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How is your quarantine time going? Feeling stressed? Feeling lethargic? Feeling stir crazy? Or maybe you have found a way to actually be relaxed. Maybe you have worn an indentation in your couch? People all over the country (and probably the world but we will keep it more local) are finding new ways of passing the time and establishing new patterns. What better time then now to create the habits we want to carry into the future? Being healthier, stronger and more active may be amongst those goals. If so, I would love to help you incorporate some simple, quick movements geared at increasing overall wellbeing. Many workout “challenges” or “diets” ask participants to try them for a 21-day course. Ever notice this and wonder why? For many, three weeks is just about long enough to start to form new habits, to change old patterns and to notice some effects. California’s Governor Gavin Newsom declared a State-wide stay at home order on March 19, 2020. It has been a little over a month, just long enough for us to start realizing that we need to have some new routines. If you are anything like me, you have gone through the whole gamete of emotions and actions. Maybe at first you were reveling in the new found time. Reacquainting yourself with hobbies, crafts, projects, passions. For me, that has been being able to do slow-cooked meals again. I am loving making all my meals, many “from scratch.” I have an Instant Pot (highly recommend them!) and have been making beans, lentils, stews, bone broths, and my newest project is making yogurt in it! Wish me luck! I have been baking bread, some savory mushroom tarts, vegetable stir-fries, and even fermenting my own sauerkraut. I find cooking a lot of fun and generally much healthier than getting meals out at restaurants. If you are interested in any culinary and dietary suggestions for eating for your particular body type and goals, you can book a consultation appointment with me at HeCares or stay tuned for future blogs. You may find that you are spending more time watching movies, more time connecting with others via internet, more time catching up on your social media, or maybe even sorting through old paperwork! All of these are great things, but are you spending more time on your body? That aerobic workout that you have been saying you want to do but you just didn’t have the time? The bike ride that is always in the back of your mind, if only you could be home during daylight hours? What about that walk you used to take first thing in the morning before going to work because you knew you would be at your desk all day? With all this extra time to cook and EAT, it is paramount to build some health conscious movements into the daily routine as well. We need to create new habits to help not just our body but also our mind. Exercise helps to reduce stress, release endorphins which increase our sense of happiness, burn calories (from all those baked goods you are making), stimulate a healthy immune system, and enhance mobility to name just a few of the benefits. Even with your possibly new found time, you might find it hard to get yourself to exercise. In fact, again if you are anything like me, the more “free time” I have, sometimes the harder it is to get certain things done because they are no longer scheduled into my day. But help is on its way! I have made a few short videos that lead you through easy movements that can benefit the whole body. They are broken up between upper body (neck, shoulders and arms), mid body (back health), and lower body (leg, ankle, and feet). The videos are only a few minutes each and can be done at home without any extra equipment. Sorry, there is no cardio in these little movements so you will still need to get on that bike or take a jog around the block, but they will help to get your blood circulating and help balance your body, mind, and spirit. If you enjoy them, I am happy to introduce you to more exercises and tips tailored to your specific needs. I and the rest of the HeCares team are full of information how to get you feeling better. We are still available at the office. All you have to do is call. Hope you enjoy the videos. And, hope to see you in the office soon to continue helping you stay healthy in the midst of a pandemic! Cheers! By Leia Sutton-Barnes, L. Ac.
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A patient came in today after a bike accident 4 days ago. She had a large bruise on both sides of her elbow and down her forearm. She told us she had attempted to call several of her regular practitioners, but all of them were out of the office and not returning calls due to the shelter in place order. She was also reluctant to go to the ER, since it would cost her up to $2,000 just for an X-ray, and $6,0000+ for the visit. As a self-employed jeweler with no health insurance, and currently unable to work during the pandemic, this alone could have bankrupted her. Not to mention that during the pandemic, she could have potentially been exposed to people sick with the Covid virus while waiting in the ER. Luckily for her, she was recommended to HeCares. We are committed to keeping our community healthy, even during the pandemic, and were able to see her right away. We gave her acupuncture to improve the circulation, reduce the swelling, heal the bruising, and reduce the pain. The patient mentioned that she felt a hole in her elbow, which made us suspect a displaced fracture. We were able to get her into local imaging, one of the few still open. As we suspected, she had a displaced fracture of the olecranon which is to the tip of her elbow broke clean off, leaving a gap between it and the ulna. She will still be required to see an osteopath and possibly an orthopedic surgeon. They will set the bone back together, then splint or cast it until the bone reseals. With luck (and acupuncture!) she’ll be back to making jewelry in 6 weeks (and hopefully by then, the shelter-in-place will be over as well). And instead of spending thousands of dollars on an ER visit, she got quality care plus an X-ray for just over $100. Please stay at home until the pandemic lifts. But until then, rest assured, the HeCares team will be here for you if you need us! David Dick, L. Ac., DAOM |
AuthorsAcupuncture Specialists at Integrative Medicine Center Archives
April 2023
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