The Rhythm of the Season

We hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday and found some ways to celebrate and recharge that fed your soul. We’re in the clinic for just 2.5 more weeks through Dec 23, treating all the smart patients who come in to keep healthy and sane for the holidays and end of year transition.

Here’s our popular Holiday Healthy Gift Guide, with a few updates. Take a look and see if you find anything you want to gift to loved ones, or yourself.

And we want to welcome Alisa to the front desk team, let you know what we’re treating in the clinic lately (curious minds want to know), and fill you in on our December and New Year schedule–so you can plan when you’re gonna come in and be one of those smart, healthy, grounded patients now and in the new year.

We invite you to make some time to take care of yourself, whether it’s in our clinic or by simply carving out some time to quiet your mind in your favorite way. It’s the rhythm of the season–quiet, slow, dark, reflection, hibernation–and it’s important make some time for recharging in between the busyness so that you have the energy and inspiration for the fresh start of the new year.

Holiday Healthy Gift Guide

Give The Gift of Health to Loved Ones & The Gift of Sanity to Yourself

Don’t stress about gift giving! Gifts are supposed to be about appreciation, celebration, and fun after all. We’re here through Tuesday, December 23 so you can pick up a gift of health for your loved ones plus give yourself the gift of sanity, all while supporting a small business❣️

You might ask: “A gift of health, how is that fun?!”

We think it’s fun being healthy, having less pain, and feeling more calm so we can be present and enjoy our lives.  And it’s fun sharing the lesser known natural remedies that actually work!

Here’s 9 healthy gifts that are favorites among patients and staff:

1. 🎁 Gift Certificates: The gift of health is the gift that keeps on giving, for the recipient, and all the others in their life. You can suggest this as a gift for YOU, or give the gift of stress relief and a nap. Or pain relief, digestion support, hormone balancing, immune support… ok you get the picture. We’re a holistic clinic that treats the whole body so we treat all kinds of acute and chronic health issues. A lot of times people don’t know Acupuncture or Chinese Herbal Medicine are options. We’d love to show them how it can help them. We’ve been seeing more and more patients who come in just for our custom herbal medicine, so even if your loved one doesn’t want to try acupuncture, we can help them. Let us know what you want to cover with your gift certificate, and we’ll help you choose an amount.
2. 🦴 Evil Bone Water Liniment: A super-premium liniment that’s good to put on anything that is painful and needs to heal: injuries, joint pain, muscle pain, broken bones, sprains, cuts, insect bites. We have fun 2 oz bottles in blue, black, or frosted glass that make great gifts. They only make the small bottles in a limited run once or twice a year so they are only available while supplies last, but you can refill them from the regular 4 oz bottles–because we know you’re gonna love it. PS – there are no bones or evil in the formula. The Chinese name translates as Rectify Sick Bones Water (aka So Good It Can Heal Your Broken Bones), but the acupuncturist/herbalist making it in Florida has a good sense of humor.
3. 🌿 Rapid Pain Relief Balm: High quality herbs and oils in natural skin-nourishing butters to quickly treat muscle pain, headaches, injuries, bruises, post-workout pain, menstrual pain, and more. We love that this balm doesn’t have any menthol or mint, which is unusual for a fast-acting topical treatment for pain relief. Plus the owner has sensitive skin, and makes it so clean you could practically eat it. We have regular and sample sized jars for sale.
4. 🙊 Traumeel: Who do you know that can’t handle strong smells? Or they work somewhere they need to keep their smells to a minimum? Then Traumeel is the pain cream for them! It’s best known to treat bruises, inflammation, and muscle pain from sprains, strains, and sports injuries. But people say it also helps with all kinds of chronic pain, joint pain, back pain, soft tissue healing, edema, and more. Acupuncturists love it because it has arnica which is an herb that moves circulation and we’re big fans of moving circulation to support healing. In Chinese Medicine there is a saying that translates as “If there is no free flow, there is pain. If there is free flow, there is no pain.” It’s even more clever sounding in Chinese because the word for flow and pain is the same word tong, but with different accents: Bù tōng zé tòng, tōng zé bù tòng. In 2015 there was a supply chain disruption and we couldn’t get it in the US for 8 years. Several patients with chronic pain were so upset they were crying because it was the one cream that really worked for them. Then in 2023 our distributor was able to get it direct from the manufacturer in Germany. Like most natural products from Europe, it’s super high quality, clean, effective, and feels luxurious to put on.
5. ❄️Taiwan Pain Patches: That’s what we affectionately call them because that’s easier for most of us to say than Shuenn-An Yan Ji Huo Jin Tou Gu Gao Yao Jiao Bu (External Pain Relieving Medicated Patch). Patients and staff love these pain relieving patches. They have strong menthol that brings quick relief and herbs that promote healing for inflammation, circulation, muscle, bone, and joint injuries. They are better than the usual minty pain patch you get at the grocery store because of the herbs in there that promote healing. So you feel good when they are on, and after you take them off. They are a permanent fixture in my herbal first aid kit. One time at an acupuncture class my friend and colleague was having menstrual cramps so I gave her a patch. After a bit her cramps were gone, so she took it off and put it on her sore shoulder. Her shoulder started feeling better, so she moved it to her knee. When her knee was feeling better she turned to me and said “Why don’t I have these in my bag?”
6. 🦶 Herbal Medicinal Foot Soaks: Wild-crafted and small-farm cultivated herbs make up these effective and relaxing foot soaks. They help with inflammatory pain, promote circulation, support the immune system & metabolism, and are super calming to the nervous system. It may be surprising to hear that medicinal foot soaks treat the whole body because there are thousands of capillaries in the feet which serve as highways to the rest of the body.
7. 🧴 Emily’s Skin Soothers: Natural and effective skin care powered by herbs to treat dry skin, chapped and cracked hands and feet, burns, eczema, psoriasis, and any other irritated, red, rough or flaking skin. The original formula was created by an acupuncturist/herbalist for his baby who had eczema, so the whole line is free from anything synthetic and great for sensitive skin. This is the balm that got us through the extreme amounts of hand washing at the start of the pandemic and still keeps our hands smooth. Let us know what skin condition you want to treat and we can help you choose the best formula. We have regular and sample size jars for sale.
8. 🐝 Immune Throat Spray: Soothe and treat the throat with this tasty spray that’s antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and immunomodulatory. This is the most fun way to support your immune system! Great for people who travel, give talks, sing, or otherwise find their throat dry and sensitive, as well as those who want to prevent and treat colds, flus, and sore throats.
9. 📘 Do You Want To Know A Secret Book: A little book of resilience and clarity, whatever your age. Everyone who picks up this little children’s book with a big message gets a smile on their face. Some even get tears of joy. People don’t tend to spend much time in the waiting room here, but when they do and they pick up this book, they often buy a copy right away. Plus, we have it shipped here directly from the author in England, so it’s a truly unique gift.

You can pick any of these up at your next appointment. If you don’t have a scheduled appointment, please reach out by phone or email so we can answer any questions, get it ready for you, and make sure we’re not at lunch or otherwise busy in our small business when you swing by.

Clinic Happenings in the Spirit Of Growth and Service

Welcome Alisa to the Front Desk Team

We’re so excited to officially welcome Alisa Yu to the front desk team! Alisa joined us in mid-October (it just took me a while to remember to get a photo so we could introduce her here) and many of you may already recognize her from the days she filled in for Darien prior to that. She’s now with us every Monday, supporting our growing practice and bringing wonderful qi to the clinic.

Alisa comes to us with valuable front desk experience from both a spa and an acupuncture clinic in San Francisco. She is also currently pursuing her Master’s in Chinese Medicine, which gives her a unique understanding of our work and a deep appreciation for the medicine we practice. Patients consistently comment on her warm and welcoming presence, and we’ve found her to be curious, detail-oriented, and always ready to jump in with a can-do attitude.

Please say hello the next time you’re in on a Monday—she’s looking forward to getting to know each of you!

What We’re Treating in the Clinic—Holiday Stress & Exhausted Adrenals

One of my favorite questions this time of year is “are the holidays fun, stressful, or no big deal for you?” Most people say stressful with some fun. We see them drag themselves through the door—exhausted but wired, running on fumes, pushing through because there’s just too much to do before the holidays hit. And they tell us about that bone-tired exhaustion that coffee can’t touch. The irritability that comes out of nowhere. The way you fall into bed exhausted but then lie there, mind racing, unable to actually sleep. This is what happens when your battery runs all the way down.

If that’s true for you, you’re probably tempted to pull all self care out of the schedule. But to me that means it’s time for more self care—both the micro doses of self care and the truly effective self care that supports your nervous system.

Your adrenals—those little glands that sit on top of your kidneys—they’re your stress managers. And right now? They’re working overtime. Holiday prep, year-end deadlines, family dynamics, the fact that it’s dark at 5pm… it’s a lot. And when you’re in constant go-mode with no time to recharge, your body starts stealing energy from your deepest reserves just to keep you upright.

Here’s what we want you to know: You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through the holidays. We’ve seen this pattern in our practice for years, and we know how to help. Acupuncture doesn’t just mask the exhaustion—it actually rebuilds those reserves. It calms your nervous system down from high alert. It helps you sleep deeply again. It gives your body permission to stop running on fumes. And we have great custom herbal formulas to make sure your supported in between treatments. Herbs are so effective at treating stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and fatigue that some patients just use herbs, some do acupuncture, and lots do both. We’d love to see you before the holidays get any more intense. We’d love to help your body remember what it feels like to have actual energy—not just caffeine and willpower.

Here’s the truth: You’re not broken. You’re not failing. You’re just running on an empty tank. And that’s something we can absolutely fix. You can make an appointment at our online Online Booking System or get in touch.

And if this made you think of someone else who’s barely holding it together right now, forward this email to them. We have room for a few more patients before the holidays, and we’d love to help.

End of Year Schedule🌟🌲🥂

We’ll be here through Tuesday December 23 then we are taking 2 weeks off to rest, reflect, and recharge. We have appointments in the new year starting Monday, January 5.

Book Your Appointments📆

We Can’t believe that we only have 2.5 weeks in the clinic before we take our end of the year break! We get busy before and after the break, so now is a good time to get yourself on the schedule, especially for the new year so you have a plan before all those new years resolutions patients! You can book through our Online Booking System or get in touch. If you can’t find an appointment online–call, email, or put yourself on the waitlist and we’ll keep an eye out for you. This time of year we have some cancellations because people get sick (thanks for keeping your germs to yourself) so we are pretty good at getting people scheduled off the waitlist.

Stock Up on Herbs🌿

Now is the time to plan to stock up on herbs to carry you through the new year. Let’s make a plan to make sure you have:

1. your custom formula
2. digestion support
3. immunity support and/or supplies for treating a virus if you or your loved ones catch one

Herbal Pills To Support Digestion😋🌿💊

Don’t forget to stock up on simple Chinese herbal pills to get your digestion back in balance through all the end of year celebrations.

We have 2 options: Microgard Micropills or Ease Digestion Pills. They’re both so helpful for any kind of digestive upset that every acupuncturist and herbalist has one of these ready in their medicine cabinet, first aid kit, purse, and in the car. I always have extra around the holidays–yes I’m the one that brings the digestion pills and sets them out with the drinks, at the end of the buffet, or even just on the dining table–and my friends and family have learned to do the same.
👉🔗 You can read all the details that we shared in our last newsletter here.

Immune Support🤒🌿💊

Stock up now on herbs, supplements, and sprays in case you, or those around you, get sick.

We have simple herbal antiviral pills that are easy for travel and the whole family. We also have our Virus-B-Gone powder, formulated by Christina from her personal search and years of helping patients avoid getting sick. And if you have a thing that always happens when you get sick (asthma, headaches, bronchitis, sinus infections) we can mix up a custom formula to have on hand.

“I just have to tell you that your magic herbs are the real deal! I started to get sick, and remembered I had squirreled away herbs to take if and when that ever started to happen. I rarely get sick, so it had been awhile. So I went to the box, got them out, took them as recommended and WOW, the next day I was no longer ill! I have no idea what’s in those but they really worked for me. Thanks for the recommendation that I should always have them available – and for knowing about them.  You are the best!”
–J.G.

Check out our recommendations we’ve been sharing for the past 4+ years called “The Golden Window For Treating Viruses” and let us know if you want help creating a plan that will work for you:
👉🔗 https://thrive-acupuncture.com/the-golden-window-for-treating-viruses/.

You can pick some herbs up 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.

Here’s to having fun being healthy as we celebrate through the start of the new year!
Christina and Team Thrive

P.S. Please share this with anyone you think could benefit from any of this info.

🥧🍗🥂 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:

1. 💧 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.
2. 🍽 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.
3. 🫖 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.
4. 💪 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.”
5. 🌿💊 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.

It’s actually feeling like Fall now! In Chinese Medicine it’s the season of the Lungs and Large Intestine. And people are talking about how to avoid fall and winter colds and flus. So we’ve got a Fall Lung Experiment in support of resetting and letting go, some clinic happenings including fun facts about Megan, and a product highlight to boost your immune system–and your mood!

💨Fall Lung Experiment: Breathing To Start The Season Off Right

In Chinese Medicine, Fall is the season of the Lungs. The gift of the lungs is breath and inspiration. Moment by moment, our lungs offer us the gift of life, the rhythm of inhaling and exhaling, expanding and contracting, taking in the new and letting go of the old. Each breath is a tiny cycle of life, and that same breath can also serve as a powerful reset for your nervous system–immediately, anywhere, anytime.

So at the start of this fall, we invite you to try a simple micro-mindfulness experiment:
Practice recalibrating your nervous system and letting go by connecting to your breath. All you have to do is notice your breath, appreciate the rhythm, and breathe a little deeper–knowing that breath is both dynamic and restful. You’re already breathing. You don’t need to stop what you’re doing, take a time out, or change anything. Just notice your breath and breathe a little deeper into your abdomen.

I like to remind myself to breath by telling myself: Every time I do  ____(Fill In The Blank)____  I will breathe a little deeper. So I breath every time I open a door in the clinic to treat a patient, or look at my phone, or finish a patient chart. What are the things you do on repeat that you can use as a cue to breathe a little deeper? Breath is available to you 100% of the time, and you can return to it again and again.

Why It Works:
The simple act of breathing a little deeper resets your nervous system from fight-or-flight into rest-and-digest. And from that calmer place, we create more space in our bodies and minds–space to listen for wisdom, to feel into what’s next, to act with clarity instead of reactivity, to let go of what isn’t ours to do.

The Ripple Effect:
As if calming your own nervous system weren’t enough, your breath also creates a ripple effect. When you breathe deeply and your body begins to relax, the people (and pets!) around you can feel it too. Our nervous systems communicate, like metronomes synchronizing in the same room, and your calm helps set a steadier rhythm for everyone nearby.

Try It for a Week:
Set a gentle reminder (post it on your mirror, in your car, on your computer), or find a task you do on repeat and use that as your cue to notice your breath, without judgment, and breathe a little deeper.

Even after just a week, you’ll begin to train your body to access this restful state more easily. Start by doing it for yourself, and then see if you notice it rippling out to smooth the tempo of your home, your work, your relationships, your day.

I can’t wait to hear how your Fall Lung Experiment goes–how this small act of mindful breathing supports your rhythm this season!

And if your wanting some extra support breathing, resetting, and letting go we’re happy to help. Make an appointment through our online booking system or get in touch via phone or email, because acupuncture is the fastest deepest way to reset the nervous system and take a full body breath.

Clinic Happenings in the Spirit Of Growth and Service

Fun Facts About Megan

Megan has been shadowing Christina in the clinic to learn our systems so that as we expand our ability to help more people, we still provide the high quality care (with a dose of healthy laughter) that we are known for. Pro tip–having smooth systems is our key to making room for our brains to be creative and give the best care possible!

Here’s some of the fun facts that came up when some of you met Megan:

Megan and Christina went to school together, graduated at the same time, and sat for the 8 hour California Board exam on the same day. Our licenses are only 2 numbers apart!

Megan and Christina were in China together for an internship at the Yue Yang Hospital in Shanghai.

Megan’s acupuncture is gentle and effective. Christina gets acupuncture from Megan and my nervous system is a gentle soul.

Megan loves treating stress. She says acupuncture is so good at regulating the nervous system and that makes everything work better in your body and mind. Megan remembers one of her first times getting acupuncture she had a profound and palpable experience during the treatment of relaxing and feeling more like herself again. She could feel it physically, mentally, and in her spirit. She loves to share that potential with patients–to quickly and deeply calm your nervous system so that you are less stressed, anxious, or depressed. And she loves that this helps your body function more efficiently to support your:

• musculoskeletal system (pain and tension)
• digestion (IBS, bloating)
• sleep (hello 3 AM again)
• periods (cramps and breast pain),
• hormones (irritability and rage),
• immune system (allergies, frequent colds & flus)

Megan is a mom of 3 kids age 9-13. So she knows what it’s like to be a busy mom. She’s not gonna judge you. And she’s really good at finding super simple doable recommendations to help you feel better in your body.

You can read more about Megan’s background here. And schedule with her here–just click the photo of her face to see her availability.

Do I Need To Book A New Patient Appointment If I’m Seeing Another Acupuncturist at Thrive?

Nope. This was a common question when existing patients realized that they could see Megan if it works better in their schedule, they want to get her fresh perspective, or they just want options.

Megan and I have similar treatment styles, are in close communication, and can share charts so we can pick up where each other left off.

It’s good to have options. And you don’t have to schedule more time or pay more for it!

Using the Online Scheduler

A few patients have told us they got a little confused using the online scheduler now that we have 2 practitioners. So here’s a few tips:

• Book By Treatment (If your priority is finding a time that works for you): click on one of the appointment type turquoise boxes for Acupuncture Follow Up or Initial Exam and Acupuncture Treatment. It will show each appointment time available with the acupuncturist’s name is next to it.
• Book By Practitioner (If your priority is finding an appointment with a specific acupuncturist): click on one of our faces, then the appointment type. It will show the appointment times available with that practitioner only and there isn’t any name next to the times.
• To See The Waitlist Link: click on either an appointment type or one of our faces and when the next page opens up, it will show up on the left hand side, under the list of appointment types.

As always–if you have a question give us a call or send an email!

Product Highlight–Vitamin D Plus K

TLDR: take 5,000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily to boost your immune system and mood. We carry a pill with 5,000 IU D3 ad 100 mcg K2, because Vitamin K is good for you, it’s synergistic with Vitamin D, and it’s hard to get enough from food.

It’s really feeling like fall now and people are talking about how to avoid getting sick. Of course we recommend eating healthy, getting good quality sleep, acupuncture, and herbs. But there’s another foundational piece that is simple and super effective–a Vitamin D supplement.

The key thing to know about Vitamin D to support your immune system is that you want to get your levels up before colds and flus start going around. This prevents you from getting sick, or if you get sick it prevents severe symptoms. And there’s an added bonus—Vitamin D can boost your mood. People with low Vitamin D are more prone to depression. And deficient people who supplement often experience improved mood, energy, and cognitive function!

A lot of people assume that because we live in California we get enough sun exposure to make enough Vitamin D. But this far North of the equator you’d need to get daily full body sun exposure for at least 20 minutes in order to make enough Vitamin D to get your blood up to the optimal level. That’s not happening in the Fall around here.

So instead of trying to run around mostly naked when the sun comes, out you can take a daily supplement. In recent years advice about Vitamin D has changed. The current recommended target for optimizing your immune system is a blood level of 50-60 ng/ml. You can get your numbers from a blood test and supplement accordingly. But the good news is that current information shows that we don’t need to be as careful as they used to think about taking too much Vitamin D–you’d have to super-mega-overdose for a long time to experience any negative side effects.

Around here the usual dosage to achieve the optimal target range in your blood is between 5,000-10,000 IU/Day of Vitamin D3. So we carry a Vitamin D Plus K Supplement that has 5,000 IU D3 ad 100 mcg K2.

Why the K2? D and K work synergistically to support bone & teeth health, cardiovascular function, and cell growth and repair. And it’s not easy to get enough Vitamin K2 from your diet.

If you want to pick up the Vitamin D Plus K Supplement 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 and set up a pickup time to make sure that we won’t be at lunch etc.
 

Here’s to Breathing A Little Deeper!
Christina and Team Thrive

P.S. Please share this with anyone you think could benefit from any of this info.

It was a busy summer behind the scenes here at Thrive. We’ve been getting our systems dialed in to better serve you and enjoying some summer fun. Here’s all the updates and an experiment to help you ease into Fall–because we’re having late summer more than ever this year!

Fall Transition Experiment

I’ve been having this conversation with a lot of patients lately so I want to share it with you.  And it’s perfect to help our transition through hot late summer into fall which is a drying time of year.

Experiment: 💧💦 Start your day with water and electrolytes💦💧.  Yup before coffee.  Try it out for a week, or 2 or a month and see how you feel.

Why: Most of us wake up a little dehydrated because we just spent the past 8 hours breathing, and sometimes sweating, without drinking water.  Start your day off by prioritizing rebalancing your body.  Using electrolytes helps ensure your body absorbs the water.  You can have the drink you want–coffee, tea, chai, matcha, etc–after you give your body what it needs.  It’s a subtle but clear message that you’re taking care of your body.

How: You can use any electrolytes you like, but avoid lots of sugars to start the day so you don’t end up on a blood sugar roller coaster.  I don’t like the taste of stevia so I use Boulder Salt electrolytes (you can order them online with a quick google search) which is a low sodium electrolyte with all the minerals that should be in your water if it came from a mountain spring.  If I’m exercising or sweating a lot I use LMNT unflavored variety (also available online), again b/c it doesn’t have stevia in it.  If you want to be super simple you can add a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of Himalayan Sea salt to a tall glass of water.

What you might notice:  A clearer mind, better digestion, smoother energy (even after you drink coffee), improved metabolism, a feeling of appreciation for your body to start the day.  Did you know that chronic dehydration increases the risk of kidney stones, UTI’s, constipation, diverticulitis of bowel blockage, poor nutrient absorption, cardiovascular strain, and heat exhaustion.  No wonder we feel better when we’re fully hydrated!

Why Now:  According to Chinese Medicine our bodies feel the seasonal transitions and the adjustment can be a strain.  And while it’s officially Fall here in Sonoma County we typically have late summer weather that is hot and dry.  And boy are we having a hot late summer this year, after a pretty cool summer that was windy.  In Chinese Medicine Fall is a time of drying.  We see it in nature when the summer bounty starts to dry up and leaves turn colors.  The combination of a hot late summer and the start of Fall means it’s a great time to tune into hydrating your body to help make the transition a little bit easier for your body.

Try it out and let us know how you feel.  Several patients have told me lately they notice they feel better all day when they start the day with this simple change.

Clinic Updates in the Spirit Of Growth and Service

Welcome Megan

I’m very excited to announce that Megan Rauch has joined the clinic as Associate Acupuncturist and Herbalist!  Megan and I went to Chinese Medicine school together in San Francisco way back when. Megan and I had imagined working together over the years and we’re both excited that the time is now right for her to join the Team Thrive.

Megan and I have studied with and been inspired by many of the same teachers and we have very similar treatment approaches and styles.  She’s super bright and always learning something new.  Plus she has a great sense of humor!  I’m excited we’ll be able to help even more of our community to not just feel better, but feel more like themselves with enough oomph to contribute to their family, work, or whatever inspires them.

Megan loves the variety of being a general medicine practitioner (because in Chinese Medicine it’s all connected) and has treated a wide variety of conditions ranging from chronic and acute pain, sports injuries, digestive issues, fatigue, allergies, sinusitis, and frequent colds.

She is an expert in treating stress-related conditions–stress, anxiety, panic, depression, insomnia, and issues that get worse with stress such as digestion (IBS, acid reflux, ulcers), tension, headaches, chronic pain, sleep, asthma, allergies, and auto-immune conditions.

And she loves exploring the connection between the mind and body.  She’s a bit of a nerd about the our musculoskeletal system and circulation.  She knows that supporting both the mind and body help you get long lasting, sustainable change.

She also has a special passion for women’s health–she was a birth doula over 20 years ago and has 3 kids herself so she brings a depth of knowledge and experience to helping women through all stages of life.  As an acupuncturist she loves supporting pregnant and postpartum women as well as women experiencing hormonal imbalance such as PMS and menopause.

Megan will be in the practice shadowing for a few weeks so she can make sure she’s ready to flow in the Thrive procedures and systems.  You can read more about Megan’s background here.  And schedule with her here.

Schedule Updates

Those of you that have been in this month know that Christina updated her schedule–same amount of appointments, slightly different schedule. I was feeling behind on some of the admin tasks and needed some more uninterrupted time for them.  So I listened to my own medicine and chose to change in support of more flow.  Flow with patients and flow with admin tasks.

I’m human so deciding to make a change can be hard.  When I’m stuck, I often ask myself–What would I tell a patient in my situation?  This time the answer was clear–set your schedule up to flow the way it will work best for you and trust that you will be able to serve patients better.  Thanks to all of you who have been flexible with moving your standing appointment times if they happened to be part of the schedule that was effected.  When I made the schedule change, I didn’t know Megan would be joining the team–because we create the online calendar about 3 months out.  Now that Megan has joined us I have even more trust that we’ll have appointments to serve the community, and we’ll be resourced so we can do it  with all our best energy.

Expanded Herbal Pharmacy

Just a few weeks ago Christina travelled back east to take an advanced class with her herbal mentors.  I got to hang out with a bunch of herb nerd and I brought back a deeper understanding of the foundation for diagnosis and prescribing custom formulas using our existing herbal pharmacy.  I also a fine tuned some details of the advanced layer of diagnosis and added a whole lot more herbs to our pharmacy!  So we’re ready to treat stubborn conditions, patients that aren’t responding “as usual”, and less common ailments.

 

I say this all the time, but I can’t stop…herbs can be the best bang for your time and money because you leave after one appointment with a potent medicine that you take twice a day, usually for about a week.  You can’t take us home with you to get acupuncture twice a day, so herbs are the best way to take our treatments home in with you.  And there are some conditions that are simply better treated by herbs or patients get better results if they are taking herbs along with their acupuncture treatments.

What We’re Treating In The Clinic

• Injury related
• Post surgical
• Nerve entrapment or compression
• Post Chemo
• Toxin exposure
• Diabetic
• Autoimmune
• Vitamin Deficiency 
• Infections (Shingles, Lyme)
• Unknown cause

If you want help treating or managing neuropathy make an appointment through our online booking system or get in touch via phone or email because we’d love to help you get through your day with less pain, be more active and independent, and feel more like yourself!

So many patients have been telling me they are sore from all the extra action lately.  All the hiking, biking, gatherings…er I mean housecleaning to get ready for the gatherings, and the yardening–a patient taught me this smooshed word because lets be real, gardening sounds like smelling the flowers and what we’re all doing right now is weeding, digging, pruning, and fixing the drip system.  The late spring and pre-summer vibes are fun but hello achy joints, sore muscles, and stiffness when you stand up!

So I’m going to continue letting you in on my top recommendations on having more fun–this time by keeping moving.  Because self care can be easy and fun!

My Top 5 Tips For Treating Aches and Pains and Keeping Moving

1. Heat or Alternating Hot and Cold

Chinese Medicine says for anything painful or achy use Heat Heat Heat!!!  This is because heat helps keep circulation moving and that fresh blood flushes out inflammation and brings in healing nutrients.  I grew up being told to use ice because heat would increase the inflammation.  But let’s be real, a little external ice isn’t going to stop the internal process of inflammation that is happening for the sake of healing.  Moving the circulation will allow the area to flush and the appropriate internal healing inflammation process will continue.

If you like ice (always listen to your body) or want to do a more aggressive treatment–use alternating hot and cold.  This expands and contracts and pumps out the area.  Use heat for longer (because it takes longer for things to relax), and ice for shorter (because the body is quick to contract).  As an easy way to remember it I say: 3 Minutes HOT, 30 Seconds COLD, at least 3 Times, so you can end on cold or hot depending on what feels good to you.  This works particularly well on hands and feet which can struggle with circulation, or you can do it on your neck, low back, elbow, knee, wrist, you get it.

So if you overdid it, pull out that heating pad, microwavable hot pack, or a bowl of hot water and apply it to the effected area for 20 minutes.  And if you like ice or feel like you need a more aggressive treatment, pull out the hot pack AND an ice pack or a bowl of icy water and alternate applying it to the effected area.  I’ve had patients hit a plateau in resolving something painful and start using alternating hot and hold and it gets that final 10% to resolve.  They often comment, why didn’t I do this earlier?  You don’t have to wait until you’re stuck.  You can do it at the start of something painful or stiff.

2. Evil Bone Water

We have a couple amazing topicals but the best one to have around for Spring and Summer is Evil Bone Water.  It’s an herbal liniment (liquid) that is great for anything achy, sore, and painful.  It’s especially great for bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments.  It’s literal translation from Zheng Gu Shui is Rectify Your Evil Bones–in other words it’s so good it will even heal your broken bones.  It has strong menthol for quick relief as well as potent herbs to support healing for the long term.

The reason why it’s my top pick for Spring and Summer is because it’s also amazing for skin issues that are common this time of year like sunburns, bug bites, rashes, fungal itching, cuts and scrapes (it will sting but it will stop bleeding and heal faster).  It’s also a great bug repellent.

We have large and small bottles that you can pick up next time you are in to have in your medicine cabinet or purse.  For aches and pains it’s best to spray it into your hand and then rub it in–the rubbing is important to start the blood moving.

3. Magnesium

Magnesium is the relaxation mineral that treats anything tight–your muscles, mind, digestion.  If it’s tight, bound up, or stuck, magnesium can help sooth, ease tension, and restore function.  It’s hard to get enough magnesium from our modern diet.  It should be in our soils and then in our veggies, but even the organic veggies come from soils that are lacking minerals.  Because it’s so helpful for so many things and it’s hard to get in your diet, it’s one of the few supplements I recommend to most everyone.

If your muscles are feeling stiff and sore or they seized up, take 300-600mg of magnesium spread out throughout the day.  It will help the muscles relax and function better.  And you’ll sleep better which is prime time for the body to do repairs.

We recently started carrying magnesium in the clinic to make it easy for patients.  We have 2 kinds because magnesium at a large dose can be a laxative.  So we have one that is easy on the digestion for those that don’t want to loosen the bowels–Magnesium Glycinate.  And one that’s good for those that want help moving the bowels–Tri Magnesium with Citrate, Oxide, and Malate.

4. Electrolytes

So many people are running around dehydrated.  It’s partially because we don’t drink enough water, but it’s also because our water doesn’t have minerals in it and without those we’re not holding onto the water we are drinking.  A good electrolyte will have magnesium in it as well as essential minerals for keeping you hydrated and helping your muscles function better.

Especially as it heats up it’s good to drink electrolytes before, during, and after you exercise or work around the house.  If you’ve overdone it, pull out the electrolytes and keep drinking some throughout the day to help with your recovery.  You’ll feel your muscles start working better and your energy will perk up too.  

I like to drink electrolytes without flavor because I don’t want extra sugar and I’m one of those people that can taste the non-sugar sweeteners–blech!  I drink Boulder Salt every day because it’s lower sodium and easy to drink.  If I’m going to exercise and sweat I’ll drink unflavored LMNT because it it has more sodium to replenish you after sweating.  LMNT has some flavored varieties if you like that.  I sometimes squeeze some citrus in my unflavored electrolytes.

I’ve converted many of my friends to regular electrolyte drinkers by bringing them to set out at the end of the drink station when we gather.  They all noticed they really felt better drinking electrolytes.

5. More Protein & Less Sugar

When our body wants sugar it’s sending a message that it needs energy.  The body is smart and it’s not a bad message, but sugar isn’t the best way to satisfy it because it’s just a quick hit.  Protein is the long term source of energy and it has the building blocks for muscles and soft tissues for repair and function. 

The key to eating more protein and less sugar is to plan to have protein around so when you’re on the trail, just got home from the pool or the river, or you’re feeling run down you can eat that more easily than a cookie, pastry, candy, ice cream, etc.  Those things are a fun treat, but not great to support recovering from extra action summer fun because they don’t have that many nutrients and sugar increases inflammation.

If you have muscle aches, spasms, or injuries double up on your protein for a few days and I bet you’ll start to feel the difference.

Here’s what I keep around: nuts, nut butter, cheese, sliced meats, plain yogurt, cooked bacon, hummus, good quality protein powder, you get the picture.  You can stock up on what works for your preferences if dairy doesn’t agree with you or you don’t eat meat.

Staying Healthy and Keeping Moving Is Fun!Some of these tips you can start right now depending on what you have around the house.  If you want to pick up some Evil Bone Water or Magnesium and you don’t have an appointment reach out ahead of time so we can set up a pickup time when we’re not at lunch etc.

If you have questions about how to incorporate these strategies into your life so you can keep moving with less pain, recovery time, or injuries we can talk about it your next appointment.

And if you overdue it, aggravate an old injury, or strain something new, come on in and we can treat you to get you moving and having fun!  Schedule an appointment through our online booking system or get in touch via phone or email.  I specialized in a style of acupuncture that is renowned for helping people feel better fast and we’ll create a simple plan to keep you feeling good and moving all summer long.  Because feeling health is Fun!

Price Update For July 1

In case you haven’t seen it through our newsletter, socials, or in the office…
In order to continue providing the best care possible, starting July 1 our prices will be:

Follow up Acupuncture Treatment (time of service/non-insurance rate):

• $120 Per Treatment

-OR-

• Packages that work out to be $100 per treatment:
  • $600 for 6 Treatments (Buy 5, get 1 Free)
  • $1200 for 12 Treatments (Buy 10, get 2 Free)

Packages never expire so you can buy one before July 1.  Let us know next time you are in or reach out by email or phone and we’ll be glad to help you.

No Change To the Missed Appointment Fee: $75 for cancelling less than 24 hour before a follow up appointment or less than 48 hours before an initial appointment.  We do not charge the missed appointment fee if you are sick/contagious, but we appreciate an early heads up.

We appreciate your commitment to your health and wellbeing and we’re honored to share the journey with you.  Thank you for being the best patients around

What We’re Treating In The Clinic

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• SIBO
• Diverticulitis
• Gallbladder Imbalances
• Food sensitivities
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Dysbiosis
• Hemorrhoids
• Stress related gut problems

If you want help getting your gut back on track make an appointment through our online booking system or get in touch via phone or email because I’d love to celebrate good digestion with you!

The pre-summer vibes have started.  Picnics, BBQs, kids are almost out of school, pool parties, planning for travel…it’s common for people to be more social and have more fun plans as we start to feel the pre-summer vibes.  Several patients have asked me lately what I recommend to stay healthy for their trip that they’ve been looking forward to, the upcoming girls weekend, or the busy weekend with lots of fun plans.

I get it. I struggled with my immune system from age 11-25 and I had to be careful about doing too much and being too social because I got sick a lot and it was a big Bummer with a capital B!  I know what it’s like to get sick right before an event that I’ve been looking forward to–Bummer.  Or to go on vacation and the moment I relax I get sick–Bummer.  Or to come home feeling rejuvenated from an adventure and then get sick and all that it takes to try and get better and not fall even more behind on life–Bummer.  In order to try to manage not getting sick at an inconvenient time I tried not to get run down or be around too many people–in other words I held back on all the fun I wanted to have so it wouldn’t ruin my fun.

I turned that all around with Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and some other good natural self care tools and now I don’t worry about getting sick.  I love sharing this with patients so they can get sick less often and have more fun! 

Here’s a review from a patient who had 2 young kids and was always getting sick when we started working together.  I love that she says that she now knows what to do to stay healthy and that makes her life more enjoyable.  I get super excited when patients realize this kind of freedom–self care can be easy and fun!  

In recent years more and more people have been interested in not getting sick and it’s come up a lot in the office lately.  My advice hasn’t changed that much in recent years because humans fighting off viruses is not new.  But we do have a lot more information about what is working and how because people have been looking at this more closely since the pandemic.

So here’s my top 4 tips for not getting sick and having more fun:

1. Boost Your Vitamin D Ahead Of Time

The quick advice is take 5,000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily.

For those that want more details: There was a legit study in Israel during the pandemic that showed that people that had higher levels of Vitamin D when they got sick had a dramatically reduced occurrence of significant illness.  In recent years advice about Vitamin D has changed based on updated information like this.  The current recomended target for optimizing your immune system is a blood level of 50-60 ng/ml.  You can get your numbers from a blood test and supplement accordingly.  But the good news is that current information shows that we don’t need to be as careful as they used to think about taking too much Vitamin D–you’d have to super-mega-overdose for a long time to experience any negative side effects.

And don’t assume that you get enough sun to make enough Vitamin D just because we live in CA.  This far North you’d need to have frequent full body sun exposure for at least 20 minutes in order to make enough Vitamin D to get your blood up to the optimal level.

On average the supplement dosage to achieve the optimal target range in your blood is between 5,000-10,000 IU/Day of Vitamin D3.  I’ll be honest that until the past 5 years I wasn’t consistent with taking Vitamin D and I didn’t get consistent results.  I used it more as a super dose when I got sick and I wasn’t sure if it helped.  But once I started taking it daily I get sick less often and if I start to feel like I am run down or fighting something off it’s easy to kick it quickly with the below support.

2. Nasal Spray–Xlear

The quick advice is use Xlear after you’ve been extra social or traveling to stop those viruses in their tracks. 

For those that want more details:  Xlear did a study during the pandemic that showed that using it helps people not get sick from respiratory viruses after exposure.  They weren’t allowed to share it because things were weird.

Xlear has xyletol and grapefruit seed extract in a metered pump that gets a fine mist far into your upper respiratory system.  The xyletol opens up the biofilm to allow whatever is stuck in there to wash out and soothes the membranes.  The grapefruit extract is antiviral and antimicrobial.  A lot of people use Xlear during allergy season after exposure to allergens and it works just as well after exposure to viruses.  It also helps to make your upper respiratory system a better first line of defense when used regularly.

With my history of sinus issues I use Xlear morning and night pretty much year round–2 sprays each nostril, wait a bit, then blow your nose to clean it out.  And I use it a couple more times a day if there’s something going around, I’m feeling run down, or if I just want to stay healthy.  Yup even 15 years ago you could have seen me using this on the plane b/c my sinuses would get so uncomfortably dry when flying .

If you’re motivated to stay healthy for a trip for example, I recommend you start using it twice a day the week leading up to the trip.  You can also simply use it or increase it if you’re run down, around more people, on the plane, or if someone you are traveling with gets sick.

3. Throat Spray–Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Immune Support 

The quick advice is to use the throat spray similarly to the nasal spray–after you’ve been extra social or traveling to stop those viruses in their tracks because viruses like to hang out in the nose and throat.

For those that want more details: There have been some recent studies showing that just as the nasal spray stops viruses that have entered your nose and sinuses, propolis throat spray stops viruses that have entered your throat.  Propolis is antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory so it also helps your throat be a better first line of defense.

My throat gets run down easily from talking a lot so I use this morning and night–1 spray on the left and 1 on the right of the back of the mouth into the throat.  I use it extra anytime my throat feels run down which is a lot since I talk to people all day long.

Similarly to the nose spray I advise people to use it morning and night if your motivated to stay healthy.  Or simply use it or use it more if you’re run down, around more people, people around you are sick, or your throat is tired from talking, presenting, or singing.  

4. Antiviral Chinese Herbs

The quick advice is have some Antiviral Chinese Herbs on hand to take if you’ve been extra social or traveling.  We have pills (easy) and powders (stronger and coat your throat). 

For those that want more details:  Chinese Herbal Medicine has been used for thousands of years to treat viruses from every day colds to pandemics.  Because the herbs help humans fight viruses, classic formulas work on modern viruses.  During the pandemic I took a class from the owner of our main supplier of Chinese herbs–John Chen, Pharm.D., Ph.D., O.M.D., L.Ac.  He’s a pharmacist and herbalist from Taiwan and he had information on what the hospitals in China were using to treat patients and what the staff was taking to prevent getting sick.  I diligently took notes for 4 hours.  At the end he summarized “For prevention use “this kind of formula” and add this.  At the first stage of disease use “this kind of formula” and add this.”  I laughed at all my notes because this was what I had been doing for years for me and my patients for any cold, flu, or virus. 

As someone who had a history of getting sick a lot and treating a lot of patient like me, I have always believed that the herbs work best if you have them on hand so you can start them ASAP.  Before the pandemic some US Chinese herbal medicine practitioners thought this was a bad idea.  I think they were not confident or scared and hadn’t experienced it themselves.  I’m actually not quite sure because in China everyone has antiviral herbs at home and they sell them over the counter like we buy cold meds.  Fast forward to today, and all the US Chinese Herbalists are on board with a have-some-antiviral-herbs-on-hand approach.

We have a pill or a powder (my custom formula that I have been using for years, updated with what I learned in the class at the start of the pandemic) that anyone can get to have on hand.  For some patients I make a custom formula if they have a thing they are more prone to and we want to dial in the herbs for them.  I am prone to ear issues so I add herbs to treat them to my formula.

I take Chinese Antiviral herbs at a low dose for prevention if there is something going around, I have something coming up I want to stay healthy for, or I’m extra social.  I increase the dose to a pretty big dose if I start to feel run down.  I always have some handy in my travel bag, at work, etc.

Staying Healthy Is FunMy husband is now one of those people that barely gets sick and knows that self care can be easy and fun.  During the very start of the pandemic I set him up with a simple don’t get sick routine.  He doesn’t like feeling like he has to take things (even if they are just herbs or Vitamin D) but after a while of him not getting sick he said “I didn’t want to keep taking those things, but I can’t stop–because I just don’t get sick.”

If you want a testimonial from someone other than my husband (OK but let’s be real family is the hardest to treat) here’s a quote from a patient:

If you are looking forward to some more social fun, or have a trip coming up, and want to have some simple supplies on hand to stay healthy you can pick them up at your next appointment.  If you don’t have an appointment you’ll want to reach out ahead of time so I can ask some simple questions to get you the right antiviral herbs for you, and then we’ll set up a pickup time.

You can also check out our longer list of recommendations we’ve been sharing for the past 5 years called “The Golden Window For Treating Viruses”:   https://thrive-acupuncture.com/the-golden-window-for-treating-viruses/.

If you have a more complicated struggle with your immune system or want to get truly customized full support, schedule an appointment through our online booking system or get in touch via phone or email.  Even if your health feels complicated I know we can support you so that you can get to the point that self care is easy and you can have more fun.

Price Update For July 1

In order to continue providing the best care possible, starting July 1 our prices will be:

Follow up Acupuncture Treatment (time of service/non-insurance rate):

• $120 Per Treatment

-OR-

• Packages that work out to be $100 per treatment:
  • $600 for 6 Treatments (Buy 5, get 1 Free)
  • $1200 for 12 Treatments (Buy 10, get 2 Free)

Packages never expire so you can buy one before July 1.  Let us know next time you are in or reach out by email or phone and we’ll be glad to help you.

No Change For the Missed Appointment Fee: $75 for cancelling less than 24 hour before a follow up appointment or less than 48 hours before an initial appointment.  We do not charge the missed appointment fee if you are sick/contagious, but we appreciate an early heads up.

We appreciate your commitment to your health and wellbeing and we’re honored to share the journey with you.  Thank you for being the best patients around!

Product Highlight

Each box of Nature’s Poison ivy Relief contains dried leaves from the sweet fern plant which grows near poison ivy.  Poison ivy is on the east coast and poison oak is on the west coast, but they have the same oil that causes the rash.  It’s a common truth in herbal medicine that the remedy grows near the problem, so someone along the way discovered that sweet fern treats poison oak/ivy rash.  You brew the dried sweet fern leaves into a tea, store it in the fridge, and then apply it topically to the rash.  If you’re a mountain biker, like me, or nature lover who gets frequent poison oak exposure, you can keep it in the fridge for 6 months to have on hand.

I had been hearing colleagues rave about it so my expectations were high, but I was still really excited when patients told me how well it worked to stop the itching instantly and help clear up the rash.  Here’s what one patient said:

Since we’re mountain bikers in my house we have a box at the ready so we can brew it up and start treating it asap.  Let us know if you want a box to have on hand and we’ll make sure we have one for you at your next appointment or arrange a time for you to swing by and pick it up. 

I’ve unintentionally become a poison oak treating expert for those that can’t or don’t want to take prednisone.  For bigger cases I treat poison oak with acupuncture, herbs that you drink, and supplements.  3 years ago I updated the foundation of the formula with info from a dermatology herbal mentor and started getting even faster results.

And then a year and a half ago I got an allover histamine reaction while I had poison oak that made me itch all over.  That was way worse than the poison oak.  I can’t take prednisone because I don’t sleep AT ALL when I’m on it and Benadryl didn’t touch it.  It was so much worse than the poison oak that I woke up in the middle of the night and started crying.  I reached out to another herbal mentor because I was not thinking clearly enough to be able to treat myself.  His herbal prescription worked so fast.  In less than an hour the all over itch had calmed down.

Well this year I got the all over histamine reaction before the poison oak actually broke out.  (I’m not a fan of my new pattern, but once again I’m always learning and doing product research )  The herbs worked great again.  I’ve talked to few people in the past year and a half that also get this all over histamine over reaction when they get poison oak.

So if you know you’re prone to a histamine over reaction I can help you have herbs on hand for that or if your poison oak goes haywire, make an appointment through our online booking system or get in touch via phone or email because I’d love to help you.

Are You Feeling the Spring Fever Positive Vibes?

It feels like Spring just started in Sonoma County even though technically we only have about another month (summer starts on June 20 in the northern hemisphere).  I know that Spring in Sonoma county IS warm…then cold, then warm…and then cold AGAIN, which can make the transition feel a bit rocky.  Plus in our busy world we often don’t take the time to hibernate in winter as well as nature does.  So around this time each year patients start coming in feeling frustrated, irritable, or in a low mood wondering why they aren’t feeling the Spring fever positive vibes.

Spring is Liver season in Chinese medicine—the time to refresh, restore, and get energy moving again after winter’s deep rest. The Liver governs smooth Qi flow, blood circulation, and detoxification; supports healthy tendons and ligaments; and is in charge of the smooth flow of emotions, creativity, and fresh thinking!

Here’s my top 3 tips to get the Spring back in your step by supporting the Liver to nourish blood, improve circulation, help the body clear out what it no longer needs, and keep emotions flowing:

1. Eat Foods That Support The Liver: leafy greens, beets, sour foods (lemons, sauerkraut, fermented pickles), pungent foods (garlic, green onions), turmeric, and berries.  Start your morning with warm lemon water.  Eat a big leafy green salad with beets and dressing with garlic and green onions.  Enjoy a cup of turmeric tea–my favorite is Tulsi brand Turmeric Ginger tea.  Snack on berries–have you been to one of the local strawberry stands yet?  Add sauerkraut and pickles as a side to the whatever you grilled on the BBQ.
2. Move More (It’s Ok To Start Gently):  It’s time to stretch, walk, breath in fresh air.  Stretching in the morning as you start your day to wake up your body can help you check in with your body and notice where you are holding tension and let it go.  A walk after dinner sounds refreshing as the light lasts longer.  Dancing, often in the kitchen, is one of my favorite ways to keep my energy and emotions from getting stuck.
3. Cultivate Compassion–Start With Yourself First:  In Chinese medicine, the Liver is deeply connected to emotional flow. When the Liver is healthy, we feel flexible, adaptable, and able to move through challenges with ease. When it’s stagnant, we can get frustrated, impatient, or overly critical of ourselves.  Self-Kindness is the antidote to this kind of stagnation.  Breaking the pattern of being hard on yourself will soften tension, reduce stress and inflammation, and open the door for fresh thinking and change.  Giving yourself a little grace isn’t just enjoyable, it also allows space for insight and real change.

Spring is a season of renewal, movement, and flow and in Chinese medicine it’s a great time to support the Liver, clear out stagnation, and embrace fresh energy.  There are so many ways to do this so what is the most important one?  Keep it simple.  Commit to one thing.  And do it consistently.  Self care doesn’t have to be complicated to work.  Small, steady actions create the biggest shifts.  Simple is powerful.  You don’t need a massive detox, a brand-new workout routine, or a complicated plan.  Just commit to doing one thing every day to help your Liver keep things flowing and let that be enough.

We’d love to help you get the Spring back in your step!  If you want support with the transition to Spring–especially if you wake up dragging and wondering when you’re going to start feeling the Spring fever positive vibes–schedule an appointment through our online booking system or get in touch via phone or email.  Acupuncture is the fastest deepest way I know to regulate the nervous system and get us back into the flow.  And I’ll be honest that our modern lifestyle is so hard on the Liver that at least 50% of the custom formulas I prescribe have herbs to support the Liver and all it does for us!

Welcome Our New Office Manager Darien

Please welcome our new Office Manager, Darien Gostas, to the Thrive Acupuncture and Wellness team! I am very excited to have him join us because he comes to us with a wealth of valuable management and care experience gained from his years working in memory care facilities for the elderly.

Darien says he’s excited about transitioning to a different facet of healthcare and is eager to apply his skills, which include team leadership and management at a Director level, within our practice. Those who have already met Darien have said they appreciate his warm and welcoming demeanor. He also brings a keen focus on streamlining processes to enhance our behind-the-scenes operations. In addition to his professional skills, Darien is known for his creativity and a great sense of humor, which are already contributed positively to the qi in our office!

Please give him a warm welcome and introduce yourself the next time you’re in the office.

What We’re Treating In The Clinic

Allergies–they are a little late and extra windy this year!

While May is the height of allergy season for a lot of people in SOCO, it’s hitting a little bit later this year and symptoms are a little confusing. This is because on top of the usual pollen, this year we also have a lot of wind. In Chinese Medicine we call this wind invasion and it can make symptoms travel, go deeper, cause more pain and stiffness, amp up the drippiness, effect the skin, or make us feel hot and bothered. So you’ve been having a lingering thing and you can’t figure out why (cough, eye irritation, skin sensitivity, headache, etc) consider that it might be allergies. 

I’ve always had a special interest in treating allergies. I found Chinese Medicine because of my chronic sinus issues and poor immune system. With a lifetime of curiosity and over 18 years of treating them as an acupuncturist and herbalist, I can say I’m ready to help even the weird allergies!

I practice a style of acupuncture that is renowned for quick relief for allergy symptoms. The best time to treat allergies for prevention is 3 months before they start. But let’s be honest–most patients come in when their symptoms are at their worst so I’m used to starting the treatment from that place. And by quick relief I mean that patients normally feel relief on the table as soon as some of the points are placed. I love it when I come back after a patient’s 30 minutes acu nap and they tell me they can feel their sinuses, throat, and lungs opened up.

I highly recommend Chinese Herbal Medicine for treating allergies right now since we are in peak allergy season.  After one apt you get a weeks worth of a potent custom formula that you take twice a day for symptom relief and to stop your body’s immune system from overreacting. It’s the best use of your time and money when you consider what it would take to get acupuncture twice a day. Sometimes I treat allergies with just herbal medicine, it’s that effective.

We also recommend xlear nasal spray. We carry it in the clinic but you can pick it up just about anywhere they have a pharmacy section. 2 Sprays in the nostrils, wait a bit, then blow your nose. It cleans things out, soothes the membranes, and helps make your nose a better first line of defense against pollens.

If you want support treating your allergies, make an appointment through our online booking site or get in touch. We’d love to help you get through the rest of allergy season so you can enjoy Spring!

Here’s to Happy Spring and Soothing Liver Vibes!
Christina and Team Thrive

P.S. Please share this with anyone you think could benefit from any of this info.

Happy Lunar New Year!

How is 2025 going for you? Have you made time for rest and reflection or are you just trying to get through? Do you already wish you had a do-over for your New Year’s fresh start? If so, you’re in luck. Not only is every moment a chance for a new beginning, January 29 is the start of the Lunar New Year. Because it starts with the second new moon after Winter Solstice, it begins on a different date every year between January 21 and February 20.

And the Lunar New Year kicks off the 15 day celebration of the new year called Spring Festival. You can think of Spring Festival as Christmas, New Years, and Spring Cleaning all rolled into one. It’s a time of celebration, visiting family and friends, gift giving, and preparing for the next year with personal reflection and letting go.  While the celebrations start on January 29 this year, the Wood Snake officially emerges on February 3.

It’s not part of the Lunar New Year traditions to make resolutions, but instead Chinese astrology encourages reflection. Chinese astrology has a lot of symbolism and is used to explore your inner nature and unconscious instincts. It’s often used to help reflect on how to navigate your inner life and relationships.

Year of the Wood Snake

The Chinese zodiac has 12 years in its cycle, each one represented by an animal, which interacts with the cycle of the 5 elements. 2025 is the Year of the Wood Snake, the sixth animal in the cycle

Astrologers say that people born in the Year of the Snake are creative and have a unique balance of intellect and intuition which makes them great strategists.  Snakes are known for being tenacious and attaining what they want, but their real power doesn’t come from working diligently, instead it comes from having patience and instincts to easily know when to strike.  Snakes are known for quietly illuminating spiritual paths and fostering deep emotional understanding.  Snakes often enjoy engaging in a mix of both inward spiritual exploration and striving for outwards success.  The snake sheds its skin of the past and has the ability to both shed old belief systems that are no longer serving them and pare down material goods that are causing feelings of chaos and stress.

In Chinse astrology, Wood Snake energy is said to be fiery in nature but that is balanced out with compassion which transforms anger, irritation, and aggression.  Last year it may have felt like you went on a wild ride as Dragon energy is impulsive.  In order to ride the snake energy smoothly it’s helpful to bring mindfulness, warmth, and connection to interactions with others.  Some snakes have venom but adults don’t release it until they are seriously threatened.  They know to give warning with a dry non-venomous bite first.  Snakes can get caught up in hunger for more and seeking thrills but they get back in balance by remembering to pace themselves, cultivate enjoyment and the appreciation of elegance and art. 
 

Commit to Creating the Experience You Want to Have

Those that celebrate Lunar New Year and the Spring Festival do not traditionally make New Year’s Resolutions, however they do celebrate the transition from winter to spring. It is a good time to reflect and plant the “new idea seeds” that will sprout in spring. You can start by asking yourself: How do I make time and space to bring out my best sense of reflection? What is the new direction and experience I want to have?

If you’re having trouble, maybe it’s time to take a lesson from the Snake. If you want to avoid the out of balance fiery aggressive snake energy, make sure to start with some compassion for yourself (no shame, no blame) and see what old beliefs you can shed that aren’t serving you.  Snakes know how to pace themselves, when to coil up, turn inward and listen to their intuitive instincts, and then when to move forward with a smart plan that allows for transformation and growth.

Ask yourself how can I combine both enjoyment and achievement.  Can I listen to both intuition and intellect? What inward reflection brings about compassion and the healthy expression of emotions?  How can I cultivate true curiosity and creativity?  What action can I take to clean things out and allow room for flexibility so I can achieve my goals with the greatest good for all in mind?

Get Some SupportIf your intentions in 2025 include improving your health and well-being so you can accomplish your goals while enjoying the journey, get in touch to schedule an appointment for acupuncture and herbal medicine that supports pain relief, stress reduction, immune boosting, or finally tackling that health issue that’s holding you back. You can book online or reach out by phone or email.

What We’re Treating In The Clinic

The number one thing we treat in the clinic is back pain.  It’s partially because in the US acupuncture is well known for treating back and it’s partially because we’re good at it—with the style of acupuncture we do most people get relief as soon as the treatment starts.  And when I say we’re good at it it’s not my ego.  I was lucky to be exposed to this style of acupuncture that gets quick relief for pain when I was in school and committed to studying it deeply.  I even just did some more continuing education on it this month!

Back pain often flares up during the colder months, whether from old injuries that don’t like the cold, from sitting too much, eating more sugar, or the busy holiday cooking, wrapping, and family time activities. Acupuncture helps ease back tension, improve flexibility, and support long-term healing.  

We also have several truly effective topical herbal liniments, balms, creams, and patches.  Or we can mix you up a custom herbal formula to treat joint pain and help prevent it from flaring up again.

By improving circulation and calming muscle tension, acupuncture and herbal remedies relieve pain naturally, helping you feel stronger and more supported. Many patients notice symptom relief at the start of the first treatment and overall reduced stiffness and better mobility after just a few treatments.

Types of back pain we commonly help with:

• Sciatica (pain radiating down the leg)
• Lower back stiffness or chronic pain
• Muscle spasms or tension in the back
• Herniated or bulging discs (non-surgical relief)
• Postural pain from long hours sitting or working

If you want support so you can enjoy life again, without your back calling all the shots you can make an appointment at our online Online Booking System or get in touch.  

New Product In House

We’re excited that we’re carrying a new product in house.  It’s our favorite super effective digestive enzymes.  We had them available through our online dispensary, but when you need them to get your digestion back on track you, you need them now.  We decided to make it easier on patients because telling them to pick something up in the meantime until they could get the good stuff was a bummer.  Plus the stuff they got for “in the meantime” wasn’t nearly as effective.

I often recommend digestive enzymes for a variety of reasons including:

• sluggish digestion
• bloating
• gas
• acid reflux
• slow recovery from a stomach bug
• post viral lingering digestion blahs
• the occasional overindulgence
• difficulty digesting fats
• a flare up of bad breath
• post gallbladder removal

If you’re curious if you could benefit from digestive enzymes and how you should take them, ask us at your next appointment.

Gong Xi Fa Cai! (Happy New Year)!
Christina and Team Thrive

Happy New Year

I’m not a big new year’s resolution kind of person—at least not the kind of resolutions that call for making dramatic changes to strive to be better in ALL-THE-WAYS.  Every moment is an opportunity for fresh thinking and insights, and that’s where real change comes from, not the turning of a calendar. 

So instead, I enjoy the new year greetings as a reminder that a fresh start is available at any moment.  And I embrace the kind of reflection that happens naturally around the start of the year.

If you picture living in harmony with the seasons, here in the northern hemisphere the season of the new year is midwinter which feels more like the time for rest, stillness, presence, and inward reflection, not making grand resolutions, future planning, or major goal setting. Everything is organically a little more contracted so it’s not time to go crazy with exploding out into the world.  It’s ok to be cozy, take some time to reflect, and say no to the requests that don’t feel nourishing to you.

In support of wintertime reflection, and because it feels like a lot of us are still in that space at the end of year transition where we don’t know what day of the week it is and it would be nice to use that time for reflection, I’m sharing with you the gifts of the 12 Officials of Chinese Medicine.  

The Gifts of the 12 Officials of Chinese Medicine

The 12 Officials is how Chinese Medicine refers to the 12 organ systems and the functions they oversee in our bodies.  Each organ system does so much to keep getting our body back into harmony ,over and over.  It’s an everyday miracle that our body is always doing self healing and rebalancing every time we breath in air, drink water, eat food, stand up, sit down. 

According to Chinese Medicine each of the 12 Officials supports both our physical and mental/emotional wellbeing.  Here’s some reflections on the gift of each organ system.  Read them all now and see what percolates up for you.  Or read one each over the next 12 days and appreciate each system and all it is doing for you. 

1.The Gift of the Lungs 💨

The gift of the lungs is breath and inspiration. Moment by moment, our lungs offer us the gift of life, with breathing, with the rhythm of inhaling and exhaling. Expanding and contracting. Taking in fresh air, oxygen, and getting rid of the stale–carbon dioxide. Each breath is a tiny cycle of life, and breath can be used to re-set one’s nervous system–immediately. Anywhere.

Take this gift of a nervous system reset from the lungs: put your hands on your lower abdomen, and inhale deeply, feeling your belly rise. Then exhale, feeling your belly fall back in. Inhale, exhale. Count each inhale and each exhale, to ten. There, you’ve just had a breath massage, a breath time-in, time out, a replenishment to your perspective and patience. Thank you, lungs, for this sweet breath.

2. The Gift of the Large Intestine 💩

The gift of the Large Intestine is in Letting Go. As in, Letting That Shit Go. Literally and Figuratively. What have you been carrying around that no longer serves the person you know you are, the person you want to be, the person you respect and admire? Is it material possessions that could be put to use by someone in need? Is it a long held assumption that could use some re-examination? Is it a story you’ve gotten used to telling yourself? Is it a health problem you’ve just “learned to live with”?

Feeling constipated about it all? Take some breaths, honor that there’s been some holding on that isn’t serving you, and consciously, and lovingly, ease up. Let go. There will be flow. With one tiny intention, release will make its way.

3. The Gift of the Urinary Bladder 💧

The gift of the Urinary Bladder is in Regulating. The bladder holds urine, and knows when to release it. The Urinary bladder acupuncture channel is the longest channel of all, and it is used to regulate the immune system, to help regulate the nervous system, and points along this channel can balance all of the internal organ systems.

Where in your life could you use more regulation? Where do you need to hold back a little, and where could you assert yourself more? If you’re not sure, try this urinary-bladder exercise: stand with your legs wide apart, and lean forward so that you’re comfortably stretching your hamstrings and the muscles along your spine. Feel that sense of aaaaahhhhhhh…That’s your urinary bladder channel relaxing a little.

By stretching the back of your body, you make a little more space. Space for regulation. Space for knowing when to wait and when to go. It doesn’t take long, and your whole back will thank you for it! TLDR: hang forward and relax. You’re welcome!

4. The Gift of the Kidneys 😴

The gift of the kidneys is resourceful-ness, will, motivation and power. The kidneys teach us that power is gathered not by aggression, but by a balance of rest and thoughtful action. That rest and replenishment fuel the resources for will and motivation. That too much doing and action will drain our kidneys and adrenals.

Sleep is medicine for the kidneys. Can you give yourself a little more sleep during this dark time of the year? Can you unplug for 15 minutes, and tend to your kidneys, tend to your will and motivation by NOT doing one. More. thing.? Rest fuels the power of the kidneys. This season, when in doubt, take the nap. Your kidneys will thank you for it–all year long.

 5. The Gift of the Pericardium 💟

The gift of the pericardium is in emotional boundaries. In Chinese Medicine, we call the Pericardium the heart-protector. This doesn’t mean we need to cut people out or off from our lives. But it does mean that we can practice Compassionate Detachment. I like the phrase, “you don’t go to the hardware store for a loaf of bread.” It means, stop asking for things from others that they are not capable of giving.

This knowing is the gift of the pericardium: “I can love you, but I don’t have to participate in dynamics that don’t feel good to me. ” Compassionate detachment or healthy attachment.

 6. Gift of the Liver 💖

The gift of the liver is Compassion. Compassion for anyone begins with compassion for oneself. Can you practice “Gentle, gentle, my precious human” with yourself? Can you walk around treating yourself like a six month old, a three year old, a thirteen year old? Can you give yourself the kind of kindness you’ve been craving your entire life?

Can you gently hold the precious being that is YOU, with love and understanding? If you can, the gift of your self-compassion with radiate out to all you encounter. Let the softness of loving-kindness begin with you.

7. The Gift of the Gall Bladder 🤔

The gift of the gall bladder is clear decision making. Physically, the job of the gallbladder is to squirt bile out to break down fats. It breaks down rich things into absorb-able nutrients. Decisions do the same. Big decisions start with tiny decisions. When faced with the freeze of indecision, the thing to do is to simply rest, let go of NEEDING to decide right now. Soften, let go. The decision will arise from that moment of rest. As a matter of fact, your body will likely reveal to you what the best decision is.

Listen to your shoulders (part of the gall bladder acupuncture channel!)–when they drop, and you feel ease–that’s the decision that your body tells you is the right one. The one that sits right in your gut, sits right in your shoulders, sits right in your heart. Next?

 8. The Gift of the Triple Warmer 🔥

The gift of the Triple Warmer (an organ system that represents all of the interstitial spaces in the digestive system and the whole body, in Chinese Medicine), is the gift of interconnectedness. You can use your mood as a test case. Feeling optimistic, joyful, and delighted? Watch that mood spread like a bowlful of holiday cheer! Feeling down, cranky and like a killjoy? Watch that mood damper spirits faster than a wet blanket.

You can design your mood any time you like. Choose a word that is big enough to meet ANY situation that comes your way in a day. I like to use the words “ease” and “flow” a lot. Lots of disruptions, unexpected things happening? No problem, you’ve chosen to live in flow. Your living in “flow” sets an example, or possibility, for others to do the same. See, we are all interconnected beings. How do you want to do that? With intention or by happenstance? You know which one will feel better…

 9. The Gift of the Small Intestine 🍲

The gift of the Small Intestine is discernment. In Chinese Medicine, the Small Intestine is in charge of extracting nutrients from your food, or as we call it “sorting the turbid from the clear” Where in your life could you use some more discernment?

What is nourishing to you these days, and what could be better left sent on it’s way? What does your body need to feel nourished? This can be extended into any area of your life–the food you eat, the company you keep, the work you do, the words you say. What is nourishing and what is not? Receive the gift of the small intestine to sort it all out for you.

10.The Gift of the Heart 😍

The gift of the heart is love, joy and connection. And open heart is a gift in and of itself. What keeps your heart open? Is it talking with loved ones? Connecting to nature? Listening to music?

If it’s hard to think of something that opens your heart, take a moment and put your hand over your heart. Close your eyes, and imagine your heart filling with beautiful golden light. Smile into your heart, breathing in clear, red light, and exhaling anything that doesn’t belong there-any bitterness or hatred. Inhale love, exhale bitterness. Inhale clear red light and smile into that amazing pump. Exhale any stale, gray, old energy out and release it into the earth. Do this 9 times. 9 inhales, 9 exhales. There, you’ve just done a round of healing heart qi gong.

You can also smile into your heart and forgive anyone who has hurt your heart. Smile love and forgiveness their direction, not for their sake, but for yours. More heart healing. There, isn’t that feeling better already?

 11. The Gift of the Spleen 🌎

The gift of the spleen is nurturing and grounding. What does nurturing look like to you? It’s not a one size fits all thing–it’s whatever you feel tended-to by.

One way to connect with the gift of the spleen, and to get feeling grounded REAL quick, is to get on the floor. Yup, all the way down there. Do some gentle stretching. Feel the muscles of your body get a little longer, feel a little more spacious. There, there. Feeling a little more connected to earth? A little less rushed, a little more head on straight? Keep going. That’s spleen medicine–stretching, take a little time, listening to the wisdom of those muscles. You don’t have to know that you’re doing, just listen to what that body of yours says, one little floor-stretchy move at a time. Aaaahhhhhhh. Two minutes, thank you spleen.

 12. The Gift of the Stomach ☺️

The gift of the stomach is digestion–and I’m not talking about just food. I’m talking about breaking down and understanding all of life’s experiences. You’ve heard of “rest and digest”? That’s the function of the parasympathetic nervous system, and that’s the state in which healing happens (and the state your body gets into during acupuncture). Do you have time to rest and digest? Or is fight and flight your default mode setting?

Can you give yourself the gift of the stomach, which is digestion. Here’s the secret–you don’t have to “do” anything for your body to digest, except to give it space and rest to do so. Same thing with experiences. Been through a stressful one lately? Take a little more time for sleep, for laying low, for tending to. That’s digestion. And tending to digestion now, in the moment, prevents so many problems down the line. Rest. Digest. It really can be that easy.

Thanks for all you do body, for me, for my loved ones, for community.  

Want some help with finding deep rest, appreciation for your body, nurturing and nourishing yourself, finding flow, finding your spark, or getting one of these systems back to harmony?  Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine help bodies remember how to heal and function efficiently by enhancing homeostasis. If you need some help regulating the systems in your body, reach out and let us know that you could use some support with. We are here to help.

We’d love to help you start the year off right, with lovingkindness to your body, mind, and spirit.  You can book through our Online Booking System or get in touch.  

Want to Know a Secret?

We’re not seeing patients until Monday, January 6, but our office manager Megan is in the office this week getting it ready for a great start to 2025.  She can help you with appointments, herb refills, or other questions.

She is managing some projects (yay clean carpets for the new year!) so email or leave a message and she’ll get back to you and coordinate.  In lovingkindness and appreciate for our bodies!

Christina and Team Thrive

The Rhythm of the Season

We hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday and found some ways to celebrate and recharge that fed your soul.  Thanksgiving was late this year so we’re in the clinic for just 2 more weeks, treating all the smart patients who come in to keep healthy and sane for the holidays and end of year transition.

Here’s our popular Holiday Healthy Gift Guide, with a few updates.  Take a look and see if you find anything you want to gift to loved ones, or yourself.

And we want to let you know what we’re treating in the clinic lately (curious minds want to know) and our end of year schedule–so you can plan when you’re gonna come in and be one of those smart healthy, grounded patients.  We have our calendar open through March for those of you that know you want to plan to start the new year off right!

I invite you to make some time to take care of yourself, whether it’s in our clinic or by simply carving out some time to quiet your mind in your favorite way.  It’s the rhythm of the season–quiet, slow, dark, reflection, hibernation–and it’s important make some time for recharging in between the busyness so that you have the energy and inspiration for the fresh start of the new year.

Holiday Healthy Gift Guide

Give The Gift of Health to Loved Ones & The Gift of Sanity to Yourself
Don’t stress about gift giving!  Gifts are supposed to be about appreciation, celebration, and fun after all.  We’re here through Thursday, December 19 so you can pick up a gift of health for your loved ones plus give yourself the gift of sanity, all while supporting a small business❣️

You might ask: “A gift of health, how is that fun?!” 

We think it’s fun being healthy, having less pain, and feeling more calm so we can be present and enjoy our lives.  And it’s fun sharing the lesser known natural remedies that actually work!

Here’s 7 healthy gifts that are favorites among patients and staff:

1.  🎁 Gift Certificates:  The gift of health is the gift that keeps on giving, for the recipient, and all the others in their life.  You can suggest this as a gift for YOU, or give the gift of stress relief and a nap.  Or pain relief, digestion support, hormone balancing, immune support… ok you get the picture.  We’re a holistic clinic that treats the whole body so we treat all kinds of acute and chronic health issues.  A lot of times people don’t know Acupuncture or Chinese Herbal Medicine are options.  We’d love to show them how it can help them.  We’ve been seeing more and more patients who come in just for our custom herbal medicine, so even if your loved one doesn’t want to try acupuncture, we can help them.  Let us know what you want to cover with your gift certificate, and we’ll help you choose an amount.

2.  🦴 Evil Bone Water Liniment:  A super-premium liniment that’s good to put on anything that is painful and needs to heal: injuries, joint pain, muscle pain, broken bones, sprains, cuts, insect bites.  We got a few fun 2 oz frosted bottles that make great gifts.  They only make the small bottles in a limited run once or twice a year so they are only available while supplies last, but you can refill them from the regular 4 oz bottles–because we know you’re gonna love it.  PS – there are no bones in the formula.  The Chinese name translates as Rectify Evil Bones Water (aka Heal Your Broken Bones), but the acupuncturist/herbalist making it in Florida has a good sense of humor.

3. 🌿 Rapid Pain Relief Balm: High quality herbs and oils in natural skin-nourishing butters to quickly treat muscle pain, headaches, injuries, bruises, post-workout pain, menstrual pain, and more.  We love that this balm doesn’t have any menthol or mint, which is unusual for a fast-acting topical treatment for pain relief.  Plus the owner has sensitive skin, and makes it so clean you could practically eat it.  We have regular and sample sized jars for sale.

4. 🦶Herbal Medicinal Foot Soaks: Wild-crafted and small-farm cultivated herbs make up these effective and relaxing foot soaks.  They help with inflammatory pain, promote circulation, support the immune system & metabolism, and are super calming to the nervous system.  It may be surprising to hear that medicinal foot soaks treat the whole body because there are thousands of capillaries in the feet which serve as highways to the rest of the body.

5. 🧴 Emily’s Skin Soothers: Natural and effective skin care powered by herbs to treat dry skin, chapped and cracked hands and feet, burns, eczema, psoriasis, and any other irritated, red, rough or flaking skin.  The original formula was created by an acupuncturist/herbalist for his baby who had eczema, so the whole line is free from anything synthetic and great for sensitive skin.  This is the balm that got us through the extreme amounts of hand washing at the start of the pandemic and still keeps our hands smooth.  Let us know what skin condition you want to treat and we can help you choose the best formula.  We have regular and sample size jars for sale.

6. 🐝 B. Immune Throat Spray: Soothe and treat the throat with this tasty spray that’s antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and immunomodulatory.  This is the most fun way to support your immune system!  Great for people who travel, give talks, sing, or otherwise find their throat dry and sensitive, as well as those who want to prevent and treat colds, flus, and sore throats.

7. 📘 Do You Want To Know A Secret Book:  A little book of resilience and clarity, whatever your age.  Everyone who picks up this little children’s book with a big message gets a smile on their face.  Some even get tears of joy.  People don’t tend to spend much time in the waiting room here, but when they do and they pick up this book, they often buy a copy right away.  Plus, we have it shipped here directly from the author in England, so it’s a truly unique gift.

You can pick any of these up at your next appointment.  If you don’t have a scheduled appointment, please reach out by phone or email so we can answer any questions, get it ready for you, and make sure we’re not at lunch or otherwise busy in our small business when you swing by.

What We’re Treating in the Clinic

In addition to stress from the busyness that ramps up this time of year, so many patients have been coming in with stiff achy joints, especially knees and hands.  It could be the colder weather, a change in exercise patterns, the increase in sugar and treats, all the stress and busyness, or just one of those coincidental patterns we see in the clinic.

We’ve been treating joint pain from:

• arthritis
• old injuries
• repetitive use
• post surgical pain
• ligament sprains or strains
• tendonitis

The good news is that Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine are great at treating joint pain by improving circulation, reducing inflammation, and helping restore movement so you can get back to your day without discomfort.  I practice a style of acupuncture that is renowned for pain relief.  Most patients report a reduction in pain as soon as a few points go in.  Yes to more walks, your new health routine, more chopping and stirring, more time enjoying your day rather than figuring out how to manage doing the things you need to do. 

We also have several truly effective topical herbal liniments, balms, creams, and patches.  Or we can mix you up a custom herbal formula to treat joint pain and help prevent it from flaring up again.

If you want support treating joint stiffness and pain or want some preventative care, you can make an appointment at our online Online Booking System or get in touch.  

End of Year Schedule

🌟🎄🥂 We’ll be here through Thursday December 19 then Christina is taking 2 weeks off to rest, reflect, and recharge.  We have appointments in the new year starting Monday, January 6.  Megan will be in the office the week before (Dec 30-Jan 3) to get us ready for the new year and she’ll be available to help with scheduling and herb refills.

Book Your Appointments

📅 We Can’t believe that we only have 2 weeks in the clinic before we take our end of the year break!  We are busy before and after the break, so now is a good time to get yourself on the schedule, especially for the new year so you have a plan before all those new years resolutions patients!  You can book through our Online Booking System or get in touch.  If you can’t find an appointment online–call, email, or put yourself on the waitlist and we’ll keep an eye out for you.  This time of year we have some cancellations because people are sick (thanks for keeping your germs to yourself) so we are pretty good at getting people scheduled off the waitlist.

Stock Up on Herbs

🌿 Now is the time to plan to stock up on herbs to carry you through the new year.  Let’s make a plan to make sure you have:

1. your custom formula
2. digestion support
3. immunity support and/or supplies for treating a virus if you or your loved ones catch one

Herbal Pills To Support Digestion

😋🌿💊  Don’t forget to stock up on simple Chinese herbal pills to get your digestion back in balance through all the end of year celebrations.

We have 2 options: Microgard Micropills or Ease Digestion Pills. They’re both so helpful for any kind of digestive upset that every acupuncturist and herbalist has one of these ready in their medicine cabinet, first aid kit, purse, and in the car. I always have extra around the holidays–yes I’m the one that brings the digestion pills and sets them out with the drinks, at the end of the buffet, or even just on the dining table–and my friends and family have learned to do the same.

👉🔗 You can read all the details that we shared in our last newsletter here.

Immune Support

🤒🌿💊 Stock up now before we are on vacation so you can be prepared with herbs and supplements in case you or those around you get sick.

Check out our recommendations we’ve been sharing for the past 4+ years called “The Golden Window For Treating Viruses” and let us know if you want help creating a plan that will work for you:
👉🔗  https://thrive-acupuncture.com/the-golden-window-for-treating-viruses/. 

We’re finally getting hip and are posting on instagram as well as facebook–whoops I think I just dated myself by saying that we’re getting hip.

Find us here for something positive, helpful, and sometimes funny in the socials:

• https://www.instagram.com/thrive.acupuncture/
• https://www.facebook.com/ThriveAcupunctureAndWellness

We’ve recently recommitted to posting regularly in hopes of sharing a little Chinese Medicine Wisdom and spreading good vibes.

Here’s to having fun being healthy as we celebrate through the start of the new year!
Christina and Team Thrive