🥧🍗🥂 Holiday Digestion Support, More About Megan, End of Year Schedule…
Don’t Put “Feel Good” At The Bottom Of The To-Do-List
This time of year we hear a familiar chorus… “In the new year I’m gonna…eat better, exercise, make time to relax, spend more time with friends, take a break from drinking…” It’s a busy time of year and all too often the things we know help us feel good get pushed to the bottom of the to-do-list. And then we try and make sense of it by aspiring for a fresh start in the new year.
But why wait? Every moment—not just January 1st—is a chance for a fresh start and a chance to make a micro-adjustment to support you feeling more like your best self.
I’ve learned this lesson over and over in my life—you ever notice we’re often learning the same lesson at a deeper level? When we moved up to Sonoma County life was hectic. I was working several jobs and saving up to start this business. I got focused, and to be honest a little gripped, and was putting off doing the things I enjoy that are good for me. I realized I wanted to get back out on my mountain bike because I love being outdoors and I wanted to get more exercise. The only way I could figure out how fit mountain biking into my schedule was to go for a 30 minute ride after work. If you know anything about mountain biking, you know NO ONE goes for a 30 minute ride. I mean it takes more than 30 minutes to gather your gear, get your bike on your car, drive to a spot, put your helmet on…you get the picture. But I decided I was going to do it anyways because I needed to take a stand and do something for my health and my enjoyment and a 30 minute bike ride was better than nothing. And you know what? That spring I rode my bike more than I had in years. I had lots of short rides and lots of fun. Then I found time for longer rides and I was in good enough shape to really enjoy them too.
You don’t have to wait for the new year to do more of the things you already know make you feel great, or make some small adjustments to try on some new habits. Even as the end of year holiday activities ramp up don’t let stress, holiday pressure or overwhelm trick you into believing you should wait for a “better time.” If you don’t think you can find the time, do the thing for a ridiculously short amount of time, because something is better than nothing. And choosing to do it for your wellbeing sets things in motion. Not only does it feel good, but the world needs more people who are in balance and contributing to what they feel called to, in their special way.
Our top micro-adjustments to support balanced holiday eating and drinking are below. You can try them on this week. If you want deeper support for your digestion or something else—family stress, cold achy joints, an immune boost because everyone around you is sick, hormones got you more on edge—we got you. Find an appointment with the online booking system or give us ring. We have some openings this week to get you feeling good for Thanksgiving.
Holiday Eating & Drinking Support
A lot of patients have been telling us that they are deeply enjoying time with family, friends, and community—and looking forward to the end of year holidays. As we enter holiday time it’s good to set ourselves up for success for all the abundance coming our way–gratitude, gifting, celebrations, and especially abundant eating and drinking
Here at Thrive we think one of the benefits of being healthy is that you can consciously choose to indulge here and there, and still come back to balance easily. If you are working on a specific health challenge or goal, now might not be the time to indulge. But if you’re feeling pretty good, moderation of all things, including moderation sometimes, is healthy.
It’s good to be real about where you are at, make conscious decisions for health and pleasure, and then make sure you have support in place so you can come back to balance easily.
If you are going to consciously indulge in that rich holiday meal, treat, cocktail, or desert (or all four) here are 5 tips to support you through celebratory eating:
- 💧 Stay well hydrated. Aim for 80 ounces to 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day. Include some electrolytes or natural salts in there, so all the water doesn’t just flush right through you.
- 🍽 Don’t starve yourself before big meals. Skipping food to save room makes it harder to make good choices and leads to blood sugar spikes. Eat some fat and protein in the meals leading up a to a big meal to help stabilize blood sugar.
- 🫖 Have fresh ginger tea before and after rich meals. Cut a few slices of fresh ginger and simmer it in water for 5 minutes. The fibers from the ginger are especially good for your digestive system so fresh ginger gives you an extra boost of support.
- 💪 Keep moving. Plan some exercise to start the day and you’ll not only feel like you’re starting the day healthy, you’ll also make better choices throughout the day. Exercise is funny that way. The more we exercise, the more we tend to make healthy choices. Invite friends and family to go for a walk after a meal together. No one ever says “I wish I didn’t take that walk after dinner.”
- 🌿💊 Stock up on simple Chinese herbal pills to keep digestion balances. We have 2 favorites: Microgard Micropills or Ease Digestion Pills. They’re incredibly helpful for any kind of digestive upset. Every acupuncturist and herbalist keeps one of these on hand in their medicine cabinet, first aid kit, purse, and car. I always have extra around the holidays and set them out with the drinks, at the end of the buffet, or even on the dining table. My friends and family have learned to do the same.
Option 1: Microgard Micropills
What are they? An herbal pill that treats common holiday digestive imbalances: upset stomach, indigestion, heartburn, overeating, hangover, bloating, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and even food poisoning (hopefully not part of the festivities).
If you’ve been with us for a while, you may remember Curing Pills. We’ve replaced them with Microgard because the herbs are higher quality (imperial grade) and we’ve found them more effective
How can they be good for so many things? Unlike western medications that move digestion in one specific direction, Microgard regulates your digestion back to harmony. Their traditional name translates to Preserve Harmony Pills and modern herbalists joke that they absolve you of your dietary sins.
Here’s how we recommend taking Microgard:
- Prevention (rich food ahead / ate too much): 10-20 Micropills before or after a meal.
- Upset Stomach (something didn’t agree with you): 10-20 Micropills now, 10-20 More every hour for the next 3 hours if needed
- General Digestive Imbalance (off for a few days): 10-20 Micropills 3 Times/Day for a day or two, often right before one of your meals.
10-20 Pills?!?!?! Yes, but they are teeny tiny MICROpills. The vial contains many teeny tiny round micropills, so they are easy to take when digestion is unhappy. To make is easy count out your desired dosage (10 or 20 micropills) in the cap and notice how full it is, and use that as your guide going forward—no need to count each time.
Pro-Tip: Microgard is minimally processed with no preservatives. Store it in a cool, dry place, or refrigerate if you’re not going to use it up within 1-2 months.
Option 2: Ease Digestion Pills
Similar to Micorgard,but in larger, shelf-stable pills that are easier to store and cost a bit less. Microgard is stronger, but if the ease of use and storage requirements prevent you from using it, Ease Digestion is a great choice.
Each dose is 2 pills at a time. So everywhere above that it says the dosage is 10-20 micropills, you instead take 2 pills of Ease Digestion. We have small and large bottles–yup some patients love it so much they buy the large bottle
Stock Up NowWe have Microgard and Ease Digestion Pills in stock. They’re helpful year-round and especially around the end of year celebrations—for you, your family, and guests—to bring you back to digestive harmony. Set them out with the celebratory spread and see who is interested in herbs to support their digestion.
Just tell us you want some and ask us any questions at your next appointment. Or swing on by to pick some up. If you’re coming by without an appointment, it’s best to call or email ahead of time with your ETA to check that we won’t be at lunch or out running an errand.
Clinic Happenings in the Spirit Of Growth and Service
Fun Facts About Megan
Megan’s favorite color is blue.
And she love’s treating pain. She’s super knowledgeable about the body because she was a massage therapist. And she knows first hand how helpful acupuncture is for treating pain. Acupuncture helped get rid of her neck and shoulder tension and headaches, which was particularly impressive because she had back surgery when she was young.
Here’s what Megan says about how massage led her to becoming an acupuncturist so she could help people even more deeply:
“I didn’t set out to stick needles in people to help them feel amazing–this journey started with a great Shiatsu teacher I had in Massage Therapy School. He introduced us to Traditional Chinese Medicine and how powerful Acupressure could be in healing and releasing stuck energy in the body. It sparked my interest in getting Acupuncture and experiencing even deeper effects.
During my first treatment, I felt like I was FLOATING off the table (in a good way!), and I felt like that for days afterward. During a series of acupuncture visits, my health issues—specifically my neck and shoulder tension, tension headaches, and terrible PMS—faded away to the point that I forgot about them. I realized that I had been bottling up painful emotions and stress and storing them in my body. It was such a relief to release them and change that pattern.
I could feel how powerful this medicine was–literally in my whole being–and I decided that I wanted to help people feel as good as I did with acupuncture.”
You can read more about Megan’s background here. And schedule with her here.
Holiday Schedule
- Thanksgiving Week: We’re seeing patients Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday until 2:00, then we’re taking some time off Thursday and Friday, November 27 & 28. We have some openings this week if you’re feeling family stress, aches and pains from all the extra action, or run down from the holiday push.
- End of the Year: We’re here in December through Tuesday Dec 23 until 2:00, then we’re taking 2 weeks off to rest, reflect, and recharge. We have appointments in the new year starting Monday, January 5.
📆 Get on our schedule now, because those times get busy. And people often need extra support around the holidays–hello stress, overwork, digestion, and sleep imbalances. You can book through our online scheduler or get in touch.
🌿 Make sure to stock up on herbs ahead of time so you have everything you need. Sometimes there is a rush on herbs before the end of year break, so it will help us out if you aim to stock up early.
What We’re Treating In The Clinic—Sinuses
This fall so many patients are coming in for help with their sinuses, whether it’s from fall allergies, weather changes, lingering symptoms after being sick, chronic inflammation or environmental sensitivities. Acupuncture and herbs are great at treating sinus symptoms—headaches, congestion, clogged ears, post nasal drip, facial swelling, brain fog, fatigue—and changing the pattern so your sinuses and your immune system can stay in balance.
If you are sick and contagious get in touch so you can get some herbs to take at home, and once you’ve turned the corner and are not contagious anymore, come on in for acupuncture and more herbs to clear out that phlegm and get your energy back.
Then there are those extra smart patients that know they want extra support for their immune system as the seasons change, they have travel plans, or they start to feel stress or overwork wearing them down. A little secret–acupuncture and herbs work best as preventative medicine!
If you want support treating you chronic sinus issues, lingering sinus congestion after a cold, or preventative care, you can make an appointment at our online booking site or get in touch
If you want to be ready with herbs and supplements on hand in case everyone around you is sick, check out our recommendations we’ve been sharing for the past 5+ years called the Golden Window For Treating Viruses–because if you treat viruses preventatively or as soon as you feel symptoms it’s surprisingly effective for preventing a virus from taking hold or reducing symptoms and duration. 👉🔗 You can find the link for the Golden Window For Treating Viruses Handout here: https://thrive-acupuncture.com/the-golden-window-for-treating-viruses/. The handout includes a link to our online pharmacy for the things you can’t get in our clinic. Take a look and let us know if you want help creating a plan that will work for you.
Here’s To Not Putting Off Feeling Good So We Can Enjoy The End of Year Holiday Spirit!
Christina and Team Thrive
P.S. Please share this with anyone you think could benefit from any of this info.
