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Learn the Basics of Acupressure )
FREE Class at Alaska Center for Acupuncture June 2008
Acupressure Workshop
  • Energy Conservation in Your Body
  • Energy Conservation and Alternative Resources
  • Summer Reading
  • Summer FUN - Kid Friendly Hiking with Luann
  • 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

    Acupuncture Doll

    Energy Conservation in Your Body
    hammock

    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

    Energy Conservation and Alternative Resources
    windfarm

    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

    Summer Reading
    Summer Reading














    "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

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    "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

    Summer FUN - Kid Friendly Hiking with Luann
    kids outdoors

    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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