PMS and the role of the Liver

by Virginia Prior, L.Ac.

PMS. All those cramps, bloating, irritability, headaches, and even depression. While the menstrual period is intended to be a time of renewal, it can involve shifting one's perspective in order to see the blessings within this supposed curse.

Our menstrual cycles reflect our body's intelligence. By harmonizing hormones, we can create the perfect state in which to either conceive or else release that which has been building up over the past month.

So how do we heal our cycles? How do we regulate the hormones, calm our minds and quell the muscle spasms and cramps? How do we strengthen our energy so that we can use this time to our advantage?

Rather than relying on NSAIDS like Alleve or Ibuprofen, acupuncture patients benefit by regulating their energy and opening up blocked channels. Unlike NSAIDS which drain the kidneys and adrenal glands over time, Chinese wisdom (including acupuncture and herbs) offers more natural and holistic ways for women to manage PMS longterm that are safer and have fewer side effects than prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Tuning in to our monthly rhythms allows us to reconnect with nature. Taking cue from the moon, which appears full about every 28 days, we can take a few moments for life review. Regularly, women need to reflect and adjust their energy by tapping into their most clairvoyant and sensitive moments, during this time of renewal. If we don't honor this cyclical opportunity, we risk missing out on what's most important in life, while instead being tossed around on the waves of our emotions.

If we experience constant anger, resentment, frustration, depression or hypersensitivity, it is a sign that our liver energy is out of balance. Because the liver channel traverses the uterus and influences our ability to plan and put forth our life decisions, these previously mentioned negative patterns can all be helped by addressing the liver. When our liver is functioning optimally, we are able to detoxify food, regulate hormones and simplify our lives.

In eastern thought the liver stores blood, and facilitates the smooth flow of "Qi" throughout the body and mind. Spring season, the sour flavor such as lemon, and the color green are all associated with the liver's energy. Therefore, if we do our spring cleaning, eat plenty of green foods, and soothe ourselves with natural water with lemon vs. coffee drinks, we will harmonize our liver energy and make peace with our menstrual cycles.

The most popular herbal formula to treat PMS and relieve congested, toxic energy is "Xiao Yao San," also known as "Free and Easy Rambling Formula." Xiao Yao San eases constrained liver Qi, opens the channels, and lets the body (and mind) flow.

Herbal formula: $30.00
No more debilitating cramps: Priceless.

Colleen's Message to Clients, Old and New

Since leaving private practice in 2004 my husband and I have had the joy of bringing two energetic boys into the world.  They are currently six and eight and, as you can imagine, have kept us very busy.  It was difficult to leave my patients and the world of acupuncture in general, but I had a strong desire to be present for my family in those early years.  My husband and I have spent the last eight years fumbling our way through parenthood, ever amazed at how we have grown as individuals by seeing the world through our children’s eyes.  It has been the deepest, most challenging spiritual work that I have done so far, and I am so grateful to continue the journey every single day.

Five years ago I began a program at spiritual center in El Segundo called True Insight.  It has been nothing short of a wild ride to personal empowerment.  When I started my first meditation class my boys were toddlers, I was sleep deprived, and exhausted on all levels.  I was also having an identity crisis due to the fact that I had gone from a full time job to stay-at-home mom.  I needed some coping skills.    I not only got the tools I needed to be the mom I wanted to be, but began to shed some of the blockages that had come between me and my true creative potential as a healer.  Since my first class I have extensively explored meditation, completed a two-year clairvoyant course and am currently a year and a half into an energetic healing class.  I have participated in numerous workshops and am teaching one of the fundamental meditation classes.

I am excited to be returning to a career that I love so much and have missed greatly, however, to say that I am coming back new and improved would be false because my personal growth has not been linear.  Instead, the time away has made me realize how necessary energy work is in my life.  To have the opportunity to explore the nooks and crannies of my emotional, physical, and spiritual body has brought me to a beautiful place of greater self- acceptance and awareness.  I don’t have all the answers and probably never will.  That’s really ok with me, but I am content with what I learn on any given day in the present moment.   

I look forward to seeing old familiar faces and getting to know those of you who are new to the Stillpoint family.

Colleen McDonough, L. Ac.

Read Colleen's bio...

Quick Curried Lentils and Rice

We're all busy... busy being busy, as my friend likes to say.  Several years ago I posted a recipe for an Indian dish called kichari.  While healthy and delicious, it admittedly takes a relatively long time to prepare.  Here is the answer for those of us without a personal chef. It differs from kichari in that it is more hearty and not soupy, but it is equally tasty. The dish will take you all of 5 minutes of prep time, and 43 minutes to cook.  If you are really hungry, you can start cooking the rice and lentils and throw in the other ingredients after you chop them for a total time of 43 minutes start to dinner bell. Here is what you will need:

A fuzzy logic rice cooker.  Yes this part is important, because a regular rice cooker will burn the lentils.  Alternatively, you can cook this on a stove top, but that takes away from the appeal of the set it and forget it ease of the rice cooker. And if you end up cooking this dish as often as I do, you will want to have this convenience.  The rice cooker I have is no longer available, but here is one that is similar.

Ingredients

1 C. brown rice

1/4 C. red lentils or mung dahl (available at Whole Foods under the moniker of "golden lentils")

2-1/2 C. water, or enough to fill to slightly above the 1 C. line of the rice cooker

1 Tbs. olive oil or ghee

1 tsp. cumin

3 pinches of turmeric

1/2 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 C. chopped kale or other leafy dark green

Salt to taste

Add everything except the greens and salt to the rice cooker, close it and press start.  I find that the "normal" setting as opposed to the "brown rice" setting yields the best result.  And be sure not to use the "abnormal" setting, as that can cause flatulence ;).  When 10 minutes remain on the timer, open the rice cooker (careful not to burn yourself), and add the greens.  Add salt to taste and serve.

In terms of therapeutic properties, the red lentil targets the heart health, whereas the mung bean target the liver and has more of a detoxing effect.  The garlic is antiviral and cholesterol lowering properties, and turmeric has potent anti-inflammatory and pain killer properties, among many other health enhancing effects.  

This dish is a staple of my diet, and I eat it several times a week.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

How to Choose an Insurance Policy with Acupuncture Benefits

One of my patients is switching insurance policies and asked me which one she should choose to get the best acupuncture coverage.  I get this question from time to time, so decided to write a blog about it.  Below is a list of questions to ask your insurance agent when choosing a policy:

1. Does this policy offer acupuncture benefits?
2. Are there any diagnosis exclusions?  Some policies state that acupuncture is a covered benefit, but when you read the fine print you may find that acupuncture is only covered "in lieu of anesthesia" or some other extreme limitation that makes the coverage of no use.
3. Does the policy cover out of network providers? Stillpoint is not contracted with any insurance carriers, and so you must have out of network benefits in order to receive benefits for care from our clinic.
4. What is the deductible?
5. What is the limitation for the number of visits or dollar maximum coverage for acupuncture?  Is that maximum combined with chiropractic and/or physical therapy?  Also, it is important to know whether count toward the maximum benefit kicks in immediately or after the deductible is met.  Because, if you have a maximum of 10 visits covered per calendar year and a $1500 deductible, but the count toward the maximum starts right away, you won't get any benefit because all ten visits will just apply toward your deductible and your coverage will be maxed out.
6. What are the allowed amounts of coverage for acupuncture?  The answer you want to hear on this one is "Reasonable and Customary,"  meaning that the policy allows for charges up to the going rate for those services in your area. Often times, allowable amounts are only $30 or so, which, while somewhat helpful, is not ideal.
7. What is the copay or co-insurance?  Co-pay is a fixed-dollar amount that you pay each time for certain services.  Most commonly, you will be responsible for a co-payment for each visit. For example, you may pay a $15 co-payment for a primary care physician visit and a $25 co-payment for a specialist visit.  Co-insurance is a percent of the cost of your care. You are responsible for paying the co-insurance amount. For example, if a doctor's visit is $100 and you have a 20% co-insurance, you will pay the doctor $20 and your health plan will pay the doctor $80.

I think that covers it!  If you have any further questions about choosing a health insurance plan, please feel free to call our office and we will do our best to help.

U.S. Miltary Using Acupuncture

Here is an article from NPR about the US Military using acupuncture for PTSD and pain