Its Time To Do Some Spring Cleaning!

Happy first day of Spring! ​

Maybe you are like me and already have spring fever or are just itching for warmer weather to match the sunshine. I am going to use the next few blog posts to discuss spring cleaning the body, emotions and your environment. Today we will start with  spring cleaning ​your living space. 

Now is a great time to sweep away winter! What can you do?​

Open the windows! Get that stagnant winter air out of your house. If its cold out try opening just one or two windows at a time for 5 minutes or so. ​

Deep clean your house! I love using Thieves House Hold cleaner for cleaning the house. Its great on just about every surface and it smells lovely without any toxic chemicals.  Dust the base boards, ceiling fans, behind the refrigerator and other furniture and all those other places you often ignore.

I also like to use my diffuser to purify the air especially with all the sickness that has gone around this winter. ​For my spring cleaning I used Purification. Purification is an essential oil blend that contains citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, melaleuca, lavendin (hybrid lavender), and myrtle. It’s a great blend to use to purify the air and can also be used to relieve bug bites or as a natural bug repellant. If you don't have a diffuser you can put a couple of drops of Purification in a spray bottle of water and mist into the air.   

Clean out your closets! Start to put winter clothes away or to the back of your closet making room for spring clothes. Throw away anything you haven't worn in awhile or that no longer fits.​

Take inventory of your clutter! Donate or recycle things you aren't using or are broken. ​

Nurture your house plants and start your garden! Clear away any dried leaves, replenish the soil, compost any plants that may have died.  ​

You know what they say, "A clean house, a clean mind!" Happy Spring Cleaning! Stay tuned for our next blog about liver and gall bladder detoxification. 

Acupuncture at Vander Weit Chiropractic

Acupuncture was originally designed to be a medicine of prevention so that people could live a long healthy life to 100 years old. While we don’t have the instrumentation to understand how acupuncture works exactly we do know that it does! 

Acupuncture works on the idea of keeping the body’s circulation of blood and energy (qi) flowing. When there is a disruption in this flow disease occurs. The acupuncture needles stimulate circulation to correct the disruption in flow and increase circulation. Most people are aware that acupuncture can help relieve pain especially back pain to headaches and every muscle and joint in between. 

Acupuncture also thrives where western medicine falls short especially with chronic diseases such as asthma, allergies, depression, poor sleep or digestion, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, Raynaud’s disease etc. and can complement western medical treatment without negative side effects for cancer and fertility treatments. Acupuncture is also a wonderful treatment for women’s health from irregular or painful periods, pregnancy related discomforts, turning breech babies, assisting in natural labor induction, post natal recovery for mom (mother warming) and menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, dryness, mood swings and insomnia. Regardless of what people use acupuncture for most everyone notices an improvement in their quality of sleep, energy, digestion and mood.  This link gives a great run down of what to expect from an acupuncture treatment. And no it doesn’t hurt!   http://acutakehealth.com/what-does-acupuncture-feel-like

April 10^th Sarah will be offering $20 treatments all day for new and existing patients. You can schedule your appointment through the website www.clnap.com

Recipe to Reduce Phlegm

Lots of people seem to be dealing with congestion  and cough lately. If you didn't like the last remedy for congestion give this one a try from senior acupuncturist Miriam Lee, its not quite as messy.

Take 1 winter pear (dark skinned variety)

* Remove skin if phelgm is white

* Leave the skin on if phlegm is yellow

Cut the pear in half, remove and discard the core. Fill the hole with appx 1 teaspoon of rock sugar. (break up the sugar if necessary) Place pear with sugar in a pot and add 1 cup of water. 

Cover the pot with a lid. Boil 15-20 minutes. Eat the pear and drink the liquid.

If the congestion is deep take twice a day. If a cough is keeping you up at night take before bed. If phelgm is worst first thing in the morning take then to facilitate expectoration.  

Cradle Cap Remedys

A usually very simple remedy for cradle cap is to rub olive oil or coconut oil onto the effected area. I personally like to put the oil on before bath time and then gently massage the area while baby is relaxed in the tub allowing any flakes to wash away.

You could also try adding some aromatherapy as well.

Lavender is great for skin issues. For cradle cap place 1 drop of therapeutic grade essential oil in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and massage into skin.


Melrose is a therapeutic blend of essential oils that is also useful for skin conditions like cradle cap. Use the same ratios as lavender and coconut oil or mix one drop of lavender and melrose with your coconut oil.

Rose Ointment can be used in place of coconut or olive oil and can also be mixed with lavender and melrose. Rose ointment is ideal for dry, chapped skin.


Sometimes an oil massage isn't enough to kick cradle cap completely. A possible culprit could be a deficiency of biotin.

Biotin is a water soluble B vitamin that is essential for bodily health. It helps the body to process fat and sugars, and it helps form a critical process in fat production in the body. Since biotin is so involved with creating the building blocks for basic body functions at a cellular level, it's very important to have a sufficient supply of this nutritional element.

 Its recommended for pregnant and lactating mothers to have 30 micrograms of biotin a day. Here are a few foods to add to mama's diet while nursing even if cradle cap isn't an issue.

* Swiss Chard

* Carrots

* Almonds and Walnuts

* Chicken Eggs

* Strawberries and raspberries

* Halibut

NAP carries custom blended young living essential oils and places an order on the 2nd of each month. Email sarah at clnap dot com for more information.

Simple Home Remedy For Congestion and Cough

Here's an easy way to break up congestion from a cough that won't seem to go away.

What you will need:

1 small onion diced
1 teaspoon of fresh garlic minced
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place diced onion in a glass baking dish and heat in oven set to 350 for about 20 minutes or until onion becomes translucent and slimy. Remove from oven and pour onion in a clean bowl. Mix garlic and olive oil with the onion and allow to cool. Mixture should be warm but not hot. Place mixture on chest and cover with a warm, wet wash cloth. Cover with a dry wash cloth or towel. Keep poultice on for up to 2 hours, then remove.  Repeat as needed.

New Years Resolution to Quit Smoking

If your new years resolution was to quit smoking or has been for awhile here are some great reasons to stick with it. Its never too late to quit!

Benefits to your body after your last cigarette

Within 20 minutes
* blood pressure normalizes
* pulse rate returns to normal
* body temperature of hands and feet returns to normal

Within 8 hours
* Carbon monoxide level in blood drops
* Oxygen level in blood increases
* Smoker's breath disappears

Within 24 Hours

*Your chance of a heart attack decreases already

Within 48 Hours

*Nerve endings start to regrow
*Your ability to smell and taste is enhanced

Within 72 Hours

*Bronchial tubes relax making it easier to breathe
*Lung capacity increases maing it easier to do physical activities

Within 2 Weeks to 3 Months

*Circulation improves
*Walking becomes easier
*Lung function increases up to 30%

Within 1 Month to 9 Months

*Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decrease
*Your body's overall energy level increases, cilia regrow in lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean lungs and reduce infection

Within 1 Year

*Coronary heart disease risk is half that of a smoker

Within 2 Years
*Heart attack risk drops to near normal

Within 5 Years
*Lung cancer death rate for average pack-a-day smoker decreases by almost half
*Stroke risk is reduced
*Risk of mouth, throat and esophageal cancer is half that of a smoker

Within 10 Years
*Lung cancer death rate is simiilar to that of a person who does not smoke
*Pre-cancerous cells are replaced

Within 15 Years
*Risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a person who has never smoked

Come to NAP to quit smoking and take advantage of our smoking cessation program 6 treatments for $60.
Visit our website for more details www.clnap.com

Fight the Flu with Natural Remedies

The media loves to create a frenzy especially when it comes to the flu season. While this year has been particularly tough there are still may great ways to stay healthy. Here's a few that we do in our house. 

Bone Soup

Making your own stock is great preventative medicine and is also great to use medicinally when you are sick as well. From a Chinese Medical standpoint making soup stock from bones is incredibly nourishing to the kidneys and the kidney system is most active during the winter months which is the best time to nourish them.  Bone soup is also great if you are suffering from digestive troubles. I made garlic beef stock yesterday with this recipe and added red lentils, carrots, celery, rainbow chard, and broccoli this morning for dinner tonight. An added bonus is the house smells delicious. 

Apple Cider Vinegar

‎"Cold Season Prevention & Remedy #3 for Pregnancy - Drink 1 - 2 Tablespoons of RAW-Unfiltered-Organic Apple Cider Vinegar each day. You can mix it in 8 oz of water or apple juice to make it more palatable. This improves your body's PH balance and strengthens the immune system. Also fends off yeast, speeds healing of infections, soothes a sore throat, and relieves heartburn. We like Bragg brand." -Mamaste Yoga 
Also equally good if you are not pregnant. :) For more info about apple cider vinegar check out here. Whatever brand you choose make sure it has the "mother" in it for optimal results. 

Thieves Essential Oil

I know, I talk about this all the time. Thieves essential oil is a blend of cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, rosemary, and lemon. It was named thieves after the infamous band of apothecaries that would use these herbs and spices to cover their faces when robbing the dead bodies during the black plague. It is 99.9% effective in killing bacteria and other sickies and because its a natural source bacteria can't mutate to it like anti-bacterial soaps. We diffuse thieves at home and in the office to clean the air and spray thieves on door handles and other surfaces. You can also put a drop of thieves in your water or tea if your feeling run down or have a scratchy throat. Young Living essential oils carries this essential oil blend and if you need some I can order it for you at wholesale price. 


Alternative Home Remedy for Sore Throat 

 For a sore throat and overall immune boosting - cut up 2 lemons, drop them in a small mason jar. Finely grind 1/2 - 1 fresh ginger root. Add 1 tsp. cinnamon or pumlin spice mix. Pour raw honey over. Stir well. Store in the fridge. Take 1 teaspoon 3-4 times a day (or more if desired). Can be added to a cup of cold or warm (NOT HOT!!!) water or tea.

Alternative Home Remedy for Pedialyte and Gatorade

Lemon Electrolyte Drink

• 1 quart of water

• juice of 2-3 lemons (fresh is preferable, but I’ve also used 1/3 c. lemon juice concentrate in a pinch)

• 1/3 c. raw honey (do not give raw honey to children under the age of 1) (see my note at the bottom for an alternative for little ones)

• 1/4-1/2 tsp. sea salt (not table salt – but unrefined sea salt)

For more information on this recipe visit here. 

Don't forget that acupuncture is a great preventative tool as well. Studies have shown that acupuncture points carry higher concentrations of white blood cells and when stimulated give a boost to the immune system. You can also use acupuncture for a persistent cough, congestion or the onset or a sore throat. If you have a fever though please stay home and use the natural remedies above. 

Thank You

Happy New Year Nappers!

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for being a part of the NAP community. NAP treated 2469 patients in 2012 and none of that could be possible without you letting your friends and family know about affordable acupuncture. Thank you for your flexibility with the more reduced hours so that I can spend as much time as possible with my daughter and still be able to contribute to my family and a healthier community. It is an honor to serve this wonderful community.

Due to vacation schedules and requests I will be holding a 2nd Yogapuncture class this month next Friday Jan 18th at Radiant Heart Yoga from 7:00-8:30pm

Yogapuncture has evolved since we first started classes and some of you have had questions about what this is all about so read on if you've been curious.

Yogapuncture gives a brief snippet of Chinese Medicine theory about how your body relates to the seasonal influences around us. Acupuncture was originally designed to be a medicine of prevention. In fact, ancient doctors had to pay their patients if they got sick because it was their job to keep the community well!

There are components of yoga postures and breathing, qi gong and self massage that are incorporated into the class all with the intention of balancing the meridian system most active for the season we are in (currently kidney/urinary bladder). Aromatherapy is also used to help balance the body mentally and emotionally as well. These restorative exercises all lead up to an acupuncture treatment designed for harmony (specifically now for kidneys, urinary bladder, spine and center of the body).

If you've wanted to have a better understanding of the background of Chinese Medicine, self care, or are in need of a "tune-up" this would be a great class for you. In the winter months we focus on the prevention of sadness, strengthening the lower back and knees, warming the body, and building our energy reserves to be used in the spring and summer. Keep in mind this is an interactive class so you will need to be able to get up and down from the floor. Acupuncture is done on a yoga mat with support for the spine and under the knees and no prior understanding of yoga or acupuncture is needed.

Space is limited to 10 participants so please RSVP by emailing that you plan to attend and let me know as soon as possible if you can not make it so someone else can take your spot. The cost of Yogapuncture is $35.

Radiant Heart Yoga is located at 1130 Main St in Algonquin about 1 mile north of Algonquin Rd. The studio is located within the Algonquin Business Center and you will want to park and enter at the back of the building. Neiquist Chiropractic is the next building over from the business center and there is a costume shop kitty corner.

Have a wonderful day!

Acupressure for Stiff, Achy Joints

Winter is a rough season for many people that suffer from chronic pain, especially pain that is worse in the cold. In Chinese Medicine we call pain an obstruction or blockage and classify the pain based on environmental factors: heat, cold, dampness, dryness and wind. Whatever environmental factors make the pain worse are usually the culprits behind the pain and sometimes its more then one like wind, cold and dampness, for example.

Luckily, there are acu-points that work at removing the factor causing the pain. If you are waking up with sore, stiff,  joints and they seem to be worse now that we've settled into winter try doing a little acupressure.

The point to remove cold is poetically named 'clear cold abyss' and is located on the san jiao or triple warmer meridian.

To find this point bend your elbow and slide your finger from the tip of your elbow up towards your shoulder just an inch of so. When you extend your elbow their will be a tiny hollow your finger will fall into if you are on the right spot and it might feel achy or tender to the touch if you've been really sore or stiff.

Once you've found the spot gently massage tiny circles for about a minute on both elbows. You can do this as often as you need to.


Sarah Canga LAc

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