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As the long winter starts to wrap up in Boston and the days get progressively longer and warmer, it very important to stay on top of your health with regards to the flu and common cold. A shift of seasons always seems to throw the immune system for a loop and breed the little buggers than can cause body aches, sniffles and an otherwise down feeling. In addition to regular acupuncture treatments to strengthen your body and treat any symptoms, there are some simple ways that you can combat the flu and common cold while fortifying your immune system and boosting your energy for spring activities.
VITAMINS, MINERALS & HERBAL REMEDIES
Echinacea – This popular remedy may shorten the duration of a cold if taken within the first couple of days of symptoms. It is often found as an added ingredient in lozenges but may be taken as a stand alone herb.
Zinc – In addition to providing a boost to the immune system, zinc lozenges can help decrease irritation to the throat and quell the pain of a sore throat. Look for the sugar-free kind to avoid damage to your teeth and waistline.
Chinese herbs – In addition to personalized formulas developed by your Chinese herbalist, you may also take a patent medicine such as Cold Away, that is focused on treating the symptoms of the flu or common cold. Your acupuncturist can order these helpful products for you to keep on hand in your medicine cabinet.
Vitamin D – This vitamin is often used during Boston winters to fight Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD) due to the shorter days and decreased sunlight. It can also help during those times when you are feeling a little down or depressed due to sickness. A daily dose of 1,000 to 2,000 IUs can help boost your outlook. Recent research has also suggested that at least 1,200 IUs may help combat the flu.
FOODS
Green tea – A wonderful all natural cold fighter. Green tea contains immune system boosters called catechins, which are plant compounds that have anti-oxidant properties. Steep it 3 to 5 minutes and add some crushed fresh ginger for an extra anti-inflammatory effect.
Omega 3 fatty acid rich foods – These foods, like salmon and sardines, have been shown to boost the mood and brain function allowing you to recover faster from the downtime of getting sick. Other mood boosters include lentils and complex carbohydrates in whole grains that help initiate serotonin production in the brain.
Anti-oxidant rich foods – An anti-oxidant will help strengthen the immune system and repair damaged cells caused by the flu or common cold virus. Some examples are vitamin C, beta carotene, zinc and selenium. Foods that contain these super nutrients and anti-oxidants include mushrooms (selenium and potassium), red bell pepper (vitamin C), sweet potatoes or pumpkin (beta carotene), whole grains (zinc and selenium) and Brazil nuts (selenium).
ACTIVITIES
Exercise – Even a brief 20 minute walk at a brisk pace can increase the production of serotonin and other feel good chemicals in the body that will help you combat the laziness of struggling with flu or cold symptoms.
Wash your hands - Yep, the easiest one to do and yet often overlooked. Frequently washing your hands for at least 20 seconds can decrease the chances of catching the rhinovirus, the germ that is responsible for about 35 percent of common colds. If you have a lot of hand-to-hand contact, it is even more important to do this often although be sure to use a moisturizer afterward to combat dry skin. I love Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve.
Sleep – Get more of it! If you get less than seven hours of sleep a night, you are almost three times more likely to develop a respiratory infection than if you get eight hours or more according to a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. If you are having trouble getting to sleep, a low dose of melatonin or valerian can help you relax and snooze a little easier. Also try Bach’s flower remedies like Rescue Sleep or Rescue Remedy.
Breathe – If you do find that you’ve caught the sniffles and are having some congestion built up in the nasal passages, try to irrigate and clean them out using a Neti Pot. Another less invasive alternative is to put a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil in a bowl of very hot water, drape a towel over your head and inhale the steam. You should feel the sinus tension and congestion just melt away.
Here’s hoping that all you Bostonians make it through the winter-spring transition with nary a problem but if you find you are feeling a little out of sorts or are struggling with the remnants of an end-of-season cold, try the above remedies. Regular acupuncture treatments can also help increase the body’s resistance to germs and decrease the time you are dealing with the aggravating symptoms. In closing, best wishes for a very happy and healthy March and see you in the future.
Category : Acupuncture &Blog &Chinese Medicine &Common Cold &Flu &Immune System &Prevention &Uncategorized &Wellness
Hey there West Roxbury and Waltham residents, did you know that the Chinese New Year just started on February 3rd and we are entering the Metal Rabbit Year? Now my experience with Chinese astrology was limited to what I saw on the ubiquitous placemats at Chinese restaurants but since studying acupuncture and Chinese medicine, I’ve grown a little more interested. Here is what I have been able to find online and from the site of Suzanne White.
The rabbit or hare is the fourth animal of the 12 year Chinese zodiac cycle which includes those ind
ividuals born in the years 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999 and 2011. Rabbits are gracious, amiable, and make good friends. They are known to be sensitive, kind and gracious and have good manners. Rabbits have a tendency to be soft spoken and are gifted artists, diplomats and government officials. They are also skilled and lucky in business and finance because of their cleverness, dislike of hostility and ability to compromise. However, at times rabbits can also be moody, stubborn, and appear to be impervious to the opinions of others while inwardly cringing from criticism. At worst, rabbits may be self-indulgent and cling to material comforts and superficiality. Some famous rabbits include Albert Einstein, Frank Sinatra, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt (hmmmm, obvious connection there right?) and Johnny Depp.
So what does the year of the Metal Rabbit hold in store for the rest of us? Suzanne White mentions that after the tumultuous Year of the Tiger in 2010, we are in store for a more relaxed and recuperative 12 month span that will allow us to lick the wounds opened by a year of struggle, joblessness and strife….although the events in Egypt certainly seem to be counter to this currently. The Year of the Rabbit is going to be good for getting back to the foundations of saving, sound investments, beautification (internally and externally), enduring love and lifelong learning. Sounds good right? So take a deep breath and get ready for a year of healthy repose and relaxation. Personally, I think that any sort of calmness and meditative tranquility would be good for us all these days. To achieve this, I recommend a mix of healthy diet, ample exercise, de-stressing techniques like meditation or yoga and of course, acupuncture. Have a wonderful 2011 and Happy New Year!
Category : Acupuncture &Blog &Rabbit &Wellness &astrology
It seems that more and more professional US athletes are turning to acupuncture and Chinese medicine to help prolong their athletic careers and recover from surgery or injuries like strains, sprains and tears. While this probably isn’t so uncommon in countries like China, Japan or Korea where acupuncture is integrated into athletic training regimens, acupuncture hasn’t been a widely publicized training tool until recently.
Randy Johnson, the All Star and most likely Hall of Fame pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees, used acupuncture to help him prolong his professional baseball career as described in this article from Acupuncture Today. Among NFL players, wide receiver Donte Stallworth, running back Stephen Jackson and a number of New York Jet players have used acupuncture to help recover from injuries and the beating they take on the gridiron every Sunday. A recent article in the New York Times describes the treatments given by acupuncturist Lisa Ripi to 40 NFL players in a number of cities during the week. Not to be left out in the cold, even NHL goaltender Ray Emery of the Philadelphia Fliers is getting in on the action in an effort to recover quicker from a right hip injury. In addition to individual athletes conditioning their bodies through the use of acupuncture, groups of player from one professional team, the Super Bowl bound Pittsburgh Steelers, have recognized its value and used it as part of their training and recovery regimens.
As the money invested in professional athletes continues to spiral upwards, acupuncture has gained a reputation as being a safe, effective and economical therapy that can provide the perfect complement to traditional sports medicine techniques such as physical therapy, massage, and orthopedic or arthroscopic surgery. But acupuncture does not need to be reserved for world class athletes like the Celtics, Patriots, Bruins or Red Sox that play on the hallowed courts and fields of Boston. The next time you injure yourself in the gym, on the court or out on the field, think about giving an acupuncturist a call. More than likely, they’ll give you that extra boost to help you return to the activity you love more quickly and with less pain. Oh, and if your name is Tom Brady, you can have a free treatment anytime you want!
Category : Acupuncture &Blog &Chinese Medicine &Wellness
January has come and gone and I hope your resolutions have been successfully instituted into your daily routine. By far one of the most popular resolutions is to lose weight. Now if you made that goal manageable (like 2 lbs a week) and are incorporating dietary and exercise changes, you are hopefully well on your way to your goal. If you want to incorporate a safe, natural and holistic therapy into your regime, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can also help you lose weight or manage your current weight. Some research has shown that acupuncture alone can have a positive effect on weight loss. However, I still recommend to all my patients that they incorporate dietary changes and daily exercise to reach their weight loss goals. Since Chinese medicine seeks to balance the body and provide for overall wellness, this is really the best way to promote lifelong health and weight management.
A systematic review of all research done on acupuncture and weight loss published in the International Journal of Obesity in 2009, found that when “compared to lifestyle, acupuncture was associated with the significant reduction of average body weight loss of 1.72 kg, or 3.78 lbs, and associated with an improvement in obesity.” The article goes on to state that acupuncture also showed better results for body weight loss and obesity than conventional medicine. The placebo effect and sham acupuncture treatment was addressed as well with acupuncture showing significant improvement over these two. One big issue with many acupuncture research trials has been the methods used to study the effect of acupuncture on particular conditions. The acupuncture treatments for obesity and weight loss in these research trials are no exception. The article states that “the amount of evidence is not fully convincing because of the poor methodological quality of the trials reviewed.” The abstract for the article can be found here. However, the important thing is that there is promise.
What really happens when acupuncture and Chinese medicine is used to promote weight loss and treat obesity? Well, the honest answer is that no one has a definitive answer for how acupuncture works for weight loss. The primary thought is that acupuncture re-balances the hypothalamus, an important regulatory center in the brain, and this controls hormone levels in your body. The hormones can help increase metabolism, improve nutrient processing and absorption and energize adipose tissue, or fat, breakdown. In addition, due to its sedative effect, acupuncture can also help ease the mind and possibly decrease emotional eating habits. Dr. Oz, our friendly Oprah affiliated medical professional, weighs in (no pun intended) on the issue at his website.
Typically when acupuncture and Chinese medicine is used for weight loss and obesity, it is important to stick to the treatment plan prescribed by your licensed acupuncturist. This usually involves a series of at least 10 treatments on a weekly basis with the accompanying adjustments to diet and the initiation of an exercise plan. Auricular acupuncture, needles inserted in locations on the outer ear, has been particularly useful for weight loss. In addition, Chinese herbal medicine can help decrease cravings for sweets and calm the anxiety or emotional components associated with dieting and weight loss. I will include some dietary recommendations in later blog posts so be sign up for the RSS feed to be notified when these tips are available.
In the end, as I am sure many of you that struggle with weight loss and obesity have heard, there is no quick fix. Diet and exercise are still the proven winners for weight management. However, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can provide support for you on your journey and help you reach your weight loss goals with less stress and more balance.
References – Cho SH et. al. Acupuncture for Obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Obs (Lond). 2009 Feb;33(2): 183-96.
Category : Acupuncture &Acupuncture Research &Blog &Chinese Medicine &Herbal Medicine &Weight Loss
One of the most frequent questions asked of acupuncturists is “Is there insurance coverage for acupuncture?” Well, I believe there should be and my fellow acupuncturists and I are doing our best to make sure that you, the patients, get a chance to make this important decision about your health care options. As many of you know in these financially unstable times, it is tough to pick and choose what is important to spend your hard earned money on. Health care just doesn’t rank that high on the list for lots of folks. Acupuncture can be expensive sometimes and the treatment plan usually calls for weekly visits over a period of several months to see lasting results. Sorry, as much as I would like to say it, no magic bullet here. With mandatory insurance coverage for acupuncture, patients would be freed from the financial burden and it would lend more credibility to what I do as an acupuncturist. Not that there needs to be credibility in the first place….just ask anyone who has had acupuncture treatment and stuck with it for the length of their treatment plan.
So with that in mind, I am asking all my patients in West Roxbury, Waltham, Newton and Boston or any people interested in seeing acupuncture covered by insurance in Massachusetts to read the message below from the AOMSM and contact their representatives.
The Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Society of Massachusetts (AOMSM) Legislative Committee has reintroduced a modified version of last year’s HR 4111 to the Massachusetts House of Representatives that will mandate insurance reimbursement for acupuncture services. The new number for the Bill is HD 1593.
The AOMSM Legislative Committee is reaching out to identify those that are willing to advocate for this endeavor. The history of successful legislative initiatives for the Oriental Medical profession both here in Massachusetts and nationally has never been one of deep pockets or large political machines. Success has been due to the advocates, (mostly patients) that have written letters, and made phone calls and have visited Representatives and Senators. They have told their stories of how acupuncture and Oriental Medicine has been a powerful medical intervention in their lives and a tool for healing when nothing else worked. It has been the strength of these stories that has been so compelling that they have, one by one, and state by state, altered the landscape of health care in this country.
Now we endeavor to take it to another level – to make available to the people of this Commonwealth access to a safe and effective health care. Will you help? We need your voice. We need your advocacy in the form of connecting this effort with those legislators that may be willing to assist us in moving this legislation through the house and senate and to the governor’s desk. The connection that you have may in fact be the one that makes all the difference, not only with respect to the enactment of this legislation but to providing individuals across the Commonwealth with access to a medical care that could make a significant difference in their health and quality of life.
Urgent – We have only to February 4nd to enlist cosigners for our Bill –
We need you to act now to enlist cosigners as this first step infuses our Bill with energy and momentum.
Go to the Massachusetts Government website, find your representative and call them. Follow this call up with an e-mail using the talking points below.
The Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Society of Massachusetts (AOMSM) Legislative Committee will be developing resources and posting updates on our website. We encourage your feedback and very much encourage your involvement and support.
Thank you for helping to transform health care in this country.
In health,
AOMSM Legislative Committee
Here are points that the advocates of bill HD 1593 can use in both phone conversations and emails. Patients are encouraged to add their own personal story as to how acupuncture has enhanced their health.
Dear Representative ___________,
(Give your name and address)
I am calling/ writing in support of HD 1593, a Bill that mandates insurance reimbursement for acupuncture. And I am asking Representative ________ to be a cosigner for this Bill. As you know, being a cosigner does not represent a commitment to vote in favor of passage of this Bill but rather acts to promote the legislative analysis of the bill’s merits. This bill represents an opportunity for the good people of the Commonwealth to be availed of a medical intervention that is in many cases clinically and economically superior to what is presently available as a covered benefit.
Category : Acupuncture &Blog &Chinese Medicine &Herbal Medicine
Thank you for visiting my new and improved website. I hope all you West Roxbury, Waltham, Newton and Boston area residents will join us frequently here at the Eastern Sun Acupuncture blog to keep getting up-to-date news about Acupuncture’s role in your Health and Wellness. My aim in keeping a regular blog is to provide you, my readers, with new and interesting information about Chinese and Japanese style Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine and Natural Whole Body Wellness. I will often include self care tips such as Acupressure techniques, Exercise Instruction and Dietary and Weight Management recommendations to keep you up and running between your regular trips to the acupuncturist. I also hope to shed some light on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and educate my readers about how Oriental Medicine views Wellness and the human body. Maybe it’ll even inspire you to investigate it yourself through personal study. I am very excited to offer this to you and I hope that you will join me on this Wellness Journey.
Category : Acupuncture &Blog &Chinese Medicine &Herbal Medicine &Wellness
