Turning Point Acupuncture Newsletter
Email Newsletter
Volume 3 Number 7
The Year End Issue Contents
1. Overview: Yin vs. Yang for the Holiday Season
2. Holiday Giving
3. Coping Mechanisms
4. Turning Point Holiday hours and changes for 2003
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Disbelief.
This is the overwhelming feeling I've observed in my patients and friends these past few months:
Can't believe Christmas is in two weeks; Can't believe it's winter already; Can't believe the snow.
Can't believe how hard it is to get a kid into nursery school, find a job, get my insurance to cover.
Can't believe I'm so tired all the time. How did I get to be so old?
Can't believe bombings in Bali, Israel, Kenya....War in Iraq imminent.
Could there really be a transit strike? And so on.
People feel overwhelmed and frightened about the future.
Not surprisingly these feelings often manifest as physical as well as emotional symptoms including, insomnia, headache, anxiety as well as vulnerability to illness in general, including to the common cold (as in, I can't believe I'm sick again!).
So as 2002 draws to a close, I am thinking, what is the antidote to this level of distress?
I'm thinking about Healing.
Traditionally this time of year is about hustle and bustle and going and coming and spending and more spending. This is all "Yang" activity in Chinese Medicine. We expend energy in action.
But this year I think it is critical to do the opposite. We need to nurture the core of our being, our "Yin" nature, to deal with this onslaught from the outside world. The key words for Yin include nurture, restore, nourish, rest, reflect, and regroup. Personally I feel the need to turn inward as this Winter Solstice approaches. December 21st will be the shortest day of the year. All of Nature is dormant and storing up for the Spring. I believe we must do the same to deal with the enormous burden and complexity of our post 9/11 lives.
So this winter I suggest we keep the focus on how we love ourselves and others. Make the decisions that nurture both.
2. Holiday Giving
Instead of running around shopping why not consider giving a gift to your favorite charity in honor of loved ones. This year contributions to charity are way down with many of those who treat the most unfortunate receiving the least.
My favorite charity this time of year is Heifer International. Here is how they describe themselves: "Heifer International is a nonprofit organization that alleviates hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation through gifts of food and income producing farm animals and training. These animals provide a source of protein, such as eggs and milk, for children and generate income for families through the sale of animal products. Since 1944 Heifer has helped over 4 million families in 125 countries become self-reliant. Each family "passes on the gift" by giving one or more of its animal's offspring to another family in need."
You can give online and email cards to your recipients at:
http://www.heifer.org/.
Other organizations like God's Love We Deliver and GMHC have cards and items for the Holidays. And don't forget Unicef!
http://www.unicef.org/noteworthy/greetingcards/
http://www.gmhc.org/action/cards.html
Homelessness is a growing problem in this economy. You can take action by supporting the Coalition for the Homeless:
http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/donate.html
Finally you can give to the New York Times Neediest at:
http://prodpub.wavesys.com/cw/charitydetails.asp?catid=96
3. Coping Mechanisms
How can we nurture ourselves and others?
Stress reduction heads the list of most important steps.
To review how stress can affect the internal organ systems see:
http://www.nycacupuncture.com/trauma.html
Ways to reduce stress:
*SLEEP!
You can hardly get too much sleep, especially this time of year. And, no, you can't really make up for lost hours by trying to get more shut eye on a day off. The Chinese believe that the most important time to be asleep is from midnight until 6 am when the Qi travels through the Yin meridians. Try to get at least those hours. Eight hours a night is still considered optimal for most adults.
*Rest: try to pace yourself. Say no to the least important events. Be true to what you lovingly want to do. Do not go somewhere nursing resentment.
*Exercise: especially movement that you find centering and grounding. Aerobic exercise is good because it raises the endorphin level for a sense of wellbeing and burns calories too!
*Follow Chinese dietary recommendations as outlined in our weight loss issue:
Eat small meals.
Eat warmed cooked food.
Avoid cold beverages and all frozen and iced food.
Avoid fried fatty foods.
Avoid alcohol (injures the liver).
Avoid caffeine (injures the kidney).
Avoid simple sugars (injures the spleen).
We encourage everyone to review the holiday diet strategies covered in last years holiday newsletter. These can be found in the archives:
http://www.nycacupuncture.com/archive6.html
*Herbs: many readily available herbs are calming and also help digestion and sleep such as camomille and peppermint teas. Chinese herbal formulas are very useful for stress reduction especially ones that target the liver like Health Concerns Ease Plus (xiao yan wan, frequently translated as Free and Easy Wanderer).
*Bodywork modalities:
Acupuncture will balance Qi, strengthen the internal organ systems and remove Qi blockages.
Massage and Reiki are also recommended.
We will be open throughout the Holiday Season (see below for details).
*Meditation and quiet time:
For those with meditation skills, these are invaluable in difficult times. For others, quiet time spent listening to music, reading, unwinding in a hot bath, and the use of scented candles and oils can all be explored for stress reduction.
4. Turning Point Holiday hours and changes for 2003
We will be closed Wednesday Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
The office will close one hour early on 12/24 and 12/31.
Massage and Reiki will continue to be offered on Saturdays making that a great day to get body work at Turning Point in the New Year.
For details about these services see:
http://www.nycacupuncture.com/patientinfo.html
All of us wish you a happy and healthy holiday.
Yours in peace,
Naomi Rabinowitz, MD
9 December 2002
copyright 2002 Naomi Rabinowitz. All Rights Reserved.
This newsletter may be reproduced or transmitted in its entirety only, including this copyright line.
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