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