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New Direction Natural Medicine - Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine - Health
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Uncovering the Unseen Solutions: How Functional Medicine Solves Chronic Digestive Problems
Chronic digestive problems can be a major hurdle for millions. They cause discomfort, lead to frustration, and can significantly reduce the quality of life. Common issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and ulcerative colitis often remain unaddressed in traditional medicine, which mainly focuses on symptom relief rather than finding the root cause. Functional medicine offers a refreshing alternative. This holistic approach investigates the underlying reasons behind digestive issues, paving t
Summery Mini Crab Tostadas
Summer time makes me crave foods that are light yet delicious! The warm weather invites us to seek out meals that not only refresh but also invigorate our taste buds. As the sun shines brightly and the days stretch longer, I find myself drawn to vibrant flavors and fresh ingredients that embody the essence of the season. This particular recipe, which I am excited to share, can be enjoyed as a light lunch or served as a delightful summery appetizer that is perfect for gatherings with friends and
Uncovering the Hidden Connection Between Parasites and Chronic Skin Conditions
Chronic skin issues can be incredibly frustrating. Many individuals find themselves on a long and winding path of diagnosis and treatment. While people often recognize typical triggers like allergies, genetics, and environmental factors, the impact of parasites on skin conditions is less discussed but equally important. This blog post explores the often-overlooked connection between parasites and various skin issues, shining a light on this hidden aspect.Understanding Parasites and Their ImpactP
Understanding Methylation: Its Crucial Role in Hormonal Balance and Detoxification
Methylation is a captivating biochemical process that plays a critical role in many bodily functions, including DNA repair, gene expression, and metabolism. This intricate mechanism involves adding a methyl group, which consists of one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms, to various molecules. It significantly influences how our body processes hormones and clears out toxins. In this post, we will explore the importance of methylation, examine its effects on hormonal balance, and highlight its r
Smoked Salmon & Avocado Gluten-Free Toast
The combination of smoked salmon, avocado, broccoli sprouts, and gluten-free bread creates a harmonious dish that is not only visually appealing but also bursting with flavor and health benefits. The smoky, savory notes of the salmon beautifully contrast with the creamy richness of the avocado, while the crunchy broccoli sprouts add a fresh element to the dish. When layered on gluten-free bread, this medley becomes a wholesome meal option that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, whether as a
Acupuncture for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction & Pain
Pelvic floor dysfunction encompasses a range of issues that arise from the pelvic floor muscles being too weak, too tight, or not functioning properly. This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, prolapse, sexual dysfunction, and difficulties with bowel movements. When the pelvic floor muscles are compromised, individuals may experience significant discomfort and a reduction in quality of life. Pelvic floor issues are increasingly common, affecting a sign
Hot & Crabby Salad
In Chinese medicine, "Kidney yin deficiency" (or low estrogen) is a common diagnosis, especially in peri/menopausal women with symptoms of heat and dryness and in patients who have been through many years of mental and/or physical overwork (aka: adrenal fatigue). This recipe is based on the principles of Chinese food therapy, using foods that are cooling and moistening to treat patients with hot and dry conditions, commonly experienced by women as their hormones fluctuate or decline. If you are
The Top 5 Benefits of Cosmetic Acupuncture
Do you ever find yourself dissatisfied with the reflection in the mirror, feeling that your skin does not reflect the vitality and energy you feel inside? This dissatisfaction can stem from various factors, including the natural aging process, environmental stressors, lifestyle choices, and even hormonal changes. As we age, our skin can lose its elasticity, develop fine lines, and appear dull or uneven in tone. In search of solutions, many individuals turn to various cosmetic treatments that pro
Turkey Squash with Arugula Salad
I threw this meal together with ingredients I had on hand and it actually turned out so delicious, I decided to blog the recipe and share! This meal combines lean protein with low-carb veggies, making it a light, yet satisfying lunch. The addition of peppery arugula, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and vinegar work wonderfully together. A little feta sprinkled on top adds creaminess to the dish too! Once I plated this meal, I ended up mixing everything together, but you can keep it separate if you'd l
Acupuncture Helps Patients Recover from COVID Long-Hauler's
While many people who have suffered with COVID-19 recover naturally from this pandemic virus with or without treatment, an alarming 65 million are now battling long COVID (or “long-hauler’s”), causing a myriad of sustained symptoms. These complex and often debilitating long COVID symptoms occur past 12 weeks of initial infection and involve multiple organs and systems of the body. Long-hauler's not only affects those with a history of severe COVID infection, it can also affect those who only exp
Beat Depression with Acupuncture
Depression is a complex mental health condition characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed. It affects how you think, feel, and handle daily activities. Individuals experiencing depression may also exhibit symptoms such as changes in appetite or weight, sleep disturbances, excessive crying, fatigue, agitation, social isolation, anxiety, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating, and even thoughts of self-harm or
Chili Crisp Chicken
Boring chicken is in the past! Enter chili crisp, a Chinese hot sauce made of chili pepper infused oil with aromatic spices!! In this recipe, I use the gluten-free, gut-friendly, low FODMAP version of chili crisp so you get all the flavor plus the healing benefits. Elevate your chicken to a whole other level!Ingredients: • 6 pasture-raised organic chicken tenderloins • 2 TBSP redbloom gut healthy chili crisp • 2 TBSP coconut aminos • 4 TBSP rice wine vinegar • 1 tsp dried minced onion • 1 tsp r
Put a Lime in the Coconut Shrimp Soup
If you experience frequent stress, tend to hold your feelings to yourself, battle with PMS symptoms, have a nervous stomach, and/or catch yourself sighing, chances are you have what we call "Liver qi stagnation" in Chinese medicine. Symptoms of Liver qi stagnation include: frustration, easily angered, tenderness of distended feeling below the ribcage or chest, feeling of a lump in the throat, PMS, breast tenderness, irregular periods, painful periods, lumps in the breast or groin area, digestive
Goat Cheese & Sun-dried Tomato Chicken and Broccoli Bake
Sheet pan dinners are so simple and this one is also incredibly tasty and low-carb!! Mixing the flavors of goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon, and Greek seasoning elevate chicken and broccoli to a whole new level! Save lots of time by purchasing a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and chopped broccoli. This recipe is great for an easy family meal or it can be used for your weekly meal prep.Ingredients: • 1 organic cooked rotisserie chicken, deboned & chopped • 1 lb broccoli florets, finely chop
Supreme Pizza with Chicken Crust
Craving pizza but watching your carbs? This chicken crust pizza is packed with protein and low-carb! This easy-to-make crust can be used as a perfect base for your favorite pizza without the guilt. Get creative with your toppings and swap out the pizza sauce with a vegan pesto if you please. This recipe is gluten and dairy-free.Ingredients: • 1 lb organic ground chicken • 1 1/2 tsp pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning • 1/4 tsp garlic powder • 3/4 TBSP coconut flour • 1 egg white • 1 tsp sea sal
Acupuncture Alleviates Neck & Shoulder Pain
Neck and shoulder pain are one of the most common complaints I see in my practice. Between the increased use of electronic devices, stress, and sedentary jobs, it is no wonder! Chronic neck and shoulder tension is also a common cause of headaches and migraines. The pain can be annoying, exhausting and for some, debilitating. Common causes of neck & shoulder pain: • bad posture • excessive computer use and/or texting • poor sleeping position • carrying a heavy purse or bag • sitting under an AC v
Autumn Apple Sausage Root Hash
Many patients ask me for breakfast ideas, especially when they are restricting dairy, eggs and gluten. This hash is free of all three and it is absolutely delicious!! Cinnamon and sage pair wonderfully together to give a comforting autumn flavor to this breakfast. A perfect combination of sweet and savory, healthy fat, protein and veggies, this breakfast might just become one of your new fall (or any time) favorites!Ingredients: • 9 oz. Amylu (or Applegate organics) harvest apple chicken sausage
Goat Cheese & Herb Courgettes
Courgettes (zucchini/summer squash), are one of my favorite low-calorie and low-carb vegetables. In this recipe, we jazz up these veggies with lots of fresh flavor! This recipe is an excellent side dish to pair with your favorite protein, especially chicken or fish. The flavorful combination of fresh mint, lemon juice, chili pepper and goat cheese is out of this world! If you are dairy-free, simply omit the goat cheese.Ingredients: • 1 organic zucchini, diced • 1 organic summer squash, diced • 1
Berry Good Hemp Heart Porridge
I created this warm, comforting breakfast bowl as a high-protein, low-carb alternative to oatmeal. This porridge has a nutty and creamy taste and a crunchy, fruity topping. Hemp hearts (derived from the cannabis sativa plant) are a plant-based protein packed with nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids. Hemp hearts don't contain CBD or THC, so there are no psycho-active effects. This recipe is vegan, plant-based and full of healthy nutrients.Ingredients: • 1/4 cup hemp hearts • 1 TBSP chia seeds • 1/4
Acupuncture for Type 2 Diabetes & Prediabetes
An astonishing 98 million Americans (over 1 in 3 under 65 years old and half of those over 65) has prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are elevated, but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is big warning sign and risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. About 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, with 90-95% being the preventable type 2. This problem is rapidly increasing, which is why it is so important to bring light to this subje
Tummy-Loving Turkey & Sweet Potato Soup
Digestive problems are among the top complaints I see as a Chinese medicine practitioner. In Chinese medicine, we call digestive weakness, Spleen qi deficiency. Poor digestion can arise from eating too many raw and cold/frozen foods (i.e. ice cream, smoothies, salads). When eating cold/raw foods, your digestive system has to work extra hard to heat up the food to a 100 degree "soup" in order to digest and assimilate these foods. Over time, this extra work exhausts the digestive system and can le
Relieve Allergies and Asthma with Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are a great combination to treat allergies naturally and without any side-effects. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture work very well together to boost and balance the immune system and target the underlying deficiencies causing your allergies. Taking allergy medication only masks the symptoms and often comes with undesired side-effects. With the help of natural medicine, your body will have the ability to heal itself as well as prevent futher allergy
Acupuncture & Functional Medicine Treat Gastroparesis
Gastroparesis or "stomach paralysis" is a neuromuscular dysfunction of the stomach which causes sluggish or delayed emptying of solid food (and sometimes liquid nutrients) from the stomach. People suffering with gastroparesis have decreased gastric motility and disturbed gastric rhythm, leading to chronic and often debilitating digestive issues. Gastroparesis mainly affects young to middle-aged women and diabetics, but can also affect younger children and men. Quality of life is greatly affected
Calm & Kale Soup
This delicious soup is perfect for people dealing with a "nervous stomach" or irritable bowel syndrome. This soup improves digestion and calms the stomach. In general, orange-colored vegetables are beneficial for digestive problems and dark leafy greens improve stress and liver function. As you can see, these two beautiful colors come together in this calming soup. Sweet potato, turkey, and carrots all benefit the digestive system, while marjarom, coriander and turmeric are amazing spices that i
Low-Carb Chicken Enchilada Bake
Looking for a super quick and easy meal for dinner that requires very little effort, yet tastes amazing and uses clean ingredients?! This is it!! All you need is an oven, a casserole dish and a few simple ingredients. I bought everything from Whole Foods and whipped up this recipe super fast. You can pair this dish with your favorite salsa and a dollop of organic sour cream, grass-fed plain greek yogurt, or sliced avocado. I topped mine with a little Siete creamy jalepeno botana sauce. This is a
Sunday Funday Spinach & Tomato Quiche
Today I am going to share with you my new favorite and easy Sunday brunch recipe!! (This recipe is also a great meal for anytime of the day or week.) This individual-sized vegetarian quiche is fluffy, satisfying and delicious! It is gluten-free, packed with protein, and requires very little time to prepare (which is why I love it). You also be creative and use whatever fresh veggies, herbs and cheese you have on hand. Add in veggies like broccoli, bell peppers or onions, fresh herbs like dill, c
Chinese Herbal Medicine 101
Are you new to the wonderful world of Chinese herbal medicine or have you been taking herbal medicine and wanting to learn more? Chinese herbal medicine has been around for over 3,000 years, originally used primarily to increase longevity, enhance fertility and treat epidemic diseases. Chinese herbs consist of plants (roots, barks, leaves, stems, seeds, etc), minerals, and some animal products all in their natural form. Specific herbs are combined together in a formula to enhance their therapeut
Gluten-Free Hawaiian BBQ Meatloaf
Looking for a classic comforting meal with a little healthy spin? This barbeque meatloaf is one of my absolute favorite recipes and one that is great for leftovers or meal prep. While some meatloaves are dense and dry, the sweet potato in this recipe gives this one a moist, light texture. No need for breadcrumbs in this meatloaf either, so it is gluten-free (and dairy-free too). I pair this meatloaf with my roasted rainbow of veggies to complete the meal. Ingredients: 16 oz. grass-fed ground bee
Egg Roll in a Bowl
In search for a healthy, quick and tasty meal? This dish combines all the yummy flavors of an egg roll without all the hassle. This low-carb dish comes together with minimal effort and the water chestnuts give you the crunch you expect from biting into an egg roll, without all the mess. Ingredients: 16 oz. organic ground pork, chicken or beef 10 oz. organic vegetable slaw or coleslaw 1 shallot, finely chopped 4 scallions, chopped (white part & green part separated) 8 oz. sliced water chestnuts,
Acupuncture Stimulates the Vagus Nerve
As a physician, I have seen a huge uptick in the number of patients struggling with "unexplained" anxiety or digestive disorders like gastroparesis and IBS, which are actually caused by undiagnosed vagus nerve dysfunction. This has also lead to a lot of talk on social media lately about vagus nerve stimulation and how it can help so many people battling with anxiety and other stress-related conditions. There are many fancy gadgets out there that can be used to stimulate the vagus nerve, but did
Acupuncture Heals Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy is an increasingly common condition caused by damage to the peripheral nervous system, lack of blood flow to the nerves, and a disruption of the signaling between the brain and other parts of the body. This condition mainly affects the hands and feet, resulting in numbness, weakness, and loss of function. Peripheral neuropathy affects nearly 20 million people in the United States, yet there is a huge lack of effective treatment options available. Fortunately, this is where
What You Should Know Before Taking Supplements
Oftentimes I see new patients come to me with a giant bag of supplements, yet still are sick and experiencing a lot of symptoms. Many patients advocate for themselves because their medical doctor isn’t helping them, so they turn to Google, Instagram ads, or TikTok to try to figure it out on their own. While this is sometimes better than nothing, it is really important to have the guidance of an experienced licensed practitioner who can take all the guesswork out of your supplement regimen, run c
Gluten-Free BBQ Chicken Pizza
Pizza doesn't have to be off-limits if you are gluten or dairy-free! All you have to do is be creative. This recipe is full of flavor and makes for a quick, light and satisfying lunch or dinner. This recipe can be made in the oven or airfryer. If you're using an airfryer, be sure to use one that is forever-chemical-free, like this one. Ingredients: 1 Siete almond flour tortilla 3 TBSP Primal Kitchen Hawaiian BBQ sauce 2 TBSP organic mozzarella cheese (omit if dairy-free or sub with dairy-free c
Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup
This feel-good Moroccan soup is full of medicinal spices and wonderful aromas, making every bowl feel like a warm hug! This soup will taste like it's been cooking all day, yet only requires a tiny bit of cook time thanks to the instant pot! Perfect for a cooler day, this soup contains warming ingredients (lamb, garlic, ginger and cinnamon) which are beneficial for anyone with adrenal fatigue, anemia, menstrual issues and/or infertility. This soup is also free from the common allergens (gluten, d
Comforting Tuscan Chicken Stew
When the weather gets a little cooler, what's better than cozying up to a hot bowl of chicken stew?! This recipe is one of my absolute favorites that I make time and time again. This hearty and healthy comfort meal is good for your digestion and it can be easily made using an instant pot or slow cooker. This recipe is great for those with food allergies because it is gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free and dairy-free. Share this one with friends and family and enjoy the leftovers the next day! Ing
How Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Can Treat Pelvic Pain
Chronic pelvic pain is a common complaint patients seek alternative treatment for in my practice, affecting approximately 25% of females of reproductive age. There are several different causes of pelvic pain, and although it more commonly affects women, it can affect men as well. This sharp, stabbing lower abdominal pain can be the result of an underlying gynecological condition, infection, digestive disorder, physical or emotional trauma, organ dysfunction, or spinal nerve problem. Causes of pe
Why Male Fertility Shouldn't Be Ignored
While the majority of couples dealing with infertility focus on the female, the males are just as important, and here's why. There has been a huge decline in male fertility over the years. In fact, 40-50% of infertility cases are due to male factor infertility, and the majority of miscarriages are caused by chromosomal abnormalities due to DNA damage in sperm. Sperm counts have also declined by an alarming 50% in the last 40 years due to environmental factors, toxins, endocrine-disrupting chemic
Beautiful Breakfast Tostada
Want a healthy, beauty-enhancing egg breakfast that is high in protein and full of flavor? Look no further! This recipe is loaded with beautiful and delicious skin enhancing ingredients. Lutein and zeaxanthin-rich eggs and skin-loving avocados help to improve skin hydration, elasticity and firmness. Tomatoes improve skin collagen and prevent sagging, and their antioxidants help to reduce fine lines. Bell peppers are rich in vitamin C and help stimulate and build collagen, as well as promote s
Pizza Chicken
Craving pizza but you want to stay on track with healthy eating? This dish brings in all the wonderful flavors of your pizza but without the crust (and carbs). I also used my favorite marinara sauce to keep it low sugar too. You can adjust this recipe by adding in your favorite pizza toppings and make it dairy-free by omitting the cheese. Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to ditch your favorite foods, you just have to find the healthy versions! Ingredients: 8 oz. pre-cooked organic grilled