Greetings!
On Wednesday, June 25th, from
7 -
8pm,
Alaska Center for Acupuncture will present a
FREE class on Acupressure Basics.
Acupressure is a Chinese Medical Modality based on
the same principles as Acupuncture. Acupressure is
a powerful tool for increasing vitality and longevity as
well as preventing illness. This workshop will give
attendees a solid introduction on how to apply
Acupressure in a variety of situations.
Topics covered will include:
�Overview of how Acupressure Works
�Acupressure for First Aid - Headaches, Digestive
Ailments, Bug Bites, Shock etc.
�Acupressure for Prevention and Stress Management
�Acupressure for Overall Health and Wellness
�Resources to Learn More About Acupressure on Your
Own
�Tools and Techniques from Yoga, Qi Gong and other
Complimentary Disciplines
Participants will come away from the presentation
able to apply some basic Acupressure techniques on
themselves as well as friends and family. Attendees
will leave with diagrams and explanations of the
Acupressure points and will be able to immediately
utilize what they have learned to promote health and
wellness.
Please pre-register for this presentation by calling
Alaska Center for Acupuncture at 745-8688 Space is
limited, so call early!
For a printable flyer to hang in your office
or pass on to
friends and family, please click
the link
below:
Acupressure Flyer
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Energy Conservation in Your Body |
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As the prices of fuel continue to rise, the topic on
everyone's mind today is Energy Conservation. What
can we do to use less of our non-renewable
resources?
We've noticed in the past 6
months that
people are becoming more conscious of how much
energy they consume, and they are actively looking at
ways to reduce personal consumption.
Because there is such a strong financial
pressure to
make changes, it is actually becoming EASIER to
make better choices about energy usage.
Below is an article we wrote for the Frontierman last
year about personal energy conservation. The article
is about overcoming inertia - the pressure to do things
exactly as we've been doing them because that's the
way we've always done things. Unless there is a clear
sign from our bodies that something is wrong, many
people choose not to make any changes. Some
people will only take action when when symptoms
show up - which may be too late. This is like waiting
for gas prices to become unaffordable before we
make the switch to alternative energy sources.
When it comes to personal energy conservation, we
see a lot of parallels to the way our culture is
managing energy on a global scale. It's madness to
wait until a problem shows up to do something about
it. Although there are times in life when we do not
have a choice about how we manage our personal
resources, most of the time, we do have a choice.
The article below will help you think about where
you might be over-spending your own personal
resources, and how you can make better choices
before signs and symptoms show up.
***********
Feel Better by Spending Energy Wisely by
Samantha Berg, M.Ac., L.Ac., Dipl.Ac., and Kevin
Meddleton, M.Ac., L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
"Why don't I have enough energy?"
We hear this question regularly in our acupuncture
center. A lot of folks describe waking up tired in the
morning and ending each day totally exhausted. Why
does this happen?
Wouldn't it be great if our bodies generated receipts
that told us the energetic costs of all our daily
endeavors?
We'd know exactly what it cost to walk the dog, to
weed the garden, to incessantly worry, to digest a
donut, to stress out in slow moving traffic, or to harbor
resentment over the high price of gasoline.
Furthermore, an energy receipt could tell us how
efficiently our bodies are running.
Imagine how illuminating doctor/patient conversations
would become if we knew exactly how much our
bodies are being taxed by making poor lifestyle
choices.
Patient: "Hey Doc, I was sick all winter long - what's
going on?"
Doctor: "Hmm, your energy receipt shows a dramatic
output in November and December from excessive
holiday cheer. But there's not an equivalent
investment in quality sleep and nourishing foods
during the same time period. Basically, you spent
more than you took in."
Most of us are regularly doing the energetic equivalent
of throwing away thousands of dollars on bad
investments. If we knew the true energetic cost of
every action, wouldn't we be compelled to do our best
to keep our expenses low so we'd have energy left
over to enjoy the things that we love to do?
Fortunately, our bodies have a very useful system for
measuring the cost of our daily undertakings. It's
called symptoms.
When the body puts out more energy than it has to
give, symptoms show up.
Stress, headaches, back pain, indigestion, frequent
injuries, suppressed immunity, short temper etc. are
the body's way of communicating that it has over-
spent its energy reserves.
Attempting to medicate these symptoms away - via
caffeine, sugar, nicotine or other drugs - simply
allows us to keep pushing into our reserves until our
bodies kick up more serious conditions that can't be
ignored, like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity,
cancer, depression or ulcers.
Obviously, it would be ideal to learn how to moderate
energy output and stop pushing into our reserves
before any symptoms show up. Here's how to do it:
Approach every task with increased awareness.
Consider the required effort level before starting. In
other words, if a "B" or a "C-minus" gets the job done
in an acceptable way, do you really need to go for
the "A plus?"
Even better, consider if you need to do this task at all.
Could you be more effective in the most important
areas of your life if you learned to say "NO" to the
things that are more peripheral and of a lesser
priority?
Perfection is expensive, so it's important to
determine which life endeavors warrant striving for
perfection and which of those are merely driven by
vanity and an underlying lack of self-esteem.
The bottom line is that indiscriminately spending your
resources can lead to a lifetime of chronic ailments
and unrealized potential. How you spend your
resources is a clear statement of your priorities.
Choose wisely.
In Chinese medicine, the secret to longevity and
extended youthfulness comes from spending your
resources frugally. A key measure of success is
ending the day with as much or more energy than you
started it with. This is accomplished by creating an
appropriate balance of receiving quality nourishment
and moderating output throughout the day.
Acupuncture, when combined with a wholesome diet,
regular exercise, and appropriate sleep can help your
body recover its natural state of vitality. Imagine what
your life would be like if all of your energy was
available to make your greatest potential a reality.
Click below for a link to the original article:
Feel Better By Spending Energy Wisely
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Energy Conservation and Alternative Resources |
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Since we're on the topic of energy conservation, there
are a lot of great resouces to explore. What follows is
a selection of resources to learn
more. Please share these with your friends and, as
Gandi says, "Be the change we want to be in the
world"
Local Resouces:
REAP -
Renewable Energy Alaska Project
What is REAP?
Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) is a
coalition of urban and rural Alaska utilities,
businesses, conservation groups, consumer groups,
and Alaska Native organizations with an interest in
developing Alaska's vast renewable energy
resources. REAP's goal is to increase the production
of renewable energy in Alaska. REAP believes that the
development of those resources will provide
numerous important economic opportunities for the
state.
To reach its goal, REAP has adopted five primary
strategies:
�To advocate for the construction of viable renewable
energy projects proposed for Alaska;
�To help develop and implement policies that will lead
to increased production of renewable energy;
�To build a market for renewable energy in
Alaska;
�To foster and demonstrate stakeholder unity in
support of renewable energy and;
�To promote energy efficiency.
REAP is led by a diverse board of directors and works
with state and federal energy agencies to help bring
the benefits of clean, economic and inexhaustible
renewable power to the citizens of Alaska.
Alaska
Biodiesal and SVO Network
Arctic
Vegwerks - Alaska VegOil Systems
Supporting and encouraging the use of waste
vegetable oil, fish oil
and local sustainably grown oil crops as fuel
Resources from Everywhere:
Hypermiling
What is hypermiling?
According to a a fantastic August 2006 story in the
Washington Post, it is a method of increasing your
car's gas mileage by making skillful changes in the
way you drive, allowing you to save gas and thereby
have an easier time withstanding the rising oil and
gas prices.
The
Garbage Warrior
The film
What do beer cans, car tires and water bottles have in
common? Not much unless you're renegade architect
Michael Reynolds, in which case they are tools of
choice for producing thermal mass and energy-
independent housing. For 30 years New Mexico-
based Reynolds and his green disciples have
devoted their time to advancing the art of "Earthship
Biotecture" by building self-sufficient, off-the-grid
communities where design and function converge in
eco-harmony. However, these experimental structures
that defy state standards create conflict between
Reynolds and the authorities, who are backed by big
business. Frustrated by antiquated legislation,
Reynolds lobbies for the right to create a sustainable
living test site. While politicians hum and ha, Mother
Nature strikes, leaving communities devastated by
tsunamis and hurricanes. Reynolds and his crew
seize the opportunity to lend their pioneering skills to
those who need it most. Shot over three years and in
four countries, Garbage Warrior is a timely portrait of a
determined visionary, a hero of the 21st century.
Earthships
Earthship n. 1. passive solar home made of
natural and recycled materials 2. thermal mass
construction for temperature stabilization. 3.
renewable energy & integrated water systems make
the Earthship an off-grid home with little to no utility
bills.
Biotecture n. 1. the profession of designing
buildings and environments with consideration for
their sustainability. 2. A combination of biology and
architecture.
Earthship 101 Video pt
I
Earthship
Demonstration Video
Lots more videos about Earthships are available on
YouTube
Living Like Ed
A committed environmentalist for more than thirty
years, Ed Begley, Jr., has always tried to "live simply
so others may simply live." Now, as more and more of
us are looking for ways to reduce our impact on the
planet and live a better, greener life, Ed shares his
experiences on what works, what doesn't - and what
will save you money!
From recycling more materials than you ever thought
possible to composting without raising a stink to
buying an electric car, Living Like Ed is packed with
ideas - from obvious to ingenious - that will help you
live green, live responsibly, live, well, Like Ed.
The book is available at Fireside Books in
Downtown
Palmer
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Summer Reading |
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"How Doctors Think" by Jerome
Groopman,
MD.
How Doctors Think is a window into the mind of the
physician and an insightful examination of the all-
important relationship between doctors and their
patients. In this myth-shattering work, Jerome
Groopman explores the forces and thought processes
behind the decisions doctors make. He pinpints why
doctors succeed and why they err. Most important,
Groopman shows when and how doctors can -- with
our help -- avoid snap judgments, embrace
uncertainty, communicate effectively, and deploy other
skills that can profoundly impact our health.
You can read an except from this book at NPR's site:
Excerpt: "How Doctors
Think" from
Morning Edition
Purchase at
Fireside Books
A Great Article on how to be a proactive patient:
Knowlege
is Power - How to Manage Your Doctor by Jordin
Rubin CNC, ND, Founder Garden of Life, Author of
Maker's Diet,
Perfect Weight America & Restoring Your Digestive
Health
*******
"The Body Ecology Diet - Recovering Your Health
and
Rebuilding Your Immunity" by Donna Gates
The
Body
Ecology Diet Website
The Body Ecology Diet shows you how to restore and
maintain the important "inner ecology" your body
needs to function properly and to eliminate or control
the symptoms that rob you of the joy of living.
With the confusing array of supplements, health foods
and fads out in the marketplace today, Body Ecology
offers a back-to-basics approach to restoring health
and vitality. The straightforward necessities we
provide are all geared to one fundamental law of
nature: the fact that our digestive systems are
intimately linked to our immune, endocrine, circulatory
and central nervous systems. Profoundly affecting all
these interlocking systems is an amazing world of
benevolent bacteria: the microscopic "good guys" that
must be present in your intestines for you to be
healthy. Our products are all specifically designed to
help you cultivate, nourish, cleanse and repair this
abundant inner ecosystem (hence the name Body
Ecology).
The Body Ecology system of health and healing is one
whose many facets can take years to master, yet
these basic principles can be easily understood and
followed. They comprise three simple dietary
transitions that can have a profound impact on how
you feel:
�The addition of cultured foods to your diet
�Changing the quality of fats and oils you consume
�Drastically reducing your intake of carbohydrates and
sugars
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Summer FUN - Kid Friendly Hiking with Luann |
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Luann Bower will be offering kid-friendly hikes around
Palmer & Eagle River on Friday afternoons in June.
If you would like to attend, you are responsible for your
own kids and any gear, food or medical supplies
necessary for the length of the hike.
Luann is a trained outdoors person with military
experience. She carries a loaded gun with her on
safety. She will use it only for emergencies as in
encountering a wild animal.
Luann asks that all interested parties please meet up
at her house, regroup, then head out to the
destination for that day.
Hikes will begin around 3pm on Fridays. Starting this
Friday.
Contact Luann at:
HM 745-0483
Cell 841-6250
Directions to Luann's
House
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