Why a federally funded  website for medical practitioners?

I know from my patients they do not feel some medical practitioners are interested in or informed about the options they are exploring.  Or the feel the medical practitioner will discourage them from doing anything outside the realm of what the physician office provides.

NIH Background: NIH is the National Institutes of Health.  It is our nation’s medical research agency.  It is one part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with 27 Institutes and Centers.  NIH is the federal agency that conducts and supports basic, clinical and translational medical research.  It investigates the causes, the treatment and cures for common as well as rare diseases.  You can find out more at www.hih.gov.

New Website for Health Practitioners: The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) of the NIH, unveiled a new website that can help your health practitioners HELP YOU! On April 26, 2011 they started this new online resource for providers to have a reliable, quick and easy access to evidence-based information on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). 

If your physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and CAM practitioners don’t know about a type of treatment, such as acupuncture, they can use this website to find out about it.  The new site gives providers the tools they need to learn about many CAM practices and products as well.  That way you and your physician can discuss the options including the benefits, safety and effectiveness of the many health treatment options we now have.

While some of the treatment options addressed seem to be outside of mainstream medicine, they are being embraced by the public who seek to take part in directing their health and in being as healthy as possible.  The new site includes information about:

• acupuncture
• dietary supplements
• herbs
• probiotic
• meditation
• chiropractic
• massage 

NCCAM developed this site because focus groups of health care providers said they need evidence-based information that is located in one site.  In our culture, at least at this time, our medicine and science depend upon studies that have certain protocols which determine success or not.  Over time, that may change, but for now, it is the way it is.  Physicians and other practitioners want assurance they are not giving advice or referring patients to unreliable or unsafe treatment or product options.

If your medical health care providers are unaware of this valuable resource, EDUCATE THEM.  It is your job to keep them/all of us health care providers up to snuff about how to serve your needs.

Thank you for reading my blog. I hope it is helpful and informative.  If you have specific health issues you’d like me to address, let me know.  301 352 2520 and colette@hypnostrategies.com

• 2007 National Health Interview Survey, a poll of Americans showed approximately 3.1 million U.S. adults and 150,000 children received acupuncture in 2006.

• This is a 0.3% increase or about 1 million people increase from 5 years before.

• 2004 Kaiser Family Foundation survey showed only half of employer-sponsored health plans cover acupuncture and other complementary and alternative medicine treatments.

• Colorado lawmakers are working on a measure to make it easier for licensed acupuncturists to get insurance reimbursement.

• Representative Maurice Hinchey is introducing legislation to add acupuncture to the list of services covered by Medicare and Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

Let your physicians know how acupuncture has been a benefit for you.  Let your government representatives know you’d like acupuncture included in state and national health plans including Medicare. 

We all are in charge of our own health.  Sometimes employee plans include it.  As the country moves toward more state/national coverages, speak up to be sure what serves you is available at reasonable fees. 

Thank you for reading my blog.  I hope it is helpful and interesting.  If you have specific health issues you’d like me to address let me know. Contact me at 301 352 2520 or colette@hypnostrategies.com

Where is Maryland regarding Health Care and the upcoming national reform?

The information is from Maryland’s Implementation of the Affordable Care Act by Joshua M. Sharfstein, M.D. , Secretary, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor, & Pensions.  It was presented March 17, 2011.

Background:  Maryland is Innovative     

• 1993:  The Maryland’s small group market reforms required the Maryland Health Care Commission to develop a comprehensive, standardized set of benefits with cost sharing.  It now provides coverage to nearly 400,000 individuals working for more than 47,000 small businesses.  (See htt;://jhcc.maryland.gov/smallgroup/smallemployer.html for additional information on Maryland’s small groupmarket.
• 2002: Maryland established a high-risk pool, the Maryland Health Insurance Plan (MHIP).  It now covers approximately 20,000 residents who cannot obtain coverable through the individual market due to pre-existing medical conditions.  It also provides subsidies for low income residents. (See http://www.marylandhealthinsuranceplan.state.md.us/ for more information on the Maryland Health Insurance Plan.)
• All-payer hospital rate setting:  Maryland is the only state in the country that sets hospital rates so that all payers, public and private, pay the same fees at the same hospital. Due to this the cost of a Maryland hospital admission moved from 26 percent above the national average in 1976 to more than 3 percent below national average by 2009. (See http://www.hscrc.state.md.us/ for more information on the Health Services Cost Review Commission)
• 2006: Medicaid waiver program that provides primary care access and prescription drug benefits to low-income individuals.
• 2007:  Expanded Medicaid coverage to parents.  Allowed young dependent adults to age 25 to stay on parents’ insurance.  Closed the donut hole for seniors.  Increased timely dental care to children.  Maryland was one of six states in the nation to receive an A grade for oral health from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Uninsured in Maryland

Approximately 13%, which equals more than 7000,000 of Maryland residents are uninsured.  The average premiums for family coverage offered in the private sector employers rose from $9,217 in 2003 to 13,833 in 2009 which is a 50% increase.  (See The Commonwealth Fund.State Trends in Premiums and Deductibles 2003-2009. Dec. 2 2010 http//www.commonwealthfund.org)

Implementation so far of Affordable Care Act

• Maryland received additional support to strengthen the review of insurance rates, provide additional support and implement public health programs to prevent illness.
• Young adults can stay on parents’ insurance until age 26
• Seniors can receive additional assistance in closing the donut hole
• Children can access health insurance without being declined for pre-existing conditions
• Insurers must abide by new medical loss ratio requirements, standardizing the amount of premium dollars that must be spent on health care
• Small employers can access new tax credits for coverage

Reform Efforts Underway in Maryland

• Governor O’Malley established the Health Care Reform Coordinating Council to oversee state implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The Council has held more than 30 public meetings.  It presented a report in January with 16 recommendations reflecting public input.
• The Council asked a non-partisan healthcare think tankat the University of Maryland in Baltimore County to provide an independent analysis of the reform’s impact on the state budget.
  • Health Care Reform will result in estimated net savings of $853 million over next 10 years

New Steps for Maryland’s Health Care

In February, 2011 Maryland was awarded an Innovator Grant of $6.2 million to develop several essential technical components for the Maryland Health Care Exchange.  Maryland will be working with Arizona, Indiana, California, West Virginia and Oregon regarding pilot programs and ITA solutions. 

Maryland State’s General Assembly is laying the foundation for the Maryland Exchange.  There will be a governance structure.  The exchange will be a public corporation governed by a board with three state officials and six nongovernmental members.  During the next year the Exchange will hire initial staff and analyze key strategic decisions for the Exchange. It will make recommendations on issues by early 2012.

Lt. Governor Anthony Brown concluded a talk about Maryland and Health Care Reform: “Maryland intends to seize the moment and use the tools provided by the Affordable Care Act to build a better future for our state.”

Where is Maryland regarding Health Care and the upcoming national reform?

The information is from Maryland’s Implementation of the Affordable Care Act by Joshua M. Sharfstein, M.D. , Secretary, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor, & Pensions.  It was presented March 17, 2011.

Background:  Maryland is Innovative     

• 1993:  The Maryland’s small group market reforms required the Maryland Health Care Commission to develop a comprehensive, standardized set of benefits with cost sharing.  It now provides coverage to nearly 400,000 individuals working for more than 47,000 small businesses.  (See htt;://jhcc.maryland.gov/smallgroup/smallemployer.html for additional information on Maryland’s small groupmarket.
• 2002: Maryland established a high-risk pool, the Maryland Health Insurance Plan (MHIP).  It now covers approximately 20,000 residents who cannot obtain coverable through the individual market due to pre-existing medical conditions.  It also provides subsidies for low income residents. (See http://www.marylandhealthinsuranceplan.state.md.us/ for more information on the Maryland Health Insurance Plan.)
• All-payer hospital rate setting:  Maryland is the only state in the country that sets hospital rates so that all payers, public and private, pay the same fees at the same hospital. Due to this the cost of a Maryland hospital admission moved from 26 percent above the national average in 1976 to more than 3 percent below national average by 2009. (See http://www.hscrc.state.md.us/ for more information on the Health Services Cost Review Commission)
• 2006: Medicaid waiver program that provides primary care access and prescription drug benefits to low-income individuals.
• 2007:  Expanded Medicaid coverage to parents.  Allowed young dependent adults to age 25 to stay on parents’ insurance.  Closed the donut hole for seniors.  Increased timely dental care to children.  Maryland was one of six states in the nation to receive an A grade for oral health from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Uninsured in Maryland

Approximately 13%, which equals more than 7000,000 of Maryland residents are uninsured.  The average premiums for family coverage offered in the private sector employers rose from $9,217 in 2003 to 13,833 in 2009 which is a 50% increase.  (See The Commonwealth Fund.State Trends in Premiums and Deductibles 2003-2009. Dec. 2 2010 http//www.commonwealthfund.org)

Implementation so far of Affordable Care Act

• Maryland received additional support to strengthen the review of insurance rates, provide additional support and implement public health programs to prevent illness.
• Young adults can stay on parents’ insurance until age 26
• Seniors can receive additional assistance in closing the donut hole
• Children can access health insurance without being declined for pre-existing conditions
• Insurers must abide by new medical loss ratio requirements, standardizing the amount of premium dollars that must be spent on health care
• Small employers can access new tax credits for coverage

Reform Efforts Underway in Maryland

• Governor O’Malley established the Health Care Reform Coordinating Council to oversee state implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The Council has held more than 30 public meetings.  It presented a report in January with 16 recommendations reflecting public input.
• The Council asked a non-partisan healthcare think tankat the University of Maryland in Baltimore County to provide an independent analysis of the reform’s impact on the state budget.
  • Health Care Reform will result in estimated net savings of $853 million over next 10 years

New Steps for Maryland’s Health Care

In February, 2011 Maryland was awarded an Innovator Grant of $6.2 million to develop several essential technical components for the Maryland Health Care Exchange.  Maryland will be working with Arizona, Indiana, California, West Virginia and Oregon regarding pilot programs and ITA solutions. 

Maryland State’s General Assembly is laying the foundation for the Maryland Exchange.  There will be a governance structure.  The exchange will be a public corporation governed by a board with three state officials and six nongovernmental members.  During the next year the Exchange will hire initial staff and analyze key strategic decisions for the Exchange. It will make recommendations on issues by early 2012.

Lt. Governor Anthony Brown concluded a talk about Maryland and Health Care Reform: “Maryland intends to seize the moment and use the tools provided by the Affordable Care Act to build a better future for our state.”

I address headaches now because the organs of the liver and gallbladder are also associated with the season Spring. While where I live the temperature is still chilly, we are in spring. So, issues that are associated with the spring organs begins.

Do your grip your jaws or grind your teeth? First check in with yourself about this if you have headaches or migraines. The pressure of gripping and grinding are tremendous and eventually constrict blood flow. Your body is doing its job when it transmits pain to you as a messenger: a cell call if you will. It is telling you that it is suffocating somewhere. Suffocation: not good.

So, practice having a space between your jaws during the day. For some of my patients it helps to imagine a cloud or pillow between their jaws. As you are more at ease during the day, the habit of space between your jaws hopefully will carry through during the night.

You might continually repeat to yourself: “I have space.” and feel that space between your upper and lower teeth.  Keep repeating “I have space.” even 100 times a day.  You want this to become your new habit.  You also may find that you have “space” in your life in many other ways too.

If you need support in letting go of stress that can contribute to your jaw clenching or grinding, acupuncture can be of great support.  Acupuncture can help the liver and gallbladder work at top efficiency.  Many people have the frequency, number and pain of headaches decline or disappear.  Remember it has helped millions of people over thousands of years.  You could be next. 

Thank you for reading my blog.  I hope it is helpful and interesting.  If you want me to address any specific health issues let me know.  You can reach me at 301 352 2520 or colette@acYOUpointCenters.com

Let’s have some jumping for joy for these please!

Here is information you may want to know about with BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy).  If not, just skip down to the recipe.

The ingredients are licorice, pumpkin and saw palmetto.  I’ll share a bit about each one.

Licorice:  It contains a compound that prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone.  The quantity in the Prosnut Butter is small.  In very large quantities of licorice people have developed headache, lethargy, sodium and water retention, loss of potassium and high blood pressure.  If you perceive any issues with the amount of licorice in Prosnut Butter then cut down on the amount.

Pumpkin:  The fatty oil in the pumpkin seeds is a powerful diuretic (increases fluid).  They also have a chemical, cucurbitacins that seem to prevent testosterone being transformed into dihydrotesterone.  They also contain a lot of zinc which can treat BPH.  Zinc has been shown to reduce the size of the prostate.  The seeds also contain amino acids that relieve BPH symptoms.  Other seeds high in the amino acid glutamic are almonds, butternuts, peanuts.  Peanuts and sesame seeds are high in the amino acid glycine.

Saw Palmetto:  Studies in Europe (they are ahead of us in some areas) that plant-based medicines are effective in treating BPH.  The Europeans receive relief, why not us?  Saw Palmetto increases the flow of urine, reduces residual urine as well as the frequency of urination.  Those are all a problem with enlarged prostate. 

Prosnut Butter is for people who like peanut butter and crackers as a snack.  You use the Prosnut Butter the same way.  Fun eh? 

Making Prosnut Butter Spread

• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds blended in a blender or food processor
• 1 saw palmetto capsule.  Open it and pour the contents into the pumpkin seed blend
• A few drops of licorice extract into the blend
• Blend them all together.  To make it more spreadable if needed add a few drops of Brazil nut oil (or olive oil).  All of the ingredients are available in health food stores like Mom’s Organic Market and Whole Foods. 

Eat at least 2 tablespoons of the Prosnut Butter on crackers or bread daily.  You can even bring back memories of being a kid by adding jelly.  You want the butter to stay fresh, so don’t mix up too much at a time.  The recipe above will last a few days.

Thank you for reading my blog.  I hope it is interesting and beneficial.  If you’d like me to address a specific health issue let me know.  You can contact me at 301 352 2520 or colette@acYOUpointCenters.com.  Thanks to James A. Duke, PhD, author of The Green Pharmacy.

In Chinese Medicine and acupuncture this is a big deal.  Our life force, from a Chinese Medicine perspective, is stored in the kidneys.  So the quality and aliveness of your hair is like a warning light and arm at a railroad crossing.  Stop and look at how you are taking care of yourself.  Listen to the messages from your body.  Take appropriate, safe action for your health and well-being.

Are you always tired, overdoing, overworking, burning the candle at both ends?  You could be endangering your longevity and life.  Your body is communicating to you.  Listen and take action.  Get more rest, draw your boundaries.  Stop giving all of your energy to others and projects.

The properties of the herbs and vinegar below are absorbed by your body into your cells.  They become a part of who you are.  The rosemary, sage and apple cider vinegar give a boost to your kidneys and other organs.  You are strengthening yourself from the inside out.

Great Head of Hair Rinse Boost

This is a natural, powerful rinse to put on your hair and rub in after you wash it.  Barely rinse it off so some remain in your hair. 

• 2 cups of fresh sage
• 1 cup fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

Use a 6-quart pot.  Cover the sage and rosemary with water and bring to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to barely a simmer.  Keep this covered and simmering for 6 hours.  (a great time to have some tea and read a book).  Be sure the water does not boil off.  Remove from the heat and let it steep overnight. 

Strain the herbs out and add enough water so that you have 5 cups of this strong herb brew.  Add the vinegar and put in a bottle. 

Now you have no need to buy expensive dandruff shampoos, shine making products that have who-knows-what chemical ingredients in them.  Plus it can help your gray to fade.  What a deal!

Thank you for reading my blog.  I hope it is helpful and interesting.  If you have specific health issues you’d like me to address, let me know.  I thank Martha White author of Traditional Home Remedies.

It is not to be missed in life.  We don’t have to live where it is cold to experience the quietness, reflection, perception and magic.  All we have to do is let this life era of menopause lead the way for us.

Some people really dislike winter, or hate it.  Others relish it and miss it during mild winters.  In life, if we are fortunate to live long enough we do enter the winter season of life.  It can be intimidating for sure.  There are supports around you to hold you up and be stronger than ever.

Acupuncture is a thousands year old medical practice that can support you wonderfully as you go through menopause.  It helped me tremendously.  My acupuncture practice treating women  is a huge support to them as they travel the unknown path of menopause.  It can help cut down or stop night sweats, hot flashes, aches and pains, emotional ups and downs.  I will be happy to help you find a practitioner close to you.

Or ask friends and family for referrals.  The relationship between you and your practitioner is important so call at least 3 people to see who you are most at ease with.  Other posts have more details about your first appointment and how acupuncture works.  Feel free to contact me with any questions.

in the winter season we drink and eat warming foods and beverages.  We just tend to do things differently on a daily basis during winter than we do in summer.  That is often the case too in climates where it stays warm.  I lived in south Florida for eight years and observed this. 

During our winter season of life we can help ourselves by doing things differently now than when we were younger.  This post gives you some foods, herbs and teas you can use to make your experience of menopause more comfortable.  Possibly this can be one of the best eras of your life.  It really is what we make of it, isn’t it?

• Night sweat tea:  This is simple.  Steep basil for 10-20 minutes each evening and drink it.
• Night sweat tea:  Steep sage for 10-20 minutes each evening then enjoy your cup of tea.  You can add mugwort in equal parts if you like.
• Woohoo.  Raise sexual libido +rejuvenation+B vitamin and minerals: Make a ginseng tea.  Again, simple.
• Natural estrogenic:  Beer with hops.  It is the hops that acts as a natural estrogenic.  So, have some beer with hops, then hop into bed (or whatever) for some good sex.
• Sooth aches and pains:  Balm of Gilead is from the North American poplar tree.  It contains salicin which gives it properties similar to aspirin without upsetting your stomach. You may have to order this online. 
• Natural estrogenic:  Calendula, hops, ginseng, sage, wild yam. Include the herbs and foods listed here and just below into your food regimen.
• Natural estrogen-stimulators:  rhubarb, tofu, miso, oats, alfalfa, celery. 

There are lots of options to choose from to experience which options best supports your unique self.  You made it through childhood, school, work, relationships.  You will make it through this too.  Of course we’ve all had ups and downs, some of them huge.  But here you are.  Do the best you possibly can to be in charge of this era of life.  We deserve that.

Thank you for reading my blog.  I hope it is helpful and interesting.  If you have health issues you’d like me to address, let me know.  You can reach me at 301 352 2520 or colette@acYOUpointCenters.com.  I thank Martha White, author of Traditional Home Remedies.

Cold feet can be an indication of a deficiency (tiredness) of the kidneys.  The kidneys are tied to our stamina at a deep level.  With all of the demands of everyday busy life it is not a surprise that women are tuckered out.  Let’s warm up those tootsies.

Soaking your feet for 10 to 20 minutes a day actually improves your circulation to the lower half of the body, where your reproductive organs reside.  So, it is not just about having warm feet.  In fact all of the channels of energy for the organs involved with conception and pregnancy run into the feet.  The channels of energy are called meridians. 

When you soak your feet the blood vessels of the lower half of the body dilate, expand, which increases the blood flow to the pelvic region and the organs there.  Adequate blood flow into your pelvic region is a must for conception to take place.  Your feet are soothed.  Women automatically relax when they soak their feet.  Your blood and qi (the energy that flows in the meridians) are all improved.

Soaking your feet a few minutes a day is powerful, easy, cost-free way to improve the possibility of successful conception. 

Thank you for reading my blog.  I hope it is helpful and beneficial. If you have specific health issues you’d like me to address, let me know.  You can reach me at 301 352 2520 and colette@acYOUpointCenters.com.  I thank Randine Lewis, PhD, author of The Infertility Cure.

Menopause is a process all women experience.  I’ve learned in my practice that when a physiological (body) cycle is universal, it is meant to be a comfortable experience.  Yes, there are changes and shifts at many levels, which are meant to happen.  Those changes can be relatively seamless if we are balanced from the inside out.

In the Spring of life for a girl/woman a natural progression is to start her menstrual cycle.  If a universal process like starting then having menstrual cycles are uncomfortable, it is a message from the body there is an imbalance–which can  be remedied.  The starting of the Winter of life can bring the body messages that the menstrual cycle is coming to a close.  That is natural.  It can be a comfortable experience.  It was for me and for many of the women I’ve treated in over a decade of practicing acupuncture. 

Estrogen was recognized by the Chinese thousands of years ago, only with a different name.  It was called Jing Qi.  They recognized it as part of our life force which we all receive at the time of conception.  You can think of it like a battery.  When it is charged there is more than enough energy for everything life brings.  A full battery more easily deals with the ups and downs of life that can include stress  and illness.  As we ”mature” our battery is not as full as in our youth. We may not like it, but that is a normal life progression.

This is a change in our body process requires adjustment by our organs.  They can become unbalanced more easily than in the past.  Signals of lowered or unbalanced jing qi can include:

• premature graying hair
• loss of libido
• weak knees
• urinary difficulty 
• poor memory
• backache
• fatigue

An imbalance of our internal cooling and heating system can lead to discomforts as well.  You may have heard of the terms Yin and Yang.  They are like the opposites of rest/active, cool/warm, night/day.  When these are out of balance women often experience uncomfortable extremes: 

• night sweats
• restlessness
• hot flashes
• mood swings
• heart palpitations
• insomnia
• water retention
• cold hands and feet
• weight gain (even though you are eating like you always have it seems)
• edema (swelling often around ankles)
• indigestion (gas, burping…)
• hypertension (high blood pressure)
• raised cholesterol levels

I was helped during menopause by acupuncture.  The process for me was hardly noticeable.  I am pretty much the same weight.  I didn’t drive my husband any more nuts that usual.  There were maybe 3 hot flashes over the years that really were quite interesting.  For me they felt like warm coals in my abdomen.  It was amazing sensation.  I actually enjoyed them.  They were noticeable for a few moments then dissipated. 

If you are miserable in menopause, or know that your mother was miserable when she menopause, I urge you to talk to a licensed acupuncture practitioner.  The more balanced you are from the inside out, the more comfortable the natural process of menopause can be for YOU. 

Acupuncture has treated millions of people over thousands of years.  Why not you (or a loved one)?  A licensed acupuncture professional will conduct a thorough evaluation and complete history before the first treatment.  We tend to spend a lot of time with our patients.  The acupuncturist will ask you lots of questions about your health such as how you sleep, about your digestion and many more.  The questions may seem odd, yet many people still look upon acupuncture as odd, so nothing is new.  Every question has a meaning and importance to understand as much about you as possible so you can be your best. 

After talking to you, your acupuncture practitioner may read your pulses:  6 on each wrist.  Observation of your skin tone, your voice are all important.  You may be asked to stick out your tongue.  That has meaning too!  Everything is an indication of what organs in your body are tired or depleted of energy and which ones might be overworking to compensate for the tired ones.  Our jobs as acupuncture professionals is to use our tiny, sterile, safe and comfortable needles, or points to rebalance your organs.  They know how to be balanced they just get waylaid with the ups and downs of everyday life. 

Often women report feeling differences right during the first treatment.  Others notice shifts within 24-48 hours and some women’s bodies take multiple treatments.  Acupuncture changes the habits our body has gotten into that are out of balance.  You know from life sometimes we change habits in the blink of an eye and sometimes it takes practice. 

As far as frequency is concerned, what my patients tell me that works is to have a treatment once a week until you feel better (however you and your practitioner decide to define that).  Once you feel good for a week I don’t want to see you for 2 weeks.  After you hold for 2 weeks then you might only come in when you have problems.  So, it can be months or years between treatments.  Other people find it beneficial to come in more regularly in order to be their very best.  It is totally up to you.  YOU are th boss of your body.

A practitioner near you may work with insurance companies.  Ask them. 

Acupuncture, a part of Chinese and now main-stream Western medicine, is safe, natural, drug-free, gentle and effective in treating many issues including menopause.  It nourishes you from the inside out.  That inner nourishment is often lost in our busy demanding lives.  You can regain balance.  You can feel and be your best, no matter your age. 

Here are some ways your life force jing can be drained:

• Over working:  set your boundaries
• Overexertion:  again set your boundaries.  Keep some energy for yourself for a change.
• Over doing it:  get people to help.  If they don’t help it is an indication that maybe that project isn’t important enough. 
• Poor eating habits:  you know what works for you in a healthy way.  The body is not as forgiving as when you were a youngster.  Accept your body as been and is changing.  Change with it.
• Inherited weakness:  All right, no lineage is perfect.  Now you are the adult so make decisions and take action that support your unique self.
• Burning the candle at both ends:  Another way to say:  Stop taking care of everyone else and everything else but YOU. YOU better do it because no one else will.
• Sitting or standing for long periods:  When your body gives you a message you need to change, do it.  The body is meant to move.  Stretch, change position.  Do something to help yourself in the moment rather than whining later.
• Excessive choices:  Stop going overboard whether is it sex, alcohol, drugs, late nights.  Again our body really wants balance.  You know that and only you can make it happen.

Other ways to support yourself through menopause can include Chinese herbs, yoga, qi gong, walking, quiet times, listening to music, helping others.  You are in a different stage of life, so we all to act differently on this new stage than any other time in our life.

Thank you for reading my blog.  I hope it is helpful and interesting.  If you have specific health issues you’d like me to address, let me know.  You can reach me at 301 352 2520 or colette@acYOUpointCenters.com.  I thank Acupuncture Media Works for being a resource for this post.