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Laura

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Dr. Terry Wahls Nutrition at our Clinic

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Laura M and Laura C recently attended a lecture by Dr. Wahls about the nutritional advice she offers to people suffering from chronic illness. We were interested in the fact that much of what she recommends overlaps with what we heard from Paul Pitchford (author of Healing with Whole Foods) at his seminar last month. And, of course, it is very much in line with what we have been teaching patients here at our clinic and using in our own food-lives.

What we are talking about is the fact that the human species evolved as hunter-gatherer, for the most part, for millions of years. They did not become grain farmers until quite recently. That means that human health is best suited to a diet largely made up of vegetables of all kinds, with fruit to a lesser degree, and small amounts of meat.

This is exactly what we tell our patients. And it goes completely against what most of the diet folks say, against what the American food industry says, what commercials say, what many books say, and so on.

This diet requires that you spend time in the kitchen preparing your food and doing some planning ahead. It also requires that you learn new cooking techniques and recipes. More than anything, for most people, it means that you must learn to enjoy new flavors of REAL FOOD.

Some people might call it a gourmet diet, with the unusual array of vegetables, meats and grains that are used. In fact, it can be very elegant, tasty, and just as satisfying as any great meal. Maybe even more satisfying, because the body feels truly nourished.

Dr. Wahls has created a foundation to raise money for her research into using this type of diet, along with other therapies, to help people with severe forms of MS such as she has. We are supporting her efforts by making available her book, “Minding my Mitochondria” for sale at our clinic. In it is her personal success story as well as a group of some of the most tasty whole foods recipes I’ve ever tried. I’m sure they will go over well in any home.

We are also available for nutritional consultations using an Oriental medicine model. We have a lot of experience and enthusiasm for whole foods and will make every effort to guide folks with suggestions and recipes in their search for great health.

Healing Through Whole Foods

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We just got back from a two day workshop with Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods. It was very interesting, if not daunting. His book is a huge one, full of information about Chinese medicine and using diet to heal diseases.

The big news was that parasites are a huge part of most people’s health problems. It seems that most of us are harboring an imbalance in our intestinal flora such as candida overgrowth, or some of us have picked up microbes at some point in our lives that have been sitting in us all this time and creating problems of various sorts such as allergies, skin problems, obesity, and so on. Some folks who have been in the far East get parasites there which can still be around, and some of us are getting exposed to inappropriate microorganisms by our household pets. That was especially hard for me to hear.

At the course we got new information about how to treat these situations with herbs and diet. And we are ready to help everyone that we think is ready for this.

The dietary changes are often fairly simple, to my way of thinking, but I am sure many of my clients would find them a bit daunting. Therefore, I’ll be posting ideas and recipes on this blog ongoingly. Most of what needs to be changed is increasing the variety and amount of fresh vegetables in the diet. And incorporating the use of SPROUTS. So we will be talking about sprouting. Additionally, the use of micro-algae such as chlorella, spirulina, and blue-green will be suggested. However, the choice of which alga to use depends a lot on the condition and constitution of the person.

Paul was pretty firm in his ideas, having treated people nutritionally for 30 years or so. He believes that a raw foods diet is great in the short run, but that it ends up making people very weak over time. It is also full of nuts and their butters, which are very fatty.

He also thinks that the vegan diet is not a good one for people unless they are meditators or very quiet and still a lot. He thinks that most people need some animal protein if they are going to be out in the modern world. But, of course, he recommends limited amounts and types of animal protein. You guessed it, free range, organic, grass fed is best. And properly combined small amounts. That means 2-3 oz combines with vegetables at a meal. Never combined with starch at a meal, due to the differences in digestive enzymes required for meat and starch.

Paul bases most of his recommendations on anthropological studies of primitive people, combined with the principles of Asian medicine. He says that the evidence is that for 60 million years man was hunter gatherer. That means mostly veges, berries, and meat. Also small amounts of grains later in history.

He also recommends the under-eating approach that has gotten some press in the past couple of years. That means eating less than you’d like. It has shown to lead to longer life and less disease in many cases.

And of course, no sugar or sweeteners of any kind for most of us. No refined foods at all. Nothing prepared or packaged, except frozen veges. So that means we have to COOK.

I’ll be posting suggestions about how to cook ahead for the week so we are not in trouble by not having things ready. I’ll also point out ways that we can use things like pressure cookers and slow cookers to make life easier.

There are many cookbooks out there that feature this type of cooking. Most of the healthy recipe books, even those from places like weight watchers, are focusing on exactly this type of recipe nowadays.

So, stay tuned and I’ll be letting you all know more about these ideas very soon.

 

More Later.

Detox and Purify!

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We are now offering our spring detox at Acupuncture of Iowa. This year we are using the Purification Program from the fine company, Standard Process of Elmira, Wisconsin. This company focuses on the benefits of real, whole food to empower the body to do what it does best, in every area of function.

I started my detox this weekend to prepare for offering it to clients, and decided to post my first few recipes for the food I am eating. These are all simple and really yummy. If you are not used to the taste of real food, they will introduce you gently.

East Indian Gentle Lentils–good stuff

1 c lentils, 2 c water or broth, 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tsp oil (olive preferred), salt to taste

In a heavy small pot, heat the oil, add the cumin seeds and stir 30 seconds till aromatic, add the minced garlic and stir 30 seconds till aromatic. Add the lentils and water, bring to a boil, add salt, and lower the heat to very low. Place a lid on the pot and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check a couple of times to stir and make sure it is not burning.

Savory Shredded Sprouts–Really Yummy!

1-2 lb brussels sprouts, bottoms trimmed and tops run through the slicing blade on a food processor (or sliced by hand) till in fine shreds, 1 T butter, 1 T olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet or wok. Melt the butter into the oil and wait for it to stop foaming. Throw in the shredded sprouts and stir around every couple of minutes. Cook until all the shreds are softened and bright green or yellowish. I like to get them a little browned in areas. If you want, you can add more oil or butter so all the shreds are coated. You can also throw in toasted pecan bits if you are allowed them. This is a great recipe for Thanksgiving or any other nice dinner. Also great just to have around.

Green Beans, East Indian Style–simple, healthy and good eating

1 lb green beans, washed, ends trimmed, and cut into 1 inch sections; 2 tsp olive oil; 1 tsp black mustard seeds; 4 cloves garlic, minced; pinch red pepper flakes; salt and pepper to taste

Blanch green beans for 3-4 minutes and throw into ice cold water to stop the cooking. Drain beans in a colander. Heat the oil in a skillet or wok. Toss in the mustard seeds and heat till they begin to pop. Throw in the garlic and stir and cook for 30 seconds till aromatic. Then put in the red pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds. Put all the beans into the hot oil and spices, salt them, and stir and cook the whole bunch for about 8 minutes over medium heat or till done to your liking.

I hope these three recipes will be helpful during your detox. I’ll be posting more as the next few days and weeks go by.

Announcing our New Acupuncturist, Laura McCoy

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I am thrilled  to announce the arrival of our new associate, Laura McCoy.

Laura is an Iowa City native, having lived in the Seattle area for the last 30 years. She did her undergraduate education in Exercise Physiology, became a Certified Athletic Trainer and worked with pro athletes for many years. In the early 200os she entered acupuncture school in the Seattle area and got her Master’s in Acupuncture. She then worked in one of the most successful acupuncture clinics in the country, where she honed her skills in diagnosis and mastered a powerful method of acupuncture, The Balance Method. After moving on from that clinic, she gained more experience in the complementary medicine field by working in a nutrition clinic. There she gained education about the precise evaluation of patients for their nutritional needs and mastered the use of whole-food-based supplements to support patients’ bodies in healing themselves. This method is based on research and fits with our clinic goal of helping our patients by using dietary therapies in accord with the principles of Oriental medicine.

Laura M has returned from Seattle to Iowa City to be closer to family, and we were very lucky to have her come along. She was aware of Laura C’s reputation and thus sought out our clinic. Laura M is a go-getter and has lots of great ideas about how to promote acupuncture in our area and thus help more people.

Laura M is excited to bring her wide-ranging skills to us. Her enthusiasm and knowledge are impressive. She is committed to enabling patients to heal themselves using whole foods and healthy body therapies. She and Laura C are working many hours at present to integrate her materials and methods into the clinic.

Laura McCoy will be joyfully providing the following services at Acupuncture of Iowa:

—Oriental Medicine assessments through history, tongue, and pulse diagnosis

—Acupuncture, using the Balance Method and Japanese Style in a blended manner

—Nutritional Consultation and Programs in harmony with the principles of Oriental medicine

—Individualized programs for rehabilitation of injuries

—Individualized exercise programs for wellness, strength, and healing

—Individualized treatment of acute and chronic problems with the tools of the athletic trainer

 

Acupuncture and Weight Loss

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You have probably heard about acupuncture for weight loss. And everybody is looking for weight loss.

In the past we tried using the standard ear acupuncture protocol for weight loss, but found that it did not produce the results our clients had hoped for. This was very disappointing, because we really want to help people.

Recently I was reminded about the fact that we can do so much more for people to help with weight loss.

In Oriental Medicine terms, people are overweight because of an imbalance in their system. It could be what we call Spleen Qi deficiency, Excess damp accumulation, or many other possibilities. In our medicine, the focus of a good weight loss program is to rebalance that which is out of balance. That means to support the Qi of the Spleen to improve digestion, reduce sugar cravings, and utilize the energy of food better. Or to rid the body of the excessive dampness that is sitting there in the form of swelling. These are just two examples.

Oriental therapies help optimize all aspects of physiology. This means that people who ‘just can’t lose weight’ actually can be helped. Whatever physiological processes are out of balance can be optimized, resulting in overall health improvement and the natural loss of weight. You could say that their metabolism is improved.

So, the idea is that with our combination of acupuncture treatments and herbal supplementation, as well as sensible dietary advice and moderate lifestyle changes, we can bring the body into a much healthier state, resulting in weight loss. This means no drastic calorie restriction; perhaps no calorie counting at all. It also means personalized treatment plans for each person; no one-size-fits all treatment. It also means that in addition to weight loss, a person would probably find many other things improving at the same time. We call those ‘side benefits’.

So, Oriental medicine, including acupuncture, herbal treatment, sensible eating and activity can result in a healthy body naturally.

We are happy to welcome patients for this type of care.

 

Spring Detox Time Again

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We are all feeling a bit toxic these days. From not exercising as much as usual, from eating the heavier, starchier winter foods, and from breathing that old indoor air for so many months. We feel the beginnings of spring and crave that great feeling of energy. This makes us think of the idea of cleaning up/out our bodies to prepare for warm weather. We might want to lose a little weight, get more energy, or get rid of that old brain fog from the winter. Lots of people come to the clinic asking what I recommend for a spring ‘cleanse’.

Most people don’t know this, but acupuncture treatment helps the body detoxify.

My teacher Miki Shima OMD, used to say that acupuncture is an inherently detoxifying process. By that he meant that it switches on the Liver to more efficiently clear toxins from the body.

For many years we have seen the occasional patient who feels tired or achy the day after the treatment. This is a sign that their body is going through a detoxification process, and the toxins are only halfway out of the system. Once the toxins are gone, they feel a lot better.

Nowadays, know how to avoid having this happen with our clients. And we have some really good strategies to do that.

Consider using acupuncture to help your spring detoxification regimen. Or adding it to a cleanse that you are already doing.

Late Summer: the Earth Element

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Here we are, at the end of the summer. This morning there is a chilly wind but yesterday was hot. The last of the fruits and veges are coming in from the garden. The insects are near the end of their summer cycle, and the corn is drying nicely in the fields. My teacher Sharon speaks of the smell of sweetness at this time of year. Like the smell of apples, just a bit.

In Chinese medicine this time of year is associated with the Earth element and the Spleen. The color is yellow, the taste is sweet, the direction is center. Center. It feels like that.

The Spleen in our medicine is nourished by the flavor of sweetness (not like sugar, more like apple) and we are finding ourselves perhaps thinking about baking again. We are also beginning to think about eating more savory dishes. Indeed, in Chinese medicine, it is thought that eating raw vegetables can damage the Spleen, when one is weak in that organ. So, we are eating fewer raw salads now, and wanting more cooked veges.

This phase of the year also has us thinking more about home. Looking at the insides of our homes and considering the chores we have put off all summer. That is a sort of Earth/center thing. Our home is our center. We have been out in the world having fun all summer, or just outside working in the garden, and now we want to be inside more as it gets cooler.

Yellow as the color for this season makes sense to me because we see grass turning yellow, leaves turning yellow and similar colors, and the corn and beans in Iowa are getting yellow as they dry in the fields. It is also like the yellow sun which is in charge of all this summer bounty coming to its completion.

So, this morning I am off to drive through the fields of Iowa, on my errand to get fresh food from an Amish farm. I am thankful for the opportunity to do this today, to appreciate the late summer.

Feng Shui in the new Acupuncture clinic: Way-finding

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We are finally nearly settled in the new clinic. It has been quite a process. I have had many chances to think about the balance between work and home, and the balance between health and work, and lots about Feng Shui.

One of the topics that I recently heard about at a community meeting, regarding the revitalization of the neighborhood of my clinic, was the concept of ‘way-finding’. I had never thought about this before, but it makes sense. People need to have signals and signs that help them find their way in new and unfamiliar environments. This is, of course, part of Feng Shui.

As we introduce patients to the new clinic we are giving them tours, so they can find the restrooms, see my office and the other treatment rooms, and show them where to check out as they leave. We are lighting the public areas with  incandescent lamps in order to warm the place and make it inviting, and using light to lead people down the hall to their treatment rooms. I have found a nice set of house numbers to label each treatment room, and this also assists people in finding their destination. We have placed signs on the restrooms and keep a small light lit in each one to make it easier for patients to see where they are going.

One of the interesting way-finding problems I encountered was this: my patients were coming over to ‘my side’ of the treatment table to climb onto it. In that process, they were putting glasses, jewelry, purses, and phones on my work surface which houses my instruments. In addition, they were putting their shoes in my way, as I scoot around on my wheelie stool all day.

I did not even know I had this issue of  ‘my space’ and ‘patient space’ until this happened. In my old clinic, I guess things were laid out so that was taken care of in some way. But here, the rooms are smaller, people are getting used to the new place, and they are having trouble figuring out where to go. Way-finding was surely the issue here.

I considered this for some time, and decided that a few simple tools would help. We could use the Feng Shui ‘Ba Gua’ map of the room to assist them. In this map, the area to the right as you walk through the door is correlated with community and helpful friends. So, I realized that is the place to put hooks for them to hang their clothes. We put a little shelf there for glasses, jewelry, phones, and keys, and a spot for shoes and handbags. They can still put their clothes on the chair if they like, but having a designated area will resolve the confusion they are feeling about what is their space.

We also moved the treatment tables so there is a small opening into the area that is my work area. The table is angled in the room, and the corner of it is only about 18 inches from my counter. That opening is so small that people don’t naturally want to go through it. They will prefer to go to the side of the table that is open and easy to reach, and will climb up from there.

And by having them have their space, my feelings about them in my space will be better. They will get onto the treatment table from ‘their side’, and I can work, undisturbed, on ‘my side’.

My work space in the treatment room is across from the door, the area corresponding to reputation, and to the left in the corner, which corresponds to abundance. So, the abundance corner would be at your left hand in the far corner across from you as you stand in the doorway facing into the room. I think that is the best location for me in the room and as I earn my living there.

So, we have improved ‘way-finding’ for patients, helped them even find their way in the tiny treatment rooms, and helped me have a clear designation for my space and their space. This has alleviated my discomfort greatly, and has further improved the patients’ responses to the new space by making it comfortable and inviting for them.

Even without knowing much about the Ba Gua map from Feng Shui and the significance of the parts of the room, you can look at the flow of people, pets, and therefore energy in your space. Look for obstructions and awkward movement problems, sometimes a few small changes can improve things a lot, and therefore improve your feelings and your health.

Huffington Post on Acupuncture

Here is a link that  a friend recently sent. I think it is pretty interesting. Of course, some of the comments I disagree with. Perhaps you should just stick to the text of the article….

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-rosenfeld/should-you-try-acupunctur_b_663421.html

Feng Shui: Wind and Water for Qi and Health

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In the process of preparing my new clinic, I’ve been thinking a lot about Feng Shui. I’ve said before that the words mean wind and water. This morning we have the windows open, for the first time in several days, and I feel a nice breeze coming in. The air is slightly moist, but it feels good to hear birds singing and feel that gentle breeze.

Here is an example of wind and water at work, giving a positive, clean, refreshed feeling. This results in me feeling upbeat and hopeful, energized, and good about things. Ready to begin the day. The breeze (feng) and perfect moisture level of the air (shui) are presented in a perfect balance, so as to bring about a positive experience. The Qi flow around me enhances the Qi that I feel. Later today, the water level in the air may rise, leading to a less pleasant experience, and the breeze may decrease, making the feeling less pleasant and refreshing.

Then, I will improve the wind and water in my home by turning on the air conditioner, to reduce the moisture in the air to a comfortable level, to circulate the air, and to lower the temperature to a comfortable level. So wind and water will be managed in such a way to enhance the Qi of my home.

But did you ever notice that after a few days with the windows closed and a/c on, the air in the house gets sort of dead? The Qi is not good. There is not enough wind to make us feel good, even though the water level in the air is managed. So, running the blower fan on the a/c continuously can really help. Or opening the windows at night to let in some fresh air. Or just keeping fans going at low speeds all the time when the house is closed, as I do. Gotta have that wind for best Qi.

So the ideas of feng shui point to a set of conditions that make us feel  certain ways. Our mind and body are programmed to respond to certain conditions with particular responses.

At the new clinic we have a set of feng shui problems that are nice examples of common obstructions to Qi flow and we will work to correct them. We have a persistent smell of ‘medical clinic’. And no air flow. The air has been sealed up in there for years since the last occupancy, so it is dead. And the smell of medical clinic never leads to a positive experience. Who likes the smell of a hospital? Reminds me of the smell of my aunt’s medical clinic when I was a kid. Very same disinfectant, I think. So the smell evokes memories, not pleasant. And this is not good for our Qi, and for the quality and flow of Qi in the clinic. So today we open the windows and get the fans going to clear out the dead air and bring in wonderful new air with its healthy Qi.

The second problem in the clinic is a degree of filth. There are dead bugs everywhere. Very bad Qi. Dead Qi, in fact. So we need to vacuum those. And the carpets are really dirty. So we remove the old icky ones and thoroughly clean the not so icky ones. Then we will install new flooring in a large area. This will help get rid of the bad Qi that is hanging around. Finally, we need to clean the bathrooms, shine mirrors, scrub sinks to impeccable cleanliness, and basically wash or paint every surface. I think the act of touching every surface, especially touching with water, is a really good way to refresh the Qi. Its like splashing your face with water when you get up. Refreshes in a very basic way. There is water again, where the shui (water) of feng shui points to the enhancing effect of proper use of water. Good Qi.

Yesterday we tested the air handling system at the clinic. We wanted to see how the air flow worked, how noisy the blower was, and how moving the air would change the feel of things. Yes, it helped. The blower is on the roof, so not too noisy, and the air flow is good in every room. So the feng (wind) part of feng shui is improved.

Finally, we will improve the Qi flow by painting a couple of accent walls in the appropriate colors to support the space, based on the colors indicated by the Ba Gua map of feng shui, and position furniture and artwork for best Qi flow. We may have to spend some time thinking about this, but it will be really helpful to the health and positive experience of our patients, and to the health and energy of the people that work in the clinic. We will use the feng shui map of the clinic to help us with the location of furniture, to choose function of rooms, and to correct anything that blocks the Qi flow through the clinic.

I always say that I paint the colors of the walls a color that vitalizes me because I am the one who has to be there the most. I know that the current decorating trend of using neutrals, gold tones with red and earth tones, and possibly olive green tones makes me feel pretty icky. I am definitely a winter in the old color-me-beautiful scheme.  I look best in jewel tones and I feel best when looking at them. I don’t care that they are currenly not in fashion. (But thank goodness some magenta showed up on the racks this summer.) So I have a good idea already of what colors will energize me in the clinic.

After bringing home paint samples the other night, I did a test to see which exact off-white would be best for me. I had avoided choosing any that had a greenish, rustish, brownish, or greyish tinge, as I knew those would be bad for me. I stuck to ones that had a pink, cream, or peach tinge. Not blue, as I don’t want the clinic to be cold. But warm in a jewel tone way. So sitting with these color samples in front of me, I took them one by one and looked at the color. While looking, I turned my attention inward to see how my energy responded to the color. Looking at certain ones, I felt a gentle electric type of feeling in my hands and head, like I wanted to jump up and do something. Looking at others, I felt a bit tired, like I should lie down and rest. Interesting. I noted the energizing ones.

Then, just for kicks, I did the same exercise, but this time I looked at the backs of the samples. Color side down, I focused my intention on each card, one by one. This time I knew I would eliminate any pre-judgement I had about what I liked or what was best. Guess what. Yes, I chose the same samples. Now I have it down to two off-whites.

Now I don’t want anyone to accuse me of being crazy or psychic, but I do believe that we each have an electromagnetic field and that it is in contact with the fields of everything around us, and that since color has a bit to do with light, and since light is electromagnetic energy…..It is just a matter of being able to turn my attention to my inner experience to sense my response to a particular energy field. Maybe woo woo, maybe physics, maybe both. But certainly a fun experiment.

So, I have chosen my paint colors, and have a specific plan of what we need to do to prepare the new clinic. And the wind and water will work wonderfully to optimize the Qi of the clinic, and the Qi of everyone who passes through it.

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