Complementary and integrative approaches

SAB,

I just completed 10 sessions of acupuncture. I think it helped to regain my lost energy from treatment. After a couple of treatments I felt very tired and when I googled se's of acupuncture, this is one of the se's. In fact, symptoms can worsen prior to improving.  Towards the end of my 10 weeks sessions, I noticed a huge improvement.

My acupuncturist said to wait a month to see if my energy level goes down and perhaps then do the occasional session. But so far I am feeling great.

PS, I walk the golf course, (no power cart) and sometimes I carry my clubs on my back, if the weather is not too hot. Oh, and two weeks ago, I played 6 games consecutively without feeling exhausted.

Painterly, No wonder you drive over 230! I don't know anyone locally who uses acupuncture.  What do you think the top few questions are that you should ask a practitioner before letting them skewer you?

SAB,

We met an acupunturist while on vacation and she advised us to look for an acupunturist who

• belongs to the association of acupunturists.
• Studied several years in the field and has not just done "a crash course"
• does not do acupunture as an "add on" to their other profession. i.e.  acupunture is their field of expertise. 

As far as point no. 1 goes....my daughter lives in London, England and I want her to go to an acupunturist for her cramps and migraines, but over there, acupunturists do not have to belong to an association,  there is no regulation, so you don't know who you are getting.

Pinkbutterfly - hopping on here regarding your yoga question.  My kids have a Wii and I bought Wii Fit Plus with a balance board for it.  TONS of yoga and it can tell if you're doing it right or wrong since you're holding the remote and/or on the board!  I love it!  I don't know if it's an option for you, but WIi's are fairly reasonable right now, especially the refurbished ones from Gamestop -- as are the balance boards and it would be a long term investment.  It's divided into yoga, strength training, balance and aerobics.  You can "go running" and it clocks your pace, you can play games such as hula hooping, etc.  It's a lot of fun.  then you can add exercises you like to your "daily routine" -- yoga, etc.

When you want, it will measure your weight and balance on the board.  It's fun!

Funny ,as I'm reading this thread I'm having a artisan lettuce salad, apples, pineapples, almonds with lemon and olive oil.    Not a day goes by without my salad!

About the spinach and Popeye - yup, spinach was hailed as a super food in the 1920's and 30's!  Even Shirley Temple had a movie song called "You Gotta Eat Your Spinach, Baby".    It was recognized for its high iron and vitamin content especially for children.

I like it combined with other lettuces; this year I grew collard greens which are sort of like spinach.  Now that the garden is pretty much gone, I"m daily juicing what's left of the kale along with dandelion greens picked from all over my property (easy, free - and if you use no pesticides, it's a great source of nutrition!)  Dandelion greens are super rich in everything, but they are bitter, so not everyone can stomach the juice.   

I made this spinach pesto with walnuts over whole wheat pasta yesterday. Best thing I've had in a long time! My family even abandoned their (white) spaghetti in favor of this. Thanks for the inspiration.

What else are you ladies hiding up your sleeve?

It's fascinating how complementary treatments are becoming more mainstream.

As a yoga teacher, I'm starting to see yoga incorporated into the hospital setting for breast cancer treatment and other forms of cancer.  I don't teach in hospitals  but am interested in the mind-body connection and the outcomes associated with yoga as a complementary treatment.  Of course, we still need to evaluate the response to any treatment according to the individual patient just as we do (on a less serious level) during yoga class with adjustments to students.  As they say in yoga..."begin where you are today".

I'm honored to share and grateful to gain knowledge in this community.

Namaste

pinkbutterfly first I have heard do you have a link to what you read?

Sherryc: turmeric is listed here as beneficial when taking Taxol (chemo), but patients are discouraged from taking curcumin supplements: http://foodforbreastcancer.com/articles/what-should-breast-cancer-patients-eat-during-taxol-(paclitaxel)-chemotherapy?

that appears to find harmony with what you found at that link, if i'm not mistaken?