Welcome back to
Active Life Health Clinic's
September's Newsletter.
Can you feel it?
Can you feel the arrival of fall? It’s more than
the change in weather. It’s also the change in
motivation. There’s something about the
beginning of the school year that stays with us
even when we are no longer students. Even for
those of us who don’t have school kids.
Something new…
School may have been out for summer, but it’s
never over for most of us. In September I spent
4 very full days of training in biopuncture, AKA
Acupuncture Injection Therapy (AIT). I will be
back in training for a further 4 days in
October. Because of this I’ll be
out of the
office Thursday October 7th to Sunday October
10th.
The benefit for you…
If you have pain or have been unresponsive to
other forms of therapy, biopuncture may be right
for you. I will be offering this therapy for
free until the Thanksgiving long weekend to
those that I consider suitable who come in for
an acupuncture treatment.
To learn more, read my article below.
More freebies!
 School for you and it’ll be fun! If you think
that you’d like to take better care of your
health, want to eat yummy and nutritious food,
know that you have room to improve, and/or want
to do a cleanse, be a student. I will be
lecturing about the benefits of detoxification.
If you want to read more about why
detoxification is important, read my
previous newsletter here:
The issues to best benefit from a fall cleanse
are digestive disorders, allergies, and skin
concerns. I will be lecturing concurrently with
Luisa Rios, personal chef and owner of
Cooking
Journeys. She will
show you how eating healthy during a cleanse can
be easy and yes, even yummy!
Where and When?
-
Wednesday
October 6 at 7-8 p.m. at The Alvar, 1005
Beach Avenue or
-
Wednesday
October 13 at 7-8 p.m. at Greens Organics
and Natural Market,
1978 West Broadway (@ Maple Street)
How?
RSVP required for both: be one of the first 12 to let us know
by calling 604-783-2846 or email to
office@activetcm.com that
you’d like to attend. There’s limited space.
To subscribe, please click
here. To unsubscribe, please click
here.
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Helping you help yourself!!
My goal:
To work in partnership with you to
bring you to your optimal health.
My focus:
Ongoing
health, not just temporary
relief.
This is active
health.
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Another Option for Pain or
Non-Responding Health Issues
When I first heard about
biopuncture,
I was resistant. To me, one of the benefits
of acupuncture is that it doesn’t actually
inject any fluids. The needle alone is
powerful. It can elicit whole body changes
and speed the healing process. It has been
used successfully for centuries. I have been
using it successfully for over a decade.
But, as with other new treatments I have
learned in the past, this was something that
I was encouraged to learn by fellow
practitioners, and more importantly, by my
own patients. So, thank you to those people
for your encouragement because this is an
amazing therapy!
What is biopuncture?
Biopuncture is the injection of sterile
biologic products into specific locations of
the body. Acupuncture points can be chosen
based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
principles and diagnosis to stimulate an
immune response, balance hormones, regulate
function, speed healing, and restore energy
and vitality. Trigger points may also be
chosen to relieve pain and “knots” in the
muscles that many have experienced for
years.
What is injected?
Sterile biologic products include both
natural and pharmaceutical substances in low
dose.
Homeopathic substances are micro-doses of
natural extracts. They include Traumeel for
inflammation; Zeel for chronic arthritic and
degenerative joint pain; Spascupreel for
muscle cramping and tension; Engostyl for
viral or bacterial infections; Gripp-Heel
for colds and flu treatment and prevention;
Lymphomyosot to improve lymphatic drainage,
assist detoxification, relieve swelling and
edema, and support the immune system;
Hormeel for hormone balancing; and
Ubicoenzyme to support the Kreb’s cycle
(remember your high school biology classes?)
to improve healing and support energy
production.
Vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients can
also be injected and the most common one is
vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 injections remain
the gold standard for administering B12 and
it is most commonly used in cases of B12
deficiency anemia, fatigue, nervous system
disorders, and heart disease.
Procaine is a pharmaceutical painkiller,
once used in dentistry and commonly known as
Novocain. A low 1% dosage is what I will
most commonly use. The main function of
procaine in AIT is not to simply numb the
area. Small dosages are used, as the goal is
to stimulate the body to begin its own
process of healing.
What can it treat?
Biopuncture can treat the health concerns
listed above, but also digestive disorders,
migraines, “itis” disorders (health issues
that end in “itis”, i.e. inflammation), and
chronic complex health issues. Biopuncture
is not a magical cure. Its results can be
tremendous, but because it usually uses
micro-doses, the goal is to initiate a
healing process, not simply suppress
symptoms.
How does
biopuncture work?
Though micro-doses are usually used, the
response can be powerful. Biopuncture is not
a vaccination, but an analogy to that can be
used. For example, small amounts of a virus
can be injected to stimulate an immune
response to protect against a larger
infection. In some cases, a few injections
can be used to protect us for several years.
With conventional medicine, drugs are used
to suppress symptoms. Their benefits are
usually temporary, so you must continue to
take the medication. With the micro doses
used in biopuncture, your body’s own natural
mechanisms can be awoken so that the healing
comes from within, not from the products
themselves. The number of required
treatments varies and depends on the
individual, severity of the problem, and
duration of the problem.
Does biopuncture
hurt?
This is usually one of the first questions
and concerns when it comes to any needle.
For some, the worry occurs because they have
had painful cortisone injections or
prolotherapy. The needles I use are very
fine and the quantity injected is small, so
they are usually comfortable. Some areas can
feel a small pinprick, slight burning,
pressure or a small amount of aching. Some
patients don’t feel anything at all.
Is biopuncture
safe?
The substances that are injected are very
safe. Side effects are rare and may include
bruising or slight irritation at the
injection site, some temporary muscle pain
or weakness, or dizziness after treatment.
Though some notice immediate benefits, some
experience a temporary aggravation of
symptoms in the first 24 hours following
treatment as the body is being stimulated to
make changes. This is an adaptation part of
treatment called the “reaction phase”.
Injection therapy has not been evaluated for
those who are pregnant and all known or
possible allergies must be reported so
proper choices for therapeutic remedies can
be suitably selected.
Is biopuncture a
suitable treatment for you?
That is something that must be determined
via a complete and thorough consultation and
evaluation. I still believe that you are the
lead determinant of your own health. I will
still recommend lifestyle, food, exercise,
and a healthy attitude as your best tools
for wellness. Acupuncture, Chinese herbs,
supplements, food cures, and now biopuncture
are the pieces that I can include to your
game plan for optimal health and healing.
IHOP, UHOP, We All Hop for Pancakes
 I
find recipes fascinating. They make me
wonder about the cultures where they
originated, their migrations and history.
The Mung Bean Pancake featured here could be
a cousin to the French crepe, Indian dosas,
Mexican tortillas or South American arepas.
It all depends on how thick you make it, how
you cook and especially what you put on it.
Enjoy these tasty little cakes for
breakfast, lunch or as a snack, on their own
or topped you’re your favourite chutneys,
hummus, stuffings, dipping sauces or
relishes. Because it combines the wonders of
a whole grain (rice) with a legume (the mung
bean, one of the last unadulterated foods we
can buy today), it is a complete source of
plant-base protein. Plus, by soaking the
rice and beans first, it will also activate
gut-friendly probiotic bacteria, vitamins
and enzymes.
In short, a perfect food not only for a
short cleansing period, but to enjoy all
year around for it’s deliciousness and
versatility. All that goodness in just three
ingredients.
Mung
Bean Pancakes
Serves: 4
Time: 1 hour (plus 24 hours for soaking and
fermentation)
 1 ½ cups brown rice
2/3 cups mung beans
2 cups water
¼ tsp sea salt
1/3 tsp vegetable oil
Wash and soak rice and beans for 8 - 12
hours or overnight. Soak rice in 1 ½ cups
water and mung beans in ½ cup water.
Drain, discarding the soaking liquid. Grind
the mung beans and rice using mortar and
pestle, blender or food processor. Add 1
Tbsp to ½ cup of water until the mixture is
smooth and light (a cross between pancake
and crepe batter with some texture).
 Lightly season with sea salt. Allow to sit
overnight or for 12 hours in a warm place,
so yeasts can turn the mixture into a light,
fluffy batter and the fermentation process
is complete.
Add 1 Tsp of vegetable oil in a non-stick
pan, set over medium heat. When hot (this
will take 2 -3 minutes), stir batter well
and ladle 1/3 cup into the centre of the
pan. Smooth with a small spatula or the back
of a spoon using a gentle circular motion.
Let it cook for 2 – 3 minutes, flipping the
cakes occasionally, until the bottom shows a
reddish colour. Repeat until you finish with
the batter.
Cook’s Notes:
-
Make a big stack of pancakes. Keep in your
fridge only those pancakes you will consume
in the next 4-5 days, and freeze the rest to
enjoy later.
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To reheat from the fridge, wrap them in
foil in a 350oF oven for 15 minutes. No
time? Heat them in your toaster or wrap
individual pancakes in a moist paper towel
and heat them in your microwave for 1
minute.
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Active Life Health Clinic
Dr. Melissa Carr, B.Sc., Dr.TCM, R.Ac.
Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Activetcm.com
drcarr@activetcm.com
604-783-2846
Regent Medical Building
#410-2184 West Broadway
Vancouver, B.C., V6K 2E1
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Thank you!
In appreciation of each of your referrals, Dr. Melissa Carr will offer you 10% off of your health product purchase, so don't forget to
tell your friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances to give us your name when they book an appointment.
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