Skip to content

fatigue

The Benefits of Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue

The Benefits of Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue

The Mayo Clinic describes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) as a “complicated disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that lasts for at least six months and that can’t be fully explained by an underlying medical condition. The fatigue worsens with physical or mental activity, but doesn’t improve with rest.” It’s estimated that there are more than 200,000 cases of CFS in the U.S. and research has proven that acupuncture, combined with other treatments can help to alleviate the symptoms that come with CFS. continue reading »

Late Summer is a Season All Its Own

 

We have arrived in what Traditional Chinese Medicine terms the season of “Late Summer.”  Here in southern New England, this begins on some unscheduled moment in August, when the winds shift, the humidity clears, and the temperature veers away from the torpid high numbers.  We breathe more easily, and sleep more soundly. We turn our smiling faces again to the afternoon sun, no longer in fear of scorching.

 

The Spleen system, along with its pair the Stomach, is now in control.  The red hot Fire element of the summer’s heat fades into the warm golden glow of the Earth.  Heavier vegetables and fruits ripen, full of sweet flavors which easily charge our bodies with Qi after quick digestion.  This thick density of flesh and easy energy then nourishes our muscles, and builds our immune system against the colder months to come.

 

The Earth is our mother, she grounds and nurtures us.   The harvest fills us with summer’s stored energies, strengthening our bodies; memories from our active summer will entertain for months.  With a hot squash soup and a fresh bread loaf, we are cared for, supported, sustained, sated, and loved.   

 

A wonderful season for activity, exercising now will not only strengthen our muscles, but pump the lymph to clean our bodies.  Too much inactivity now will add fat to our frames and blood, slowing our metabolisms, contributing to ill health through wintertime.

 

The Spleen is in charge of our digestion, and so loves foods that are easily digested: cooked foods: soups, stews, steamed vegetables.  These foods give us quicker energy, or Qi, are often high in carbohydrates, and tend to be earth toned: winter squashes, potato, most grains, seeds, salmon & sardines, poultry & beef, dates & figs.  Other vegetables in full ripeness now also make the list, including eggplant, cucumber, and watercress.

                        

What’s the best way to nourish your Spleen/Stomach system and Earth element?  Get outside and walk. The Chinese suggest walking 1000 steps after each meal to maintain your health.  Consider getting in the habit of an after dinner neighborhood stroll, or a midday lunch break walk in the sun.  Walk with a friend or loved one, and enjoy your time. Joy is the emotion of the season, and the brain its organ, so stop overthinking, let the details go, and appreciate all that’s around you: the beauty, the bounty, the sunshine, and those you love.

BPA DISRUPTS INSULIN RESPONSE

This study was made with a very low dose BPA exposure.  We imagine a worrying levels with regular exposure, possibly including frequent use of disposable water bottles.

 

iStock-908279072In a previous blog, we discussed the mechanisms by which Bisphenol A (BPA), a compound used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, induces undesirable weight gain. By disrupting the entire adipocyte metabolism and inducing a pro-inflammatory state, BPA is considered an “obesegen”.

Now, in a first-of-its kind human study by the Journal of the Endocrine Society, BPA has been linked to altering insulin release in non-diabetic subjects, even when people are exposed to what is considered a “safe” daily amount. After witnessing insulin resistance in animal studies, the University of Missouri-Columbia researchers conducted this human study. Non-diabetic men and post-menopausal women were orally administered a safe dose of BPA (50ug/kg body weight, an amount comparable to what they may encounter by handling cash receipts) and were compared to a control group. They assessed the insulin response using an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and hyperglycemic clamp (HG), tests that measure both the initial and later phases of the insulin response to stable levels of glucose.

In the OGTT, a “strong correlation was found between HbA1c and the percent change in the insulinogenic index (Spearman=.92) and the equivalent C-peptide index (Pearson=0.97). In the HG clamp study, several measures of insulin and C-peptide appeared suppressed during the BPA session relative to the control session; the change in insulin Cmax was negatively correlated with HbA1c and the Cmax of bioactive serum BPA”.

Results from both experiments showed that the subjects receiving “safe” amounts of BPA had an altered insulin release compared to the placebo exposure.

 

http://info.bioticsresearch.com/researchforum/bpa-disrupts-insulin-response?utm_campaign=Research%20Forum&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–17YvhxcE6rR-OG5S0TcAdSsA2mXaVLRb4gcXA7ciXKmEMweB1F2cC1JyHyh-XCEyl6NpfEpnuZcVA-OkP1CK8jOlN_hEZpQ6mHRI5aPb3mrZpFrI&_hsmi=66445391&utm_content=66445391&utm_source=hs_email&hsCtaTracking=41744e82-2ce7-4f15-847a-7f93725fe9bc%7C5baed2bb-c6db-47c3-952a-d62a7cc00992

 

 

Shedding The Weight Meditation Series

 

This is a wonderful FREE way to start meditating, with focus, and progress: start the best of habits!   I highly recommend this resource to just get started, and get a feel for a few ways we can meditate, including focused thoughts, self awareness, mantras, and music.

The series provides a new meditation every day for 3 weeks, with up to 5 days to listen to each.  Each day’s entry entails a short intro by Oprah, followed by some instruction with Deepak, including a mantra to repeat during 10 minutes of calming music.

This “Weight” does not only apply to those of us who think we weigh more than we want to, but can help us all shed excess from our lives and selves.

Of course, before the 21 days end, you will have an opportunity to purchase the whole series, but are not required to do so.  Many other series are available for purchase, and they are kind enough to offer a free series about 3 times per year.

 

To register:

https://chopracentermeditation.com/?utm_source=21-Day+Meditation+Experience+-+News&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=180316-STWR-Recruitment-5ab&utm_campaign=21-Day+Meditation+Experience+-+News2018316&sso_code=eyJpdiI6IlZJZXljRkdWRGw2V3hqRzBZZFZmckE9PSIsInZhbHVlIjoiQTlQVENOOFpUK25YeE5SXC91cEV4QlUwZDUzUTNcL1VKNUhVUVprTzM0Q2ZUUGUwM3dKd3dBdFhRQW41ZTlMY25SbWcwNngwQ25JWnZkQ1QzK0x3Y3BpQkxVVFJpRVFHMVwvRFpoWHBEWWF4VEE9IiwibWFjIjoiYjBhMDA2MzQ5YWUzNTUyMTI5YzQxMDA3YmEzNTVjY2ZkYmYzNzNhYzMxNTA5ZTA3MjE2YzNiNzFjZjRiMDE4NyJ9

For a sample meditation:

http://view.chopra.com/?qs=af4168e261040dd3fcfb8477f0da7bcbd912f231950a5cbb043f818a13d8a3661da1019d8c7ac22d0993ec586943b1908de7c5a4c4449a29f0356ef88b75d10499ec0d9c3d0a3ed0ba47f16213a6f91d9eaabd46deb86ba2

Why am I so TIRED…and how to fix

blog-img-why-am-i-so-tiredand-how-to-fix_640A very common complaint that acupuncturists hear from our patients is that they constantly feel tired. Sometimes this fatigue is related to lack of sleep, but sometimes no amount of rest seems to alleviate the sleepiness.

From an acupuncture and Chinese Medicine perspective, there are numerous imbalances in our bodies that can cause the constant fatigue. Here are some of the most common imbalances that can lead to fatigue, lethargy, lack of energy and motivation, and tiredness. continue reading »

4016191912