How is Your Mood?

A Hard Time of Year
Okay, so we live in Florida. Most of the country envies our winter weather! However, while we do still get a lot of sunshine in the winter, many people are still impacted by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The combination of shorter days, colder weather keeping people indoors and holiday doldrums can leave a lot of people feeling quite low. Some signs of SAD are lower energy, crying, depressed mood, social withdrawal, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, overeating and lowered sex drive. Perhaps depression and low mood is something you struggle with in general, and it's heightened in winter.

Acupuncture Can Help SAD and Other Mood Issues
The good news is that there are many natural therapies that can help SAD. I'll go ahead and talk about acupuncture first. Acupuncture, in general, is great for depression and low mood. We've treated hundreds of patients with mood disorders with excellent results. Specifically, for SAD, we can use a special point to help stimulate the pineal gland. The pineal gland secretes melatonin which makes us drowsy and sleepy. In darker months, more melatonin is often secreted. By stimulating the pineal gland with acupuncture, we can help the patient feel more awake and less lethargic. We also use points to calm irritability (we treat the liver meridian in Chinese Medicine terms) and lift the spirit (which is related to the heart in Chinese Medicine). A typical course of acupuncture treatment for SAD and Depression would be a series of 10 treatments, delivered twice a week for the first couple of weeks and then once a week after that. Some patients find that a monthly maintenance treatment is also useful after their initial course of treatments. Acupuncture can often work fast for depression, sometimes showing results after just a couple of treatments. Greater long-term results will be apparent after the treatment plan is complete.

Other Holistic Treatments
There are several other treatments that are all natural and have been shown effective for SAD.

1.) Light Therapy - Light Therapy is a very specialized treatment for SAD and involves using a specially designed lamp. This light source emits light in wavelengths that mimic the sun's health and mood enhancing rays, but minimizes harmful rays. Light therapy is done in the morning to help boost mood and energy in the beginning of the day, and can help reset the body's internal clock. Light therapy is generally pretty well accepted by patients without too many side effects, though if you have bipolar disorder you should talk to a light therapy expert, as in some people with bipolar disorder it isn't well tolerated. There are numerous lamps out there. I've seen good results with the Lumos 2.0, available on Amazon. I personally like to start using light therapy in late fall as a preventative measure.

2.) Get into the sun in the winter whenever possible. Go outside at morning or mid-day when the sun is the brightest. Be in the sun or 15-20 minutes without sunscreen on and get the sun on your arms, face and chest (as the weather will allow, again, we are lucky here in Florida!). Obviously, don't stay out long enough to get burned!

3.) Eat Vitamin D rich foods and supplement with at least 1,000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily (make sure to get this type of Vitamin D). Foods high in vitamin D are fatty fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel, cod liver oil, egg yolks, beef liver and fortified foods like cow's milk and nut milk (however, these fortified foods often don't have the best form of vitamin D for your body to absorb). You may need a larger dose, even up to 10,000 IU per day if your levels are low. Ask your doctor for a 25(OH)d test. There is controversy over the optimal levels of vitamin D in the blood, but make sure that you are at least above 30 ng/ml. Anything below that is very deficient. Some resources, such as the Vitamin D Council, say that levels between 40-80 are optimal (this is a higher recommendation than what you will typically see on the lab reference range). Yes, you CAN get too much, so make sure you test a few months after you start taking a supplement, especially if you are taking higher doses. I'll reiterate that it is important to get tested! You don't want to be taking too low of a dose or too high of a dose.

4.) Make sure to get some physical movement in every day, whenever possible. Even 20 minutes of moderate walking can brighten mood.

5.) Also, make sure to rest. Winter is a season where we naturally should be hibernating a little bit, so if you feel like sleeping a little bit more, let yourself. Just don't overdo it too much, as sleeping the day away can make symptoms worse.

6.) Eat well, emphasizing whole foods. Don't stress if you have a little indulgence now and again, but focus on fresh veggies and low-glycemic fruits, meats, nuts and seeds, eggs and beans and grains in their whole form (not processed). I love The Healthy Mind Cookbook for ideas.

7.) Work on increasing gratitude in your life. Write down at least three things you are grateful for each day. Once we start doing that, we realize there is always, always something to be grateful for! Having a gratitude practice has been proven to boost mood.

8.) Know that this will pass. It is the natural rhythm of life to have up periods and down periods. All of nature goes through this as well. Do whatever you can to feel better, but know that you will be okay in the end and this too shall pass. Offer yourself compassion and understanding. Don't beat yourself up for feeling sad or low. You are a human being and this is normal to go through! You will feel better eventually.

Did someone turn up the heat in NE Florida? Get ready for some HOT days ahead. Here are a few tips for having a healthy summer...naturally!

• Minimizing Chlorine Toxicity

Summer usually means pool parties. Chlorine and other chemicals are necessary for keeping our pools hygienic, but they can be pretty toxic to our bodies. Instead of swearing off pools entirely (who could do that in Florida?), just follow a few guidelines. 

1. Shower before and after entering the pool. This helps the    chlorine not be absorbed into your body as much
2. Swim in outdoor pools when possible because the chlorine gets off-gassed into the air and isn't as concentrated
3. Wear a mask keep water out of your eyes
4. Swim in fresh water when possible

• Choose a Safe Sunscreen

Most people are very vitamin D deficient, even here in Florida. Take about 10-15 minutes when you go into the sun without putting sunscreen on. After that, use a non-toxic mineral based (instead of chemical based) sunscreen that contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as the active ingredient. These ingredients create a physical, rather than a chemical, screen against the sun. Some good brands to look for include Aubrey, All Terrain and Alba. You can search the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database for healthy products.

• Eat and Drink Cooling Foods

According to acupuncture and Chinese medicine theory, heat is a pathogen that can cause disease in the body. Heat can be acquired from things happening inside of the body (such as inflammation) or can invade from the exterior of the body (like our 90+ days here in Jax). Acupuncture treatments and herbal medicine can help eliminate heat from the body when necessary. You can also help by eating cooling foods. According to Chinese medicine dietary theory, these would be some good foods to include in your diet this summer:

• alfalfa sprouts
• apple
• asparagus
• broccoli
• cabbage
• celery
• chard
• clam
• cucumber
• egg white
• grapefruit
• hibiscus tea
• lettuce
• mint
• mung beans
• persimmon
• radish
• tomato
• watermelon

In general, eating more fresh veggies and salad this time of year is a good idea. Fried and heavy foods are very heating, as is alcohol. You can still have some of these foods, just keep them in moderation. Be sure to drink plenty of fresh water. Coconut water is also an excellent choice and is a great natural substitution for Gatorade.

Happy Heart Health Month!

Several studies confirm that acupuncture can help with heart problems such as high blood pressure, angina and even heart failure.

One way that acupuncture works for physical heart health is that is helps the body to relax deeply and get out of what is called sympathetic nervous system dominance. The sympathetic nervous system response to stress is also known as "fight or flight." Being in fight or flight mode is detrimental to heart function as it increases blood pressure and heart rate. This study, as well as this study show that acupuncture can help calm this fight or flight response.

However, there is a lesser known way that acupuncture can improve heart health...and it has to do with emotions.

According to the ancient theories of Chinese medicine, the heart is the supreme ruler, or the emperor, of the body. It governs blood and blood vessels, just like in western medicine. However, the heart also notably presides over something called "Shen." Shen loosely translates into "spirit" or "mind." It is said that the Shen rules all mental activities, consciousness, mental health and even our presence. According to Chinese medicine, you can detect Shen in someone's eyes, which will be bright and shiny when the Shen is healthy. It is also said that the Shen comes out during the day and then retires at night into the heart. So, if the Shen is unhealthy or disturbed in some way this can produce problems with sleep. Another common Shen presentation I see in my clinic is anxiety.

The signs of disturbed Shen in Chinese medicine are typically insomnia, restlessness, feelings of the heart pounding or racing (palpitations), anxiety, unclear or disturbed thoughts, nightmares, poor memory and even mania and delirium when at an extreme.

Acupuncture treatments to help the Shen are focused on bringing peace and calming to the body and mind. Acupuncture points are often used on the head, on the ears or on the inner arm (the heart meridian) to help soothe and calm the Shen. 

Here we are, in the thick of the holiday season and overindulgence in food and alcohol abounds. 

Many people want to get back on track with their health and wellness after the holiday season--and rightly so. 

I personally like to complete a purifying cleanse program several times a year. It keeps me feeling my best and I believe there are important reasons we should focus making sure we are detoxifying appropriately. Some of these reasons are:

• Increased toxicity in our environment and food
• Increased synthetic endocrine disruptors (mostly estrogens)
• Detoxifying helps with weight loss goals
  
• Detoxifying can improve many health complaints

If you are wondering about some of the symptoms that may be improved through completing a cleanse, please download the Toxicity Questionnaire below. This form is completed before the cleanse and after the cleanse to mark progress.

I recently completed a "light" version of my cleanse for two weeks after Thanksgiving (I wasn't following it strictly but I was eating clean and using some of the products). I plan to do the complete version in the new year. However, even with my "light" version, I lost a few inches from my waist (my jeans were fitting well again!) and I noticed I felt calmer and happier (less anxiety!). I can't wait to do the full version!

I use a 21 Day program from the trusted nutritional company Standard Process. This is NOT a program that starves you or uses unsafe synthetic substances. It used whole food supplements along with a very clean eating plan. The program was actually studied at Logan College of Chiropractic and the results were statistically significant reductions in weight and blood pressure following the program.

Using acupuncture and Chinese medicine is an effective strategy for losing unwanted pounds when combined with healthy dietary and lifestyle approaches. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine addresses weight loss from several different approaches: 

1.     Acupuncture reduces stress. A recent study conducted at Georgetown University shows that acupuncture reduces stress hormones, including cortisol. It has been shown that excess cortisol raises blood sugar and thus stores fat, especially around the middle. If someone is under a lot of stress, it can be very hard to lose weight, even if they are eating well. Reducing cortisol will also improve sleep, which is also a player in weight loss.

2.     Acupuncture optimizes digestion and boosts metabolism. In Chinese medicine, digestion is of utmost importance. If digestion is faulty and food isn’t properly processed, it can lead to the accumulation of what is called “Dampness” in the body. Dampness can be translated as excess body fat according to acupuncture theory. Certain acupuncture points, lifestyle changes and herbal formulas can effectively resolve dampness. In addition, the metabolism of the body can be seen as “Yang” energy in Chinese medicine. Balancing Yin and Yang, as well as other energies in the body can help to optimize metabolism, which is also related to thyroid function.

3.     Helping to manage cravings and feelings that can lead to emotional eating. Often eating a healthy diet is a challenge when strong emotions are involved. Almost everyone uses food as a form of comfort from time to time. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine addresses emotional imbalances beautifully, and can be a wonderful adjunct to psychotherapy to address depression and anxiety. Certain ear points are stimulated with small metal seeds (not needles ) between treatments to help calm cravings and reduce anxiety.

4.     Acupuncture can boost energy so that a person can be physically active. If fatigue is a problem, acupuncture can help! Being active is key maintaining a healthy lifestyle.


Check out our Integrative Weight Loss Program at Florida Pathways to Health for a comprehensive and cutting edge approach to weight loss.

Before we know it, it will be winter here in Jacksonville. It's hard to believe when the temps are still in the 90's!

Are you someone who seems to get every bug that makes it's way around the city when the cold weather comes?

Here are a few tips to boost your immune system:

• Limit or completely avoid intake of refined sugar. Sugar hugely inhibits the immune system.
• Exercise regularly.
• Receive weekly acupuncture treatments for 6-8 weeks before cold and flu season. Specific acupuncture points can boost the immune function.
• Find ways to manage stress. Stress inhibits immune function.
• Make sure you are getting proper sleep. Ask me how if you are having trouble.
• Ask about herbal medicine for an immune boost. Certain herbs given before cold season can prevent colds.
• Take the zinc challenge test in our office. A simple in-office test can screen for zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency is widespread and is a common factor in a deficient immune system.
• For goodness sake, wash your hands!
• Eat regular, warm, home-cooked meals. In Chinese medicine, the digestive tract and diet is closely related to the function of the respiratory system. Lung problems like colds and flus and a weakened defensive system can stem from improper digestive function.

Whether you've got an acute injury such as a sprained ankle or long-term chronic pain such as fibromyalgia, headaches or arthritis, I approach pain relief from multiple levels and disciplines. All of these approaches have no potential for addiction or dependance, and have no harmful side effects. Additionally, some of these approaches (especially acupuncture) can be used along with prescription or non-prescription pain-killers to reduce the required dosage.

First, it is important to get you out of pain. It is also important to address the root cause of the pain, especially if it is chronic. If the pain is acute it is of course important to get you out of pain quickly, but also make sure that inflammation is addressed as well as structural re-alinement so that the pain doesn't become chronic.

Here are some of the ways I address pain:

• Acupuncture-acupuncture is great for many ailments, but it is probably best known for treating pain. Needles are very thin and usually have minimal feeling for the patient. Patients usually need an average of 8 treatments to help relieve pain, but will usually feel results after just 1 or 2 treatments. Needles may be placed at the site of pain, but are also more often placed in areas where there isn't any pain. According to traditional Chinese energetic meridian theory, using needles even away from the pain can often be the most effective. Needles placed in the ear are also extremely effective for pain. The acupuncture needles may sometimes be stimulated by a gentle electrical current, which is a great strategy for pain relief. The electrical stimulation is usually pleasant to people receiving the therapy.
  
• Cupping-cupping is a type of bodywork where plastic or glass cups are applied to the painful area and the air is removed from the cup, creating a suction. It is great for moving blood and lymph through the painful area, thus decreasing pain and stagnation. Many people have heard of cupping because of the characteristic marks that are sometimes left from the therapy. On a side note, cupping can be used for other things besides pain, such as detox or the common cold.
• Patches & Ointments-There are several types of Chinese herbal patches and ointments that can help with pain relief, especially in acute injury. There are also nutritional substances that when applied to the body can relax tight and sore muscles, such as topical magnesium.
  
• Diet and Nutritional Supplements-I may recommend an anti-inflammatory diet or nutritional supplements that decrease inflammation to support your pain relief program. Food allergies may need to be identified through special testing because unidentified food allergies can contribute to systemic inflammation and chronic painful conditions.
  
• Herbal Medicine-Herbal medicine, especially Chinese herbal medicine, has many great strategies for addressing both chronic and acute pain. Does your pain flare up when it rains? Does your pain flare up when you sleep? Is your pain in the upper or lower part of your body, or in the low back? All of these things mean something in Chinese medicine and we can address them with herbal formulas.
  
• Exercises-I may prescribe certain exercises like stretches, foam rolling or relaxation exercises.
• Meditation-numerous studies show that meditation and mindfulness can help a great deal with chronic pain. For those patients that are interested, I may recommend a meditation program to assist with pain relief.
  
• Referrals to Other Practitioners-I am a firm believer in multidisciplinary care. I love to refer out to massage therapists, chiropractors, physical therapists, psychologists and other professionals who I believe could assist you in getting out of pain. Often using a multidisciplinary approach is what works the best!

What has been your experience with natural pain relief? What has worked best for you? What methods would you like to try?

Stagnation of qi (energy) is one of the most basic causes for disease in Chinese medicine--and a lot of us have it, especially if there is chronic stress in our lives.

Stagnation can manifest as pain in the body, digestive upset, tightness in the shoulders, chest or other parts of the body, a lump in the throat or stomach, depression of the spirit, sighing, mood swings and anger, hormonal imbalances (especially PMS) and more.

In Chinese medicine there must be smooth flow of energy in order to be healthy and happy.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can greatly improve qi stagnation. However, it is equally important for you to help yourself. If you start noticing behaviors, thoughts, patterns and activities that lead to stagnation and actively interrupt them, it will help alleviate the stagnation.

Ways to help yourself relieve stagnation:

• Notice when your shoulders are tense or you are holding/tightening any part of your body and actively let it relax. Common places for holding tension are the shoulders, neck and jaw. Some people will even notice their arms or legs may tighten. Start paying attention to where and when you tighten. Tightening in the body in response to certain people or situations can be a good clue that we need to remove ourselves from the interaction.
  

• Notice when you are thinking thoughts or having emotions that lead to anger, resentment or frustration. When you are having these emotions, just notice them and try not to get too bogged down in them. Try to figure out how to release them. Often forgiveness and acceptance of yourself and others is a good place to start. There is a Chinese medicine saying that "the qi follows the mind and the mind follows the qi." This means that our thoughts and emotions impact the smooth flow of qi throughout the body, and can lead to disease in the body as well as the mind. Please don't repress your emotions, as this can lead to even more stagnation. Instead, notice the emotion and experiment with accepting and releasing the emotion.
  

• If you are very inactive or sit for long periods of time, get moving. Exercise relieves qi stagnation. Just getting up to stretch and mobilize your joints can help quite a bit.

• Start noticing what is going on with your breath. The breath moves qi and is also qi itself. If you hold your breath, qi cannot flow. In stressful situations, we often hold our breath and some of us get into this pattern even when not under stress. Start paying attention to the breath and breathing deep into the belly when possible.
• Try to look at your lifestyle and see if you need to modify it. If your schedule is driving you crazy and leading to stagnation, it will be hard to fully regain your health and relieve your stress. Our modern world is demanding, and sometimes we have to learn to say no to one more commitment, project or dinner party. Having some unstructured time each day (or at least a few days a week) is helpful to allow the qi to flow.
  

Do you have any tips you would like to add?

The paleo diet, sometimes called the caveman diet, was devised by nutrition researcher Loren Cordain based on his work looking for what our paleolithic ancestors ate. The first edition of the paleo diet book came out in 2001, but it didn't receive broad popularity until around 2011-2012. There have been many other books published based on paleo diet principles since that original book in 2001, one popular one is Practical Paleo, which I've even seen sold at Costco.

So why is this diet so popular? For one, many health practitioners have found this diet and slight variations of this diet very helpful for resolving chronic health conditions such as diabetes, autoimmune issues and of course, obesity. The diet has also gotten popular at Crossfit gyms, which has help it spread. I was told once that because many men work-out at crossfit gyms (of course women do too), the diet has enjoyed more popularity that many other diets, since traditionally mostly women are more likely to adopt different diets for weight loss. It is also a diet that can appeal to many well-educated people, because it is a whole foods diet based on mostly sound nutritional components. However, like all diets it comes under fire often from people holding different dietary beliefs.

So what can you eat ON the paleo diet? The basics are that you are to eat like our hunter and gatherer ancestors: meat (preferably wild and/or organic and free-range), nuts and seeds, fruits, eggs and lots of veggies. Grains, beans, corn, dairy, sugar, bread and all processed foods don't make the paleo cut.

So, is this diet a "good" and healthy diet? There are a lot of reasons I like the paleo diet, and some reasons I think twice about it.

Reasons to like paleo:

• The paleo diet is a whole foods/real foods diet, meaning it isn't processed.
• It paleo diet is lower in simple carbohydrates than the standard American diet, thus much better on blood sugar, and also a diet that promotes weight loss.
• The paleo diet removes common allergens like gluten, wheat, soy, and milk/cheese/dairy, making many people feel a lot better eating "paleo." These foods in Chinese medicine are said to promote "dampness" in the body, which can create symptoms such and indigestion, headaches and obesity.
  
• The diet is much higher in vegetables than a standard diet.
  

Reasons to think twice about paleo:

• Sometimes paleo dieters can swing a little out of balance. For so long we were told by the "nutrition authorities" that fat and meat was bad for us, bad for our hearts and bad for our waistlines. Luckily, research is starting to catch up with the simple fact that fat isn't bad (at least the right kinds of fat). However, some people who adopt a paleo diet swing perhaps too far in the opposite direction, maybe eating too much meat and fat than their bodies can handle. I believe nutrition is about balance, and that we should strive for that.
• While eggs and meats can be healthy, quality matters. Eating organic, pastured and grass-fed is important for your health, and while most paleo dieters know this, it can be hard to practice because of monetary and convenience issues.
  
• There are other healthy diets out there. I like what are called "ancestral diets" or "traditional diets," of which the paleo diet falls under. Ancestral diets seek to emulate how our ancestors ate before food was industrially processed. There are many good ancestral-style diets to check out: a Mediterranean style diet (allows beans and grains), a Weston A. Price style diet (allows beans, grains and dairy, the emphasis is on preparing them as our ancestors did), a Primal style diet (like a paleo diet, but with dairy and more saturated fat), and the Perfect Health Diet (allows more carbohydrates than the paleo diet, as long as they are certain types of carbohydrates) are some. Since the paleo diet can be rather restrictive, if you don't need to be on the diet for a certain reason, you might be able to find another style of healthy diet for you.
• There is a lot of controversy about eating meat and environmental sustainability. The common paradigm is that eating meat is bad for the planet, but there are others that challenge this notion. So, this is something to consider when choosing ANY diet.
  

I always say that you are the best judge of what type of diet you should eat. However, choosing a proper diet for you does take body awareness, some education on the basics of good nutrition and of course the patience to experiment and revise when necessary. I believe "paleo" can be healthy for many people, but it may not be a long-term diet solution for everyone.

Vegan. Vegetarian. Gluten-Free. Paleo. Raw. Primal. Macrobiotic. Low-Carb. Low-Fat. Grain-Free. Dairy-Free. No red meat. No eggs.

Do you ever get confused by nutrition news and fads? I've been studying nutrition for over seven years and practicing it clinically for several and I still sometimes get frustrated by dogmatic dieters and the crazy-making and contradictory nutrition stories that pervade our media.

It's enough to make almost anyone scream..."please, someone just tell me what to eat!"

Here's my philosophy: we are all unique. I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach for nutrition and diet. I don't believe that a vegetarian diet is good for everyone, but I believe it is appropriate and healthy for some people. This is just as I believe that some people absolutely need good quality animal protein in their diets. Usually it is not that any one or two foods are "bad," it's just that they are out of balance with others in the diet. Also, a particular food might not be the best for you but it is fine and even healthy for someone else. When helping patients with their diet, I find it is best to consider many factors. It is essential to not choose a diet based on what the media says is best, what the celebrities are currently eating or what your best friend swears by. It is best to find a diet that works for YOU. This is your own personal diet that promotes the best health possible for YOU and YOU alone. Keep reading below to learn more about the factors I consider when I help patients learn about their bodies and choose a diet that works for them.

There are some tried and true fundamentals to good nutrition. These principles should be present in every person's healthy diet. Some of these are:

• appropriate balance of macronutrients--fats, carbohydrates and protein
• sufficient micro-nutrients--vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids (from fats) and amino acids (from protein)
  
• hydration
• lots of antioxidants and bioflavanoids from vegetables and fruits (not to mention fiber)
• whole-food, real-food, unprocessed food
  
• blood-sugar regulation
• low-inflammatory load

There are also health reasons one might choose a certain diet, such as:

• diabetes or hypoglycemia
  
• digestive problems
• cancer recovery
• autoimmune disease
• weight-loss
• allergies--food or environmental
  
• autism
• body-building
• chronic pain
  

There are also other factors when choosing a diet that's right for you:

• religious, cultural and spiritual considerations
• climatic and seasonal considerations (for example, a raw foods diet may be appropriate for someone in Miami, but not Alaska)
• a person's genetic inheritance and their blood type (there is evidence that different ethnic groups and blood types evolved to tolerate foods differently, making one person more predisposed to a certain diet or foods than another person)
• a person's metabolic type
  
• personal taste preferences for foods
• cost and budget
• food preparation time and effort
  

I will also add that is it helpful to be flexible about diet. Perhaps a diet that has worked for you for awhile (or even years) is no longer the correct diet for YOU. Or maybe the diet that comes highly recommended by some source for whatever condition you have really isn't the best one for YOU. Always be adaptable and flexible when needed.

There are many good types of whole foods diets out there. Even some of the popular new diets are nutritionally sounds, like the paleo diet. However, most people will still need to make modifications for their particular needs, while still following the foundations above for a healthy diet.

So you can see, diet and nutrition is a very personal matter. It is something for you to experiment with, and it can be helpful to work with a health practitioner that is both knowledgeable about different dietary approaches for different health conditions, and who will help you find the best diet to fit YOU. When working with you on diet I will always respect your dietary preferences and needs, while still educating you on options that might lead to more optimal health.