3 Ways to Stay Cool This Summer with Peppermint

Its finally starting to feel real isn't it? The sun is peaking through the clouds more then its not and the temperature is starting to take hold to flip flop season. You might not be feeling as excited for the summer months if you have pain that gets worse when its hot out, get hot flashes, or generally are prone to sun stroke or just have a difficult time when the environment is warm.

Of course you know I'm going to tell you to get acupuncture, its kind of my job to be the cheerleader of acupuncture because I get to see it work all day long. I also know that as much as you might want to come in all the time for a treatment sometimes its just not feasible with your busy life. Enter peppermint.

Therapeutic grade Peppermint essential oil is cooling in nature and will make your skin feel tingly with a cool feeling. Read on for 3 great ways to use peppermint to keep your body temperature where you want it to be but first a bit about safety. (If you are familiar with aromatherapy skip over this next paragraph)

{Not all essential oils are created equal. I use essential oils from a company called Young Living and have been for the past 10 years. They process their high quality oils with standards used in Europe where aromatherapy use is more respected and prevalent. Most essential oils you will find in health food stores and bath stores have what are called cosmetic grade essential oils, this means that the oils smell pretty but don't have a therapeutic function. Just like anything you put in your body or on your skin (your body's largest organ) you want to read the label. An essential oil that is therapeutic grade will not have an expiration date on it and may have a nutrition facts label because they are safe to take internally. Cosmetic grade essential oils are sometimes grown in an environment where pesticides are used, extracted in ways that make them lose therapeutic status or are mixed with solvents or other scentless chemicals in order to use less of the oil to maximize profits. Usually it is these solvents that cause the headaches from scents or skin irritations not the essential oils themselves.}

#1: Peppermint and Acupressure

If you are feeling overwhelmed on a hot day or fed up with bouts of hot flashes apply peppermint on the following acupressure points.

Du14 is at the base of the neck near the 7th cervical vertebrae or in layman's terms near where your torso becomes your neck, by the most prominent bump if you hold your hand on the spine of your neck and look down. For more information and pictures of Du14 visit here.

UB40 is the hollow parts of the back of your knees. For more information and pictures of UB40 visit here. 

Tai Yang: otherwise known as your temples. For more information and pictures of Tai Yang visit here. 

#2 Cool Moist Compress

Take a wash cloth and wet with cool or cold water and apply to the acupressure points above after applying peppermint. The cool water helps to magnify the effect of the peppermint oil and the body's own ability to cool down with these points.

*** If for any reason your skin feels uncomfortable after you apply peppermint to the skin, get peppermint essential oil in your eyes or the effect is too intense do not mix with water! Oil and water do not mix and you will make your discomfort worse. Instead use a vegetable oil such as olive oil or coconut oil to "cut" the essential oil in the area the feels uncomfortable. It will take the discomfort away almost immediately. ***

#3 Peppermint Water

Place a drop of peppermint essential oil (therapeutic grade only) in a cup of water. Drink throughout the day to stay cool. You will feel that same tingly sensation internally when you drink the water and it will also freshen your breath. If you are having trouble concentrating or are feeling drowsy you can also apply a drop of peppermint neat into your mouth for an invigorating experience.

Other fun facts about peppermint:

Peppermint is anti-inflammatory, anti-tumoral, anti-parasitic, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, digestive stimulant, pain relieving, and curbs appetite.

Can be used for rheumatism, respiratory infections, obesity, viral infections, fungal infections, digestive problems, headaches, nausea, skin conditions, scoliosis, lumbago, and back problems.

I am happy to place an order for essential oils on your behalf. Orders go out on the 2nd of every month. Peppermint essential oil from young living is appx $25 after tax and shipping. A 15 ml bottle if you are using daily for last 3-5 months.

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.clnap.com 

What is Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB)?

This past weekend I attended a seminar with Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB for short) at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in Chicago. AWB is a non-for-profit founded in 2005 after hurricane Katrina. Acupuncturists volunteer their time and resources to attend to those helping rebuild after a disaster has occurred as well as treating those affected by the disaster using a simple 5 needle protocol founded by Dr. Michael Smith known as "NADA" National Acupuncture Detoxification Association.

NADA is known both for its simplicity and its effectiveness. 5 small needles are placed in both ears on the acu-points of sympathetic, shen men(what's known as a spirit point or calming point), kidney, liver, and lung. These points help to return the body to a more peaceful state taking away the fight or flight response that often goes into over drive when a trauma has occurred. The point of this protocol is to treat as many people as possible, help restore hope, and most importantly prevent post traumatic stress disorder. I can't tell you how inspired I was to watch the videos of people affected by hurricane Katrina, as well as the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. A common theme from many testimonials was feeling calmer, sleeping better and a lot of smiles. 

Acupuncturists without Borders not only attend to disasters zones to treat people and train locals to continue the work after they leave, they also set up free or donation based community clinics for veterans across the country and participate in world healing exchanges with other cultures. The next healing exchange is scheduled for Nepal in October.

Look for more blogs soon about upcoming collaboration of veteran clinics in the area.

If you'd like to donate to Acupuncturists Without Borders visit here. 

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.clnap.com

When Getting a Flat Tire Isn't Such a Bad Thing or How Healing is Alot Like Spring

Friday I got behind the wheel of my car to head into work and noticed I was a few minutes early and was excited to get into work to check a few things before my first patient. That was until I backed out of my garage and noticed something wasn't quite right about my car. I got out and sure enough my tire was flat. I didn't have much time to come up with a solution so I quickly closed my garage door and started walking. I had already mapped out my bike route and knew the office was 3.6 miles away and it was a nice day. I got a little over half way to work and realized I would be a little late so my first patient was kind enough to pick me up. I went about my day and when all of my patients were finished I decided to walk home and it was really quite lovely. I'll take an hour commute by foot any day over one sitting in a car. I enjoyed all of the colorful flowers and bright green buds on my path home and started to think about spring and our bodies.

I know many of us have been just a little tired of cloudy skies and rain and cold and everything else that isn't associated with sunshine and 70+ degree weather. Spring really is a whole lot of back and forth. It takes time for the earth to wake back up after being frozen and sleeping all winter long. Each rainy day in between breaks of sun is kind of like mother earth hitting the snooze, saying "10 more minutes please and then I'll get up." The great thing is that even when it doesn't feel like it, eventually the earth does wake up and the air stays warmer and continues to get warmer and flowers bloom and there are more days with sun then clouds.

It got me thinking about how our bodies heal. Healing is a lot like spring time. When our bodies feel "off" we want them back to normal right away and don't like to wait but just like with spring weather we don't always get a choice. Acupuncture is like those rainy days, the snooze button giving the body some rest and nourishment, some stillness to recoup. The flowers don't usually shoot up and bloom after one sprinkling of water or one nice day although many times it feels like one day the earth is brown and the next its blossoming. Healing is the same way. Its hard to remember what a day without pain feels like when you have pain kind of like when we haven't seen the sun in a few days. Once pain is gone its hard to recall what it felt like or how debilitating it was much like how we feel when the sun peeks through. The earth knows when to wake up from the winter slumber and the body knows how to heal- it just needs the right conditions in order to do it. Sometimes one of the most important conditions is space and time.

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.clnap.com

May Day Recap

On Sunday May 1st the Neighborhood Acupuncture Place participated in the 9th annual May Day Free Acupuncture celebration with community acupuncture clinics across the country, Canada and Israel. 

We had 33 patients come in for an acupuncture treatment of all ages and backgrounds. A few kids received treatment and others rested in parents' laps during their treatment. It was a great time and if you missed out this year it will of course be happening next May Day or you can always stop in for a treatment pretty much any day of the week. (look for an updated schedule coming soon with more evening hours!)

Lauren Anderson of the Northwest Herald came out to take pictures and there will be an article next month highlighting complimentary and alternative medical practices so make sure to look for it!

More photos taken during the event are up on the NAP fan page on facebook as well.

Thanks for everyone coming in and making it such a wonderful day!

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.clnap.com