We have a guest blogger! Rachelle Holmes of Metropolitan MD in Chicago is posting about the link between depression and obesity. In the clinic, I see quite a few people who are dealing with depression as well as weight issues, belly fat, sugar cravings, low energy and lack of motivation. In Chinese medicine, there is a powerful link between strong emotions and digestive health and obesity. Thanks, Rachelle, for covering this topic! Obesity in today’s youth can’t solely be attributed to overeating and lack of exercise.  It’s important to understand that excessive weight gain can be...

Exhaustion, fatigue, no get up and go, chronically tired—no matter how you describe it, many people are just plain pooped out.  Fatigue is a common complaint for many, and it can manifest in a number of different ways.  Some people are so completely exhausted that they have difficulty getting through their day.  Others manage to get things done, but struggle with motivation—everything just seems so hard.  Many people are tired only at certain times—late in the day, after eating, or mid afternoon. In western medicine, fatigue can be caused by anemia, thyroid issues, blood sugar problems, or...

My brother-in-law, Jay is an active guy, but his running and biking were abruptly curtailed this weekend.  While the details still remain a little fuzzy (probably a good thing), Jay fell and broke his ankle in three places.  The break was severe enough to require surgical repair, and months of recovery. Jay is now engaged in a little crutching, a lot of elevating, and waiting while his fractures heal.  This brings me to the topic of today’s post, which is how we heal, or how we help or hinder the natural healing process. More than once, I have treated patients who have had illnesses or injuries,...

I can spot them coming from a mile away.  They walk into my clinic hunched over like they’re 100 years old.  They ease themselves slowly into their chair in the waiting room.  When it’s time to get up, they carefully plant their legs, use their arms, and creep back to their feet.  They move slower then the second crusade getting from the waiting room to the treatment room, and need a fair amount of help and coaxing getting up onto the treatment table.  These are my patients who suffer from acute low back pain. Pain in the lower back is one of the most common problems acupuncturists see in the...

If you’ve ever experienced sciatic pain, you’re on first name terms with that pain that starts in your butt and travels down the back or side of your leg.  This is not just any pain; it can be sharp, electric, and stabbing, and it can be accompanied by numbness and tingling.. My brush with butt pain happened about three days into a week long kayaking trip in the middle of nowhere.  I woke up one morning and tried to walk down to the beach to wash my face, but my leg, or more accurately, my butt wouldn’t cooperate.  I could walk, but just barely, because a nagging pain on the right side of my...