Having Breast Cancer is hard. Your body wages a war against cancer cells and your emotions may slide into fear, grief, anxiety and depression.
And unfortunately, the side effects from breast cancer treatments can make it even worse.
Until now, many people thought they had to suffer through all the discomfort. But new research shows that Acupuncture is very effective at relieving the side effects of Breast Cancer treatments.
Continue reading…
Many people feel down as winter approaches. It’s dark. It’s cold. The holidays can be stressful.
But for some people every winter is unbearable. They’re tired and depressed. They don’t want to get out of bed. They snap at their families and binge on junk food.
These people have seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Our moods and energy levels fluctuate with the seasons. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) understands these cycles but modern life does not. These days, you are expected to be active, productive and creative at all times of the year. There is no accommodation for a slow, quiet winter. According to TCM, this conflict causes stress, which can result in SAD.
It’s about almost a month into the New Year. Do you already wish you had a “do-over” for your New Year’s Resolutions?
If so, you’re in luck. You do.
February 10th is the Chinese Lunar New Year. The celebration of the New Year, the Spring Festival, is China’s longest and most important holiday. Because it is based on a different calendar, it falls on a different date between January 21 and February 20 every year. You can think of Spring Festival as Christmas and New Year all rolled into one. Just like our holiday season, it’s a time of celebration, visiting family and friends, giving gifts and preparing for the next year.
In China, there are many New Year’s traditions during the 15-day Spring Festival. Many people clean their homes to sweep away the past year and usher in the next. Oftentimes family members travel home for a visit. Children receive red envelopes, called hóngbāo in Mandarin, filled with money from their relatives. People hang red lanterns outside their homes to bring happiness and good luck. On Chinese New Year’s Eve families gather for a huge meal and enjoy “lucky” foods together. And, of course, there are fireworks.
The Chinese zodiac has 12 years in its cycle, each one represented by an animal…. 2013 is the YEAR of the SNAKE. Astrologers say that people born in the Year of the Snake are wise but enigmatic. They are very intuitive and size up situations well, but say little. Snakes are refined; they like to dress well and are usually financially secure. They are intense and passionate in relationships, but can become jealous and suspicious. Snakes prefer a calm, stress-free environment.
The Chinese do not traditionally make New Year’s Resolutions like we do in the West, however this is a good time to reflect on the goals you set a month ago. Are you keeping your New Year’s resolutions?
If you’re having trouble, maybe it’s time to take a lesson from the Snakes. Take a quiet moment and reflect on what is stopping you. Do you need to get serious? Do you need additional support? Are your goals genuine—do you want to do them or do you think you should do them? Why haven’t you kept your New Year’s Resolutions?
If your resolutions include improving your health in 2013, I can help you with that! Why not start with a 7 or 14 Day Detox/Cleanse program? order your kit now! Give me a call and we can arrange an appointment for anything from a Seasonal tune-up to weight control to mood balancing.
If you need to make a deeper commitment to your resolutions, take a moment and think about what you need to do to keep them. Write down 3 easy action steps.
…and do them. Now.
Use the Chinese lunar New Year as a do-over. Commit to your New Year’s resolutions.
Are you a Snake? If so, you are born between:
Jan. 27, 1941 – Feb.14, 1942
Feb. 14, 1953 – Feb. 2, 1954
Feb. 2, 1965 – Jan. 20, 1966
Feb. 18, 1977 – Feb. 6, 1978
Fe. 6, 1989 – Jan. 26, 1990
Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái. Happy New Year.
Photo credit: Gayle Nicholson / Foter / CC BY-SA
Your mother was right–say Thank you.
Scientists have now proven what your mother always knew–it’s good to be GRATEFUL. Being grateful is more than just politeness; it’s actually good for your health and well-being.
In a study at the University of California, and the University of Miami, people who kept gratitude journals showed higher levels of health and well-being than people who journaled neutral events or counted hardships. After 2 months, the people who journaled their gratitude felt more optimistic and happier than their control counterparts. They reported fewer physical problems and spent more time working out. People with neuromuscular problems who did the same thing fell asleep more quickly, slept longer and woke up feeling more refreshed. Even their spouses noticed the difference!
How can you cultivate gratefulness even if you’re a glass-half-empty person?
Pie. Cookies. Chocolate. Eggnog. Champagne. Oh My!
The holiday season is filled with good foods. You eat and drink with your friends and loved ones to celebrate how much you care about them.
But we all know that too much of a good thing is no longer good. Too many rich foods can lead to extra pounds, digestion upsets, mood swings and a generally “yucky” feeling.
It’s all about balance.
Good, healthy holiday eating can make the difference between an enjoyable holiday season and a miserable one. The trick is to enjoy healthy treats without overdoing the junky ones. Make a healthy holiday eating strategy and plan to enjoy the holiday celebrations without feeling bad the next day.
If you live in a rainy area, the odds are pretty good that your automobile will develop some body damage over its lifetime. Does this mean that you never wash your car because it’s going to rust out anyway? Of course it doesn’t. If you care about your car, it means that you’ll fight extra hard to protect your investment.
The reality is that most of the top killers today are lifestyle related, regardless of your family history. Just because you inherit the genes doesn’t mean that you have to continue the lifestyle.
Cardiovascular disease, Cancer, Diabetes, Autoimmune disorders…all of these conditions are greatly impacted by Diet, lifestyle habits, depressed nervous systems, stress, our home environments, etc.
Until we change our focus from the curing of disease to the propagation of health, history is destined to repeat itself.
Remember that the body has the capacity to heal easily, as long as there is the proper balance and flow of energy. The key to staying healthy is not to inject “cures” from the outside, but rather to get the innermost layer (the Acupuncture Meridian System) in order first, and then to insulate it with layer upon layer of healthy, productive Nutritional, Herbal and Lifestyle habits. Call now for your seasonal evaluation and Autumn tune-up! 310. 450. 9711.
What does it mean to be healthy? Health is a state of optimum physical functioning, spiritual enlightenment, social well-being, and mental aptitude. True health is so much more than settling for mediocrity. It’s not about living life just barely above the doldrums, or hoping against hope that you won’t get sick or that you’ll finally feel better.
Understand that your body was designed to be healthy and in balance. This is your natural state. If you are struggling with your health, you have most likely, throughout the course of living, allowed your body to get out of balance. Taking medicine to treat a symptom will never create balance within the body. Acupuncture, Herbs, Functional Nutrition, & proper Lab Tests all work with the body to return it to its natural state of balance so that it can heal from the inside out. Don’t divert the smoke, put out the fire!
The American Cancer Society has reported that half of all men and a third of all women in the United States will develop Cancer during their lifetimes. Although there are many forms of cancer, all forms of the disease begin with abnormal cells that grow out of control.
Unlike other illnesses that are eradicated by the body’s natural defense system, Cancer needs to be treated with powerful medical interventions. Unfortunately, most of the current cancer treatments available have some debilitating side effects. This is where Acupuncture can provide real help, by decreasing many of the side effects associated with conventional Cancer treatments. (Radiation, Chemotherapy, Drugs)….
Clinical trials have examined the effects of Acupuncture on Cancer and the symptoms caused by Cancer treatment, including weight loss, cough, chest pain, fever, anxiety, depression, night sweats, hot flashes, dry mouth, speech problems and fluid retention in the arms or legs. Studies have shown that, for many patients, treatment with Acupuncture either relieves symptoms or keeps them from getting worse.
Relieves Pain and Stiffness during Hormone Therapy
In 2010, The Journal of Clinical Oncology published the results of a small study that concluded that Acupuncture helped relieve pain and stiffness in Breast cCancer patients who were simultaneously being treated with hormone therapies.
Minimizes Dry Mouth
In 2009, the Medical Journal Head and Neck reported the results of a pilot study done at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The subjects were people suffering from head and neck Cancer. The authors concluded, “This pilot study demonstrates that acupuncture can improve the subjective symptoms of dry mouth in patients with radiation-induced xerostomia as early as two weeks after starting treatment, and the benefits can remain at least one month after treatment ends,” Dr. Mark Chambers told Reuters Health.
Reduces Pain and Shoulder Dysfunction
In 2008, Dr. David Pfister, chief of the head and neck medical oncology service at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago. He reported that patients found significant reductions in both dry mouth and pain and shoulder dysfunction after neck dissection with the help of Acupuncture.
Reduces Hot Flashes
In 2011 A Yale University/University of Pittsburgh study of women with hot flashes brought on by conventional breast cancer treatment found that women who received Acupuncture had a 30 percent reduction in hot flashes.Call today ~ Acupuncture, Herbs & Nutritional Counseling offers supportive care throughout Cancer treatment & recovery,
310. 450. 9711
|
|
Chinese Nutrition: Now that it is Autumn, eat fewer cold, uncooked foods ~ such as salads ~ and more warm, cooked foods. Switch from salads to soups and steamed vegetables such as winter squash, winter peas, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and yams. Incorporate yellow and red foods into your meals. Start your day with hot oatmeal.
Here are some more warm and nourishing foods and herbs to add to your fall diet:
* Apple * Banana * Beets * Bell pepper * Bok choy * Broccoli * Brussels sprouts * Cabbage * Carrot * Cauliflower * Cinnamon * Cranberry * Figs * Garlic * Horseradish * Leeks * Pears * Persimmons * Plums * Pomegranate * Pumpkin * Red cabbage * Rosemary * Sage * Spinach * Thyme * Whole grains * Wild rice * Winter squash * Yam
