March 8, 2016 
In this fast-paced world we find it’s pretty hard to slow down. Everyday stressors are the norm and although some stress is good, too much can hurt the body not only mentally but physically as well. Work, family, finances and everything in between can start to take a toll on your health. Below are tips that not only help to reduce stress but are good for heart health as well.
Exercise
Not only is exercise a good way to relieve stress, but is great for strengthening the heart as well. Try getting some sort of physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day. Focus on activities that get your heart pumping. Exercise will reduce your stress and improve your overall health short term and long term.
Give yourself a break
It is easy to forget to give yourself time to relax when you’re busy taking care of others. Schedule time devoted to yourself and what relaxes and makes you happy. Go for a walk, read a book or take a bath. These activities can calm you and clear your head.
Meditation & Prayer
Meditation and prayer has the power to slow your body and mind down. Try it for even just five minutes a day when you’re feeling overwhelmed and handling too much. Practice deep breathing to help lower your heart rate (deep breath in through your nose for 5 seconds and out through your mouth for 5 seconds).
Break your habits
Consistent stress can lead to unhealthy habits such as drinking too much alcohol and smoking. Although you may feel these substances help you cope in the moment, the long term damage far outweighs the short term benefits. Both smoking and alcohol can cause heart damage. Turn to alternatives if you’re reaching for a cigarette or a drink and reach out to family and friends to help you break the habit.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an effective alternative medicine that can help improve heart health as well as lower stress. By the specific placement of needles on acupuncture points, the treatment works to treat the entire body back to optimal health. Acupuncture can help reduce blood pressure, decrease stress and improve sleep.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is another alternative treatment that is beneficial in lowering stress. The treatment has been shown to reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure and increase blood circulation. Through manual manipulation, massage can relax not only the body but the mind as well.
Let go
It can be hard to accept that things in life don’t go exactly as planned. Practice letting go of what you can’t control and accepting that the future is unknown. It is easy to stress about the future. Remind yourself to live in the moment.
January 22, 2016 
Steps to Stay Smoke-Free
So you’ve quit smoking, or maybe you’re trying and not sure how long you will last. Either way, quitting is not easy, and staying smoke-free in the long term is even harder. You may have periods of time when you’re feeling confident and a cigarette is the last thing on your mind, or you may all of a sudden have intense cravings. Below are some ways to help keep you smoke-free for a better, healthier life.
Stay positive
Having good and bad days are a part of life, and same goes for quitting smoking. Some days are going to be easier than others, but it is important on the bad days to remind yourself why quitting is worth it. Health should be number one in your life and according to the CDC, quitting smoking will lower your risk of lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory complications and more. If you have been a smoker, you know the side effects well. Staying positive and motivated to keep the bad habit away will pay off tremendously in the long run. Talk to others who have quit or join a support group. It is always great to hear from others who are going through the same experience as you and to see success stories.
Know your triggers
Smokers usually have triggers that give them the urge to light up. Be aware of what these are and find ways to avoid them. Common triggers include stress, drinking coffee, after a meal, drinking alcohol, if someone else is smoking or feeling restless. Once you know your triggers, you can know how to handle them in a healthy manner that doesn’t include smoking. When you start to feel an urge, try deep breathing or go on a short walk. Keep your mind and body occupied.
Take up a new hobby/activity
Kicking a bad habit is the perfect time to take up a healthy one. Spend more time exercising or doing something you enjoy. Activities like biking, swimming or yoga are not only fun but also beneficial for your mental and physical health. If feeling stressed or down is a trigger for you, becoming more active can help lower these symptoms.
Don’t give up
The decision to quit smoking was probably one of the best lifestyle choices you could make. You already took that first step, and although it may seem like an uphill battle, staying smoke-free will add years on to your life and improve your quality of life tremendously. Don’t give up, and don’t get down on yourself if you cave. It is never too late to quit smoking and begin the journey to better health.
January 2, 2016 
5 Tips to Help Your Diabetes
There are about 29 million people in the United States who suffer from type 2 diabetes, an illness that is becoming increasingly common and is also highly preventable. With lifestyle changes, diabetes can be managed and prevented.
Aim for a healthy weight
When you have extra weight, this can cause an increase in blood sugar. Maintaining a healthy weight can keep your blood sugar at more normal levels and better overall health.
Exercise
Exercise is very important when it comes to managing or preventing type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise can help lower weight, lower stress levels, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride. Even just by adding in walks into your day can make a difference. Aim for 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least four times a week.
Diet
Having a healthy diet is a lifestyle change, and that can be hard for people.
Keep carbs in check, they tend to affect your blood sugar the most. Know how many carbohydrates are in the food you’re eating to keep them at the level you need to be for managing your blood sugar.
Avoid processed sugar. Sugar in the form of sucrose or high fructose corn syrup can spike blood sugar rapidly. For people with diabetes, it is especially dangerous.
Be on top of your schedule
Diabetes requires an everyday awareness as well as a schedule when it comes to medication and insulin. If you have trouble remembering to take your medication or test yourself regularly, try setting reminders on your phone or keep a calendar near by. Consistency can make all the difference.
Try acupuncture
Neuropathy is one result of diabetes, acupuncture can help reduce this nerve pain by boosting the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain reliever. Acupuncture has almost no side effects and is a great complementary option to reducing chronic pain.
http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/guide/natural-remedies-type-2-diabetes
http://www.ghc.org/healthAndWellness/?item=/common/healthAndWellness/conditions/diabetes/topTips.html
October 25, 2015 
Acupuncture and Prostate Health
Whether you are looking to reduce your risk of prostate disease or treat an existing condition, acupuncture may be able to help. Because of its holistic approach, acupuncture can help relieve symptoms associated with prostate problems like frequent and painful urination.
A report titled Traditional Chinese Medicine and Prostate Health published by Pacific College found Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to be effective in the treatment of prostatitis, urinary tract infections, and symptoms associated with prostate cancer supportive care.
There have been multiple studies that have proven acupuncture helpful. A Chinese study published in 2008 found that electroacupuncture, a form of acupuncture, had a 96.4 percent rate of effectiveness for treatment.
In modern practice of acupuncture, each patient is assessed and given a treatment plan to reduce their symptoms. Acupuncture accomplishes this by addressing the body as a whole and using acupuncture points to stimulate meridians that then return the body to balance and natural flow.
The principle behind this practice is that our bodies have a natural energy flowing through them at all times. When our body’s energies become stuck or stagnant, our bodies are susceptible to disease and illness, including prostate cancer and prostatitis.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among men in the United States with around 290,000 new cases diagnosed each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you are at risk or currently dealing with prostate cancer or prostatitis, you are not alone.
Consider acupuncture as an alternative, safe treatment to reduce symptoms associated with prostate problems and restore your body to better health.
Give me a call today to give your body the treatment it deserves.
Sources:
http://bit.ly/1IWnKOJ
http://bit.ly/1E6CF1n
July 20, 2015 
Today was a very hot and humid day. All day long I thought about ice cream. I don't buy ice cream from the store because even the dairy free versions have additives and excessive amounts of sugar. So even after my very healthy and satisfying dinner I was still craving ice cream. I guess I'll have to try and make some myself, I thought.
I got out my single serve cup that came with my Ninja blender and started throwing random things into it. I added:
1 ounce or so of unsweetened plain rice/quinoa milk substitute
Half a teaspoon of chia seed flour
5 small cubes of frozen pineapple
Half of a small frozen banana (about 2.5 inches)
3 teaspoons of cashew butter
I pulsed the mixture several times and then blended a few times, stopping between to shake the mixture in the cup.
I have to say....this was a very delicious experiment. Oh my goodness was it yummy. I had to share it for all my patients and followers who can't have a lot of sugar, dairy, thickeners like guar gum and carageenan, and other weird commercial ice cream ingredients. It was so easy and cheap to make. Try it, you'll be happy you did. I think this Acupuncturist should open a restaurant!
July 12, 2015 
There are so many things I love about summer. Tossing together a salad for a picnic beside the lake is top on my list. I have a rule to never leave the house unprepared. On my list of must haves is food, water, change of clothes, chemical free sunscreen, sunglasses, cell phone, health card with list of important medical information, and a first aid kit. Having food with me when I am going to be away from home for more than 3 hours is super important because I don't eat like most Americans. I abstain from sugar, gluten, yeast, processed foods, MSG, high fructose corn syrup, GMO, most dairy, the dirty dozen list (see EWG.org), non-organically raised meat, most fruits, alcohol, and soy. So I guess you could say that I practice what I preach at Carolina Holistic Health LLC.....and I love to.
Yesterday I decided late morning that I wanted to take a trip up to Lake Keowee with my german shepherd to have a picnic and go swimming. The day was almost half done so a grocery run wasn't possible. Inventing a salad to take with me with what I already had in the fridge is often my best creation. As it turned out this was a delicious, healthy salad and I would like to share it with you.
Ingredients:
1 small head of broccoli broken into small pieces
1 large carrot thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1 stalk celery chopped
1 large handful of fresh cilantro
1 medium cucumber chopped into bite size pieces
2 uncured, organic chicken hotdogs cut into bite size pieces
1 large serving spoon of veganaise
1 pinch of Himalayan sea salt
I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I did!
June 18, 2015 PTSD and Acupuncture
You’ve seen the strained look on their face. They are far away, don’t sleep well and are withdrawing from activities. You’ve invited him/her to do the things they love doing, but it doesn't work. Their mood is off- balance and sometimes they overreact, but when you ask "what’s wrong," they deny having any problems.
You’re happy he/she is back from combat, and you wish things would get back to normal.
You thought that having him/her home safe would make both of you happy again.
Your loved one may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Many veterans suffer from PTSD. The Veterans Administration (VA) reports that as many as 11-20% of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have it. Common war traumas include having been shot at, having seen someone shot or having seen death, but another cause of PTSD in veterans is military sexual trauma (MST). According to the VA, 23% of women in the military report sexual assault.
These numbers are scary but the good news is that there is help.
What is PTSD?
PTSD is a physiological disorder that can result from being exposed to a traumatic event. The disorder results in several different symptoms.
• Re-experiencing. Some PTSD sufferers relive the traumatic event over and over. This can be in the form of bad memories, nightmares and flashbacks. Sights, sounds and smells can trigger re-experiencing the event.
• Avoidance. Sometimes people with PTSD avoid the people, places and events that remind them of what happened.
• Numbing. Symptoms of numbing include trouble expressing emotions, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, and the loss of memory of parts of the traumatic event.
• Arousal. Anger, irritability, trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating, feeling on guard and being easily startled or surprised are common arousal symptoms.
The effects of post-traumatic stress disorder in someone’s life can be far-reaching. Feelings of hopelessness, shame and despair, problems at work or with relationships, serious health problems, depression, anxiety and drug or alcohol abuse are not uncommon.
How Can You Help your Friend or Relative with PTSD?
There are many ways you can help your friend or relative with PTSD.
• Learn everything you can about PTSD so you have a good idea what they are going through.
• Offer to go to doctor visits with them. Help keep track of medications and therapy. If they are learning new techniques to cope with stress, ask if there is any way you can help.
• Be available to listen, but be understanding if they don’t want to talk. Listen with an open heart. Don’t judge, argue or problem-solve. Listen with compassion.
• Plan fun activities but be aware of events or environments that might be difficult and plan events to be as stress-free as possible.
• Encourage them to get support from family and old friends.
• Pay attention to any comments about hurting themselves and seek help from a therapist or doctor.
Sometimes supporting someone with PTSD is challenging. Get support for yourself so you are able to help your loved one. Seek safety and help immediately if they become violent or threatening.
PTSD Crisis Resources
If you or your loved one is in crisis:
• Call 911.
• Go to your nearest Emergency Room.
• Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Press “1” if you are a veteran.
• Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in Spanish/Español 1-888-628-9454.
• Go to the Veterans Crisis Line website to chat live with a crisis counselor at any time of day or night.
There are many new treatments available for soldiers and veterans suffering PTSD. The Veterans Administration has information about some of the therapies that have been most effective.
Acupuncture for PTSD
The Military Stress Recovery Project (MSRP) is a unique program that provides free community acupuncture to veterans and active duty soldiers with PTSD and their family members.
MSRP has its roots in helping hurricane victims. In 2005, Diana Fried organized Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) to bring free community acupuncture to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. With the success of this program, Diana decided to use the same techniques to bring trauma relief services to veterans. MSRP and the program has since expanded to 27 different clinics.
Treatment in a MSRP clinic is unique for several reasons. Patients are treated in a group setting, sitting in comfortable chairs. There is an environment of calm and support. And the patients are treated using the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol, a series of 5 needles placed in one ear. The program is designed to address all the needs of people with PTSD.
The MSRP clinics have been very successful. Patients report stress reduction, improved mental clarity, improved energy, enhanced performance, better sleep, fewer bad dreams and headaches, less anxiety and depression, reduced anger and pain, improved general health and better relationships.
Of course, if your loved one doesn’t have a MSRP clinic nearby, or if he or he prefers a private environment, you can contact me for an appointment. I offer a discount to military without insurance coverage. NADA treatments for PTSD are given once a week for 10 weeks. Call (864) 516-6868.
What Can You Do to Help Veterans with PTSD?
If you know someone with PTSD, reach out to them and offer support. And if you want to help even more, donate money or volunteer at community services for veterans. Many programs offer free services for veterans and they can always use assistance.
Thank you to the soldiers and veterans who have served our country so bravely.
