If this time of the year has got you down in the dumps, you are not alone. Whether it is the lack of sunlight and warmth, or if you are single on Valentine’s Day, or maybe you are in an unhappy relationship or you are just plain overworked and need a vacation; there are many factors that contribute to low mood and mental health disturbances.


Obviously acupuncture can help with this but here is a list of other things that may help as well.

1. Get some rest. Burnout is real and it contributes to negative mood.
2. Take a bath- Epsom salt if you have them. Submerging yourself in warm water just seems to take the edge off the day. And the magnesium in epsom salts can improve your sleep, your digestion and your mood and helps with muscle cramps.
3. Have a cup of tea (decaf!). Caffeine can increase jitters so be sure to select a decaffeinated flavor. Be careful with green tea- unless it says decaf, it contains some caffeine.
4. Turn off the t.v. Many of us like to unwind in front of the television but the blue light in your eyes can over-stimulate your brain. And depending on what you are watching (Hello serial killer series), your adrenaline may also get a bump from watching “the tube”.
5. Ask for help! This is a toughie for everyone. But guess what, humans are social being and our ancestors lived in villages where everyone had a role in supporting each other. We are SUPPOSED to need other people. There is no award for doing it all alone.
6. Ask your doctor to check your Vitamin levels. Vitamin panels are not generally part of “regular bloodwork” unless you have had an issue in the past. Feelings of depression have been linked to several nutritional deficiencies such as low Vitamin D, low Magnesium, low B6 and B12, low Iron, low Selenium and a few others.
7. Sing out loud in the car or shower.
8. Dance in the kitchen!
9. Try screaming. No, really! Scream Therapy is totally a thing. I tried it once when I was driving home one night. The car was a safe place to try this. Being able to just release any pent up anger/irritation was very freeing. I did string my vocal cords though so exercise caution.
10. Go for a walk! Preferably outside. Fresh air accompanied with body movement can act as a release.
11. Pet a dog! Or a cat! Having a pet reduces the incidence of anxiety and depression. If you (like me) can’t have a pet, go visit someone with a pet.
12. Make a date with a friend and keep it! Don’t let your schedule get in the way of a little fun.
13. Eat! Sometimes we are cranky because we need food. And that’s okay. Just try to make sure your food contains some nutrition.
14. Get professional help if you need it. With the amount of stimuli we are all expected to process everyday, it is only natural for the body and mind to get overwhelmed. Therapists, social workers and psychiatrists can help you work through things either with one on one therapy, support groups and/or medication.

I cannot promise much but I can promise that you are not alone. If you need help finding resources to support your mental health, please reach out.


XO,
-M

Did you know that you do not have to have anything “wrong” to get acupuncture? While it is true that most people come to acupuncture because of a specific condition, you can also use acupuncture to KEEP you healthy. Prevention is the most underutilized reason to seek acupuncture.
Almost everyone is susceptible to stress in some way, shape or form. Acupuncture can hep you manage stress so that your body does not respond negatively to it. It can also be used to boost your immune system. So, as he head into cold and flu season, it’s a good time to come on in for a “tune up” appointment if you haven’t been in for awhile.
The good news is, those feeling well, need less frequent acupuncture to stay well than those who have waited until they develop symptoms before they seek care.

We are putting together some pre-paid wellness plans for those of you who need some motivation to keep up with your treatments. The idea is that if you have already spent the money and you have already booked the appointments ahead of time, you are less likely to cancel and fall out of the rhythm of getting regular treatment. It seems like acupuncture is the first to go when they schedule gets tight. Trust me, I get it. Spending an hour lying down, alone, in the middle of the day when you have a million things going on seems indulgent. But, if you do not make the time to rest, your body will pick a time for you. And I can almost guarantee it will not pick a convenient time. So do yourself a favor and commit to your next several treatments up front. You will be happy you did.

I’ve said it before but its worth repeating- Chinese Medicine is beautifully complicated. There is a reason it takes years of study to be licensed as an Acupuncturist and/or Herbalist. As we head into Fall, I wanted to speak a bit about how our Modern Day Family Fun/ Fall Activities are in line with Chinese Medicine’s ancient understanding of the Season.
The Fall Season is a time of transition and it is considered to be a “Yin” time of year. Yin is generally associated with cold, darkness and dryness. But it is ALSO about conservation, storage and sustainment. During the Fall, we prepare for the coldness and sparseness of the upcoming Winter. Our ancestors would be clearing the fields of the previous seasons harvest, replanting appropriate seasonal crops and curing foods to be stored for the winter. The Fall is when our ancestors would start to eat more substantial foods as to "thicken their blood" to bulk up for the long winter.
Since most of us are not harvesting our own crops, the Modern equivalent looks something like apple picking, pumpkin picking, canning veggies and and making (and freezing) soups. I can even make a case for Football and Netflix being in our genes as this time of year is also associated with curling up and resting. Yin energy prefers hot drinks (Hello, PSL and apple cider!)

​So, when your Fall calendar starts to feel super busy and a tad indulgent on the “fun” just remember, your ancestors had their own equivalent and everything turned out just fine. Try to have fun and enjoy the beautiful days before the cold takes over.

Progress doesn’t look the same for everyone. For some of you, this may seem obvious but for others it isn’t. I often hear people say thing like: “My sister had acupuncture and she was cured after 1 visit.” Or “my friend said acupuncture didn’t do anything for her.” The truth is, both of those experience are outliers. Sometimes people DO get better after 1 visit. But, that is rare. And sometimes people feel no different after getting acupuncture. In these cases, it is likely that they have not received enough cumulative treatment in order to make a noticeable change.

The truth is, we are all individuals with unique characteristics, make up, symptoms, lifestyle habits and diets. Because of this, your healing process may look different than that of your friends and family. The important thing to keep in mind is that your treatments are personalized for YOU and all your unique characteristics.

Each week when you come in for treatment and we catch up, I am getting to know you better- what things help, which do not, which patterns in your life are helping to alleviate your symptoms and which may exacerbate them. We are a team- putting together a plan that will work best for you.

The healing curve goes up and down (like the above image). So, you may feel better, then worse, then plateau. Rest assured, if change is happening then we are on the right track. We will figure it out together. 

** NOTE- I did not create the image posted above. I do not know who did. If it is yours, please reach out so I can give you credit.

​While Acupuncture is the Primary Service Offered at Bella Acupuncture & Wellness, we offer many other things to foster WELLNESS in your everyday life. Lifestyle modifications are often needed to augment your treatments. Because, hey, if the way you were living was working already you probably wouldn’t need acupuncture.

Things we may suggests are: dietary changes, movement and exercise, meditation or mindfulness practices as well as referrals to other qualified providers. Because WELLNESS encompasses all aspects of your life- mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual.

Acupuncture can accomplish a lot of heavy lifting but it cannot do the work on its own. You need to hydrate your tissue, rest and move appropriately, as well as feed your brain and body the right things in order to thrive.

If you don’t already follow our Instagram page, give it a follow. We do videos every week and we focus on Wellness topics. We regularly issue weekly or monthly challenges that you are free to follow along with.

I am my own guinea pig with these topics and often choose the challenge based on what I am experiencing at the time: spring allergies, winter fatigue and laziness, poor diet, being indoors too much, staying up to late, eating too fast, avoiding certain exercises, etc.

For the month of August, my personal wellness challenge is to incorporate at least 2 days of weight training into my exercise routine. If you would like to join me, please do. Committing to something like this as a group increases personal accountability and makes you feel less alone on your Wellness voyage. You are not alone, you have me! And all of my resources are at your disposal.

​Is it me or did Summer come on fast?! With the Summer season comes heat- sometimes EXTREME heat, and while this is considered “normal” for this time of year, there are many Chinese Medicine tips that can help you enjoy the season.


Many of you are familiar with the words Yin and Yang. But, you may not recognize their complexity or their role in pretty much everything around us. Yin is associate with darkness/evening and Yang is associated with light/day time. Because the days are longer in Summer, Summer is more Yang.  


Having more heat in the environment can make you restless and agitated. To find balance, it is important to move your body and fuel it properly. If you are a lover of outdoor exercise and activity, the best time to do it is early in the morning or later in the day. Try to avoid mid-day exertion when the sun is at its peak. 


Even though cookouts are the thing to do when the weather gets hot, reducing meat intake during the Summer is beneficial. Meat has a tendency to weight you down. The ideal time to make it a staple in your diet is during the Fall- when we are storing up for the Winter season; a time when access to fresh meat MAY become more scarce.


As I have mentioned before, we are designed to live in harmony with our environment. It is recommended to eat foods that are in-season and native to your area. Foods that grow in Summer are naturally designed to provide you with the nourishment and nutrients that you may lose during this time of year. Think COOLING and MOISTURE. Since we are generally exposed to higher temperatures and more sunlight in the Summer, we are more likely to sweat and dehydrate. So our foods should be cooling and hydrating. Some great examples are cucumbers, berries and watermelon. 


All this is not to say that you can’t enjoy a nice Summertime BBQ. Moderation is key. If you have a piece of steak on a hot day, make sure you are also having some seasonal veggies and drinking enough water. And don’t forget to enjoy the long days while they are here.

The weather is heating up which means a few things…. Dads will emerge from their winter hibernation and take their proverbial places at the grill and on the links. (Okay, I know this isn’t true for all Dads but its definitely true for mine!) My Dad is a bonafide GRILL MASTER and his favorite pastime is golf. He belonged to THREE golf clubs when I was growing up. One for each of his daughters.

What does all this have to do with acupuncture? I’m glad you asked. Because acupuncture can help Dad (and anyone else) improve his golf game. Acupuncture can help increase flexibility as well as boost immunity. Meaning Dad will crush it on the course this year. It also treats all the ailments that you would attribute to a few hours on the course:
* Golfers elbow, check.
* Feet pain, check.
* Low back pain, check.
* Rotator cuff injury, check, check.
* Knee pain, check again.
* And even this surprising one: SUNBURN. That’s right, acupuncture can help a sunburn.

One thing that seems to be a common theme with parental figures is that they rarely take care of themselves at the onset of a symptom. Waiting until something is too difficult to ignore is a great way to cut your enjoyment in half. So, if you are looking for a gift that Dad can actually USE this year, consider acupuncture. Giving the gift of time and health is invaluable. And let’s be honest, does Dad really need another beer mug or tie?