Stress and Adrenal Fatigue. When the S*%$ Hits the Fan.

STRESS. The single biggest factor causing disease. 

Mechanism:
When external influences overwhelm the body's capacity to perform and maintain internal balance.
Causes:
Overwork, over exercise, under rest, emotional abuse, physical abuse, toxic load from viruses, chemicals, and/ or pollution.
Creates:
Anger, irritability, depression, anxiety, lowered immune response, poor sleep, weight gain, loss of joy, loss of ability to adapt, total exhaustion unrelieved by rest.
The Fix: 
Rest, rest, rest, rest, and more rest. Specific nutrition and mind-body exercise. But mostly rest. Any treatment or therapy that switches your nervous system out of sympathetic response, into parasympathetic mode, like Acupuncture, Massage, Yoga, Meditation.

yinyangmother.com

FYI:

When stress goes on, unrelenting, for months or years, it has a profound impact on your overall health. The biggest impact comes in a complex of symptoms described above, which fall under the umbrella of Adrenal Fatigue. Adrenal fatigue is stress taken to it's end point, when the body cannot bounce back and starts to break down. THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO STOP OVER WORKING, OVER EXERCISING, OVER EMOTING, STOP "OVER" ANYTHING. Once you reach this level of exhaustion, in fact, the only thing that will restore your health is serious rest for a seriously long time. No whining, no cheating, no kidding. 

Not only am I an expert in addressing Adrenal Fatigue from Stress, I have lived through it myself, and know all the ins and outs of restoring health, naturally. For more information on the how tos of adrenal exhaustion recovery, please drop me a line. go@integralbody.com

Foods for Moods: The Fertility Food Series

Small change, can make a big difference. 

While diet can't guarantee that you'll have a baby, any more than exercise can guarantee you will never have heart disease, they sure can have an enormous influence and positive effect on your health. 

When it comes to making babies, a few simple guidelines can make all the difference. I don't want to overwhelm you, so we'll take it one tip at a time. Here's the first: 

Optimal Weight. Hormones get stored in your body fat. Too much body fat and you can have excess hormones that confuse your reproductive system. Too little body fat and you don't have enough hormones or energy reserves for ovulation and pregnancy to occur. A good rule of thumb when you're trying to have a baby, is to be at, or 5lbs above your optimal weight for height and build. Why the 5lbs above rule? This little extra helps ensure you have some reserves left over to put towards reproduction, after work, stress, exercise, and normal body functions take their quotas.  

Next Post... Blood Sugar Levels. Keeping it even. 

Make the life you want and you might suddenly start to feel better

Ever wonder what an Holistic Healthcare Provider, like your Acupuncturist (Me) does all day? Yes, we see patients. We review cases and research new treatment and supplement protocols. We also consult and share case studies with others in our field to find new ways to improve your health. And of course, we see patients and treat them. But, aside from the Acupuncture, you know what alot of our job is? It's listening. It's being available to really hear what's going on and be of service to your happiness and health. What have I learned from all this listening?

The stress of not living the life you want, can injure your health!

Conflict causes Stress

What does this mean? Whenever you have two or more conflicting needs, and one keeps winning out over the others, there's a fundamental conflict that causes stress. Say you really need to turn off the computer and go for a walk, but you stay on for three more hours and finish your workday at 11pm. This is a fundamental conflict. Your health is in direct conflict with your job. It's not reasonable to work until 11 pm all the time, and if your body is forced to do it, stress will result. Simple as that. Whenever you find yourself using words like should, must, have to, can't, you can be pretty sure there's a potential stress conflict behind them. When I hear patients talking like this, I know there's a basic conflict to address before they will truly feel better.

Stress Leads to Disease

Why can't I drink three cups of coffee, skip working out, and sit at my laptop until 11pm every night?!  You can for awhile, but after that, look out. You body will start to complain, and your happiness tank will run out of gas. You'll start to feel worse and worse. And then hopefully, you'll come to see me.

Telling it to your Acupuncturist could change your Life

First, congratulations on hitting the wall! This is a really good sign. It means you still have some standards and you just aren't going to continue living poorly anymore. Stress can become a lifestyle
and this lifestyle can lead to disease. You deserve better than that and I can help you find it. The problem comes from the conflict. The shoulds, musts, and have-tos that rob us of our freedom to take good care of ourselves. And it's true, sometimes in life we have to set our needs aside, temporarily, to get the job done. But remember that word, temporarily? That's the key. When self-sacrifice moves from sometimes to all the time, that's when you need help. Help to break the mental chains of obligation, and find your way back to health. A good Acupuncturist is great at this, and can reset your mind, your body, and your life, back to one you want.

You can live the life you want. You can be happy & content. You deserve it & need it. Go for it! 

Giulietta Octavio, MS in Traditional Chinese Medicine & Licensed Acupuncturist, loves her life.
(But it wasn't always that way). If she can do it, you can do it too. And she can help. Ask her today.

info@integralbody.com
www.integralbody.com
415 531-8555

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy

Friday's Fortune Cookie Post

To find unexpected happiness, 
seek joy in simple things. 

(or keep it simple sweet heart)

Be Here. Now.

Be here now. 
It's a funny thing to say, but where are you? Are you here? Or planning your to do list. Or winning an argument in your mind?

It's hard to stay in the moment, with so many thoughts clamoring for attention. It's hard to be in the present when there's so much past and future to figure out. 


How to come back? How to be here now?
Gently, lovingly, returning to your breath.
Gently, lovingly, returning to your body.

If you need any help with that, I would be honored to assist you. 

How can Acupuncture help? 
We start with turning off your phone. 
Saying what you feel, and being heard.
Lying down in a quiet room.
Tiny pins find what needs to shift, and
Receive the bodies invitation to return to balance and peace.

DIY Spicy Kale Chips- CSA Sensational!

It's CSA Thursday, so here's your recipe of the week. 

Enjoy!

spicy kale chips

ingredients:

*1/2-1 bunch of clean and dry organic kale, chopped into bite-sized pieces (remove any tough stems)

*1-2 Tb. olive oil

*1-2 large pinches of spicy seasoned course salt- see above

*juice from 1/2 lime (or to taste)- optional

directions: If you want to sign up for the CSA click here:

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F.

2. Drizzle some oil over the kale and "massage" it into the leaves. The kale I used for this post was an unusually large bunch. I'd say I used half the bunch and 1-2 tablespoons of oil.

3. I'd like to point out here that you should go ahead and taste the raw oiled kale. It is actually pretty yummy just like this (at least I think so). Sometimes I make a salad with raw kale that's been oiled and allowed to sit for a few hours. But I'll save that for another post.

4. Next, you'll want to spread your oiled kale onto a sheet pan...And then bake in your preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Bake until the edges are just crispy, but the kale is still quite bright green. Do not overcook!

5. As soon as you take your kale chips out of the oven, sprinkle with a few pinches of the spicy salt and then squeeze on the optional lime. Enjoy your kale crispies...and remember to share with your children!

If you want to sign up for the CSA click here: 

www.bluehouseorganicfarm.com

What's today? It's "Take Your Kids to Acupuncture Day"! (As are all school holidays)

Children can benefit greatly from the natural, gentle, effects of Acupuncture and Herbs.

We often take ourselves for Holistic Healthcare, but forget that our kids can benefit, too. 

The majority of childhood health concerns come down to immune issues, digestive complaints and emotional instability. 

Instead of giving your kids Prilosec, Zyrtec, or Ritalin, why not try something a little gentler first? 

We have some great and effective treatments for earaches, colds, food allergies, sleep issues, reflux, nervousness, and hyperactivity, that won't cause more side effects than they cure! 

Would you like more specific information for your child? 

Feel free to email me for a brief consult today, 

attn. Pediatric consult with Giulietta Octavio info@integralbody.com