The thought of treating pain by sticking yourself with dozens of tiny needles might sound like a misnomer. After all, wouldn’t this make the problem worse by creating more pain? The holistic practice of acupuncture is a safe and effective solution for relieving pain. Whether it’s chronic or temporary pain, acupuncture has proven effective time and time again at relieving pain. continue reading
Obesity remains a top concern among health professionals in the U.S. According to a study published in the Journal of American Medicine (JAMA), more than one third of adults in the U.S. are clinically obese (source). People who fall under this category are more likely to develop heart disease, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer.
While there’s no substitution for exercise and a well-balanced diet, the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture may promote weight loss in adults battling obesity. Numerous studies have reinforced the belief that acupuncture can aid in weight loss. So instead of embarking on a potentially dangerous “fad” diet, such as an all-liquid lemon detox diet, consider acupuncture treatment to assist in your weight loss efforts. continue reading
This time of year with the busy holiday season, you might find yourself having trouble sleeping. It may be difficult to fall asleep due to your mind busy thinking about all the things you have to do the next day, or you might awaken during the night and have trouble falling back to sleep. Most people need 8 hours of sleep each night for our body’s cells to recover and rejuvenate. If you have pain or other health issues, then it is especially important to get a full night of sleep. Here are some tips to help you fall asleep easily so you can be refreshed and alert the next day. If you have children then these tips could come in handy on Christmas Eve to calm those anxious little minds!
1. Start dimming your lights 45-60 minutes prior to your bedtime. A good way to automatically dim your computer screen every night is to download the f.lux free software which gradually modifies your monitor throughout the 24 hour daily cycle. It changes your monitor’s light level from its normal cool brightness in the afternoon to a warm dimmer level at night. The warmer level is also comfortable for your eyes when using your computer at night.
2. Turn off all lights except a red or orange light 30 minutes before bedtime. Your body needs darkness to increase melatonin, which is a hormone needed to help you fall asleep. Most lighting can prohibit melatonin production but warm hues of orange, yellow, and especially red allow more melatonin production than other colors. Cooler colors, on the other hand, are more blocking of melatonin, and blue is the worst offender. It is best to avoid blue light at night. There are several ways to achieve warm-colored light. Incandescent bulbs and candlelight are warm-hued lights. Avoid the newer lighting technology of LED and compact fluorescent (CF) bulbs because they emit much blue light. If you must use the cooler bulbs, then cover them with a red or orange lampshade or scarf in the evenings. The best use of lighting to help ensure a good night’s sleep is exposure to bright cool (blue) lighting during the day and dim warm (red) lighting at night. [Please note: This is a correction to how this paragraph was previously worded. I previously stated here that all light except blue light should be avoided at night, which is quite the opposite of what you should do!] More info here.
3. Start dimming all screens — computer, smartphone, TV, tablets — 2-3 hours before bedtime. These items stimulate your mind and keep you awake and alert. New research has shown that exposure to computers, iPads, e-Readers, and smartphones before bedtime can adversely affect your alertness and wakefulness the next day. Even if you are able to sleep 8 hours after using these types of screens, your sleep would most likely be of poor quality. Insufficiency of good quality sleep has been linked to greater health problems including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. More info here.
4. Read a book at bedtime or during the night if you wake up and can’t fall easily back to sleep. Reading is calming and can promote sleep, as long as the words you read are printed on paper.
5. Massage your ears. This is a Chinese medicine technique to calm your mind, relieve stress, and promote sleep. Place your thumbs on the “front” of your ears and your index and middle fingers on the “back” of your ears. Gently rub both ears in a circular motion for 1-2 minutes, moving your fingers and thumbs to massage all surfaces of the ears, including deep inside and along the edges. This will stimulate hundreds of acupuncture points on the ears to put your body and mind into better balance. Your ears will become warm, and your brain waves will change from the beta waves of wakefulness and activity to the alpha waves of relaxation and sleep. Ear massage is also a quick way to relieve stress during the day.
Acupuncture can resolve many types of insomnia. It is one of the most common conditions we treat. Click here to read about how acupuncture can help you sleep better and to see more tips for a better night’s sleep.
Want a hot flavorful holiday beverage without venturing out into the cold to reach a coffee house? Try this very easy recipe at home. If you don’t quite have all the ingredients, you can try it anyway with what you have on hand. It’s even good without the pumpkin.
Ingredients to make 2 servings:
2 Tbs pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
2 cups milk of your choice *
1 or 1½ Tbs sugar (or substitute with sweetener of your choice) **
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (or dash of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove)
1-2 shots espresso or ¼ cup strong coffee
* Milk may be cow’s milk (whole or lower in fat), almond milk, rice milk, or soy milk. Coconut milk from a carton is my favorite because its consistency is similar to that of whole milk.
** Sweetener may be honey, maple syrup, or agave
Optional: Make a non-coffee version by omitting the coffee/espresso
Instructions:
Optional: Pour the heated milk mixture into a blender and blend until frothy.
Enjoy!
I’ve heard it said that a dash of black pepper can balance the sweetness for a spicy flavor, although I haven’t tried adding pepper yet. If you do, please let me know!
This is perhaps not the healthiest beverage, depending on your opinion of coffee, milk, and/or sugar but if you wish to satisfy your holiday sweet tooth, this is one of the healthier options out there.
Happy holidays! – Linda
Adults who need 2,000 daily calories to maintain a healthy weight should eat 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables per day (a total of nine servings). According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, only 14% of adults consume the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables (source). That’s a shockingly low number that should serve as a wake-up call to people everywhere.
If you struggle to achieve to consume the recommended amount of vegetables and fruit, you should consider investing in a blender or juicer. Juicing and blending are both excellent ways to include more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. Now for the million dollar question: which method is better for your health. continue reading
Knee arthritis is a painful condition in which the joints in the knee become inflamed. Depending on the severity of the condition, it may limit an individual’s normal range of motion, forcing him or her to keep body weight off the affected knee. While there’s no known cure for arthritis of the knee, a recent study found herbal acupuncture to effectively treat the symptoms associated with this condition. continue reading
Traditional Chinese medicine recommends eating foods in season to help keep your body in balance with the natural environment. Root veggies and pumpkin are good foods to eat in fall and winter. This hearty, creamy, dairy-free soup is delicious, simple to make, and very soothing on a cold day. Serve by itself or with a slice of good bread. Here is Linda’s recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
1 small pumpkin (I prefer kabocha pumpkin)
1-2 medium potatoes
1 qt veggie soup stock (or chicken stock), fresh or canned
1 can coconut milk (sometimes called coconut cream)
2-3 tsp freshly grated ginger (or approx. 1/8 to 1/4 tsp ground ginger)
Dash of lime juice
Optional items:
1/2 tsp Thai green chili paste* or Thai red chili paste* or a dash of chili flakes
Cilantro for garnish *available in Asian sections of supermarkets
NOTE: There is plenty of “wiggle room” in this recipe. Ingredient amounts are not exact as the size of pumpkin will vary. It’s much easier to get it “right” than it is to go wrong. Let your taste buds guide you with the seasonings. About the pumpkin peel: kabocha pumpkin peel is soft and tasty so leave it on. Orange “Halloween” pumpkin peel tastes fine on smaller pumpkins but can be tougher and woodier as the pumpkins get larger. If in doubt, peel the orange pumpkin before cooking.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Split pumpkin into halves (click here to learn how), scoop out the seeds, (if using orange pumpkin, peel it if desired,) then chop into cubes.
2. Chop potatoes into cubes. (You may first peel them if desired. I prefer to leave skins on for fiber and nutrients)
3. Place pumpkin, potato and soup stock in a large pot. Boil gently approx. 30 minutes until pumpkin and potato are tender and mushy.
3. Add coconut milk. Stir well. Reduce heat to low.
4. Add ginger and lime juice to taste. Stir. Optional: Add chili paste or chili flakes. Stir.
[Tip: If soup needs more depth to the taste, then add a dash of ground cumin]
5. By now, the soup is thick and creamy. Ladle soup into bowls. Optional: Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
6. Enjoy!
Are you addicted to sugar? If so, you aren’t alone. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the average American consumes a whopping 89 teaspoons of sugar per day – about 3-4 times more than the recommended daily allowance.
Sugar adversely affects the body in a number of different ways. It increases a person’s chance of developing diabetes, promotes tooth decay, contributes to fat accumulation and subsequent obesity, and weakens the immune system. All of these conditions are prevalent today but were rare 100 years ago when the average sugar intake was less than half what it is now. continue reading
The workplace is one of the top sources of stress in the average person’s life. According to a 2009 study conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), a staggering 69% of employees in the U.S. say work is a “significant source of stress,” and 41% say they are tense throughout the workday. If you constantly feel stressed at work, try some of the following tips to create a more tranquil and relaxing work environment. continue reading
In case you didn’t get the memo, 29-year-old Vincenzo Nibali of Sicily, Italy won the 2014 Tour de France last month. Rightfully known as the “Shark of Messina,” he was able to outperform 218 other cyclists to finish first in the world’s largest bike race. Nabili finished the race with a lead of more than seven minutes, which is the biggest winning margin since 1997.
But here’s something that you probably didn’t know about Nabili and his team: they were the only team at the 2014 Tour de France to bring their own licensed acupuncturist. Throughout the course of the physically enduring race, an acupuncturist treated Nabili and his team, usually twice a day. Nabili and his team would receive a treatment in the morning before they raced and another at night while they were relaxing and resting in the hotel. continue reading
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