New Year's Newsletter!

Just writing to say that our new newsletter is up on our website!! Yay! Take a look at the easy-to-view PFD version here: http://redcricket.com/newsletters/2013-winter-red-cricket-acupuncture.pdf.

The flu season hit early this year, and also very hard. It has been one of the worse flu seasons that I have encountered in clinic. Acupuncture can help you resist a cold or flu, and many of the herbs we use have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Don’t forget us when you get sick! We can really help.

Although Chinese medicine can be extremely helpful in helping your body to fight a cold once it hits, our real passion at RCA is in prevention. It is our goal to help you feel good every day in every way. If you are strong enough, we are taught that any virus won’t stand a chance against your immune system. The body was designed to do miracles with good food and movement. For that reason, we are exploring how healthy eating and movement can prevent colds and flus. If you are eating well and moving your body, you will not only stay healthier - but you’ll feel better in the process!

We have a whole bunch of good information for you this time! To go along with those New Year's Resolutions check out the article about All The Benefits of Exercise, from how to avoid icky illnesses this season to creating emotional and physical balance. Stephanie writes about creating A New LIFE Resolution by diving into the Paleo lifestyle this year. Still wondering what this fad is all about? Check out her great introduction to the Paleo world! You don't have to be on a Paleo diet to enjoy this yummy recipe: Moroccan Chicken Casserole. 

If you have been waiting to Learn How to Brew Your Own Kombucha, don't forget to RSVP for our next workshop on Friday, March 8th.

We hope this information will help you to continue on the road of making each day healthier, richer and fuller than the last!

Our Donation to Heifer International

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to let you know that this month Red Cricket is donating 5% of its proceeds to Heifer International to buy an animal for a family in need this holiday season. We were just taking a look at the numbers today and WE HAVE ALREADY MADE OUR GOAL!! Thanks to everyone who has visited Red Cricket this December!

With the money we have raised, we will be purchasing a goat and perhaps another entire animal from Heifer! Why a goat, you ask? Here's why:

"Goats Are Great for Families =  The gift of a dairy goat represents a lasting, meaningful way for you to help a little boy or girl on the other side of the world. Goats can thrive in extreme climates and on poor, dry land by eating grass and leaves. The gift of a dairy goat can supply a family with up to several quarts of nutritious milk a day - a ton of milk a year. Extra milk can be sold or used to make cheese, butter or yogurt. Families learn to use goat manure to fertilize gardens. Goats often have two or three kids a year making it easy for Heifer recipients to pass on the gift of a goat to another family in need. This great investment allows our partners to lift themselves out of poverty by starting small dairies that earn money for food, health care and education."

Why Heifer? If you are unfamiliar with Heifer International, I strongly encourage you to learn more about this revolutionary charity! The basis of their mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth, but they do so in wonderful ways that not only give families a helping hand, but teaches them how to use those animals for the betterment of the entire community. With gifts of livestock and training, Heifer projects help families improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways. In exchange for their gift, families agree to give one of it's animal's offspring to another family in need to create an ever-expanding network of hope and peace.

If you would like to learn more about Heifer International, visit their website here: http://www.heifer.org/

Zumba for health

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to give a big heads up to my lovely patients and peeps about a great FREE opportunity to escape winter and inject a little summer into your life!

A really fantastic organization, OUT in the backyard, is sponsoring a weekly free zumba class at Powderhorn park.  It's at 6:30 in the community building every Monday night.  It is sooo much fun!  The instructor, Bernice Arias, is the most amazing ever!  The choreography and the music is fantasic and she is so much fun.  Her excitement and love of dance is very contagious!

One symptom that I see very often in the clinic is low back pain.  In some cases, it is stored stress.  These patients feel better with movement, and worse when they rest.  Exercise and yoga really makes a big difference in their pain levels.  When I went to my first zumba class, I remember shaking my booty and hips in ways that I usually never do, and it felt really good!  It felt so good to loosen up my lower torso, and the music is so fun and upbeat that I felt my stress literally melting off of my body.  This class would be a perfect class for patients under stress, but especially those who have low back pain.

If you know me well, you probably know that I am not much of a winter gal.  Even as a child I suffered from seasonal affective disorder.  This class and Bernice's teaching has been a vital part of keeping myself happy and sane this winter.  If you think you would like to give it a try, I would encourage you to do so.  You don't need to know how to dance, you just need to be ready to shake your booty!

So, there you have it... a free opportunity to meet people in our lovely community, dance and feel like you're in Puerto Rico for an hour.  Try it out, you'll be so happy you did!

Yours in health!

Joi

PS.  Out in the Backyard is a group that helps lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people (LGBTQ) to counter isolation by connecting to each other and community resources.  If you would like more information about OUT in the backyard look here.   http://www.outinthebackyard.org/  We are all so lucky to have them be a part of our community!

Recurrent miscarriage can be treated effectively!

One of the most difficult health issues that both Stephanie and I face in the clinic is recurrent miscarriage.  For some women, it can be difficult to fall pregnant, and for others it is very easy, but in both cases they have difficulty holding on to the baby.  After several miscarriages or more it can become difficult to even get excited or trust a positive pregnancy test, let along get emotionally committed to the possibility of parenthood.

There can be many diagnoses in Western medicine, or sometimes frustratingly there can be no reason found.  In some cases, once the bleeding begins, little can be done to save the pregnancy.  Women are told to rest and hope that the body will stop the bleeding.  In some cases, the bleeding will stop, and the woman will go on to have a healthy child, but in some cases, it will be the beginning of the end of that pregnancy.  Miscarriage is fairly common with rates around 10-20% in cases where pregnancy has been confirmed.  5% of all couples will have 2 concurrent miscarriages, 1% will have more than 2.

Although there may be little information from Western medicine about why these miscarriages are happening for some couples, or there may be little that can be done with Western medicine after bleeding starts, Chinese medicine can contribute a lot to these women.

There are many herbal formulas that are fantastic at helping women to stop bleeding and also correct the underlying issue which is making pregnancy difficult.  When there are multiple miscarriages that always indicates a significant imbalance, which should be addressed to help future pregnancies hold, to help future pregnancies be healthy and help the baby to grow strong and healthy.

I have seen many, many cases which have astounded me.  Chinese herbs and acupuncture can be so effective in this area that if you are concerned about this issue I strongly encourage you to give it a try!  You will be healthier and happier to boot!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone!

We just wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Red Cricket Acupuncture!  Enjoy lots of great time with friends and family, and spend some time reflecting on everything that you are grateful for.  We are certainly grateful for all of our friends and family, and also for each and every one of you!  Warm wishes to all, and safe travels to those who will off to visit others for the holiday!

Cheers :)

A closer look at one of my new favorite herbs: Gou Teng

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share my latest adventure! Recently I have found that I am constantly using Gou Teng in formulas.  It is a wonderful herb- a type of Uncaria.  It helps to bring rising energy and heat in the body back down to alleviate some very frustrating symptoms!  I have had great success in using it for certain types of headaches.  In addition, it can help reduce dizziness and vertigo, muscle twitching, and even lower blood pressure!  As energy becomes more stable and the body cools off a bit, there is a spirit-calming effect too.  Gou Teng is a safe herb with no real toxic effects noted.  

If you are interested in trying out Chinese herbal formulas at your next visit- just let us know and we will be happy to find just the right formula for your individual needs!  

Yours in health,

Stephanie

Healthy and Gentle Detox!

    Do you feel tired and unfocused a lot?  Do you have achy joints?  Maybe even dry, skin or new skin spots?  These are all signs of toxic overload in your body.  Others include fungal infections, constipation, allergies, and more.  These toxins build up over time from pollution in our environment, chemicals in our body products and foods, medications, drugs and alcohol, sugar, and even from lifestyle- negative thinking, lack of exercise and sleep, and so on.  Stress is also a huge factor in toxicity.  Stress causes our bodies to stay in "fight or flight" mode, pumping out extra cortisol into our bodies.  This decreases the body's immune responses so it becomes hard for the body to release toxins on its own. 
    So what can we do about it?  We can do a gentle detoxification program to cleanse our bodies and regain proper functioning.  It's best to ease into it over a period of a couple weeks so your body doesn't go through an intense withdraw.  Gradually cut down or eliminate caffeine and alcohol from your diet.  Try your best to avoid cow's milk products and wheat as they are common food allergens.  Cut out sugar and any fried or processed foods, and reduce salt and carbohydrate intake in general.  Increase the amount of fresh veggies and fruits (the good carbs!) you are eating- focusing more on the veggies, to help make your body more alkaline (pathology develops in acidic environments).  Eat lean meats and sources of proteins like fish and eggs.  It is also very important to drink lots of water to help flush toxins out of the body as you are detoxing.  Keeping a food journal is a good idea as well, so you can keep track of which foods bother you after the detox is over and you reintroduce foods like dairy or wheat back into your diet. 
    You can further strengthen your detox by getting regular exercise and fresh air, which will improve your circulation, and your body's ability to eliminate wastes, as well as lower stress levels.  If you really want to up the ante on your detox program, you can take a few supplements such as milk thistle and dandelion root to support liver function, and green drinks to increase the body's alkalinity.  Getting adequate sleep and relaxation time is key too.  Finally, there is always acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas to help the body detox!  Feel free to stop by anytime and let us know how we can help you on your way to finding better health! :)

~Stephanie

Check out this book:   Detox:  The Process of Cleansing and Restoration, by Sara Rose.  I primarily used it as my resource for this blog.  It's an easy to read, and easy to understand guide in detoxing for the beginner.