Author Archives: acuplace@gmail.com

About acuplace@gmail.com

Sarah began her studies of holistic health at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard where she earned a certificate in Therapeutic Massage Therapy in 2003. Sarah continued on her educational journey at the Temple of Kriya Yoga where she earned a 200 hour certificate in Hatha Yoga teacher training. From here Sarah continued on to the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine earning a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Master's degree in Oriental Medicine. Sarah also holds an advanced 108 hour certificate in Acupuncture from the Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Guangzhou, China where she spent time in specialized lectures on Traditional Chinese Medicine for women’s health, weight loss, MS, strokes and more. Sarah is also an Adjunct Professor and Clinic Supervisor at the College of Lake County Health and Wellness Promotions Program.

New Years Resolutions: Acupuncture for Weight Loss part 1

The function of the spleen and stomach system in Chinese Medical theory is to transform and transport the food that we eat. The spleen specifically can become imbalanced from dampness either from the environment (rain, snow) or the foods that we eat (processed food, excess sugar, dairy products, greasy foods etc). Dampness is a pathogen that weighs the body down literally through extra weight and energetically through fatigue. Chinese Medicine sees excess weight as an imbalance in the body.

 

Think about it, if your body is overweight you have a higher chance of developing high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and so on. From this point of view the goal of acupuncture is not necessarily weight loss, it is harmony. When the body is in balance it knows how to process the foods that are consumed properly so that instead of storing food that is not needed it is eliminated. According to research from the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine acupuncture is particularly useful for weight loss especially when the weight is carried around the abdomen and organs in middle aged people. Commonly people who are overweight have other imbalances such as hypertension, fatty liver, high cholesterol, menstrual or menopausal problems, stomach inflammation, constipation, or depression. Often times these other issues that may or may not seem related are actually the root cause of the weight gain. As we look at the body as a complete system the goal is to harmonize all organ systems so that the body can function most optimally. In this way the body naturally lets go of the excess weight it does not need and the effects of treatment positively impact the entire body. It is important to remember that balance is a process and being committed and consistent are key to lasting success. Weight gain does not happen over night and it is not reasonable to expect it to be lost over night either.

What you can do:
Eat breakfast and make it your largest meal of the day. The energy of the large intestine, spleen and stomach are most active in the morning. When you eat breakfast you stoke the fire of your metabolism so that your body has energy to get through the day.

Limit your intake of dairy and sweets. Dairy and empty sweet foods contribute to dampness and phlegm in the body. When the spleen is out of balance it will crave empty sweets like candy and ice cream (sweet and damp and just about the worst thing for your spleen). Yellow foods like squash as well as full sweet foods such as sweet potatoes nourish the spleen.

Don’t eat after 8:00pm. Your stomach should be finished with digestion when you go to sleep at night. In this way your body can use this time of rest to repair and rejuvenate instead of multitasking. Also, your stomach will be empty in the morning and ready for breakfast, making it easier to wake up.

Move your body everyday. For many people exercise is a dirty word, so change your language! Move your body a little bit every day in whatever way gives you joy. Talk a walk or a yoga class, dance while you’re cooking dinner, skip from your parking spot to the entrance of the grocery store, hula hoop. The more you move your body the more your body will want to move. Find a partner to keep it fun and accountable. I am doing the plank challenge right now with my sister. We have to text by 8pm everyday to say we’ve finished. We also added as many squats as seconds we are holding plank each day. Every time I get her text if I haven’t planked yet, I drop what I’m doing and get it done. If I would have done this by myself I would have already stopped by now.

Testimony:

“Just to let you know, I had acupuncture for six weeks for knee pain and low thyroid and noticed when I stepped on the scale I had lost 5 pounds without even trying or realizing it! That was an awesome benefit especially since I watch what I eat and workout 3 times a week and go to yoga 2 times a week and can never seem to tip the scale in my favor. I see acupuncture helping so many people. Thank you for the work you are doing to help people live a healthier life.” Joyce H

What is Your “Best”?

When the holidays started I was invited to take part in a health challenge. A maintain, don’t gain approach to being more mindful during the easiest part of the year to statistically gain weight. There were various opportunities to work out with fellow participants and support to keep you motivated. I consider myself to eat fairly well and try to take the middle approach as much as I can. (I do have a famous sweet tooth :))

I don’t know if it was the awareness of the challenge that I was paying more attention or not. I was doing fairly well, doing yoga almost nightly, getting to the gym on a regular basis etc. That was sometime in between Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas chaos. I was at one point down a few pounds which probably led me to enjoy the holidays with a little extra reckless abandonment. 🙂 I don’t know why it was shocking when somewhere between Christmas and New Years I had added an extra 5 pounds to the scale, but there it was.

Sometimes seeing the scale not tipping in favor isn’t motivation for me, sometimes its the exact opposite which can be a very slippery slope. My husband and I hit the gym around that same time and it was the first time I was doing extensive cardio in quite awhile. At one point in my life I was a cardio junkie and something has changed slowly over the years and that love affair has died or rather its been so long maybe I forgot about that love. My husband and I were side by side and agreed to go for 30 minutes. He suggested I up my speed. I could have, I could have had a certain expectation to keep a pace my pre-baby self would have expected. I told him no. I wanted to listen to my body. 30 minutes seemed like a super long time to “get through in that moment.” I did my best and when it was over it didn’t seem so bad. A few days later we were back at it and this time I felt comfortable with a higher speed and the time seemed to go faster. I was finding a groove. I landed back in the pool to swim some laps and felt stronger and was able to push myself. The next visit to the gym I was pumped to see where I could push myself on that day except a funny thing happened. I wasn’t able to do “more” laps or reps or whatever then my previous session. That’s when it hit me that my best today was just going to look different from my best did the last time. When I became ok with that the rest of my session was enjoyable.

We live in a society that is really easy to beat yourself up for every little imperfection you have. Its mindless hobby for many of us, myself included. The internet, Facebook, pinterest etc can really make one feel like everyone else really have their “sh!t together”. I wanted to share this as a reminder to look at what your best looks like in this moment and not to compare it to the last moment or the next one. And please ignore what anyone else’s best looks like for Pete’s sake!

Because post New Year’s is a time where many of us feel like it’s a good time to finally lose some weight or “get healthy” I will be sharing 3 posts over the next few days (because in this moment I have my “sh!t together and I’m seizing the moment :)) on weight loss and how it can be viewed physically, emotionally and environmentally. I wanted to share this experience first for some perspective and also to say that most people who want to know if Chinese Medicine and acupuncture can help with weight loss really don’t need to lose anything. Feeling good about yourself is as much of a mindset as what a scale or the size on your jeans says.

My best today is slightly lesser because I was attending to a toddler for an hour at 3am this morning. I’m acknowledging that and being kind to myself. Will you join me in honoring your best today?

Italian Baked Chicken with Green Lentil Mash

I was going to try out a new recipe that ended up pretty much nothing like how it started out. This was super easy, delicious and if you are trying to avoid carbs it was also super filling and didn’t feel like being deprived of anything.

What you need:

Chicken breasts

Red pepper

Italian dressing

Olive oil

Himalayan pink salt

Black pepper

Favorite seasonings or chicken stock (which ever you have available)

1 cup green lentils

8 cloves of garlic

5 baby zucchini

1 carrot

1 orange pepper

onion, diced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450F Place chicken breasts in lightly greased (with olive oil) baking dish and soak in Italian dressing.

Bake for 40 minute or until cooked

Place chopped onion in sauce pan and cook until tender add the rest of veggies and garlic cloves, salt and spices and cook until veggies soften add water and spices or chicken stock and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover until all water has been cooked out stirring occasionally if you light.

Transfer veggie and lentils to a blender and blend until smooth.

Steam broccoli as a side and enjoy!

Stomach Flu Natural Medicine Cabinet Essentials

The stomach flu has been circling around us for over a month. So far we have remained unscathed even with direct contact a few times. Here is what we have been doing to stay healthy at my house besides the usual.

When I hear of another family member or friend we’ve seen recently with a stomach bug I make sure to have 3 things on hand: Di-Gize essential oil blend, Vitamin D, and Probiotics.

Di-Gize is an amazing blend of essential oils for digestion. I recently read a story from my friend Jen who used Di-Gize and Peppermint essential oil during a trip to Ecuador to get over a nasty stomach bug. Until this story I never thought to use Di Gize internally, I had always just put it on my belly. It gives me almost immediate relief from indigestion and can also be used for heartburn, gas, bloating, and candida according to the Essential Oils Desk Reference.

What’s in Di Gize? Just about every herb/oil you would think of for tummy troubles: Tarragon, Ginger, Peppermint, Juniper, Fennel, Lemongrass Anise and Patchouli. It actually doesn’t taste bad to me but if the scent makes you even more queasy add an extra drop of peppermint.

If you are using it for the stomach bug you can take a drop or two in your water preventively. If the stomach bug has landed in your home you can take it to get the pukes started. Sometimes it can have an immediate effect so if you’re feeling queasy drink your di gize spiked water in the bathroom just in case (I like to do 3 drops). Keep taking it until you can hold liquids down. It can get all the yukes out of your system quick.

According to the Innate Choice brochure research indicates that daily supplementation with Vitamin D can significantly reduce the burden of both chronic and infectious diseases. Vitamin D supplementation can enhance immunity to bacterial and viral infections. Especially in the winter when we get less sun time and spend less time outdoors Vitamin D is good to have on hand for prevention. Get your levels checked to see if you are deficient. You want to make sure the Vitamin D3 you are using in mixed or taken with fat as it is a fat soluble vitamin and fat is needed for proper absorption. I like Innate Choice because its mixed with olive oil and lasts forever. Dr Scott at VanderWeit Chiropractic carries it in the office if you need some ASAP

Probiotics build up the healthy flora in your gut whereas antibiotics kill the bad guys and the good guys in your gut. WebMD says probiotics can help with diarrhea.  Life 5 is my favorite probiotic from Young Living. You can also get probiotics from fermented foods like kombucha, yogurt, apple cider vinegar etc too.

You can order both Di Gize and Life 5 here. If you need help setting up an account let me know. I would be happy to help!

Stay healthy and warm! 🙂

 

 

White Bean Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe awhile back and finally got to give it a try after I received the Ninja blender for Christmas. Some of you asked for the recipe so I am posting it here on the day 1 of my sugar fast. (I tried to slowly work into giving up sugar so this recipe kind of helped) If you are looking to let go of the sweets for awhile you might also want to read this from my dear friend Anne it might get you motivated. 

Anyways, back to the recipe. You will need a food processor for this one or a super blender like the Ninja, Vitamix etc. If you use a regular blender you will most likely burn it out. Here are my adaptations to the original recipe.

What You Need:

1 1/4 cup of white kidney beans drained and patted dry

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter (you could use sun butter if there are nut allergies or almond butter)

1/4 cup local honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Put all ingredients into food processor except for chocolate chips and pulse until smooth. (I had to scrape sides twice)

Stir in chocolate chips until well mixed

Form small balls of dough and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. I gently pressed my palm into each ball and found that smaller cookies were better then bigger ones. No need to leave lots of space in between each cookie as they won’t melt down like a regular cookie does.

Cook for appx 10 minutes. They will be really gooey and don’t set like a normal cookie. Its best to let them cool on the parchment paper and then transfer.

Wassail Recipe

Wassail is an old English drink that is popular during the holiday season. Not only does it taste good, it has many health benefits. As you will see there are many reasons to drink Wassail as you celebrate and perhaps over indulge in the holiday season. Many of the spices used aid digestion and help to eliminate flatulence as well as regulating the blood sugar.


Allspice has long been used as a GI stimulant and to aid in the relief of flatulence. Several studies have shown allspice to have antibacterial and antifungal activity which is why it is a common herb to help with colds. The nature of allspice is warming helping to keep the body warm during the winter months.

Cloves have the highest antioxidant rating. The benefits of antioxidants include powerful protection against all types of degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, and many more. Cloves have analgesic properties that can be used for treatment of various dental problems like tooth aches. They also boost memory and blood circulation, and are beneficial for the heart, liver and stomach. Cloves can effectively cure many digestive problems like stomach ulcers, flatulence and dyspepsia, since they stimulate your body’s enzymes and boost digestion. Because of the antiseptic and germicidal benefits of cloves, they help fight infections like cold, flu, bronchitis, arthritic pain and athlete’s foot. For more info on Cloves benefits and uses visit here.

Cinnamon: Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol and may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar. Another study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium. Cinnamon is also a common herb used in Chinese Medicine to help fight off colds and can reduce pain in people suffering from arthritis. For more info on the benefits of cinnamon visit here. 

Here is an easy recipe to make at home.

What you will need:
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 lime
2 lemons
2 oranges
1 quart of water
1 gallon apple cider or apple juice (or mix 50/50)
sugar to taste if desired

Directions:
Cut lemon, lime, and oranges in half and juice into a separate container. Leave juice aside for now. Bring water to a boil and add spices and fruit. Bring down to a simmer and add apple cider/juice. Let simmer for 1 hour. Add juice of fruit and sugar if needed. Enjoy hot!

Acupressure for Getting Rid of Cold

Winter is a rough season for many people that suffer from chronic pain, especially pain that is worse in the cold. In Chinese Medicine we call pain an obstruction or blockage and classify the pain based on environmental factors: heat, cold, dampness, dryness and wind. Whatever environmental factors make the pain worse are usually the culprits behind the pain and sometimes its more then one like wind, cold and dampness, for example.

Luckily, there are acu-points that work at removing the factor causing the pain. If you are waking up with sore, stiff,  joints and they seem to be worse now that we’ve settled into winter try doing a little acupressure.

The point to remove cold is poetically named ‘clear cold abyss’ and is located on the san jiao or triple warmer meridian.

To find this point bend your elbow and slide your finger from the tip of your elbow up towards your shoulder just an inch of so. When you extend your elbow their will be a tiny hollow your finger will fall into if you are on the right spot and it might feel achy or tender to the touch if you’ve been really sore or stiff.

Once you’ve found the spot gently massage tiny circles for about a minute on both elbows. You can do this as often as you need to.

Natural Medicine Cabinet Essential: Moxa

Moxa might not be something you are familiar with but it is a great thing to have in your medicine cabinet in the winter time for its warming and prevention properties. Read on.

What is Moxabustion?

Moxa or Artemisia Vulgaris is a species of chrysanthemum and can be used for a variety of conditions. In Chinese Medicine there are several ways to use moxa and all involve burning this herb over or on acupuncture points. If you are afraid of needles using moxa in place of needles is one way to receive the same benefits as moxa and needles can be used interchangeably or together.
smokeless moxa over UB67 can help with turning a breech baby

smokeless moxa over UB67 can help with turning a breech baby

One major benefit of Moxa is that it benefits circulation. It can be used to regulate the energy and blood of the body, expel cold and dampness especially if pain is worse in these kind of environments, warm the uterus, stop bleeding, regulate digestion as well as menstruation, and ease the fetus or turn a breech baby. This is a great post that talks about using moxa specifically for menstrual irregularities and insomnia.

Moxa can be used preventively as well. Burning moxa over the acu-point Zu San Li St36 on a regular basis is a great way to stay healthy. In Notes on Bian Que’s Moxibustion, it says, “when a healthy man often has moxabustion to the points of CV4, CV6 and CV12 he would live a very long life, at least one hundred years.”

Currently in Africa moxabustion is being used as a treatment for tuberculosis through the organization Moxafrica. There is research evidence from Japan in the 1930s and 40s where moxabustion was used effectively and cheaply to treat and in many cases cure TB.

Moxa is available for purchase at Neighborhood Acupuncture Place and is also available as a treatment. It is also a great therapy to use for post partum recovery.

Lentil Stew

This is a great recipe to stay warm in the winter. Its also an awesome recipe for post partum recovery. If you are a mom-to-be and are getting close to the end this is a great soup to make and freeze or give it to someone who is willing to cook for you! 🙂

What you need:

4 cups homemade chicken stock, preferably cooked with beet greens and/or red chard (kidney/urinary bladder)

3 carrots chopped (spleen/stomach)

3 celery stalked chopped (liver/gall bladder)

1 onion diced (lung/large intestine)

3 cloves of garlic (lung/large intestine)

1 tablespoon of olive oil or clarified butter

2 yellow zucchini (spleen/stomach)

1 green zucchini (liver gall bladder)

1 bell pepper (I used yellow) (spleen/stomach)

1/2 bag of red lentils (heart/small intestine)

1 jar of tomato sauce (heart/small intestine)

3 cups chopped kale, chard or spinach (liver/gall bladder)

Pink Himalayan sea salt, to taste (kidney/urinary bladder)

crushed black pepper (kidney/urinary bladder)

other spices to taste, I prefer the 21 spice salute from Trader Joe’s

What to do:

melt oil or butter and heat onion, garlic and all veggies (except greens) until tender, about 5 minutes. Add stock, lentils, and tomato sauce. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cover. Let cook for 30 minutes. Add greens just before eating, the heat of the soup will allow the greens to gently wilt. If freezing wait for stew to cool first and make sure you label and date the container. Enjoy all winter long and especially the first 4 weeks post partum. 🙂

Natural Remedy for Leg Cramps

Leg Cramps at Night? Try sleeping with a bar of soap in bed!

One of my yoga students awhile back shared that putting a bar of soap in bed while you sleep can help prevent night time charley horses. A bar of soap in bed can help leg cramps?

Sounds a little crazy even to me! Apparently this is an old remedy that many people swear by. I had to dig around and see what the fuss was all about. Here is what I found:

Snopes has yet to confirm or deny that the bar of soap in your bed works. 

At the peoplespharmacy they took a poll with 485 votes and got a 4.35 star on a 5 star scale.  One thing I read here that I really found interesting was that the bar of soap needs to be changed every couple of months or it will stop working.

I have recommended this several times to patients during acupuncture treatments and on a few occasions other patients have chimed in that they use it and it works as well. One patient recommended if the cramps are really bad, especially in the toes to take the bar of soap and massage it over the area in spasm for fast relief.


If you are having leg cramps or restless legs grab a bar of ivory or Irish spring soap and unwrap it and put in underneath your bottom sheet. Let me know how it works! 🙂