Wed 28 May 2008
I had a very interesting opportunity to try acupuncture yesterday.
Great Soul Wellness Studio here in Baltimore has community acupuncture during the same time slot that the cowboy takes his yoga class. My stress level has been riding at a pretty high tide for awhile now and ANYTHING that I can do, even as passively as sit and have tiny needles stuck in my ears, would be better than stewing in my stress.
The Acupuncturist, Wendy, is really nice and kind. (I guess it would not work if your acupuncturist is a type A personality?) She explained the process and the philosophy and I got 5 needles in each ear and two in my feet.
I honestly felt instant relief. No joke. Felt.Better.Right.AWAY.
I don’t quite know why…. but even after the needles were out… I felt that they were working. I was just a little more mellow than before.
Let’s just say… I’m stuck. (LOL) I will be getting more. I am also thinking that yoga in combination with acupuncture would be a really good idea. The coolest things are… the wellness studio and the yoga studio that I go to have community or donation based programs where you can pay what you can afford. They are committed to bringing affordable alternative therapies to folks based on what their individual budgets allow. Awesome.
If you live in Baltimore, or the surrounding area, and are interested in either acupuncture or yoga.. I highly recommend both facilities.
I am also thinking that wellness incorporates nutrition. Again… the thing that I have a lot of issues with. I am hoping the slow nature of the summer may help the family eat better. It all starts with mom, right?
I joined an organic CSA (pick ups start Tuesday!) and we planted our garden. I am thinking that I am going to drastically cut my meat intake this summer. Not full vegetarian… but opting for more protein sources that are not meat based.
All good thoughts, right? Anyone have any other good tips on this? What is your key to managing the stress and staying well?
May 28th, 2008 at 11:06 am
I’ve been using acupuncture for 5 years now for controlling my asthma and freeing me from knee pain.
In a recent case I opted to use acupuncture in liu of knee surgery. (Since I used this treatment method instead of surgery my insurance company covered it!)
Other things I do to beat stress: Sometimes if I feel an anxiety attack coming on I’ll head right to the gym and run. 20 minutes of sweat is the best thing I have found to beat stress.
Call me and we can talk about a couple of other things…
May 28th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
I love acupuncture! I started doing it before IVF last summer, and used it throughout my pregnancy, and it’s amazing! There’s a community place in Gaithersburg too, which is where I went. Fantastic concept, and I love that it makes it more affordable to do treatments. Enjoy!
May 28th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Acupuncture is the bomb! When I was working full-time and dealing with a computer related injury it really saved me from what I thought was going to be a lifetime of medication. Once that issue was wrangled, I was getting it once a month just for maintenance. I never felt better!
Diet is a major thing that can make or break your stress-o-meter. Cut down on the caffeine. I found out I have a bad sensitivity to caffeine. Thinking it was something else my acupuncturist helped me look at what I was consuming and helped me stop cold turkey. I was consuming a lot of caffeine and I was having issues that most folks wouldn’t have but it goes to show how much of an influence that stuff is. After I stopped I can’t tell you how my mood and focus improved.
Writing stuff down (whether it’s the foods you’re eating or exercise you’re doing) really helps keep you focused and accountable.
And don’t forget to take a little time for yourself. Even if it’s just for 10 minutes a day. That can really help you stay on track too!
May 28th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I like to read escapist stuff when I’m stressed. My genre of choice is science fiction. As far as eating better, try picking up some cookbooks with Italian type cooking. The idea is to eat 2 courses. The forst is a carb (like pasta, but in a non-meat sauce) and the second is the meat. but it doesn’t have to be much and you can skip it entirely if you want…