by Cara Michele Nether, L.Ac.,M.Ac., NADA RT

Since the 1960′s acupuncture and oriental medicine have raised questions in the United States about how health and wellness are viewed in other places around the world. Acupuncture is the oldest continuously practiced medical system in the world and is used by one-third of the world’s population as a primary health-care system. When you stop and think about it, that’s a lot of people. What is all the hoopla about anyway? What are they talking about when throwing out phrases and terms like “Qi” and “preventive medicine,” “natural,” and “holistic medicine”? The intention of this article is to fill in some of the gaps you may have about acupuncture and its uses.

Acupuncture is one part of a medical system called oriental medicine. Some of the other parts are herbs, meditation, moving meditations like Tai Chi or Qi Gong, body work and nutrition. Oriental medicine believes that every living being has a vital life-giving energy that is called Qi, pronounced “chee.” The whole point of acupuncture is to move Qi. If our Qi is not moving freely and evenly throughout our bodies, symptoms begin to surface and we don’t feel well. A great example of this is a headache. Headaches are usually a sign of either an overabundance or a lack of Qi in our heads. An acupuncturist would meet with you and decide to bring more Qi into that area or move out the excess Qi that is already there. The next time you get a headache, check in and ask yourself, “Does my head feel really tight and full or empty in places?” Doing this will help you learn to tune into your body’s symptoms.

From the perspective of Oriental medicine, acupuncture is viewed as “natural” because nothing is added to our bodies. The job of an acupuncturist is to encourage the smooth flow of the energy that is already present. This is really empowering. When we need support from a professional, it does not mean we are defective or broken. We already have everything that we need inside ourselves. We only need assistance redirecting our energies.

The term “holistic medicine” refers to the belief that illnesses are not separate from the whole person. In other words, oriental medicine practitioners, even if they specialize in a particular ailment, won’t look at that ailment without considering what else is going on in your life. Let’s use the example of an ulcer. Acupuncturists believe that an ulcer does not manifest out of thin air. There is a reason or root cause for our discomfort. Instead of only making the ulcer pain go away, acupuncturists want to understand why your body is giving off this warning sign in the form of pain in your abdominal area. Are you drinking enough water, are you anxious at work, are you angry with your partner, are you eating foods that don’t agree with your stomach? By paying attention and noticing the very first signs of stomach discomfort, your acupuncturist can work with you to connect it to some behavior and avoid it the next time by making the necessary lifestyle shifts.

The emphasis on learning to listen to our bodies is why acupuncture is also useful as a preventive medicine. Acupuncture not only keeps our energy moving, which eliminates the excess accumulation or deficiency of Qi, but it teaches us to pay attention to our bodies’ signals when something is wrong. When we have small aches, pains, worries, angers, or disappointments, we can notice them and make shifts before they become major illnesses or even disease.

Now that we have covered some of the general aspects of acupuncture, let’s look at some of the more commonly asked questions.

Does acupuncture hurt? The sensations that clients experience during acupuncture range from nothing at all to a brief ache or heaviness. Some points are more sensitive than others. Patients describe the sensations as fleeting and often deeply relaxing.

Is acupuncture covered by insurance? Acupuncture is one of the benefits most requested of insurance companies. Coverage can range from 0% to 100%. Come in for a free consultation and we can check on your coverage for you.

Are the needles safe? Yes. Sterile, disposable needles are used. They are used once and then disposed of immediately.

If you are looking for another way to deal with your pain, allow yourself to explore a little.  The acupuncturists at Women in Wellness are happy to sit with you to see if and how we can help.  Our goal is to help our clients resolve their issues and have a great experience doing so.

If you would like a free acupuncture consultation, contact either myself at cm@womeninwellnessmd.com or Kidada Fields at kidada@womeninwellnessmd.com or call us at 410-296-4028.

In partnership,

Cara Michele

3  cups water
1  cup dried red kidney beans
1  cup chopped onion
1  cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4  cup chopped celery
1  teaspoon dried thyme
1  teaspoon paprika
3/4  teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2  teaspoon black pepper
1/2  (14-ounce) package turkey, pork, and beef smoked sausage, thinly sliced (such as Healthy Choice)
1  bay leaf
5  garlic cloves, minced
1/2  teaspoon salt
3  cups hot cooked long-grain rice
1/4  cup chopped green onions

Combine first 12 ingredients in an electric slow cooker. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 5 hours. Discard bay leaf; stir in salt. Serve over rice; sprinkle servings evenly with green onions.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup bean mixture, 3/4 cup rice, and 1 tablespoon green onions)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 413(5% from fat); FAT 2.5g (sat 0.7g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 21.1g; CHOLESTEROL 18mg; CALCIUM 102mg; SODIUM 749mg; FIBER 10.1g; IRON 6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 76.3g

Cooking Light, January 2001

For generations woman have suffered with difficult menstrual periods. Many use pain killers & birth control as the answer, unaware of alternative ways to address the issues.  Use of these drugs do not address the root cause but mask the symptoms and come with negative side effects like infertility, stomach problems,  and hormonal imbalances.   In addition, with no guidance, our daughters are blindly walking the drug path for years to come. Tune into this 5 part webinar series lead by Kidada N. Fields, acupuncturist, as she looks at the menstrual cycle through the lens of Chinese Medicine.  You will learn underlying causes of PMS, and irregular, painful, heavy & missing menses and given tools to help help you & your loved ones have happier periods.

Mothering the Menses (Part 1) – The Emotional Rollercoaster.  Do you experience anger, irritation, or  bouts of crying around your period?  Are you and your loved ones suffering because of this? Join Kidada as she looks at the emotional aspect of the period and explains how Chinese herbs & acupuncture address this. Thursday, January 26th, 7:00 pm

Mothering the Menses (Part 2) – Addressing the Pain. Do you suffer from painful menses?  There are alternatives to taking 600 mg of painkillers for the next 20 years, and Kidada will share them in this webinar.  Kidada will provide invaluable information about possible causes of menstrual pain and discuss herbal formulas like Xiao Yao San and Xiao Chai Hu Tang that are successfully used to alleviate this pain. You will also learn acupressure points used to promote smoother and less painful menses. Thursday, February 23rd, 7:00 pm

Mothering the Menses (Part 3) – Heavy Menses. Heavy Bleeding during the menses can be very upsetting not to mention draining. There are different reasons why some women bleed so heavily.  Join Kidada as she helps define what is considered to be “heavy bleeding,” analyzes some of the causes, including the possible presence of uterine fibroids, and offers suggestions on how to begin reducing the flow. Thursday March 22nd, 7:00 pm

Contact Kidada at kidada@womeninwellnessmd.com or 410-296-4028 to register for the webinar.

1 bunch lacinato (dinosaur) kale, thick stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
4 cups shredded red cabbage (about one small head)
2 navel oranges or clementines, peeled and segmented
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about one small orange)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. ground black pepper

In a large bowl combine vegetables, oranges and seeds.

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preparation

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.

Combine pumpkin, butter, and eggs, and add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in chopped apple, and spoon into greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full.

Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; sprinkle evenly over muffins.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks.

Yield: 2 dozen

Southern Living, OCTOBER 1996

Cooking Light staffer Rita Kinnamon-Jackson tinkered with her father’s original meat loaf-style burger by replacing the ground beef with ground turkey and using chili powder instead of pepper for a flavor boost. But this recipe remains true to the spirit of the original. “My dad would be so proud that his mini-meatloaf on a bun was such a hit,” she says. The patties might seem a little wet, but they bind together nicely once they begin to cook. Because they’re delicate, a grill pan works best.

Ingredients
1 cup regular oats
1 cup finely chopped Vidalia onion
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
Cooking spray
6 (2-ounce) onion sandwich buns, toasted
4 curly leaf lettuce leaves
6 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato

Preparation
Combine first 7 ingredients. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each roll; top each serving with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and top half of roll.

Yield
6 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 394(30% from fat); FAT 13.2g (sat 4.7g,mono 4.1g,poly 4.2g); PROTEIN 26.1g; CHOLESTEROL 73mg; CALCIUM 97mg; SODIUM 946mg; FIBER 4.5g; IRON 4.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 43.6g

Cooking Light, June 2003

by Renee Rainbow, LMT

Stress enters our lives from many different directions. A common one is dealing with physical pain. Living with chronic pain can be quite exhausting.  It gradually wears on a person until there is simply no energy left to do something about it.  We know that getting a massage or taking a vacation or even getting in for a regular check up with the doctor would be really good for us. But do we schedule that appointment?  No.  Life is just too busy, especially if we are busy caring for families and careers and all those things around us that keep us busy and push our own needs to the back burner.  We put ourselves last on the list of care taking duties.   We get tired, irritable, just downright unhappy.   Did you know that your happiness, or lack thereof, can affect everyone around you?  Well, it does.  In fact, not only does it affect those around you, but also those around them, and those around them. Happiness seems to be contagious and researchers repeatedly find clusters of happy and unhappy people:

In a 2008 study, researchers Fowler and Christakis set out to evaluate whether happiness scan spread from person to person and whether niches of happiness form within social networks. The findings resulted in discovering that people’s happiness depends on the happiness of others with whom they are connected. This provides further justification for seeing happiness as a collective phenomenon.

Not only that, but chronic pain leads to constant stress which is the base cause of so many degenerative diseases. So, when you are putting yourself last on that list of people to make happy, you are actually interfering with the happiness of those around you.

Massage can help relieve chronic pain in the body. It relieves muscle tension, spasm, and stiffness. All of these contribute to pain. Experts suggest that tense muscles are usually deprived of oxygen, because the tightness reduces blood circulation to the area. Massage improves blood circulation, bringing with it what the muscle needs-oxygen and other forms of nourishment. The muscle then relaxes, and pain decreases.

Some essential oils you can use for pain such as the essential oil blend called PanAway®  which can be applied directly to the area of pain.  Other pain relieving oils are marjoram for muscles, peppermint and lavender.  Deep Relief is another blend that comes with a roll on applicator that is wonderful for pain relief and very easy to apply to any area of pain. Some essential oils forhappiness are the essential oil blend of Joy™. Joy™ contains the oil of rose and rose is the highest vibration on the planet.  Breathe in the scent of the oil which goes into the limbic system of the brain to make an immediate change in our mood, also apply the oil over the heart.  Citrus essential oils are also very uplifting such as lemon, tangerine and orange.

So pick up the phone right now. Order some essential oils and make that appointment.  Take some time off and take a step towards your own happiness and pain relief.  Start treating yourself better and dozens of people around youwill benefit from your happiness.

Renee Rainbow, LMT
Licensed Massage Therapist / Young Living Essential Oils
renee@womeninwellnessmd.com
443-326-1367
www.youngliving.org/reneerainbow

The goat cheese rounds are baked at a high temperature to crisp the breadcrumb coating and heat the cheese just enough to melt when you cut into one.

Ingredients
6 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tsp chopped fresh or 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (4-ounce) packages goat cheese
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 pound uncooked fettuccine
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°

Place squash and bell pepper in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil; toss well. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and black pepper. Bake at 425° for 40 minutes, stirring once.

Place goat cheese in freezer 10 minutes. Cut cheese crosswise into 8 equal rounds. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Dredge each round in breadcrumbs; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 6 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Return pasta to pan; add reserved pasta cooking water, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and garlic, tossing to coat. Place 1 1/4 cups pasta in each of 8 shallow bowls; top each serving with about 1/2 cup squash mixture and 1 goat cheese round. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 423(30% from fat); FAT 14.1g (sat 7.4g,mono 4.2g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 17.8g; CHOLESTEROL 30mg; CALCIUM 290mg; SODIUM 439mg; FIBER 2.7g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 54.7g

Krista Montgomery, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2006

Thermography is a diagnostic tool for clients to better understand their bodies.  Inflammation is a precursor to many diseases such as cancer, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes. The heat patterns caused by Inflammation can be easily illustrated and analyzed for abnormalities.  During the session a trained professional takes a thermal picture to determine abnormalities or changes in the breast tissue. Thermography can detect irregular patterns years before a mammogram. Best of all, Thermal Imaging is painless, non-invasive, and has no radiation.

Normal Breast Scan	Abnormal Breast Scan

Monday, January 16th         Scans are from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. An information session will be presented from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Please note: Avoid heavy exercise, deodorant, spicy foods, hot beverages, body creams and lotions, gum chewing, and tight-fitting clothing on the day of your thermogram.

Contact Cara Michele to set up an appointment for your scan 410 296-4028 or cm@womeninwellnessmd.com or register online.

The Best Breast Test
The Promise of Thermography: A guest article from the leading voice in women’s holistic health by Christiane Northrup, M.D.

A purification program can have a significant, positive effect on the biochemistry of the body while allowing natural toxins and byproducts of daily metabolism to be eliminated. By participating in a purification program, you may notice the following:  Benefits are improved weight management results, increased energy/vitality, better digestion , less bloating, clearer skin, shinier hair, better sleep, clearer thinking and the disappearance or lessening of same past conditions.

Toxins can contribute to a wide range of conditions like stuffy head, fatigue or difficulty sleeping, digestion and other gastrointestinal problems, food cravings and weight gain, reduced mental clarity land low libido.

For a free information session on the product and our 30 day support program join us on January 9^th from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Contact Cara Michele for more information or to register 410 296-4028 or cm@womeninwellnessmd.com

How do I determine my toxic load?  Click here to take a toxicity load questionnaire!