In honor of Father’s Day, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight how acupuncture and TCM helps men’s health; and to remind men that they need to take care of themselves too. Statistically men are less likely than women to seek health care and married men tend to see the doctor more often than single men, but still less often than women (even accounting for pregnancy needs). One of the biggest complaints I hear from male patients is they are too busy or they don’t want to walk out with another pill to take.
I started this with a search of “top reasons men go to the doctor” and could only find research and articles on why men should go to the doctor—it seems we haven’t really looked at why they do go when they do in much detail. I did find this gem from The Cleveland Clinic and their support of the MENtion It Campaign—an initiative to encourage men to seek care. Despite the fact that the majority of men want better health to care for their families, less than half of those who listed that as a priorit, seek regular care.
The top reasons why? They don’t want to know they have to make a lifestyle change, or fear of finding out what they have. We get it—but there are better options than neglecting your health. And if you don’t want to take a pill when things are going wrong, yes, you will need to make a change. But aren’t you and your family worth it? So if you have an issue—MENtion It! We are here to listen.
One advantage acupuncture has over other options is we treat the whole body during a session—you may be coming in for back pain or knee pain, but we will also be addressing sleep, digestion, immune function, endocrine balance and more. If you think about it, it is truly a great value! Similarly, our approach using herbal formulas is to select a formula that addresses as many issues at once as possible—so you can take one thing and have multiple issues get better. And unlike just treating a symptom, when we are able to get to the root of the problem, and as a result, you feel better and stay that way even without being on herbs all the time.
Menopause gets a lot of notice, but did you know men go through a similar process called Andropause? First written about in 1946, a landmark paper in JAMA entitled, “The Male Climacteric” characterized it with nervousness, reduced potency, decreased libido, irritability, fatigue, depression, memory problems, sleep disturbances, and hot flushes. Hypogonadism is broad scientific term and it refers to a “clinical syndrome caused by androgen deficiency, which may adversely affect multiple organ functions and quality of life.”1 Decreasing testosterone levels are linked to a number of disease processes and shorter life-span. The traditional approach is supplemental testosterone, but acupuncture and traditional East Asian herbal medicine have also been shown to regulate testosterone levels in the body, improve mood, sleep, endocrine function and cardiovascular health.
Speaking of hearth heath—statistically 1 in 4 men will die of heart disease and it’s complications. Men tend to develop heart disease earlier in life than women and are less likely to make the lifestyle changes necessary to reverse heart disease. Coronary artery disease is one of the most common forms of heart disease among men and responds incredibly well to lifestyle and diet changes. Tons of this research can be found here.
JAMA: Intensive Lifestyle Changes for Reversal of Coronary Heart Disease
If you made it this far into the article, congratulations! As a thank you for being loyal reader, use the code “mentionit” for 10% off you next order from our website. Discount code valid 6/15/23 - 7/15/23. Not valid with other offers, not valid for gift cards. Other restrictions may apply.
Did you know half of men who have heart attacks have no symptoms before it happens? Or perhaps, didn’t know they were having symptoms. One of the earliest signs of heart disease is erectile dysfunction. Another early sign of heart disease is new onset anxiety2. Mental health issues and heart disease are often tangled together and in many cases of anxiety being caused by low grade (not yet detectable) heart disease, the typical anxiety medications don’t work well. Acupuncture is very effective for both mental health and cardiovascular health—and as we mentioned above, can address both issues in the same sessions!
Last, but not least is prostate health. Benign Prostate Hyperplasia responds very well to acupuncture and herbal therapies3. Acupuncture can increase urinary output, reduce the size of the prostate, and beyond hyperplasia is effective for treating Prostatitis as well.
Harvard Study on Acupuncture Relieving Prostatitis Symptoms
These results tend to be long-lasting after the initial course of treatment. Prostatitis alone is responsible for over 2 million doctors visits a year, and is often recurring and has no clear cause. So even if we can’t convince you to see your doctor once a year (yet), schedule an appointment with one of our acupuncturists, check out our online resources, and remember—Dads are an important part of the family and it’s important they get the care they need so they can take care of others!
1 Singh P. Andropause: Current concepts. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Dec;17(Suppl 3):S621-9. doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.123552. PMID: 24910824; PMCID: PMC4046605.
2 Celano CM, Daunis DJ, Lokko HN, Campbell KA, Huffman JC. Anxiety Disorders and Cardiovascular Disease. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2016 Nov;18(11):101. doi: 10.1007/s11920-016-0739-5. PMID: 27671918; PMCID: PMC5149447.
3 Zhang W, Ma L, Bauer BA, Liu Z, Lu Y. Acupuncture for benign prostatic hyperplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2017 Apr 4;12(4):e0174586. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174586. PMID: 28376120; PMCID: PMC5380320.
I wanted to share my thought process and observations with my own recent experience with alpha-gal.
Alpha-gal, short for Alpha-galactose, refers to a complex sugar molecule found in the tissues of non-primate mammals, including cows, pigs, and other animals. It is also present in certain insects like ticks. Alpha-gal is known to trigger an immune response in some individuals, leading to an allergy called Alpha-gal syndrome. People with this condition may experience delayed allergic reactions after consuming red meat or products derived from mammals. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include hives, gastrointestinal discomfort, or even anaphylaxis. Alpha-gal has gained attention in recent years due to its association with tick bites and its impact on dietary choices and lifestyle adjustments for affected individuals.
Almost 5 years ago when I was doing my initial training with Dr. Soliman, about 1/3 of the class-tested weak to alpha-gal who didn’t think they had it—including myself. That explained why sometimes after I had bacon and eggs my stomach was off—I was beginning to think I had pepper sensitivity but we checked pepper too and only alpha-gal was weak. We did each other's needles as part of learning the process and 3 weeks later after I took out my needles, I had no issues with bacon and eggs. During that 3 weeks, I didn’t eat mammal meat or drink milk but otherwise, I didn’t kill myself avoiding mammal while the needles were in because I didn’t realize I even had an issue. Since then, I haven’t had any issues with mammal.
In an interesting twist of fate, my last tick experience resulted in a tick that tested negative for carrying any pathogens (thanks to the University of Kentucky tick tracking program, that testing was free for me) but I found myself experiencing what I thought was food poisoning about 6 weeks after the bite. I rarely get a stomach bug, but it didn’t feel quite like food poisoning. During that time, there was a stomach bug going around, so I stayed home to not share any bugs with my patients. I felt rough all day, but better by dinner which included mac & cheese with pork sausage…and I started feeling off again. I realized both dinners had pork. I took a Pepcid and within an hour I started feeling better—never progressed to vomiting. By the next morning, I felt great but was reasonably certain I had alpha-gal. It felt a lot like my patients' stories (I see a lot of alpha-gal patients!). It was going to be a couple of weeks to get into my doctor to get the blood test, but I see this every day.
The next morning at the office to get a clear test, I pull the basic alpha-gal filters: I check (alpha-gal, beef, pork, lamb, gluten, and MCAS) and to not bias my testing (because I know I might be weak to all of them), I add in some I’m pretty sure are safe: chicken, eggs, oats, rice, and avocado. My office manager has a good sense of feel and with a little coaching, I have good confidence in her ability to provide even pressure with each filter. She randomly puts them in the tray and tests me without looking at the labels with me looking away from the tray so I can’t see them—some test weak, some test strong…no surprise.
What was a surprise was the results—not the alpha-gal testing weak (I was pretty sure on that one), but the individual meats don’t test weak, nor does the gluten. It’s surprising as is the rice and the oats, but it also explains why I felt so bad the day before. I had a large bowl of oatmeal for breakfast and again for lunch to settle my stomach and felt bad all day. I conducted further testing using my specially formulated spays (currently in development, stay tuned!) with promising results. Now the question is how much mammal do I need to avoid to feel good? The meats and large amounts of dairy are out, but perhaps I can keep the cream in my coffee...
I do a 24-hour strict no-mammal or dairy diet and I feel great. Then I had my usual cream in my coffee—no symptoms initially, but around midday, I realize I have no motivation—I don’t want to be outside, I don’t feel like riding my horse, I can’t focus on anything I’m doing! Sure these aren’t allergy symptoms in the traditional sense, but they are not “my normal” by a long shot. I then eliminate regular cream for the next few weeks. I used coconut cream in my coffee and my brain wasn’t falling apart the afternoon! I take my specially formulated sprays and prep mammal-free meals for the week; including a dairy-free dark chocolate espresso bread with 9g of protein, no refined sugar, and no saturated fats. It’s not gluten-free; I adapted it from a gluten-free paleo recipe and swapped the coconut flour for organic white flour, so it easily could be.
In the end, it turns out allergies aren’t monolithic—it’s not always the same reaction to different things. I hear patients all the time tell me they tolerate dairy just fine and their allergist said they could have it because it didn’t show on the blood test—but just because you aren’t having hives, throwing up, or experiencing the “typical” allergies it doesn’t mean you are tolerating it. I’m not saying some people don’t tolerate dairy just fine with alpha-gal, I see patients who do. But it’s worth cutting things out for a few days to see what improves.
It’s not easy to do—I get it! My husband is not thrilled with this turn of events because he does a lot of our cooking and now he’s having to adapt for me. I thought a cake we made turned out pretty well, but he didn’t like it. Once I figure out why, I can hopefully tweak the recipe to work for both of us (I suspect he tastes too much coconut from the coconut oil or it wasn’t sweet enough for his taste). Apple sauce, banana, or shredded zucchini would have worked to tweak the taste too. I’ll try it again and see what happens. Cooking is an alchemy of transforming a pile of things into something else, and there’s more than one way to get there!
I’m pretty aware of what my body is feeling these days, I’ve learned the hard way to listen to it. My hope is you don’t have to suffer from not listening to your body—to be curious and notice not just the physical sensations you experience but mentally and emotionally how you feel as well and take that into account when making your food choices.
Yours in health,
Jenny-Marie
As a person who was raised to look at every creature as having a place and purpose in the world—I admit there is a short list of critters I just can’t find a reason to have around. At the top of my list is the tick. Some of the most stubborn diseases we treat come from a bite from these tiny bloodsuckers. Worse yet, the range of conditions keeps growing; both in terms of geographical regions and the types of pathogens they carry.
Early diagnosis and removal of the tick are essential in preventing the development of severe complications. Additionally, preventive measures such as wearing protective clothing, using insect repellents (we are currently working on developing one!), and conducting regular tick checks after outdoor activities can help minimize the risk of tick bites and subsequent diseases.
One of our local universities is doing a study analyzing ticks that are being sent in from around the region to map what they are carrying and where they are found. I highly encourage you to support the University of Kentucky in this initiative and as a bonus, they will send you a report of their findings (here is a sample):
For me, it was peace of mind to know that the ticks I found attached to me were not carrying anything harmful.
University of Kentucky Entomology Page
University of Kentucky Guide to Identification and Testing and form link
So what was I worried about? In our area, Lyme and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever are common, and along with those, Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis are possible infections. Even before I had the results—I took steps to protect myself. I don’t often recommend antibiotics unless absolutely necessary but for people who tolerate doxycycline well it’s definitely worth a call to your doctor to discuss doing a prophylactic round of antibiotics after a tick bite. Not all of us have that option though—I have a genetic anomaly that puts many medications on the “avoid if possible list”, including most antibiotics, so I have developed other strategies for care. I took 2 weeks of strong anti-microbial herbs that have an excellent track record against most tickborne diseases and also boost immune activity as a precaution. As an additional concern, since one of the ticks was a Lone Star Tick, there was a chance of developing an allergic reaction to mammals (see our Alpha Gal article for more information about this unusual allergy). Fortunately, I didn’t develop that either but if I had—yes, acupuncture can help with that too!
If you made it this far into the article, congratulations! As a thank you for being loyal reader, use the code “tickssuck” for 10% off you next order from our website. Discount code valid 6/15/23 - 7/15/23. Not valid with other offers, not valid for gift cards. Other restrictions may apply.
Now, back to the tickborne diseases—part of the challenge with diagnosing tickborne infections is the testing can be very inaccurate with a high rate of false negatives. Most of these pathogens excel at hiding in tissues rather than circulating in the bloodstream allowing them to be hidden in the body and evading detection through traditional methods. Further complicating the issue is for people who have a history of concussion or whiplash injuries, these pathogens can more easily bypass the blood brain barrier and infiltrate the brain creating a host of neurological symptoms. In fact, some studies found that people who have had a concussion or whiplash are 80% more likely to develop chronic issues from tickborne diseases than those who don’t. The link between post-concussive issues and chronic tickborne diseases has only recently been published in the medical literature, but I see it frequently in the clinic. I suspect the 80% is a conservative number based on what I see in the office—so far 100% of my chronic tickborne disease patients have a history of concussion or whiplash.
Acupuncture is a useful adjunct in these cases, but acupuncture alone will not resolve these cases. It takes an intensive combination of herbs, nutritional supplements, dedication to eating mostly anti-inflammatory foods, and getting enough rest and meditation to help heal the brain to see a full recovery—but the good news is there is hope. It’s not a fast process, but it is effective for the majority of our patients who follow their care guides. So if you or someone you know is struggling with unexplained fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, persistent muscle knots that don’t respond to body work or acupuncture, weird non-diabetic neuropathy and otherwise feel awful but their bloodwork is all normal—odds are very good that we can help!
May is a month loaded with great awareness campaigns—most of which we see routinely in our clinic: Lyme, Mental Health, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and Celiac Disease. Two of those are largely genetic—Celiac Disease and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome—and while we can’t change your genes, acupuncture, herbs, and appropriate nutritional support can greatly improve the quality of life for patients with these conditions.
Our favorite supplements for Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome are available below; but please note these options are not all vegan or gluten-free so please contact our office for help choosing replacement products for this protocol if you need to avoid mammal or gluten:
Celiac Disease & Gluten Intolerance—What’s the Difference?
As far as Celiac Disease, there is a wide range of experiences: from those with an allergy to gluten creating the sensitivity, to those with true Celiac disease who simply won’t be able to effectively process gluten, to those who aren’t allergic—but react to the lectins in gluten and have an inflammatory response to these grains. While conventional thinking says allergies can only be managed and not treated, we are seeing people’s allergies actually go away (even as measured with IgE in the bloodwork) as a result of a highly specialized technique called “Soliman’s Auricular Allergy Treatment” pioneered by Dr. Nader Soliman, MD, LAc. While this technique is most widely known for helping people with alpha-gal allergies (an allergy to a carbohydrate found in mammal products triggered by tick bites) it actually is effective for most allergies.
We have helped people with nut allergies, dairy allergies, animal allergies, and even severe environmental allergies—not just pollen, dust, and molds, but more rare allergies such as sunlight and water! Gluten allergies also respond very well to this treatment; which brings me back to my earlier point about allergies vs. genetic limits vs. inflammatory response to other elements of gluten. For someone coming in with just a gluten allergy, this treatment will normally allow them to eat gluten without a reaction if they had a measurable IgE response to gluten in the past, and in many cases, this will disappear. Those with a genetic intolerance (what we refer to as “true Celiac”) still can’t eat gluten routinely after SAAT, but if they are accidentally exposed to gluten, they report that the reactions are greatly reduced. A similar effect is reported among those with lectin intolerance; they can’t always eat as much as they want, but small amounts and cross-contamination don’t cause the severe reactions they used to have.
For those with true Celiac—the reduced reactivity is a welcome relief; allowing them more options to enjoy meals with friends and family who may not realize what “gluten-free” really means even with the best intentions. For example, many people know that wheat has gluten, but they don’t realize most beers contain gluten. Foods like soy sauce and many spice blends contain small amounts of gluten as well, and for people with Celiac disease, even small amounts can create distressing reactions. Worse yet, labeling requirements are very bad in the US and many products contain unlabeled sources of gluten! In more severe cases, even topical exposure to gluten through lotions, soaps, or hair care products can create a reaction (though so far those reactions seem to be greatly reduced even in the most severe cases after SAAT).
Have someone in your life who needs to be gluten-free?
We created this handy guide of safe foods and hidden sources of gluten for reference!
The Hidden Cost of Lyme Disease
Lyme Disease may be one of the most pervasive and least frequently diagnosed conditions in the US. The current standard test, the ELISA test is estimated to be 70% accurate, but some independent testing has shown the current standard of combining an ELISA test with a Western Blot Test (which is reported to be 99% accurate) may be off more than 50% of the time, especially in cases of neurological Lyme. Worse yet, most doctors haven’t read the research about how a history of concussion or whiplash can make someone up to 80% more likely to develop chronic neurological Lyme because of damage to the blood-brain barrier. If there are other underlying chronic pathogens such as Epstein Barr Virus or Covid, those numbers very quickly get much worse. Diagnoses of Lyme Disease from Columbia University Medical Center
So in a month of Mental Health Awareness—why am I writing about misdiagnosed Lyme?
“People with psychiatric disorders related to Lyme disease may experience symptoms like fatigue, depression, anxiety, brain fog, rage, sleep disturbances, Bipolar disorder, and more. The longer that Lyme disease goes untreated, the more likely a patient is to develop these symptoms and disorders.”
The Effects of Lyme Disease, igenex.com
Chronic Lyme can also cause autonomic neuropathy. In these cases, the range of symptoms that can emerge is extremely broad and often leaves providers perplexed because the usual tests for those conditions will all be “normal”. Autonomic Neuropathy, Medscape
Arguably this subject can fill a book (one that I am working on) but suffice to say, many of the treatment strategies that are key to recovering from Lyme are beneficial for mental health, even in the absence of Lyme. Without going too far down into the weeds, it’s important to feed the body real food, minimize sugars (even hidden sugars like grains and breads), focus on nutrient-dense veggies for about 70% of your diet, and then find a balance of grains, fruits, and meats for the remaining 30% that keeps you feeling good. The same goes for mental health—better nutrition supports better mental health. In addition, nutrition to support the mitochondria in the cells can make a huge difference. Some of our favorites can be found here:
Feeling overwhelmed with how to eat healthy? Check out our free Facebook group, Raja Wellness Ways to Health for recipes, tips, inspiration, and to share those techniques that work for you!
Need one-on-one support? Clean Good Eats is a great resource—they have group classes on healthy cooking, or you can reach out to Dr. Sakinah Bunch for private coaching.
Yours in Health,
Jenny-Marie
Early in my training as an acupuncturist, one of the hardest concepts to internalize was that in classical East Asia, the brain really had no role in the physiology of the body. Instead, many of the functions we now attribute to the brain were under the domain of other organs. Sometimes those functions were consistent with modern biomedical understanding, and other times they had more relation with the classical ideas of the Greeks. But as a whole, when applied as a system of treatment—the model worked and still works—surprisingly well. As time passes, modern research continues to validate these “arcane” ideas.
Despite the brain's lack of a defined role, a number of acupuncture points on the head have functions that are clearly neurological functions: controlling vision, improving mental clarity, balance and coordination, regulating digestion, speech, and so on. Early research in monkeys attempted to match the points on the head to the underlying active regions of the brain—and when only about 40% of those regions actually correlated, the assumption was the ancients may have deduced more about the brain than we gave them credit for in a few places, and in other areas, their locations were wildly different. Fast forward another 20 years and the same studies were repeated on humans. It turns out that humans and monkeys have different active areas for certain functions—and when they compared the points to actual human brain activity, more than 85% of the points now correlated to the active brain regions underneath them! Clearly, they knew more than we thought they did.
Today acupuncture is widely recognized for its role in improved neurological functioning—from post-stroke and concussion recovery to reducing the symptoms and rate of progression of diseases like MS, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and more recently as a way to regulate and correct dysautonomia regardless of cause. Modern iterations of acupuncture have evolved with specific systems of scalp acupuncture for neurological disorders and others focused on improving brain function. Auricular, or ear acupuncture evolved from some of these research efforts, recognizing the rich concentration of nerves in the ear and surrounding areas that have direct neurological pathways to the innermost reaches of the brain through the cranial nerves.
Besides acupuncture—what else can you do to protect what the Chinese once called “a curious organ” or “The Sea of Marrow”, your magnificent and adaptable brain? First and foremost— food matters! I highly recommend Dr. Gundry’s book “The Longevity Paradox” to learn more about what to eat, and as importantly, when to eat to promote optimal brain health.
In addition, there are a few supplements I recommend for nerve health and additional ones to be taken as soon as possible after any head trauma to help mitigate damage. Remember, if you take any prescription medications, please talk to your pharmacist or me before adding any supplements to your regimen. You can order through our website here:
AcuIntegra Glutathione Booster™ (Biotransformation, Detoxification & Antioxidation Support)
AcuIntegra HericinEx MCT™ (Memory, Neuro Support & Focus)
AcuIntegra Curcumin MCT™ (Inflammation Modulation, Anti-Oxidation Support, Detoxification Support)
Post-head Trauma Recovery Pack Fullscript regimen available here!
Millions of women suffer from gynecological complaints each year. Endometriosis (11% of women in the US) and fibroids (26% of women in the US) are two of the most common and painful issues women face. That’s over 30 million women in the US alone and these numbers are arguably under-reported as many less severe cases are often dismissed as PMS, depression, or part of some other syndrome. Conventional biomedicine has little to offer women in these cases beyond hormone therapies (often with intolerable side effects) or surgical options that can scar and affect future fertility, or as a last-ditch effort—simply offering a hysterectomy (often taking the ovaries as well) and throwing the woman into early menopause. Symptoms of these conditions can be painful and quite literally, draining, as women struggle with heavy, unrelenting bleeding.
These are not conditions new to women. Endometriosis was first identified 300 years ago in Western medical texts, but references to the condition trace back over 4000 years under the older diagnosis “hysteria”. Similarly, uterine fibroids have a long history. Uterine fibroid lesions were initially known as the “uterine stone.” In the second century AD, they were called scleromas. The term fibroid was first introduced in the 1860s. Uterine fibroids are the most common pelvic tumors among women of reproductive age, affecting more than 70% of women worldwide, particularly women of color”1. It is not surprising traditional medicines have ways to treat these conditions.
In my practice I have found acupuncture and herbs together provide the best treatment outcomes for these conditions, and if only one can be used, the herbs are the more important piece (although it takes longer for them to achieve the same results when used without acupuncture). Fortunately, I have been able to work with patients who not only were able to report their progress through improvement in their physical symptoms but also provided me with ultrasounds and other diagnostics from their OBGYNs.
In one case of a woman in her 40s—her uterine fibroids shrank on average more than 7mm each in a 3-month period, and after 6 months had no visible blood supply. She was no longer a candidate for surgery as her fibroids were effectively “cured”. 4 years later, even without maintenance herbs—her fibroids have not returned. Her heavy periods, severe abdominal pain and fatigue are a thing of the past.
In another case, a woman in her 20s came in for endometriosis and fibroids. Hormone therapies had failed and she was hoping to retain her uterus and chances to have children in the future but she was living with crippling pain that radiated from her abdomen to her back. She described it as “living with barbed wire wrapped around her torso and her spine—like I am being torn from the inside out”. In addition, she had fibroids and chronically heavy periods resulting in fatigue and anemia. To top it all off, she dealt with the emotional stress of the constant pain and fear of losing her chances at motherhood. Within 3 months of treatment, her periods were more normal and the pain was no longer constant but limited to around ovulation and onset of her menses. At 6 months, her cycles were normal and she was pain-free! She had follow-up imaging to evaluate her need for surgery and while endometrial tissue and fibroids were still present, the fibroids were visibly smaller and the endometrial tissue appeared less pervasive on imaging than it had 6 months before when she started treatment. At 9 months she was due for laparoscopic surgery to remove some of the endometrial tissue, and remarkably only 40% of the expected tissue was found and the fibroids were 70% smaller than on the initial imaging. The doctors were able to remove the excess endometrial tissue and fibroids easier than expected. 6 months later she was pregnant with her first child and now has a happy, healthy little girl, and her cycles continue to be normal.
Cases like these highlight why herbs and acupuncture have been used for thousands of years. Together they help women optimize their health safely and effectively. In combination with modern medical techniques, they can give even the most severe cases relief. I highlight the second case in particular because I don’t believe the herbs and acupuncture alone could have reduced the damage enough to help her get pregnant—perhaps if we had started the herbs years earlier before the progression was so severe. It’s important to work with all available resources for optimal health care. So please, if conventional treatments have failed or you want a more natural alternative—find an experienced acupuncturist and herbalist to work with!
Call us at 270-506-3853 or click here to book an appointment today!
1 Qiwei Yang, Michal Ciebiera, Maria Victoria Bariani, Mohamed Ali, Hoda Elkafas, Thomas G Boyer, Ayman Al-Hendy, Comprehensive Review of Uterine Fibroids: Developmental Origin, Pathogenesis, and Treatment, Endocrine Reviews, Volume 43, Issue 4, August 2022, Pages 678–719, https://doi.org/10.1210/endrev/bnab039
Don’t get me wrong, I love my morning coffee; yet if I ever had to choose either just coffee or just tea for the rest of my life, tea wins hands down! The health benefits and variety of flavors are just too great to give up! Tea is one of the most heart friendly beverage choices, high in antioxidants and heart healthy polyphenols. No, not that sweet tea at the old greasy spoon, but real tea! Yet many people I talk to either don’t like tea or have never even tried it. This is tragic! I promise you, there is a tea out there waiting for you!
So let’s talk tea!
If you want to get picky, tea is actually a very narrow definition—like coffee—meaning a beverage brewed from the leaves of tea bushes that are harvested at varying stages of growth and prepared in various ways, resulting in everything from white teas to green, black to pu-erh (a fermented and aged form of tea leaf). Most of us also group herbal teas into this category, though technically these are referred to as “tisanes”.
Why bother with all these shrubs and “weeds”? (many of the best herbal teas are considered weeds in some circles!)
Now let’s talk functions!
Want to improve your oral health? White tea to the rescue—its minerals and antioxidants protect the tooth enamel and neutralize acids.
Allergies got you down? Rooibos-based teas can reduce inflammation and mitigate allergy symptoms. (If you have ragweed allergies—avoid chamomile tea and opt for chrysanthemum instead).
Looking for something to help your skin and hair? Yup, rooibos again; as well as horsetail, nettle, and oatstraw.
Menstrual cramps or muscle spasms? Chamomile, nettle, and oatstraw can help soothe those cranky muscles.
Is liver health a concern? Hibiscus and dandelion are excellent liver tonics that also can reduce blood triglycerides and reduce sugar cravings! Chrysanthemum is also great for liver health!
Digestive upset? Peppermint and ginger are powerhouses here!
Arthritis pain? Ginger again—and if you like a more savory tea, blends with turmeric and ginger can be a great option.
Stressed out? Trouble focusing? Oolong tea is high in L-theanine which helps calm the brain and has a moderate amount of caffeine helping to maintain focus and concentration. Oolong is the same plant that green, white and black teas come from, but the special fermentation process gives it this special quality.
Just plain stressed? Chrysanthemum and goji berries are some of my favorites to ease a stressful day.
Another reason I love hot tea is it gives me a chance to slow down and immerse myself in the process of making it. Adding the hot water, savoring the aromas released, watching the colors bloom in the water, and then choosing just the right cup or pot to enjoy my brew from. Tea can be an experience to enjoy!
Different teas also benefit from different steeping times—from less than a minute or two for white and green teas, a couple of minutes for darker teas, or even overnight for nettle and oatstraw; so make sure to check the package instructions.
Last but not least—don’t ruin those health benefits with tons of sugar. If you need a little added sweetness, a dash of fresh honey or stevia for those darker teas often does the trick. Need to sweeten up an herbal blend? Try a couple of goji berries for natural sweetness and an added boost of antioxidants.
We are thrilled to carry Buddha Chakra Teas! "Chakra" is the ancient Sanskrit word for the seven central points of energy that reside within, helping to balance our physical, emotional and spiritual state. Buddha Teas are expertly crafted from herbs that resonate with each chakra, offering stimulating and flavorful teas empowered by the essence of crystals. Whether you're looking for a morning pick-me-up, a relaxing evening brew, or a tea to promote wellness, we have something for everyone!
We carry unique varieties such as:
Root Chakra Tea: When your root chakra is in balance, you feel safe in the world, and free to trust in ways that allow you to take healthy risks, knowing that all will be well. Contains Organic Raspberry Leaf, Organic Ashwagandha Root, Organic Cloves, Organic Dandelion Root, Organic Hibiscus Flower.
Sacral Chakra Tea: The Sacral chakra focuses on creativity, sensuality, and our connection with others. This expertly crafted herbal blend is designed to assist you as you flow your way to sacral chakra health. Contains Organic Calendula Flowers, Organic Burdock Root, Organic Fennel Seed, Organic Dong Quai Root, Organic Damiana Leaf, Organic Ginger Root.
Solar Plexus Tea: This invigorating, solar plexus blend, enlivened with the essence of citrine, provides a truly unique tea experience that facilitates those wishing to connect with their power center. Contains Organic Rosemary Leaf, Organic Lemongrass, Organic Ginger Root, Organic Orange Peel, Organic Marshmallow Leaf.
4th Chakra Tea: The 4th Chakra is a vital chakra to work with, and centers on all aspects of love. This tea is carefully crafted with herbs attuned to the 4th Chakra, and includes the essence of rose quartz. Contains Organic Hawthorn Berry, Organic Hawthorn Leaf, Organic Lavender Flowers, Organic Hyssop.
5th Chakra Tea: Powerful throat-centered herbs, and the essence of aquamarine fortify our 5th Chakra Blend to assist those seeking to heal and balance issues dealing with communication, creativity, and self-expression. Contains Organic Licorice Root, Organic Slippery Elm Bark, Organic Marshmallow Leaf, Organic Wild Cherry Bark, Organic Cinnamon Bark, Organic Fennel Seed, Organic Orange Peel.
Third Eye Chakra Tea: This chakra, located between the eyebrows, highlights insight, knowledge, and wisdom. Third Eye Chakra Tea is crafted from herbs intended to open the third eye energy center. Contains Organic Eyebright Herb, Organic Spearmint Leaf, Organic Star Anise, Organic Passion Flower.
Crown Chakra Tea: This 7th chakra can be described as the crown of spiritual understanding. Located at the top of the chakra ladder, the ingredients within our Crown Chakra Tea have been carefully chosen for their resonance with the crown energy center. Contains Organic Gotu Kola Leaf, Organic Lavender Flowers, Organic Nutmeg Seed, Organic Rose Petal.
Each blend is carefully selected for its unique health benefits and delicious taste. Try Buddha Chakra Teas and experience the difference that quality ingredients make!
Evil Bone Water (EBW) is one of our best sellers in the clinic for many very good reasons!
According to the classical name, Zheng Gu Shui, (Zhèng Gǔ Shuǐ; 正骨水) the formula is called “Mend the Bones Water”, highlighting its use for soothing pain and speeding the healing of fractured and bruised bones. But wait…
There’s more:
I have all of these!!! Can I bathe in it?
Is it just for humans?
It sounds great! What’s the downside?
Ok, so it’s not quite 101 ways, but Evil Bone Water is a wonderfully useful topical to have in your first aid kit. I keep a bottle in every car, at the barn, in my husband's shop (he’s a mechanic) and the patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive! Several buy it by the case to share with their friends and family! So on the “List of things I wouldn’t want to be on a deserted island without”, this one is definitely in the top 5!
Evil Bone Water is available for purchase in our clinic, and online here!
Have an Evil Bone Water success story? We’d love to hear about it!
CBD is a pretty hot herbal product these days—well-known for its properties of improving sleep, relieving pain, and easing anxiety. I find that in these cases its effectiveness can vary widely between people. Some need a tincture over a capsule, some need a very low dose, while others a much higher dose (and in some cases where the hemp for the CBD was grown makes a huge difference!) For this reason, finding the product that works best for you can sometimes be a bit frustrating (not to mention expensive!) when those early tries fail. And for a few people, it just doesn’t seem to work well for them in any form. However, there is one area where I feel CBD deserves recognition as a go-to supplement to be included in the treatment plan-bone fractures and osteoporosis/osteopenia!
It turns out that CBD dramatically increased activity in healing bone and resulted in healed fracture sites that were harder than the original bone and shorter healing times. In other studies, it was shown to increase activity in the bone and resulted in increased bone volume. The CB1 & 2 receptors seem to be most involved in the process and most encouraging is the bone remodeling effect is not linked in any way to THC so hemp is a safe and effective way to help boost bone activity.
It’s also important to make sure the body has the building blocks to keep those bones healthy. Our bones are not static like a dried-out skeleton—they are living tissue that replaces itself about every 10 years. In addition to providing the nutrients for healthy bones, exercise is crucial to maintaining healthy bones. As outlined by the Surgeon’s General Office, these are some key components of bone health:
So how much CBD is needed to help improve bone health? This is where the research gets a little unclear, but 25mg per day orally is a safe dosage range to start with and then increase from there. As long as there are no digestive problems it’s safe to go as high as 50mg per day for long-term use.
**Disclaimer: While CBD products are less than .3% THC some people do not metabolize THC well and it can accumulate in the body with regular use of CBD products—and can result in a positive drug test! If you are subject to drug testing, I do not recommend using CBD products without written approval from whoever is requiring the testing.
We carry a variety of CBD products for patients to try and I have a protocol for bone healing on Fullscript with some of my favorite non-CBD bone support products for ease of ordering!
***The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician before making any changes to any medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements, or herbs.
