For most of us, a new year provokes a time of reflection on the past and the possibility of new opportunities for the future, particularly when it comes to our health. How much more stress can my body handle? Is my immune system ever going to be stronger? When will I stop being tired?

Acupuncture is one of the longest-practiced medical treatments in the world, and it can be used to successfully address all these questions. Acupuncture promotes relaxation, pain relief, and brain clarity, and it increases energy and stamina. According to Chinese medicine, the energy in our body circulates through pathways called meridians. There are twelve meridians in the body and each one is associated with a different organ system. An imbalance in the flow of this energy is how illness begins. An acupuncturist knows how to test your body’s meridians for imbalances, and then treat them through the insertion and manipulation of acupuncture needles in various points along the body.

When meeting with new acupuncture clients, I work to identify the underlying cause of any imbalance, and create a treatment plan to address what is triggering their symptoms. My goal is to restore balance, strengthen each person at their core, and allow the body to heal itself.

Stephanie Kula, Licensed Acupuncturist

We’ve all heard news reports of otherwise healthy teenaged athletes collapsing on playing fields. Too often the culprit is Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) – the leading cause of death in teenaged athletes. Nick of Time’s mission is to educate schools, athletic directors, families and communities about SCA, and set up screenings to achieve early detection of potentially fatal cardiac abnormalities.

I hope you’ll read more on their website and give generously to this most worthy and underserved cause.

With the hectic holiday schedule on the horizon, it’s more important than ever to prioritize sleep; take advantage of the fall time change and claim that extra hour! Don’t shirk your exercise routine; almost any of us can manage even a 30-minute walk each day. Another effective step is to consider our homeopathic flu pellets and flu shot. These treatments are made using the same flu strain identified each year by the CDC, and are powerful preventives that don’t carry the potential side-effects of the conventional flu shot. We emphasize all these essentials to our patients, and enjoy designing an individualized wellness plan to fit their specific needs.

We also offer our patients several options if they feel they’re coming down with the flu. First, increase your intake of Vitamin C, and add Zinc and Echinacea (which itself should not be taken continually – only as needed to stimulate the immune system). We also may recommend Vitamin A, thymus, and other herbs or homeopathics as indicated by specific symptoms. Finally, we offer intravenous vitamin infusions that are higher in dose and more potent than those taken orally. Many of our patients have been able to stop an illness in its tracks if they come in soon enough.

And the old wives’ tale about drinking lots of orange juice? For many people, citrus actually increases mucous production! Better to drink lots of water and herbal tea.

Beth Galan NP-C

Even the best of natural and preventive health programs can do only so much, and it is sometimes necessary to use surgery as a treatment. But, while “going under the knife” may be scary, it does not have to include a total surrendering of the principles of self-care and good healing. In fact, preparing and going through surgery are good times to demonstrate a true complementary medicine approach.

Good nutrition is as important before and after surgery as it is at any other time. Years ago, Dr. George Blackburn at N.E. Deaconness Hospital demonstrated the improvement in post-operative healing that accompanied better attention to what the patient ate. While opinions on good diets continue to evolve (my preference for limiting grain-based and sugar-based carbohydrates has been stated here before) it is clear that good weight management, attention to an adequate amount of protein (necessary for wound healing) and fresh, nutrient-rich produce are good starts. Sugar and alcohol are well known to suppress wound healing, and should be eliminated. Caffeine withdrawal is bad enough at any time, but worse when compounding a post- operative experience. And cigarette smoking drastically increases the risk of anesthesia and post-op complications.

Several vitamins and minerals help to speed the rate of healing, and to limit the formation of scar tissue. Vitamin C is known to increase wound healing, as are the minerals zinc and copper. If possible, it’s helpful to begin taking these nutrients several weeks before the surgery, and to continue for a month after. Vitamin C can be taken up to 3000 mg per day without much risk of diarrhea, but the dose can be lowered if there are digestive problems. A good dose of zinc for wound healing is 30 mg per day, balanced by 2 mg copper. The vitamin C can be accompanied by bioflavinoids, usually 500 mg for each 1000 mg of vitamin C. The bioflavinoids (and other flavinoids such as pycnogenol and grape pips) help scars to heal. Vitamin E 400 iu is also helpful, and vitamin E oil (from capsules) can be rubbed on a healing wound once it is safe to do so. Any stress increases the need for B vitamins and for magnesium. Finally, common herbs for surgery preparation include Siberian ginseng or eleuthrococcus (which aids in withstanding stress), gingko biloba (which helps circulation) and gotu kola (which is demonstrated clinically to speed wound healing).

While homeopathy is a system of medicine in itself with an intricate diagnostic and treatment plan, it adapts well to self-care. Arnica montana is a remedy which is frequently used to heal from trauma, and is readily available in strengths of 30X (more potent remedies are best given under a homeopath’s care). Arnica tablets (or remedy mixtures containing Arnica) are usually taken under the tongue every 2-4 hours post-surgically. Likewise, the flower remedy called Rescue Remedy has been used by many patients both before surgery (to calm down) and after (to make for a more relaxed healing). Homeopathic Arnica montana is available in a cream-base as well, for rubbing on a healing area.

Many systems of medicine can be useful to help with post-operative care and well-being. Acupuncture is a time-honored way of bringing a body into balance, and many acupuncture techniques, including the use of magnets pioneered by Japanese acupuncturists, can have a marked positive effect on scar tissue, as well as a measurable lessening of post-operative pain. Massage therapy can encourage good blood flow into an area of healing, help to break down excessive scar tissue, and combat the stress of a scary procedure. Spinal alignment, and craniosacral rhythms, can be thrown off during surgery and therefore may be addressed by appropriate practitioners.

Hands-on healing goes by many names. Reiki is a technique which is fairly easily taught, and there is much anecdotal evidence of its help in healing. An emergency room physician and Reiki Master, Dr. Nancy Eos, described many cases in her book Reiki and Medicine. Dr. Mehmet Oz made the cover of the New York Times Magazine for his use of hands-on healers in the operating room during coronary bypass surgery. Therapeutic Touch, a similar technique taught mostly to nurses, has been shown in the laboratory to improve wound healing. In another study, Dr. Bernard Grad of McGill University measured a famous healer’s successful ability to influence healing rates in artificially induced surgical wounds in mice. And the Chinese system of QiGong can be used as a self-care tool, and a powerful energizer when performed by an experienced practitioner. Finally, the most ancient system of healing is still probably the most widely practiced in the waiting rooms and post-op units. Prayer has shown demonstrable results on healing, as well as on hope. Dr. Larry Dossey has spoken widely of the effects of prayer and the clinical studies supporting it (most recently in his book, Healing Words: The Power of Prayer and the Practice of Medicine).

Most complementary medicine programs to help deal with surgery rely on the well-known fact that stress and anxiety will slow the healing process. This is true whether physical measures are being studied (the increase in catecholamines and other stress neurotransmitters which interfere with the smooth healing process and with proper organ function), or emotional (a 1995 article in the medical journal Lancet showed that people who were major caregivers of sick relatives healed an experimental wound slower than a control group without such stresses). So, a number of techniques, including music, meditation, visualization and psychological preparation, have been and are being studied for their effects on the surgical process. Psychotherapist Peggy Huddleston covers these topics quite well in her book Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster: A Guide of Mind-Body Techniques.

Many in alternative medicine look at surgery as the enemy, to avoid at all costs and to submit to with fear and loathing. But in a true spectrum of healthcare taking the best of the conventional and complementary worlds, surgery can be (along with chemotherapy, drugs, and radiation) a powerful ally, one that is used sparingly and appropriately, in cooperation with the best ways of preparing the mind, body and spirit for a necessary trauma and for a safe and easy recovery.

Menopause is a time of change, not of decline. Hormones don’t “stop,” but rather shift, with progesterone present throughout the cycle as estrogen is lowered, and the adrenal glands and fat tissues take up the slack of hormone production.

To some women, many menopausal symptoms are mere annoyances, while to others they are virtually disabling. One key factor here is adrenal health and general stress response. If a woman enters menopause in a depleted, stressed state, the adrenals are less able to make enough estrogen and other hormones to buffer the loss of production from the ovary. On the other hand, working on good health habits and stress management when younger can go a long way toward making the menopausal change simply that: a change rather than a downward slope.

Myth #2: Sexuality stops at menopause.

Sex, for men and women both, can mean something different after “a certain age.”  It may be more about intimacy, less about fireworks. Some women experience a loss of sexual desire and sensitivity at menopause. Having testosterone and DHEA levels measured and replaced can lead to a return of sexual sensations. Many women find that sexual desire lessens temporarily during the few years of adjustment to menopause and then picks up again once they readjust.

Part Two will deal with osteoporosis and hormone replacement – stay tuned!

Staying hydrated is critical – but that doesn’t mean drinking lots of bottled water! Water on its own lacks the electrolytes our bodies need to avoid heat-associated illness. And processed drinks like Gatorade are loaded with sugar and artifical coloring, which we can all do without. Do drink lots of water, but eat potassium-rich foods like bananas and potatoes, and add lots of sea salt to your diet.  You can also simply supplement your drinking water with electrolytes (E-Lyte is one our patients like).

At the same time, be aware of your caffeine intake – skip the iced coffee and tea and reach for an iced herbal tea instead. Get familiar with the signs of heat exhaustion if you do need to be outside for any length of time, and make sure to take lots of shady breaks.

Beth Galan, NP-C

Last week  we talked about some simple dietary changes to help improve mood. Related to that is the importance of maintaining steady blood sugar levels throughout the day – too many highs and lows can cause mood swings and sluggishness. Too often, we confine ourselves to three meals a day with no snacks in between. Instead, eat small meals every 3 hours, and stay away from processed food! Both your mood and energy level will benefit.

Thyroid function is another big factor in mood and energy, and yet it is often ignored at annual physicals. Make sure your physician is checking your thyroid function routinely, and check out Dr. Rothfeld’s book Thyroid Balance for a nuanced, thorough examination of the thyroid and it’s critical importance to all aspects of our health and wellbeing.

Feeling sluggish or irritable? You can feel significantly better through some simple adjustments to your diet and lifestyle. This series of posts will highlight 7 easy ways to improve your energy level, mood, and overall outlook.

First, take a look at your menu plan – transfats (found in margarine, cake mix, ramen noodles, processed foods) and saturated fats (found in butter, cheese, and hamburgers) are both associated with bad mood. They may be what you crave in the moment, but you will feel so much better in the long run when you kick them to the curb!

Instead, load your diet with more fresh whole foods, including greens, vegetables and fruits, as well as healthful gluten-free grains such as quinoa, millet, and amaranth. Check out the Gluten-Free Goddess blog not only for gluten-free recipes but for lots of tasty healthy food ideas.

The next culprit is caffeine – a classic case where less is more. In these days of hot weather where you’re apt to rely on lots of iced coffee drinks to get through the day, allow yourself two coffee servings, max. More than 200 mg daily can increase dependence and irritability. Reach instead for an iced (or hot) green tea – a refreshing and tasty source of antioxidants and Epigalloccatechin Gallate (EGCG), a substance that helps speed up metabolism and detoxify the body.

The sun is peeking out this afternoon, but when I came to work this morning it looked like another drizzly, overcast, damp day. We’ve had a string of them – most of the last 6-7 weeks have been damp. And that makes me think of the impact damp weather, and dampness in general, has on our health.

“Dampness” doesn’t have a place in conventional medicine; we don’t diagnose it, and don’t acknowledge its effects on the body. However, we all know people who get joint pains when it’s damp out (and we probably remember a grandfather or other elder who could predict a storm coming because their joints ached). Sinuses are highly susceptible to damp weather – I’ve been busy treating sinus problems for the past 6 wks. Allergies can definitely get worse, either from damp mold being kicked up into the atmosphere, or from swelling of the mucous membranes.

Particularly mold allergies go off the charts in weather like this. I think allergy and sensitivity to molds (including candida, which is a yeast) are very widespread to begin with. A prolonged period of dampness like the one we’ve had causes mold to grow in the garden, the carpeting, and the old wood of a home or garage – and doctors like me end up with a waiting room full of allergy sufferers.

In fact, damp weather makes most inflammations worse. Inflammation anywhere in the body involves swelling, as fluid comes into an inflamed area and brings the body’s immune cells with it. So sinusitis, arthritis, skin infections like eczema, and even urinary infections can kick up when it’s damp out. We treat all of these conditions with anti-inflammatory medicines, including steroids. All of these medications work by stopping the flow of fluid and immune cells into inflamed areas.

 Chinese Medicine recognizes dampness as a condition. In that ancient system of medicine, “dampness” is the name given to inflammations, swelling, allergic reactions, and bloated bowels. An acupuncturist recognizes that humid days naturally worsen these disorders, and will prescribe certain dietary treatments: http://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/Deficiency/Dampness.aspx

Other natural remedies include Vitamin C and quercitin, a bioflavonoid that lessens allergic reactions. Also bromelain and other proteolytic enzymes are helpful in lessening the swelling of tissues; these should be taken between meals, since they’re not digestive enzymes.

And when all else fails … I hear that real estate is cheap in Phoenix.