Inexpensive and Safe Personal Care Products

I tell my massage students on their first day of Swedish Massage that the skin is our largest organ. Anything that goes on the skin,eventually makes its way to the rest of the body. This is why I teach Swedish massage using olive oil. My teacher once told me use anything on the skin that you would feel comfortable using in a salad.



I personally have sensitive skin. I break out pretty easily. When I get massages I'm very careful about what oils or creams the therapist uses, if I'm not, I'll break out pretty immediately. Coconut oil is my favorite. Its solid at room temperature and melts in my hands. It works great as a massage oil and even better as a body lotion. The scent reminds me of the beach which is helpful on cold windy Chicago winter days. A little goes a long, long way and keeps my skin feeling smooth all day. I've even read it can help with stretch marks. The upside? Its not expensive and it doesn't go rancid as quickly as other oils. Its one of the few that is just fine not refrigerated. Its also a great cooking oil since all the hype about not cooking with olive oil.Tropical Traditions is dedicated to coconut oil where you can order great quality coconut oil and learn more about its benefits and uses. When I can't wait for an order I head over to Fruitful Yields they have several brands that are great as well.



My sensitive skin carries over into another sensitive topic:Deodorant. For as long as I can remember I haven't been able to use one stick of deodorant every day. My body is no match for its chemicals I suppose and within 3 days it no longer works. I've tried just about every brand, I've tried switching on and off between 3 different sticks so my body couldn't keep up. I've done deodorant on one day and off the next. Nothing has helped. I started poking around the Internet to see what other people have done and found some really great remedies. Baking Soda works like a charm. There is a reason why we leave a box in the fridge. It does the same great job for the under arms. I keep a box in the bathroom and use half a teaspoon and pat on like baby powder until all the white is absorbed. It can be a little messy as you find your groove but it works great. The upside? Baking Soda runs under $1 for a box and its package is cardboard which is better for the environment than those plasticsticks. I've also read in several places corn starch helps with sweating. I haven't given that one a try yet because that doesn't seem to be an issue for me.

Sarah Zender LAc

Watermelon, a Chinese Herb

Did you know that watermelon is a Chinese herb?

Watermelon or xi gua is a sweet and cold herb and like anything grown in the summer resolves summerheat.

Summerheat is induced by excessively high temperatures, overexposure to the blazing sun especially while working or staying too long in poorly ventilated areas.

Summerheat manifests with:

>> High fever

>> Restlessness

>> Thirst

>> Profuse sweating

>> Dizziness

>> Blured vision

>> Sunstroke

>> Sudden collapse

>> Nausea

>> Poor appetite

>> Loose stools

Watermelon enters the lung and stomach channels thus cools the lungs and stomach, relieving irritability, quenching thirst, and facilitating urination. Because it can do all of this it is sometimesreferred to as the natural White Tiger Decoction. The easiest way to take this herb is simply to eat watermelon or drink 100-300ml of its juice. Make sure to eat some of the white part too.

Essentials of Materia Medica states that xi gua "restores sobriety" after over-consumption of alcohol. It has also been said that xi guaaids in weight loss.

Many people get dehydrated in the summer months due to the heat. Eating watermelon is one way to fight against this. Your body doesn'tdifferentiate hunger from thirst a lot of the time. If you find yourself feeling insatiable check to make sure you are drinking enough water before having 2nds or 3rds at meal time.

Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration include:

• Thirst
• Loss of Appetite
• Dry Skin
• Skin Flushing
• Dark Colored Urine
• Dry Mouth
• fatigue or Weakness
• Chills
• Head Rushes

Watermelon peel or xi gua pi is more of a diuretic than it is cooling and is especially good for edema caused bysummerheat.

Both the flesh and peel of watermelon can be used for jaundice.

Who would have thought Chinese herbs could taste so good.

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)

230 Florence St

Crystal Lake IL 60014

815.983.9825

www.clnap.com

Lower a Fever with Acupressure

Children and Acupuncture

Kids are so resilient. If you've had success with acupuncture as an adult think about how much quicker your child-size body would have responded and how many years of discomfort and dis-harmony you could have eliminated. Luckily, acupuncture benefits all ages and we can start wherever we are.

With children in mind, I'd like to share a simple acupressure technique for lowering fevers. This is very helpful when babies are teething or if a fever is getting higher than you might feel comfortable with.

ZhongChong or PC9, is located on the tip of the middle fingers. Not only can it help with fevers for children it also can be used for night time crying. This point is also used to restore consciousness.

Firmly squeeze or massage PC 9 (tips of the middle fingers) for 1-3 minutes on each hand. Depending on the size of the finger I might even massage the entire finger and "nip" the tip of the middle finger. Nipping is done by placing the finger in between your index and middle finger squeezing gently and pulling off. You'll know your doing it right if you hear a little pop as you nip. This point can also be bled in order to clear heat.

What are your natural remedies for lowering fevers?

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)

230 Florence St

Crystal Lake IL 60014

815.983.9825

www.clnap.com

Acupuncture Can Help Turn Breech Babies

Acupuncture is a safe non-invasive drug free way to move through a healthy pregnancy. Acupuncture is useful for morning sickness, constipation, dizziness, heart burn, aches and pains, labor induction, and assisting in turning a breech baby. In Europe many women see an acupuncturist for mother-warming which helps condition and nourish the body after pregnancy and delivery especially for energy depletion, depression, and lactation.

A patient recently came in because her baby wasn't in the proper position, not quite breech: transverse. Burning a moxa stick over urinary bladder 67 (the lateral side of pinky toe nail) can assist the baby in turning on its own. Watch the video below for a better understanding of what is done during this treatment. On this occasion the patient reported sensations of the baby moving during the treatment and was sent home with her own moxa stick to continue. The baby did turn after a few days and she came back for one more treatment, this time to induce labor. The next day she called to cancel her appointment from the hospital because she was in labor.

This video shows some simple yoga postures you can do at home to help your baby turn if in the breech position. Remember to honor your body and what feels right for you.

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)

230 Florence St

Crystal Lake IL 60014

815.983.9825

www.clnap.com 

The Karate Kid Uses Chinese Medicine Too

A patient just told me that the Karate Kid has a scene in it where cupping is done. Cupping was first made fashionable to the masses when Gwenth Paltrow was seen with cup marks. I explained what cupping is in a previous blog. Check out the video for a live demonstration of flash cupping.

Just like in the Karate Kid many martial artists have used acupuncture, cupping, and herbal therapy to recover from injuries and fight most optimally. One of my teachers belonged to a fighting club in the 70s and they would decoct special topical herbal liniments to use in between fights to heal faster in addition to acupuncture. These very same recipes are used in our office to treat a wide variety of aliments from broken bones, swellings, arthritis, bruises, acute and chronic injuries. The most amazing story I've seen with the liniments are as follows.

A patient came in for a massage several years ago and had a 3rd degree ankle sprain. She had fallen off the train coming home from work one day and her ankle was swollen three times the size as her other ankle and was dark purple. I soaked her ankle in a liniment and did very light massage around the area. Within two days her bruises were just faint remnants and slightly yellow; she could walk without any pain.

A liniment is similar to a raw herbal formula. Instead of cooking as a tea and drinking the herbs they are slow cooked and mixed with alcohol and must sit for several months before they can be used. The longer the herbs soak like this the more potent they become. We encourage people to soak what ails them for as long as they can and to sleep with the liniment on if its possible.

I once sprained my wrist and wrapped a liniment around it. Around about 30 minutes it felt like the pain in my wrist was being drawn out and felt warm and tingly.

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)

230 Florence St

Crystal Lake IL 60014

815.983.9825

www.clnap.com 

Big Bite Relief with Acupuncture and Aromatherapy

Its the season of the great outdoors and with it comes bugs. Many patients have recently come in complaining of itchy bug bites. The good news, of course, is that acupuncture or acupressure might offer some relief.

Baichongwu "hundred insect burrow" is an acupuncture point on the leg that helps to alleviate itching. According to A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman this point was first discussed in theGreat Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and is an important point for the treatment of skin diseases especially when it comes to alleviating severe itching.

The picture above shows where Baichongwu is located above the knee on the inner thigh as a red dot.

Aromatherapy can also be quite helpful with keeping insects away or as relief when they do nibble on you because the essential oil is actually the defense mechanism of the plant and is exactly what the plant uses to keep bugs away as well. Make sure that if you are going to use aromatherapy that your essential oils are specifically therapeutic grade. I can't say enough about the quality of Young Living Essential Oils.

For insect repellent that is natural and safe for your body mix:

6 drops of peppermint

6 drops tea tree

9 drops eucalyptus radiata

These oils all have a cooling affect on the body so if you have sensitive skin and it feels too intense mix these oils with a smidge of olive or coconut oil.

Purification Essential Oil is a blend that is great for relief from bug bites as well and contains citronella, lemongrass, lavandin, rosemary, melaleuca, and myrtle. I put a drop or two of this oil on my plants whenever little bugs or mold happen to show up. It has properties that are antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, immune supporting as well as beneficial to the skin, just to name a few.

If you're itching place a drop of purification essential oil on the area of discomfort and/or on top of Baichongwu and massage the area until it feels achey or turns slightly red and warm.

I'm curious, what are your natural remedies for bug bites and insect repellents?

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)

230 Florence St

Crystal Lake IL 60014

815.983.9825

www.clnap.com 

Heartburn Relief

Heart Burn Relief 

If you are taking Prilosec, Nexium, Protonix, Losec, Zegerid,Prevacid or omeprazole then you'll want to read this article and recent findings of taking these medications and your bones, especially if you use one of these for heartburn without ulcers orgastroesophageal reflux disease.

In Chinese Medicine we say food is our first medicine. This may seem like a foreign concept in the land of fast food on every corner but many times if we change our diet even just slightly we won't have an use for these medications that come with a price. What is most alarming is that these medications will reduce a symptom but they are not treating the cause of discomfort. Louise Hay argues that heartburn is about holding onto fear.

If you are suffering from heartburn take note of what triggers it. Look at what you are eating and how. Review the blog about stress and your spleen/stomach system.

You might give apple cider vinegar a try. Hippocrates used it as a cure all and it has often been called a "wonder drug". What is most important when choosing a brand is to make sure it has the mother in it. The most nutrient rich apple cider vinegar will have a brown tinge to it and will be slightly cloudy with particles floating in it, this is the mother. I've personally been a big fan of apple cider vinegar for quite some time and get mine from Trader Joe's. It can help immenselywith urinary tract infections. Other health benefits of apple cider vinegar include: relief from hair loss, weak finger nails, brittle teeth, sinusitis, and a permanently running nose, joint pains, constipation, headaches, arthritis, weak bones, indigestion, high cholesterol, diarrhea, eczema, sore eyes, chronic fatigue, mild food poisoning, hair loss, high blood pressure, helping one maintain firmer skin and a youthful appearance as well as lose weight.

Proflavanol 90 by Usana is another supplement worth mentioning. It is a grape seed extract and is great for inflammation of all kinds.

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)

230 Florence St

Crystal Lake IL 60014

815.983.9825

www.clnap.com