only makes sense that Chinese Herbal Medicine and Food Therapy often overlap, with many herbal ingredients ending up on typical supermarket shelves. The following is a delicious trailmix you can make at home, as your own “herbal formula prescription.” In addition to curbing hunger between meals, or giving an energy boost before a work-out, this mix is high in antioxidents, essential fatty acids and protein. From the Chinese perspective, it is nourishing to the kidneys; promotes mental clarity, memory function; improves libido, energy and digestion. Enjoy!

Herbal Trail Mix – Common Names with Chinese Names and Functions

Goji Berries/Wolfberries

Gou Qi Zi -Nourishes the kidney energy, enhances fertility, memory, and sexual function

Walnut Halves

Hu Tao Ren -Promotes brain function, mental clarity

Black Sesame Seeds

Huo Ma Ren -Nourishes blood, improves vision and sluggish digestion. Black sesame has the additional benefit of promoting lactation in breast-feeding women.

*I like Mrs. May’s Black Sesame Crunch Squares, they are slightly sweetened with honey that provides a great flavor and also aids digestion.

This post is a proud participant in the Kathleen Show’s Prevention Not Prescriptions Blog - a great place for other resources to stay healthy.

Winter Blues

Erin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:14:16 +0000

Depression affects the quality of life for many individuals year-round, but has a significant increase in the winter months. As the sunlight reduces, the weather gets colder, and the sky gets gloomier – we, too, experience these changes in our bodies and state-of mind. There are many natural things we can do to boost our moods and elevate seasonal depression (commonly known as “SAD,” or Seasonal Affective Disorder). However, as those of you who have experienced even slight depression know, the motivation to implement such changes can be difficult, if non-existent once the blues have hit.

Choose Your Support

So, what to do? First off, find the resources around you and seek help. Consulting with a health care professional is an important catalyst in transforming your blues into bliss. It can also help combat the isolation that often accompanies mood changes. It is my experience that with chronic or severe emotional distress, there is no “one” help and calling on a variety of resources yields stronger, more lasting results. Here are some tools you may want to try:

Implementing an appropriate exercise routine (which will vary for each individual)
Tap into your creative expression (such as journal writing, art/music/dance therapy)
Dietary and lifestyle changes (such as increasing essential fatty acid intake, vitamins and minerals and decreasing sugar and refined food)
Consulting with a professional psychologist or psychiatrist
Nourishing constitutional patterns and reducing stress with a holistic modality (acupuncture, herbal medicine, reiki)
Reduce your stress (yoga, meditation, massage, acupuncture)

How Acupuncture Can Help

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), does not treat “depression” per say, but rather the person who is experiencing depression. Different individuals can experience the discomforts of depression from a variety of causes – or, as we call them, patterns. In treating depression, your acupuncturist first must find your unique pattern diagnosis and from there, begin to strengthen your system and ease discomfort. Acupuncture can help to greatly reduce emotional and physical stress and the somatic pain that often accompanies emotional upset. Best of all, it will not interfere negatively with any other therapy or prescriptions you may be receiving, but complement them by tapping into the root of your constitutional nature.

Herbal remedies may also be a good option for occasional slumps or mood swings. Unlike acupuncture, which must be administered by a licensed professional and usually done only 1-2 times per week, an herbal formula can follow you home and become a daily treatment. When prescribed by a licensed practitioner, herbal formulas are completely safe, and can help the body harmonize from the inside out.

For more information on how to incorporate the benefits of acupuncture into your emotional wellness plan, please contact us.

Broken Bones

Erin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:47:46 +0000

It is a mother’s worst nightmare and a huge set-back for adults. But the reality is, bones can break at any age – even strong ones. From a wrong step on uneven road to a high-impact sports injury, the severity of the break can only be determined through proper medical attention and X Ray. Although one never plans for such an event, it is good to know your options to promote the most optimum healing.

Trauma

Depending on the location and severity of the break, it may be difficult to determine if the area is sprained, fractured or actually broken with the naked eye. The first thing to do is elevate it, stabilize it, and get in for an X Ray to know the damage. There are various levels of breakage and degrees of separation of the bones. The image above is of a broken fibula (my current case – see more below), which occurred during a late-night ice hockey game. As you can see, the bone broke all the way through, but did not shift laterally leaving it in perfect alignment. The swelling that immediately took place is the bodies natural response to hold the bone and ankle joint in place.

With swelling always comes the risk for stagnation, a term in Chinese medicine referring quite literally to obstructed free-flow. Stagnation is not only detectable by visual swelling, but also by the severity of pain. It is safe to assume that the more pain there is with swelling, the more stagnation there is. Although some level of swelling – or stagnation – is good because it is the bodies natural way to stabilize the bone, we want to be sure that proper nourishment can flow to the trauma and that nothing gets trapped in the area as it heals. Unattended stagnation can lead to further pain down the road, reduced mobility, or area weakness. As the trauma heals, acupuncture and herbs can help circulate the area – allowing debris and toxins to to move away and nourishment to move in.

The first thing to do is distal acupuncture and application of the herbal liniment San Huang San. This will reduce any unnecessary heat or inflammation trapped at the site and promote healthy circulation. Because of its cooling effect, it should not be used for more than 24 hour post-trauma. The same goes for ice. (I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it…) but the main cause of stagnation in trauma-healing is the over application of ice. Ice constricts blood flow in the area and decreases circulation. It can cause debris and blood to congeal, and although it may provide temporary relief of the pain it may also cause more problems later on in the area. Remember to follow your own doctors advice and intuition, but also keep this in mind next time and see for yourself. Perhaps you will notice the increased mobility and strength of the injured area once it has healed after leaving the ice bag in the freezer during rehabilitation.

Bone Mending

Bone mending will occur on its own through the bodies innate healing potential. The first thing before bone mending takes place (whether naturally or with assistance of acupuncture and herbs) is to be sure the bones are properly aligned. If not, this will cause the bones to mend askew and may require setting or surgery. The X Ray above has perfect bone alignment for mending to begin, it was a lucky break (har har).

Acupuncture and herbal medicine can help promote healing and bone-mending in accordance with your body’s natural ability. Herbal medicine is a great first-line of defense when mobility is a problem and getting to an acupuncturist is not feasible. My colleague, Frank Butler, is a renowned orthopedic acupuncturist and has developed a whole line of herbal trauma medicine. These powerful pills come in easy-to-use chewable pills and recommended at various stages in healing. Like most Chinese Herbs, they aren’t the easiest flavor to swallow, patients will attest that eventually you “just get used to it.” Check out his whole list of Zheng Gui Tui Na products here.

Once you feel able to get in to your acupuncturists office, they can help tremendously to facilitate appropriate healing. Depending on the phase of healing will depend on the treatment. There is a common misconception that acupuncture is best when there is no more trauma and the patient feels better. Internal medicine and trauma treatment alike, acupuncture and herbs are most effective when used in conjunction with Western medical therapy and when begun right away. In the case of traumatic injury, repetitive and regular acupuncture is best. This will ensure the proper healing of the area now- it is a lot more difficult to undue improper healing later. Treatment every day in the acute phase is ideal if feasible, with a reduction in frequency as the healing process continues.

The Case

In the case above, the injury is a week old, and we have begun acupuncture surrounding the break site, combined with electrical stimulation. This is easy to do thanks to the removable cast used in modern trauma treatment (as opposed to the plaster ones of my childhood). The electrical stimulation mimics the current in the body as bone fibers begin to mend. This helps facilitate the process so that stabilization of the area can be achieved quicker. Other techniques include distal point prescription and opposite extremity therapy. I am performing acupuncture on the area daily, and the patient is taking the “Bone Knitting” internal herbs mentioned above (Zheng Gu Tui Na). Currently, the level of break is visible in the X Ray above and the exterior condition is as follows:

We shall see how he responds in the long run. Ultimately, his doctors expect the injury to take at least 6 weeks before significant improvement, and about 6-months to 1 year until completely back to hockey-playing strength. With the acupuncture and herbal treatment, we hope there will be no future implications from the trama. I will keep you posted as the healing process continues.

Please note that the patient being discussed has given permission to do so in this format, and all indentifying information is being kept confidential in accordance with HIPPA.

Arthritis & Bone Spurs

Erin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:32:55 +0000

Knee and other joint pain is a common complaint for many people. The symptom itself can come from a variety of reasons, including inflammation, injury, arthritis, bone spurs, tendinitis, among others. Knowing the appropriate western diagnosis can help to increase the efficacy of alternative therapies like acupuncture. From a Chinese medicine perspective we can determine the appropriate pattern disharmony and affected meridians based on the nature and location of particular pain. Western medical diagnosis can give insight as to internal patterns of disharmony, adding another layer of specificity. After the jump are some ways that acupuncture and herbal medicine can be of help when rehabilitating from joint pain, and also some things you can try at home.

Joints in and of themselves simply refer to the space where two bones come together, suspended by tendons and ligaments and with some sort of membranous fluid. Their strength lies in the muscles surrounding them, and therefore when joints hurt there is often a lot more areas of the body involved. Releasing tight muscles and strengthening weak ones can have an enormous impact on relieving joint pain and preventing future problems. This concept may not seem intuitive - that movement will actually reduce pain- but when the pain is a result of weak muscles that are unable to appropriately hold the joint bones in place, strengthening them is vitally important. The best advice is to start slow. Moderate or light – but consistent – exercise will give lasting effects without further trauma.

**(note that it is important to check with your doctor first, to be sure the cause is weak muscles and not degenerative joint disease).

Bone spurs are bony projections that can grow off of bones and cause pain by rubbing against nerve endings in the area. They often form as the result of osteoarthritis, but can also occur purely from aging. They most commonly form on the heel or knee, but can affect any joint in the body. If appropriately placed near a joint and/or a nerve, they can cause a significant amount of discomfort. NSAID’s (like ibuprofen) or surgery are about the only options Western medicine can offer for these tiny protrusions.

Acupuncture can help alleviate some of the inflammation, but herbal plasters combined with acupuncture treatments have the most effect on actually reducing the size of the bone spur. The 701 plaster is most well-known for doing this. In fact, a teacher of mine once used them on a race-horse who was diagnosed with bone spurs in its leg, and it took care of it completely. The plasters are safe, effective, and relatively inexpensive. Most Chinatown pharmacies or acupuncture clinics will have them available. In addition to applying herbal plasters, you can try any of the following suggestions to alleviate many types of inflammatory joint pain.

1) Exercise

Regular and moderate exercise is the best way to strengthen the muscles surrounding joints. This can greatly help reduce pain and prevent future problems. In addition to the direct effect on the musculo-skeletal system, exercise also has numerous system benefits like improving circulation, reducing weight, promoting heart health and increasing calcium absorption. Although joint pain caused by certain types of arthritis and bone spurs can sometimes make it difficult to move around, it is still important to try and commit to performing moderate exercise with low impact. In the long run, this will help to break out of the vicious cycle of pain and immobility.

2) Diet

Specifically when trying to reduce an inflammatory response, diet can play a huge role. Inflammatory foods include spicy, greasy, refined flours/sugars and dairy. Reducing these and eating high-antioxidant and phyto-nutrient rich foods like colorful fruits and vegetables can help the body to clear toxins and soothe inflamed areas. Depending on the chronicity of the problem, going on a special diet as instructed by your healthcare providor to cleanse inflammation from the body may be a wise idea as well.

3) Acupuncture

Acupuncture is great for joint pain, muscle pain and inflammation. It works by improving circulation, removing obstruction and balancing the body’s energy. Not only does it work at the affected area, but also can improve systemic functioning and clear any toxic load that may be the result or cause of joint inflammation. Sometimes acupuncture can provide the relief necessary to allow for routine exercise to begin again, and then together can help recovery happen quicker and prevent future recurrence.

Arthritis & Bone Spurs

Erin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:32:55 +0000

**(note that it is important to check with your doctor first, to be sure the cause is weak muscles and not degenerative joint disease).

1) Exercise

2) Diet

3) Acupuncture

Alleviate PMS Naturally

Erin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:25:59 +0000

As women we are often taught that the menstrual cycle is just one of those annoying things about being female. It comes at the worst times, can plague a vacation and often is accompanied with a slue of uncomfortable symptoms. Some women experience PMS so bad that it lasts for two weeks before their period begins, leaving only one true week of discomfort-free days. It is no wonder that many women jump at the idea of birth control that reduces the number of times she menstruates per year, or even stops her cycle completely. Although this ‘treatment’ per say takes away many of the uncomfortable symptoms, it can often lead to a whole gamut of other side-effects like low libido, vaginal dryness, weight gain, breast distention, high blood pressure, increased appetite and depression. And to boot, it is not actually treating the cause of the discomfort, it is simply band-aiding it.

From breast pain to nausea to mood swings and back aches, such discomforts are more than just a nuisance, but signals from your body that something is out of balance and needs to be addressed. The only physiological components to a menstrual cycle should be moderate blood flow with the same number of days between cycles. Taking the time to address these symptoms now won’t only improve a woman’s quality of life, but also may prevent future reproductive problems. If you would like to take control of your menstrual cycle, understand it (and your fertility – to either prevent or promote pregnancy), Chinese Medicine has a variety of ways to alleviate common discomforts associated with menstruation.

The main cause of PMS according to Chinese medicine in liver qi stagnation, which is a pattern most commonly caused by stress. Some women are more susceptible to developing this pattern than others, and likewise the severity can also vary greatly. Although the foundation for this pattern is based on a relative excess, or stagnation, in the body, it usually pairs itself with a relative deficiency that needs to be nourished. The delicate balancing act of simultaneously nourishing and draining can be accomplished through the advice and treatment of a licensed practitioner. Acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietary changes can help treat the root of cause of many common complaints associated with PMS.

Key Points to Consider when Trying to Reduce PMS

1) Get plenty of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s)

• Fish Oil, Fish, Flaxseeds, Whole Eggs, Raw Nuts, Evening Primrose Oil

• Smooths hormonal function and facilitates ovulation

2) Eat Organic Produce and Hormone Free Meats

• Meat is necessary for a healthy cycle, but the added hormones can interfere with your body’s natural endocrine rhythm.

3) Increase Cruciferous Vegetable Consumption

• Broccoli, Cauliflower, Beets, Carrots, Kale, Cabbage, Collards

• Increases the body’s ability to metabolize Estradial, therefore decreasing breast tenderness, weight gain, moodiness, and low libido

4) Take a High Potency Multi-Vitamin

• Increases bio-available nutrition, strengthening the whole system

5) Dairy

• Avoid completely for scanty, painful or clotted menstruation

• If consuming, only take in moderation and of high quality (hormone free)

6) Avoid Coffee, Alcohol, Nicotine

• Depletes nutrients in the body

• Green tea is OK in moderation while trying to alleviate PMS

7) Acupuncture & Herbs

• Regular acupuncture treatments can effectively regulation a woman’s cycle and reduce uncomfortable symptoms

• Herbal formulas safely and effectively address the root cause of imbalance

**Please note that the above suggestions should be tried over the course of 3-6 months before significant and permanent results can be expected. Likewise these are not meant to diagnose or treat any specific condition(s).