http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/obstructive-sleep-apnea/MM00715/?utm_source=newsletter~amp!%20%20~utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=housecall&pubDate=05/22/2013

A simple Sleep Apnea video is worth a thousand words. We can help most sleep disorders with Acupuncture and Chinese herbs!
Acupuncture & Herbal Answers

Summer finally arrives.

The sun comes out.  The flowers bloom.

Most people grab their sunscreen and head outside.  But what do you do?

You close the windows, grab your antihistamines and hide in the house.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could enjoy being outdoors?

Allergies are widespread.  According to WebMD, 20% of the population suffers from allergies or asthma, and 55% of the population tests positive for one or more allergens.   Allergies are the 5^th leading chronic disease in the US and cost the US health care system $7.9 billion annually.

If you can’t live with your runny nose, congestion or watery eyes, but you don’t want to take antihistamines or get allergy shots, what can you do to relieve your symptoms?

What are Allergies?

Allergies are the result of an overactive immune system.  Over exposure to allergens, exposure to too many allergens at one time or a generally low immunity may cause watery eyes, runny nose or sneezing.

While allergens vary from foods to furs to pollens, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) considers when your allergies start more important than what you are allergic to.  TCM looks at how all your organ systems work together.  Knowing when your immune system first becomes overloaded gives clues about which organ system needs balance.

Acupuncture Allergy Relief at Home

TCM provides several options to relieve your allergy symptoms.  Be sure to begin these routines early, before your symptoms start.  It’s easier to keep your immune system balanced than to recover once it’s overwhelmed.

1. Avoid dairy.  According to TCM, dairy is an irritant to the immune system.  Even if you don’t notice sensitivity to dairy, reducing or eliminating it may relieve your symptoms.
2. Avoid allergens.  Avoiding allergens may mean declining foods you are allergic to, not petting animals or purchasing allergy-free pillows or bedding.  To reduce pollens, shower after being outside.  Pollens can be trapped in your hair causing you to breathe them in while sleeping.
3. Avoid multiple allergens at once.  One theory, called the “Total Load Theory,” states that while exposure to one allergen may not be enough to trigger your symptoms, exposure to several allergens at the same time may.  It’s as if your “allergy bucket” has to be overflowing before your symptoms start.  For example if you’re allergic to cats and grass pollen, stay away from cats while the grasses are blooming.  During other times of the year, you can play with kitty.
4. Use a neti pot.  The neti pot is a great way to rinse your sinus cavities, clear mucous and reduce swelling so you can breathe easier.  Follow the directions with the pot.  Be sure to use distilled water instead of tap to avoid introducing bacteria into your sinuses.
5. Breathe peppermint.  Inhaling the scent of a drop of peppermint essential oil can reduce congestion and improve your breathing.  Put a drop of the oil in your palm and rub your hands together.  Cup your hands over your nose and inhale.
6. Practice acupressure.  There are several points that are easy to stimulate and may reduce your symptoms.
   1. Use your thumbs to gently hold the inner corner of your eyes, just under of the inner end of the eyebrows.  Hold the pressure for 10 seconds.
   2. Use your index fingers to press each side of your nostril, about 1/8” from the opening and just under the cheekbones.  Hold the pressure for 10 seconds.
   3. Gently pinch the web of flesh between the index and thumb of your hand.  Feel for a tender spot just above the “V” of the bones.  Hold the pressure for 10 seconds and repeat on the other hand.

If these self-help treatments aren’t enough to relieve your symptoms, give me a call.  Acupuncture is stronger than acupressure and will give you more relief.  Plus I can recommend acupressure points and other self-help tips that are specific to your constitution.  With a personalized allergy self-help plan you’ll enjoy being outdoors again.

6 Ways to Relieve Allergies Without Drugs, Shots or Needles
Acupuncture & Herbal Answers

Date night can be fun, a celebration of love and romance. But for some people, romance is the last thing on their minds.  If you have a low sex drive or no sex drive, the pressure to be romantic can make date night uncomfortable.  You may want to show your sweetheart how much you care, but you just don’t feel it.

There are many reasons for low libido and some of them are not obvious.  Find out if any of the sex drive killers below are ruining your date night plans.

Sex Drive Killers

Alcohol

While a glass of alcohol may get you in the mood, too much alcohol numbs your body and kills your sex drive.  Moderation is the key to romance.  Limit your alcohol consumption on date night.  If you are worried you drink too much, contact me for help.  Acupuncture can relieve addictions and control cravings.

Drugs

Some medications can adversely affect your libido.  Drugs commonly associated with this include antidepressants, blood pressure medications, chemotherapy, anti-HIV drugs, synthetic progesterone and narcotic pain medicines.  If you take any of these medications and suspect they are suppressing your sex drive, contact your doctor.

Stress

When you are stressed your body releases adrenal hormones and cortisol to give you energy and prepare your body to address the stressor.  Getting energy is good, but there is a downside.  These same hormones also tense your muscles, slow digestion, raise blood pressure and reduce sensitivity to pain.  In other words, stress prepares your body for fight or flight—but not romance.

If you want a healthy love life you need to control your stress.  Acupuncture helps reduce the symptoms of stress and balances your body.

Ironically, sex is an excellent antidote to stress.  So if you’re feeling stressed, put your worries aside and plan a special date with your loved one.

Relationship Problems

Lingering arguments, lack of intimacy and unresolved issues can kill your sex drive.  This is particularly true for women because many women need emotional closeness to feel sexual desire.  Resolve arguments before date night.  If relationship issues regularly interrupt your love life, find a coach, counselor or minister to help.

Parenting

Parenting is a full-time job and many couples find it hard to give attention to their sex life while meeting the demands of raising children.  It’s hard to find the time and energy for intimacy.  However, prioritizing your relationship as a couple nourishes your relationship as parents.  Your children will benefit when you both feel close.

Sometimes finding time for your love life is all about strategy.  If your kids don’t sleep at night and keep you awake, bring them in for acupuncture.  Sleeping children can give you the quiet moments you need to connect.

Psychological Issues

Depression, sexual abuse, anxiety and other psychological issues can affect your sex drive.  On top of that, many anti-depressants can decrease libido as well.  Seek help to address these issues and discuss your concerns openly with your doctor to find a treatment plan that is right for you.  Acupuncture can help relieve depression and anxiety and, most importantly, build a feeling of vitality.

Insomnia

Without enough sleep you end up tired, crabby and definitely not romantic.  Worry, busyness, sleep apnea or just plain not allowing enough time for sleep can all have a negative effect on your love life.  Schedule time to sleep every day and resist the urge to reduce your sleep to get things done.  And give me a call.  Acupuncture treats insomnia quite successfully.

Physical Issues

There is a long list of physical complaints that can reduce your sex drive.  Erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, menopause, pregnancy and other sexual issues can reduce your libido, but many non-sexual illnesses and conditions affect it as well.  Obesity, thyroid issues, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and neurological diseases can all affect your sex drive—even a sore back can result in low libido.  Many of these can be treated successfully, both medically and with acupuncture.   Don’t assume you need to live with low libido.

Acupuncture Boosts Your Libido

Of course, acupuncture can’t get you a date, and it can’t call a sitter for the kids, but acupuncture can help your love life in many ways.  Acupuncture directly addresses the cause of your low libido by:

• Relieving addictions and reducing cravings.
• Reducing the symptoms of stress and rebalancing your body.
• Helping your children sleep.
• Relieving anxiety and depression.
• Relieving insomnia.
• Addressing a long list of libido-killing physical complaints, from vaginal dryness, erectile dysfunction and low testosterone to chronic pain, hypothyroidism and others.

Most of all, acupuncture boosts your energy and builds a feeling of vitality.  Enjoy a romantic date with your sweetheart with energy and excitement.  Call for an appointment today.

Photo credit: Kjunstorm / CC BY

8 Sex Drive Killers that Ruin Your Romantic Date
Acupuncture & Herbal Answers

If you feel stressed just living your life, you’re not alone.

Americans lead stressful lives.  Jobs, relationships, health, family obligations, community responsibilities—they all take their toll.

In “Stress in America 2012,” an annual survey by the American Psychology Association, 1 in 5 respondents reported an extreme stress level of 8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale.  In that same group 69% of respondents reported physical or non-physical symptoms of stress, including irritability or anger, fatigue, feeling overwhelmed or changes in their sleep.

The top source of stress according to 69% of the respondents is–money.

Coping with money worries is difficult for many people.  You may feel lost or out of control.  You may argue with your spouse.  And ironically, you may go on a shopping spree to try to relieve your stress.

April is National Stress Awareness month and as the April tax day approaches it’s a good time to think about ways to cope with financial stress.

7 Healthy Tips for Coping with Financial Stress

1. Take breaks from the computer when doing bookkeeping and taxes.  Computer work is hard on your neck and shoulders and for many people financial work is the most stressful computer work of all.  All this stress can lead to a sore neck, shoulders and back.Get up every 45 minutes to walk around and stretch.  Take deep breaths.  Keep your body relaxed so your emotions stay level.
2. Take charge of your finances.  Track your earnings and spending every day for a month.  Be ruthless and write down every penny.When you have a clear picture of your income and expenses make a reasonable spending plan which keeps them balanced.  Don’t budget on what you hope you’ll make or wish you’ll spend.  Be realistic.  Having a budget will give you control and reduce your financial stress.
3. Plan your splurges.  It’s difficult to stick with a financial plan if you feel like it is overly restrictive and deprives you of what you love.  Budget for reasonable treats.  Plan to spend money on the things that give you the most pleasure.
4. Balance making more with spending less.  Sometimes taking extra shifts at work is smart and sometimes spending less is the best plan.  Make conscious choices about which strategy gives you the most pleasure and the least financial stress.
5. Plan your shopping trips to avoid impulse buys.  Shopping can be stressful when you’re worried about money.  Shop when you are fed, hydrated and relaxed.Shopping sales seems like a smart idea but if you buy because you’re afraid you will never see such great prices again, they cost you money.  When you shop sales buy only what you planned.  Don’t fall prey to “Sale Fever.”
6. Find support.  Sharing your financial triumphs and frustrations with a friend can be a big help in dealing with your financial stress.  A friendly ear gives you feedback when you’re tempted to blow your budget and accountability when you get lax.
7. Stay Calm.  If you feel panic because you can’t pay your bills, remember to breath.  Think about what your next step should be and resist negative thoughts or making your circumstances huge.  Remember similar times when you managed your problems successfully.

When you worry about money it is especially important to take care of your health.  Remember to do your healthy routines.  Exercise, eat well and get enough sleep.

Even though few people celebrate Tax Day, it doesn’t have to be stressful.  Take steps to manage your financial stress.  Call me if you need help relieving your stress symptoms.

And have a Happy Tax Day.

7 Healthy Tips for Coping with Financial Stress
Acupuncture & Herbal Answers

“Avoid foods that have some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top 3 ingredients.” – from Michael Pollan’s Food Rules

Untitled
Acupuncture & Herbal Answers

Diabetes is a worldwide concern.  Millions of people suffer or die from it and its complications.  The rate at which it is increasing in the population is staggering.

According to the World Health Organization about 347 million people worldwide have diabetes.  Deaths from diabetes will rise 50% in the next 10 years and by 2030 diabetes is expected to be the seventh leading cause of death worldwide.

In the US diabetes affects an astonishing 25.8 million people—8.3% of the population according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.  Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, non-traumatic lower-limb amputations and new cases of blindness among adults.  It is a major cause of heart disease and stroke, and is already the seventh leading cause of death in the US.

While diabetes is widespread and the number of new cases rises every year, diabetes is not a new disease. Both Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have recognized it for thousands of years.  Now science is beginning to examine the benefits of combining both of these medical philosophies to stop the spread of this disease.

History of Diabetes

In the first century A.D. a Greek physician, Aretaeus, described diabetic symptoms and named the disease “diabetes,” from the Greek word “siphon” because fluids were siphoned from the body.  His treatment plan included oil of roses, dates, raw quinces and gruel—no doubt with mixed results.

The first major breakthrough for treating diabetes in Western Medicine occurred in 1921 with the discovery of insulin.  In addition to insulin, Western Medicine uses a combination of diet, oral medication and lifestyle changes to treat the disease.

In TCM diabetes was first described in 2 classical Chinese medical books, dating approximately 2000 years ago.  Around 100 B.C., the Nei Jing (a classic Chinese medical book) describes a disease called “Xiao Ke” or “wasting and thirsting disease.” It lists the symptoms as excessive hunger and thirst, frequent urination and rapid weight loss, describing these symptoms as a result of eating too much fatty, sweet or rich food.

Later, around 220 A.D., Jingui Yaoluem describes the symptoms of diabetes in another classic Chinese medical text.  He gives 2 herbal formulas for treating it.

TCM and Western Medicine: Two Views of Diabetes

From a Western Medicine understanding, most of the complications from diabetes are the result of high levels of sugar in the blood damaging your organs and tissues.  Its treatment plans involve regulating blood sugar levels to prevent the organ and tissue damage.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is slightly different.

According to TCM, diabetes is an imbalance of the flow of Qi.  This imbalance produces heat, which depletes the body’s fluids and results in the typical diabetic symptoms, such as excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss, excessive urination, etc.  The heat damages the spleen and pancreas and eventually causes damage to the kidneys.

A typical treatment plan will focus on regulating the Qi and balancing the organ systems to address heat and the depletion of fluids.  Through the use of herbs and acupuncture, the heat is reduced, the organs are balanced and the pancreas begins to function normally again.  As the organs become normalized, symptoms decrease and your blood sugar is regulated.

TCM and Diabetes Research

Although the two philosophies understand diabetes differently their treatments are very compatible.  Science is beginning to study the effectiveness of TCM and how it can be used along with Western Medicine to create the most effective treatment plans.

In a study by Doctor Li Dong at the Dubai Wellbeing Center, scientists found acupuncture to be a viable addition to diabetic care with few side effects.  In a different study by B.B. Abuaisha, J.B. Costanzi, and A.J.M. Boulton, patients with chronic painful peripheral neuropathy were given acupuncture treatments for pain relief.  Again the study concluded that acupuncture provided significant improvement with few side effects.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has a long history of treating diabetes and is an excellent addition to the treatments you already use.  Contact me today to find out how I can help you manage your diabetes.

How Traditional Chinese Diabetic Treatments Bring New Hope for an Old Disease
Acupuncture & Herbal Answers

Dr MacKesson has been a provider for BC/BS RI for more than a year, and will be happy to help you check your coverage for Acupuncture relief.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Rhode Island provider
Acupuncture & Herbal Answers

Chinese philosophy is a sophisticated method of understanding relationships, change, and cause and effect.  One of the primary ways to understand those relationships is with the 5 Element Theory.  This theory ties together the relationship of all energy and substance.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is one of the tools an acupuncturist has to understand disease and support the body’s healing.

All elements and energy are governed by the 5 elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water.  There are many associations with each element—colors, sounds, tastes, planets, even shapes.  But it is easiest to think of them in terms of the seasons.  Wood is like spring, when plants begin to grow.  Fire is summer-like, when plants flower.  Earth is a season of fruition.  It is called “late summer,” but in the West we don’t recognize late summer as a separate season.  This is the time that the growth of plants plateaus and they set fruit.  Metal is like fall and harvest time. And water is the time of winter, still and restful. The cycle of early growth, flowering, fruition, harvest and rest is repeated in everything.

The 5 Element Theory is elegant and complicated.  Each element is understandable if you think of it as part of a cycle of relationships.  “Wood” is not as much wood as “wood-like.” When a weak wood-like substance interacts with a strong fire-like substance, the result is predictable—the fire burns the wood up.  However when both forces are equal there is balance.

Interacting Elements

Since the 5 Element Theory is about relationships the 5 elements are always interacting with each other. There are 2 main ways they interact.  The sheng cycle (or mother-child cycle) is a generating cycle.   Wood creates fire.  Fire creates earth (ash).  Earth creates metal, which creates water, which creates wood.  The hardest relationship to understand is how metal creates water, but if you imagine condensation on metal you can see that it does.

The other important cycle is a controlling cycle.  The ke cycle (or master-servant cycle) is series of checks and balances.  Each element controls and is controlled by an element and both must be balanced, neither too strong nor too weak, to keep order.  In the ke cycle wood controls earth because trees grow on it and put their roots deep into it.  Earth controls water by damming water and changing its flow.  Water controls fire by extinguishing it.  Fire controls metal by melting it.  And metal controls wood by becoming an axe.

The Five Elements and Your Health

In Traditional Chinese Medicine your body has 12 meridians, or energy pathways.  The meridians nourish your organ systems and these are the pathways that I balance when you come in for a treatment.

Your meridians are divided among the 5 elements.  During a treatment I diagnose which meridians are out of balance.  By understanding the sheng and ke cycles, I determine which elements are overactive or underactive and treat the source of your imbalance.

I view all your body systems as working like a team.  Each team member must be healthy and balanced, neither too strong nor too weak, or the entire team doesn’t perform at its peak.  In the same way, no organ system functions independent of the others.  For optimal health you must balance all 5 elements.

Acupuncture 101: The 5 Elements
Acupuncture & Herbal Answers

In most parts of the country as your lawn greens, it also yellows—yellows with dandelions.  For such a beautiful flower, dandelions can cause a lot of dread.

But did you know that your lawn’s enemy is your health’s ally?

Dandelions are a great source of nutrition, but few people eat them.

If your lawn is organic you can control dandelions and eat healthy, all in one meal.

What are the Health Benefits of Dandelions?

Many people know that dandelions are great for detoxing, but that is just the beginning.  The roots are a fantastic liver tonic.  The leaves are a digestive bitter and support your circulatory and lymph systems.  The flowers are great for your skin.  Even the sticky sap is useful—it can erase warts, corns and calluses.

The entire plant is packed with nutrition.  Dandelions are high in vitamins A, B, C and K.  They contain a lot of minerals, including calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese.

Controlling your blood sugar is easy with a dandelion meal.  They are a low calorie, high fiber and high protein food.

Dandelions are also recommended for many health conditions.  People with bone health concerns, liver disease, diabetes, urinary disorders, skin care, acne, weight loss, cancer, jaundice, gall bladder issues, anemia and high blood pressure all benefit from eating dandelions.  The nutrients found in dandelion greens may help reduce the risk of cancer, multiple sclerosis, cataracts and stroke.  And on top of all of these benefits, dandelions are anti-inflammatory and may offer benefits to people with inflammatory conditions.

How do I Gather Dandelions?

It’s not hard to find dandelions in the wild since you can find them in lawns all over the country.  Your biggest challenge will be finding dandelions that haven’t been sprayed.  Make sure you know the history of your dandelion patch.

Harvest time depends on which parts of the plant you intend to eat.  Springtime is the best time to gather dandelion greens.  Tender young leaves are the least bitter; look in shady areas for the tenderest plants.  The best time to harvest is after a series of cool rains, when the nights are still cool and before the plant blooms.  You can gather roots any time of year, but typically people harvest them in fall.  And, of course, gather the flowers while they are blooming and look fresh and yellow.  Be quick because the time from flower to seed is less
than 2 weeks.

Since harvesting dandelions is dirty business, the easiest way to eat dandelions is to buy them at a store.  Many specialty grocery stores now carry dandelion greens.

How Do You Eat Dandelions?

There are many ways to eat dandelions and the internet is full of recipes.  The entire plant is edible—leaves, flowers and roots.  As a rule of thumb, use the leaves the way you cook with spinach and the roots the way you cook with burdock.

The flowers and roots can be both meal and beverage.  You can boil and stir-fry both the flowers and roots as a cooked vegetable.  And you can make wine with the flowers and roast the roots to make a coffee substitute.

The leaves are the most common part to eat.  You can eat dandelion leaves both cooked and raw.  In addition to steaming, boiling or stir-frying the leaves, you can throw them in a soup or combine them with kale, lettuce or cabbage.  Use the raw greens in salads or on sandwiches.  Dry the greens and use them for an herbal infusion.  You can even juice the leaves or add them to a smoothie.

Surprise your family and friends by gathering dandelion greens and making a pesto.  Serve the pesto with some crusty bread, delicious cheese and fresh spring-time fruits.  Enjoy your meal while looking at your weed-free lawn.

Dandelion Pesto

Ingredients

• 12 ounces washed and cleaned dandelion leaves
• 1 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 6 tablespoons pine nuts,
• lightly toasted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 1/2 ounces Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated

Preparation

1. Put one-third of the dandelion greens in a food processor or blender with the olive oil and chop for a minute. Add the remaining dandelion greens in two batches until they’re finely chopped.
2. Add the garlic, pine nuts, salt and Parmesan, and process until everything is a smooth puree.
3. Taste; add more salt if necessary.  Thin with olive oil or water if needed.

Storage: The pesto can be refrigerated in a jar for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.  To prevent the top from darkening pour a thin layer of olive oil on top.

From: David Lebovitz www.davidlebovitz.com/2011/03/dandelion-pesto-recipe/

The Surprising Truth about Dandelions
Acupuncture & Herbal Answers

It’s time to write the book you’ve always wanted to write, to play the instrument that is sitting in your closet or to paint the picture that you see in your dreams.

In your busy life, it’s hard to be creative.  Jobs, family, community—they all demand your time and attention.  Often they require linear thinking and Olympic-level time management.

Linear thinking and time management are great for managing your life, but they don’t lend themselves to creative pursuits.  Without right-brain activities, your life becomes dull and mechanical.  And predictably, the more dull and mechanical you feel the less likely you are to be creative.

Donna Eden in her book “Energy Medicine” has an easy way to unlock your stuck creativity.  Donna works with the body’s energies and her principles include those of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  By activating acupressure points and stimulating meridians, you can increase your health, boost your energy and super-charge your vitality.

Basically, you thump and stretch your way into feeling more alive and creative.

The Three Thumps

“The Three Thumps” is part of Donna’s Daily Energy Routine.  Thumping these 3 points makes you feel less tired and more vital, and supports your immune system when you are stressed.  Vitality is the first step to feeling creative.  Usually you do the Three Thumps as part of a bigger routine, but think of these 3 simple exercises as your portable creativity toolkit.  You can thump anywhere and anytime you need a lift.

Thump #1:  K-27 Points

The K-27 points are versatile acupuncture points that relieve throat, chest and back pain, help you breathe deeply and help release endorphins.  To find these points, place your fingers in the depression above your breastbone, where a man knots his tie.  Move your fingers out to each side and down 1”—just below your collar bone.  You should feel a small soft spot.

Firmly tap or massage these points while you take three deep breaths.  Don’t worry about being exactly on the points.  Use several fingers to tap in the approximate area and you’ll get the benefit.

Thump #2: Thymus Gland Thump

Your thymus gland supports your immune system.  By thumping the thymus you awaken your body’s energies, support your immune system and increase your energy, strength and vitality.

Place your fingers in the center of your sternum, about 2 inches below level of the K-27 points.  Use your thumb and fingers to tap your thymus as you take 3 slow, deep breaths.

Thump #3: Spleen Points

The spleen meridian lifts your energy, regulates your blood sugar, removes toxins and supports your immune system.  Stimulating spleen acupuncture points lifts your energy and decreases your stress levels.

The neurolymphatic spleen points are beneath the breast, in line with the nipples and down one rib.   If you are below your rib cage, you have gone too far.

Thump the points firmly while taking 3 deep breaths.  If any spot is tender, take a little extra time to massage it.

Three Simple Thumps to Release your Creative Self
Acupuncture & Herbal Answers