If you are like me, you find your Dad ridiculously hard to buy for. My Dad has always just bought whatever he wanted or needed for himself. Leaving little for us to choose from. But that’s sorta how Dads are, right? Pragmatic, no-nonsense, reliable, predictable. At least that’s how mine is.

This year, I am at a total loss. As my Father ages, he requires less and less “stuff”. He enjoys a good meal and an afternoon activity. But, gone are the days where a tie and some golf balls will do the trick. He rarely indulges in a beer these days and there is no lawn to mow, no job to unwind from. He’s truly happy being retired. And with happiness comes contentment with what you already have. This is what we all strive for. BUT… it makes him super hard to buy for.

I’ve considered Storyworth and 23andme. And both would be amazing gifts for A Dad but not MY Dad. He has a healthy distrust of companies that use your DNA and I just don’t think he would keep up with the Storyworth writing prompts. Not to mention, its like giving your Dad actual homework. Its great in theory but not in practice.

Acupuncture makes a great gift for a Dad that has everything. But guess what…. My Dad already gets acupuncture.

Spending more time with my Dad is the gift we both really want. And I’m glad I have the opportunity to do that. I’m lucky that he is still alive and that despite living in Florida, he spends his summers in NH to be closer to us.

I’m unclear what I will end up getting him but I am happy that I have a day to celebrate him.

I wish all of you a Peaceful Father’s Day- however you choose to spend it.

This months blog is going to be a little different. Since we are moving the office, and it has given me an opportunity to walk down memory lane a bit. A mere 2 years ago, I decided to open the clinic in Salem. I had been in practice for 10 years already but this was my FIRST time branching out completely alone. I actually first opened Bella Acupuncture in 2011, when I was fresh out of Acupuncture School. I was “running” the business then but… I was subletting space in a Wellness Center with many other practitioners. We shared the treatment rooms (and sometimes the patients) but it was never actually my space to develop and grow as I saw fit.


Since then I had worked in a few other clinics as someone else’s employee. I gained so much experience and wisdom doing that but it was still NOT MINE.


Fast forward to 2021 when I finally did it. I made something mine. And like many first time (true)  business owners, I have made mistakes. I have changed my mind. I have done things I was SURE would work but didn’t. There have been many bumps in the road and I am sure there will be many more. It has been challenging but these last 2 years have been the most fulfilling of my life. It gave me to opportunity to connect with and impact so many new people. I am so happy to be doing what I love in a community that I love. I am truly thankful for YOU!


The new clinic location is going to give me, and us, another fresh start. There will likely be more changes coming. I hope to hire some staff members soon. Learning to navigate a bigger space will have its challenges. We will have growing pains. But, we will also have breakthroughs. Throughout all that is to come, I promise I will always do my best to help you. That will never change.

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.