Authored by Dr. Wilder

Magnesium has been a favorite mineral in the Naturopathic community for quite some time now. It has been studied for numerous different reasons ranging from regulating bowel movements, treating insomnia, to lowering your blood pressure – all with powerful, positive results.
 
If you are looking for additional support to your high blood pressure medications, you can look to the research studies on magnesium to find some pretty neat outcomes.
 
Magnesium has been shown to act similar to a calcium channel blocker (aka Verapamil or Amlodipine if you’re checking your medicine cabinet now), as well as a potent smooth muscle relaxant that can allow your arteries to open up wider and allow more blood to flow through. With your arteries open wide, your heart doesn't have to pump as hard to get the blood out to your body! 
 
Some studies have shown magnesium can lower blood pressure as much as 5 points (mmHg) on the top number and 3 points (mmHg) on the bottom number1. Considering that a reduction in blood pressure by 5mmHg can reduce stroke deaths by 14% and heart disease deaths by 9%2, I would say magnesium could be a very safe and effective additive therapy to existing blood pressure lowering medication.
 
When taking a Naturopathic approach to lowering blood pressure, it’s not just substituting a pharmaceutical for a ‘natural’ version of the same pill. You have to treat the whole person, which means tackling the blood pressure from many different angles and ultimately reducing your need for the pharmaceutical.
 
When you’re my patient, here are some questions I’ll ask that give us a great place to start:

1. What dietary changes that can be made to lower your blood pressure?
   Eating a diet that is full of colorful vegetables, quality protein sources, and healthy fats help to decrease inflammation. By decreasing inflammation, you decrease the amount of plaque building up and ultimately reduce the pressure necessary to push past those plaques.
   
   
2. What lifestyle changes can be made to lower blood pressure?
   Did you know that high amounts of stress can cause you to pee out your extra storage of magnesium? By adding in stress reduction methods, and encouraging proper stress response through adrenal support, you can improve blood pressures and magnesium storage. Doing your best to incorporate daily movement is also highly beneficial in blood pressure reduction. This doesn't mean just high intensity exercise; taking a 30-minute walk per day can also provide valuable reduction in pressures!
   
   
3. What other personal health history is contributing to your high blood pressure?
   Conditions such as iron deficiency anemia and testosterone deficiency also contribute to high blood pressure. We will take a thorough look at everything from your gut function to your mental-emotional health to start targeting the individualized reasons your blood pressure is elevated.

 
If you’re on the market for a quality magnesium supplement that will help to increase your magnesium stores, and provide valuable heart benefit try magnesium taurate, malate, glycinate or a chelated form (bisglycinate chelate). These forms are well absorbed by the gut, and are highly absorbable by the tissues to increase your magnesium stores.r  
 
References:
1. Houston M. The Role of Magnesium in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of Clinical Hypertension 2011; 13(11): 843-847.
2. Whelton PK, He J, Appel LJ, Cutler JA, Havas S, Kotchen TA, Roccella EJ, Stout R, Vallbona C, Winston MC, Karimbakas J. Primary pre- vention of hypertension: clinical and public health advisory from the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. JAMA 2002; 288:1882–1888.

Authored by Bri Dunbar, LAMFT

 
I often hear from my clients that they are struggling with an uncomfortable feeling, something like deep grief or immense anger. They describe experiences of suffering and often express a desire to “make it go away”. Their hope is that therapy will end their experience of the difficult feeling, that there will be easy shifts or magic pills that will allow them to opt out of feeling the feeling.
 
They have tried hiding from the feeling through ignoring it or avoiding it. They have tried running from the feeling through means of escapism or staying overly busy. They have tried fighting the feeling by pushing it out and forcing it away. But it comes back, or stubbornly, never really leaves. This feeling is here to stay and it needs to be felt.
 
In these circumstances, I encourage my clients to move INTO the feeling. To get curious about its nature, to be willing to consider its information and to give it time to do its necessary work.
 
There is a Rumi poem that I love to share with these clients in order to introduce an alternative perspective on uncomfortable and difficult feelings.
 
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
 
So, what does it mean to sit with an uncomfortable feeling? To welcome it in?
 
If you have an established meditation practice or feel drawn to this method, try that. Sit still. Be quiet. Soften the mind. Notice what you carry.
 
But it also doesn’t need to be quite so formal. It would be worth trying a silent walk, a warm bath, or sitting alone in front of a view.
 
Wherever you settle, you could try the instructions below for sitting with the uncomfortable feelings that you carry. Not with an intention to “fix” them, or rid yourself of them, but instead, to learn from them and to allow yourself an opportunity to REALLY feel them.

• Find a space that feels safe and comforting.
• Notice the feeling (grief, frustration, jealousy...) that has proven uncomfortable to carry.
• See if you can find a location in the body where this feeling resides. Take your time. An internal scan from head to toe might help this process.
• Once you have identified a location where you hold this feeling, rest your palms there to draw awareness to this space and your attention to this feeling.
• Now, get curious. Does this feeling have a name? How about a color? Can you feel its texture? Is there any other sensory input you can take in? Is is hot? Is it sharp? Is it damp?
• Set aside judgment of how you want it to be or not be. Just notice it as it is.
• Now lean into it. Can you immerse yourself in it? Can you really free yourself to feel?
• When you’re ready, offer yourself comfort and compassion. Express a gratitude for this feeling and the work it is doing in you.
• Slowly and gently draw your awareness back to your surroundings. Take a few deep breaths. Transition back into your day.
• Circle back to this practice whenever you notice yourself avoiding feeling the feeling.

 
This is what it is to welcome a feeling and to treat it like an honored guest. And in doing so, you honor yourself, your whole self, and your experience of this situation.

Authored by Dr. Wilder

When it comes to searching for the root cause of or factors that contribute to heart disease, it’s imperative that you look outside of the heart.

If you’re one of the 14 million individuals living with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis1, the time is now to start thinking about how to prevent heart disease.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition where your own body's immune system cells attack your thyroid gland. Over time, the thyroid becomes damaged and its ability to release hormones decreases, giving you symptoms of under-active thyroid (hypothyroid). You receive a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s by measuring specific antibodies (anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody and anti-thyroglobulin antibody) in the blood, and if they come back elevated it's a good indication that you have autoimmunity to your thyroid gland.

Many research studies have shown that hypothyroidism leads to an increase in risk of heart disease5,7, but it’s now being researched how autoimmune thyroid conditions may also be a risk factor for atherosclerosis (build up of plaque on artery walls) and ischemic heart disease (heart not getting enough oxygen).
 
A clinical finding of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis that is not always talked about is the chronic low-grade inflammation that it causes3. The persistent antibodies that are being produced by your immune system orchestrate the recruitment of white blood cells to deal with the antibodies. These white blood cells release chemical messengers that trigger this chronic inflammation4,5.
 
The activation of these inflammatory messengers causes an increase in the amount of oxidative stress that is put on your body, which not only reduces your own body's antioxidant storage, but can lead to damage of your blood vessel lining2. When your blood vessel lining gets damaged, its cholesterol’s job to come in and patch that up causing what is widely known as plaque.
 
You can assess your levels of inflammation and risk of heart disease by having your doctor run a high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) or serum homocysteine lab. An imaging test that can be helpful is a carotid intima media thickness test6. This non-invasive ultrasound could be helpful in determining your heart disease risk in subclinical hypothyroid or Hashimoto’s by seeing how much plaque is built up in your arteries.
 
So what are some things you can you do to reduce your risk of heart disease?

1. Incorporate an anti-inflammatory diet this is high in colorful vegetables, quality protein sources, and good fats. This can help to combat the inflammation that is being caused by the antibodies. It will not only help protect the blood vessel lining, but can protect the thyroid gland from further damage.
2. Balance your immune system.
3. Increase your antioxidant stores by eating dark berries, or supplementing with Hawthorne to quench the free radicals being caused by the antibodies.

 
 
References:

1. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Information for Patients page. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) Web site. Available at: http://www.aace.com/pub/thyroidbrochures/pdfs/Hashimoto.pdf. 2005. Accessed April 27, 2010.
2. Taddei S, et al. Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation Causes Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. J of Clin Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2006; 91(12):5076-5082.
3. Libby, Peter. Inflammatory Mechanisms: The Molecular Basis of Inflammation and Disease. Nutrition Reviews. 2007; 65(12):S140-146.
4. Nanda N, Bobby Z, Hamide A. Inflammation and oxidative stress in hypothyroids: additive effects on cardiovascular risk. Indian Journal Of Physiology And Pharmacology [serial online]. October 2011;55(4):351-356.
5. Isgüven P, et al. Effects of Thyroid autoimmunity on Early Atherosclerosis in Euthyroid girls with Hashimoto’s Thryroiditis. J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol 2016;8(2):150-156.
6. Lorenz MW, Markus HS, Bots ML, Rosvall M, Sitzer M. Prediction of clinical cardiovascular events with carotid intima-media thickness: a systematic review and meta- analysis. Circulation 2007;115:459-467.
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15249698

 

Recently I received a bright and lovely bouquet of flowers which included 3 roses. Over the next week, two of the roses fully bloomed gifting their colors, floral scents, and beauty. Then slowly, they wilted and died after brightening my home and life. The third rose significantly outlived the two blooming roses, but it remained tightly closed hiding its inner beauty and gifts. Writing this now I question whether it was ever fully alive.

I took this as a sign. A grateful reminder...

Remaining closed, allowing limiting beliefs and fears to keep one small or hidden serves no one. In what ways am I being closed? In what ways am I playing small? In what ways am I allowing fear to stop me?

A reminder to choose to bloom fully, wide open, sharing my gifts like the two roses that brightened my life. Where am I being called to bloom more fully?

I choose to BLOOM. I choose to live, to love, to create, to shine.

It is fascinating to witness the act of blooming in whatever form it takes. Through my work as a Postural Alignment Specialist and Advanced Exercise Therapist, I often have the honor of witnessing people’s lives transform in different ways. I coach people to eliminate chronic pain through postural alignment, breath, and movement. As postures open up, muscles become more balanced, joints become more aligned and pain begins to dissipate. But it doesn’t stop with the musculoskeletal system or even the physical body. All of the human systems begin to function more efficiently and often people notice a shift mentally, emotionally, energetically / spiritually. Examples include, breathing easier, improved digestion and circulation; feeling more confident and happier, thinking more clearly, greater connection and increased awareness.

If you seek FREEDOM from pain and the fears and limitations that chronic pain creates and the way it effects your day-to-day life, then Postural Alignment is one effective way to promote healing and wellbeing so that you can THRIVE and BLOOM.

Wishing you love and the courage to live your life to the fullest! Go for it. You’ve got this. BLOOM!! 

Q: What made you decide to become a naturopathic doctor?
A: I’ve always wanted to be a doctor (besides the few months I wanted to be an Olympic gold medalist or the few years I wanted to be Elle Woods in Legally Blonde). I realized that my love for puzzles, science, and getting to know and interact with other humans would make me a really great doctor. I did hospital rotations while in undergrad and was not inspired to continue on that career path. Instead of entering that system and attempting to change it, I found a branch of medicine that combined all my love for modern technology and science with the expanded holistic tool box that can target specific biochemistry and make people better. I knew in that moment I was destined to be a Naturopathic Doctor.
 
I chose to go into Cardiology because of my curiosity and fascination with the heart’s physiology (I’m a details person, I couldn't resist!). I chose to stay in the specialty because I found there was a lot of fear-based decision making on the patient’s end to make quick decisions, especially when they are being told there are life-altering consequences on the line. During my internship, I found that if the doctor and the patient were all on the same page about risks, benefits, possibilities of adverse events, set specific guidelines and goals we could all work together to positively benefit their heart health. That's my practice philosophy – to have open lines of communication, collaborate with my patients, and have clear expectations and goals we are working towards. When we all do our part, your heart reaps the rewards.
 
Q: Tell us about a time you really connected with a patient and went above and beyond to meet their needs.
A: I’ll never forget a patient I followed in my internship, Q. He had been seeing my attending physician for quite some time with several heart issues (valve disease, arrhythmias, hypertension and eventually an enlarged heart) and we were working through all the holistic therapies in our tool box to get to the root cause, mitigate risks of adverse events, and ultimately heal his heart. He was getting better, so much better. His blood pressure came down, his arrhythmias were under better control, and his heart was healing.
 
There came a point in his treatment where we had to discuss risks and benefits of getting his valve replaced, and analyze the benefits his valve was getting with our current therapies. We ultimately decided that it would be the best decision to get the valve replaced and we (yes, we!) started interviewing surgeons. We advised him on his surgical options, and picked one we thought would be best for him and sought out to find a surgeon who could do it, and do it well. I followed that patient into the surgical room to observe and then post-surgery put him on a great healing protocol! He recovered quickly and was back to being the best version of Q possible!
 
Q: What is your favorite meal?
A: My favorite meal is chicken jambalaya, extra spicy. My grandma used to make that meal for me all the time as a child and when I came home from college, and it holds a lot of nostalgic memories for me. She spent her last Christmas eve teaching me how to make it the ‘right’ way, the way grandma always made it.
 
Q: How do you spend your free time?
A: I spend as much of my free time outdoors as I can! One of the biggest draws for me to move to Minnesota was the availability of year round outdoor activities! My husband, Sam, and I love to go skiing in the winter, and spend our summers hiking, camping, and hanging out at the lake. There’s just something about being in nature that reenergizes my spirit.

Authored by Vanashree Belgamwar, Ayurveda practitioner

Three main causes:

1) Misuse of intellect (prajnaparadha)

• Prajna means "wisdom" or "intelligence", and apradha means "offence." So the literal meaning of prajnaparadha is "an offence against wisdom."
• That is, doing things without discriminating as to whether it is favorable or harmful for the body or mind. These actions may be verbal, mental or physical.
• The actions generated by prajnaparadha aggravate the tridosa and stimulate the rajas and tamas gunas, allowing diseases to become established.
• Excessive/atiyoga forms of this include talking too much, or excessive thinking, reading, mental work or physical activity.
• A deficiency (hina- yoga) of these actions is not undertaking these activities sufficiently, like not speaking at all or very little, and not working or engaging in any intellectual or physical activity.
• Incorrect (mithya yoga) forms include gossip, lying, inciting violence and irrelevant, illogical or harsh speech. Actions that are motivated by greed, anger, material attachment, envy, ego, fear, grief or delusion also are mithya-yoga.
• The physical form of this includes the suppression of natural urges or performing unnatural activity such as smoking cigarettes, driving recklessly or participating in dangerous sports.

2) Misuse of senses (Asatmendriyartha samyoga)

• Astmaya means "improper," indriya means "sense organs," artha is "the objects of the senses" and samyoga means "to combine" or "to link."
• Asatmendriyartha samyoga refers to improper contact of the senses with their objects, and results in an over stimulation or deficiency of sensory activity.
• This harms the body- mind, which requires moderation and harmony internally and externally for healthy functioning.
  
  

3) Seasonal variations (parinama or kala)

• The external environment can trigger disease by unbalancing the body through unnatural or extreme variations in temperature, rainfall or wind.
• Excessive or atiyoga of parinama is extraordinary or unexpected climatic conditions, such as excessive heat in summer or cold in winter.
• Deficient/hina-yoga: seasonal conditions include very mild temperature variations are not experienced.
• Incorrect/mithya-yoga parinama occurs when conditions are opposite to the normal season, such as being cold in summer or warm in winter.
• Parinama or kala also refers more generally to the effects of time, and natural physical transformation that occur over time. For example, seasonal influences on the dosas, and the disorders associated with specific phases of life and aging are all in this category.

Authored by Dr. Q

Authored by Dr. Anna

Question: How many times have you played out some version of the cycle below?

This is so real. Right down to the Cheetos.

Many of us play out some version of this cycle most of our adult lives. And let’s face it: this approach has a short shelf life. We get the temporary and hopeful high of “I’m doing something about this!!” followed by the swift slap of disappointment when it turns out maybe it wasn’t realistic to think we could wake up to work out everyday at 5:45 AM when we haven’t A) worked out or B) gotten up before 8am in literally months.

Insert self-berating comments and disparagement here that inches us towards the “F it’s” where we abandon the initiative all together and submit to our Cheeto eating ways before cycling back to “the decision” to get it together...lather, rinse, repeat.

My job is to help people be realistic and successful in their change attempts and yet I find myself over and over again getting caught in the enticing quick fix fantasy of a self finally improved. And through trial, error, and repetition I’ve been able to recognize this delusion more quickly and steer myself towards an approach that actually helps me to make changes that stick. This is where I turn my head manually away from self-improvement that plays itself out in a ideal perfectionism land, toward self-acceptance and self-compassion in the face of the realities, messiness, and resistance encountered by all of us in the process of changing anything.

So what does this mean? It means taking your goal list and cutting it in half. It means being realistic in your expectations of what you can do. It means baby steps that, when made, you applaud with fervor. It means offering self-compassion and validation when you slip. It means holding ourselves in high regard even when we only make it to day 2 of Whole 30 (wow the examples just flow, not mine of course). It means surrendering - not to our bad habits but to our humanness and the fundamental truth that basically I’m good enough. Could I get a little better? Yes. Am I going to be a person who (insert complete opposite personality and traits here)? Likely not.

I use the “good coach” metaphor a lot with my clients. When I think of some of my best coaches I recall that they pushed me hard but within reason of what I was capable of based upon my current skill level at the time. I knew they believed in me and kept an eye on and belief in my full potential. Perhaps most importantly, their support and encouragement wouldn’t waiver when I messed up. We need this inside of us when we try to grow and change and yet many of us have a brutal internal critic that pounces on us the minute we even try, the minute we mess up, the minute we don’t sustain for as long as planned. It makes it super duper hard to take the risk to change when under such intense critical scrutiny.

But I don’t want to get complacent. I want to keep improving myself you say. You can. The fact of the matter is that a foundational bed of self-acceptance creates the conditions in which these changes, hopes and dreams are most likely to come to fruition and take. Furthermore, knowing that we have our own self support no matter what creates a safe emotional environment to risk in the first place.

6 Things You Can Do To Approach Change Differently:

1) Set Yourself Up To Win - Just like asking a 2nd grader to read high school material would be a set up for failure- asking ourselves to perform, complete, achieve, sustain something that is several steps ahead of where we are currently just sets us up for failure. For most of us, change happens one teeny tiny inconsequential step at a time directly in front of where we currently are.

2) Enter Radical Self Acceptance - The thing is. Sometimes it’s really hard to accept where we currently are. We don’t want to look at our budget or our weight or our job or our social life because it’s loaded with regret, or shame, or loss. Radical Acceptance is a concept that I come back to again and again as it does not mean we like something it just asked that we accept it radically (it has to be radical because it’s so challenging to do) so that we can move forward. Try something. Think about something you are really struggling with right now. Bring this to mind and place your open palms on your lap facing the sky. This gesture symbolizes that you are open to the reality of your present situation (you may still hate it so hard) but you can nonetheless be open..and see if your chest doesn’t open a little. If a bit of lightness enters. Now repeat this a million times as you stay with yourself each baby-step of the way.

3) Turn Your Actual Head - Okay maybe not actually. But imagine a forked road ahead of you. One is the typical path of self-improvement the other is self-acceptance. Actively choose to accept yourself while still holding your best interest and goals in mind. Keep re-directing yourself back to that path over and over and over again.

4) Be Realistic About the Change Process - On average people have a messy and repetitive route through the stages of change. It takes time and circling through. It’s not a light switch were we just decide and it happens. It’s a process- and not a linear one. That’s how it is for all of us. Oh, and the amount of time you think you should be able to accomplish or achieve x,y,z--double it--at minimum.

5) Expect Resistance - Resistance to change is natural, expect it, embrace it, work with it. Remember that cornstarchy gak we made in 3rd grade science? How when you applied force it was hard and unmoveable yet when you’d relax your hand it would melt through your fingers? Treat resistance like gak in your own change process. Loosen your grip and let it come and go. The harder you fight and force the more likely it will stay stubbornly unmoved.

6) Connection Helps - Whether you are trying to change a habit or heal a long-standing wound. Don’t go it alone. Gather your supports and accountability buddies to help you through whatever you are facing. This could be a best friend, a therapist, a journal, an on-line forum.

​Vanashree is an Ayurvedic practitioner and recent addition to our team.

Authored by Amy Daws, CMT, ShT

​One of the most common areas of discomfort that I hear from my clients is low back tension, especially in the winter. Between shoveling, trying to stay upright on the ice (or not), wearing heavy boots, and huddling to stay warm your back can get the brunt of it. Many of us have suffered from tension in our low backs ranging from stiffness to debilitating pain at some point in our lives. Low back pain can also be caused by injury, accidents, repetitive stress and/or poor posture. Massage is a great way to ease low back pain, strain, tension and stiffness. Stretching between sessions may help you recover faster and prevent re-injury. These simple 5 stretches address and target a few of the most common muscles groups that can contribute to pain in the low back.*

When should I to stretch??
Listen to your body. If you tend to feel stiffness in your low back in the morning, then try doing these stretches right away when you get up or after a shower. If you work a desk job, then try doing these stretches during a break time or at the end of the day. Make a commitment to stretching for a couple minutes each day.

​Cat/Cow Pose

These foundational yoga poses are a great way to get gentle movement in your spine. Start on all fours and slowly arch your back like a cat (Cat Pose). Next slowly release your spine until it is flat (Cow Pose). You should not feel any pinching in your low back when doing Cow Pose. If you do, back off a bit and focus on pulling your tailbone away from your head to create extension in your spine instead of compression in the low back. Throughout the movement, focus on engaging your abdominal muscles.

​Start in a lunge with your knee on the ground. Make sure that your bent knee is not in front of your toes. Your hands can either be on your bent knee or on the ground. Try to keep your spine as straight as possible. If this is enough of a stretch stay in this position. If you feel like you want more of a stretch, slowly twist towards the side of the bent knee. Place a hand on the bent knee leaving the other hand on the ground to stabilize.

Authored by Marian Kimball Eichinger, LAc

Many women and men suffer from hormonal imbalances which can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, hair loss, weight gain, hot flashes, low energy, and infertility to name a few. Hormone balance is necessary for a healthy metabolism, menstrual cycles, sleep-wake cycle, growth and stress management. Hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are common culprits in conditions like perimenopause, dysmenorrhea, PMS/PMDD, poor libido and insomnia. Insulin, T3 and T4, cortisol, adrenaline, and follicle stimulating hormone can cause chronic and sometimes debilitating conditions such as diabetes, PCOS and hypothyroid when imbalanced. Remedies for hormonal imbalances range from hormone replacements, birth control pills, synthetics, and steroids to diet and lifestyle changes.

Another option could be acupuncture.  Acupuncture is an ancient, non-drug approach for regulating the body, treating and preventing disease and it can be very effective at treating the symptoms and underlying causes of hormonal imbalance.

Acupuncture is a means to regulate. As an acupuncturist, I turn a trained eye to identify imbalances within any bodily system whether it be digestive, respiratory, vascular, muscular, immune, or hormonal. While sometimes it is helpful to be told that a patient has a specific hormonal imbalance, my primary focus is on symptoms, and through the paradigm of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) I translate those symptoms into imbalances of Qi and Blood, or Yin and Yang. Symptoms can also inform which organ system (Kidney, Heart, Lung, Spleen or Liver) the imbalance derives from.
I begin each treatment with a detailed discussion of symptoms (onset, location, duration, severity, time of day or night, what makes it better or worse, and triggers) which helps determine the root of the imbalance. For example, depression, insomnia, and palpitations can point to the Heart system; fatigue and weight gain can point to Spleen; night sweating, hair loss and infertility can point to Kidney; irritability and anger point to Liver; and sweating during the day and frequent colds or allergies can point to Lung. After this differential diagnosis, I am armed to identify specific acupuncture points and protocols for each patient and the treatment begins.

Acupuncture and herbal therapies help by regulating, balancing, nourishing the affected organ systems. However, acupuncture is not a quick fix medicine. Depending on how long the condition has lasted it may need several weeks or months of regular treatments to improve. Dietary and lifestyle changes may also be necessary. Your job as a patient is to be honest, patient, and mindful of your symptoms and how they are changing and reacting to the treatments. My job is to listen and observe, reflect, connect and treat accordingly. Overall, acupuncture can help you feel more grounded, calm, balanced, rested, and restored.

If you know or suspect that you have a hormonal imbalance, make an appointment and see how acupuncture can help.

Authored by Tara McCoy, CHC

​Health coach and book nerd, Tara McCoy, is a voracious reader. Her mission is to find the most insightful and life-changing wellness and personal optimization tips and deliver them to you in digestible, actionable bites. She reads broadly from psychology, medicine to spirituality - hunting down the  best nuggets of wisdom so you don’t have to. Each month, she’ll review a book and dish out the top insights gleaned.

Authored by Bri Dunbar, LAMFT 

I hear a lot of talk about the self-care practice of setting boundaries. I also hear a lot of misunderstandings about how to skillfully set boundaries in ways that effectively serve a purpose and are respected by those around us.
 
Unfortunately, as a society, we seem to have misappropriated the idea of boundary setting as a means for keeping difficult people at arms length or as a method of avoiding the work of repairing a complicated relationship. This process lacks intentionality and discernment. Sometimes “boundary setting” can even be applied reactively and vengefully to punish someone who has enacted a perceived injustice upon us.
 
So, how can the narrative of boundary setting be shifted? How can we think of boundaries differently in order to use them effectively? How can we apply and communicate our boundaries in a way that grows from true self-care practices?
 
For me, the critical shift is the idea that the setting of a boundary has more to do with protecting something INSIDE the boundary lines and is less focused on what we aim to keep outside. Let’s apply an analogy.
 
Picture a beautiful backyard oasis. The greenery is lush. The noise level is low. The sunshine is warm. You have tended to this space with great care and are proud of what you have created. This represents your wellbeing, your healthy inner life, the bounty of your good self-care practices.
 
Now, picture the space outside of your backyard. A dirty alley filled with trash. Loud and obnoxious neighbors. An overgrown and weed filled eye sore. This represents whatever (or whomever) in your life feels life a threat to your wellbeing.
 
Imagine there is a tall cedar fence that separates your beautiful and well-tended space from the ones that surround you. The fence is solid and strong, but pleasant to look at. It smells good and enriches the space you’ve created. This represents your boundary. The fence exists whether you view it from inside your yard or outside. And serves the same simple purpose; to delineate between the two environments. But, with a focus on what you value and what you want to protect, as opposed to what you want to keep out, you shift the tone of boundary setting. Step INSIDE your yard and view the fence from that perspective to understand how it serves you best. Yes, the fence does block your space from the unpleasant environment beyond the fence, but that’s not its primary purpose. Its primary purpose is to allow you to better enjoy what you have built and grown INSIDE your own yard.
 
This visualization gives you a chance to filter your boundaries through the lens of healthy habits and relationship dynamics. It comes from a place of true self-care and self-love. This removes reactive responses from the process of boundary setting, and extracts any unhealthy intention to act punitively in putting up a boundary in your life. That new warmth radiates when expressing these boundaries to others in your life and the line drawn may be better understood, better received, and better respected.  
 
This is, in my opinion, the healthiest application of boundaries. To protect something that you value, something that you have worked hard to nurture. Not, solely, to keep something toxic out
 
What boundaries have you set recently, does anything change when you apply this analogy? Is there new awareness about why this boundary would be beneficial? Is there new language to communicate that to any relevant parties?
 
Also, just a reminder, fences have gates! Part of the practice of setting a boundary may also be to leave a bit of intentional flexibility and permeability to let others in as you see fit when circumstances change.
 
Happy boundary setting! :)

Authored by Jesse Haas, LN

​Americans tend to gain 1-2 pounds a year throughout their adult lives. For the majority of us, those pounds get packed on between Thanksgiving and New Year...and we don't lose it with our resolutions. A couple pounds here and there really isn't going to have a significant effect your health, but 10 pounds every decade adds up by the time you're 60. This means that keeping your wellness focus through the holiday hustle and bustle is not only a worthy effort, but can help you prevent heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and other chronic health conditions associated with high body mass. Your future-self will thank you! 

What is it about the holidays that can completely dismantle healthy habits?! For me, it's the limitless sweets, bottomless wine, and the packed social calendar that disrupts my exercise, meditation and sleep schedule. Putting your finger on what derails you is the first step in preventing the fall down the slippery slope.

Here are some strategies I'll be using this year to holiday-proof my wellness goals. I may not be in control of what food is offered to me, but I sure am in control of what I put on my plate. 

1. Eat at regular intervals to maintain your blood sugar, reduce your experience of stress and curb your cravings. Don't skip a meal to save your appetite for a feast. This is a recipe for emergency hunger and poor impulse control. Instead, have a meal every 3 hours or so. If you're traveling, pack healthy snacks that are high in protein and fat, such as nuts or protein bars (with 5 or fewer ingredients and at least 10 grams of protein). These simple foods can be life savers!
2. If you're creating a meal in a buffet setting, wait to serve yourself until all the food is displayed so you're not tempted to return to the table over and over to taste everything that strikes your fancy. 
3. Fill at least half your plate with colorful veggies and leafy greens. Will you be a guest at a party? Offer to bring a big green salad or veg-heavy dish to share. Even if you don't have much time or space to cook, you can help health-ify the options. Veggies platters with guacamole and/or hummus will do the trick in a pinch!
4. Eat the "best for you" food offerings first to crowd out the foods you still want to taste but that aren't as healthful. Start by polishing off those veggies you filled your plate with! 
5. Eat slowly and mindfully. Take a deep breath before diving in and put your fork down between bites so you can enjoy the flavors and textures that are in your mouth.
6. Keep an arm's length distance from you and finger food to help prevent mindless eating. A handful here and a handful there will add up by the end of the holiday marathon!
7. No food is on the "naughty" list. Choose the dessert that looks the best to you and consider sharing it with your table-mate.
8. Above all: do NOT berate yourself for forgetting or ignoring strategies 1-7. Trying is succeeding.

Authored by Erica Wallace Moore

It's that time of year again. The holiday season is right around the corner. While this season jingles with activity, for some of us, this time of year can be physically, mentally, and emotionally overwhelming.

Let's face it, you're down to the last push before the end of the year. A year that has already challenged and matured you. And for the next two months you may be spending a lot of time with friends and family. You may be at tables weighed down by meat, mashed potatoes and pies. You might even host a dinner or two. You will eat a lot. And you will shop. You'll spend money. Your boss or your significant other might expect your presence at a holiday party. You've got a tree to put up and decorate, or you've got plane tickets for a week's worth of travel.

That's a lot of doing.

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love this time of year. 

The annual ritual of connecting with family is so deeply set in my Root Chakra going all the way back to my childhood. But I too have my moments. Times when I need a break from the insanity of the holidays. 

Staying grounded and protecting your energy can seem impossible at this time of year, but I promise it's a worthwhile skill to practice cultivating. 

If you're looking for ways to stay perfect through the holidays, this ain't it. But what you will find here are several practical ways to stay present and sane through the holiday season:

1. Set Boundaries
I cannot stress how important this practice is. You might experience the pressure of being pulled in many directions, decisions, as well as the pressure to say yes to everything. If an activity feels like too much than it's worth, ask yourself whether or not it's really worth doing. Additionally, setting boundaries for your budget and your meals can help you remain present as you step toward the new year.

2. Set Aside Alone or Down Time
After any considerable amount of doing, your body needs moments to be. For all the doing that the holidays requires, create intentional space for yourself to just be. This also includes rest and indulging in your self care. Give yourself a gift.

3. Set a Meaning
Have you ever had a holiday when you ask yourself: "Why am I doing all this stuff? What does it even mean?" Sometimes it's so easy to go through the motions of expectations that we lose meaning. Decide what the holiday season means to you and honor it. Does the season mean family, thankfulness, caring? Or perhaps it reminds you of loss. Don't ignore the emotional significance of the season. Maybe you can give to a cause or charity, volunteer, or create a new ritual. Write a letter or light a candle to a loved one. 

4. Set Up a Holiday Journal
This one is simple: whatever frustrations arise for you, write them out. You may find yourself more aware of your holiday triggers and be able to be more gentle with yourself.

5. Set Time for Creativity
Part of the holiday frustration for me is the amount of consumerism that we all get invited to partake in. I find it comforting as a reminder that though my children want gifts from the toy store, I'm still at my core a co-creator of the universe. Whatever your creative gifts are (baking, cooking, sewing, crocheting, knitting, drawing, writing, singing, acting, dancing, photography, etc), throw yourself into your creativity. 

6. Set Goals for the New Year
Setting a goal for the new year helps to keep you present and grounded because you can be reminded that the holidays are temporary and you still have this big, great life to live. And you get to pause, reflect and ritualize your presence and your new beginnings into the new year.

​If you're really looking for a way to ground yourself, or if you are new to the idea of what it means to be grounded, I would absolutely love to work with you! Or perhaps you are looking forward to the new year and you desire new goals and new intentions in which case, I would also love to be able to work with you! 

Authored by Tara McCoy, CHC

My red flag moment was when I found myself scrolling through my iPhone on my meditation pillow. In a laughable yet not uncommon moment my phone worship became undeniable. Through this daily meditation practice, I was committing to training my attention each morning. Yet I also had the habit of checking my phone immediately after my sit, often before I had even left my cushion. As proud as I was of my dedication to my morning practice, it became clear that the remainder of my days often felt like one big training in the art of distraction.

I became interested in attention largely because of the personal consequences I’ve noticed as it’s diminished. With the ubiquity of smartphones and social apps, I’ve noticed my attention span waning (and let’s be honest--mine wasn’t top notch to begin with). A few examples include difficulty finishing books, feeling the need to multitask during movies, and most disturbingly, decreased tolerance for “slow talkers” and lulls in conversation. When you’re used to the predictable and always entertaining input from a device the mysterious, often meandering process of human connection can feel too risky, time-consuming and even boring. Anyone who’s ever attempted a meaningful conversation with someone more interested in their instagram feed knows how damaging this distraction can be.

My movement teacher Katy Bowman teaches that one hour of exercise each day doesn’t offset 23 hours of being sedentary. We are evolved to move with frequency throughout the day and this movement frequency is arguably more important to health than one intense bout of physical activity. I wanted to apply this logic to my meditation practice. A brief attention training in the morning is wonderful, but couldn’t possibly be offsetting the massive splintering of my attention the rest of the day. Perhaps some of my efforts would be better spent reorganizing my 23 1/2 hours to be less of a worship of distraction, which means seriously examining my current relationship with technology.

If our attention is our most valuable and increasingly rare resource, it makes sense to be intentional about how we interact with the devices that strip it of its acuity. And the blame cannot be entirely on those of us who find ourselves unable to control our digital addictions. Some of the brightest minds at the most prestigious companies (Facebook ahem) use the most effective behavioral strategies to keep you clicking, scrolling and liking. Yet, rejecting technology completely is a luxury that many of us cannot afford.These tools can enhance the ability to pursue things like entrepreneurship, education and social connection. In our increasingly tech-enabled world, resistance can seem futile. Yet going with the flow and keeping up with societal norms does not ensure a healthful relationship with our gadgets. Like many other health behaviors, it seems you must deviate outside the cultural norm to protect your health and happiness.

So, in my quest to confront my tech-addiction I’ve been experimenting with ways to still engage with technology but set stronger boundaries that prioritize what’s actually important in my life---things like quality of attention, presence and relationships. I honestly had low expectations for my compliance with this new strategy but it’s been surprisingly easy once I started feeling the benefits. Here are some things I’ve been experimenting with:

• Set rules about when I turn my phone on and off each day. I do a digital sunset at the same time each night and don’t turn my phone on in the morning until after my meditation practice. This has drastically improved the quality of my sleep and increased the consistency of my meditation practice. This is coming from someone who used to look at my phone first thing after waking up! Change is possible!
• Beware of the iPhone effect. Research has shown that keeping your mobile device in sight during a conversation significantly lowers empathy level and the quality of conversation. Don’t leave your phone out if you’re talking to someone. This is an easy switch that can significantly improve your relationships.
• Take your most addictive social apps off your phone--- it’s amazing how boring your phone quickly becomes. Or as a compromise try keeping those apps on the last page of your iPhone so you have to scroll for a bit to open it. This gives your slow brain and willpower some time to kick in and decide against opening the sites. I took Facebook and Instagram off my phone. I’m not ready to quit Instagram all together and can’t easily post via my laptop so I now allow myself to re-download the app one day a week if I want to make a post. A bit clunky but worth the sense of freedom I’ve felt.
• Have phone free blocks where you leave your phone at home or hide your device for periods of time.
• Check out these additional resources for further inspiration and ideas on living a less distracted and deeper life. The books Deep Work by Cal Newport and The Shallows by Nicholas Carr. A couple quick videos--- Kelly McGonigal’s advice for breaking tech addiction (2 min video) and  Brian Johnson on the digital sunset . Also, Dallas Hartwig's More Social, Less Media Movement. 

Surprisingly quickly my phone has lost its allure. You can only check for a text or email so many times before it gets boring. I knew that something had shifted when I left my phone at home and I didn’t notice for a couple hours. A month ago that would have been unthinkable. The quality of my relationships has increased and my attention feels stronger. Slowly my tolerance for boredom and silent moments has improved. I even took a nap the other day as I couldn’t turn to Instagram scrolling as my go-to way to relax. The only drawback I’ve noticed so far is the pain of looking around, finally ready to connect, only to notice how distracted most people are.

Authored by Tara McCoy, CHC

Confession: I haven’t exercised regularly in a year. Sure, I’ll go to a yoga class here and there and sometimes will go on a really short jog, but I don’t adhere to a regular exercise regimen. And I don’t feel guilty about it. In fact, I feel pretty great! As an ex-collegiate competitive track and cross country athlete, I can’t say I feel grossly out of shape or that my figure has significantly changed since my college glory days. What’s inspiring my new movement perspective? Two things: the science of NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) and the mindfulness research of Ellen Langer. Let me explain.

In our culture, there is a prevalent myth: physical movement doesn’t contribute to your health and fitness unless it happens in a gym as “formal exercise”. Yet in cultures known as hot spots of longevity or health (check out Dan Buettner’s Blue Zones book for more), there is rarely an overt concept of exercise. Rather, movement is integrated into daily living as a necessary, utilitarian part of life—opposite of our sedentary or, at best, “actively sedentary” culture. The regular exercisers among us likely fall into the actively sedentary status: you get your daily recommended exercise but are mostly sedentary for the rest of the day. For example, someone who goes to the gym for 45 minutes in the morning but sits at a desk job the rest of the day. We now know this single bout of movement in a sea of sitting doesn’t cut it. Sobering new evidence shows higher amounts of daily sitting are associated with greater risk of all-cause mortality (even if you exercise). With new emphasis on the dangers of sitting for uninterrupted periods of time, scientistsare finally studying the importance of “smaller” forms of movement that break up long stretches of sedentarism throughout the day. In the literature, these smaller movements are known as Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, or NEAT.

How would your daily life change if you knew reducing sitting and increasing NEAT might be more vital to your health than engaging in formal exercise? I’ll talk more about how to transform your movement routine at the end of this article.

Beyond NEAT, my other movement inspiration comes from the mindfulness researcher Ellen Langer. She concisely defines mindfulness as the simple act of actively noticing things resulting in increased health, competence, and happiness. Langer studies how our perceptions and beliefs (which can be changed with mindful awareness) directly impact our physiology. Her work quantifies the power of the mind-body connection by illustrating how our perception impacts everything from blood sugar levels, the aging process, and potentially cancer remission states. A powerful study she conducted with hotel maids tested the physiological impact of the perception of whether something “counted” as exercise. Initially, most of the hotel maids reported they didn’t exercise regularly. Langer took several measures of their fitness levels which concurred that most had the markers of a sedentary lifestyle. She and her colleagues then told half the maids that, in fact, their job duties, such as cleaning rooms, scrubbing toilets, and vacuuming, actually exceeded the surgeon general’s recommendation of a half-hour of physical activity daily. In other words, they were told their cleaning activities “counted” as exercise. The other half of the maids served as a control group. A month later, researchers retested the biomarkers (weight, blood pressure) of both groups. The control group’s markers had stayed the same, but the group that now believed themselves to be regular exercisers had lost weight and significantly reduced their blood pressure without changing their level of physical activity! For in-depth details on this study, check out this New York Times article.

So how can these two fascinating bodies of work improve your fitness routine?

First, radically expand your definition of exercise to include and prioritize NEAT: all-day, low-impact movement.This will minimize the harmful effects of sitting and allow you to meet your daily movement requirement more easefully.

Second, be mindful of the fact that all movement “counts as exercise”. This awareness means you’ll be more likely to take the stairs, change up your commute, and seize every opportunity to move. Plus, your belief in its effectiveness actually improves its measurable physiological benefits.

Want to revolutionize your exercise routine? Take these 4 steps.

1. Change your mindset to recognize all forms of movement count toward greater health and energy, not just “formal exercise”. Start seizing every opportunity to move, no matter how small, with the knowledge that it’s significantly contributing to your health. Challenge yourself to move as often as possible throughout your entire day.
   
2. Take movement breaks. To minimize the risk associated with extended periods of sitting, make sure you’re taking a movement break at least every 25 minutes. Set an alarm at first to solidify the habit. Or download an app like Move to remind you to take a movement break at regular intervals. Even just standing up and sitting back down has been shown to reduce damage. Everything counts!
   
3. Rethink furniture. At the very least, occasionally sit on the floor. If you’re feeling hardcore, consider getting rid of some of your furniture, forcing you to floor sit. Use bolsters and pillows to make it comfortable. Floor sitting basically allows you to get the benefits of a yoga class (diverse joint configurations, stretching and shifting) while just hanging out. When you get up off the floor, try to do it using as little support as possible. It turns out the ability to get up and down off the floor without using your hands, arms, or knees to help boost you is a pretty accurate predictor of life expectancy. Work this skill daily by conscious floor sitting, paying particular attention to working on the ability to spring up and down without support. Check out Katy Bowman’s furniture-free home or this badass guide to going furniture free for inspiration.
   
4. Walk a lot! Measuring your steps is one of the best ways to encourage all-day movement. Walking is the key movement our bodies evolved to do, and there are myriad consequences when we don’t get our daily intake of walking. Aim for at least 10,000 steps a day. If you’re not already measuring your steps via your iPhone or pedometer, I can’t recommend this highly enough. For a free option, I love the app Moves.

Take a look at your daily routines. How can you add more simple movements throughout your day? Can you change your environment to ensure you’ll move more? Can you rework your perception to acknowledge that any mini-movements throughout your day truly count? With a little bit of awareness and planning, you can increase the effectiveness of your daily life and decrease the risks of common behavior. Happy moving!!