Health, Stress, Acupuncture... and you!

A new study shows that acupuncture is as effective as cognitive-behavioural therapy in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

PTSD is usually seen in survivors of accidents, violence, or natural disasters and reflects the person's attempt to cope with a sudden, traumatic event or experience. Recently it has received coverage in the news as returning veterans from Iraq are experiencing the sometimes devastating effects of this disorder. (Source)

The study using acupuncture found that acupuncture provided significant relief, and kept symptoms at bay for 3 months even after treatment was stopped.

Of course, this isn't news to those of us in the field. Acupuncturists Without Borders, a great organization, has been using squads of acupuncturists to treat survivors of natural disasters as well as veterans for several years. And I see in the clinic everyday the immediate effect of acupuncture on anxiety, depression and plain old stressed-out Angelenos!

There is no health problem that is not exacerbated by stress. Pain, digestive troubles, hormonal imbalances... all are made worse by the constant toll of major and minor worries. Our bodies were not designed for the constant, unrelenting strain we now subject them to. Chronic stress depresses the immune system, increases risk of cancer and heart disease, and even shrinks the part of the brain responsible for memory. (Source) Add to that the fact that so few of us make time for the activities that still the mind, that allow the adrenal and other stress-hormone producing glands to rest, and you have a recipe for disaster. Stressed out yet?!

I jokingly call my acupuncture treatments "meditation for cheaters." A few needles can push you into deep relaxation, no lotus position required! Western medicine is still undecided as to the mechanism by which acupuncture so effectively calms the body and mind, but of course, we don't have to wait for them to find out. Make time in your day for calm and quiet, and time in your life for the healing benefits of acupuncture.

Read an earlier article about self-care for stress

Hi-tech for health

In Chinese Medicine, we pay attention to ancient wisdom for health and healing - herbs, principles, and methods whose origins stretch back thousands of years. But in the modern world, we can bring together the advantages of technology with our desire for a wholistic life.

Lately I have really gotten into Podcasts. You don't have to have an iPod to enjoy them - I often listen to them sitting at my computer. If you have never used podcasts, download the iTunes program from www.apple.com. Once you've done that, visit the podcasts section of the iTunes store. You'll see a variety of categories, including Health, where my faves are located.

Here are some of my favourite podcasts. Search for them by name!

Reasonable Diet's 6 Minutes of Sanity
Health and nutrition coach Sandra Ahten offers down to earth and practical strategies for making healthy changes in your relationship with food.

Qigong Meditation Podcast
Calvin Fahey provides easy to follow Traditional Chinese meditation sessions in his soothing voice.

FitPod
Music to exercise by! A new mix every week of energizing music.

Meditation-Silence
A lovely meditation with music from spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy. A great way to take a heart refreshing pause in the middle of the day.

l'khaim! To life!

Kirsten

New Year Detox?

The flurry of the holidays has died down, and even here in Southern California there is a certain dreariness to the months of January and February. The days are still short, it's cool (or downright cold), we're probably all broke and a little bloated after overindulging in every way through the month of December.

A question I am often asked is "should I 'detox'?" Many people feel that their bodies are clogged with toxins, and that some tough love is in order. Fasting, gallbladder flushes, high colonics, herbal 'cleanses' and other methods are all popular. I would wager that sales of those products, many touting weight loss benefits, peak at this time of year. So what does Chinese Medicine have to say about 'cleansing'?

In Chinese Medicine we view the body as an interconnected and balanced system. The digestive and eliminative system is analogous to a pot on a stove. Food goes in the pot, and the fire underneath cooks it, producing steam that rises up. In an ideal situation, the fire burns hot but not too hot, and there is the right amount of food in the pot, with the right amount of moisture to produce lovely, fragrant steam. (as a side note, the Chinese character "Qi" or "vital force" is of a rice pot with steam rising out of it.) When we have overloaded or underloaded the pot, or if the fire is sputtering, or burning out of control, we have an imbalance, and uncomfortable symptoms result.

The body has its own mechanism for restoring balance. In western terms this is called homestasis, or self-regulation. In the acupuncture clinic we facilitate this with herbs and acupuncture, but most important is letting the body return to its own natural balance. If we suddenly empty the pot, it can all too easily be scorched or cracked. And scrubbing it out with clorox is similarly too radical a solution. Personally I feel many of the more 'radical' detox methods contain an element of self-disgust. We feel we have overindulged so we punish ourselves by starving or taking harsh herbal brews that keep us in the toilet, contemplating our sins.

The student of Chinese Medicine views the body as something to be treated gently and with love and respect. Alright, fine, you say. But what do I do about feeling maxed out after 3 weeks of canapes and candy canes?

Acupuncture and herbs can both be used by your practitioner to ease symptoms like constipation, bloating, gas and heartburn. At home, Bojenmi tea is a popular chinese remedy for weightloss - it contains a variety of mild digestive herbs, and can be purchased in most Chinese grocery stores. Remember: more is not necessarily better! Follow the recommended dosages and discontinue if you have sideeffects like loose stool.

Dietarily, it is important that your body have nourishment to continue its work. To ease the burden on your digestive system as you recover from a period of overindulgence, one of the best foods is congee: traditional chinese porridge. Usually made with rice, it can be made with any grain or legume, and can be quite convenient when you use a slowcooker. (A great book about using congee as medicine is Bob Flaws' The Book of Jook). Slow cooked whole grains, steamed lean proteins like fish and chicken, and steamed vegetables are all nourishing, easily digested foods that will feed your body without taxing it. Foods to avoid are cold and raw foods, including vegetables like salads. Many people are surprised at this advice, but salads and raw veggies are actually quite hard to digest. We are not herbivores like cattle. Our bodies have to 'cook' the vegetables once they are eaten. Many patients find they have more energy and less digestive problems when they switch to cooked veggies. Steering clear of heavily flavoured foods is restful for your system, and of course artificial and processed foods are always best avoided.

In the end, remember that January is just a month like any other. Certainly it is an opportunity to 'start fresh,' but so is every day, every moment, every breath.

ess in gezunterheyt/eat in good health
Kirsten

Red Alert!

This morning along with everyone else, I was greeted with the hairraising news of the terrorist suspects arrested by British authorities for planning to do all kinds of dastardly things in the sky.

"We are at Severe, Red Alert!" boomed Michael Chertoff's voice, which I suspect was deliberately selected to be unreassuring. Then I had to hear George Bush talk about our ongoing war with "Islamic Fascists." Meanwhile, I am planning on flying out of LAX on Wednesday morning, and now face the prospect of waiting in line for 4 hours and not being allowed to bring a water bottle on board. By the time I got my dog ready to go out for a walk, my stomach was churning, my head was pounding, and I was ready to call down curses on any number of heads.

Fortunately, I have some secret strategies for dealing with stress, that I would like to share with all of you. Trapped in line at the airport? Forced to listen to politicians trying to make you even more nervous than you already are? Just generally stressed out to the max? Here's some TCM tested tips:

1. Breathe! Yes, it is the annoying thing that anyone trying to calm you down will say to you when you are upset, but it really does work. Dr. Candace Pert, the scientist who discovered the neuropeptide, talks a lot about breathing in her book, Molecules of Emotion (If you've seen What the Bleep do We Know, then you saw Dr. Pert talking about the science behind the mind-body connection and how we can affect our emotions by changing our physical bodies.)

"The peptide-respiratory link is well documented: Virtually any peptide found anywhere else can be found in the respiratory center. This peptide substrate may provide the scientific rationale for the powerful healing effects of consciously controlled breath patterns." Molecules of Emotion

There are thousands of breathing techniques, ancient and modern, out there. The most simple one that I use in frazzling situations is to inhale while counting 1, 2, and exhale while counting 1,2,3,4. This completely empties your lungs and forces you to breathe more slowly.

2. Move! In Chinese Medicine, we understand the deleterious effects of stress on the body in terms of stagnation. Energy should flow easily and calmly throughout the body, like water meandering through a clear streambed. Stress constricts the flow (literally in fact: adrenaline is a vasoconstrictor and tightens your bloodvessels, increasing your blood pressure). We even say "I'm tied up in knots by this." If you can head out for a walk, do - you will break up the stagnation in a gentle way. If you are stuck in a line, try a simple qi gong that expands the space in your body, allowing the energy to flow.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, your hands loosely at your sides. Take a few breaths. As you inhale, bring your hands slowly up the front of your body, palms facing you. When you reach the center of your chest, pause, interlace your fingers and exhale. With your next inhale, stretch your interlaced hands up over your head. Smile. (you are imitating this guy. He's not stressed!) Exhale, letting your hands fall to your sides.

3. Ears! The ears are covered in acupoints, many with a calming and sedating influence. Giving yourself a mini ear massage can stimulate these points and their anti-stress effects. Even better, get someone else to do it. It's not too likely that my vision of the lineup for security at the airport, with everyone rubbing the ears of their neighbour, will come true, but a girl's got to dream.

Remember the other basic tenets of self-care, like packing healthy snacks and drinking plenty of water and you can bring that red alert down to chilled-out blue.

Be well!
Kirsten