Resilience Is Good For Your Health

One of the reasons why I like New York City so much (almost as much as Paris) is the resilience of its inhabitants.  During the same week, we've had an earthquake and a hurricane.  Yesterday, after the bulk of the storm had passed over the Lower Manhattan area where I reside, my companion and I went for a walk down to the Battery and along the waterfront in Battery Park City.  There wasn't a tree that had fallen, the squirrels were back out digging for some nuts, and both residents and tourists were out and about their business as usual.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Resilience and a good sense of humor is good for your health.  The ability to 'come back' after an operation, broken limb or illness and do it with a good sense of humor and spirit makes the difference between total healing or not.  Acupuncture can help not only with the physical component of healing, but also the mental aspect of the process.  If you've had difficulty dealing with the stress of the past week, why not come in for a relaxing session?  Your blood pressure and blood sugar will stabilize, you'll have peace of spirit and more energy to get on with the day's tasks at hand.  And remember....nobody likes nor wants to help a sourpuss, so put a smile on your face; it's not only good for your facial muscles but people will respond to you with more empathy and lightheartedness.

Another Reason Why You Should Eat Your Greens

Personally, I really don't care if you eat meat, if you're a vegetarian, vegan....as long as you are conducting a healthy lifestyle and you're feeling fresh and fit - well, that's what counts here.  But for you folks out there (and you know who you are!) who 'poo-poo' eating your greens and fruits and other veggies every day, here's an eye opener for you:
http://www.forksoverknives.com/

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  whether you're having the steak, burger, chicken, tempeh, beans or eggs...put some veggies and greens on the plate to go with it!!

Antioxidants and Amino Acids Made Easy

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein chains.  Proteins are crucial for all living beings.  Antioxidants are those 'soldiers' that fight against the evil free radials.  When high levels of free radicals accumulate in the body, disease occurs (blood vessel damage, high blood pressure, vascular disease and cancers).  An Israeli study found that a supplement containing antioxidants improved blood vessel health in 70 people who were suffering from hypertension. 

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Isagenix makes a product called Ionic Supreme.  A small scoop of this powder everyday gives you all the anitoxidants and amino acids you need to fight disease.  It's tasty and all you have to do is mix it up in a glass of water and drink it...easy breezy!
For more information on how you can detoxify your body, fight disease and feel better in general, log onto the following page:
http://kmondesire.com/wellnessprogram.html

What You Should Know About HeatStroke...It's NO JOKE!

I remember Muay Thai training in the summertime one particularly hot year.  Sometimes, we would become so hot, we would actually shiver and feel like we were 'freezing'; light-headed, dizzy and rather nauseaus.  This was not a good thing...this was heatstroke!!  I had the habit of getting out of my gloves and running cold water over my head and torso at the bathroom sink; putting the gloves back on and being stupid for another hour or so because I thought I wasn't tough enough.  Now, I'm not saying this was the smartest way to train, and now that I know better, I don't condone nor do I endorse this type of heat training to that level of discomfort.
Here's what happens when a person exercises in the heat:  the blood is diverted away from the internal organs and goes to the dermal (skin) layer to cool the body.  The hotter a person becomes, the less blood circualtion the organs, muscles and bones receive (this can be as much as 25%!).  This is hazardous to the health as there can be kidney, heart, liver and intestinal damage.  "Leaky Gut" syndrome can occur where bacterial invasion of the internal organs can result in inflamation, sepsis and potential death.
Heat exhuastion and Heatstroke also manifests when a person becomes so hot, they collapse, become delirious or sink into a coma.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you or anyone you are with (including pets) believe you are experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke...use some common sense and stop the activity or exercise immediately!  Ice baths, cold water or cold towels to immediately cool the body is a must.  Sit down, rest and hydrate with cold water.  Take it easy for the next few days and allow your body to recover from 'heat shock'.

Lower Your Blood Pressure and Pulse The Organic Way

Everyone needs a timeout every once in a while...even the dog.  A day or two in the country with no newspapers, radio, television, unnecessary human interaction can do wonders for your blood pressure, your heart rate and your overall wellbeing.  I thought I'd take the advice I give my own patients and try it out for myself.  After two days of doing nothing but sitting under a tree watching the dog observe the horse playing with the pony who was studying the deer outside the paddock guarding her foal who was playfully paracing around a chipmunk eating a nut - I began to relax, and center myself to the natural environment.  We took short walks around the perimeter of my cousin's farm, munching on wild berries, observing wildlife in the pond; we picked greens and squash blossoms for our breakfast that were prepared with eggs from the chickens down the road.  The afternoon was much the same...say nothing, do nothing; just sit and absorb the sights, smells and sounds around us.  Dinner was very much the same - fresh greens accompanied by organic goat burgers from another farm in the area.  Bed by 10 and up at 5am to the singing of the birds.

There's something to be said for the quiet, naturalness of a farm.  Nothing goes to waste and when nature is allowed to 'do it's thing', all is right in the world.  We returned from the farm with a goodie bag filled with greens from the garden (a little bag of fairy dust you might say); the dog is walking around with her old bounce to her step, and I'm feeling more relaxed and rested; we're ready to meet and greet our Monday morning patients with a smile and another fine story.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you can manage to stay on a farm like I did for 2 days, it'll do you a lot of good.  You'll sleep better, eat better and feel better.  Appreciate that there are still little 'heavens' out there and support your local farmers.  And while you're sitting on a chair under a tree soaking up the sights, smells and sounds, remember what an old friend of mine would tell me:  Relax, Absorb, Participate, Share and Enjoy.  Pay it forward.

With gratitude to Connie Rovigo and John DiGregorio of Cavallo Jewellers, Red Hook, New York. http://www.yessy.com/cavallojewelers

The Treatment of High Blood Pressure with Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a highly effective therapy for curbing high blood pressure.

Hypertension is known as the “Silent Killer.” Did you know that 35% of hypertensive Americans are unaware they have high blood pressure? Be aware and have your blood pressure checked regularly by a Acupuncture physician to ensure that you are not on a blood pressure up-climb.
There are two types of high blood pressure. The first is known as Essential or Labile Hypertension. Here, there is no known cause (idiopathic), although stress is thought to be a major contributing factor. Stress is a natural biological function related to the adrenal glands, which regulate the heartbeat, kidney function, and elimination. Alcohol and caffeine consumption (stimulants), obesity, and genetic predispositions must also be addressed. Only when these factors (as well as diseases, cancers, and tumors of the heart, liver, kidneys, and hormonal system) that characterize Secondary Hypertension are ruled out as causations of high blood pressure, can a diagnosis of Essential Hypertension be made.

The second type of hypertension is called Organic or Secondary Hypertension. Diet, smoking, consumption of high fat foods and certain lifestyles contribute to this type of hypertension.

Traditional Chinese Medicine views hypertension as a state where there exists an imbalance of blood, Qi, and moisture being supplied to the organs of the body. Aside from measuring a patient’s blood pressure, an Acupuncture Physician can determine the root organ cause of high blood pressure by observing certain symptoms (headache, dizziness, eye disorders, palpitations, poor memory, insomnia, and ringing in the ears).

By inserting acupuncture needles into specific points, a neuro-chemical message is sent via the nervous and endocrine systems to the portion of the brain that corresponds to the unbalanced organ of the body. The brain then releases endorphins (natural pain killers) to various opioid receptors which signal the organ(s) to relax and return to normal functioning levels. As these organs return to normal function, the regulation of blood pressure follows. Acupuncture is highly effective when high blood pressure is detected in its early stages before the point at which arteries commence hardening, blood clots form (conditions that lead to heart attack or stroke). Regular treatments of acupuncture can reduce high blood pressure and stress in the long run.

Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety and stress....seems like all you hear from folks lately.  It's a poor global economic time we are living through, which most likely will not resolve for some time.....so we'd better get used to it.

Most people are cutting corners these days - eating out less frequently, not buying that extra pair of great strappy heels, the python bag, the new golf clubs; BUT DON'T SKIMP ON YOUR HEALTH!!!

Did you know that you could come to my office and for a mere $60 have a 30 minute auricular destressing treatment???  $60 isn't much to pay for a good night's sleep, fewer wrinkles, less agitation, and overall better health.  Let's not forget the blood pressure.

Make an appointment today.  Times are tough - do something about it!!

Blood Thinners: Watch for Side Effects

Now here's something you might not think about everyday, but...when you're taking a blood thinner for clots, like in DVT(deep venous thrombosis), one of the side effects is internal bleeding.
Since many factors can affect the way your body reacts to this blood thinning medicine, you should always watch for signs of unusual bleeding. Unusual bleeding may mean that your body is getting more medicine than it needs. Some signs are obvious, but others are not. Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following signs of bleeding occur:

• Abdominal or stomach pain or swelling
• Back pain or backaches
• Black, tarry or bloody stools
• Bleeding from your gums when brushing your teeth
• Bleeding in eye
• Blood in your urine
• Blood in vomit or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
• Blurred vision
• Chest pain
• Confusion
• Constipation
• Coughing up blood
• Diarrhea (sudden and severe)
• Dizziness or fainting
• Headache (continuing or severe)
• Joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting (severe)
• Nervousness
• Nosebleeds
• Numbness or tingling of hands, feet, or face
• Paralysis
• Pinpoint red spots on skin
• Shortness of breath
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Unusually heavy bleeding or oozing from cuts or wounds
• Unusually heavy or unexpected menstrual bleeding
• Weakness (sudden)

How To Dine Out While Trying To Shed a Few Pounds

It's not as difficult as you would think!  Here are a few dining tips:
Instead of alcoholic beverages, order a club soda with a slice of lemon and lime.  It's refreshing, fills you up, and no one will know if there's a shot of vodka in your drink.  If you do want that glass of wine with dinner, start off with a glass of club soda or seltzer when you are seated and drink a glass of water.  Alternate between a sip of wine and a sip of seltzer during dinner.  Chances are you will be unable to finish the glass of wine...that's about 600 fewer calories imbibed at the table.  Order a green salad for an appetizer and ask for fresh lemon and olive oil on the side (or balsamic vinegar).  Add your own dressing on the salad and enjoy the texture of the greens.  Ask that your protein source be baked or broiled with no added salt or toppings - same with veggies...order them steamed or grilled.  You'll avoid any unnecessary sodium which will bloat you and the insidious fats that are added in most restaurants for flavor.  At the end of the day, you'll be proud of yourself!  You will have stayed on track, enjoyed your evening, had a great meal and those goals you've set will be closer to attainment.
To learn more about nutrition, log onto  http://www.kmondesire.com/nutrition.html
There is a plethora of information on nutrition and you will see just how much sodium might be in your favorite condiments and fast food joints...read it - it's food for thought.
For more information about nutritional counseling and my complete LifeStyle Program, contact me via email and I'll tell you all about it!

Study Shows Acupuncture Significantly Lowers Blood Pressure

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day!
A German study published in the journal, Circulation, found that acupuncture significantly lowers both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The extent of the blood pressure reductions by acupuncture treatments was comparable to those seen with antihypertensive medication or aggressive lifestyle changes, including radical salt restrictions.
For the study, 160 outpatients with uncomplicated, mild to moderate hypertension were randomized to six weeks of acupuncture performed by Oriental medicine practitioners or to a sham procedure. Patients underwent 22 sessions, each 30 minutes in length. By the end of the six weeks, 24 hour ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly reduced from baseline in the acupuncture treated patients (5.4 mm Hg and 3.0 mm Hg, respectively). No significant changes were seen in the sham acupuncture group.
After six months the blood pressure reductions disappeared, leading investigators to conclude that ongoing acupuncture treatments would be required to maintain the blood pressure reductions.

Source: Circulation, June 2007