Practice What You Preach

I am a huge fan of the benefits of yoga.  It's not that I love doing yoga - it's like eating your veggies, only better.  I encourage all my patients to engage in a yoga practice, whether they are professional athletes or couch potatoes.  Yoga is all about you and your mat; no one else matters. 

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you are recovering from an injury, want to improve your sports performance, digestion or lower your blood pressure - here's what you do.  Schedule regular acupuncture treatments and sign yourself into a nice yoga studio.  That's what I'm doing today as part of taking care of ME, so I can better take care of YOU!

Health and Reality

Over the holiday weekend, I was chatting with a gentleman who recently was placed on anti-hypertension medication.  He hadn't been to a physician in many years for a regular checkup and after speaking with him for a while, he still doesn't understand that his hypertension could have been avoided by small lifestyle changes over the years. My suggestions to alter his diet and alcohol consumption fell on deaf ears.  I suggested that he seek an acupuncturist in his area and take his condition seriously.  The reality is that his unhealthy lifestyle will contribute to increases in his medication over time and his risk of heart attack and stroke will increase proportionately.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you have been placed on medication for any condition; take this as a wake up call and do something proactive for your health.  There's nothing worse than growing older and becoming so ill to the point where you've got bed sores, can't feed yourself, can't speak or can no longer walk.  Get real, and wise up....get yourself into healthy lifestyles today and avoid medications and illness down the road.

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

Fish is Great For Your Health But Watch Out For Too Much Mercury!

Omega-3 fats are fabulous for your bones, joints and metabolism in general.  But the great cold water fish such as chilean sea bass & cod are found to contain high levels of mercury.  High levels of mercury can result in elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressures.  Pregnant and nursing women should limit their intake of fish high in mercury.  Salmon contains lower in mercury levels or uncontaminated fish oil supplements (300mga DHA per day) will give you all the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids without the risks of mercury.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you don't have one, invest in a George Forman grill or an apparatus like it.  Grill your fish and beefsteak tomatoes.  It's low fat, tastes delicious, easy to prepare and cook and takes just about 15 minutes of your life to eat well!!

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.

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