Do you sometimes walk into a room and forget what you went there for?  Have you ever drawn a blank on a close friend’s name?  Do you routinely forget common words?  If you worry that your memory is going, join the club.  These little episodes are embarrassing and frustrating, but are you on the fast track to Alzheimer’s?  Probably not.

Memory loss can the result of a number of factors, the most common of which is your age.  However, hormonal changes, diet, stress, and simply trying to do too many things at once can also mess with your memory.

There are a couple of organ systems in Chinese medicine that are related to memory.  The first (that I can remember) is your Heart.  The Chinese Heart is home to your consciousness, spirit, feelings, thoughts, and…yes, your memory.  Memory loss is one of the hallmark signs of a Heart disharmony.

Your Chinese Spleen is the organ closely related to digestion.  Good digestion helps something called clear Yang to rise upward allowing for mental clarity.  When your digestion is funky, you may experience fuzzy thinking and memory problems, along with digestive symptoms, such as heartburn, stomachaches, low blood sugar, gas, bloating, poor absorption of foods, and diarrhea or constipation.

The Kidney system is also a player in memory.  One of the important functions of your Chinese Kidney system is how well and healthfully you will age.  As you get older, your Kidney gets weaker as a matter of course, affecting everything from your hearing to the strength of your bones, and your mental function/memory.  Along with aging, your Kidney also controls things like growth, sexuality, and reproduction.  When women go through menopause, their Kidney system is affected, which is why memory seems to take an additional hit during this time.

So the question is:  Can Chinese medicine and acupuncture help with memory loss?  There is no simple yes or no, depending on the source of the problem.  However, in many instances, Chinese medicine can help.  For some people, memory problems are directly related to the amount of stress they’re experiencing, and in others, the memory issues began as part of menopause.  For older adults who are beginning to show the signs of senile dementia, it may be too late to reverse their memory loss.

According to Chinese medicine, there are some things that you can do to safeguard your memory.  This includes:

 -Simplify your life.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed, your brain is full.  At a certain point, you just can’t hold onto any more details, so you start to forget them.

-Jettison the stress.  Stressful situations cause you to be preoccupied, making it difficult for you to remember anything except details about what’s stressing you out.  Do whatever it takes, whether it’s steps to resolve the stressful situation, or a Yoga class, meditation, taking up a hobby, or carving out quiet time to yourself.

-Eat good food.  It sounds simple, but it’s not always so easy when you’re running from meeting to meeting or getting your kids from one activity to another.  Sometimes the only solution seems to be something quick—and not so good for you.  Take the time to plan what you’ll eat, and bring it with you if necessary.  Good food is whole food, unprocessed, whole grains, lots of vegetables, and a little protein, with very small amounts of red meat, if any.  Ditch the sugar, as it messes with your blood sugar levels and can be a direct contributor to fuzzy thinking.  Remember the Twinkie defense?

-Digest that good food you’ve eaten.  Take the time to sit down and eat.  Chew your food and sit up straight.  In addition, cooked foods tend to be easier to digest, and ice cold foods and drinks bring your digestion to a halt.

-Protect your Chinese Kidney.  How?  Well, slow down, for one.  Overwork can be a direct cause of illness and depletion in Chinese medicine.  Also, excessive partying, while fun, weakens your Kidney system and sends you into your senior years in less than optimal health.

In addition to Chinese medicine, Western doctors and scientists are looking for ways to protect memory as we age.  They have been conducting research on memory and the various factors that may help slow memory loss.  Among them:

-Get moving.  Data from a study that began in the 1930’s shows that moderate exercise (as little as two times a week!) can lower your chances of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

-If you’re a smoker, quit now.  While you can’t completely undo the damage in terms of degeneration to your brain, the sooner you quit the better.

-Drink green tea.  Results from a 2006 study indicate that as little as a cup or two a day of green tea, which is packed full of antioxidants, can cut your risk of cognitive problems by 50 percent.

-Make lists.  Memory lapses can be the by-product of simply trying to do too many things at once.  At a certain point, your brain just can’t hold any more details.  Make lists of the things you want to do or remember to get rid of some of that brain clutter.

-Play mind games.  Crossword puzzles, soduku, trivia quizzes, or even learning a new skill or language can keep your brain exercised and can slow memory loss.

The good news here is that small changes can be enough to yield big results as long as you keep them up.  A few cups of green tea, acupuncture to relieve stress, exercising a couple days a week, and moderate changes in your diet can be enough to lower your risk of age related memory problems.

That agony in your butt–it’s not just any pain; it can be sharp, electric, and stabbing, and it can be accompanied by numbness and tingling.  If you’ve ever experienced sciatic pain, you’re on first name terms with the kind of pain that starts in your butt and travels down the back or side of your leg. It may keep you up nights, bench you completely, and make you feel like yuo’re 100 years old.

My brush with butt pain happened about three days into a week long kayaking trip in the middle of nowhere.  I woke up one morning and tried to walk down to the beach to wash my face, but my leg, or more accurately, my butt wouldn’t cooperate.  I could walk, but just barely, because a nagging pain on the right side of my low back and butt was causing my leg to fold up like a card table.

I managed to get through the kayaking trip—surprisingly; I was able to paddle without much pain, but once I got out of my kayak, I was pretty well hobbled.  It wasn’t until a week or two later that I learned that I had something called Piriformis syndrome. 

Since then, I have made it my business to know as much as possible about sciatic nerve pain.  If you suffer from this kind of pain, here are some things you should know:

1. Not all pain that begins in your butt and radiates down your leg is sciatica.  True sciatica is due pressure on your sciatic nerve from compressed lumbar disks, trauma, or degeneration in your lower back.
2. Piriformis syndrome often feels just like sciatica, but the cause is from a spasm in the Piriformis muscle.  Your Piriformis is a core stabilizing muscle that runs deep from your sacrum (at the base of your spine) to your hip (the bone on the outside top of your thigh.)  Your sciatic nerve runs under, and for some people, through the Piriformis muscle.  When your Piriformis is injured, it can compress the sciatic nerve where it passes through the pelvis.  Beyond pain deep in your butt, Piriformis syndrome usually causes pain that radiates down the back or side of your leg, and can travel through your knee and into your foot.  The pain can be achy and dull, sharp, nagging, and even cause numbness and tingling.
3. It can be tough to tell the difference between true sciatica and Piriformis syndrome, because the symptoms tend to mimic each other, but there are a few clues.  With sciatica, you will usually have pain radiating all the way into your lower leg and foot, but with Piriformis syndrome, the pain often radiates only as far as your knee.  Areas of complete numbness along the pathway of the nerve indicate sciatica.  Also, Piriformis syndrome is associated with some very tender trigger points in your butt.  For a definitive diagnosis, your doc will need to rule in or out disk problems as the source of your pain.
4. Overuse is a common cause of Piriformis syndrome, and it can be a common injury that sidelines athletes.  Prolonged sitting and trauma can also aggravate the Piriformis muscle, causing it to swell or go into spasms, which causes the sciatic nerve to be pinched. 
5. I have found in my acupuncture practice that Piriformis syndrome is frequently caused by cold.  It seems to be more prevalent in the winter or after a patient has been outdoors in the cold.  I believe that my kayaking debacle was caused by sitting in a cold, wet kayak for hours on end.  (No pun intended.)
6. In my experience, Piriformis syndrome is far more common than true sciatica.  The good news is that I find that my patients with Piriformis syndrome respond far more quickly to treatment than those with sciatica.
7. Treatment for butt pain in Chinese medicine would include acupuncture, heat, body work, stretching, and at home care. Acupuncture speeds healing by promoting circulation to the area of injury.  In addition, research has documented that acupuncture works by increasing the release of pain-relieving chemicals in the brain.
8. I have found that electro acupuncture, in which the inserted needles are hooked up to a small machine that painlessly contracts or “vibrates” the muscle is especially effective in relieving pain and speeds up the healing process.  Electro acupuncture works by relaxing the muscles that are tight or in spasm.
9. Western treatments for butt pain may include rest, physical therapy, injections of local anesthetics or steroids, and prescription medications for pain or to relax the muscles.  For difficult or chronic cases, your doctor may recommend surgery.
10. At home treatments include heating the painful area, rolling on a tennis ball to release trigger points (points that are especially tender), and gentle stretching.  A simple stretch for the Piriformis muscle:  Sit in a chair with both feet on the floor.  To stretch the right side, place your right ankle across the top of your left knee.  Then gently lean forward until you feel the stretch in your butt. Repeat on the other side by reversing the action.

As for my own butt injury, once I was out of the wilderness, I enlisted the help of an acupuncturist to relieve my pain.  I was lucky; it took about a week before I stopped limping, and a few more before I was completely pain-free.  Combined with some daily stretching and strengthening exercises from a physical therapist, I haven’t had a recurrence.  My butt’s just fine, thank you.

If you have ever suffered from dizziness, you know how profoundly it can affect your life. Whether from Meniere’s disease, auditory nerve damage, high or low blood pressure, or an inner ear infection, severe dizziness can leave you pinned to one spot due to a fear of falling or aggravating your symptoms.

While a number of health condition may cause you to be dizzy, not all dizziness is the same.  The severity of symptoms can run the whole gamut from disabling to mildly annoying.  People who suffer from vestibular (inner ear) problems may describe their dizziness as the sensation of the whole room spinning, or vertigo, accompanied by severe balance problems.  However, someone who has low blood pressure may feel temporarily light headed when they stand up. To make things worse, dizziness may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sweating, and even fainting.

According to the principles of Chinese medicine, dizziness is usually classified as some kind of wind.  Wind is a tricky pathogen, in that it tends to move around (making you dizzy).  It usually affects the upper part of your body, much like the wind outdside, and its effects are intermittant, just like strong gusts on a windy day.  In Chinese medicine, wind is frequently the diagnosis not only in cases of dizziness, but also with tremors, some headaches, numbness, high or low blood pressure, and even itchy skin conditions.

The root cause of wind is almost always a deficiency of some vital substance in your body, such as Qi, Blood, or Yin.  For example, anemia is considered a Blood deficiency in Chinese medicine and is a common cause of mild dizziness or light-headedness. Another example is a depletion of your body’s moistening and nourishing Yin, which can cause dizziness.  In this case, your body is like a farmer’s field that has dried out to the point where the smallest breeze will make the dust rise.

Whatever the root cause or depletion, Chinese medicine has a lot to offer to effectively treat dizziness.  The best known treatment is acupuncture, which involves the insertion of tiny needles into your body to stimulate healing.  Also effective for dizziness is scalp acupuncture, Like it sounds, scalp acupuncture entails needling acupuncture points on your scalp to affect brain function, and can be used for neurological conditions.  In many cases, Chinese herbal medicine—the use of a specific formula for a specific condition—can be effective, too. 

Some dietary and lifestyle changes that you may try to help your dizziness include:

-Skip the cocktails.  Alcohol is a neurotoxin, is dehydrating, and can aggravate your symptoms.

-Avoid hot, spicy foods, as the heat can actually make your dizziness worse.

-Avoid caffeine for the same reason.

- While you’re avoiding alcoholic drinks, be sure to drink enough water, especially in hot and dry climates or in dry indoor heating.

-Try mild physical activity to relieve your symptoms.

-When you’re dizzy, focus on a single fixed point.  This gives your brain more visual information to calm the dizziness and help you keep your balance.

-Get up slowly.  This is helpful for those of you with low blood pressure, as well as those who suffer from inner ear problems.  By rising slowly, you give your body and brain time to catch up with the change of position

-Review your medications.  Dizziness or light headedness can be a side effect of a wide variety of drugs.  Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to see if any of the meds you’re taking could be causing your dizziness.

-In all cases, see your doctor if your dizziness is accompanied by chest pain, rapid heart beat, numbness, or blurred vision.

There is nothing worse than a shower drain full of hair, especially if it’s yours and it’s falling out fast. Or perhaps you run your fingers through your hair and come up with a handful. Your hairbrush is full and you’re finding stray hairs – lots of them – on your pillowcase. What’s going on?

Your hair is constantly falling out and regrowing, and most people lose an average of 50 to 100 hairs a day. However, if you’re noticing an increase in shedding or if your hair is noticeably thinning, you’re probably losing more.

Your hair grows in cycles during which it actively grows for about two to three years and then rests for a couple of months. During the growth phase, a hair generally grows about 1/2 inch per month. At the end of the resting phase, the strand of hair falls out and a new strand begins to grow. Noticeable thinning of your hair is due to an above average number of hairs resting at the same time.

In Chinese medicine, the Kidney organ system governs the hair on your head. The Kidney system is also responsible for body functions related to growth, fertility, menopause, and aging. As we get older, your Kidneys become weaker, and one way that weakness is reflected is through the health of your hair. Hair loss, gray hair, and unhealthy hair are all signs that your Kidneys could be a little stronger.

In addition, your Kidney system is one of the Chinese organs most deeply damaged by stress. The adrenal glands sit right on top of your Kidneys, and in Western medicine, adrenal fatigue is the direct result of unrelenting stress. Extreme levels of stress can cause your hair to prematurely go into its resting phase, causing hair loss and thinning.

Beyond stress, there are other reasons that your hair may be falling out. Among them:

Poor diet. Remember the season of Survivor (Australia) when Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s hair fell out by the handful? The contestants didn’t have anything to eat, and Elizabeth’s hair began to fall out as a result of poor nutrition. Extremely low calorie diets or a diet low in protein can cause your hair to fall out.

Hormones. Many women complain that once they went through menopause their hair became much thinner. The decrease in estrogen after menopause can be another culprit in hair loss. In addition, an imbalance in your thyroid hormones can raise the levels of a chemical called DHT, which causes your hair to fall out faster than normal.

Low iron. Iron deficiency is a common cause of hair loss. Low levels of iron decreases the level of red blood cells necessary for healthy hair follicles. Also, it’s possible to have low iron stores (ferritin), but not be anemic.

Medications. Some antidepressants, diuretics, and certainly chemotherapy can cause hair loss.

Health conditions. Scalp infections, frequently fungal in nature, can cause your hair to drop. In addition, diseases such as diabetes and lupus can be associated with hair loss.

Hair treatments. This one may seem like a no-brainer, but how you treat your hair can have a direct impact on the health of your mane. Harsh chemicals, tight braids or pigtails, and brushing too vigorously can damage your hair and scalp and cause your hair to fall out.

So what can you do if your hair is falling out? Make sure your diet is sufficient in protein and iron, to nourish your body and hair. Don’t supplement with iron unless you’re sure your levels are low. Check with your doctor if you think low iron or hormone imbalances might be to blame. Also ask your doctor about adjusting the dosage or changing your prescription if hair loss is a side effect of any medication you’re taking. If stress is the problem, work on coping using Yoga, meditation, visualization, acupuncture, and any other relaxation techniques that work for you.

A practitioner of Chinese medicine would deal with your hair loss by strengthening your Kidney system through acupuncture and the use of herbs. A common herbal formula for hair loss and premature graying is called Seven Treasure Formula for Beautiful Whiskers, which nourishes the Kidney and benefits the hair.

Are you one of those people who learn that you’ve overdone it by receiving a special delivery notice from your knees?  Have you ever had a knee just go out and fold up like a card table?  Maybe you’ve had a knee lock up, blow up, blow out, or just plain hurt.  For knee pain sufferers everywhere, this blog’s for you.

Knee pain and problems are probably only second to back pain in incidence.  If you have knee pain, you’re not alone; over 50 million Americans suffer from knee issues. The causes of knee pain are varied, and can stem from overuse, overweight, weak leg muscles, trauma, or deterioration from wear and tear.

Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for knee pain. In Chinese medicine, knee pain is a sign of stagnant energy.  The Chinese believe that our body’s energy moves in pathways, and when there is pain of any kind, it means that the flow of energy is impeded.  Knee pain or weakness can also be a sign that the Chinese Kidney system is weak.  When this is the case, the pain in your knees is frequently accompanied by dull achy pain in your lower back.  For a full explanation on the Kidney system and Chinese medicine, go here.

The good news with knee pain is that there are things that you can do to alleviate that pain and even prevent episodes in the future.  Among them:

-Strengthen your leg muscles.  The muscle groups that move your knees include your quadriceps on the front of your thigh, and your hamstrings on the back.  To strengthen your quadriceps, start with some simple leg lifts:  lie flat on the floor, keeping your legs straight, turn your right foot outward about 20 degrees.  Lift your right leg off the floor a few inches, hold for the count of three and bring it down.  Start with 20 repetitions and work up to 50.  Repeat with the left leg. For your hamstrings, you can do simple leg curls:  begin either lying face down on the floor or standing, attach an ankle weight (start with one pound and work up) to your right ankle.  Slowly bend your right leg at the knee 90 degrees hold for three seconds then slowly lower your leg back to your starting position.  Repeat the set with your left leg. Start with 20 repetitions and work up to 50.

-Go easy on the activities that are hard on your knees.  Activities such as running, hilly hiking, and stair climbing aggravate knee pain because the movements involved forcibly push your kneecap against your thigh bone.  Avoid any activities that aggravate your knee pain until you have strengthened your leg muscles and your pain has calmed down.

-Check out your shoes.  Make sure you’re wearing the right shoes for you and your sport.  In addition, look for signs of wear on the soles of your shoes and replace sports shoes frequently.  Sales people at a good athletic shoe store can look at your gait and help you choose the right shoe for you—it’s worth spending a little more to not have knee pain.

-Lose a little weight.  This is pretty self-explanatory – if you’re sporting some excess weight, it’s hard on your knees.

-Know when to brace and when not to brace.  Wearing a knee brace can help stabilize your knee early on in the injury cycle.  However, if you depend on a knee brace too long, you won’t build up the muscles that support your knee.  Once you’re on a healing track, give the knee brace a rest so you can build up knee strength.

-Know when to check with your doctor. If you have injured your knee, if you notice swelling, your knee locking, giving out, or pain that goes beyond mildly achy, it’s time to get your knee assessed by your doctor.  While these symptoms may be garden-variety knee pain, they can also be signs of serious internal damage to your knee.

I have seen people in my clinic before complaining of a lump in their throat, but Alan’s symptoms were the most severe I had every encountered.  Alan was a 42 year old realtor and father of three.  He came to me because he had the feeling of a lump in his throat, which was making it difficult for him to eat solid food.  Every time he tried to eat, he was unable to get the food down past the lump.  By the time he came to me, he was only able to drink liquids and was rapidly losing weight.

In my clinic, I see a number of people who are looking for relief from stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.  Many of my patients who are struggling with their emotional health also report feeling something like a lump caught in their throat.

These patients describe this lump as the feeling of something being caught at the bottom of their throat, and it won’t go away no matter what they do.  The lump can be mild, and mentioned only when I ask, or it can be so severe, like Alan’s, that it will limit a patient’s diet.  For some people, certain foods seem to aggravate the feeling, among them meat, onions, acidic foods, and alcohol.

So what is this lump and where does it come from?  In most cases, this lump sensation is a spasm of one of the muscles of the esophagus.  It can physically be caused by a throat infection such as strep, being overweight or esophageal reflux.   Difficulty swallowing can be the sign of more serious conditions, and should be checked out by your doctor if it lasts for more than a week or two.

In Chinese medicine, this lump is called Plum Pit Qi because it feels like a plum pit is caught in your throat.  The Chinese believe that Plum Pit Qi is the result of a situation that is figuratively too hard to swallow, so it gets caught in your throat.  That’s why all of the patients I have seen with this condition also are struggling with some kind of life stress or mental health issue.

Plum Pit Qi is a diagnosis that encompasses a Liver and Spleen disharmony combined with phlegm.  A disharmony between the Chinese Liver and Spleen, in general, means that your energy is stagnating (usually emotional energy) and beginning to mess up your digestion.  In Chinese medicine, phlegm can be both visible (what you see when you blow your nose or cough) and invisible.  Invisible phlegm can be the result of energy stagnating combined with poor fluid metabolism, and is the cause of many lumps and bumps in your body.  Things like goiters, tumors, and cysts can be considered invisible phlegm.

In the clinic, Plum Pit Qi can be successfully and naturally treated.  I like to combine acupuncture with Chinese herbs for this condition.  The formula Ban Xia Hou Po Tang is formulated specifically for Plum Pit Qi, is safe, and works incredibly well.  Self care for Plum Pit Qi includes tracking the foods that aggravate your symptoms, and working on resolving stress, anxiety, and the situations in your life that are too difficult to swallow.

For more information on Qi stagnation, specific action steps for a Liver and Spleen disharmony, resolving phlegm, and foods for your particular body constitution, check out  Simple Steps: The Chinese Way to Better Health.

We’ve all been there, hunkered down over the toilet with an upset stomach.  Whether from the stomach flu, something you ate, or a few too many cocktails, an upset stomach is no fun.  Most of us have almost funny stories of vomiting in inappropriate places or at the wrong time.  This includes my kid, who has never been able to make it to the toilet in time.  The one time he made it to the toilet; he failed to lift the lid, so it doesn’t count as a home run.

There is nothing funny, however, about chronic nausea, whether due to morning sickness or as the result of chemotherapy treatments.  It can result in dehydration, exhaustion, weight loss, and may aggravate already existing health conditions.

In Chinese medicine, nausea and vomiting are the result of something called counterflow Qi, or energy moving in the wrong direction.  Ideally, stomach energy moves downward, but under certain circumstances, it can move in the wrong direction.  Other examples of counterflow Qi include the hiccups, heartburn, coughing, and in some instances, diarrhea.  Nausea and vomiting can have a number of underlying causes in Chinese medicine, including a Liver/Stomach disharmony, food stagnation, an external pathogen (the flu), and even phlegm and dampness.

Chinese medicine has much to offer to relieve nausea and vomiting.  One of the best known remedies for nausea is ginger root.  Ginger was found to be effective in relieving chemotherapy related nausea in a recent study at the University of Rochester.  The results of the study indicated that ginger capsules taken prior to the administration of chemotherapy drugs were effective in decreasing nausea in cancer patients.  Ginger can also be taken in the form of tea, or can be grated into food or taken with hot water.  In addition to ginger, there are a number of Chinese herbal formulas that effectively calm an upset stomach. 

Acupuncture treatments can also successfully treat nausea and vomiting.  An acupuncturist would determine the underlying pattern causing your nausea, and develop a treatment to relieve the symptoms and deal with the cause.  One point that you can use at home with acupressure is called Pericardium 6.  It’s found on the palm side of your wrist about two inches from your wrist crease (in the direction of your elbow), right between the tendons.  Feel around in the area for a slightly tender spot, and stimulate that point by applying pressure for a few minutes with your finger or thumb.

We’ve all heard the figurative term that something is a pain in the neck, but the reality of neck pain can cause sleepless nights, limited range of motion, and make your life miserable in general. There are a number of causes of neck pain, including trauma, turning and reaching at the same time, drafts, and bad ergonomics.

The most common cause of neck pain, however, is stress. Most people who are overwhelmed and under a lot of stress will tell you that they physically carry that stress in their neck. This has been the case since caveman times, when our furry ancestors raised the hackles on their neck in threatening situations. While a cranky boss, looming deadline, or a failing relationship isn’t the same as the threat of being eaten, your body still reacts in the same way, resulting in a tight, stiff neck.

In Chinese medicine, your stiff neck is a classic case of stagnation. The tightness in your upper back and neck create a slowdown in the circulation (stagnation) of blood and energy in the area. In addition, as that area becomes tight, it can move upward causing headaches, tooth grinding, and jaw pain; or move downward and cause back pain and tightness.

The antidote to neck pain in Chinese medicine is acupuncture, which works on two levels. It can help relieve the pain and tightness in your neck, and it can also help relieve stress.

You should check with your Western doc if your neck pain is accompanied by confusion, fever, or drowsiness. Also, if your neck pain radiates into your arms or hands, or if you feel numbness or tingling, it may be the sign of disk involvement and should also be checked out.

Some things you can do on your own to relieve neck pain include:

-Get some heat on it. Take a warm shower, use a heating pad, warm rice bag, or a towel soaked in hot water. By putting heat on your neck, you are increasing the circulation, loosening tight muscles, and enhancing your range of motion.

-Increase your flexibility. After you have warmed up your stiff neck, move your head up and down as if you were nodding yes. Then slowly move your head from side to side as if you were saying no. Tilt your head, moving your ear toward your shoulder on each side. These stretches will help increase your range of motion, but remember, don’t do anything that is intensely painful.

-Sleep on it. Sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees. This helps you maintain the natural curvature of your spine, and will help you avoid sleeping on your side, which can aggravate a stiff neck.

-Hold the phone. Keep the phone off of your shoulder. If you’re on the phone a lot at work, get a headset or hold the phone with your hand.

-Take a break. If you’re on your computer all day, make sure you take regular breaks to get up, stretch, and walk around.

-Eyes forward. Make sure that your work station is ergonomically correct. This means that you shouldn’t have to look sideways to see your computer screen, look downward all day long, or be sitting in an uncomfortable position.

-Stay away from drafts. Cold air blowing on your neck can be an underlying cause of a stiff neck. Avoid sleeping in a draft, and be sure to wear a scarf on cool, cold and windy days.

-Get some acupuncture. In most cases, your stiff neck will be gone in a few days. However, acupuncture can be extremely helpful in speeding up the healing process.

Are you the kind of person who can bump a corner of the coffee table and know that you’ll have a whopper of a bruise tomorrow?  Are you afraid of your neighbor’s dog jumping on you because you’ll have to marks to show for it?  Do you frequently sport some big bruises and don’t know where they came from?  If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then you’re an easy bruiser.

Bruising at the drop of a hat is the result of fragile blood vessels, and can come from a number of underlying causes.  In Chinese medicine, easy bruising is a sign that your body’s holding function is weak. 

Your Chinese Spleen is responsible for digesting the food you eat and converting it into energy, blood, and nutrients.  A secondary function of your Spleen is to hold things in place, including holding blood in the vessels.  Other signs that your body isn’t holding things well are chronic diarrhea, frequent miscarriages, heavy menstrual periods and prolapsed (falling) organs, like your uterus or bladder.  From a Chinese perspective, strengthening your Spleen can be accomplished through acupuncture, herbal formulas, and dietary modifications.

From a more Western viewpoint, easy bruising may be due to a vitamin or mineral deficiency.  The most common deficiencies involved in weak or fragile blood vessels are Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and copper.

One of the functions of Vitamin C is to help build collagen, which is important in holding body structures together, including connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments.  If you are deficient in Vitamin C, the ability of collagen to hold the connective tissue around your blood vessels may be impaired, allowing them to rupture and bruise more easily.  Good food sources of Vitamin C include most dark vegetables such as broccoli, kale, collard or turnip greens, and red or green peppers.

Another nutrient that plays a role in the synthesis of collagen is the copper.  Copper is a trace mineral found in oysters, most nuts and legumes (peas and beans).  A deficiency in copper can also be an underlying cause of easy bruising.

Vitamin K can also be a player if you’re a bruiser, however it’s role is different than that of copper or Vitamin C.  Vitamin K is important in making clotting factors, which are components necessary to stop bleeding and facilitate clotting.  Like Vitamin C, Vitamin K is found abundantly in dark leafy vegetables.  One word of caution, however, Vitamin K can alter the affects of Coumadin or Warfarin, so if you’re taking either of those anti clotting medications, steer clear of supplementing Vitamin K or taking any herbal formulas.

Many over the counter pain relievers, such as Ibuprofen (Advil), Naproxen (Alleve), and aspirin (but not Tylenol), can also have an affect on bleeding. These medications make your platelets (necessary in clotting, too) less sticky and therefore less prone to clotting.  This is a good thing if you are at risk for cardiovascular disease or stroke, but taking these pain relievers for a period of time can make you more likely to bruise.  

Medical experts know that stress and other strong negative emotions have an impact on your body’s hormonal balance, specifically the balance of adrenaline, cortisol, and insulin.  In addition, it’s known that hormonal changes caused by stress can be responsible for weight gain around your middle, and can increase your risk for certain cardiovascular health problems.  Your doctor may describe this phenomenon as the difference between being pear shaped (good) versus apple shaped (not so good).

In Chinese medicine, this same phenomenon would be described as a Liver/Spleen disharmony, or a case of your emotions upsetting your digestion.  Your Chinese Liver is the organ system that regulates the smooth movement of everything in your body, including your emotions, circulation, menstrual cycles, and digestion.  The function of the Spleen system is to efficiently turn food into nutrients, energy, and blood—in other words, all aspects of digestion.  You know your Spleen isn’t up to par when you have signs or symptoms related to your digestion, including food cravings or a loss of appetite, constipation or loose stools, stomachaches, nausea, and weight gain.  You might think that if you’re gaining weight your digestion is just fine, thank you very much, but in reality, weight gain is a signal that your digestion is impaired in some way.

How can acupuncture or Chinese medicine help?  There are a couple of answers.  First, acupuncture is an excellent way to soothe your emotions.  It can effectively help people who are feeling stressed, anxious or depressed.  It seems odd that the insertion of a couple of needles can affect your emotions or mood, but research has in fact documented that acupuncture alters brain chemistry in a good way.

Secondly, using a combination of acupuncture, herbs, and food therapy, a practitioner of Chinese medicine can help you get your weight under control.  Not only can it help you with food cravings, but Chinese medicine is an incredibly effective treatment for digestive problems.

 If stress is impacting your health or causing weight gain, think about acupuncture.  It’s safe, effective, and organic.

.