Do you know where your coconut oil comes from? You should. In a day and age where chemicals are readily found in our food system, and more and more labs are creating genetically modified foods, it’s important to be informed, and understand what you’re eating. Coconut oil is one of those foods that can vary greatly in processing, so know what you’re really buying and putting in your body. After all, your body is a temple!
Fertility treatments are commonly centered around the use of acupuncture and Chinese Herbs. Even so, nutrition and lifestyle counseling is also a core part of a holistic treatment plan. Often times this includes the use of supplements. I may suggest a supplement, people may come to me having been given supplements by another healthcare provider or they may simply be going off of a recommendation from a friend, book, or website. It can be difficult to sort through the information about many of these supplements and very few have reliable research to back up their claims.
n Chinese Medicine, Spring is associated with the element of Wood. The liver and gallbladder are the wood organs and benefit from detoxification especially during this time of year. The emotion of the liver is irritability, anger and frustration. The emotion of the gallbladder is decisiviness, or, when out of balance, indecision. There are many ways you can support a healthy cleanse of your liver. Acupuncture and supplements are a big way that Vitalize can help you have a healthful Spring. On your own, in your daily health regimen include more dark leafy greens. Nettles, dandelion greens and burdock root are three really great options that are at their peak during the Spring season.
I remember the first time I learned about the Chinese zodiac and the 12 animals that represent a 12 year cycle. I had gone to a small Chinese restaurant, sat down with my parents and noticed a bit of information about each of the 12 animals on my paper placemat. This stuck in my head and returned to me when I began learning more about them once I entered acupuncture school.
For the record, we didn't really learn much about these 12 animals as we studied acupuncture and Chinese medicine. However, we did learn a lot about '5 element theory', which is the basis for much of the knowledge and prediction made through the Chinese zodiac.
Whether its smoking, over-eating, one too many glasses of wine at the end of your day, or just plain sweet tooth behavior, acupuncture is one of your greatest tools. We use 5 needles in each ear to assist patients with addictive behaviors. Often patients who have been smoking cigarettes for years and are finally ready to quit will feel immediate support with their attempts to cut back or even cut off all together.
Five acupuncture needles gently placed at both ears offers support and often leads to fewer cravings, making cutting back or quitting so much easier. Along with acupuncture your provider might also recommend a Chinese herbal formula to assist your lungs, liver, spleen, or any other organs that might be experiencing imbalance due to the continued over use of toxins.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted about cold & flu prevention, but lets face it, sometimes we get sick. If you are like me and have a child in preschool, maybe it happens more often then you want to admit. Here are some tips for bouncing back fast and fortified.
· Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant found in many foods, especially brightly colored fruits and vegetables. It can greatly speed recovery from colds or flus. In terms of supplementation, avoid synthetic ascorbic acid if possible in favor of mixed flavonoids or acerola powder. (Vitamins are consistently better in their complex packages, rather than as an isolate.)
Yesterday a patient asked me if I thought she might have adrenal fatigue. Her friend had mentioned it when they were discussing their health and she wondered what type of symptoms are caused by adrenal fatigue.
This is such a common question and, in our culture, a very common state of being. Lets rewind and explore the historical aspect of adrenal fatigue; our lifestyle has evolved faster than our bodies. We no longer have to spend our days hunting or gathering for our next meal, putting ourselves between tiger and snake in order to find food, this is the type of stress that our 'fight our flight' response was designed for.
