Electro-acupuncture medicine

I’ve used electric stimulation in my practice to some degree for many years. Applying an electrical current helps strengthen muscles, block pain signals, and improve blood circulation. In late summer 2023, I took my first training with Dr. Jeremy Steiner of the Electro-Acupuncture Institute and followed up with additional training. Dr. Steiner's approach is different and far more comprehensive than other electric stimulation techniques I've used, and thus is called electro-acupuncture medicine. I've incorporated it more and more in the clinic and have observed that outcomes are significantly improved. 

Why add electricity to an acupuncture treatment

Electro-acupuncture works by adding energy to specific acupuncture channels to improve energy flow throughout the body. Adding electricity to an acupuncture treatment will enhance or add to the treatment effects. Electro-acupuncture can:

• Stimulate more efficient production of new cells

• Offer pain relief and calm inflammation

• Remove toxins from the body

• Increase blood flow

• Reduce stress hormones

• Improve immune function

Our cells are damaged by injuries, toxins, infections, and more. The body needs to create new cells to repair the damage. Voltage is the driving force behind cellular function and is regulated by various factors, including thyroid hormone, dental infections, and exercise. Chronic disease is often associated with low body voltage—meaning, the body can’t keep up with cellular renewal. The body is designed to function at -25 mV, and requires -50 mV to generate new cells. Since our body is in a constant state of cellular renewal, higher voltage is the key to maintaining and improving health.

The devices 

In the past, I used run-of-the-mill electric stimulation devices, which are high amperage (volume of electricity) and low voltage (electrical potential). These worked well to either relax a muscle that was too tight, or stimulate a muscle that was too weak. Unfortunately, the treatment with these devices can be uncomfortable. To be effective, it is typical to use strong stimulation, causing the muscles to spasm. 

The new devices that I use are high voltage and low amperage; in other words, the opposite. This decreases discomfort because only mild stimulation is necessary. The electricity produced is also more congruent with the body’s electricity, improving the healing outcomes. These devices also have particular frequencies programmed in them that can be selected to match the condition and treatment. The protocol uses two devices simultaneously, each programmed with a different frequency. This creates a blanketing effect of frequencies, allowing the body to choose the frequency it needs to enhance the healing process and discard those it doesn't need. 

The bottom line is that the proper voltage, amperage, and frequencies are required so that the electricity can reach the energy-deficient and damaged tissue and support cellular regeneration and repair.

The outcomes

I have seen many positive responses to electro-acupuncture treatments. In some cases, I simply added electricity to my usual treatments, and in others, I chose to follow a four-point protocol with electricity. Both have been very effective. I have seen improved relief of pain, increased energy and well-being, decreased anxiety, improved sleep, and in cases of diabetic neuropathy, I’m beginning to see increased sensation. As I continue to implement these treatments, I hope to see even more improvements, especially in chronic, hard-to-treat conditions. 

How yoga can help you reduce stress and anxiety

By Allison Miller – Yoga, Meditation, and Wellness Educator

Have you been feeling stressed or anxious lately? If so, you are not alone. According to a NPR report, in which the American Psychological Association was cited, 76 percent of Americans polled last fall said stress from politics, race relations, violence, and inflation had affected their health. Stress can also come from relationships with friends, families, and coworkers and other sources.

Stress can lead to any of the following symptoms: restlessness, feeling wired or keyed up, easily fatigued, difficulty focusing or concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, or sleep disturbances. Anxiety is defined by the American Psychological Association as “persistent excessive worries, that don’t go away even in the absence of a stressor.” Anxiety is internal, and can be a “persistent feeling of apprehension or dread,” in situations that are not threatening. Stress is more external, related to a tight deadline or another external event. Prolonged stress may turn into anxiety—or for some people, anxiety may be a part of their DNA. 

A growing body of research shows that the regular, consistent practice of slow, mindful yoga can help build resiliance to stress and anxiety and may be one of the most powerful self-care strategies for stress, especially when combined with a cleaner diet, appropriate lifestyle changes, and better sleep hygiene (K.Kavoerii Weber, Subtle Yoga).

What does it mean to build resilience? Resilience is our body’s ability to handle stress without going into a state of anxiety or depression. Research shows that slow mindful yoga helps us build resilience by:

1. Improving Interoception: interoception is the ability of the mind to feel/sense what is happening in the body. When we practice yoga with short pauses for breathing and connecting with the body, we allow the brain and nervous system to connect. When the mind is aware of what is going on in the body, there is a feeling of safety in the nervous system.

2. Improving Proprioception: proprioception is our ability to determine where the body is in space. Stability and trust in the body are developed through good proprioception. Slow, mindful yoga allows time to practice this—it is lost as we age.

3. Improving Neuroplasticity: neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change. Slow, mindful yoga creates new ways of moving and being in the body, and in turn creates new neural pathways in the brain. Rather than instantly reacting to a stressor, we learn to pause, sense, and then take right action.

4. Increasing GABA: GABA is a neurotransmitter in the brain. It helps to inhibit the stress response. Research by Chris Streeter at Boston University found that yoga increases GABA more than walking.

Slow, mindful practices do more to help the nervous system than a hot/sweaty yoga or fitness class because of the focus on proprioception, interoception, and mind/body awareness. When we are moving fast, we are missing these feelings in the body that can lead to greater connection, more resilience, and ultimately, less anxiety. 

The practice of slow, mindful yoga is different than working out; it is “working in.” You could look at it as time spent working on your nervous system. Taking time to work-out (fitness, cardio, weights), and work-in (slow, mindful yoga, meditation) each week may lead to more resilience to stress, and less anxiety.

Interested in practicing this type of yoga? Virtual memberships are only $24/month, and include live classes, and access to an on-demand video library.
Learn more about my virtual classes here.

A new method to release emotional baggage

Much of the treatment we do in this office is body-focused. It is the emotions, however, that cause—or at least affect—much of what people suffer from. Addressing emotional health can have a definite, positive impact on physical health. There are many ways to do this.

From an acupuncture standpoint, improving the flow of energy and addressing the organs associated with particular emotions will help the emotions to move through the body/mind/spirit and balance out. Auricular acupuncture uses points that treat specific emotions and methods to release trauma and treat PTSD. On occasion, we select flower essences to help release emotions and herbs to manage symptoms associated with emotional stress.

I was recently able to learn a method called the Emotional Unwind Procedure, which is created by the developers of Morphogenic Field Technique (MFT, see video below) as a part of the MFT approach. So far, I have found the Emotional Unwind Procedure to be very effective at shifting emotional stress and bringing up important conversations that help clarify and process the effects of negative emotions. In other words, this method helps people cope with the negative physiological effects of what has happened to them.

Before we discuss Emotional Unwind Procedure, it is important to understand MFT. The basic concept behind MFT is to build and maintain a large energy field. A large field is associated with improved overall health, vitality, longevity, and autonomic nervous system function. The larger the field, the better your vitality. Environmental factors affect the size of an energy field. A toxic environment, processed food, and being surrounded by negativity will shrink your field. Living in a healthy, natural environment; eating organic food; and being surrounded by love will increase the size of your field. As MFT’s founder, Dr. Frank Springob, says, considering our current environment and the poor health of the general population, “You can’t afford to have a small field anymore.”

MFT uses a combination of muscle response testing and vials programed with various energies to determine what is challenging the body at the moment, and what we can do to correct these challenges. Dr. Springob put together the 5-minute video below that explains the basics of how MFT works.

Typically, when I try to increase someone’s energy field, I search for toxins to detox, immune challenges to address, or foods to remove from the diet. These treatments are necessary, but it takes time to increase the size of the field. The Emotional Unwind Procedure is an effective and highly efficient way to address emotions and increase a person’s energy field. It is still important to do theother more physiological treatments, but the benefits of having a larger field can be enjoyed almost immediately.

This technique uses a combination of vials programed with the energies of emotions and bio-resonators, in the form of a brass coin, to unwind the emotions from the body. Bio-resonators are used as a storage device for subtle energies. I have a client who has named them “magic coins.” The bio-resonators are programed with corrective energies that target all of the subtle energy receptors in the body, including the nervous system, meridians, and chakras. Placing the bio-resonators onto the body helps to correct stress-induced disruptions at the cellular level and promotes healing. 

Emotional Unwind Procedure may seem like an unorthodox method, but it is important to remember that working with energy and energy fields is slowly becoming more understood. It is truly remarkable what information we can glean from the energy field, and what level of healing can be achieved by addressing those things. If you’re interested in finding out more about the Emotional Unwind Technique, or MFT in general, give us a call or ask about it at your next appointment. 

Preparing for a smoother menopause transition

The menopause transition is no joke! For those of you who have been through menopause, are going through perimenopause, or who live with a woman going through these stages, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Some women are lucky enough to sail through the menopause transition relatively effortlessly, but the majority of women struggle with at least a few frustrating symptoms, including hot flashes, disrupted sleep, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, fatigue, joint stiffness and pain, weight gain, and heavy bleeding. Each woman goes through her own unique menopause transition, but I do think that all women can benefit from a few tips to make the transition smoother.

The transition is made up of three phases. Perimenopause is defined as the time leading up to the final menstrual period; menopause is the year following the last menstrual period; and post-menopause is the time following the year of menopause.

As you reach the age of perimenopause, your ovaries start to produce less and less estrogen and progesterone. This typically begins between the ages of 45 and 55, but can begin much earlier in some women. The transition typically lasts around 7 years, but can last much longer.

It is important to understand that there are three forms of estrogen: estradiol, estriol, and estrone. Estradiol is the form of estrogen most depended upon during the reproductive years. Estriol is is dominant during pregnancy. And estrone is the primary estrogen during menopause. As ovary function declines, so does the production of estradiol. During menopause, the body is more reliant on estrone, which is produced primarily in the adrenal glands, followed by the liver and adipose tissue.

The knowledge that we become more reliant on our adrenals and liver during the menopause transition is very important. If you want the transition to go well, you have to support the health of these glands/organs. The biggest threat to the adrenal glands is a high stress lifestyle. Good lifestyle habits, such as enough sleep, healthy diet, exercise, meditation, breathing exercises, and time off, will keep your adrenals happy and functioning well.

The liver is a key player in keeping the body detoxified. Things like alcohol, sugar, processed foods, over-the-counter medications, mainstream health and beauty products, unfiltered water, and common household chemicals can really slow down liver function. Avoiding exposure to these things as much as possible will go a long way towards keeping liver function healthy and strong.

There is a third source of estrone production: adipose tissue, i.e. fat cells. The fat pad that develops over the lower abdomen (over the ovaries) in many menopausal women could be avoided if their adrenal and liver health were protected earlier on in life. If you don’t want more fat cells, you would do well to support your adrenals and liver.

The healthier you are going into perimenopause, the smoother the transition will be. It is still very likely that you will experience some symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, disrupted sleep, and vaginal dryness.  There are many things we can do to manage and ameliorate these symptoms naturally. As mentioned earlier, each woman and her menopausal transition is unique, and so too will be the treatment of her symptoms. I have the best luck using Nutrition Response/Morphogenic Field Technique testing to pinpoint what supplements will work best for each individual. And, of course, symptoms will change throughout the transition. I have also found German auricular acupuncture to be helpful for managing hot flashes, sleep, and mood changes.

As with most things having to do with our health, maintaining healthy lifestyle habits is the single most powerful tool we have to support us through the menopause transition. Nutritional and herbal supplements and acupuncture are a great option to treat and fine tune whatever symptoms remain. If you need more help preparing for or getting through your menopause transition, we can help!

Humans are wired for resilience

Guest contributor Diana Johnson is a former middle school art teacher who developed an interest in how people stay resilient after a turbulent period in her life. She now works as a life coach helping other people navigate change in their lives with resilience using insight and tools from neurobiology, ancient wisdom traditions, and the arts.

The star of the astonishing 2020 documentary My Octopus Teacher was a creature who could shapeshift in an instant to protect herself from threat—changing color to disappear against a rock wall, swaying gently to blend in with a clump of kelp, or retreating into a crack to regenerate a lost limb. Most astonishing of all, however, was the close relationship that developed between the octopus and the filmmaker when she felt safe enough for connection after months of his quiet observation.

Scientists are just beginning to understand the near-magical abilities of an octopus, made possible by a remarkable nervous system in their body and arms. Humans are vastly different from octopuses (we are more closely related to dinosaurs), but we have at least one thing in common: our nervous systems are wired for resilience, with capacity to flexibly respond to stress and recover a state of balance. Science has recently made great strides in understanding the role our nervous system plays in both protecting us from threat and restoring our health.

Like that of the octopus (if less dramatically), the human nervous system drives both our defensive behaviors and our ability to recuperate, most often without our conscious awareness. Dr. Stephen Porges coined the term neuroception to describe that process within his Polyvagal Theory, introduced in 1994. (“Polyvagal” refers to the extensive vagus nerve, which plays a critical role in connecting the brain and the body.) Often without being aware of the trigger, we can find ourselves in either an activated state of fight-or-flight or a collapsed state of freeze. Threats can be detected within the environment, interpersonal relationships, or oneself. And if our nervous system lacks resilience, we can stay stuck in a defensive state that interferes with our relationships, robs us of vitality, and makes us sick.

The gift of Polyvagal Theory is an understanding of how we can cultivate our resilience with awareness—not only of our triggers of danger but also of the cues of safety that help us live into our full human capacity. Such a state of balanced awareness is essential for maintaining both our physical health and the emotional well-being that comes from connection with others. Polyvagal Theory has been especially influential in the treatment of trauma. Trauma held in the body can interfere with the accurate neuroception of safety, triggering a habitual defensive state that is no longer helpful. One reason Polyvagal Theory is so valuable is that its principles apply not just to trauma survivors but to anyone with a nervous system who encounters stressors large and small—which is all of us.

Each person’s nervous system has a unique makeup—one person’s triggers of danger or cues of safety will differ from another’s. Taking time to get acquainted with your nervous system is a valuable exercise that will help you recognize the warning signs that you are heading towards a defensive state before you find yourself hijacked. Similarly, awareness of your system’s cues of safety will help you structure your days and marshal your resources to maximize your resilience and live your fullest, most vibrant life.

That’s another important message from My Octopus Teacher. The filmmaker blundered into the project at a time of personal and professional crisis. Remembering how much he enjoyed swimming as a child, he embarked on a daily habit of freediving in the frigid waters off the coast of his native South Africa. That would not be a cue of safety for everyone’s nervous system, but it was for his. The awe and wonder of his evolving connection with the octopus helped bring balance and health back to his personal life, and catapulted him to a new level of professional success.

The Center for Resiliency Arts is dedicated to helping clients cultivate resilience for navigating the stress of everyday life using techniques informed by Polyvagal Theory. Contact Diana Johnson at diana@resiliencyarts.com or check out her website at resiliencyarts.com for more information.

Make daily movement a part of your routine

Modern life is so sedentary. If you have body pain or stiffness, fatigue, headaches, low mood or mood swings, think about incorporating more movement into your routine.

It’s easy to get complacent about movement practices. Ever since a friend strongly encouraged me to start walking many years ago, my outdoor walks have become almost non-negotiable. It turns out cold winter days are my favorite…with the appropriate gear, of course! I really notice a difference in my mood, my energy, and my sleep when I get at least three hour-long walks per week into my schedule.

Several years ago, I made an appointment with Michelle Mariska of Healing Motion Therapy because I was dealing with rib and low back pain. She practices the Egoscue Method, which heals pain by correcting posture through specific stretching and strengthening exercises. I was amazed how happy I was to make space in my day to do these exercises because I felt so much better afterwards. My posture and my strength improved greatly. I highly recommend working with Michelle if you have chronic musculoskeletal pain. She works both in person and remotely.

Over the past couple of years, I have continued to do a blend of exercises that Michelle prescribed to me, as well as some yoga poses every morning. Doing these activities helps to keep me out of pain when I’m standing all day at work.

A couple of months ago, I was having a conversation with a friend, and she brought up that she had started doing daily yoga by following Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. I especially loved that my friend said, laughing, “Some days I wonder how Adriene knew just what I needed!”

I had heard of Yoga with Adriene so many times, but had never checked it out. I decided it was finally time, and I have been doing yoga every day since. Some days I do a 10-minute session and other days I do a 30-minute session. The more I do, the more I want to do. I have noticed a big change in my core strength and flexibility, not to mention my calmness. I love that Adriene offers a wide variety of routines, from gentle and meditative to more strenuous and flowing. She also has playlists divided by type and duration. I have saved my favorite videos in my own playlist, which makes it easier to select the best routine for the day.

I highly recommend finding a movement practice that you can easily fit into your life. It’s especially convenient to have things that you can do at home on a regular basis. So many people who were going to a gym regularly before the pandemic lost their routine during the lockdown. Thankfully, we have resources on the internet and practitioners working over Zoom to help us feel better and establish a healthy routine.

How full is your rain barrel?

While pondering what to write about for this issue of the newsletter, I realized how exhausted and overwhelmed I’ve been feeling. And, come to think of it, my clients have been feeling similar versions of fatigue. I think the combination of normal personal challenges, world news, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, political strife, and, of course, the raging Delta variant has us all in a state of shock and overwhelm. While wondering how we will feel and manage if one more thing gets added to the above list, I remembered writing a newsletter a few years ago called “How full is your rain barrel?” I think this is the perfect time to share it again.

Adapted from the November/December 2016 issue

I recently gave a talk about German auricular acupuncture at a health fair. Afterwards, a couple of people came up to me saying they could relate to a certain phenomenon that I had described. 

The phenomenon that I described goes something like this. You’re humming along, relatively healthy, body functioning normally, until a distinct moment when everything falls apart. For example, you bend over to pick a pen off of the floor, your back seizes up, and it hasn’t been the same since. Or you experienced a stressful event like a car accident, then developed fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, or an autoimmune condition. I hear stories like this from my clients all the time.

Have you experienced something like this?

This phenomenon is explained by the rain barrel theory. Imagine that we each come into this world with an empty rain barrel, which represents our capacity for healing. As we go through life and experience stress, illness, injury, toxic exposure, poor diets, and more, our rain barrel starts to fill up. As the contents of the barrel reach the tippy top, all it takes is one more drop for the barrel to begin to overflow. When this happens, we begin to experience a whole host of symptoms, because the body is out of energy neededto heal and adapt to what life presents us with on a daily basis.

What can you do if your rain barrel is overflowing? 

You have two obvious choices: you can make your barrel bigger, or you can drain it. To make your barrel bigger, you can reduce stress, get plenty of sleep, clean up your diet, exercise, meditate, and take more breaks. These are important tactics to halt the cascade of symptoms and thus improve and maintain your health, but there is a limit to how big you can make your rain barrel.

When it comes to draining your rain barrel, I know of only two methods: clearing blockages from the body’s memory bank and identifying, then treating by detoxifying, chronic stressors.

Clearing blockages

Our body and brain retain memories of stresses and traumas that we have experienced throughout our lifetimes. Sometimes it’s big events. Other times insignificant injuries and illnesses consume the body. When a blockage develops, there is little energy left to heal new injuries or illnesses. German auricular acupuncture can identify what and how severe these blockages to healing are. The blockages can be treated with acupuncture needles and low-level laser therapy, which can drain your rain barrel significantly.

Identifying and treating/detoxifying chronic stressors

Over our lifetimes, our bodies are exposed to many stressors, such as toxic substances and foods that are less than nutritious. The most common body stressors include food sensitivities, immune challenges, chemicals, heavy metals, and scars. These exposures can gradually stress and assault an organ, a gland, a joint, or any part of our body.

When someone comes to the clinic with a particular complaint, it is important to identify whether or not their complaint is being caused or exacerbated by a particular stressor. If it is, they won’t heal completely without avoiding exposure, detoxifying, and/or treating that stressor. Using Nutrition Response Testing, the exact source of body stress can be identified. Treatment methods include avoiding certain foods, nutritional supplementation, herbal/homeopathic therapy, as well as low-level laser therapy for the treatment of scars. By detoxifying the tissues of heavy metals, chemicals and immune debris, and treating scars, your rain barrel can be drained even further.

Imagine the state of health that is possible if you not only adopt the health-supporting methods that increase the size of your rain barrel, but also piece together the puzzle of causative factors and get the appropriate treatment to help you drain your rain barrel!

Healing the body by addressing the mind and spirit

There are many factors that affect our health: physical, environmental, social, emotional. To fully understand and heal a condition, we must untangle and address all of these factors. For example, even if a case of back pain was caused by an overt injury, there may be an emotion or a pain memory that, left unaddressed, prevents the original injury from healing. 

The power of German auricular medicine is its ability to address all aspects of the mind, body, and spirit. To explore this idea further, we must revisit the concept of focus activity. A “focus” is a stubborn and hidden blockage to healing, caused by either a body/brain memory of a particular stress or trauma or from a physical or emotional wound that is concealed within the body. The body becomes consumed with healing these blockages and can’t attend to healing other day-to-day issues.

Once we have identified the focus point (we do this by scanning the ears with particular tools, until we feel a change in the pulse) we must dig deeper, to see if there is an emotional component to the blockage that is preventing the focus from healing. We can scan for emotional points or we can look for past traumas. You can look back to the June/July 2020 edition of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, where I discussed treating traumas of the soul.

Many emotions are mapped out on the ear. There is an interesting correlation in auricular medicine between organs and emotions that often relates to Chinese medicine theory. In Chinese medicine, the heart is associated with joy, the liver with anger, the spleen with worry, the kidney with fear, and the lung with sadness and grief. On the ear, for example, the anger and rage points relate to the sympathetic chain (the nervous system connection to the organs) of the liver and gallbladder. Another interesting example is that the bullying and violence point is the same point as the pancreas.

In cases where the organ point relates to an emotion, it is important to distinguish if there is an actual organ problem, or if it is purely emotional. Not every physical issue has an associated emotion, and not every emotional blockage is associated with a physical issue; however, the connection comes up frequently. We must remember that traumatic experience exists on a spectrum. The extent of the trauma is dependent on the perception of the threat by the individual, as well as the individual’s stability and constitutional strength.

All of us have a mind, body, and a spirit/soul, and to heal and maintain health, we must address all of these aspects of ourselves. By treating only the physical aspect of back pain, the condition may remain more chronic. If we treat the emotion underlying the pain along with the back pain itself, and any other blockages that may prevent healing, we have the hope of actually healing the condition more successfully.

High tech or high stress?

Are you suffering from symptoms like increased heart rate, palpitations, anxiety, and disrupted sleep? If so, do you wear an Apple watch? This might seem like a strange question to ask, but twice in the past year, I have come across this scenario, and by removing the watch, the symptoms either went away, or dissipated significantly.

Of course, many people wear Apple watches and don’t have these symptoms. But it's possible some may be experiencing different symptoms, or the symptoms named above to a lesser degree, and would never dream that their watch could be the culprit.

Many people wear their watch 24/7, because it tracks their steps and their sleep…all in the name of promoting health. I recently heard of someone who suggested an Apple watch for elderly people, because they can call 911 if they fall. These are all important functions, but we also have to consider that the watches may have counterbalancing negative side effects on our health.  

In addition to smart watches, we have many sources of electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) in our modern lives: cell phones, wi-fi routers, tablets, cordless phones, clock radios, computers, TVs, smart meters, Fitbits, Bluetooth products, etc. The items that seem to cause the biggest amount of stress on our bodies are those that send and receive data. Putting cell phones, Apple watches, and tablets in airplane mode can reduce EMF radiation significantly. 

Another theory I have as to why the Apple watch had such a specific symptom profile in these two people is that it wraps around the wrist. It crosses six of the twelve acupuncture meridians, two of which, the heart and the pericardium meridians, directly affect heart function. The heart, furthermore, is an electrical organ, so it is more vulnerable to electrical signals. This is just a theory, but I do find the correlation fascinating. 

I have seen other people who are sensitive to EMFs, myself included, experience disrupted sleep and fatigue. It is the increased heart rate and palpitations, particular to these two cases with the Apple watch, that caught my attention.

You might be wondering how we determined that the Apple watch was the cause of the symptoms in the two cases. Acting on a hunch, I did my usual muscle testing. I tested each person with and without the watch. I noted how it affected their energy fields and their organs. In both cases, the muscle testing results were completely different, depending on whether the watch was on their body or not. The energy field increased in size, and the organs tested much stronger when the watch was several feet away from their body. 

What’s the moral of this story? I think it’s important to have awareness that objects that bring us convenience, and sometimes even safety, come at a cost. If we are experiencing symptoms, we should educate ourselves to find out if EMFs could be the cause. This article is a good place to start: Apple Watch EMF Radiation - A Complete Guide. If we already know we are sensitive to EMFs, then we might choose to forgo the Apple watch, or keep it in airplane mode whenever possible, and take it off at night.

Do you think your Apple watch could be interfering with your health? If so, feel free to bring it up next time you come in, and we can do some testing. 

Are you suffering from pandemic fatigue?

Back in January, I wrote an article called Why do we get sick? At the time, we were experiencing a bad flu season, but I had no idea that we were about to enter into a worldwide pandemic. I thought it might be useful to revisit the reasons we do or do not get sick as we approach the fall, another flu season, and a possible worsening of COVID-19 spread.

No matter what type of contagion we are trying to avoid, those who are healthiest avoid getting sick or get milder cases of illness. They also recover faster and more completely. Of course, there are always exceptions. What has been frightening during this pandemic is that there have been a handful of cases of young, strong and seemingly healthy people dying as a result of COVID-19. They may be young and appear healthy, but it is important to remember that we do not know their complete health histories. They may have an unhealthy diet or poor lifestyle habits that haven’t yet manifested in obvious ways. Or, they may simply be the unfortunate exception.

There is so much we don’t know about this virus, and in spite of pandemic-fatigue, we have to persevere and exercise caution with how we go about our daily lives. We must continue physical distancing, wash our hands frequently, and wear a mask when we’re in indoor public spaces. Even more importantly, in my opinion, we have to take good care of ourselves. The more we implement and maintain healthy habits, the more likely we will stay healthy, or at least healthier. 

It is important to eat a varied, fresh and healthy diet. Avoid sugar and processed foods. Avoid environmental toxins as much as possible. Get regular exercise. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Stay in touch with friends and family, if not in person, then via Zoom or phone calls. Finally, manage stress as much as possible. 

Now that natural healthcare clinics have the appropriate safety measures in place, it is also helpful to get regular care to manage stress, boost the immune system and balance the body. Nutritional support, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, craniosacral therapy, etc. are all effective at supporting health and preventing disease.

This isn’t a time to stick our heads in the sand, or to binge eat while binge watching Netflix. We need to stay engaged and make our physical and mental health a priority. If you are in need of some support, feel free to give us a call.

Treating traumas of the soul

One of the things that kept me busy during the pandemic shutdown was an online German auricular acupuncture course on identifying and treating soul trauma. Soul trauma refers to psychological wounds and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most of us have experienced some form of shock, trauma, injury, or abuse in our lives. There may even be an event that we are not conscious of, such as birth trauma, that is still having an effect on our whole being. 

The assessment

As with all German auricular acupuncture methods, I use the pulse to find the points that need treatment. This method uses several different flower essences to help identify, and in some cases treat, the trauma. 

The process begins by scanning a portion of the back of the head along the Governing Vessel, one of the energy pathways in Chinese medicine. If there is an active pulse reading, we can pinpoint a certain age range of when the trauma happened. The client is then asked to think back to that age, and try to remember if there was a traumatic event that they experienced. Most of the time, the client has an immediate recognition of the trauma. 

Next, the active area must be scanned with a few different flower essences, to determine which one will be useful to treat the trauma. There will be a point on the ear that corresponds with the selected flower essence that will also be treated. Again, the pulse is used to find a resonance between the flower essence and the points.

The treatment

The treatment is composed of three parts.

1. The recall and acknowledgement of the traumatic event. 

2. The flower essence that resonated with the point on the timeline can be taken internally, daily, for up to a few weeks.

3. The point on the ear that is associated with the flower essence can be treated with a semi-permanent needle, a regular acupuncture needle and/or laser treatment with the frequency associated with the flower essence. 

The area on the timeline will need to be checked on subsequent visits. The point may be cleared, or it will require further treatment. Sometimes a new area will show up. If multiple points show up, the trauma that happened earliest in life is the one that is addressed first. Often it will clear the subsequent traumas. 

In light of the traumatic events surrounding the murder of George Floyd that have happened here in Minnesota in the past few weeks, I found the timing of this new-to-me method to be quite relevant and well-timed. Many of my clients are showing up still in shock and experiencing anxiety. By addressing the older traumatic events, I’m hoping that they will be more able to process these new traumas in real time, so they don’t suffer a lasting effect. 

Working with my clients at this level has been a gift. I feel like they have allowed me a glimpse into their lives, and we have been able to process these deep traumatic experiences together.

What is chronic stress?

I’m sure you get a feeling in your body when thinking about chronic stress. You know what it feels like, but what is it exactly? To better understand stress and its effect on the body, first we must understand something about our nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system is in charge of all of the automatic functions of our body, such as heart rate, blood pressure, sleep, digestion, and hormonal regulation. It is located in the brain stem and spinal cord.

The autonomic nervous system is divided into two parts: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic portion is sometimes thought of as the “fight or flight” system, but I like to simply think about it as the more active, quick response portion of the autonomic system. The parasympathetic portion can be thought of as the “rest and digest” system.

In our busy, fast-paced world, we spend a lot of time stimulating our sympathetic nervous system. We never shut it off, which takes us out of the much-needed parasympathetic state, where we can rest and recover our energy.

The effects of chronic stress

Chronic stress is when “the stress response becomes more damaging than the stressor itself,” says Robert Sapolsky, professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University. Sapolsky is featured in a 2008 National Geographic special called “Stress: Portrait of a Killer.” You can watch this short intro video to get a good explanation of the sympathetic nervous system. Thefull, hour-long show is quite interesting as well, and is accessible on YouTube.

Over time, sustained stress levels lead to anxiety, depression, insomnia, increased risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke, a compromised immune system, weight gain, digestive disorders, increased pain, headaches, reproductive issues, addiction, and premature aging. It’s not a pretty picture. What can you do?

Stress management

It is becoming more and more difficult to manage chronic stress, but here are some general guidelines:

Do for yourself

• Get enough rest and sleep, set yourself a bedtime and stick to it

• Exercise daily or when you are able to

• Eat a healthy diet or vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins and minerals

• Avoid stimulants, sugar and processed food

• Moderate screen time

• Get acupuncture and/or massage

Do for others

• Connect with others

• Care for others

• Take part in community

Just be

• Meditate

• Spend time in nature

• Be positive

• Know your purpose

One last thing to review is the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter article from last fall “Avoiding the straw that broke the camel’s back,” which discusses the use of adaptogenic herbs to help manage chronic stress.

Avoiding the straw that broke the camel’s back

Stress is part of life. We live in a fast-paced world, we place high demands on ourselves, and we have constant challenges with work, family, finances, politics--you name it! Typically we feel “stressed” when we don’t feel we have the energetic resources to match the obstacle we’re faced with.

There are many ways to manage our lives to decrease stress. We might compromise income for a less stressful job, for example. We can also try to live a healthier lifestyle, so that we can improve our body’s ability to cope with stress. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are a great start. Practicing yoga or meditating can also help to put the world on pause for a moment. 

It is very important to build stress management tools into our daily lives, because there is no magic bullet to give us endless energy and help us keep our cool no matter the circumstance. We are humans, not robots. That said, there is a category of herbs called adaptogens, that can support us during times of stress. 

These herbs are known as adaptogens because they help to adjust the body’s stress response, much like a thermostat adjusts the temperature. There are many herbs in this category with a variety of specific effects, but they all help the body to better handle stress. Eleuthero (a.k.a. Siberian ginseng), ashwagandha, rhodiola, licorice, ginseng, holy basil, cordyceps, reishi, and maitake are all examples of these subtle, yet powerful herbs. 

Much of the early research on adaptogens was done in the Soviet Union to help astronauts and Olympic athletes better cope with stress, thereby increasing stamina and improving performance. Many studies were also performed in China and Korea, most notably on the effects of ginseng.  

In my practice, I don’t put everybody on adaptogens at all times, but I definitely find that my clients benefit from their use during higher stress times, hormonal transitions, and seasonal changes, among other reasons. They have the effect of normalizing energy, improving sleep and mood, strengthening immunity, and balancing hormones. All in all, they help the body to function better. My favorites include eleuthero, ashwagandha, rhodiola (more on those below), licorice, and medicinal mushroom blends. 

If you’re in good health, but feel like one more thing might take you down, exploring the world of adaptogenic herbs might help. They may even give you enough energy to make it to a yoga class and cook a healthy meal.

My three top adaptogen picks

Eleuthero

Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng, left) is perfect for someone who is overstressed, not sleeping enough, not getting enough exercise, and is eating too much unhealthy foods. It strengthens the immune system, decreases inflammation and improves physical and cognitive performance.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is great for nervous exhaustion. It is calming, it improves sleep, and it reduces anxiety. It is also anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola is a rejuvenating tonic. It improves energy and cognitive function. It is especially helpful in treating depression and anxiety.