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Mountain West Wellness Health Tips, Issue #030
June 08, 2015
Hi

Here we go June is starting up and we have a neat little newsletter for you. In it we are announcing a small Father's Day promotion and our June Qigong Workshop. Additionally there are a couple of articles about: Skin Care, Stress, and Headaches. Hope you enjoy!

Free Father's Day Evaluations

For the entire month of June we will be performing Free "Health and Wellness Evaluations for all Dads. These no cost and no obligation 30 minute appointments are available to all mothers. To schedule or find out more just contact the office.

Qigong Workshop June 20th

We will be having a Qigong workshop on Saturday June 20th from 9:00am to 1:00pm. The class is open to patients and family and will be limited in size. In the class Jack will be teaching two different qigong exercises. First, will be a Daoyin series of joint mobility exercises designed to open the joints and lengthen the muscles. The second part will be the Eight Storing Qi Exercises of Yin Style Ba Gua. This qigong form is made up of 8 simple movement patterns designed to move energy in out body in all 8 directions and create a balanced state of energy. Together these two sets of exercises can vastly improve one's health and wellbeing.

Space will be limited, to sign up please contact the office at 303-648-4066. The fee is $50 and the class will be held at the Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu School in Boulder. Their address is 1770 38th st. Boulder.

Save Your Summertime Skin

Now is the time of year when the sun becomes irresistible. As tempting as it is to spend as much time as possible in the warmth of the sun, there are a few precautions to take to protect your skin from harmful rays.
Our skin is the largest organ in the body. It reflects our health and age. Today, there’s much concern about sunbathing leading to an increase in skin damage and skin cancer.
Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays can increase the production of free radicals that can adversely affect the integrity of collagen in the skin. Over time, our skin becomes wrinkled, cracked, aged, and brittle. For smokers, the effects are multiplied.
Research suggests that skin cancer is cumulative over a lifetime. It begins with overexposure and serious sunburns during childhood.
We can’t live without the sun. Our bodies require sunlight in order to manufacture Vitamin D needed for calcium absorption, among other things. So, we shouldn’t hide from our shining star. Here are a few helpful tips and precautions to take when you’re soaking in the sun this summer.
Use sunscreen - Choose a sunscreen with a high SPF number for greater protection. Apply it onto your skin 15 minutes before you go outside. Don’t forget your nose, ears, and neck.
Time is key - Avoid sun exposure when the sun is at its highest peak in the sky, typically from about 11:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Gear up - Wear a hat with a wide brim, t-shirt, and sunglasses that filter ultraviolet rays.
Drink up - By keeping your body hydrated you can avoid dehydration and provide moisture for the skin to prevent dryness, cracking, and aging.
Pop a pill - Vitamins such as A, E, and some antioxidants help prevent skin damage from the inside. Cod Liver oil and Flaxseed oil have also been used to support skin health.
Brush it off - Before you take a shower, use a dry skin brush. This can open pores and slough off dead skin, allowing your skin to breathe easily and work more efficiently.
Keep healthy - Some medications we take may have reactions and side effects when we’re exposed to sunlight. Acupuncture may be able to provide an alternative to these medications, keeping you healthy, safely and naturally.
 If you want to enjoy the sun this summer season and not worry later, practice good sun sense.

You and your skin deserve it!
Here is a little handout for you and your skin care:

All Revved Up and Can’t Slow Down

What do you think would happen if you kept your car in park and the engine revving at 65 miles per hour?
 You guessed it—after a short time your car would break down. If you were lucky, a simple tune-up would fix the problem. If not, the engine might need to be replaced entirely.
 Stress is a revving engine that, if left unchecked, can wear out the body and mind. Stress in our professional, personal, financial and social lives can lead to a variety of symptoms and signs of ill health.

Stress increases our body’s production of cortisol and adrenaline. These body chemicals help activate the “fight or flight” response, a normal reaction that is designed to prepare the body to flee danger or fight an attacker. 

Unfortunately, many modern stressors are chronic and end up activating the “fight or flight” response for weeks, months, or years at a time. This long-term activation of the body’s stress-response system can wear down the body and mind, setting the stage for illness and disease.
The good news is that acupuncture and Chinese medicine can be extremely helpful in reducing symptoms and signs associated with stress in a number of ways: 
1) A customized Chinese herbal prescription can help restore internal health and balance, thus “slowing the engine down.”

2) Safe, gentle and effective acupuncture treatments can help “turn off” the fight or flight response and can enable you to feel calmer and sleep more soundly. 
3) Suggestions for a healthy lifestyle, including proper nutrition, meditation, rest and exercise, will enable you to maintain health over the long-term.

One of the unique attributes of Chinese medicine is its holistic approach to health and well-being. Instead of masking, or only addressing a few symptoms and signs related to stress, an acupuncturist cares for the whole person, body and mind.
 Stop revving your engine! If you or someone you know is experiencing stress, feel free to give me a call. For thousands of years acupuncture has helped millions of people cool their engines before they burned out!

Headaches - How Acupuncture Helps

If you suffer from headaches, you are not alone. Over 50 million of us experience some form of a severe headache at some point in our lives. Whether you experience minor head pain or severe migraines, headaches can take valuable time out of your day and your life, and leave you searching for relief.
Many seek relief by reaching for drugs and other medications. This may work temporarily and can help you get out of pain fast. Unfortunately, common headache medications do not address the root cause(s), and when used over long periods of time can cause unwanted side effects.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offer a safe and effective approach to relieving headache pain without causing harmful side effects. These healing modalities provide a comprehensive diagnostic protocol that can help your acupuncturist understand and address the root cause(s) of your headaches.
Causes of Headaches: There are many factors in TCM theory that may play a key role in the root cause(s) of a headache. These include body constitution, emotional health, excessive work, social activities and exercise, improper diet, physical trauma and hormones. Headaches can also be diagnosed according to specific symptoms, times of occurrence, location, type of pain, and triggers.

A natural path to relief: Acupuncture and TCM take a holistic, or whole-body approach to health. Your practitioner will take a detailed health history, and perform a physical exam to determine how and why your body’s vital energy, or Qi (pronounced chee), is out of balance and identify what type of headache you are experiencing. To determine the most effective care, he/she will focus on illuminating the root cause(s) of the problem.
It is important to remember that acupuncture is not a quick fix. Changes may occur quickly or over a longer period of time, depending upon your overall constitution and health. Whether it is one visit to address an acute problem, or several visits to address a chronic problem, it is suggested to closely follow care recommendations of your acupuncturist to maximize your healing potential.
Below are a few ways that you can make simple lifestyle changes that may help alleviate or even prevent headaches:

Track your triggers - Try to keep track of when your headaches start. Migraine sufferers may find it especially helpful to keep a diary of symptoms. Certain types of foods and hormonal changes can be possible causes.
Stress relief - Stress can contribute to many types of health concerns, including headaches.
Talk to your practitioner about healthy ways to handle stress.
Exercise - Physical activity is an important part of any healthy lifestyle and is a great antidote for stress.
Healthy habits - Do your best to eat healthy, organic foods, stay hydrated and get enough sleep every night.
Acupuncture care - is extremely effective in reducing the frequency and severity of many types of painful conditions, including headaches and migraines, naturally. By working with your acupuncturist and adopting some simple lifestyle changes, you will be on your way toward a healthier, happier, pain-free life.
Here is a little handout that you can download with some home care options for dealing with headaches:

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Stay Healthy!

Jack, Kim, and Lynn



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