Hummer

Off Road, or Off the Mark?
I know you’ve seen them braving the pitted surface of the highway.  Or perhaps traversing a busy grocery store or home improvement parking lot.  Luckily for the driver there’s just enough power and ground clearance to navigate a speed bump before wedging himself into a minuscule parking space.  The Hummer.  Real-life Tonka toy; bastion of raw power and manliness. Relegated to a life on the pavement.  It’s a travesty being played out all over America.  You can almost see these powerful machines hanging their grills in shame as they are taunted by their mud-caked brothers. 
The question is: Are you treating acupuncture like a well-dressed Hummer?  Are you using it for total body health and well-being as it was meant to be; or simply to reduce your back pain? To unleash the awesome power of the meridian system to support and rebuild your health; or just to get rid of that headache? To enhance your athletic performance, boost your immunity, and increase your energy, calm your mind, reduce your stress; or to merely get over a stiff neck?  It’s time to get off the pavement and into the tough stuff!
Many people are still under the impression that acupuncture is all about fixing up aches and pains.  Are you one of them?
The very first acupuncture treatment was delivered over 2,500 years ago! Acupuncture is a time-tested, proven method to help regain health in ways that go beyond just treating pains and aches.
Obviously, if you come to us in pain we will do everything we can to get your body back into balance as quickly as possible in order to alleviate your symptoms.  But the true overriding purpose of acupuncture is to restore the normal and balanced flow of energies within the meridian system so that the body is free to express its maximum potential of health at all times.  Using acupuncture for anything less is like never taking your man-machine off-road.  Sure you might look good behind the wheel, but your Hummer will always be pining for the dirt.
If you are seeing us on an occasional basis or only when you hurt yourself, you are missing out on the true essence of acupuncture.  If this sounds like you, call us to get on a schedule of preventative, proactive acupuncture care and let us help you live life to the fullest.
But you rationalize that you bought your Hummer because it has plenty of headroom, and ample cargo space to transport your groceries and lumber.  Nice try. So does the neighbor lady’s minivan.

Now about that treatment...

Organic

Great Taste… And so Much More!
One of the best things you can do for your body is to feed it real, wholesome, nutritious foods.  If you can find locally grown organic products, even better.  The benefits of going organic include less pesticide contamination, higher nutrient content, no genetic modifications, no irradiation, more humane treatment of animals and respect for the land, and better taste.  Of all these health benefits, the only subjective one is taste.
So let’s say you are looking over some produce and you are deciding whether to go organic or stick with the conventional version.  If your primary concern is the health of you and your family, then it’s a no-brainer; go with the organic.  If, however, your decision is based solely on taste, it’s a toss up, as some report a distinct advantage to organic while others claim no taste difference between organic and conventional.
Here’s the point.  If you are making your purchasing decisions based entirely on taste, you are risking missing out on all the other healthy benefits of choosing organic.
When it comes to acupuncture and the health of your body, pain relief is like the organic taste test.
While most people are prompted to pursue acupuncture care as the result of pain or other symptoms, those who limit it to simple pain relief are cheating themselves of so much more.
The real impact of acupuncture lies in its ability to help the body heal and regulate itself.  We know that energy flows in the meridian system, and that imbalances and blockages of energy in the meridian system lead to various symptoms and signs.
Whether imbalances are felt or not, the end result is the same: loss of the normal flow of the body’s energy and compromised health.
Roughly 15-20% of the time these imbalances result in pain.  Most of the time, however, they cause no symptoms and go undetected.  So if the majority of people who are out of balance with blocked energy flow base their decision to choose acupuncture solely on the way they feel, then they will most likely delay care, and their health will continue to decline. Organic is not just about taste, and acupuncture certainly isn’t only about pain relief.

While feeling great is desirable, the full scope of acupuncture’s benefits can only be realized beyond the initial relief phase of care.  Once you are feeling better, be sure to utilize acupuncture for ongoing health and wellness.  Pain relief, like great taste, is just the tip of the iceberg! 

How to eat Wheat Safely


How to Eat Wheat SafelyIf you’ve already developed a sensitivity or allergy to wheat, you must avoid it. ...
Posted by Raah Natural Care on Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Take Aim At A New Life


It is estimated that approximately 3% of the population has a set of concrete, written goals.  If the full impact of goal setting were realized, and more importantly the results it produces, we would undoubtedly see more people engaging in it.
In a follow-up study of one prominent university’s graduating class, the 3% of graduates with written goals outperformed the other 97% combined!

If you are new to goal setting, here are some tips to get you going.  This is by no means a comprehensive course on goals, but should at least serve as a good starting point.

Goals are most effective when they are written down, and although goal setting usually begins as simple lists like to-do lists, a journal dedicated specifically to your goals is a great asset.  Not only does it keep the goals in front of you, but it serves as a record of your accomplishments.  Drawing on past success is extremely motivating, especially as your goals get larger and more audacious.
In addition to a journal, it is also a good idea to utilize index cards and post-it notes that can be placed anywhere you are sure to see them throughout the day.  Some suggestions are the bathroom mirror, the refrigerator, your dashboard, your computer, etc.  The idea is to keep your goals in the forefront of your mind and prevent them from getting swept away by the monotony of the day.

When writing goals you must be as specific as possible.  The more clear and crisp the image, the more likely you are to achieve it.  If you wanted to lose weight, for example, simply stating, “I would like to lose some weight” is too vague a statement to have any meaningful impact.  Instead, a goal would sound something more like, “I will lose 25 pounds and reach my goal weight of 119 pounds by August 31.”  You can see that this goal is measurable in both weight and in time.  Come August 31, you have either met your goal or you haven’t.

Review your goals at least 3 times a day, preferably first thing in the morning, the last thing before bed, and then somewhere mid-day.  Don’t worry too much initially about how you will accomplish your goal.  When you get proficient at setting goals and continually reviewing them, your mind will come up with the “hows”.

Start with small goals that are relatively easy to accomplish and build momentum to bigger and bolder goals.  If you don’t hit a goal by its deadline, don’t worry.  Just rework the goal, set a new date, and recommit to getting it done.


Start today.  As you begin checking off goals in the coming weeks your life will begin to take on new depth and greater meaning.