Happy Fourth of July!

I hope you all find time to relax and enjoy the upcoming holiday weekend. Did you set a goal to look and feel your best this season? If so, read on to find out how you can achieve and sustain an attractive figure and healthy weight the natural way.

Unlike traditional weight loss strategies, a naturopathic approach doesn't say that you're unhealthy, because you're carrying around extra pounds. You have to be healthy to lose weight, rather than losing weight to be healthy. You're success will come with a commitment to health.

TRADITIONAL WEIGHT LOSS STRATIGIES can contribute to weight gain. Most all of us have tried these methods to drop a few extra pounds:

- eating low-fat and/or low-carb diet
- limiting protein
- undereating
- fasting
- excessive cardio exercise

These aren't healthy strategies to live by and if the metabolic process is out of balance, they won't work.

WHAT YOUR HORMONES SAY ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT AND YOUR HEALTH

Managing your weight the natural way means getting a real look at metabolic damage and treating it.

The hormones that control your metabolism work with the ebb and flow of your circadian rhythm. The word circadian comes from Latin words circa "around" and diem or dies for "day" meaning literally approximately one day.

Your circadian rhythm is linked to the dark-light cycle. It's a 24-hour cycle that regulates biochemical, physiological, and behavioral processes. The hormones that help you breakdown and redistribute the fats in the food you eat come out at night. While you're sleeping, they release and work to repair your metabolism.

Disruption of this rhythm can be due to a number of factors:

- stress
- exercise history
- dietary history
- quality/amount of sleep
- exposure to toxins such as alcohol, tobacco, processed food, caffeine, and pharmaceutical drugs

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU VISIT A NATUROPATH TO MANAGE YOUR WEIGHT

The ND will want to know your health history, perform a physical, test your hormone levels to get a sense of your metabolism's health, and learn about your emotional relationship to the foods you eat. Then you can create a plan with your doctor that will work for you. Naturopaths respect that achieving weight loss is a mind-body process. Your ND will want to know why you manage your health the way we do.

"Will power" has very little to do with losing weight. It's all about planning. People don't plan to fail, they fail to plan. An ND will gauge what's influencing your problem, find the true cause, and work with you to create a weight loss plan.

HERE ARE A FEW METHODS YOUR ND MIGHT PRESCRIBE

- eating frequently and being mindful of what you eat ( i.e. not eating in front of the TV or computer)
- eating a whole foods diet
- taking nutrient supplements to rebuild the functioning of your metabolism
- botanical meds
- judicious use of bioidentical hormone therapy
- getting lots of sleep
- managing stress (by becoming aware of it and releasing it healthily)
- understand you emotional relationship to food
- recommending a weight training routine

TRUE SUCCESS comes when you've identified why it's been difficult or impossible for you to lose weight and when you start taking steps to change your lifestyle. A naturopathic approach to weight loss treats the problem at its source. An ND will help you work toward a slimmer, trimmer, healthier you by helping you repair your metabolism. That is when you'll see fat loss and achieve sustainable health.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you on our blog - if you have and additional questions, please feel free to contact us here.
Click Here for Full Post and to Leave a Comment...

The first known writing on acupuncture is found in the Huangdi Neiijing, a tradition Chinese medical book written over 2,000 years ago. This book revolutionized the treatment of disease by looking at how the nature of one's diet, lifestyle, emotions, environment, age, and heredity effect health.

The second part of the Huangdi Neijing is called the Lingshu and describes acupuncture in great detail. Acupuncture was and still is a major mode of treatment for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners. A direct translation from this early text describes acupuncture as putting holes in the body to regulate qi. It is a direct portrayal that can use further explanation. My hope is that this blog will provide you with an understanding of how and why acupuncture works.

What is Qi?
The literal translation of qi from Chinese means "breath," just as our English word "spirit" comes from the Latin "spiritus" or "breath." Qi can be understood as your life force or vital energy. You can imagine pathways of qi flowing through your body as streams, rivers, irrigation systems, canals, and oceans flow interdependently. Qi operates like these water ways. If a river is dammed by animals, water will not flow to where it is needed; if a canal is flooded by rains, there will be damage to homes and the land. Both circumstances causes imbalance to surrounding environments.

"No pain, no blockage; no blockage, no pain."
The pathways where qi flows are called meridians. Dysfunctional flows are thought to be caused by blockages. If qi cannot take its normal course, excess qi will accumulate at the impasse and other areas of your body will not receive the vitality needed to be well. Improper flow manifests as pain or sickness, be it a tummy ache or insomnia.

Acupuncture Diagnosis and Treatment
Acupuncture is used to regulate the flow of qi by inserting thin metal needles at specific points along the meridians where qi flows. Acupuncture performed by a well-trained, experienced professional is painless. The major diagnostic modes utilized are:

- Inspection of the face, particularly the tongue. The size, shape, tension, color, coating, and whether or not there are teeth marks around the edge will be inspected by the acupuncturist.
- Auscultation or listening to your body for sounds like wheezing.
- Olfaction or smelling breath and bodily secretions.
- The Seven Inquiries are seven concerns the acupuncturists will want to ask you about: chills and fever; perspiration; appetite, thirst, and taste; defecation and urination; pain; sleep; menses and leucorrhea.

Information gathered during the diagnostic process will inform your acupuncturist where qi is imbalanced. Then, he or she will work along meridians where qi flows to problem area. For example, problems associated with the kidney are treated by inserting needles in the foot. This placement strengthens the flow of qi to the kidney if it is deficient or to drains qi if there is excess.

The depth of insertion is also considered by the acupuncturist. Depth is determined according to the degree of imbalance. Needles are inserted at lesser depths when treating diseases of the skin or of the muscles. Disease of the internal organs and bone marrow have a severe impact on health. For this reason, acupuncture needles must penetrate deeper in the meridians' flow to remove blockages of energy and to promote free flow.

The Arrival of the Qi
Some patients say that they feel a pleasurable sensation when a desired point is located. We call this "the arrival of the qi." Studies show that acupuncture can significantly improve symptoms of many diseases from fibromyalgia to tinnitus to addiction.

Feel free to contact my office to learn more about how you can use acupuncture to promote health. My staff is happy to answer any questions you may have about acupuncture treatment and our other therapies. And, as always, comments, questions, and discussion are welcomed here on the IMS blog!
Click Here for Full Post and to Leave a Comment...

...AND BREATH EASIER FOR A LIFETIME

Summer is a great time to kick a smoking habit. Why? The season's long days are nature's antidepressants, and studies show that stress and negative moods cause 70% of relapse among smokers. Take advantage of your sunny disposition this season, and take a vacation from cigarettes.

What Should You Pack Before You Say "Bon Voyage" to Smoking?

Your extended stay away from nicotine, like any vacation, requires planning. A wise traveler reads-up on his or her destination before departure and your preparations are all ready underway as you read this article!

Consider this information: 50% of relapse occurs within the first five weeks of stopping, because that's how long it takes for nicotine to circulate out of your system and for physical withdrawal symptoms to recede. You're most likely to reach your goal if you know what to expect during this tough period. Educate yourself, develop a plan, and set a quit date ahead of time to dodge the big roadblocks--stress and cravings.

Exercise

Quitters who work out experience greater success rates and greater health benefits. The average person who stops smoking gains between 4 and 11 pounds in the process. Many smokers avoid quitting for this reason, but making a healthy choice should not necessitate gaining weight. Start an exercise routine before you quit and you will boost your metabolism and confidence.

In addition to regular exercise, walking is a great replacement for a smoking break. Ten minutes of walking will send fresh air into your lungs and dopamine through your brain. Both effects relieve stress and cravings.

Your Connecting Flight: Supplements and Substitutes to Stop Smoking

Getting from here to there cold turkey is next to impossible. Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs out there. Quitting cigarettes shouldn't be thought of in terms of mind over matter, because your body chemistry is changed by regular smoking.

St. John's Wart is a herbal supplement that can lessen stress by increasing the release of dopamine. You can buy extract in pill or capsule form at most drug stores. Start taking the supplement twice daily two or three weeks before you plan to stop smoking for most effectiveness. Check with your doctor before starting on St. John's Wart, as it can interact with drugs like oral contraceptives and antidepressants.

Wild Oat is commonly used to treat insomnia and nervous exhaustion, because it calms the nervous system. Studies now show it can help reduce nicotine cravings. Wild oat can be found in health food stores as a liquid tincture. Put ten drops in water or juice and drink three times daily.

Orange Juice and Cream of Tartar Drink helps flush nicotine from your system for speedier reduction of withdrawal symptoms. You can find cream of tartar in the spice section of your grocery store. Add half a teaspoon to a glass of orange juice and drink the mixture before going to bed.

Cloves Oil is available at most health food shops. Whole Cloves can be found at the grocery store. Both are good for quelling the urge to smoke. Place a drop of clove oil on the back of your tongue or chew on a clove and you'll enjoy a flavorful taste as well as a numbing sensation.

Chewing Gum, Toothpicks, Carrot or Celery Sticks are a popular for keeping your hands and mouth busy when you've recently stopped smoking and the

Tour Guides: Hypnotists, Acupuncturists, Naturopaths, and of course YOU!

Hypnosis is a way of unwinding psychological dependencies. A hypnotist can guide you through the subconscious emotional ties that bind you to a smoking addiction.

Acupuncture uses very thin needles to target specific treatment points that are associated with smoking-related organs such as the lungs, airways, and mouth. An acupuncturists can also guide you in using acupressure at specific point to help yourself along the way.

A Naturopath is a great tour guide to have on your side for such a treacherous journey. He or she can draw on a combination of multiple therapies that works best to heal you mind, body, and spirit.

Ultimately, the success of your vacation away from cigarette is in your hands. You probably have a good idea about what methods of quitting will work best for you. Learn more about getting from point A to B by contacting our office. We'd be pleased to see you on the shores of a happy, healthy, smoke-free future!
Click Here for Full Post and to Leave a Comment...