Air Cleaners

Summer SAD

Acupuncture and The Summer Time Blues

In 1958 rockabilly artist Eddie Cochran recorded a smash hit called “Summertime Blues.” So, what are exactly are the summertime blues? Is there a cure for them?

Many of you are familiar with SAD (seasonal affective disorder) where sufferers experience a lack of energy and depression in response to winter’s cold weather and absence of light. To accommodate to longer nights, the body produces higher levels of melatonin over an extended period of time. Melatonin is a hormone that promotes sleep. If you are producing too much melatonin, you may have trouble waking up. Additionally, winter’s darkness reduces serotonin, a neurotransmitter produced in the pineal gland that is associated with feelings of wellbeing.

Summertime depression or Summertime Season Affective Disorder is a different matter. If the onset of summer marks the beginning of insomnia, sleep deprivation, loss of appetite and interest in food, weight loss and an uptick in feelings of anxiety, agitation and inappropriate anger, you could be suffering from summertime depression or summertime SAD. A hallmark of this disorder is the return of symptoms every year in the late spring or early summer. Read More

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Autumn

Have You Tried Acupuncture To Treat Your Autumn Allergies?

Do you typically get a cold in the late summer or early autumn?

This could be due to a seasonal allergy. Seasonal allergies occur like clock work, every year you get sick at the same time.

Allergies often provide the underlying medium for colds to develop. For some, allergies blossom into asthma. The two biggest environmental triggers for allergies in the fall are ragweed and mold spores.

Ragweed affects over 23 million Americans each year (American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.) In late summer, ragweed matures and produces a beautiful golden flower. Each plant can release up to one billion grains of pollen a season. Read More

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Girl looking out of a window

Asthma, Allergies and Acupuncture

Asthma is a disease where the bronchiole airways of the lungs become inflamed and narrow, limiting the exchange of oxygen and waste gases. When some one is suffering from asthma, the volume of air that they are able to breathe decreases. Asthma can affect anyone, at any time during life.

At least half of all asthmatic attacks are due to environmental triggers including allergic response to molds, pollen, dust-mites and pet dander. Additionally, tobacco smoke, car and truck exhaust, cosmetics, aerosols, and some medications can trigger allergies and asthma. Foods allergies can also be a trigger for asthma.

What can you do when you have allergies that lead to asthma?

  1. Learn what is triggering your allergic response. Track the onset of your symptoms, including your location and what substances you are breathing or eating prior to the onset of your asthma. At Frome Physical Therapy, we offer ALCAT testing to help you learn about intolerance to foods, environmental and chemical irritants.
  2. Limit your exposure to the irritant. That can mean staying indoors when a seasonal allergen is present. It can require that you making changes in your home to improve your indoor air. A premium air cleaner can remove particles and chemicals from your indoor air that are triggering your allergic response and asthmatic episode.
  3. Strengthen your immune system with acupuncture. Acupuncture offers one of the best approaches to support the smooth flow of energy in your body and boost your immune system.
  4. Manage stress – Aerobic activity, meditation, yoga and Tai-Qi are all excellent ways to help manage stress.

Respiration is an important corner stone to our health. Acupuncture can support you to get back on track.

Also Read:

Healthy nail salons – a right, not a privilege.

A breath of fresh air – radio interview with David Frome and Leslie Reichert

The contents of this article are not meant to be diagnostic or prescriptive. Always consult a physician before choosing a course of treatment.

 

By • Acupuncture, Air Cleaners •

Sleep Disorders

Acupuncture and Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are a widespread problem plaguing modern man.  According to The National Sleep Foundation, 15% of us are struggling with chronic insomnia.  Why?

If you have problems sleeping,hygiene is the best place to start making changes. It’s important to have a regular bedtime in a room that is dark and quiet.  Dinner should be four hours or more before bedtime.

sleep disorder

sleep disorders

Alcohol, caffeine and spicy food may need to be curtailed. Unplug from computers and cellphones several hours before bedtime.  The last hours of the day should be spent relaxing, not working!

Physical exercise should be completed in the earlier part of the day so our core temperature has a chance to drop, long before we try to ease into slumber.  In sleep, the autonomic nervous system kicks in, our metabolism slows down, and as a result our core temperature drops. This slow down provides an important opportunity for our body and mind to rest and repair.

Sleep disorders are not always due to poor sleep hygiene. Sometimes, health problems (physical or psychological) contribute to sleep issues. Digestive and respiratory problems can interfere with sleep.  Hormonal imbalances, anxiety and depression can also affect sleep. What should you do?

Pharmaceuticals sleep aides are never a good long-term solution to sleep disorders.  Typically, they mask symptoms without addressing underlying causes.

If you are struggling with a respiratory problem including allergies, asthma or obstructive sleep apnea, consider buying a good quality HEPA air cleaner.  The National Sleep Foundation teamed up with Austin Air to design the Bedroom Machine, a premium air cleaner with a five-stage filter.

Acupuncture can also be a great tool to help you get a good night’s sleep. One approach I use considers the Chinese Clock. Each of our 12 meridians has a two-hour peak within each 24-hour cycle.  From 1AM – 3AM the Liver meridian has it’s peak.  At 3AM – 5AM the energy moves into the Lung meridian. Sometimes our energy gets stuck and the energy transition does not occur. This energetic block can cause us to wake up (in this particular case, at 3AM.) Acupuncture can remove the energetic block and restore the smooth flow of energy from the liver meridian to the lung meridian and restore the sleep pattern.

Additionally, acupuncture can help you restore the balance of your autonomic nervous system and help set the stage for restful sleep.

Acupuncture can also be used to mitigate stress, improve digestion, reduce respiratory issues, balance the endocrine system and a treat host of other problems that affect our overall health and sleep.

At Frome Physical Therapy we can help you to overcome sleep problems. Contact us with questions or schedule an acupuncture session online.  The contents of this article are not meant to be diagnostic or prescriptive.  Always consult a physician before choosing a course of treatment.

Also See:

The National Sleep Foundation and Austin Air Bedroom Machine™

Image Courtesy: A person trying to sleep at night | www.clinicaladvisor.com

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Sick-In-Bed-791x1024

Wet Socks

People have the assumption that you catch a cold when someone next to you sneezes. Some colds do begin with the intimate sharing of germs and this is a great argument for using a high quality HEPA air cleaner to remove germs from the air and prevent the spread of sickness. But my most recent cold was not a neighbor’s gift.

My cold began as a response to eating spanakopita (Greek spinach pie.) It could just as easily have come from an exposure to tree pollen, dust mites or mold spores. You see, I became severely allergic and had an acute attack of sinusitis. The floodwaters dripped down my throat (post nasal drip) and into my lungs. The copious discharge began as clear, turned to white and…..you are probably getting the drift.

Western medicine has begun to question the widespread use of antibiotics to treat common infections. Here’s why:
Antibiotics kill both harmful and friendly bacteria.
Antibiotics cultivate strains of bacteria that have resistance to subsequent treatment.
Antibiotics may interrupt the body’s healthy responses to pathogens. We may need to “exercise our immune system” to build a strong system of defenses.Sick-In-Bed-791x1024
What did I do when my health went south? For the truly courageous, I’ll share a couple of my more interesting “tools,” for the treatment of infection.
Nasal irrigation is the flushing out of your sinuses with a mild solution of water and salt. Since the sinuses are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and viruses, why not clean them out? You can use a neti pot or mechanical nasal irrigator to help clear the nasal passages and sinuses. Nasal irrigation is also helpful in the treatment of respiratory allergies.
Wet Socks are a folk remedy that’s been in use for hundreds of years to treat infection, headaches, sleep problems and more. Here’s what you need:
Cotton socks
Wool or thermal socks
A warm bed
Here’s what you do:
Run cotton socks under cold water, ring out and sit on the side of the bed.
Put on wet socks and put dry wool socks on top.
Go to bed with enough blankets to stay warm. Sleep!

How do wet socks work?
Infections create a “stagnation of fluids.” That means when your tissues are inflamed, there isn’t too much happening in the waste removal or nutrient delivery department. Wet socks shift your body’s priority to your feet, as blood is needed to warm up your feet and dry those socks. On it’s journey, the blood is filtered by both the liver and kidneys. Clean, nutrient rich blood returns to the site of your infection.

Additionally, I used acupuncture and naturopathy in the restoration of my health. This time, I successfully escaped the use of antibiotic therapies and landed on my feet!

The absolute best approach for dealing with colds is avoidance. Acupuncture can help you “tune” your immune system and body to stay healthy and well. Call us at 973.509.8464 • 212.529.1901 or book on line to schedule an appointment.

The contents in this article are not meant to be diagnostic or prescriptive. Respiratory problems are sometimes complex, and a physician should always be consulted before choosing a course of treatment.

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