September 2, 2020 The end of Summer is usually a time of transition. No more lazy Summer days! But during these Pandemic times, there is no structure to get back to. Our new normal is strange and there is an anti-climactic dread about this time of year that has bred a new strain of the "End of Summer Blues".
Perhaps we can take this opportunity to reset priorities?
1. GET ORGANIZED! I know this sounds daunting, but you do not have to reorganize your entire house in 1 day. Set an alarm for 1 hour and just take some simple initial steps in a small area. You will be surprised how quickly that hour blows by and how inspired you will be to come back the next day for 1 more hour of organizing. Before you know it, your house will be a better reflection of yourself.
2. TWEAK YOUR EATING HABITS! Notice how I did NOT say the dreaded word "diet". Small tweaks to your daily eating routine can add up to a lot of healthy benefits. Instead of cow's milk in your morning coffee, try oat milk. Or, instead of sugar in your beverage, try some monk fruit or honey. Instead of reaching for a cracker and cheese, try a carrot dipped in hummus. LITTLE changes to your diet can make a 1 pound a month difference. In a year that can add up to 12 pounds.
3. GET UP! You do not have to train for a marathon, take a 2 hour hot yoga class, or climb a mountain. But you do need to get up and exercise for at least 10 minutes a day. Do you know that your lymphatic system needs to be drained by movement much like how a Swiss watch needs to be wound every day? Yes. So just get up and simply walk around the block a few times a day. Set your alarm for 10 minutes and simply WALK with purpose. Notice the wind on your face, smell the air through your mask, lubricate your joints and MOVE!
4. LIMIT YOUR AIR TIME! The world can seem overwhelming right now. You cannot control a lot of what is going on in the world so try not to overdose on the news and negativity. Watch something frivolous or read a book. It's exhausting and unhealthy to over-worry. Give your brain a break.
5. TREAT YOURSELF! Melt some organic dark chocolate, dip in some bananas, and freeze. Or, indulge in 1 really good cup of coffee a day. Moderation is everything. But you DO need to treat yourself once in a while. If it's not an edible treat, then drive yourself out to the beach and jump in. Splurge on a bouquet of flowers or spritz on a favorite scent to lift your spirit. Your olfactory senses are the most powerful sense and can transform your mood instantly.
6. SAY NICE THINGS TO YOURSELF! The endless negative tape that goes on and on in your head is destructive and you need break. You are doing your best in these tough times and need to be kind to yourself. Create a mantra that is soothing – a lot of my patients like this one, "I am safe, I am loved, I am exactly where I am supposed to be." Now sit in a quite space, set a timer for 15-20 minutes, and just BE!
7. SCHEDULE THOSE YEARLY DR. VISITS! Eastern Medicine is fantastic! But every year you MUST get a well visit from an M.D. – OB/GYN, Internist, or General Practitioner. And if you are over 50 you need a yearly mammogram, ECG, and it may be time for that colonoscopy! Take the steps necessary to ensure you live a long and healthy life.
8. PREVENTATIVE HEALTH! Once weekly or monthly Acupuncture visits are a powerful tool to stay healthy and happy. You think Acupuncture is too expensive? Do the math! It saves you money over time, leads to a happier day to day, and improves your quality of life drastically.
August 12, 2020 Based on this systematic review and meta-analysis performed by Arthur Yin Fan and the Research Group for Evidence-based Chinese Medicine, it is clear that adding CHM to standard care improves the symptoms and signs of COVID-19 patients, decreases the inflammation markerCRP level and accelerates absorption of lung infection lesions. Evi-dence from some studies even suggests that CHM as a co-therapymay even lower the fatality rate. CHM has been recommended andincluded in the interim guidelines for the treatment of COVID-19by the Chinese officials as Chinese medicine is on the mainstreamhealth care system in China. For those countries where CHM hasnot been regulated or approved as one kind of medicine or therapy,the above CHMs should be used in conjunction with conventionalmedical care for patients with COVID-19
Read the full study!
February 27, 2019 
Does this sound familiar.... slow metabolism, night sweats, anxiety/depression, brain fog, dry skin, low libido, thinning vaginal tissue with painful intercourse, dribbling urine, thinning hair…..
These are the symptoms of the great pause - Menopause! In ancient societies menopausal women were considered sages. The word “crone” actually referred to a wise woman who had magical qualities and supernatural abilities.
Mend is here to help you re-claim ownership of the real “C” word and be a righteous Crone!
Mend is now offering the “Mend-the-Pause” Program to help you transition from childbearing years to the rightious crone years.
Our “Mend-the-Pause” Monthly Program Includes:
• 2 Acupuncture Treatments (45 minutes each): Constitutional Acupuncture, Neck Lymphatic Drainage Massage, and Infrared Light Treatment;
• 1 Nutritional Consult
• Topical Bi-Est cream – (Contains USP Progesterone, USP Estriol and USP Estradiol (plant-derived from yam)
• Vaginal Hydration Ovals – (Contains 1mg of Estriol per oval suppository)
• Great Yin Formula – (Anxiety and Nervousness, Hot Flashes, Night Sweats, and Yin deficiency)
Mend Package Price = $300
Retail Value = $460
Mend also offers these add-on Meno-Pause Support products:
The "Personal V-Tens Kit" - $85
Vaginal E-Stim uses electronically stimulated Kegels to help tone pelvic floor muscles which in turn can enhance sexual pleasure, curb urinary incontinence and indirectly decrease pain in the lower back, knees, and thighs.
The V-Fit + Intimate Wellness Device - $495
The vFit+ is a non-invasive intimate wellness device that uses a combination of LED, gentle heat, and sonic wave technology to help increase sensation, tone pelvic wall, and improve quality of life, all from the privacy of your home.
Contact Mend today to book your "Mend-the-Pause" session.
For further reading on Menopause and HRT supplementation click here.
January 11, 2019 It is simply part of our biology that we eat differently each season. The cooler air, less daylight hours, holiday parties, and less physical activity all have a significant effect on what and how much we eat.
Even though it is 2019, biologically we are programmed to fatten up to survive the elements, the way many other animals do.
Did you know that Winter actually makes you hungrier? Seasonal changes affects many hormones related to hunger and appetite - glucocorticoids, ghrelin, serotonin, and leptin - causing hunger, depression, a slower metabolism, and weight gain. So you are not only hungrier, but you crave carb heavy comfort foods. It's a lose/lose - or rather a gain/gain!
There is no need to suffer, however. Satisfy body and mind and eat stomach warming comfort foods that fill the void in your belly and heart.
Soup - A great way to get more fiber since you can toss just about anything into a soup pot — greens, beans, lentils, whole grains, and veggies. Add in some chicken, pork, lean beef, or fish for your daily dose of protein.
Citrus - They aren't just for Summer! We live in California where fresh fruits are in supply even in Winter. Sautéed or tossed in with lightly steamed winter greens, Swiss chard, chicory, or kale are a lovely pick me up in winter.
Veggies - Vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and winter squashes are incredibly good for you, and are great for roasting and throwing on top of some pasta, polenta, or simply as a side dish. Simply toss them with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and stick them in the oven or broiler until they start to brown.
Salmon - It is vital in winter to up your intake of vitamin D due to limited daylight hours, the change in the wavelength of the sun’s rays, and less time outdoors. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in maintaining mood. Salmon, which is a delicious and super healthy source of Vitamin D, also is rich in omega-3 fatty acids - another mood booster!
If you’re going to give in to a craving — and let's just agree you occasionally should give in — make healthful swaps. If you’re dying for a bowl of pasta and cheese, switch out regular enriched pasta for yam or zucchini noodles and add a few steamed vegetables for fiber.
And if you are dying for something sweet, go for a steaming mug of dark chocolate. Rich in flavanols, dark chocolate helps reduce the risk of heart disease, raises levels of healthy cholesterol, and is a delicious mood booster. Check out this link for some healthy brands of dark chocolate... https://healthyeater.com/dark-chocolate-best-and-worst.
January 11, 2019 Welcome 2019
The Year of the Earth Pig
And a year of fortune and luck!
Although it is not yet the Chinese New Year, we need all the encouragement we can get! So, despite the current state of the stock market, let's revel in the prospect that this new Pig year represents FORTUNE and LUCK! Mend wishes you all of these for 2019 and MUCH more.
January 24, 2018 Welcome to 2018
The Year of Life, Earth and the Dog!
Did you know that the number 18 is a spiritual number in Judaism? The word "Chai' translated from Hebrew to English means "Life." Within the Jewish faith, "Chai" possesses both numerical and symbolic meaning. The Hebrew word consists of two (2) letters in the alphabet: Chet (ח) and Yud (י). Together these letters form "Chai" – "LIFE"!
And according to the Chinese Zodiac, 2018 is the year of the Dog! Chinese New Year in 2018 is on Friday, the 16th of February and ends on February 4, 2019. In Chinese astrology each zodiac year (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig) is not just associated with an animal sign, but also with one of the five elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earh. 2018 is the element of Earth – so 2018 is an Earth Dog Year.
Whatever your beliefs are, Mend Family Acupuncture and Healthcare wishes you JOY, HEALTH, and PROSPERITY in this year of the Brown Earth Dog! Be kind to yourself and trust that the world is filled with love.
September 6, 2017 by Stacy Lauren-Kon, LAc, MSOMDid you know that there are actually 5 Seasons in Chinese Medicine. Late Summer begins at the end of August and runs to the first day of Fall. It is the Season of Earth.
Each Season in Chinese Medicine belongs to one of the 5 Elements – Earth (Late Summer), Metal (Fall), Water (Winter), Wood (Spring), and Fire (Summer). Earth being Late Spring, it is the Season of heat, fullness, full growth, bringing life down to a slower pace, and preparing for Metal (Fall). It is time to transition from Yang to Yin energy and turn inward to the coolness of Fall and Winter.
Each Element not only corresponds to a certain season, but also corresponds to a certain organ or energy system within the body. Earth (Late Summer) is the season associated with the stomach, spleen, and pancreas. Earth (Late Summer) also governs the muscles and is related to the mouth.
Here are some other characteristics of Earth – Color: Yellow, Nature: Yang to Yin, Organ: Stomach/Spleen, Emotion: Worry/Pensive, Taste: Sweet, Body Condition: Damp.
This is a brief season and is one of transition and relaxation. The crazy days of Summer are gone and we are now shoring up our energy sources for the cold to come. Your may be feeling more fatigued than a few weeks ago. This low energy is the effect of the exertion, full energy and emotional stress of Summer (Fire).
So these are the days to do whatever puts a smile on your face and reduces your stress level! Make sure you get lots of rest, gentle exercise, and please eat healthy foods to shore up your energy for the months to come.
Best and be well,
Stacy Lauren-Kon LAc MSOM
Mend Family Acupuncture and Healthcare
