Now into our 5th month of the COVID-19 pandemic, some of us are in the best shape we’ve been in for awhile, making homemade healthy food, finding time to exercise and get outdoors, getting more and better sleep, and taking the opportunity to catch up on some reading, de-cluttering, or hobbies. Some of you are reading this and thinking, “Definitely not me! Who are these people?!”
For many, these months have brought about increased stress, loss of usual healthy habits, so many baked goods, comfort foods galore, too much booze, an erratic schedule, exercise–what’s that?, and restless sleep. Add in poor posture from trying to make a proper desk setup out of the kitchen table or too much couch time while on Netflix/Amazon Prime/Disney Plus/Crave marathons, and you have yourself a brew of trouble.
While you may not have completely fallen off the rails, if you recognize you’re struggling with any of these things, you might be suffering with neck pain, back pain, arm pain, other pain, digestive woes, weight gain, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, headaches, insomnia, high blood pressure, and poorly managed chronic health conditions.
Side Effect of COVID-19
Of course, we’ve taken the measures we have to try to manage a world-wide infection that is claiming a large number of lives and leaving many others permanently damaged. But one of the tragic side effects of COVID-19 is not directly from the virus itself. It’s that patients with health conditions stopped getting help because they were doing as recommended, but some did that too well.
In fact, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that from March 1 to April 25, of the 87,001 additional (meaning that number more than the average of the previous five years) deaths that occurred, 35% were not deaths from COVID-19. They were, instead, deaths from heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, stroke, cancer, mental health, addiction, and more because people were too scared to go to the hospital emergency department for fear of getting infected. Their surgeries, treatments, diagnostic appointments, and ongoing care were postponed or cancelled.
In Canada–in BC, in particular–we’ve managed things relatively well (so far), so things are opening up again and we need to get ourselves back on the road to good health. We expect there may be a second wave, so I’m reminding my patients to take care of themselves and strengthen their bodies and minds.
Perhaps you’ve been trying on your own to get things back on track, going for walks before you start your work day and cutting back on the sourdough bread dinners.
But maybe you could use some help?
How Can I Help?
Stress-Management
Oh boy, stress. While it may not be the main cause of most conditions, it certainly can and does turn up the volume on the severity of a wide range of health issues.
If you’ve not had acupuncture before, you may not know this–acupuncture is relaxing! Yes, needles can be hugely stress relieving and my patients often fall asleep on the table. Usually after the acupuncture needles are in place, but occasionally even before I’ve finished needling. And, afterward, patients feel so chill. Sometimes so chill that I suggest they wait for a few minutes before driving a car.
Herbs and natural supplements are great options too to support burnt out adrenals (glands that pump out stress hormones), improve sleep, and boost energy. I can look at customized herbal formulas for you or recommend pre-made options.
Pain
Most people think that acupuncture only treats pain. That’s not true. It treats a lot of things. BUT it is best known for this because acupuncture is great at treating many types of pain, from soft tissue injuries, chronic inflammation, and headaches to cramping pain, acid reflux, neurologic pain, and…well…there are just too many pains to list.
So, how does putting a needle into the body help relieve pain? Improving blood circulation to heal tissue, relaxing tight muscles, increasing secretion of morphine-like pain-relieving hormones, changing nerve signals, and re-establishing homeostasis (the body’s natural balance and rhythm) are all possible avenues. Type “pain” into the search menu on my website (or click here) and you’ll find a number of blogs I’ve written on this topic, from the American College of Physicians recommending acupuncture over pills for treating low back pain to learning about pain management and so much more.
I can also recommend supplements and Chinese herbs to help manage your pain and improve the health condition causing the pain in the first place.
Digestion
My husband hates those constipation commercials. He fast forwards them all the time, as he thinks it’s all just TMI (too much information). I, on the other hand, talk to patients about their bowel habits, stool consistency, bloating, gas, belching, nausea, hemorrhoids, intestinal polyps, and cramping pain whenever and in however much detail they want to share. Don’t be shy with me because for me it’s all information about how to get your GI tract back on track.
After the first visit with almost all of my patients, I give dietary recommendations because what you eat affects how your body heals (or doesn’t heal). And, obviously, what you eat greatly affects your digestive function. So, if you have digestive issues, let’s talk food. But don’t worry, my focus is not on just eliminating all the foods you love. Well, not forever, anyway. My focus is on finding what you can eat that can help your body find its balance. And, no, there is no one diet or way of eating that is right for all–and that includes paleo, vegan, intermittent fasting, grazing, raw, liquid, carb-free, fat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, food combining, and so forth. There are reasons any of these can be helpful, but I have no one-size-fits-all focus.
Digestive troubles? I’ll likely suggest some Chinese herbal formulas, possibly pre-made ones or maybe customized to you. I may also recommend some supplements to support you as you improve. Additionally, I might tell you that acupuncture can help speed the process along by calming the nervous system (your digestive system gets downgraded in importance when your brain signals stress) and improving GI organ function.
Mental Health
My most commonly-repeated advice right now for helping manage anxiety and depression? Watch less news. It’s not that you shouldn’t be informed about what’s going on, but is the daily roll call on new cases and deaths really changing how you’ll go about your day or is it just making you feel worse?
Whether you suffered from anxiety, depression, or other mental health problem before COVID or not, it’s likely that the issues we’re currently facing have amplified that.
The brain is complex and it affects how you feel. Your gut is complex and it makes more of the feel-good hormone, serotonin–possibly as much as 90% of the total amount–than your brain. A variety of other chronic health issues contribute to mental health challenges.
Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors consider how your mind both affects and is affected by the body, and we strive to treat both to help you find your balance. As I already mentioned, one of acupuncture’s greatest attributes is to help calm the nervous system. Herbs, supplements, nutrition, and lifestyle recommendations may also come into play, depending on your situation.
Chronic Health Issues
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a chronic health issue just disappear? Yes, it would! While that may not happen though, the next best thing is to have it well managed so you can live your life doing more of the things you enjoy.
Because this category is so broad, it’s hard for me to elaborate on what I would suggest, but a good start is that you tell me your story. What’s going on for you? What have you tried? What helped? What didn’t help? How is this affecting your life? What is most important for you moving forward?
Mystery Illness
In my practice, this is one of the biggest categories that I treat. Why? Because people know when they just don’t feel right. But sometimes the blood tests, urine tests, stool tests, xrays, ultrasounds, CT scans, MRIs, ECGs, sleep studies, all the “oscopies” (colonoscopy, endoscopy, etc.), biopsies, genetic tests, and more tell you you’re “normal” and fine–but you don’t feel fine.
I enjoy a good mystery. One of my first favourite authors was Agatha Christie. I was into Hercule Poirot, not Miss Marple though. I also loved Nancy Drew books and was a proud owner of the whole yellow hardcover series. Darn, I wish I still had that!
One of the things I love about TCM is that we don’t have to have a Western diagnosis to treat you. I treat you, not your disease or symptoms. So, whatever it is that you’re experiencing, I find a TCM pattern that best fits it and get to work.
It’s Time
It’s time to put your health to the top of the list for things to take care of. Let me know if I can be of service by contacting me or booking in your visit. I’m back in the clinic with a number of protocols to keep everyone safe. You can check those out here.
I also still have my online visit options if that’s more comfortable or convenient for you. You’ll just need to contact me to find out my availability, as it is more varied.
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