Precocious puberty is the beginning of sexual maturity that starts before age 8 in a girl or 9 in a boy.

A comprehensive article, Puberty Before Age 10: A New ‘Normal’?, written by Elizabeth Weil and published in the New York Times in March examines what we know today about early puberty in girls.

Weil’s article highlights the fact that although breast development begins years earlier than previously documented, the average age of girl’s first periods has remained nearly the same — dropping minimally to 12.5 from 12.8 years of age. Ms. Weil asks the question, why is puberty starting earlier but ending near the same age?

Robert Lustig of Benioff Children’s Hospital wonders if girls with early breast development are in puberty at all, arguing that puberty begins in the brain when gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) sets off the pituitary to signal the ovaries to produce estrogen. The Mayo Clinic explains it similarly, showing these steps on their website.

Many girls with early puberty have developing breasts and pubic hair — even as young as 4 years of age — but do not show signs that their ovaries are producing estrogen. This is sometimes referred to as partial precocious puberty. Also, some do not have another sign of true puberty, advanced bone age. During puberty, bones lengthen, cartilage shrinks and at the end of the process, plates fuse together. In Precocious Puberty, this process can cause stunted growth. Exactly where in this process a child falls can be determined with x-rays.

So, why are some girls growing breasts and/or pubic hair as young as 4 even if full puberty hasn’t commenced? If estrogen isn’t coming from their ovaries, where is it coming from? The main factors generally agreed upon to be the sources of this rogue estrogen are overweight and environmental toxins.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, These Individual Factors Would Be Addressed In the Overall Treatment of the Presenting Problem.

Overweight

Girls who are overweight have higher levels of the hormone leptin which can lead to early puberty. This starts a feedback loop of leptin –> puberty –> higher estrogen –> greater insulin resistance –> more fat tissue –> more leptin –> more estrogen, which can propel a body onwards through puberty.

How Can Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Help Early Puberty Due To Overweight?

In TCM, eating more than you can process and eliminate efficiently can cause not only overweight, but a condition known as dampness. The function of the spleen and stomach is to convert food and water into energy and the rest to waste. If spleen chi is weak there can be trouble draining which results in blockages and stagnation. We can treat this by reducing problem foods and using acupuncture and herbs to drain the damp and strengthen digestion. Encouraging girls to enjoy physical activity will help burn up excess damp and keep the digestive fire lit. When the system is righted and they are enjoying healthy, clean foods, overweight will cease to be a problem.

Environmental Toxins

Unfortunately, our environment is full of endocrine disrupting chemicals that act as estrogen mimics. BPA (Bisphenol A) was used as a synthetic estrogen in the 1930s. It was used in plastic production starting in the 1950s and can now be found everywhere in things like water bottles, the lining of canned food, and sales receipts. It has been found in the bodies of 95% of adults and in remote natural landscapes. It is hypothesized that estrogen mimics are triggering early breast development.

How Can Traditional Chinese Medicine Help Early Puberty Due To Environmental Toxins?

TCM increases circulation in the body. It can boost the body’s own toxin removal and repair systems (lymphatic, digestive, circulatory) preventing further damage from toxins lingering in the body. Additionally, if a child is experiencing other systemic issues related to the the early puberty, TCM practitioners will be able to diagnose and treat these issues as a whole.

Treating “Qi Bing”, Strange or Rare Cases

In the January 1998 Journal of Chinese Medicine, Bob Flaws relates an account of a successful treatment for precocious puberty by Dr. Qiao Yong-xian.

Flaws writes that many people turn to TCM for diseases that are difficult to treat or are rare, such as MS, lupus, or Marfan’s syndrome when traditional medicine doesn’t provide enough relief or information. Because of this, TCM holds a treasure trove of case histories of difficult diseases called “Qi Bing” which translates as strange or rare diseases. In the precocious puberty case, a four year old girl came in with enlarged breasts and vaginal bleeding but no other signs of puberty. Based on this and other physical signs found in the diagnostic process, Dr. Qiao prescribed appropriate herbal medicine and saw her again in 7 days. In that time she had been diagnosed with precocious puberty at the hospital. Dr. Qiao adjusted her custom herbal formula following her condition over several visits. The patient finished the treatment and was symptom free, all within a month. Three follow up visits six months apart were made and found the patient to be in good health with no recurrence of symptoms.

Dr. Qiao acknowledged that partial precocious puberty is complex but if treated early on, the cure rate is good. However, complete precocious puberty (that has initiated in the brain) is not easy to treat. As Dr. Qiao says, “The tree has already been made into a boat.” Western doctors hesitate treating precocious puberty with hormone therapy because it is hard on young girls.They prefer parents to instead support their children emotionally and provide them with the new skills they need to cope with their body’s changes. However, as Flaws points out, “When treated with Chinese medicine based on pattern discrimination, one can also obtain a good effect but with no side effects.”

If your child is showing signs of early onset puberty and you are concerned, please feel free to call us at 773.267.0248 for a free 10 minute consultation. 

A Year’s Plan Starts With Spring

It’s easy to feel a boost of energy in the Spring with the fresh, sunny days and blossoming trees signaling new life and regeneration.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Spring relates to the liver and gallbladder organs, our body’s detoxification system.

The Liver system is known as the “farmer who cultivates”. It governs and regulates the blood and the flow of Qi (life force) energy to promote circulation. It processes our emotions and nourishment, eliminating what is not needed.

The Gallbladder system governs decision making and gives us the courage and ability to make decisions. The gallbladder also plays an essential role in the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body.
How Can We Help These Hard Working Organs to Boost Our Vitality in Spring?
Choose Light, Clean Foods
To be in harmony with the qualities of Spring, the foods we eat should provide a gentle cleansing from the heavier foods we ate during the winter months.

Try eating plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits such as; grapefruit, apples, radishes, daikon, broccoli, asparagus, lettuce, leeks, and shiitake mushrooms. Eat lean poultry and meats, preferably grass fed, that are grilled or steamed, not fried. Enjoy complex grains like brown rice and millet. Additionally, food and drink that taste sour are thought to stimulate Qi, so enjoy lemon slices in your water and oil and vinegar dressing or olives.

Fresh Air and Movement
According to TCM, the liver stores blood during periods of rest and then releases it to the tendons in times of activity, maintaining tendon health and flexibility. Find a daily stretching routine that works for you like yoga or tai chi. Fresh air helps liver qi flow so try to take a walk on your lunch break or try an outdoor sport like soccer with your friends or family.

Acupuncture
Seasonal acupuncture treatments can tone your organ systems, aid in your detoxification efforts, and correct small imbalances before they lead to greater disturbances.

Giving our bodies extra support now will not only give us an immediate boost, it will strengthen our systems for the rest of the year. Likewise, investing in time to contemplate our lives and realign our focus, if needed, can help keep us on the path to reach our goals for the future.

Renew Your Mind and Spirit
Spring is a time of birth and change. Reflect on your priorities or goals in life and give them merit. Take opportunities that come your way, give yourself time to explore your creativity, or learn something new.

PCOS is caused when hormone production grows out of balance, typically with the ovaries producing more androgen hormone than is needed. Researchers also believe there is a link with insulin resistance. Many women with PCOS have elevated levels of insulin in their bodies and excess insulin appears to increase production of androgen.

PCOS may cause women to stop ovulating, have irregular periods, or grow small cysts on the ovaries. Many women aren’t diagnosed until they have trouble becoming pregnant. Fortunately, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history of treating PCOS. It was first written about in The Complete Book of Effective Prescriptions for Diseases of Women. Published in 1237 A.D., it was the first book devoted solely to gynecology and obstetrics in Chinese Medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views PCOS as stagnation in the body.

When there is stagnation in the body it impedes the flow of energy and blood. In the case of PCOS, the stagnation is related to the lower part of the body. TCM employs acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to address the stagnation and hormone imbalance and thus help regulate menstrual cycles and promote ovulation. Chinese medicine is unique in that it considers the entire landscape of the body and treats imbalance and disease at the root of the problem. As such, patients benefit from an improvement in their overall health as a result of treatment.

Hearing from someone who has gone through the ups and downs of fertility treatment can sometimes provide the greatest comfort and help.

We thank Adriana for sharing her story of overcoming the diagnosis of PCOS and infertility. We hope it gives you hope and empowers you in your quest for treatment.

I always had irregular periods and was diagnosed with PCOS in my mid-twenties.  I was aware that besides the amenorrhea and being overweight (in my case) there was also the chance of infertility. When my husband and I were ready for kids I went off contraception (the ring) and had a huge disruption in my periods.

My doctor put me on progesterone and she mentioned that I probably wasn’t ovulating so she referred me to a fertility specialist. All my blood work and tests were fine, so after the fertility doctor talked about drugs, shots, artificial insemination and in-vitro fertilization, I was overwhelmed.  I asked to start with the least invasive method since everything seemed to be fine and started taking metformin.

Talking to a friend, she mentioned acupuncture and recommended The Nest. I called to set up an appointment and started my treatment in July 2011. The acupuncturist (Jennifer) said I had a lot of stagnation in that area and I was happily surprised that it only took a couple of months for me to start getting a regular period; and even happier when I tried an ovulation predictor kit in November and had a positive result.  I could ovulate.

I got pregnant in December and sadly lost that pregnancy around 4 weeks later. I continued with the treatment and without tracking my ovulation -since I was supposed to wait a month to try again- I got pregnant right away! Today I am on my eighth week and very glad I came to the Nest. I am grateful for their work and for giving me a natural option to achieve conception. I am still in treatment and feel great; I believe the benefits show in my overall health.

-Adriana

We often see eating as something on our to-do list unless we are going out for a special meal when we consciously set aside the time to really enjoy it. Recently, the New York Times reported on the Buddhist practice of Mindful Eating and how it is entering secular places, like the Google campus. Mindful Eating is a meditative practice that can quiet the mind and bring your awareness into your body.

How Can You Practice Mindful Eating?

The Center for Mindful Eating lists one of the principles of mindfulness as, “being aware of what is present for you mentally, emotionally and physically in each moment”. Mindful Eating is defined in part as “Choosing to eat food that is both pleasing to you and nourishing to your body by using all your senses to explore, savor and taste.”

Benefits of Mindful Eating
This movement might be gaining popularity because it counteracts two aspects of American food culture that could use some intervention. First, it focuses on pleasure which is a welcome change from punishment prone diet concepts. Second, it slows down our ceaseless rushing which allows time for reflection on our food choices — what we like, what agrees with us, and where it comes from — which can connect us to our community and environment. The main benefits are also twofold; by focusing on the pleasures of food and eating, we can feel true satisfaction and become more adept at noticing when we are full. In the New York Times article, Mindful Eating as Food for Thought, Jeff Gordinier writes, “Mindful eating is not a diet, or about giving up anything at all. It’s about experiencing food more intensely — especially the pleasure of it. You can eat a cheeseburger mindfully, if you wish. You might enjoy it a lot more. Or you might decide, halfway through, that your body has had enough.”

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach to Healthy Weight
This non-diet/enhanced awareness mindset is very similar to the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach to regaining and maintaining healthy weight.TCM looks to a root, internal cause rather than external reasons, like food, for weight gain. Usually deficient Qi (lifeforce) or Qi imbalance is the cause. If a body has sufficient Qi, it won’t experience cravings or excessive appetite. Alternately, if there is insufficient Qi, organs may not be able to perform their essential functions well, like eliminating toxins or maintaining proper metabolism. For example, the spleen and liver organ system is key for digestion. If there is imbalance there, you might experience headaches, digestive issues, weight gain, or allergies. Organ systems can become imbalanced for many reasons like viral infections, environmental toxins or emotional trauma. Stress is a common reason for imbalance in various organ systems. The Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation writes, “Perhaps the most profound aspect of TCM’s perspective on overweight conditions is its perception of the role emotions play in overall health.  TCM does not see and treat your body, mind, emotions, and spirit as separate, but rather as an interrelated whole…When TCM looks at digestion, it takes the broadest view:  digestion is the ingestion, absorption, and letting go of food, drink, and emotion…”

Chronically held emotions cause stagnation in the organs, creating an impasse for the flow of chi like a dam in a river. Acupuncture can relieve these blocks to restore the flow of energy and re-establish proper energy exchange. People often feel this immediately as relief, joy, settled nerves, or an energy boost. When the imbalances are righted, the body will ask for what it needs and normal weight will return.

Mindfulness can help us to recognize stress, allowing us to acknowledge it and act or let it go. It can also help us to bring more pleasure into our lives to keep in balance. Mindfulness eating is an enjoyable practice to help us tend to the gift of our bodies with greater care and pleasure.

Many caring parents like you are coping with this issue. The number of individuals with allergies has increased dramatically over the last few decades. “Among children up to 4 years of age, the incidence of asthma has increased 160%, and the incidence of atopic dermatitis has increased twofold to threefold. Approximately 0.5-1% of the US population is affected by peanut allergy and the incidence has doubled in the past decade. These figures demonstrate that allergic disorders in children are a serious public health problem, and the need to find new treatments for these disorders. Current conventional medications for allergic disorders for children are not fully satisfactory. There are also concerns of known side effects of corticosteroids…”(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2770271/?tool=pubmed).

We understand the stress you feel dealing with chronic conditions. Traditional Chinese Medicine offers a lasting solution to allergies and chronic childhood conditions such as ear infections and respiratory illnesses by healing the imbalances that cause these conditions.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), childhood corresponds with Spring, a time of rapid transformation and growth. Children become sick easily but respond just as quickly to treatment. Gentle TCM techniques like point therapy and Tuina (an acupressure and massage technique) are very effective at balancing children’s energetic systems and can eradicate symptoms completely. The mother of one of our young patients shares her story:

I started bringing my son to Jen when he was one year old. His initial diagnoses of peanut and tree nut allergies had expanded to included dairy and soy and we were regularly struggling with digestive problems, sleep disruptions and eczema. Jen’s treatments helped relieve the digestion, sleep and skin issues. And within a few months our allergist’s diagnoses for dairy and soy had been reduced to the status of ‘minor irritant’. I’m so grateful for how much less stress I have in the care of my son and delighted at how strong his immune system has become. (ZML)

Because TCM treats the energetic system of the body, patients usually experience added benefits they hadn’t anticipated. The XiaoXiao clinic in Milan conducted a pilot study of 29 children over a period of a year. Most were treated for recurrent respiratory infections. While the 17 children who completed the study showed significant improvement with their respiratory issues, the doctors noted anecdotally that, “Something extraordinary also happened at home:  they started to sleep in their own beds. The parents reported that their children became more confident, assertive and secure. Other children, initially very agitated and demanding, became more relaxed, with better behavior and improved sleep…one can clearly witness how an improved circulation of Qi positively influences the mental and emotional aspects of a child’s development.”

Early or preventative treatment is ideal with children. The core of preventative treatment is understanding each child’s unique constitution and tendency towards specific patterns of dis-ease. Parent’s knowledge of their child’s patterns, along with the Practitioner’s TCM constitutional evaluation is a combination for success. With treatment, your child’s symptoms can be managed or eradicated altogether.

Questions about whether we can help your child?

Call The Nest for a free 10 minute phone consultation at 773.267.0248

“It’s not just you — seasonal allergies hitting early, hard”, MSNBC reported earlier this week. Due to the milder winters that much of the US has experienced recently, allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer. This can really hurt those prone to sinus infection and chronic sinusitis.

Sinus infections usually start with a cold or allergies that cause sinus inflammation and mucus production. The mucus builds up and gets blocked because the sinus membranes are enlarged. Trapped there, the mucus settles into perfectly inaccessible pockets in the sinuses which provide a perfect bed for pathogens to breed. With a sinus infection or sinusitis you may have any of these symptoms: stuffy nose, headache, fever, sore throat, and painful pressure around the cheeks, eyes, and forehead.

Now we read in a just-published study that antibiotic use for sinus infections does not work! The findings show that individuals who have had a sinus infection for a week (but not as long as 28 days) fared no better than the group that received the placebo. Science News reports that James Gill, a practicing physician who heads Delaware Valley Outcomes Research, surmised that, “…even the correct antibiotic often fails to knock out a sinus infection because the bacteria ‘are socked into closed spaces’ in the sinuses, and the drugs just don’t reach them well.”

Luckily, Traditional Chinese Medicine is very effective at treating sinus congestion and infection through the use of both acupuncture and herbal medicine. Patients may come in unable to breathe through their nose but after receiving acupuncture (the Bitong point, translates as “opening up the nose”) they can breathe freely, even during the first treatment. There are also points that facilitate mucus drainage. It is important to get acupuncture and take prescribed herbs when we get a head cold or sinus infection –especially early on– so that the mucus can be drained before pathogens proliferate and cause the worst symptoms. Herbs are often used in chinese medicine to treat sinus problems. Gan Jiang (dried ginger) and Bai Zhi (angelica root) are especially effective at clearing up the sinuses at the onset of a head cold.

For preventative care at home, Wei Liu and Changzhen Gong with the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) share some acupressure points for sinusitis:

Self-Acupressure Tips for Sinusitis (Do Three Times on Each Point Daily)

Bitong (Extra Point): Located on each side of the nose, at the bottom edge of the nasal bones.    Yingxiang (LI 20): Located in the groove on each side of the nostrils, at the widest point of the nostrils. Hegu (LI-4): Located at the highest spot of the muscle between the thumb and index finger on the back of the hand when the thumb and index finger are close together.

Hold each point firmly but not so that you feel pain. Hold for up to three minutes.

Source:  http://www.tcmpage.com/hpsinusitis.html

We treat it as a tool for extra alertness or we pivot social events around it. All things in moderation is a great mantra but if you find yourself in a cycle of groggy waking, caffeination, afternoon slump, caffeination, and restless sleep, it may be time to give yourself a healing gift and quit coffee.

Giving yourself time away from the false energy of caffeine will allow you to come back to your own healthy rhythms; restoring your adrenal system and easing you back into deeper, restorative sleep.

WHY SHOULD I QUIT?
Due in part to it’s high levels of antioxidents, coffee does have some health benefits. However, it also raises our blood pressure and levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Prolonged use of coffee may stress our adrenal system. Since the thyroid gland works in tandem with our adrenals, we need to keep our adrenals healthy for the thyroid to work properly. Women are more likely to experience adrenal fatigue and thyroid disruption so this may be something to consider if you’re thinking about quitting.

HOW MUCH COFFEE IS TOO MUCH?
Tolerance levels affect everyone differently. A recent article in the Chicago Tribune reported that The National Institute of Health found that caffeine “can leave you feeling wired 12 to 16 hours after the last cup, wreaking havoc on sleep” and “drinking just 100 milligrams per day — the amount of a small cup of brewed coffee — and then giving it up can lead to withdrawal symptoms ranging from headaches and depression to flulike nausea and muscle pain.” Only you know if your sleep is suffering or if you are sleepy during the day. This could be because you are drinking six cups or because you are drinking one cup.

HOW DO I QUIT?
If you only drink one to three cups a day, you might be able to quit cold turkey. Withdrawl symptoms are reported to last one to three days so convince yourself to try to go without for three days in a row. By the third day it’s likely you won’t crave it and you can extend another few days and son on. If you drink six cups or more, you may want to taper off. You can do this by limiting yourself to three cups a day, then two, then one. Or you can mix half decaf, half regular coffee for your portions. Some people find it easiest to switch to decaf, which has a tiny amount of caffeine and drink that for a week or so.

HOW DO I BOOST MY ALERTNESS WITHOUT COFFEE?
In the Morning:

Make a morning music mix of whatever gets you going.
Music is used to rehabilitate stroke victims and patients with Parkinson’s disease precisely because it increases mental focus. A Finnish study found that stroke patients who listened to a few hours of music a day experienced a 60% improvement in verbal memory and a 17% improvement in focused attention.

Eat a balanced breakfast.
A combination of protein, a little fat, and complex carbs will sustain your energy and feed your brain for hours.

Take an early morning walk.
Exercise increases oxygen and blood flow to the brain. That, in combination with the fresh air, will erase any morning mental fogginess. If you live in a city, try getting off the train a few stops early on your way to work in the morning. Or, you can start a walking group of parents at your children’s school. You can leave for your walk directly after dropping off your kids.

To combat the afternoon slump:

Drink water!
Often when you feel fatigued, it is a sign your body needs water.

Try a peppy, healthy drink
Perk up with a zippy drink of 3/4 cup sparkling mineral water and 1/4 cup natural fruit juice. Keep a large bottle of mineral water and a single serving bottle of juice in the fridge at work and you’ll have enough for four servings — almost the whole work week.

Eat a protein/fruit Snack
A handful of almonds with some dried apricots or a half of a banana will give you fuel to end your work day strong.

If you think you may struggle with cravings or withdrawl symptoms, give yourself some support. Traditional Chinese Medicine can help you overcome caffeine addiction, heal weakened adrenal glands and bring thyroid back into proper function. With your re-tuned body humming you’ll find you won’t crave caffeine. How will you use all that fresh energy?

You are a full grown adult who has eaten thousands of breakfasts in your lifetime and yet you cannot think of anything to eat for breakfast this week. We’ve all been there!

Studies show that nutritious breakfasts containing lean protein and/or complex grains can give you improved concentration, added strength and endurance and can help you maintain a healthy weight. These benefits are especially important for growing children. “According to the American Dietetic Association, children who eat breakfast perform better in the classroom and on the playground, with better concentration, problem-solving skills, and eye-hand coordination.”

We want your families to enjoy these benefits so we’ve put together a list of 10 breakfast ideas that you can make ahead or put together quickly.

Nourish Your Family With a Healthy Breakfast1. Overnight Steel Cut Oats
Put 2 cups oats and 8 cups of water in crock pot overnight (8-10 hours) on it’s lowest setting and it’s hot and ready for you in the morning. For variety, try replacing one cup of the water with almond milk and add dried cherries or apples and cinnamon. Or, in the morning, mix in pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to feel like you’re having pie for breakfast!

2. Mini Fritattas
Mix 6 eggs, shredded or chopped zucchini, sliced green onion, fresh or dried herbs and a cup of crumbled or grated goat cheese. Add diced cooked potato or other favorite vegetables. Spoon into lined muffin tins and bake in a 350 oven. When cool, place in a freezer bag and freeze to have on hand. These reheat nicely in a toaster oven.

3. Congee
This nourishing traditional food is perfect for cold winter mornings. It’s especially healing when you feel under the weather. Mark Bittman has some recipes with variations here.

4. Breakfast Burritos
Fill a whole grain or gluten free tortilla with any combination of beans, scrambled eggs, potatoes, diced squash or other veggies. Fold up and roll in wax paper, place in a freezer bag or container to freeze. On busy mornings you can grab one of these to take to work with you.

5. Vegan Apple Muffins
Healthy and delicious! Find the recipe here.

6. Gluten Free Vegan Latkes
These would are delicious hot off the griddle but you can also make a big batch ahead of time to freeze for easy weekday breakfasts. There are so many variations; try replacing the potato with 1/2 parsnip and 1/2 carrots. Or, replace half the potato with zucchini. Kids love latkes so this is a great way to give them some extra veggies. Recipe here.

7. Quinoa Cinnamon Porridge
Try this warming and fortifying porridge that follows Traditional Chinese Medicine principles.

8. Almond Butter Smashed Fruit Wraps
Spread almond butter on a whole grain or gluten free tortilla, then spread a couple of tablespoons of vanilla soy or coconut milk yogurt over that and add spoonfuls of mashed berries. Roll up. For an alternative, use fresh grapes sliced in half. It’s delicious! You can cut these in half to serve two.

9. Hard Boiled Eggs And…
Hard boil eggs on Sunday to have on hand for the week. In a hurry? Grab one and an apple to go. More time? Make some whole grain toast and add sliced hard boiled egg and some broken up smoked salmon. Add a cup of mint tea and honey in the winter and you have a quick, satisfying breakfast.

10. Sweet Almond Pancakes
These are so delicious they don’t need any topping but they would be great with stewed cinnamon apples or non-sweetened applesauce. Mix 1 cup almond meal, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup water, 2 Tbl oil, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 Tbl raw honey.  Cook as you would regular pancakes. These will not puff up so flip them when the underside is brown.

Check in next week for our last post in our series of three Get Healthy in 2012 blog posts. Our first post was how acupuncture can reduce stress to help you meet your goals.

This is the first post in a series of three of simple ways to to get healthier in 2012.

I know many people balk at making New Years Resolutions but I think most of us do use this time to reflect on the past year and what we would like to build upon and what we would like to change. Consider the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective on this season. Winter is a time for gathering strength in the stillness. For instance, taking more time for rest by going to bed earlier and waking after the sun has risen brings extra energy to the internal organs, thus fortifying the body for the rest of the year. Yin energy is at is peak in this season, drawing energy inward, making it an opportune time for reflection. Contemplation in the quiet of winter can bring peace to our minds and spirits and prepare us for the changes we want to make.

What would you like to enhance or change in your lives in the coming year? How can we all bring more peace, joy, and satisfaction into our lives?

No matter what you are facing, acupuncture will bring vitality to your effort and sustain you on your way!

A seminal study published last month by Experimental Biology and Medicine, http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/?ID=61392&PageTemplateID=295, showed that blood levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY), a protein linked with chronic stress, were diminished following acupuncture. This is thought to be the first study to show molecular proof that acupuncture reduces stress. The author, Ladan Eshkevari, Ph.D., an assistant professor at Georgetown’s School of Nursing & Health Studies is also an acupuncturist. She got the idea for the research when she noticed that most of her patients were reporting a “better overall sense of wellbeing — and they often remarked that they felt less stress.”

Maybe this past year you have been struggling with a chronic illness and you are feeling strained. Acupuncture will not only help by healing the imbalances contributing to the problem, it can refresh and sustain you by carrying away those unwelcome stress proteins and leaving wellbeing in their place. What could be better? Maybe you are considering giving up smoking or coffee. Acupuncture will help with withdrawl symptoms and again, the stress that occur when making changes. Or perhaps you have made wonderful accomplishments this year such as leaps in your career or a steady commitment to exercise.

Reward your self and sustain your health with a feel-good session of acupuncture. You deserve the support and happiness and we wish you much of it this New Year!

You do your best to keep the worst symptoms of chronic conditions from flaring up and you always wonder if there is more you can do. Many caring parents like you are coping with this issue. The number of individuals with allergies has increased dramatically over the last few decades. “Among children up to 4 years of age, the incidence of asthma has increased 160%, and the incidence of atopic dermatitis has increased twofold to threefold. Approximately 0.5-1% of the US population is affected by peanut allergy and the incidence has doubled in the past decade. These figures demonstrate that allergic disorders in children are a serious public health problem, and the need to find new treatments for these disorders. Current conventional medications for allergic disorders for children are not fully satisfactory. There are also concerns of known side effects of corticosteroids…”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2770271/

We understand the stress you feel dealing with chronic conditions. Traditional Chinese Medicine offers a lasting solution to allergies and chronic childhood conditions such as ear infections and respiratory illnesses by healing the imbalances that cause these conditions.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), childhood corresponds with Spring, a time of rapid transformation and growth. Children become sick easily but respond just as quickly to treatment. Gentle TCM techniques like point therapy and Tuina (an acupressure and massage technique) are very effective at balancing children’s energetic systems and can eradicate symptoms completely. The mother of one of our young patients shares her story:

I started bringing my son to Jen when he was one year old. His initial diagnoses of peanut and tree nut allergies had expanded to included dairy and soy and we were regularly struggling with digestive problems, sleep disruptions and eczema. Jen’s treatments helped relieve the digestion, sleep and skin issues. And within a few months our allergist’s diagnoses for dairy and soy had been reduced to the status of ‘minor irritant’. I’m so grateful for how much less stress I have in the care of my son and delighted at how strong his immune system has become. (ZML)

Because TCM treats the energetic system of the body, patients usually experience added benefits they hadn’t anticipated. The XiaoXiao clinic in Milan conducted a pilot study of 29 children over a period of a year. Most were treated for recurrent respiratory infections. While the 17 children who completed the study showed significant improvement with their respiratory issues, the doctors noted anecdotally that, “Something extraordinary also happened at home:  they started to sleep in their own beds. The parents reported that their children became more confident, assertive and secure. Other children, initially very agitated and demanding, became more relaxed, with better behavior and improved sleep…one can clearly witness how an improved circulation of Qi positively influences the mental and emotional aspects of a child’s development.” (“Paediatric Tuina and Acupuncture: The Xiaoxiao Clinic In Milan – The Journal of Chinese Medicine.” The Journal of Chinese Medicine & Traditional Chinese Medicine. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://www.jcm.co.uk/product/catalog/product/view/9541/paediatric-tuina-and-acupuncture-the-xiaoxiao-clinic-in-milan/>)

Early or preventative treatment is ideal with children. The core of preventative treatment is understanding each child’s unique constitution and tendency towards specific patterns of dis-ease. Parent’s knowledge of their child’s patterns, along with the Practitioner’s TCM constitutional evaluation is a combination for success. With treatment, your child’s symptoms can be managed or eradicated all together.

Questions about whether we can help your child?

Call The Nest for a free 10 minute phone consultation at 773.267.0248