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Covid-19 has changed the daily routine for many people, I would say probably most of us, and while it is quite challenging in many ways, there are some gifts to be found in the new opportunities being presented. One of them is to establish good eating habits. With much less access to restaurants, we have the opportunity to embrace the abundance of beautiful local food produced right here in our area. And, as many suddenly had the time to plant gardens, now Covid-19 is giving us the time to cook wonderful dishes with the fresh vegetables. We are being given the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of our labor and feed ourselves well. Even if you did not make a garden, it is still possible to jump on the bandwagon of cooking your own fresh food using locally grown ingredients. We are blessed to live in a major agricultural area. Helping people increase their health and wellness are my main goals. The first line in great health is to eat great food. It may be cliché to say “you are what you eat” but isn’t it really true? If we eat junk, we feel like junk. If we eat vibrant food full of energy, we are more vibrant and energized. Just like the fuel we put in our cars, if the fuel isn’t clean, the car is not going to run well. We need to give our body the building blocks necessary for not only daily functioning but also for repair and for strength to protect us from invading pathogens. A healthy immune system depends on proper nutrition, which is essential right now. The best way to get that nutrition is to eat a variety of fresh plants, fruits, fish and meats, all of which we are lucky enough to have access to in this area. Summer is the season where fresh fruits and vegetables are in abundance and we have a large assortment of them produced locally. Many of you might even have put in a garden during the shelter-in-place order. Hopefully, you are reaping the benefits of your labor of love. That love can be tasted in the food you eat. The vitality of our food supports the vitality of our body, mind and spirit. All are dependent on what and how we eat. (If you need ideas on how to use all your zucchini and tomatoes, come talk to me!) So, we understand why to eat fresh food. What is the freshest we can get? Well, from our own garden of course. If you don’t have a garden, fret not, get a CSA box (Community Supported Agriculture box). Local farms prepare boxes at regular time intervals, usually weekly, for us to buy. The ingredients in the boxes change from week to week, being filled with the food that is most ripe and abundant in that moment. Hence, we eat with the season. By eating with the seasons, we are in harmony with the rhythms of the world--following the Dao--and are helping our system function more optimally thereby strengthening our immune system. It is imperative that we do what we can to stay healthy such as exercise regularly, sleep well, get acupuncture, get massage (even if it is from yourself), and eat well. Now, eating well is going to vary from person to person (I am also happy to help you figure what that is for you), but you really can’t go wrong with eating what is fresh: in season and local. By eating from food produced locally, we are also reducing the need for as much travel all along the food chain (or the production chain anyway). Many farms deliver or have pick up locations, which also helps to reduce the excess exposure of going to large markets. Less travel equals more time to cook these fabulous foods. Many meals can be made simply and quickly. When products are so fresh, long cooking is not necessary, unless you enjoy getting fancy with elaborate recipes. We can revive the “slow food” revolution and feel like we are gaining more time because it is time spent on self care. We are nourishing ourselves and our families. We are nourishing our local communities and we are nourishing the planet. With this we become stronger and things like pandemics have less fertile ground in which to flourish. So lets stay vital with immune boosting acupuncture, and nutritious fresh food. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By Leia Sutton-Barnes, L.Ac
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A 20 year old college student went to a local urgent care clinic with severe back pain and numbness going down into his thigh. In the Before Times, he had taken regular walks in between his studies. However, since the Shelter in place, he had stopped walking and spending most of his time in doors, studying on a computer with bad posture. Then, a few weeks ago, he went to sit in his chair, and his back spasmed. At first he started stretching and took some painkillers, but it got progressively worse over the following weeks. He also started having burning nerve pain down into his thighs. Finally, out of desperation for relief, he went to a local urgent care. Unfortunately, they had nothing to offer him. He wasn’t severe enough for stronger medicines like cortisone injection or surgery, and the other alternatives they had to offer - heat, stretching, over-the-counter painkillers - he had already tried without success. Fortunately, they sent him to us for Hurgent Care. A quick examination (straight leg raise) showed he did have mild sciatica, but at his age he should have recovered faster. He likely got caught in a cycle of inflammation from his lack of usual activities, that built up over time until it became too painful. But improving circulation and reducing inflammation is what acupuncture does best. A needle behind his knee (UB 40) relieved the pain in his lower back (L4 Jia ji), a needle in his mid-calf (UB 57) relieved the pain in his sacrum (UB 54), and a point on the side of his calf (GB 34) relieved his hip pain (GB 30). A few more points to promote circulation and reduce pain, and I was ready to let him rest. At first he was worried he wouldn’t be able to lay down for the full 30 minutes without his back starting to hurt. I checked on him after 10 minutes, and he said he had relaxed enough he was now fine, and I could try again in 10 minutes. When I checked again after 20 minutes, he had fallen asleep! At the start of his treatment, this 20 year old had had to crawl onto the bed like an old man, after the treatment he leaped off like a young, healthy man should. After just this one treatment, he was out of pain. The shelter in place is putting a toll on all of use. Be sure that you wear a mask, wash your hands, and clean surfaces regularly. Also make sure that you take care of yourself and your body. Continue to get regular exercise, eat well, and stretch regularly, especially if you do a lot of computer work. But if things do go wrong, we are here to help, for regular office visits, and Hurgent care. Hurgent Care is now mobile! We now have a dedicated Sprinter van that can treat you anywhere, at your office, home, sports field, or anywhere else you need us! For non-life threatening emergencies, instead of Urgent Care, think of Hurgent care, we can give you better options, at a fraction of the price. David Dick, L. Ac., DAOM  Stay cautious, even as the shut-down eases. After a long shut-down, the Bay area has gradually started to open up, and more people are returning to their normal (well, the new normal) lives, including coming for acupuncture. This comes after months of staying at home, and people are more than ready to get back out again. However, we need to be cautious, and not get complacent. Of course the desire to get back to our lives is very strong, but the pandemic is very much still at large, and recent re-openings have also led to a surge in new cases. HeCares stayed open during the shut-down, and we are still here for you now. Even though the restrictions are lifting, we will continue to do our best to provide you a safe, clean and sanitary environment. We are continuing to wipe down tables before and between patients, and regularly clean all surfaces. We also have hand sanitizer at the front desk and all treatment rooms. All practitioners wear masks, and we ask that you wear one as well (we can provide you with one if you don’t have or forget yours). We also ask that you be mindful of social distancing in the waiting room, and while waiting to check out. If you have a cough or fever, please cancel your appointment and stay home. Also we are now offering COVID-19 serum tests! This can check for COVID antibodies, and let you know if you’ve been infected. Call us if you would like to get tested! Things have improved, but we’re not out of the woods yet. With your patience and cooperation, we are committed to providing you with quality care, no matter what course the pandemic takes. David Dick, LAc., DAOM  If you are 65 or older, you likely have an income that falls somewhere near the $20,000 mark. This is probably a sharp contrast to the money you made during your professional career. But just because you are learning to live with fixed finances does not mean you can’t experience your best years on your own terms. Here are some ways to do just that without worrying about your wallet. Look at your healthcare plan. Sure, you probably have Medicare, but what you might not realize is that there are many different options. And, sometimes, the cheapest premium is not the most cost-effective. Work with a licensed Medicare agent to shop for a plan that works for you. Open enrollment comes around in October of each year, and it is never too early to begin your search. Cut expenses. Cutting your expenses is obvious, but it may not be quite as clear which expenses you can cut. One is the cost of a car. If you don’t drive often, it might not make sense to keep the vehicle parked in the driveway. You should also look for ways to reduce your spending on everyday activities, such as dining out and traveling. Money asserts that seniors can save big by simply asking for their senior discount at places like Kohl’s, US National Parks, and some cell phone carriers. Focus on affordable self-care. Self-care is something you might neglect when you’re on a fixed income. But you should not. When you do things that make you feel well from the inside out – or the outside in – you’ll have the mental and physical fortitude to enjoy your days no matter what they may bring. Consider shiatsu massage, acupuncture, or working out. If these are outside of your budget, things like swimming, sleeping in a comfortable bed, and enjoying a home-cooked meal will also go a long way toward your self-care efforts. Consider a second career. Retirement means you should have the freedom to do as you want. But when what you want costs money, don’t forget that you have valuable skills that can help you pay the bills. Say your background was in administration or human resources, you could parlay those skills into part-time work. Or, if you worked in design or construction, for example, consider offering freelance architectural rendering services as needed. A quick look at Upwork, an online job board, shows that you can pretty easily charge anywhere from about $20 an hour up to $70 an hour or more if you’re familiar with 3-D modeling and CAD design. Budget for your needs first, but don’t neglect your wants. Retirees tend to spend more money in their first two years out of work than they did while they received a paycheck. This may be partly because we get used to having assets, and money becomes just an afterthought. But now, it’s time to sit down and take a close look at your needs. These are required expenses, such as your mortgage or rent, food, and clothing. You may have to do some juggling to cut costs, but these are things that cannot go un-funded. Do make a point to budget for at least one of your wants. This might be something as simple as dinner and drinks with friends once a month or a date night with your spouse or partner. Learning to live on a smaller budget is work, and it might take some juggling. But, rest assured, once you get the hang of it, your quality of life will improve, and your retirement will become that much more enjoyable. Heed the advice above and you’ll be on your way to financial freedom at any age. Karen Weeks is a Senior Lifestyle blogger. She struggled to find a new sense of purpose after retirement which made way to learn a new skill and took a computer course. She then created ElderWellness.net as a resource for seniors who wish to keep their minds, bodies and spirits well. HeCares warmly welcomes our new blogger Karen Weeks who would like to share some good tips with hundreds and thousands of seniors our team serves.  At HeCares, we’re proud to offer urgent care and home visits, even during the pandemic. In fact, we feel it's even more important during the pandemic, since we can help patients in need while saving them a trip to the ER or urgent care where they might encounter contagious patients. This was the case for an elderly patient who had a fall. He was out in front of his house, when he went to help a lizard into the bushes. Then when he turned around to head back inside, he tripped and fell, injuring his face, arm and chest. Had he gone to urgent care or the ER, he would have been there for hours, possibly surrounded by infected patients, and likely have walked away with a bill for several thousand dollars. Instead he called us for urgent care, and I was able to make a house call shortly after his fall. It looked like quite a daunting case. He’s 89 years old, was on blood thinners, and it took awhile for the bleeding to stop. His face had two large cuts, which had bled on his shirt and bed. He was having chest pain that traveled down his left arm, and difficulty breathing. He had multiple, large bruises on his face and arm. There were a lot of things we were worried about, especially someone his age. It could be broken bones, a concussion, and maybe enough shock to cause a heart attack! I immediately began the physical examination, and was fortunately able to exclude many of the worst-case scenarios. He was conscious and clear headed, his pupils and eyes movements were normal, and he showed no signs of concussion. Great start. His chest pain was all in the superficial soft tissue of his chest and arm, and it was sharp pain local pain, not the crushing indistinct pain expected from a heart problem. Even better. I encouraged him to very slowly inhale until his ribs expanded, no pain. I was then able to gently touch his ribs while he inhaled. All the pain was in the muscles, not the bones. So there was a good chance he hadn’t even brokena rib (though I told him he should get an X-ray just in case). We were all grateful, it seemed it wasn’t nearly as serious as we first feared. I then moved on to treatment. Using the meridians of Chinese medicine, I was able to find two points (SJ 5 and 6) in his arm that relieved his chest pain. He could breathe easier from the first needle! Then I added a few more to promote healing in his face and chest, and let him rest. After just 15 minutes, he was feeling well enough, he got up and went to the restroom without any assistance, when just 30 minutes before he had barely been able to move. I scheduled a follow up visit with him, and was going to make it another house call. But, he was feeling so much better, he changed it to an office visit! At a follow up visit 5 days later, he was nearly back to normal. He was feeling so much better, he forgot to get the chest X-ray! The bruising had cleared up, and the large cuts on his face had almost completely healed. I really admired his spirit, and he was determined to get better, and not let a fall keep him down. And we were all grateful that it hadn’t been more serious. We were also grateful that at the height of the pandemic, we were able to provide him care without taking time from the doctors and nurses treating covid patients, and we were able to prevent him from waiting in crowded urgent care or ER where he might have been exposed. He was also very grateful for the price, a fraction of what urgent care would have. We’re here for you, pandemic or no. June we resume normal operations. Pandemic or no, urgent care, house call or office visit, our team is here for you! David Dick, L. Ac., DAOM Imaging technology is so helpful for HeCares Team that our needles would never miss the points. The wife of this patient with severe lumbar spine pain thoughtfully documented his progress during the last four days. Thanks to Sunnyvale MRI Imaging Center! Special thanks to HeCares intern Ying Ava Zhang for encouraging the family to drive the patient all way from San Francisco to Los Gatos and Sunnyvale... Mission accomplished and patient discharged!
Q: Dr. He, are you going to reopen all your clinics soon? A: Nope! Q: Why? SIP is ending soon! A: Because we have never closed! HeCares has proved to be a strong team battling this pandemic. With ample preparation of PPE, hightened sanitization, extending hours, we have been busier than ever. All of our team members have tested negative in COVID antibody. This adds more confidence to our team as well patients. Once again, HeCares Team has stood out and our service proved essential.   As I stated in a previous blog, I have been doing a lot of cooking during this SIP time. One of the beautiful things about Chinese medicine is that food is also a part of our medicine. The first, and arguably most important line of health is eating the things that are appropriate for each individual person. If we can eat well we can stay healthy and reduce the need for further medical intervention. Dietary and herbal consultations are services we provide to our patients at HeCares. To begin with, one of the guidelines to eating properly is to eat what is in season and eat what thrives around in one’s environment. Spring is such a wonderful time because there is so much abundance and many options. So in this blog I would like to highlight the finer attributes of an often under appreciated local plant; the dandelion (Herba Taraxaci --Pu Gong Ying in Mandarin). For many landscapers and gardeners, the dandelion is viewed as a weed. At best, it might be recognized as being pretty and attractive to butterflies, bees and other pollinators but rarely is it actually seen as useful to the casual observer. But let’s look at this little plant for its real potential. The entire dandelion plant is edible from root to flower (though it is bitter in taste). Dandelion has been used in Chinese, Native American and Western medicine for centuries. In both Eastern and Western medicine the dandelion has been shown to have immune-enhancing, hepatoprotective, diuretic, and cholagogic effects. This means it can help our immune system, help protect the liver, increase toxin elimination through urine, and stimulate digestive enzymes. All things that I think are in particular need during our quarantine time! Its properties are even more detailed in Chinese medicine as it falls under the category of Clearing Damp Heat and Eliminating Toxins. This is a broad category that roughly means it can help with many types of sores, lumps, and irritations both topically and internally such as acne or abscesses, even tonsillitis! It is a key ingredient in a topical plaster used to treat swelling and bruising from sprains and strains. Dandelion, along with other herbs, is very effective in treating sore throat as well. Again, a good thing to be thinking about during this Covid-19 pandemic. Dandelion can be drunk as a tea and is even used blended with other herbs as a coffee substitute. However, what I am really excited to share is that it can be a culinary treat! Ever have dandelion cookies? Well try this lovely recipe. Prepare Dandelion Flowers 1. Pick Dandelion Flowers from an area where pesticides or herbicides are not used. 2. Wash them and let them dry a bit before separating the petals from the green base. 3. Hold flowers by the tip with the fingers of one hand and pinch the green flower base with the other hand. This releases the yellow petals from their attachment. 4. Shake the tiny petals into a collection bowl prior to measuring them. 5. If you can’t make the cookies immediately, the intact flowers can be frozen for a short time in a covered container until you are ready use them. Ingredients (I often double this recipe) 1/2 cup oil (or fat of your choice. I like to use butter) 1/2 cup honey 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 - 1 1/4 cup unbleached flour (or gluten free alternative. I actually really love making these cookies using blanched almond flour but if using almond flour, use 2 cups flour) 1/2 cup dry oatmeal 1/2 cup dandelion flowers (use only the yellow petals) Optional—1/2 cup dried cranberries for color and a little zing Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 2. Blend oil and honey and beat in the two eggs and vanilla. 3. Stir in flour, oatmeal and dandelion flowers 4. Drop the batter by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet 5. Bake for 10-15 minutes. (Shorter time if using the almond flour option 8-10 minutes). Cookies will be soft and lightly browned 6: Enjoy So, before throwing the “weeds” of your garden into the green bin, ask yourself if there may be a way to use the medicine around you and have a little fun while you are at it! The dandelion is an easy place to start. You can make, a simple tea of leaves and stems for cooling the body, clearing the skin, and detoxifying the liver, a tincture or tea of the roots for immune system enhancing, or a lovely batch of cookies with the flower petals to lift the spirits and bring sweet joy into the household as part of your medicine. If you would like more ideas of how to use what we find around us to benefit our health, come in to the HeCares clinic for a consultation. Cheers! Leia Sutton-Barnes, L.Ac
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. 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
October 2025
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