Are You Ready to Thrive?

I just finished reading this article on medical acupuncture and proper training.

I 100% agree with the statements of this Medical Doctor who has decided to go to acupuncture school.  

Acupuncture should only be performed by those who can pass the standards set forth by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).  

It's important for the safety of anyone receiving acupuncture that their practitioner meet a minimum set of standards!

I've signed up for this class.

It's going to Chakralicious.

How do I know?  It's taught by my buddy Bridget Pilloud.  She is a woo-woo BADASS (it even says so on her business card!)

Bridget is going to help us unblock our 2nd and 6th chakras to stimulate creativity and boost our own intuitive abilities.  Yeah, we all have intuitive abilities!  Some of us just don't have big intuition biceps yet.  The Chakralicious class will be like going to the intuition gym!

The class will be a phone conference, so no matter where you're located you can join us in getting the energy flowing!

I'm super excited for this class because it's always fun basking in the woo-woo light that is Bridget (and I'm pretty sure we won't need sunscreen!).  Join me!

Plantar Fasciitis is a common cause of foot pain.  It is inflammation due to micro tears of the fibrous band that connects our heel to the ball of our foot, as pictured to the left.  Many people will experience this as pain upon standing first thing in the morning or after sitting for long periods of time.  For some, the Plantar Fasciitis may become extreme and be painful at all times of the day.  In the long term, Plantar Fasciitis may lead to bone spurs where the fascia meets the heal which can also be extremely painful.

Common treatments for Plantar Fasciitis include:

• splinting the foot at night
• anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or bromelain
• stretching the calf muscles
• icing the arches
• wearing proper arch supports

I have found acupuncture and reflexology to be especially helpful, in addition to the above treatments, to speed the healing of this painful condition.

Acupuncture is very effective at reducing swelling, inflammation and the pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis.  

Reflexology is great for addressing any underlying causes of unhealth, but on a more physical level, reflexology helps to stretch and realign the foot, preventing any further damage, and allowing the foot to heal.

If you're suffering from this common form of foot pain, consider seeing an acupuncturist.  It'll feel good to get back on your feet!

This may be a little off-topic as far as Chinese medicine is concerned, but I believe we can use the following example to improve our health - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

My two-and-a-half year-old had just finished eating her pancakes with syrup.  Let me tell you, there is NOTHING clean about pancakes and syrup.  Or pancakes and jam.  Plain pancakes are fine, but who wants to eat them that way? (Okay, I do sometimes, but not usually the kiddo)

As she always does after eating, because she's always got a huge mess on her hands, she asked, "Wash hands, Momma?"  And before you get on my case about creating an OCD monster out of my child, she's the one who started this!  She's a virgo and can't seem to have stuff out of place.  She even cleans up her toys without being asked!  And yes, I know how lucky I am :)

So we went to the bathroom, pulled out her stepping stool and washed her hands.  She hopped off that stepping stool, dried her hands on the towel and just before racing off into the living room to play, cheerily said, "Thanks towel!" 

Wow.

I love the brains of children.  Meh, I like brains. (haha and I'm not a zombie!)  I LOVE seeing children/adults/dogs think stuff through.  My kiddo is pretty darn polite, but this really took the cake!

I decided that I want to try to spend today being grateful for everything around me.  I wonder what my day will look like as I consciously thank even the smallest things around me for their place in my life.

 I want to be grateful for my body (and that's sometimes a little hard when you have an almost-four-month-old whose pregnancy left its mark recently ;)  )

I want to be grateful for my dishwasher because otherwise I'd still be in the kitchen doing dishes rather than having the time to write this blog post.

And yes,  I even want to be thankful for the towel I use to dry my hands. 

What big or little things are you going to thank today?

A recent study on acupuncture as a treatment for depression during pregnancy finds that acupuncture shows some real promise for being a safe and effective treatment during a time when most treatments are not considered safe.

Depression, according to Chinese medicine, is due to Qi and/or blood deficiency, usually associated with the Heart (the organ associated with the emotion of joy) and Spleen (the organ associated with being grounded and content in life).

When our Qi levels are not strong enough to support these emotions, then we fall to the other, unhealthy, side of the spectrum.  We experience the common symptoms of depression.

To further compound the problem of depression, when our Spleen is weak, our Liver (the organ associate with stress!) is allowed to rule the roost!  So not only are we feeling bad, but we experience more stress which can force us into a cycle of feeling hopeless.

So how can we treat depression using Chinese medicine?  First off, I'd like to mention that anytime you're dealing with a major deficit of Qi or blood, it takes time to correct.  There is no quick fix.  Expect at least 1-3 months, depending on how deficient you are, to see results.  Expect to be treated longer than that for lasting results.

So back to the question - how can we treat depression using Chinese medicine?

Acupuncture and herbs will help get your Qi back to healthy levels relatively quickly.  

Things that you can do at home include:  

• Wearing sunny colors (reds, yellows, oranges).  These are the colors associated with the Heart and Spleen.
• Get outside.  Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to play a role in depression.
• Eat a nutritious diet.  This will help the Spleen build the Qi and blood necessary to reverse your symptoms.
• Take a multivitamin.  Because the Qi and deficit is so large with depression, we need all the help we can get in building Qi and Blood.
• Don't lose hope!  You CAN get out of the depression hole.  Be patient and loving with yourself as you regain your energy.

Please consider seeing an acupuncturist in addition to the rest of your mental health team if you're experiencing symptoms of depression.  Your Heart and Spleen will thank you for it!