The Beast and Human Inner Beauty - oh, yes, and Acupuncture

Dear Friends and Patients,
in this case the Beast was the devastating storm we endured last week in Western MA.
It was such a freak event - last day of October - what happened? This, I experienced never before in my life in the US. Red and Yellow autumn leaves on top of the snow ?
Something is wrong in this picture.
We lost power - heat and light and sadly, many beautiful trees fell and broke - endless power lines collapsed under the weight of the heavy wet snow. We all re-encountered stillness - no media - no phone - no TV.
No distraction - if you wanted music you had to sing and play.
On Monday Nov 1st, we just had to surrender and not do anything other than staying just "warm enough".
On Tuesday I remembered how more than 25 years ago I had treated people in my house - not out in my lovely office; - so we kept the fire stoked and I saw one person after the other in front of the wood stove.
On Wednesday and Thursday we became even bolder. Throughout the nights I stoked the fire every two hours to bring two rooms to a comfortable, cozy temperature - you need to be warm for acupuncture otherwise your body contracts in the cold and the Chi can't flow....
Office manager, Kate, got into it - The kitchen table and an old fashioned corded telephone became her office and we managed a full, busy and at once intimate day in my kitchen, sitting room and piano room/library. I loved the proximity of the tea kettle.....
At last, at the end of a long Thursday at work, the lights came back on.
I want thank you all for coming to my home - it was good for all and this different, sweet style of a more whispering kind of "community acupuncture" was a lovely reminder to all of us of our ability to make do and be joyous all the same time, while savoring the pleasures of community and friendship. I hope for more space and silence - it really did feel good - it is up to us to make room for it. We could feel our nervous systems settling
Verena, Kate and Kellie

Yes, Health begins with the Choices you Make

Dear Friends,

When I saw this following article from Johns Hopkins, I felt finally something is 'awakening' in the medical mainstream!

I want to share this article with you all - you may already be fully aware of most of the content. Rethinking one's concepts and habits and standing up against the ongoing flood of invitation to live your lives in more challenging ways by overeating the 'wrong' things - is not always easy.

Everybody is having sugar, pork, steak, cheese and crackers, cookies, ice cream, chocolate, baked goods and coffee - why not also you? Many highly intelligent people buy ready-made meals and pop them in the microwave. -
Too much to do - Too much stress.

Lets rethink it. We can do it. We can be 'Quick and Easy Gourmets'. Cook once, eat twice. There are many smart ways to accomplish a healthy lifestyle.
You can grow some of your own food. - maybe team up with another family, rent a plot in a community garden. at least grow abundant herbs and some veggies in pots.
A big issue is also your work space. Apply the buddy system. Find people who want to join you on your journey to a healthier you - equipped with a lunch cooler bag full of healthy gooddies to consume and share at work; maybe a buddy system to go for a short brisk walk/run around the block.

Some very basic, fundamental guidelines are:

1) Drink plenty of water - avoid all sodas and sugary drinks. Eat whole fruits rather than drink fruit juices - so you get the fiber with the fructose.
2) Move this body of yours or it will rust and get stuck with pain.
3) Talk and move your stress out of your body (dance, cry, scream or laugh - whatever it takes - do not 'pocket your stress'.
4) Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup at all cost....there you go, half way there.....
5) Choose only fresh, local, organic foods - raw or steamed or sauteed veggies with a little protein
6) Grains should be whole and organic - soak your rice and Millet and rinse before cooking (gets rid of Phytic Acid - a tough substance for the human digestive system.)
7) Check in with yourself about caffeine and alcohol - do both of those in moderation and according to your tolerance.
8) Appreciate, take time to marvel and be grateful


The article talks about how to "healthily microwave" -
Can there be a healthy way to microwave food that would be fit for human consumption? I don't think so.

It also talks about Soy milk - encouraging people to consume it - don't think so either.
In my experience, aided by a somewhat 'Chinese Dietetics' understanding - Soy is both cold and harsh for the digestive system - surely not a food to consume in great quantities or recommend.There is also the concern about the connection between phyto- estrogens and breast cancer.

Here, however is the article:

Johns Hopkins Update

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer
cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have
multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients
that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after
treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the
cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable
size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a
person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer
cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and
forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has
nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic,
but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing
diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day
and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing
cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells
in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can
cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7.. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often
reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of
chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor
destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from
chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either
compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb
to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to
mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy.
Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other
sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer
cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made
with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute
would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small
amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in
color Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the
gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting
off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer
cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based
diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat,
like chicken. Meat also contains livestock
antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all
harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole
grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into
an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked
food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live
enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to
cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance
growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building
healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most
vegetables including be an sprouts) and eat some raw
vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at
temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C)..

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high
caffeine Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer
fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or
filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap
water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of
digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the
intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic
buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By
refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes
to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the
body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system
(IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals,
EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy
cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known
to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's
normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or
unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help toget more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen
therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer
cells.

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave..

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain thishealth hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things asTV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.
Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Please share this with your whole email list.........................

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

7 times 7 = Menopause in Chinese Medicine - Acupuncture

So interesting to watch Headline News:
ABC News says on March 7th:
"Acupuncture Curbs the Severity of Hot Flushes During Menopause."
If I was twenty - I would think that was great News! If indeed I could comprehend the full meaning of even hot flushes........Having gone through mine - and having cured them over two weeks with treatments with Acupuncture and Chinese herbal Medicine - the news don't hit me quite that hard. That was 30 years ago. Old news, I guess.
Many days have gone since that period of two weeks when I did have the dreaded hot flushes. I agree: calling them "power rushes" is a very poor excuse for something that makes you on the contrary feel dis-empowered, hot and sweaty. It is an insult to "power."
What is taking the world so long ?
We have published these exciting news over and over again.
Hot Flushes, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine are often both a deficiency and excess syndrome all at once.... Not enough power to contain the unruly heat from rising and disrupting the regular flow of energy.
Chinese Acupuncture diagnoses Kidney deficiency and Liver excess both at the same time - there can also be deficiency in Blood and Kidney energy.
By the time we reach 49 (7 years x 7 years) we have leaked a lot of our strength - we are drying a little - being generally dehydrated and a little parched. We don't feel quite so juicy anymore - we feel it, see it in and on our skin. Even in our sexuality we may lack the juiciness. It is high time to become empowered to do something about it! Chinese Medicine has many answers.
Obviously there is a preventative approach to this " drying out syndrome" - Do not wait until you are parched like a desert in the drought! Be pro-active.
There are very wonderful herbs within the Chinese Herbal pharmacopia that nourish the Yin, moisten dryness and astringe to help the body keep its moisture. Yes! That's what we need.
Also Acupuncture needles placed in specific individualized locations, somewhat different for different women, can greatly relieve the symptoms from unbearable to acceptable.
Call your acupuncturist; make sure they are well educated both in Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture. Do they belong to the NCCAOM (National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine)? That certification ensures a solid education.
Enjoy this journey of discovery - Chinese Medicine is a complete system of Medicine - there is barely a symptom you could not address with Acupuncture and/or Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine.

WONDERFUL KALE CHIPS - YES!

DUE TO EXTREMELY POPULAR DEMAND :

KALE CHIPS

Ingredients:
Kale
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
some Gomasio (Garlic and Sea salt)
Brewer's Yeast (Nutritional Yeast) and if you like (special for your thyroid: ) Kelp Flakes


Take a bunch of KALE
wash all the store sprayed water off it
dry off - break into bite size pieces
then, take about a Table Spoon of Olive oil and rub it BETWEEN YOUR HANDS AND THEN all over the kale - yes absolutely all over (!) so that what you will put on it will stick!
Sprinkle on Sea Salt, Gomasio (Garlic and Herb) and Nutritional Yeast - any of those or all of those.. to taste - your taste.

Spread the seasoned Kale on a bake sheet or two and place them in the oven and bake at the LOWEST temperature possible - it will take according to the low temperature. Could be 2 hours..
turn it every so often to make sure it all becomes dry and crunchy..
Voila !
Of course you can prepare your Kale Chips in your dehydrator - there it may take 4 to 6 hours.

Kale Chips - healthy, salty, crunchy, fatty (healthy fatty) ....just the way we like them.
My friend said - "at last I get some Greens into me". Make a lot - you will like them.

So what's in Kale?
In addition to high content of Fiber, conventional antioxidants like vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese, kale also provides us with at least 45 different recently discovered flavonoids, including kaempferol and quercetin. Many of the flavonoids in kale are also now known to function not only as antioxidants, but also as anti-inflammatory compounds.
Not so bad as a nutrient goes.

Breath of Life

DEAR FRIENDS, I am sending you this article because when I myself took the "let's see how long I can hold my breath" test I could do it for a miserly 17 seconds..............not so great - in spite of Yoga and walks around the block with my dog T.T.
I asked my friend Michael Tanner, a knowledgeable friend in Ireland ( http://www.aislingfoundation.com ) to summarize the technique for us:
Here it is - according to testimonials, people clear their asthma within as little as six weeks and can in some cases abandon all medications!

Buteyko Breathing
Introduction

Professor Konstantin Pavlovic Buteyko, a Russian Doctor observed a relationship between the breath and health of his patients. His research over many years, led him to develop the, 'Buteyko Breathing Technique'.

It has taken many years for the technique to be accepted by a few in the medical profession despite Clinical Trials showing it to be effective and safe. In order to encourage you to give it a try these are two Clinical Trials which show conclusively that the system works.

This is a brief summary of a Clinical Trial in Russia held in 1981.

The Balanced Volume Breathing (BVB) method was tested and approved by the E.M.Sechenov's Medical Institute between 27.2.81 and 21.5.81

The trial involved patients suffering from regular asthma attacks (once a day or more) during the previous month. Some of the patients had severe asthmatic conditions leading to asphyxia. The purpose of the experiment was to demonstrate the relationship between the major symptoms of the disease (bronchospasm, cough, blockage of nose, etc.) and hyperventilation. The patients were asked to undergo a three stage hyperventilation test (developed by Professor Buteyko in 1968).
The method is based on a conscious decrease in depth of breathing and specifically designed for patients suffering from bronchial asthma. It is based on the fact that clinical results show improvement proportional to the decrease in lung ventilation.

83% showed considerable improvement, 17% some improvement - nobody remained the same or got worse.

As the control pause increased from 10 to 40 seconds, so did the concentrations of IgA, IgM, IgG and IgE. Forced expiratory volume (Rait's measuring scale) was raised front 36.7 to 173.2 (Table IV). The acid-alkali balance of the blood normalised (it became less basic), the pCO2 of the arterial blood increased from 24.6 to 36.3 mm Hg

Conclusions:

* The BVB method as suggested by Professor Buteyko helps to decrease the number and severity of attacks as well as the dosage of medication.

* As a result of this therapy, the indicators of acid-alkali balance and lung ventilation improved.

* The method may be taught to children from 3 years of age up either in hospital or as outpatients.

* This method is endured by children of any age over 3.

* This method is most effective in acute periods of bronchial asthma in very ill patients.

This clinical trial, funded by Australian Association of Asthma Foundations, was conducted in December 1994- January 1995 through the Mater Hospital (Brisbane). It was conducted by Professor Charles Mitchell and Doctor Simon Bowler. The results were released at the conference for Thoracic physicians Society in Hobart in March 1995.

39 asthmatics were recruited following a publicity campaign. All individuals gave a convincing history of asthma and were taking significant doses of asthma medication. They were randomly divided into two groups which were stratified by daily bronchio dilators use. Before division medication intake was optimized for one month to minimize usage of bronchio dilators. The control group was trained by a physiotherapist in conventional techniques including relaxation, coughing and abdominal breathing techniques. In the Buteyko group the Buteyko method was taught by an experienced Buteyko Practitioner. The trial was 'blind' which means, that neither group was aware of which group they were in.

Summary of the results

Buteyko group Control group

Bronchiodilator use at 3 months 90% decrease 9% increase

Inhaled steroids use at 3 months 49% decrease no change

Symptoms score at 3 months 71% improvement 14% improvement

Quality of life at 6 weeks 54% improvement 24% worsening

Buteyko Breathing Breathing Basics

"The theory of life, in brief, is such that carbon dioxide is the basic nutrition of every life form on Earth - if it disappears, there will be no life on Earth. It acts as the regulator of all functions in the organism; it maintains the internal environment of the organism; it is the vitamin of all vitamins."

Konstantin Pavlovic Buteyko.

But just as oxygen is no use to you without carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide is no use either without oxygen. This is why breathing properly is essential for good health. It helps to keep the correct balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen, and once you put it right, all of the other good things that you do for yourself, such as eating well and exercising, will be more beneficial.

The three most important things for physical life are eating, drinking and breathing. And of all three, breath is the one that is the prime requirement. Breathing is an automated process to ensure that it continues correctly unfortunately it can become destabilized and we then develop problems

According to conventional science the main purpose of breathing is to supply the body with sufficient oxygen and to remove excess amounts of carbon dioxide. We are taught in school that we breathe in oxygen and we breathe out carbon dioxide, and this over-simplification gives many of us the impression that carbon dioxide is a waste gas. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

Do you think that dizzy feeling you have after blowing up a balloon or two is good for you? Probably not, yet time after time the value of deep, forceful breathing is promoted as being healthy.

Our body stores something like 90 times more carbon dioxide in the body than oxygen. Do you think this because the body cannot get rid of it, or because it is actually required?

Danish scientist Christian Bohr discovered more than one hundred years ago that carbon dioxide has a strong influence on oxygen delivery from the blood to the tissue cells, and it has consequently been called the "Bohr effect".

* Breathing too much air each minute causes too much carbon dioxide to be exhaled from the lungs

* Extra carbon dioxide leaves the blood to enter the lungs, making the pH of the blood slightly more alkaline

* When the blood is slightly too alkaline, less oxygen is released from haemoglobin to the tissue cells

Therefore: breathing too much air paradoxically makes you more short of breath and prone to making extra lactic acid.

It is essential for the body to operate efficiently to have the correct level of CO2 in our system otherwise we may create many problems for ourselves.

Breathing through your nose is not only the natural way to breathe because it is the start of the respiratory system, but it is also the healthiest way because the nasal passages are designed to filter out particles, kill germs and to warm and moisten the air. Breathing through the mouth, which is the start of the digestive tract, does none of these things effectively.

Buteyko Breathing

Basic information

This is just a basic outline - you will find it more helpful to "go to the professionals" through classes if possible. Please consult your doctor BEFORE starting the exercises to check (s)he is happy for you to try them.

Equipment

* A tabulated chart or notebook to record your progress. * Micropore tape and lip salve.

* A watch with a second hand or a stop watch. * Lots of determination !

In general: Try to always breathe through your nose at all times. Be mindful of how you breathe when eating and talking. Watch out for what happens when you laugh/cough/cry/ sigh - you may begin to over-breathe. Try to keep your breathing slow and steady.

Blocked nose: To clear a blocked nose breathe out slightly, pinch your nose then hold your breath for a short time. You can also move your head back and forwards slowly, while doing this, or walk around the room, or maybe climb some stairs. You may have to repeat this several times.

At night: This is a very important part of the technique because you can undo all your good work during the day by breathing through your mouth at night. Protect your lips with some lip salve, then tape your mouth using micropore tape to prevent your mouth opening when asleep. A good tip is to turn the ends of the tape back, so you can remove it easily. At first you can get used to this feeling by taping your lips during the day or evening when there's no one around to see how silly you look! You should try to avoid sleeping on your back. The best position is to lie on your left hand side. This technique should result in a better quality of sleep.

Dealing with an asthma attack:

An asthma attack should be dealt with a control pause followed by reduced breathing for 3-5 minutes, a control pause and more gentle breathing. If not better by then, take a dose of ventalin (or your usual respiratory distress reliever).

Unexpected side effects of doing exercises: You may experience some unexpected side effects, ranging from a runny nose, stomach upsets, tiredness to reduced appetite. However, you may get 'good side effects' like need for less sleep and increased energy levels.

Note on Food:

All food increases the breathing rate so you should only eat when hungry, and then only enough to satisfy the appetite. Of course, it is best to eat fresh organic food as far as possible.

Precautions:

1 DO NOT TAPE your mouth if you are feeling sick or have been drinking heavily.

2 DO NOT decrease any prescribed medicine without consulting your doctor.

3. If the EXTENDED PAUSE doesn't agree with you, don't do it. You will still make good progress. - slowly and steadily.

4. DO NOT leave your reliever medicine at home - even if you feel a lot better - you may still be allergic to your triggers for some time.

5. Remember, SLOW AND STEADY IMPROVEMENT IS THE BEST. The maximum benefit will take time - a rough estimate is one month of practice for every year you have had as

Buteyko Breathing Basic Technique
Buteyko Exercises

Sit in a relaxed manner, with an upright posture leaning slightly forward wearing comfortable clothing. These exercises should be done on an empty stomach ideally, or at least an hour after eating.

1: Pulse:

Check your pulse rate at start by timing it for 15 seconds then multiplying by 4 (your pulse rate per minute).

2: Control Pause:(CP)This is a measurement of your state of health. It is also a difence against asthma. After a normal exhalation, the breathing is 'paused' and a record kept of the amount of seconds this pause can be held. It is to be discontinued at the first sign of discomfort so that reduced breathing can be resumed with no need to gulp or gasp for air.

3: Reduced breathing:This is the first line of defence against asthma and is the most important, yet most difficult type of breathing to master. Achieving this will vary from person to person and this is why the classes and videos are important.

Try to be as still as possible while doing this with good posture. You should imagine you are breathing from the bottom of your stomach - but only in small amounts - as if breathing through a straw - either slowly (say four breaths a minute), or more frequently may suit some individuals.

You should feel 'hungry for air' while doing this. It is a slow way of fending off an attack. This can also be called 'shallow breathing'.

4: Extended Pause (EP) Extending your Control Pause by adding 2 to 10 seconds to your CP time. The nose should be pinched shut to stop cheating! Resume reduced breathing through the nose and resist urge to gulp air through the mouth. This can be helped by various techniques such as moving a hand, swallowing, stretching and finally walking.

For most people, the EP is considered safe provided it does not provoke a bout of over breathing at the end. A feeling of dizziness or heat at the end is normal. If you breathe out first at the end, you have been holding too much air in your lungs. Your lungs need to be comfortable - not too full and not too empty, during the exercises. Sets of exercises are to be carried out ideally three times a day. These should be done before eating, and particularly on waking and before sleeping. The sequence of exercises is as follows-

1.Take pulse

2. CP Control Pause

3. several minutes of reduced breathing

4. EP Extended Pause

Repeat above twice more and take final pulse at end This should take about 20 minutes

There is a breathing practice which may be helpful that can be done whist walking or even sitting on the bus. You count as you breath in and then hold the breath for four times the count, then slowly release the breath taking twice the inhalation count or half the holding count.

Repeat - it is the repetition that is important so there is no point in trying to use big numbers. Find a count that is comfortable and maintain it. After a couple of days then maybe try increasing the inhalation by one and see how it goes. Gradually increase the count overtime, there is no rush and keeping on with exercise is important. If you try to do too much too soon then it becomes impossible and gets abandoned.

As a guide to the early ratios 1:4:2 2:8:4 3:12:6 4:16:8

Find a comfortable level for you - practice several times a day for 5-10 minutes - increase the count slowly in your own time

Keep a chart to monitor progress. (e.g., Date, Time, Pulse, CP, EP, Medications, symptoms, etc.)

Don't be discouraged if you have a small set back in progress after a couple of weeks, just look at how much you have achieved, and cheer yourself up!

Buteyko Breathing

Basic Technique Continued

The pulse rate should decrease at the end of the session and this indicates that the method has been carried out correctly. The CP (Controlled Pause) should improve by one to two seconds a week even though the EP (Extended Pause) might improve by such an amount each day.

You should start to feel much better when a CP of 25 seconds is achieved. A control pause of 30 - 40 seconds and an extended pause of 60 would be excellent figures to achieve.

It is possible to project the rate of improvement from these figures.

Once a figure of 30 seconds for the CP (Controlled Pause) is reached, the exercises can be tapered off to twice a day, and then stopped with just an occasional CP to check on how you are doing. It is important not to overdo the number of EPs (Extended Pause) in a day. The body needs to improve in its own time. Slow steady improvement is best.
As many people have a low grade infection it can be helpful to use something like Grapefruit Seed Extract to help reduce this problem. We are usually short of many essential ingredients in our nutrition and it is a very good idea to add kelp powder and hemp oil to our diets.

The combination of these supplements with the Buteyko Method will help you get faster improvements.
None of the above information is intended to prescribe or treat any disease or ailment. It is for your information and you are advised to consult your medical professional on any health matter.

For more detailed information:

http://www.buteyko.com/method/buteyko/index_buteyko.html

http://www.aislingfoundation.com

http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Kelp-Powder

http://www.regenerativenutrition.com/content.asp?id=64

Should I See my Acupuncturist when I am Sick??

In my clinic we repeatedly find ourselves in a situation where a patient may call my office and say: "I am sick - I need to cancel." (usually we treat their menstrual issues..or their neck pain)
Often times I will answer - "Well, where do you go when you are sick? You go to see your doctor!..So, come on in, we shall try to help you"
Or a patient may say even "Oh, my back, elbow or knee is hurting today I can't come in".......where better to go but to your acupuncturist to take care of you hurting back or any other body part?!
Acupuncture Medicine is an absolutely complete system of medicine - it treats so many aspects of our health - most everything, in fact. There was a time in China that Acupuncture Medicine was all there ever was for millions of people in China for thousands of years.
Imagine that. One modality only comprised of application of specific needles into points along the meridians - and herbal medicine.
So we do know that there is a lot of proven empirical knowledge!
The repertoire of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Herbal medicine covers a very broad spectrum of conditions and much life style counseling - about work, play, about diet and exercise.
Some of the most recognized conditions treated by acupuncture are:
Muscular skeletal issues including joints and bones - pain - dislocations, swelling - inflammation
Emotional distress and states, through balancing all the major organ systems - such as
the Liver, the Heart, the Spleen (digestive system), the Lung system and the Kidney system.
It treats spiritual aspects defined in Chinese medicine by the word "Shen" = the Spirit of the Heart, as well as essential energy problems (too much nervous energy too little energy ) to even get up, go and live! and many aspects of hormonal issues - male and female.
lack of energy, food intolerance, allergies and digestive issues
sleep, anxiety, stress, panic
deficiency or excess of libido, also fertility.
hunger, issues around weight, water retention, food cravings
thirst, dryness, ringing in the ears, hot flushes, coldness, and inflammation
Peace of Mind

As a practitioner of Taditional Chinese Medicine I use Pulse Diagnosis
Tongue Diagnosis - and of course I take the health history, listen, smell and feel
for any imbalance. The history, the color of the skin, and the demeanor of the person have a lot of stories to tell about that person's health. Every aspect of this investigation completes the pattern of health.
From the pulse alone one can feel that a person might have just eaten a meal or that the person is really frustrated and angry about a situation in their life.

There is a broad array of possibilities of how we can address and treat conditions in so many different ways.
We can use needles - sometimes just a few - sometimes a few more - it depends on the nervous system of the patient - a person with higher anxiety level may naturally require less needles.

Sometimes a person may have a deep inner sense of cold - I may use moxibustion to heat up needles or just the skin around the needles - I may give a little homework by having the patient take home a stick of moxa (A herb rolled into a cigar like stick called Artemisia Vulgaris to be lit
and gently waved over an area around kidney points on the front of the lower body or the back.)
The person will feel deeply warmed and nourished.
Personally I like a lot of self-help approaches and we usually have a number of them up our sleeves!
Chinese medicine can be profoundly esoteric or extremely pragmatic. Both are approaches are appropriate and I love this quality about Chinese medicine.
The important thing is that WE CAN treat most issues that may come up.

On my web site on the Download page you can find my CDs called "Introduction to Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine" - Several hours of narrative to learn more about the historical, philosophical and practical application of Acupuncture. I love it when my patients know the essentials of Chinese Medicine - it makes for a much more fruitful dialogue.
Best wishes of good health

Verena Johanna Smith Reg. Ac. Dipl.Ac. (NCCAOM)

www.giftofhealth.com

Thought of The Day...........

As from today I shall apply my sense of spontaneity to communicate with my patients and the public on a much more frequent basis - the beauty will be that I am not and will not be bombarding you with my mailings but you can come here and look for a headline that may apply to something you want to find out more about........something that pertains to you specifically.
So many things happen every day that do not relate only to the person I am involved with at that moment alone, but with many other people - same day - same question...same circumstance....

So, I will post my considerations or advice right here and you can find it, discover it as it may prove to be helpful.
I will be writing about the meaning and application of Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Neuro Modulation Technique, Matrix Energetics, I will be talking about food allergies and intolerances and different energetic disharmonies.


thank you for your trust and friendship

Verena

On Babies and Bananas

ON BABIES AND BANANAS

At all times food directly contributes to the way we feel and think of ourselves - how light or heavy we feel - how comfortable we are being ourselves, and also how capable we are of healthy interaction with others. Lots of science - lots and lots of common sense - and some aspects of looking at the consumption of "sweet" foods that may signify a lot more than meets the eye.

Laying the foundation for a strong digestive and immune system at the beginning of life is a big, serious responsibility. Just recently I picked up an infant nutrition book, and there it was again, that very convenient starter food: the soft, easy and convenient banana. In the book it was honored as the beginning staple-along with cream of wheat and some of the other traditional beginner foods.

What could possible be bad about bananas? They seem such a perfect food-ripe, soft, sweet and mushy with inbuilt zippers—great packaging-so important when you want to satisfy a restless, hungry baby.

According to traditional Chinese dietetics, feeding babies’ bananas is where the “snotty toddler” syndrome begins. Within the Chinese system every food has different qualities; a flavor, a temperature, and a function. (The function is defined by the effect the food will have on any particular organ system)

Under that heading the banana is classified as being sweet in flavor, cold in temperature and damp and slippery in nature. These qualifications translate into one well-feared word: phlegm. Bananas create phlegm and mucous. Isn’t this just what we don’t want for our babies and children? The sweet, damp and cold quality affects the spleen, the digestive system in particular, but the result may very well show repercussions in the lung energy.

According to traditional Chinese medicine the digestive system is the most delicate of the five major organ systems (Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung and Kidney). In some schools it is also the one organ system that facilitates the most change in a person’s health condition. It is through the digestive system, i.e. Stomach and Spleen that we absorb the medicine we ingest to heal ourselves. The first function of the Stomach and Spleen is to warm the food and then the Stomach sends the food matter further downward and the Spleen has the function to vaporize the essence of the nutrients to the lungs, which in turn have eth e function to disperse/spread this “energy”.

For thousands of years the Chinese believe that the Spleen organ system has the function of transporting and transforming all nutrients into blood and energy. Simply put, the Spleen makes blood, the very substance of life. Through the heating and churning function of the Stomach and the transforming and transporting function of the Spleen the metamorphosis of food into “life force” energy happens. The inability of the Spleen or digestive system to transform all the cold dampness into useful energy will result in excess mucous-and from there develop the runny noses, phlegmy coughs and earaches caused by the wrong food at the wrong time.

According to Chinese medicine the Spleen “likes’ (works best with) warm temperatures. Any food that is raw, cold or very sweet (also cold) slows the digestive process and makes dampness that is phlegm.

Phlegm is a major obstructer of energy and a person, ever a little person, will feel unclear, wooly, slowed down and confused when there is too much “dampness” as phlegm is called in Traditional Chinese medicine Phlegm then becomes stagnant like a pond; over time it becomes like a warm, festering pool for other symptoms to develop.

Ear infections in babies and toddlers often result from either overfeeding, which will create the same stagnation, or from ingesting too many sweet, cold or cooling foods. Examples of cooling foods are cucumbers and melon, whereas cold foods are ice and ice cream, popsicles, and foods straight from the fridge.

Runny noses, loose bowel movements, diarrhea, and phlegmy coughs may develop into ear infections. Ear infections usually mark the starting point of a vicious cycle. Because the areas are so scaringly close to the brain, we dutifully accept the allopathic treatment for this problem, antibiotics.

However, while antibiotics may or may not take care of the ear infection, depending on whether it is of viral or bacterial origin, we then face the next problem, which is caused by the quality, temperature and function of the antibiotic. Antibiotics (from the Greek: anti-“against” and biotis “life”) carry their name appropriately; they destroy bacteria, but they act indiscriminately to exacerbate the underlying weakness of the Spleen and the digestive system.

Over time the Spleen will become weaker and loose bowel movements will persist (because the bacterial digestive flora has been destroyed). Bloating and gas will follow; in turn the weakened Spleen will further the potential for phlegm stagnation and more ear infections are likely to follow. Unfortunately, many parents recognize this dance of frustrating repetition.

The way to prepare the very first beginner’s “solid” food is to first soak the rice for several hours – discard the water and with it Phytic acid, which makes most grains harder to digest, then simmer half a cup of rice to three cups of water and leave it to cook for two hours. A crock pot used overnight might be another good way of doing this. The consistency should be so soft that one can hardly recognize the grains of rice in the “soup”.

There is no rush to feed the baby solid foods-there is nothing better than mother’s milk until such time when the baby is clearly looking for solids and wanting them. Then, and only then, it is time to begin. Slowly, however, bypassing one’s own projection that baby requires variety. We believe we need great variety and must have it, but not a little child; children still have the purity to rediscover “the same old thing” over and over again. There are many foods, simple foods that are rich in nutrition and will strengthen the young organism.

The very first step could be to mix mother’s milk with rice gruel and stick with that recipe for as long as comfortable. Each new food can be introduced very slowly indeed, one by one, feeding each new food for as many days as possible before adding another novelty. Don’t rush; only too soon there will be too much.

Freshly cooked organic squashes and carrots could be step two, and well-cooked millet could provide a change from rice gruel. Yams, soft baked or boiled, nourish the Spleen very well. Foods that come out of the earth seem to work best, especially if they are prepared in a simple manner. In the beginning they should be well done, pureed. (They should be introduced as one new food at a time with several days trial time before adding the next item to assess for potential allergies).

Soy formula versus cow’s milk is another great issue of debate. I feel that between the two, cow’s milk is more akin to mother’s milk. Goats’ milk seems most favorable to me because of its greater similarity in composition to mother’s milk; however, goats’ milk is missing the appropriate amount of vitamin D, which needs to be compensated for. Should Goats’ milk be unavailable, maybe one can offer diluted yogurt, which is easier on the digestion as the “breakdown” is already underway. The yogurt should be ”alive” and possibly made from whole organic milk, without hormones and antibiotics. Soy beans are cold in nature and can cause digestive discomfort. We know this well from so many vegetarians who would love to eat a lot of tofu, but can’t because of gas and bloating. (Adding ginger, a warming and aromatic food in preparation can alleviate this problem, but not for infants, for whom the taste of ginger is too strong.)

Peanut butter, ice cream, cow’s milk and cheese will sneak into the diet only too soon! All of the above promote the production of phlegm and, because of their properties, temperature and flavor; all of them burden the digestive system !

Chinese parents often use another tuberous rhizome Shan Yao (Pinyin), “Dioscorea” as a first food for their babies. This Chinese yam has a strengthening and warming function to the digestive system (Spleen and Stomach) and babies and children like it because of its very comforting, mildly sweet taste. One can combine the Dioscorea with Lotus Seed (Lian Zi (Pinyin)) which have similar medicinal qualities. Simmer about an ounce of each ingredient for two to three hours until they are both soft and ready to be pureed in a food processor and then fed to babies as often as desired throughout the day.

The purpose of any food we feed our children is the building of their young bodies and minds. Your child will let you know whether you have discovered the “right” food. If this story about babies and bananas has inspired you to possibly change the banana habit, do not be disheartened if the less sweet foods require re-introduction. Slowly and patiently. We, adults and babies, are creatures of habit, and we forget….even some soft, sweet and mushy things from the past.

Nutritional Value of Bananas - Fact Sheet:
Besides its YUM factor, the banana is a power house of nutrients. All its nutritional values and health benefits are preserved in a natural way by its peel. Banana is easily digestible and also has many health benefits to offer.

Potassium: A single medium sized banana contains approximately 467 mg of potassium and only a negligible 1 mg of sodium. Potassium is important for regulating blood pressure and decreasing the risk of high blood pressure and its related conditions.

Calcium: Rich in calcium, 100 g bananas is capable of supplying the body with 5 mg of calcium which is essential for the formation, as well as upkeep of strong bones and teeth, and for the smooth functioning of neurotransmitter release and muscle contraction.

Carbohydrates: Bananas are very high on energy, and are usually eaten when one seeks an instant flush of energy. This is because a 100 g of bananas contains 22.84 g of carbohydrates 12.23 g sugars and 2.6 g of dietary fiber. Though slightly higher for a diabetic, it makes for an easily digestible source of energy.

Vitamin C: A dietary intake of 100gms of banana will provide the body with nearly 8.7mg of Vitamin C. This vitamin protects the body against oxidative stress and malnutrition. A powerful antioxidant helps the body control all free radicals.

Vitamin B6 : A water soluble vitamin, essential for the smooth functioning of the nervous system, boosting the immune system and fighting infection. One serving of 225 g will give the body 0.8 mg of vitamin B6.

Other Vitamins: Essential vitamins such as Vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, etc are all present in the bananas. These vitamins help in the formation of blood, and perform other activities in the body to keep its fitness levels on an all time high.

Other Minerals: Iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium and fluoride are all found in the banana. Each of these minerals help different body functions and boost the immune system.

Banana Health Benefits - not a Bad Food yet for Babies in only Absolute Moderation
Health benefits of bananas are many. They help in controlling diarrhea and soothe an upset stomach. Their antacid effects protect the stomach against stomach ulcers and its related damages. Bananas may lower your risk of macular degeneration (ARMD). Being a rich source of the compound prebiotic, bananas help the body to produce vitamins and digestive enzymes, that absorb nutrients and fight against unfriendly microorganisms. The high magnesium content is used as quick-fix source of alleviating fatigue. Fiber in it helps to lower the cholesterol level in the body. A good level of Vitamin B6 helps with brain functions. All these facts about bananas are positive - but not for a little one - too sweet - too mucous producing and cooling for the digestive track!

Leaves are flying - the Metal Element in Chinese Medicine

HOW GLORIOUS IT IS ! How it fills our perceptions with awe and wonderment. Such delight in the colors, the leaves, the light. It always amazes me how with the passing of late September into early October and now late October there is a somewhat melancholic shift in the emotional field of people.
More sadness - fear of separation - expressions of grief,pain of separation welling up, "seemingly out of nowhere" even while we still have days of the so called Indian summer - and unbelievable beauty all around us.
Just after the peak of harvest - this wonderful abundance apples, pears and the beginning of prevalence of yellow and orange root vegetables. All the "ornaments of life" - as it might be referred to in Tibetan Buddhism - flowers and leaves are at their peak of color and richness just about to make way for the "knowing" of how this abundance will too soon get blown away by the cooler winds and rains of autumn! At that point - as we know - we shall be left with the structive essence of life !
- In one word the cold, harsher reality of winter - or translated to our psyche - we are left with who we truly feel we are without any ornaments. One could say "naked". Sometimes that can be a very lonely fearful place.
Chinese literature is full of descriptions of this process - and we know it in our hearts.
The organ systems that are particularly associated with the fall are the Lung organ system and the Large Intestine.
The emotions that pertain to the these systems are sadness and grief - sense of loss and, depending of the balance in the person: the ability to let go - and the understanding of boundaries.

So, there we have a clear explanation of why such feelings appear to be prevalent during this season as human being reflect their micro cosmos within the macro cosmos of the Universe. In my many years of practicing acupuncture I have encountered this rhythm and breath of life over and over again. People might be closer to tears - can't let go and forget of something they feel they did not want or deserve and any variation of this theme.

Maybe it stands to reason then why root vegetables help us ground in this vulnerability and greater emotional frailty.
Mother nature must have known because there are plenty of sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkins and seeds as well as carrots and parsnips to help us ground and "be rooted" and comforted.

Physical issues often pertain to the Lungs and the Large Intestine: so we have increase in allergies (beginning with golden rod), asthma and breathing difficulties. Sometimes people will experience breathing difficulties right at the time on the Chinese Clock that pertains to the Lungs (from 3 to 5AM or possibly difficulties around Bowel Movements between 5 and 7AM.

So, In the fall - more than ever, it becomes us to do breathing exercises - increase our Yoga practice for opening our ribcages and B R E A T H E. Try it this season and rejoice at the fruits of your efforts. Also Acupressure is useful - you can rub and "pummel" the point LI4 halfway in the web between the thumb and index finger; or at LU9 around the radial artery at the wrist crease. Lastly there is the point LU10, midway on the fleshy part of the pad of the thumb. (the latter point is helpful with sore throat - loss of voice, also fever, etc.)

Sense of humor is, of course, is very important in this time when everything seems to have to let go - even if we don't "want to"!
Smiling and laughing about our selves helps! - I have learned that and whenever I rediscover smiles and laughter - I feel happier and relieved! Life is so much easier and truly abundant with possibilities and even choices of how we want to feel.
Even in the fall when everything appears to be vanishing, only to make room for the next great installment of our learning.
I always advice my friends and patients to remember their seasonal tune-up. As we journey from one season to the other - our energy can easily get out of sinc - and there often occurs greater vulnerability to colds and and the flu. It is amazing what one small acupuncture treatment can do to balance our energies again to better deal with the changes in temperature and the cold winds.

HALLOWEEN - A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.
TREATS THAT TREAT

Every year - "just a minute" before the actual night I used to fret: how can I buy junk to give to all the children coming to my door on Halloween. The lack of congruency with my believes in good nutrition - and my knowing what an overload of sugar would do to kids immune systems and moods would turn me into a terrible procrastinator.
One night I got - I won't do it anymore.
Already, my youngest daughter had to endure my good conscience -
She, little then, would go out to "hunt and gather" only to come back to the bargining table with me her mamma. We were going to trade - I'd buy her a toy or a doll - she'd hand over the candy;
then both of us off to the trash can to dump them. When I was lucky I could trade for something from a tag sale. Not always though!
Given my internal struggle I had to come up with new solutions:
Why did it have to be sugar, anyhow?
I went to the local stationary shop: there I found: Fancy Pencils, erasers in and of all colors, balloons, finger puppets, worry dolls, little pouches, stickers, stickers, stickers, all kinds...
little sets of playing cards, toy tiny spinning tops, 3D paper glasses, magnets, marbles.
I filled my bowl of offerings with apples and little packets of nuts, if I still believed that little packets of raising were not bad for your teeth - I would have added them. Fruit leather maybe a little better, and then I piled in all of the goodies.

So, my bowl looks like fun! Kids marvel at the things they find there - we get to talk a little rather than them just grabbing a handful of "emotional aggravation"....and I don't feel so bad.
All is well on Halloween........now we can focus on the veil between the worlds - without temper tantrums and snotty noses from too much sugar...

Cause of Disease in Traditional Chinese Medicine

When you go and see your doctor it is mostly a very brief process. You tell your story, your symptoms - the doctor then considers all the evidence and creates a mental picture from the patterns that present - maybe a test or two - or more.....
Then the inevitable question: "What to take?"...
Traditional Chinese Medicine has a different approach and I want to tell you about that over the next few newsletters - little by little:

THE CAUSE OF DISEASE IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
Chinese Medicine has a very particular view of the causation of illness:
Cause #1
There maybe a genetic, "prenatal" cause for disease. The prognosis of cure for such a prenatal cause for disease is cautionary because it is difficult to increase energy beyond the level that was present at the time of birth.
Where does the new energy come from? It is easier to move energy from one organ system to the other or to regulate energy - but create new energy where there is none or little is a harder task. Often Chinese Herbal Medicine is more appropriate or may be offered in conjunction with Acupuncture as the more nourishing
aspect when there is deficiency.

WELL-BEING ROOTED IN EMOTIONS
Cause # 2 :
The five emotions that injure the Qi; the life force:
ANGER and frustration make the Qi rise and injure the Liver,
OVER-EXCITABILITY and over joyousness (or excitability) injure the Heart,
WORRYING, Over Thinking and Ruminating injure the Spleen,
SADNESS and grief affect the Lungs
FEAR, panic and anxiety injure the life force and Shock scatters the precious Kidney energy.

All these main YIN organ systems, the LIVER, the HEART, the SPLEEN the LUNGS and the KIDNEY according to TCM (Traditional; Chinese Medicine) have complex, myriad and vital functions.

WE ARE THE WORLD AROUND US
Cause # 3: External pathogenic factor ; such as extreme Wind, Heat, Dampness, Dryness or Cold
and of course Food and Drink.
Chinese medicine always reminds us of the micro cosmos within the macro cosmos and the absolute inter-connectedness with the world around us; the times of day, month and year and the seasons...even the hour of day or night! See the Chinese Clock:
The times when THE ORGAN SYSTEMS ARE AT THEIR PEAK:

Gallbladder and Liver 11PM to 3AM
Lung Large Intestine 3AM to 7AM
Stomach and Spleen 7AM to 11AM
Heart and Small Intestine 11AM to 3PM
Urinary Bladder and Kidney 3PM to 7PM
Pericardium and Triple Heater 7PM to 11PM

Did you ever awaken in the night between 1AM and
3AM when things just don't feel good or right - maybe headache or nausea or that busy mind needing to figure things out? You got it: that is "Liver Time".
Often that's when we notice: we are toxic.


ENERGY VERSUS CHEMISTRY
Allopathic medicine defines health based on measurements of most chemical components of the body. Numbers, weight, and quantity are the values that define homeostasis, detailed, step by step uncovering of numeric veils translating as a state of Health.
In the Western world surgery has been applied for centuries to alleviate suffering; the dead body has been of fascination and not taboo for dissection as it has been throughout Chinese history. While incineration of the dead has been practiced throughout history in the East, the body of a person who died from disease was sacred to the knife. Dissection became unlawful within the Han Dynasty. (206 B.C.E. -220 C.E.)
In the West, with the invention of the microscope, the conceptual map of Western medicine was laid out. The human body represents a continuum of chemical substances forever regenerating and transforming themselves; the individual person can be more, often than not, appear irrelevant in the full assessment of a disease.
A litany of numeric values describe the state of health and as long as the patient is willing to accept surgery, and have bits and pieces taken from him/her, there will be a scientific, numeric, quantitative, and by that, qualitative diagnosis.
Chinese medicine is rooted in energy: QI, the life force, is at the base of any intervention through needles or herbal medicine.
The concept of health translates into the YIN and YANG being balanced, which means that adequate amounts of energy flow through respective meridians to and from the extremities and to and from the corresponding organs.
Health means no excess and no deficiency but harmony and balance of energy throughout the whole body/mind system.
Acupuncture is the one of the two main branches used in Chinese medicine. Chinese herbal medicine is the other. Two different aspects and practices and one philosophical foundation. Both branches can powerfully shift the direction of the energy that constitutes health. To assess, understand and take our directives as practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine we use our methods of investigation:

1) To Observe
2) To Listen & Smell
3) To Question
4) To Touch
Our major tools are:
Pulse Taking and Tongue Diagnosis

I shall be delighted to explain more in detail next time........


The World Health Organization has recognized and recommends acupuncture and moxibustion for the treatment of over 40 types of illness including:

* Internal illness: colds, asthma, bronchitis, hypertension, diabetes, hepatitis, digestive disorders, colitis

* Ear-eye-nose-throat disorders:deafness, tinnitus, poor eyesight, sinus infections, allergies

* Dermatological disorders: eczema, acne, herpes, psoriasis

* Neuro-muscular disorders: arthritis, neuralgias, bursitis, tendonitis, headaches, migraines, cerebral palsy, polio

* Reproductive issues:infertility, impotence, vaginitis, irregular menstruation, morning sickness

* Mental-emotional disorders: anxiety, depression, insomnia, stress




ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN LOVE YOURSELF BETTER !
"He who knows the world around him is smart
He who truly knows himself is wise"
Lao Tzu
app. 500 BC