In This Issue (Get QiMail delivered to your inbox )
– Prepare for Allergy Season with Acupuncture
– Foods for Seasonal Allergies
– Colds and Influenza
– Point: Dazhui
– News, Events and Community!

Prepare for Allergy Season with Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been used to treat seasonal allergies for centuries with great success. According to traditional medicine, treatment is directed toward clearing the nasal passages, supporting the immune system and strengthening the systems of the body to prevent allergic reactions from recurring. 

What Are Seasonal Allergies?
Commonly called hay fever or allergic rhinitis, a seasonal allergy is an allergic reaction to a trigger that is typically only present for part of the year, such as spring or fall. Pollens that are spread by the wind are usually the main cause of seasonal allergies. People who are allergic to pollens are also often sensitive to dust mites, animal dander, and molds.

Spring is traditionally the main season when allergies blossom because of new growth on trees and weeds. Fall, which ushers in a whole different set of blooming plants, as well as leaf mold, is a close second. Airborne mold spores can be found almost year round, along with other common allergens such as dust, dust mites, and animal dander.

About 26 million Americans endure chronic seasonal allergies, while the number of people with milder symptoms may be as high as 40 million, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Seasonal allergies are caused by the body’s hypersensitivity to substances in the environment. Symptoms primarily involve the membrane lining the nose, causing allergic rhinitis, or the membrane lining the eyelids and covering the whites of the eyes, causing allergic conjunctivitis.

While there are many Western medications to treat the symptoms of seasonal allergies, these treatments can cause unwanted side effects, such as drowsiness and immune system suppression as well as an over-reliance on medications. These side effects have motivated many people to search for alternative approaches like acupuncture and Oriental medicine to manage their allergies. 

How Acupuncture Treatments Provide Relief from Allergies
According to Oriental Medicine, allergic rhinitis is related to Wind and a deficiency of the Protective Wei Qi. Wei Qi is the Qi, or energy, that flows at the surface of the body as a protective sheath and is responsible for resistance to colds and other respiratory infections. People with a deficiency of Wei Qi catch colds easily and are more susceptible to allergens.

When treating with acupuncture, underlying imbalances within the body are addressed and a treatment plan is developed to relieve the acute symptoms of allergic rhinitis while also treating the root problems that are contributing to the body’s reaction to allergens. Treatments often include dietary modification, the use of specifically chosen herbal formulas, and acupuncture.

Seasonal acupuncture treatments just four times a year also serve to tonify the inner organ systems and can correct minor annoyances before they become serious problems. If you experience seasonal allergies, now is the time to schedule an appointment. Call for a consultation today!

Foods for Seasonal Allergies
Ginger: Ginger is a natural antihistamine and decongestant. It may provide some relief from allergy symptoms by dilating constricted bronchial tubes.

Apples: Some foods contain the flavonoid quercetin that can cross-react with tree pollen. Quercetin can reduce allergic reactions by having an antihistamine effect. It also decreases inflammation. Quercetin occurs naturally in certain foods, such as apples (with the skin on), berries, red grapes, red onions, capers, and black tea.

Carrots: Carotenoids are a family of plant pigments that include beta-carotene. A lack of carotenoids in the diet is thought to promote inflammation in your airways. Good sources of carotenoids include apricots, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach, kale, butternut squash, and collard greens.

Omega-3: Omega-3 essential fatty acids can counter the formation of chemicals that cause inflammation of the air passages. Good natural sources include flaxseed oil and salmon.

Yogurt: Food sensitivities seem to be connected with seasonal allergies. In a study conducted at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, patients who were fed 18 to 24 ounces of yogurt a day experienced a decline in their environmental allergic symptoms by 90 percent.

Fiber: A healthy and active colon can decrease food sensitivity, which, in turn, can lighten the burden on your immune system and may reduce the impact of seasonal allergies. For maximum colon health, increase the fiber in your diet.

Colds and Influenza
This year there will be 1 billion colds and 95 million cases of influenza in the United States alone. While the misery of colds and flu might be inevitable, one thing is changing: where we look for relief.

Get Better Faster
If you have already come down with a cold or the flu, acupuncture treatments can help relieve symptoms you are currently experiencing including chills, fever, body aches, runny nose, congestion, sore throat and cough. While bringing some immediate relief, treatments will reduce the incidence of an upper respiratory tract infection and shorten the length of the illness. 

Prevention
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can prevent colds and flu by strengthening the immune system with just a few needles inserted into key points along the body’s energy pathways.

If you catch colds easily, have low energy and require a long time to recuperate from an illness your wei qi may be deficient. 

Call today to see how Acupuncture can help you!

Point: Dazhui
One particularly important point for supporting the Wei Qi is Dazhui, or Du 14. Translated as “Great Vertebra” in English, it is located below the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebrae, approximately where the collar of a T-shirt sits on the neck.

Du 14 activates the circulation of blood and Qi to strengthen the outer defense layers of the skin and muscle (wei qi) so that germs and viruses cannot enter through them.

This point is often used to ward off, as well as shorten, the duration colds and flu.

News, Events and Community!

NEWS
A special request: John has been nominated for the SF Bay Area “A List” – Your help and support is requested, please vote at http://ctvr.us/alameda7
(We are currently in 2nd place, there are a few days left to vote. Thanks everyone, your votes and comments are delightful!)

– You can schedule up to three months in advance http://www.appointmentquest.com/provider/2120071333 or call (510) 814-6900

– Shang Han Lun Mondays Low Cost & Drop-In Mondays from 1-4pm, want details – listen to the Balancing Point Podcast episode 1/9/12.

– We are open on Saturdays for drop-in appointments from 10-2.

– Please join our Facebook community http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alameda-Acupuncture-Dr-John-Nieters-LAc/126245057390177

EVENTS
March
What: 83rd Annual Chinese Medicine Day
Time: 3/18/2012 6:00-6:30pm
Where: 631 Grant Avenue, SF CA
Cost: $25 (415) 982-3245

What: ACCHS Spring Open House
Time: 3/17/12 2:00-5:00 pm
Where: 1601 Clay Street, Oakland, CA
Cost: FREE
If you have been thinking about a career change and want to learn about becoming an acupuncturist come to this event.

COMMUNITY
Thank you Desiree for your kind review of your experience in our clinic on yelp.com “Dr. Nieters is a nice guy and he treats every patient with respect and really cares for them. His clinic is nice and relaxing this is the place to come if you are sick or need help. Dr. Nieters has helped me through my back injury and helped me to get better. Def go see him and his staff you won’t regret it.”
Thank you again Desiree. This medicine is AMAZING!

In This Issue (Get QiMail delivered to your inbox )
– Nurture Your Cardiovascular Health
– Acupuncture for Cholesterol Management
– Heart Healthy Foods
– -News, Events and Community!

Nurture Your Cardiovascular Health
The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels and is responsible for carrying nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and removing carbon dioxide and other waste from them. Diseases affecting the cardiovascular system include arteriosclerosis, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, hypertension, orthostatic hypotension, shock, endocarditis, diseases of the aorta and its branches, disorders of the peripheral vascular system, and congenital heart disease. February is the American Heart Association’s Heart Health Awareness Month, emphasizing the importance of cardiovascular health and the dangers of cardiovascular disease. 

Cardiovascular disease is the leading health threat with heart disease and stroke topping the list of the first and second leading causes of death worldwide. One out of every two men and one out of every three women will develop heart disease sometime in their life. Despite dramatic medical advances over the past fifty years, heart disease remains a leading cause of death globally and the number one cause of death in the United States. Cardiovascular disease is not just a man’s disease, in women, the condition is responsible for about 29% of deaths, reports the CDC. Although more men die of heart disease than women, females tend to be under diagnosed, often to the point that it’s too late to help them once the condition is discovered. 

By integrating acupuncture and Oriental medicine into your heart healthy lifestyle, you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 80%. Steps to prevention include managing high blood pressure and cholesterol, quitting smoking, eating healthy, maintaining a healthy weight, physical activity, reducing stress and improved sleep – all of which can be helped with acupuncture and Oriental medicine. 

5 Steps to a Healthy Heart with Acupuncture

1. Manage High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure makes the heart work harder, increasing its oxygen demands and contributing to angina. This excessive pressure can lead to an enlarged heart (cardiomegaly), as well as damage to blood vessels in the kidneys and brain. It increases the risk of heart attacks, stroke and kidney disease.

Acupuncture has been found to be particularly helpful in lowering blood pressure. By applying acupuncture needles at specific sites along the wrist, inside the forearm or in the leg, researchers at the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, were able to stimulate the release of opioids, which decreases the heart’s activity and thus its need for oxygen. This, in turn, lowers blood pressure.

2. Quit Smoking
Most people associate cigarette smoking with breathing problems and lung cancer. But did you know that smoking is also a major cause of coronary artery disease? In fact, about 20% of all deaths from heart disease are directly related to cigarette smoking.

Acupuncture has shown to be an effective treatment for smoking. Acupuncture treatments for smoking cessation focus on jitters, cravings, irritability, and restlessness – symptoms that people commonly complain about when they quit. It also aids in relaxation and detoxification.

3. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Obesity is associated with diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease, all of which increase the risk of developing heart disease, but studies have shown that excess body weight itself (and not just the associated medical conditions) can also lead to heart failure. Even if you are entirely healthy otherwise, being overweight still places you at a greater risk of developing heart failure.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine are an excellent adjunctive tool when it comes to losing weight. They can help to energize the body, maximize the absorption of nutrients, regulate elimination, control overeating, suppress the appetite, and reduce anxiety.

4. Reduce Stress
Stress is a normal part of life, but if left unmanaged, stress can lead to emotional, psychological, and even physical problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pains, or irregular heart beats. Medical researchers aren’t exactly sure how stress increases the risk of heart disease. Stress itself might be a risk factor, or it could be that high levels of stress make other risk factors worse. For example, if you are under stress, your blood pressure goes up, you may overeat, you may exercise less, and you may be more likely to smoke.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the substantial benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of stress, anxiety and mental health. In addition to acupuncture, Oriental medicine offers a whole gamut of tools and techniques that can be integrated into your life to keep stress in check. These tools include Tui Na, Qi Gong exercises, herbal medicine, dietary therapy, meditations and acupressure that you can administer at home.

5. Improve Sleep
Poor sleep has been linked with high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart failure, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. Researchers have shown that getting at least eight hours of sleep is needed for good heart health and getting less than eight hours of sleep can put you at a greater risk for developing heart disease.

Acupuncture has shown great success treating a wide array of sleep problems without any of the side effects of prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids. The acupuncture treatments for problems sleeping focus on the root disharmony within the body that is causing the insomnia. Therefore, those who use acupuncture for insomnia achieve not only better sleep, but also an overall improvement of physical and mental health.

Come in for a consultation during Heart Health Awareness Month to see how acupuncture and Oriental medicine can assist you with your heart health and help you to live a long, healthy life.

Acupuncture for Cholesterol Management
It’s important to have your blood cholesterol levels checked since you can have high cholesterol and not realize it. Most of the 65 million Americans with high cholesterol have no symptoms. All adults age 20 and older should have their cholesterol levels checked at least once every five years. If you have elevated cholesterol, you’ll need to have it tested more often.

Research has clearly shown that lowering cholesterol can reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Whether you have heart disease already or want to prevent it, you can reduce your risk for having a heart attack by lowering your cholesterol level.

According to the American Heart Association, exercise and a healthy balanced diet low in cholesterol and saturated fats is important to lowering risk and improving your cardiovascular health. Speak to your health care providers to make sure your cholesterol is being monitored and find out how acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help you stay healthy.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can be used to treat many of the health conditions known to drastically increase the risk of heart disease and high cholesterol including smoking, high blood pressure, excess weight, and diabetes. 

Excess weight tends to increase your low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, raise triglycerides, a fatty substance in the blood and in food, and lowers your high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. Regular physical activity can help you lose weight and raise HDL, lower triglycerides, and lower LDL. 

Call today to see how Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help you with your cholesterol management goals!

Heart Healthy Foods
Having a healthy diet is one of the best ways to support your cardiovascular health and prevent heart disease. 

Here are some suggested foods which will support your heart healthy lifestyle:

Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables such as kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, radish, turnips, and cabbages are a gold mine of antioxidants and other heart-saving phytochemicals. Make sure that cruciferous vegetables are part of your heart health diet every day.

Fish
Fatty fish such as salmon and anchovies are loaded with the omega-3 fatty acids that will help your heart maintain a steady rhythm. Having a serving of fish a week could reduce your risk of death from a heart attack by 52%.

Flaxseed
Flaxseed is one of the most potent sources of heart health-promoting omega-3 fats. Studies indicate that adding flaxseed to your diet can reduce the development of heart disease by 46% while helping keep red blood cells from clumping together and forming clots that can block arteries. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of flax-seed a day on your cereal or salad.


Oranges contain folic acid that helps lower levels of homocysteine, a heart attack risk factor. 

Grapes are loaded with flavonoids and resveratrol, both potent antioxidants that may discourage red blood cells from clumping together and forming an artery-blocking clot. 

Pomegranates are chock-full of potassium and polyphenols, which promote heart health and have been shown to help lower cholesterol. The latest studies are showing that the juice limits the genetic tendency toward hardening of the arteries.

Garlic
Just one clove a day, or 300 mg three times daily, reduces the risk of heart attack at least three ways: It discourages red blood cells from sticking together and blocking your arteries, it reduces arterial damage, and it discourages cholesterol from lining the arteries and making them so narrow that blockages are likely.

Green Tea
Green tea contains several powerful antioxidants that reduce bad cholesterol and boost good cholesterol, improving an individuals overall cholesterol profile. Drinking green tea also seems to enhance cardiovascular health by improving the consistency of platelets in the blood and may even lower blood pressure.

Nuts
Studies have found that those who eat more than 5 oz of nuts a week are one-third less likely to have either heart disease or a heart attack. Just don’t overdo it as nuts can pile on the pounds.

Red Wine
Scientific studies overwhelmingly show that a daily glass of wine can reduce your risk of a heart attack. Both plant compounds called saponins and antioxidants in the “fruit of the vine” work to protect arteries. Researchers have found that red is much more effective than white for improving heart health.

News, Events and Community!

NEWS
A special request: John has been nominated for the SF Bay Area “A List” – Your help and support is requested, please vote at ctvr.us/alameda7
– You can schedule up to three months in advance http://www.appointmentquest.com/provider/2120071333 or call (510) 814-6900
– Shang Han Lun Mondays Low Cost & Drop-In Mondays from 1-4pm, want details – listen to the Balancing Point Podcast episode 1/9/12.
– We are open on Saturdays for drop-in appointments from 10-2.
– Please join our Facebook community http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alameda-Acupuncture-Dr-John-Nieters-LAc/126245057390177

EVENTS
February:
What: UC Berkeley Integrative Medicine: Traditional Chinese Medicine
Time: 2/27/12 7-9pm
Where: , UC Berkeley, Chan Shun Auditorium, 2050 Valley Life Sciences Building
Cost: FREE
Dr. John Nieters, L.Ac. DAOM will present an overview of Traditional Chinese Medicine including philosophy, modalities and practical applications. The public is welcome to attend this event for FREE.

UC Berkeley Integrative Medicine: This class is a survey course on a diversity of healing sciences, and medical practices.
March
What: 83rd Annual Chinese Medicine Day
Time: 3/18/2012 6:00-6:30pm
Where: 631 Grant Avenue, SF CA
Cost: $25 (415) 982-3245
We hope to see you there.

COMMUNITY
Thank you Lariann in Oakland for your beautiful review of your experience of our clinic on yelp.com “I have been a regular patient of John Nieters for over a year now and have to admit he has helped save my life. John and his staff have helped give me the tools to bring more awareness to my own mind and body. Ultimately giving me more control over my own health. When I first started seeing John, I was suffering from such great fatigue, amongst other issues, that it took me four to six hours before I could leave the office after treatments. At work, I was forced down to part-time and I was so frustrated with western medicine and financially drained that I could barely breath. I signed up for credit cards just so I could keep from drowning. No matter how low or frustrated I was, I always felt love, warmth and compassion from this clinic. I even called the office in tears a few times and the front staff happily talked me through my difficulties.
I am now only seeing John once a month and all of my symptoms are under control. My energy is back to normal most days, it is no longer painfully impossible to eat, my blood sugar doesn’t crash out every few hours and I can once again remember simple tasks. I now truly understand how it’s ultimately up to me to care and be aware of my own health but it’s good to know I have a great resource on my side when nothing else is working.”

Thank you again Lariann. This is why we love our work!