I love myself!

As humans, we are social beings. We are meant to connect to others, and we have a desire to be loved, to feel significant. We want someone to love us, even though we do not show ourselves love. They say actions speak louder than words. Do your actions say, “I love myself?”

Loving yourself starts with treating yourself well, inside and out. If your actions do not show love towards yourself, then start by feeding yourself nourishing and fortifying foods, such as vegetables, fish, lean meats, nuts, and legumes!

When grocery shopping, only buy foods that are found around the perimeter of the grocery store, from a Farmers Market, or through a local co-op. Focus on foods that have high nutritional value and do not require a label, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

Avoid foods that have been processed with chemicals. Read all labels, and if you cannot pronounce an ingredient, then do not purchase the item. Try to stay to 5 ingredients or less if you are buying processed foods.

Additionally, keep in mind, that the following are all sugars: cane sugar, maple syrup, corn sweetener, corn syrup, honey, molasses, brown rice syrup, crystallized or evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrates, maltodextrin (or dextrin), dextrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, and sucrose. It is best to avoid sugars as much as possible; thus, try to buy one-ingredient foods, like kale and broccoli.

In my own practice, I see many patients who are starving their bodies of good nutrients by eating a lot of frozen meals and fast foods on a regular basis. When it came to food, author Michael Pollan said, "the longer shelf life the shorter your life". In other words, buy foods that will expire.

For many people, knowing what to eat gets very complicated. Here are some simple rules that are good to live by:

• Change your eating habits slowly – find out what works for your life.
• Buy food staples that you know you will eat.
• Choose natural foods whenever possible. When fresh food isn’t possible, then frozen fruits and vegetables are the next best choice.
• Buy organic meats and wild caught seafood.
• Eat according to the seasons. Hint: Usually, the produce that is on sale is what is in season.
• And, most importantly, eat when you are hungry and not before. In addition, stop eating before you are full.

Another way to determine what foods to eat is to find out what nutrients your body is missing or lacking. A traditional Chinese Practitioner can determine what is deficient or excess in your body. S/he can also help you balance your body’s inner system. And, in doing so, your body will be better at telling you what it needs to live healthy.

With all of these rules and suggestions in mind, remember, the best way to balance your body and to show yourself how much you love yourself is to not practice extremes. Balance is the key to being balanced! You can still eat all foods that you enjoy. Deprivation will only cause cravings. However, with everything and anything, including fruits and vegetables, remember moderation is the one rule you need to practice!

PTSD - An important issue to address

Happy Spring everyone! This month's blog takes us off topic a bit but it's an important issue to address.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.

PTSD symptoms can be extremely disruptive to daily life and can include depression, anger, persistent frightening thoughts and memories, sleep problems, and a feeling of numbness or detachment from life. Currently, the U.S. military is successfully treating PTSD with alternative therapies, such as acupuncture.

Although data is limited, early results demonstrate that acupuncture can reduce anxieties and cravings for alcohol and other substances. Acupuncture points are like the on and off ramps to the energy highway, and can help energy flow smoothly through one’s body to help alleviate the feelings of stress and anxieties that are predominate in PTSD patients. Additionally, acupuncture can alleviate not only the symptoms of stress and anxiety, but also the stress and anxiety itself.

Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB), a group that provided relief to the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti and Katrina, the hurricane in New Orleans, launched The Military Stress Recovery Project. This organization provides free acupuncture treatments for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as their families. To learn more about AWB, go to http://www.acuwithoutborders.org/veteransprogram.php.

You can learn more about PTSD at http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd. If you think you or someone you know may have PTSD, make an appointment with a mental health professional to get a formal diagnosis.

If you know you are struggling with PTSD, I encourage you to seek out an acupuncturist/Chinese Medicine practitioner in your area. If you are a Veteran, let the practitioner know, many practices will gladly give you a reduced rate. Points of Wellness Acupuncture (www.pointsofwellness.net), located in Long Grove, IL, gives a 40% discount to Veterans for PTSD treatments.

Loving who you are

In this month, where we set aside a special day to celebrate love, remember that love isn’t just a feeling you have for others; it is also a feeling you have for yourself.

So, love thyself this month!

Throughout our lives, we have all strived for perfection, or what society defines as “perfection.” We want a perfect body! We want 6-pack abs. Unfortunately, that type of thinking puts our bodies and lives in a negative light. We diet, binge and abuse our bodies to try to obtain “perfection.” Or, we simply give up, and do not care for our bodies at all.

I challenge you today to stand in front of your mirror and really study and look at your body. Get to know your physical body; your real physical body, not the distorted one in your head. Most of all, love what you see. See the person you are and are meant to be, not the mom, dad, brother, sister, friend, or coworker that you think everyone wants you to be. Just be the best version of YOU that you can be.

During this month of love, everyone should strive to love themselves by striving to be the healthiest person s/he can be. Eat balanced meals and incorporate activity into your daily life. When the body and/or mind is out of balance, that’s when you have cravings for the “bad” stuff, like junk food. As your body and mind become balanced, as separate entities and with each other, then you become in tune with your body and can learn what you need to flourish.

As the year is still early, go and get a physical if you have not done so recently. Get all of the usual numbers checked (e.g., cholesterol, blood pressure, TSH levels). See if you are deficient in any vitamins. Consider also seeing a Chinese medicine practitioner, s/he will study your tongue, listen to your pulse and ask a lot of questions to learn what your body needs to be balanced. Once you have a complete picture of your body, then you can truly set goals to balance your body and mind.

The road to a balanced body and life is difficult. However, when it comes to balance, you are your own roadblock, and the journey starts with loving yourself, AS YOU ARE!

The March 2012 issue of Real Simple has a great quote from Miss Piggy, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.”

And, I would just like to add, “even if that beholder is yourself.”

Start with yourself...

We all want to see change in the world; however, not all of us know where to start. My advice to you for this New Year is to start with changing yourself. As Gandhi said, “be the change you want to see in the world.” Living is a choice. Your life is a reflection of the choices you have made. Chinese medicine teaches us that we are each given a certain amount of Jing (life energies) from our parents. That means that genetically you are pre-dispose to certain illnesses or complications in terms of your health. However, what you do with the Jing you are given is entirely up to you. Remember, you are not your genes. 
 
Here are some thoughts to ponder as we move into 2012:
 
• Healthy living is a choice. For example, exercise is absolutely essential for healthy living, but we have a choice everyday to be active or not. Most of us do not have physically demanding jobs; thus, it is necessary to schedule exercise time and make it a priority. Start living today by going for that walk! Join a sports team! Go to the pool! Do that one thing that has been on your list for years. Choose to live life actively and not passively.
 
• NOT dieting should be a goal. Instead of getting on and off diets, make a commitment to eat mindfully. Weight loss is the outcome of healthier and mindful living choices. Eat balanced meals with more vegetables and less meats. Eat lean proteins. Most of all, eat according to the seasons. However, do not deny your cravings, life is meant to be enjoyed. Just remember moderation is the key to a balanced life. Enjoy your food, even the things that are not so good for your body. If you decide to put it in your mouth, then savor each bite.
 
• De-stress! Stress contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, and other illnesses. Stress also affects the immune system, which protects us from many serious diseases. Do what it takes to relax your mind and body. For some, it may be meditation. For others, it’s a good punching bag, a long walk, an acupuncture treatment, reading a book, or watching a movie. Declare a chore-less weekend, and do all the things you enjoy that weekend. Take a mental health day from work and do nothing. Try a day without your cell phone (ok that might be taking it too far). How about a day of not checking emails or text messages on your phone, only taking calls?
 
• Visit an acupuncturist or a Chinese Medicine practitioner and see if you are balanced or if your body is deficient or has excess in any way. The acupuncturist or practitioner will ask you lots of questions, take a look at the quality of your pulses, and ask to see your tongue. S/he is trying to see what your body is saying. A traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis helps you learn more about your body and what it needs to be balanced.
 
So, I wish you a very Happy New Year. And, hope that in 2012, you can make a change towards a healthier and happier world. Starting with you!

The gift of acupuncture!

Are you looking for a unique and special gift this is holiday season? How about giving the gift of acupuncture? Acupuncture is a special gift that can make a real difference to the lives of the ones you love. Points of Wellness Acupuncture provides care to people throughout the year, and during the holiday season, we help our clients reduce stress and improve their well-being.

From backaches and headaches caused by long to-do lists to holiday dinner fears to over-spending insomnia, the holiday season is a stressful time for many of us. One of the most negative outcomes of stress is a breakdown in your immune system, leaving you at risk to colds and illness. Eating fattening foods, exercising less and stressful family situations can truly take a toll on your health.

Acupuncture helps you cope with these demands and enables you to function at a high level of wellness. Stress, anger, or any intense emotion creates a traffic jam in your body, blocking the free flow of energy. For example, people who are stressed tend to experience upper back, shoulder and neck pain. This is because stress stops the flow of Qi (energy) passing through channels in your body to these areas resulting in pain, tension, stiffness, and sometimes, headaches as well.

Acupuncture removes these energy blockers allowing energy to flow smoothly, which not only alleviates the symptoms of stress and anxiety, but also the underlying stress and anxiety itself. Additionally, acupuncture improves blood circulation throughout the body. The calming nature of acupuncture decreases your heart rate, lowers blood pressure and relaxes the muscles. Acupuncture also helps relieve many aliments, such as headaches, and improves overall health.

In addition to acupuncture treatments, here are some other basic tips for staying healthy during the holiday season, or any season for that matter:

Quality sleep between 10pm and 2am regenerates the adrenal glands, which controls a large portion of the body’s hormonal system.

Exercise has many good points. It is a natural stress and pain reliever, as well as an immune system booster. If you do not have time for a 30-minute exercise session, then at the very least, do some stretching or a few yoga poses to keep your circulation up.

The old saying, “You are what you eat,” is very true. Sugar and processed foods increase inflammation in the body and damages your immune system.

Eat plenty of colorful vegetables, leafy greens, and choose organic when possible.

Remember the best shopping areas in a grocery store is the perimeter!

Soups are great for this season. You can use leftovers, such as turkey, turkey bones, beef bones, and vegetables, to make a yummy and nutritious broth.

Research shows that if you want to feel good, do something for those less fortunate. You can volunteer or donate to a local food pantry, or buy Christmas gifts for a
less fortunate child.

And, with these last few tips, I wish you and your families a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!

Sinus Infections

Sinus infections affect millions of people every year. During this time, I start to see more and more patients with this complaint. For sinus infections, I, of course, highly recommend acupuncture, which is very effective for relieving acute sinusitis, an infection that can cause pain, headaches, congestion and obstructed breathing. Acupuncture lessens pain and promotes sinus drainage within minutes of placement of the needles.

The following are other methods of preventing and relieving sinus infections:

-Place a hot, wet compress over the whole sinus area to promote sinus drainage. Work up to as much heat as you can stand for 5-10 minutes at a time, a few times a day.

-Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to help moisten and thin the mucus in your sinuses.

-Inhale steam with a little eucalyptus oil in it to ease clogging.

-Take a hot shower to help clear your sinuses. While in the shower, if you are able, bend over and touch your toes, bring your head straight down as far you can and hold for a count of 30.

-Flush your nasal passages with a warm saline solution to relieve sinus congestion and to prevent sinus infections. For an active infection, do this two to four times a day.

-A Neti Pot is a traditional, Indian nasal-irrigation device shaped like Aladdin's lamp that lets you pour the water into one of your nostrils and out the other.

-If you do not have a neti pot, you can also dissolve a ¼ teaspoon of salt in one cup of warm distilled water and pour some of the solution into your cupped hand and inhale it through one nostril while closing the other with a finger.

-If you have chronic sinus problems, try eliminating milk and all milk products from your diet (including prepared foods that list milk as an ingredient). Basically, you should avoid foods which produce phlegm, such as cheese, ice cream, milk, butter, and fried foods (french fries, fried chicken, etc.). Give yourself about two months for results.

-Take a good probiotic daily, especially if you are taking an antibiotic.

-Keep your house at the right humidity. If your house is too dry, your sinuses will also dry up, setting up a prime environment for infections.

-Acupressure can help alleviate sinusitis: Locate these points and hold for about 3 minutes. Do this three times on each point daily)

-Bitong (Extra Point): Located on each side of the nose, at the bottom edge of the nasal bones.

-Yingxiang (LI 20): Located in the groove on each side of the nostrils, at the widest point of the nostrils.

-Hegu (LI-4): Located at the highest spot of the muscle between the thumb and index finger on the back of the hand when the thumb and index finger are close together.

-Finally, there are great Chinese herbals for sinus infections, come in to my office and we can talk about which formula is for you.

As always, I wish you a happy and healthy Holiday season!

Staying healthy and cold free

The cold and flu season is coming quickly upon us. Below are some tips for staying healthy and cold-free for the coming months, and all year round:

• Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water. Fluids are required for your immune system to function properly.
• Keep your home hydrated. As you try to warm up your house by turning on your heater, use a humidifier to keep humidity levels at around 50%.
• Keep your nasal passages hydrated as well. Dry air can cause nasal passage irritation and can make them more prone to sinus infections.
• Get some good bacteria. Get at least three servings a day of probiotic-rich or fermented foods, such as yogurt with live bacteria, aged cheese, kefir, sauerkraut or kim chi.
• Get rest! If you are feeling tired and run-down, your body is telling you it needs some TLC! Get some rest and sleep.
• Wash your hands regularly.
• Use paper towels to open bathroom doors.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Wipe down desks and tables regularly.
• Make sure you are eating with the season and getting your nutrients. Adequate proteins are really important as the weather gets cooler. If you are not getting your nutrients through your diet, make sure to take some good quality vitamins. Vitamin D is very important during winter months.
• Finally, regular acupuncture treatments will help your immune system function at its optimum.

Have a happy and healthy fall season. If you do happen to get sick, come in and see me. We can get you feeling better quickly.