Blog

What Would Christina Do?

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Since we’ve been back in the clinic seeing patients for 2 weeks, people keep asking me, “What are you doing for your health Christina?” 


During the initial stages of the pandemic reaching the US, there was quite a frenzy among natural medicine practitioners about what supplements to take or not to take.  It seemed every day there was a new yet contradictory opinion.  I was following along quite closely and it was a little crazy making.  Until I had a moment of clarity that I already knew how to help people not get sick by boosting their immune system and stopping viruses from taking hold.

We have elderberry syrup to thank for my insight.  There was an online article that went viral, warning people that elderberry syrup could start the dreaded cytokine storm that was responsible for killing people who had COVID-19.  It went out like a bat signal among natural medicine practitioners—don’t kill your patients with elderberry syrup!  And then a day or so later several trustworthy, well educated natural medicine experts rebutted the article, explaining why it was based on untruths or misunderstandings.  Elderberry syrup was back to being a top recommendation for supporting your immune system and stopping viruses in their tracks.

That’s when I realized that I already knew how to optimize human beings’ immune systems and their ability to fight viruses.  Humans had not changed overnight just because there was a novel virus.  I’m still tuned in to what successes natural medicine practitioners have been having, and it turns out it’s pretty much what we already knew about supporting humans before the pandemic.  So that leads me back to what I’m doing for my health.


Phase 1:  Once I stopped getting caught up in the hysteria, I went back to the basics.  I asked myself “What’s always worked to keep me healthy?” I came up with this plan:

  • Chinese Herbs—I consider Chinese herbs the foundation of my wellness plan and I will continue taking them because I don’t think virus concerns are going away anytime soon.  I’m taking one of the protocols I developed based on my years of specializing in helping people not get sick, research from the 2003 SARS-CoV epidemic, and reports from China about what herbs are helping people stay healthy from the current SARS-CoV2 virus.  I’ve been taking classes and staying in contact with colleague and forums to continue to stay educated.  And coincidentally I’ve actually been taking a similar protocol since early winter because there was a cold with a lingering cough going around and my husband had collarbone surgery in the new year so I was extra motivated to not get sick since late 2019.  I wrote a little bit more about the protocols I developed here, if you want more details.  I was able to get some more of the herbs in stock and and I’m happy to answer any questions if you would like to know more about which protocol would be right for you.
  • Elderberry Syrup—I add a bit to my Chinese herbs twice a day to increase the antiviral properties of my concoction.  The bonus is that it makes them taste better
  • Xlear Nasal Spray—I use this morning and night to sooth and clean my nasal passages, making them a better first line of defense.
  • Probiotics—I had been slacking on this before March because I’m human, so I got back on the pills we carry in the office and bought some fermented beets and curtido (south american sauerkraut) to add to my meals.  Then I made some of my own fermented curtido.
  • Acupuncture—I’ve been giving myself and my husband regular acupuncture because it’s my favorite way to support our wellbeing–physical, mental, and immune system balancing all at the same time!
  • Whole food based diet—It is still possible to eat a nutrient dense whole food diet with fresh produce even when you are shopping less than once a week.  My facebook posts have some yummy inspirations.
  • Less sugar—citrus has been in season and more seasonal fruits are coming available to satisfy that craving.
  • Exercise—my husband set up a stationary bike in the backyard.  It’s not mountain biking, but it’s better than nothing.
  • Time to relax, reset my nervous system, and good sleep—you’d think that being closed for patients for a couple months would mean you have less to do, but that’s not true if you’re still supporting your patients from afar, getting educated on the current strategies for virus prevention or early stage symptoms, working to save your small business, and getting ready to re-open.  So I consciously make the choice to prioritize not overworking, not stressing about things I cannot control, and creating moments of joy, sometimes several times a day!

Phase 2:  Now that I’m back in the office with patients and more people are out and about as things start to open up in Sonoma County, I’ve decided to add a few supplements to further boost my immunity and my overall health.

I try and get my nutrients from diet and lifestyle (the best way to get vitamin D is still sun exposure, and since I’m so pale, it doesn’t take very long!)  I decided to add these supplements since they are the essential nutrients than can sometimes be hard to get from your diet, even when you’re eating the most nutrient dense foods.

  • Magnesium
  • Vit C
  • Zinc
  • Cod Liver Oil with Vit A, D, K
  • Iodine

So now it’s time to ask yourself–What’s always worked to keep you healthy? Are you doing those things?  Also as Sonoma County opens back up and possible virus exposure increases, do you want to add anything else to your self care plan?

Let me know if you want any help with this.  We can work together virtually or in person to figure out what would be most helpful for you to prioritize.  That’s one of the things I love about Chinese Medicine—it has a unique diagnostic system that sees everyone an individual.

Check out Thrive’s new Online Dispensary!

And now, in addition to the usual Chinese herbs and natural supplements we carry in the office, we have set up an online dispensary where I got my high quality supplements for my phase 2 plan.  If you want to take a look at the dispensary and my favorites, you can sign up for an account at Wellevate.  After you create an account, click on the “Shop Dispensary” tab in the “My Practitioner” box to see the products I recommend.

Thrive is Open with Pre-ScreeningIt’s been great to see some of you back in the office for acupuncture!  After our first mini rush of patients who wanted acupuncture, we have now opened up some more appointment spots.  Next week we’re closed for Memorial day but open for half days Tuesday-Friday.  If you’re not ready to come into the clinic, we’re still offering telemedicine and all that info is further down.
Here’s what you need to know about scheduling appointments for acupuncture.  (There’s more info on our website at this link for those that like details, but here’s the gist of it)

We ask that all patients who come into the clinic:

  1. Not have a fever or felt feverish for 2 weeks.  
  2. Not have any respiratory symptoms or other possible COVID-19 symptoms for 2 weeks.  (We know that it may be allergies causing these symptoms, but right now we’ll have to do telemedicine to be extra safe–I can still hook you up with herbs etc.)
  3. Not have had contact with anyone who has been sick or with possible COVID-19 for 2 weeks.  You and anyone close to you should be following social distancing recommendations and not travelled on a plane for 2 weeks.

Please also: 

  • Wear a mask at all times.
  • Don’t come in with wet hair.
  • Wear loose clothing so you do not need to disrobe and bring only what you need into the clinic.
  • Be Punctual, but please don’t arrive to your appointment more than 15 minutes ahead of time.  With all the extra cleaning protocols we now have, we may not be able to accommodate you if you are more than 5 minutes late.
  • Don’t bring any guests into the clinic.
  • If there is a patient in the front room, please wait outside.
If you would like to schedule an appointment you can call, email, or use our online scheduler (don’t forget to click CONFIRM in the confirmation email, otherwise we won’t know you tried to make an appointment).  We’ll reach out to screen you.

If you would like to discuss your needs and whether it makes sense for you to come in, let us know and we’ll give you a call.  If you are immune compromised, over age 65, or have any other risk factors for COVID-19 (chronic lung disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes with complications, neurological condition that weakened your ability to cough,  Kidney or Liver disease, extreme obesity), please contact us before booking so we can talk and help you make an informed and safe decision.

Growing More Peaceful Membership Community

Come check out the last FREE stress reduction zoom session on May 26th.  People have been telling us they get a lot out of the sessions I’ve been hosting with my mentor Julie Gleeson of the Art of Living Inc.  Here’s some of what people have been telling us they get from the sessions:

“I have to tell you that I have felt so much better mentally since our Tuesday meeting.”

“I felt so grounded after listening last Tuesday. My mind was quiet. I was relieved. My body and mind are finally at peace.”

“I felt more peaceful and you reminded me of so many things that are helpful.”

Register before noon on Tuesday at Eventbrite


https://growingmorepeaceful.eventbrite.com
Tuesday 4-5 PM, Free through May 26

Beginning June 1, the group will become a formal membership community of people interested in growing more peaceful in the midst of massive change. We have been delighted, moved and touched by the feedback we have gotten, and by the lovely feeling deepening on each successive call. Our intention is to continue to point us all in the direction of the innate design of being human. That very built-in design affords us the ability to come back into balance at any time, as long as we remember to get out of the way of the system. The format will be as follows:

  • Weekly calls each Tuesday, 1 hour, recorded and available to listen to later
  • Discount on future programs offered on Zoom or live/Zoom combination when it is safe to do that!
  • Discounted private consulting fees for Christina and Julie
  • Access to short email, text and phone calls with us at no charge

The inaugural tuition for this community is $45 per month (first month is free), and the link to register is below. When we know more about how the economy will shake out, we may raise the fee for new members. Once you have joined at this rate, your fee will not increase as long as you continue your membership.

Please register right away. Go to Julie’s events page here and then click on a link for the Growing More Peaceful. Even Now. Member Community.

Telemedicine

For those that prefer to stay home at this time, you’ll be glad to know that many of the conditions we treat in our clinic have been responding well to herbal medicine, diet, acupressure, and other lifestyle recommendations I’ve been doing via video telemedicine appointments.

Because these appointments get Christina’s undivided attention and require extra follow-up time, the current rate for these secure video appointments is:

  • 20 minutes: A quick check in – best for simple updates or changes to an existing condition and if you only want 1 recommendation: $60
  • 40 minutes: A longer check in – best for new or complicated conditions, if you simply want more time to talk, or you want several recommendations: $100
  • 60 minutes new patient: We will do a holistic health assessment, set goals and priorities, and I’ll give you a report of findings with a chinese medicine diagnosis and a treatment plan with herb, acupressure, supplement, lifestyle, and dietary recommendations: $120

We’ve been told that insurance companies are mandated to cover telemedicine appointments, but you never know with insurance. So if you want us to bill your insurance, we will collect the above fees at the time of service via Square invoicing and then bill your insurance.  We will refund you any amount we are able to collect.

For those of you with a financial need, we can offer you a financial hardship price.  Please reach out to determine this rate in advance.

If you would like to schedule a telemedicine appointment call, email, or use our online scheduler (don’t forget to click CONFIRM in the confirmation email, otherwise we won’t know you tried to make an appointment). 

Keep Taking Care

Don’t forget your common sense when it comes to staying healthy!  Keep limiting your possible exposure by avoiding unnecessary human to human interactions, extra hygiene and sanitization, and washing your hands before and after touching your face.  It’s still vital that we limit the possible spread of the virus to others by wearing a mask and being mindful of our proximity when going into public places.  And remember to spend some time each day picturing your good health, drink lots of water, eat nutritious foods, prioritize getting good sleep, get some movement, and make time for laughter.

Here’s to health and resiliency for you and our community!
Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Posted in acupuncture, Covid19 screening, Diet, Events, Immune Boosting / Immunity, Mental Health, Recipes, Respiratory Health, Sanitary protocols, Seasonal Health, Telemedicine Appointments, Three Principles, Treatment Plans and Packages, Virtual Appointments | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

In-person Acupuncture Appts are back!

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

 

We are excited to say Christina is ready to start seeing patients in the office for acupuncture treatments with pre-screening and updated safety protocols.

Requirements for In-person acupuncture Appointments

  1. Not have a fever or felt feverish for 2 weeks.  
  2. Not have any respiratory symptoms or other possible COVID-19 symptoms for 2 weeks.  Allergies, asthma and other non-viral issues usually feel different, but call us prior to coming in if you have questions.
  3. Not have had close contact with anyone who has possible COVID-19 for 2 weeks.

When you arrive to our clinic, you will need to confirm that the above are still accurate. We will take your temperature with an infrared forehead thermometer and check your blood oxygen with a sanitized oximeter.  We also ask that you:

  • Wear a mask at all times.
  • Be punctual, but please don’t arrive to your appointment more than 15 minutes ahead of time.  With all the extra cleaning protocols we now have, we may not be able to accommodate you if you are more than 5 minutes late.
  • If there is a patient in the front room, please wait outside.
  • Don’t come in with wet hair.
  • Wear loose clothing so you do not need to disrobe and bring only what you need into the clinic.
  • Don’t bring any guests into the clinic.

If anything changes with your health, your exposure, or your comfort level about coming to the clinic, don’t hesitate to cancel your appointment. We’re not charging the late cancel fee at this time for any of these reasons.

What else we’re doing to keep us all as safe as possible

  • We’ve moved the reception area to the front room and adjusted our schedule so there will always be a private room ready for you when you arrive for your appointment.
  • When you arrive we’ll take your temperature, you’ll be asked to wash your hands, and go to your private room. Christina will measure your oxygen level.
  • Christina will be wearing a mask and protective eyewear. Jules will be wearing a mask. We have an herb pick-up station and credit card reader on the shelf in the lobby so you can stay 6 ft away from Jules as she checks you out and schedules future appointments.
  • We’re sanitizing the treatment room and any other part of the office used after each patient.
  • We are providing hand sanitizer and paper towels for patients to use throughout the office.

We’ve changed many things in the office to make them extra sanitary. For example, we have HEPA air filtration in each treatment room, the sheets and needles are now stored in closed containers, we have a touchless soap dispenser in the bathroom, and many other details you may or may not be able to see.

If you would like to schedule an appointment, our online scheduler has been updated to reflect our schedule changes, or you can call or email us. (Don’t forget to click CONFIRM in the confirmation email for the online scheduler, otherwise we won’t know you tried to make an appointment.)

If you are immune compromised or have any other risk factors for COVID-19 (chronic lung disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes with complications, neurological condition that weakened the ability to cough, Kidney or Liver disease, extreme obesity), please contact us before booking so we can talk and help you make an informed and safe decision.

For those that prefer to stay home at this time, we understand as that is the lowest risk. We can still support you with a telemedicine appointment! Click HERE for information on them.

If you have any questions, please reach out.  We know this is a confusing time and we’re here to help you decide if you feel comfortable coming in for an appointment.

Keep Taking Care


Don’t forget your common sense when it comes to staying healthy.  Keep limiting your possible exposure by avoiding unnecessary human to human interactions, increasing your hygiene and sanitization, and washing your hands before and after touching your face. 
It’s still vital that we limit the possible spread of the virus to others by wearing a mask and being mindful of our proximity when going into public places. And remember to spend some time each day picturing your good health, drink lots of water, eat nutritious foods, prioritize getting good sleep, get some movement, and make time for laughter.

Here’s to a health and resiliency for you and our community!
Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Posted in acupuncture, Covid19 screening, Immune Boosting / Immunity, Mental Health, Office Happenings, Respiratory Health, Sanitary protocols, Seasonal Health, Telemedicine Appointments, Trauma, Treatment Plans and Packages, Virtual Appointments | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Welcome to Common Sense Boot Camp!

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Welcome to Common Sense Boot Camp!!
What??  You say you didn’t sign up?  I didn’t know I did either, but I think it might have been in the fine print for 2020–and who reads the fine print?

So here we are, over a month into shelter in place orders in Sonoma County and it still feels like even the smartest intellects in the world don’t know exactly what to do next.  They don’t agree and they change their minds, a lot, anyway.

There is so much unknown in these circumstances and we’ve never experienced anything like it before.  We don’t have anything stored in the hard drive of our intellect to answer all the questions we have.  We can’t figure this out with our intellect.

If we can’t rely on the intellect, what can we rely on?  Common sense, intuition, wisdom, our gut feeling (whatever word you want to use for it) is the most valuable guidance we have right now. 

The GOOD news is that you’ve had common sense your whole life.  You’ve felt what it feels like to ignore it (uggh, bummer) or listen to it’s whisper (aaah, yes, good idea).

The GREAT news is that if you know how valuable your common sense is right now, you can tell your intellect to quiet down when it ramps up.  To be sure, it will have all sorts of ideas about analyzing, and projecting, and worrying.  And it will try to tell you it’s keeping you safe.  But it doesn’t have the data to keep you safe right now.  So tell it to pipe down and save yourself some energy.

Now just because we’re in Common Sense Boot Camp does not mean we should throw the intellect out with the baby and the bathwater.  You need your intellect to gather some of the latest information about what the experts know about how the virus spreads, what safety precautions are recommended and which ones are required in your community, where and when you can source your food, how to help your kid connect to their zoom class, etc. etc.

However you can rely on your common sense to help you figure out what is yours to do in the moment.  And more importantly, what is NOT yours to do in this moment.  Your intellect can be the servant to your common sense, not the almighty ruler.

Mind Experiment:  For the next 2 weeks commit to figuring out how to listen to your common sense.  In this boot camp we’re gonna do some strength training for your wisdom muscles.  You’ll practice following your intuition.  And you take note when your gut instinct speaks up with the feelings in your body.  We have the perfect camp set up, because I promise you, your intellect does not know what’s going to happen next right now.
 
Sometimes common sense is a clear loud voice.  Like when you’re in an acute emergency and everything seems to slow down and get quiet — we know what we need to do, right then.  But more often, common sense is like a whisper among all the noise.  And you can hear it best by listening from the chin down.  The feeling in your body will tell you if you’re about to do something aligned with your common sense, or if you should pause and listen for a moment longer. 
 
It helps to get quiet and listen for it.  How you do that will be different for different people and at different times.  Your common sense will tell you the best way you can reflect and hear your own common sense.  Lots of people can hear their common sense when they are in nature, listening to music, or intentionally quieting their mind (that’s one of the reasons people meditate).  But you can learn to tune into common sense lots of different ways.  Why do so many people hear their common sense in the bathroom?  There isn’t anything special about the bathroom, except it’s a place where many people have given themselves permission to stop multitasking.  You can shower just for the sake of showering.  Your intellect drops for a moment, and you suddenly realize a solution to that thing you had been trying to solve.  So during your experiment, notice what helps you tune into the feeling of your common sense.  Sometimes I just say “OK, Life, I’m ready for some common sense.  What you got for me?”

Here’s an example of what getting quiet and listening to my common sense looked like for me recently.  As soon as it became evident that the novel coronavirus was in the US and we were going to need to take measures to protect ourselves and our communities, one of my first really vivid thoughts was that I wished I could go grocery shopping for my parents.  I felt that thought throughout my body, so I knew to listen to it, but I had no idea what to do.  Plus they live in Arizona and I had a few things on my plate–helping patients, saving my small business, procuring paper products and sanitizers, etc.

So my parents and I began exploring options for ordering groceries online.  All those paths lead to a dead end.  It got to a point that was really worrisome.  Now we were several weeks into this and I had a very noisy head about it all.  I considered trying to log on to the websites to place a grocery order and see if I could help that way.  I considered researching if there were organizations helping out in their area.  But nothing felt quite right.   I decided to go to bed and get a good night’s sleep.

The next day while I was having breakfast, I heard a little whisper–who do you know in Arizona?  What if this could be easy?  What if you could get someone to help you figure this out?  What if you didn’t have to do all the research?  I remembered I knew some friends of friends who moved to Arizona at the end of last year.  So I texted them to ask them if they could help me find some resources.  It turns out they live 10 minutes away from my parents and were more than happy to go grocery shopping for them.  Yay.  Tears of joy for the whole family–literally! 

The important thing to note about this story is that I could have easily pushed past those little whispers suggesting there might be an easy way to a solution.  It didn’t sound very logical to text some people who I didn’t even know where in Arizona they live.  And I certainly didn’t imagine they would be the actual people to help my parents.  But I’m so glad I didn’t let my noisy intellect tell me to stay up all night on the computer to research and solve this problem.

So now that you know that we are in Common Sense Boot Camp, go ahead and see if you notice moments where you can hear your common sense and moments when you are ignoring it.  Let me know how it goes!  It’s worth an experiment because right now your common sense is truly the most trustworthy thing around. 

Upcoming Stress Reduction Zoom

Join us for a free Zoom conversation about how to adapt and reconnect to peace of mind and resiliency, even now, on Tuesdays from 4-5 PM.  Click the link below for more information and to register before noon on Tuesday.

More information and registration at Eventbrite:
https://growingmorepeaceful.eventbrite.com
Tuesday 4-5 PM, April 21

My mentor Julie Gleeson of The Art of Living, Inc and I will share what we know that keeps us sane and grounded. And we’ll answer questions and help you reconnect to common sense and wisdom that will help you navigate your circumstances with more ease.

Herbs

If you want refills of your herbs, let us know and we’ll schedule a pickup time for you.  We have set up a “no touch pickup station” in our lobby (or for those of you who prefer them to be sent, we add the postage and a $5 handling fee), then we email you a Square invoice you can pay online.

If you haven’t had custom herbs before, or not in a while, now is a good time to try them. Some of the usual forms of self-care aren’t available, and this one is a great option right now.  It’s really empowering and effective to take a custom formula to support your specific needs.

And now we’ve set up and online supplement dispenary so patients have easy access to high quality supplements https://wellevate.me/christina-ness.

I’ve also got a supply of herbs to boost your immune system and prevent viruses.  I developed some protocols based on research during the SARS-CoV epidemic in 2003 and current findings with this version SARS-CoV-2, that are our best bet at prevention.  I got them in simple-to-take pills and there are options for different people with different baseline health and different budgets. More information about prevention herbs can be found at this link.

We Can TalkIf you want to talk about staying on track or anything else that has come up, I’m doing telemedicine appointments, which is like a zoom video call, but more secure.  I’ve been pleasantly surprised how much connection, diagnosis, acupressure, and personalized diet and lifestyle plans we can do over video calls.  Patients have been reporting that they’re feeling confident about what they can do to take care and feeling better.  All the info about telemedicine is at this link.

Here’s to moments of calm and common sense in the storm,
Christina Ness, LAc
Posted in acupuncture, Facebook Private Group, Immune Boosting / Immunity, Mental Health, Respiratory Health, Seasonal Health, Telemedicine Appointments, Three Principles, Virtual Appointments | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Telemedicine Now Available

Posted on April 7, 2020 by Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

 

How Are You Doing?

I miss seeing you in person and I’d love to hear from you!

If you need some support, we can talk or “Zoom” for a Telemedicine appointment. Those of you who see me in person for acupuncture know that you get a lot more than just needles from your treatment. Since we’ve been unable to see patients in person, I’ve been doing telemedicine appointments (which is like a Zoom session) and been pleasantly surprised how much connection, diagnosis, and acupressure we can do over video calls.

Through telemedicine appointments I’ve been helping patients:

  • continue to make progress and stay on track with their goals

  • combat anxiety and stress during all this change and so much unknown

  • boost their immune systems, prevent viruses, and stay healthy

  • reduce pain with effective self care

  • address whatever new concerns and issues have come up

Are Virtual Visits Secure?

Absolutely. Our video-conference service is through my electronic health record system and is encrypted and HIPAA compliant.

Is It Easy?

Yes! At the start of your visit, I send you an email with a link. You click the link and it opens the 2 way video for our appointment. If you are on a smart phone or ipad, you need to download the app ahead of time. We’ll send you simple instructions prior to your appointment. If you are on a computer, no need to do anything ahead of time; the email link just opens in a web browser.

What’s In a Telemedicine Consult?

During a telemedicine consultation we can check in about your health, and I’ll give you herbal, acupressure, stress reduction, supplement, diet, or lifestyle recommendations tailored just to you. I’m offering these at a discounted rate at this time.

20 Minutes for $60: A quick check in–best for simple updates or changes to an existing condition and if you only want 1 or 2 recommendations.

40 minutes for $100: A longer check in–best for new or complicated conditions, if you simply want more time to talk, or you want several recommendations.

New Patients 60 minutes for $120: We will do a holistic health assessment, set goals and priorities, and I’ll give you a report of findings with a traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and a treatment plan with herbal, acupressure, supplement, lifestyle, and dietary recommendations.

We’ll send you an invoice through Square and you can pay online without having to sign up for anything. There is a chance insurance will reimburse for it because insurance companies have been mandated to cover telemedicine at this time, but you never know with insurance. So if you have insurance, we will charge you the above rate, bill your insurance, and reimburse you if they pay us. You should be able to use your HSA/FSA/HRA card for telemedicine appointments, so check with your provider.

How To Schedule a Telemedicine Consult

Schedule Telemedicine Consultations on our online scheduler (make sure you get an email and click confirm in that email) or call or email us.

Need Anything Else?

Most of all I want to let you know that I miss you and I’m here to be a resource for you. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to support you.

Here’s to finding moments of calm in the storm,

Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Posted in Covid19 screening, Immune Boosting / Immunity, Insurance, Mental Health, Respiratory Health, Seasonal Health, Telemedicine Appointments, Trauma, Treatment Plans and Packages, Virtual Appointments | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Effective Herbs for Covid19 Prevention

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

 

If you want some support at this time, here’s all the ways Christina is still here to help. We are Thrive Acupuncture And Wellness after all!

NOTE:  Click here for info on requirements for in-person treatments as of May 15, 2020. 

HERBS FOR COVID-19 PREVENTION

Let us know if you are interested in herbs to prevent COVID-19. We have a shipment of herbs coming that are our best shot at herbal prevention. It’s a combination of an immune boosting formula and an antiviral formula that have been shown to be effective and are commonly prescribed without side effects. Plus we got them in simple-to-take pills.

Supplies are limited because everyone is going crazy for chinese herbs right now and there is a shortage of one of the formulas in the US. Contact us if you are interested, and Christina will be in touch to make sure it’s a good fit and save some for you. If there is enough interest, we will quickly order some more before they run out.

For those that like a little more detail: Christina took a class over the weekend from one of the top herbalists in the US and learned what herbal prevention protocols they used in China for COVID-19 and historically. The current COVID-19 disease is caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is very similar to SARS-CoV which caused the SARS epidemic in 2003. During the SARS epidemic in China, there were several studies on hospital workers who took herbs for prevention that found that they were highly successful. For example, in one study they were 90% effective in preventing hospital workers from getting sick. Recent reports out of China are that the herbs are successful in preventing COVID-19 too.

HERB AND SUPPLEMENT REFILLS

We’ve been connecting lots of patients with herb and supplement refills. Call or email if you need anything, and we’ll figure out the best way to get it to you.

TELEMEDICINE APPOINTMENTS

We’re now set up for private telemedicine consults via secure 2-way video. During a telemedicine consultation we can check in about your health, and Christina will give you herb, acupressure, stress reduction, supplement, diet, or lifestyle recommendations tailored just to you. We tested out the platform on Monday and the patient was very happy.

There is a chance insurance will reimburse for it. Therefore, if you have insurance, we will charge you the below rate and bill insurance and reimburse you if they pay us. You should also be able to use your HSA/FSA/HRA card, so try your card when we send you the invoice.

20 MINUTES for $60:
A quick check in–best for updates or changes to an
existing condition and if you only want 1 or 2
recommendations.

40 MINUTES for $100:
A longer check in–best for new or complicated conditions
or if you want more time to talk or several
recommendations.

NEW PATIENTS- 60 minutes for $120:
We will do a holistic health assessment, set goals and
priorities, and I’ll give you a report of findings with a
Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis and a treatment
plan with herb, acupressure, supplement, lifestyle, and
dietary recommendations.

Existing patients can schedule telemedicine consultations with our online scheduler (make sure you get an email and click confirm in that email). New patients will need to call or contact us using this website.

STATE OF MIND COACHING

Join us in a Live WEBINAR starting next week!
GROWING MORE PEACEFUL. EVEN NOW
A place to drop in weekly, for a breather from all the noise.
Tuesdays 4-5 PM, weekly March 31 thru April 28
Join in any week
It’s free, register at Eventbrite: https://growingmorepeaceful.eventbrite.com

My mentor Julie Gleeson, of the Art of Living, and I are going to host a weekly interactive Zoom conversation to help you reconnect with your peace of mind and resiliency. We’ll shine a light on the mind’s infinite possibility for insight, common sense, creativity, love, peace of mind, and wellbeing, even now! And we’ll answer your questions to help you in your specific circumstances.

PERSONAL MENTORING

I’ll let you in on what I know about state of mind and the human operating system that is keeping me sane. I’ll help you re-connect to your common sense and resiliency, even during unknown and chaotic times.

Personalized Mentoring Rate:    50 minutes for $150

Prepayment Plans:
With the purchase of 5 sessions, get one free, for a total of 6 sessions, 50 minutes each, with emails in between: $750

With the purchase of 9 sessions, get 2 free, for a total of 11 sessions, 50 minutes each, with emails in between: $1,350

We’ll bring back in-person acupuncture treatments as soon as we are able. I know from personal experience that acupuncture is essential for our immune system and stress reduction, so we suspect it will be sooner rather than later.

Here’s to taking a pause and contemplating what is essential. While we are separate in space, we are together in spirit with open hearts, tapping into our best common sense moment to moment.

Posted in acupuncture, Events, Immune Boosting / Immunity, Mental Health, Respiratory Health, Seasonal Health, Telemedicine Appointments, Treatment Plans and Packages, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Allergy, Cold and Flu Relief

Posted on March 15, 2020 by Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Easy Allergy, Cold, and Flu DefenseThis sunny but still cold weather means that allergies are here early WHILE colds and flus are still happening.  How can we support our respiratory systems to be a good first line of defense without overreacting?
 
I'm so glad you asked!  Because I love helping people prevent and treat their allergies, colds, and flus.  I first got into acupuncture because of my allergies, chronic colds and sinus infections.  So I understand the suffering.  And I know the other side—freedom from worrying about managing my sinuses.  Freedom from headaches, brain fog, post nasal drip, coughing, clogged ears, and fatigue!  Plus freedom to go out in nature and enjoy the sun!
 
Today I’m going to share with you my favorite "easy self-care" recommendation that gives immediate relief from allergies, colds, and flus!  I must say that if you want to treat the root cause of your respiratory issues required to experience the kind of freedom I described above, it’s best to get a personalized acupuncture and self-care treatment plan.  But I won’t let that stop me from sharing this tip with you now so you can get started right away.  And don’t let that stop you from sharing it with your loved ones!

Body Experiment:  If you want to support your respiratory system, pick up some Xlear Nasal Spray the next time you are in the office.  It washes and soothes nasal membranes, prevents contact with allergens and viruses, and keeps nasal membranes healthy so they are a better first line of defense.  It has grapefruit seed extract, which is a natural antimicrobial and antiviral, plus xylitol which is beneficial to the respiratory system and acts as a surfactant to help loosen particles from the nasal membranes.  (P.S. they sell it at Oliver’s, Whole Foods and places like that too.)
 
     Here’s how I use Xlear:
2 sprays in each nostril, 2-5 times per day.
Wait a bit, then blow your nose to clean it out.

  • Prevention: Xlear morning and night.
  • Exposed:  Xlear after exposure to allergic irritants or colds/flu.
  • Allergies, Colds, or Flu Symptoms: Xlear throughout the day when allergies are bothersome or cold/flu symptoms have started.

I discovered Xlear after I already had a handle on my sinuses, and I was feeling pretty healthy.  Even then, my respiratory health improved using Xlear regularly. 
 
I’ve recommend Xlear to friends and patients (often before they get in for their first acupuncture treatment).  My patients recommend it to friends and loved ones.  So many people tell me that their allergies, colds, or flus were squashed because of it, even without acupuncture or other self-care.  It’s that effective! 
 
That’s why I’m so excited to recommend this experiment to everyone looking for a quick treatment for their sinuses.  Try out my favorite respiratory system hack and let me know how the experiment goes.
 
If you want to talk more in depth about your allergies or respiratory system ask me at your next appointment and I’ll be happy to discuss custom formulas, diet (that’s a biggie for allergies, sinuses, and the immune system), steaming, and more.  No one body is identical to another, and I don’t think people’s treatments should be either.  That’s what makes Chinese Medicine so effective – it's the diagnostic methods that help me create truly customized treatment plans.
 

Upcoming EventsI've always been fascinated by sound healing, and now we have an expert Sound Healer in house–Jules Sears of Primal Peace Sound Healing–for our inaugural sound healing workshop. 
 

 

 

Tuesday, February 25

from 6-7:30pm

at Thrive Acupuncture and Wellness

 

In this fun and interactive workshop, you’ll learn how specially designed tuning forks can stimulate, balance, and promote wellness and deep inner harmony. Each participant will receive a mini tuning fork tune up as Jules applies the forks on potent points!

The sound waves of the forks vibrate and travel deeply into the body. Their rich resonance and vibration connects with and supports the body’s natural frequencies, stimulates and balances the physical and subtle energy field, and promotes wellness and deep inner harmony.

Seats are limited, so click the link for more details and to register to save your seat!  I hope to see you there.
 

What We’re Treating in the ClinicEveryone knows that spring is allergy season, but did you know it’s also migraine season? For some people, especially when they don’t rest enough during the California winter, their bodies get over-excited to jump into spring that the energy gets stuck in the head which causes headaches and migraines.  With our early spring-like weather, I've been treating more headaches recently.
 
The good news is that with the style of acupuncture I do, when you have a headache, most patients report relief as soon the treatment starts – even while they are lying on the table.  Acupuncture works best as preventative medicine, so remember you don’t have to wait for a headache to make an appointment.  I love helping people prevent and treat headaches and migraines so they can get back to doing their thing.

Existing patients can book online here.  Make sure you get a confirmation email and click "CONFIRM" in that email.  You are also welcome to call or email us if you prefer to schedule that way, or you’re not finding any appointments that work for you online.

New patients need to call or email us to set up their first appointment because there is just too much information we need to share with you.
 

Tuesdays in 2020We’ve been seeing patients on some Tuesdays for a couple months now.  Normally Tuesday is our admin day, but once a month we’ve opened up a half day on Tuesday for patients and occasionally we open up a full day.  We're doing this when Christina takes Friday off to meet with her monthly resiliency women’s group or if she is out of the office on another day. 

Our online scheduler is up to date with available appointments, and Jules can give you a heads up if you’d like acupuncture on a Tuesday.
 

New Year, New Insurance?Have there been any changes to your insurance?  Make sure to let us know before your next appointment so we can re-verify your benefits.  It’s a busy time of year for verifications, so it’s taking our billing department 48 hours verify benefits.  And acupuncture is like the black sheep of insurance.  The billing department has to call and talk to someone and ask all sorts of acupuncture specific questions.  But we’d rather do that now than get surprised when your claims come back.  Everyone hates insurance surprises!
 
If you have Blue Shield in 2020:  Click this link and check out this information.  There are some big changes for some plans and we're trying to help all our patients get informed.  Let us know if you have questions about your ability to use your insurance in our office.

If you want to lodge a complaint that ASH is managing your acupuncture benefits for your Blue Shield Covered CA plan:  A representative of ASH told a colleague that not enough providers want to work with ASH. It's possible that Blue Shield might change and opt out of ASH for 2021 and hopefully sooner!  If Blue Shield members like you contact Blue Shield and complain, it can help!
 

Call 888-256-3650: Ask to log a formal complaint about your health insurance. Get a reference # at end of call.
or
Online: login to your account, scroll to bottom, "send message about" > choose benefits inquiry.

 
Sample Script:
"I want to voice my complaint please. I do not want American Specialty Health (ASH) to manage ANY portion of my Blue Shield Health Insurance, especially not acupuncture. I've chosen Blue Shield as my health insurance company and agreed to pay its premium for Blue Shield's high quality of care and reputation. 
 
I do NOT want any portion of my health insurance plan to be subject to the poor reputation and horrible care that ASH offers. If ASH is managing part of my Blue Shield plan, I am getting HMO benefits for PPO prices. 
 
Please remove ASH from managing any portion of my Blue Shield plan in 2020."
 

Happy Respiratory Soothing Explorations!
Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

 

Posted in acupuncture, Allergies, Body Experiment, Immune Boosting / Immunity, Insurance, Migraine relief, Respiratory Health, Seasonal Health, Sound Healing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

COVID-19: Prevention is the Best Medicine!

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

 

Temporary Change To Our Illness Policy

Usually we welcome sick people into our office so I can help patients reduce their symptoms and get over their respiratory illnesses faster. However in an effort to help keep our community safe from the rapid spread of coronavirus COVID-19, I’m asking you to stay home if you may be sick with a respiratory illness or have been exposed to respiratory illness. If that means you need to cancel your appointment, we’ll waive the late cancel fee.

Because there are so many unknowns and the situation could change quickly, this means using your common sense about the best public health practices for preventing the spread of COVID-19.  Please stay home if you may be sick with a respiratory illness and cancel your appointment if any of the following are applicable to you or anyone in your household:

  • Fever (oral temperature 100.4° or higher) or symptoms of fever (such as chills or body aches) within the past 24 hours. Please do not consider yourself fever-free until your temperature has been normal for at least 24 hours without the use of Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen).
  • Shortness of breath and/or cough that is not known to be caused by another condition (for example congestive heart failure or allergies).
  • Travel within the past 14 days to areas that have people known to be infected with Covid-19 such as China, Iran, Italy, Japan, and S Korea
  • Close contact with a person known/suspected to be infected with COVID-19 within the past 14 days.
  • Healthcare workers who have been in contact with patients known/suspected to be infected with COVID-19 within the past 14 days.

I know many of you have come to depend on acupuncture and cupping to treat your viral and bacterial infections, so it’s difficult to ask you to stay away at this time, but your extra caution could help the community in our office and at large.  Prevention really is the best medicine right now with so many unknowns.

What We’re Doing To Keep The Office Safe

We are committed to keeping things clean and safe at the clinic.  I’m certified in clean needle technique and we have procedures to prevent the spread of pathogens.  That’s why we normally welcome sick people into the office and my staff and I never feel like we are getting sick from work or that patients are getting sick from our office.  We’ve increased our cleaning, disinfecting, and safety procedures.  We will continue to stay up on the latest information and update our procedures to keep us all as safe as possible.

What You Can Do To Take Care Of Yourself

The most important things you can do to support your immune system are really basic:

  1. Don’t panic.  Stress is bad for your immune system.  It’s normal to have worried thoughts. Just don’t entertain them for too long.  Make some time to do something enjoyable each day and connect with loved ones.
  2. Wash your hands frequently and don’t touch your face unless you just washed your hands.
  3. Get enough sleep.  Turn off the screens and start winding down a little earlier.
  4. Drink lots of water to support healthy mucous membranes as a first line of defense.  Hot water and tea have been shown to inhibit viruses in our throat.
  5. Eat more nutrient dense whole foods, soups, and bone broth.
  6. Eat less inflammatory foods: sugar, industrial seed oils, processed foods, alcohol, and foods you are sensitive to (wheat, dairy, eggs, nightshades etc.)
  7. Support lung health by doing some even breathing, preferably outdoors in fresh air, to move circulation and clear out toxins.  Breath in through your nose for a count of 5, hold for 1, then out through your mouth for a count of 5, hold for 1.  Make the counts even and not too long that you struggle.

If you want to add to your immune boosting routine, I recommend you choose some of the following:

  • Acupuncture is the number one way I support my immune system and I’ve been adding immune boosting points in everyone’s treatments.  You can even book an appointment focused on boosting your immune system or reducing your stress–see above about how important it is to reduce your stress.  Get in touch or book online here.
  • Immune boosting and antiviral herbs!  We have lots of herbs to boost your immune system and kill viruses.  We’re stocked up on simple pills and we have powders to mix into your custom formulas.  Just let us know you are interested and we’ll figure out the easiest way to get you some.
  • Probiotics are an important part of your immune system.  They are available in fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, raw sauerkraut, specifically labeled pickles, miso, kombucha (careful because it can contain lots of sugar and some caffeine).  I recommend supplementing with a concentrated pill or powder.  We carry a high quality, shelf stable probiotic in the office only available from medical providers.  Let us know if you want to try it or replenish your stock.
  • Elderberry syrup is one of my go to recommendations for antiviral support that you can get at Oliver’s or Whole foods.
  • Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc are also good supplements to boost your immune system.

While they say the risk for COVID-19 is currently low in our area, I want to use an abundance of caution to protect our immune compromised patients, help slow a potentially rapid spread of COVID-19 that could overwhelm the healthcare system, and continue to serve our community without interruption.

Posted in acupuncture, Immune Boosting / Immunity, Mental Health, Respiratory Health, Sanitary protocols, Seasonal Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tuning Fork Acupuncture

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Date Change For Our Inaugural Sound Healing WorkshopA quick note to let you know we changed the date for our sound healing workshop to Tuesday February 25th. We were so excited to plan the inaugural workshop at our clinic that we had it on 2 different calendars on 2 different days so – long story short, the workshop now is on the 25th. Thanks for understanding that we are human!  We hope this extra time will help you make room for the workshop in your calendar. 

Come join us for our inaugural Sound Healing workshop at Thrive.  Space is limited, so click this link for further details and to register and save your seat for:
 

Tuesday, February 25th from 6pm-7:30pm
at Thrive Acupuncture and Wellness

In this fun and interactive workshop, you’ll learn how specially designed tuning forks can stimulate, balance, and promote wellness and deep inner harmony. Each participant will receive a mini Tuning Fork Tune Up as Jules applies the forks on potent points!

The sound waves of the forks vibrate and travel deeply into the body. Their rich resonance and vibration connects with and supports the body’s natural frequencies, stimulates and balances the physical and subtle energy field, and promotes wellness and deep inner harmony.

More information on Jules and Sound Healing is on her website: Primal Peace Sound Healing

We hope you can join us!
Christina & Jules

Posted in acupuncture, Events, Office Happenings, Sound Healing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Happy Lunar New Year!

Posted on January 21, 2020 by Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Happy Lunar New Year!

How is 2020 going for you? Have you been moving so fast that you haven’t made space for rest and reflection? Or do you already wish you had a do-over for your New Year’s Resolutions? If so, you’re in luck. Not only is every moment a chance for a new beginning, January 25 through February 8 is the Chinese Spring Festival which celebrates the closing and beginning of the lunar years. Because it starts on the second new moon after Winter Solstice, it begins on a different date every year between January 21 and February 20.

Year of the Metal RatThe Chinese zodiac has 12 years in its cycle, each one represented by an animal, which interacts with the cycle of the 5 elements. 2020 is the Year of the Metal Rat.  The Rat is the start of a new cycle and it’s the start of a new decade, so it’s an auspicious time for new beginnings and possibilities.

Astrologers say that people born in the Year of the Rat are hardworking, clever, and on purpose. While Rats are known for bold action, they listen to their inner guidance systems to navigate change. Rats have the energy, vision, and will power to get a lot done, but they don’t venture out until they have done their internal housekeeping first, ensuring a secure, well-stocked home base and a strong support network.

In Chinese astrology, the Metal Rat is known as a champion for social justice and restructuring, so it is reassuring that the Rat is also known for grounded practicality and inspired action.  The Rat’s ability to sniff out what is useful and valuable but also what to leave behind will help us make room for favorable changes. 

Commit to Creating the Experience You Want to HaveThe Chinese 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 Rats. Take a moment to connect with your keen senses and inner guidance.  Ask yourself:

  • What are my highest values and most cherished relationships that I want to nourish? 
  • How can I move forward quickly while being fluid, thinking on my feet, and listening for guidance?  
  • How can I use my natural survival instincts and thrive regardless of circumstances? 
  • Who is my support network?

    If your intentions and resolutions include improving your health and well-being in 2020, I can help you with that.  Get in touch and we can arrange an acupuncture appointment for a tune-up to boost immunity, pain relief, or stress reduction.  If you’re interesting in trying something new to help you tune into your natural vibrations, come join us at our inaugural sound healing workshop with Jules–details just below!

Upcoming Events:If you’ve been in the office in the last 3 months you’ve met our new office manager Jules Sears.  While it’s obvious that she’s great at all things acupuncture office related (she’s been managing acupuncture offices for over 10 years) you might not know that she’s an amazing sound healer.

Come join us for her inaugural sound healing workshop at Thrive.  Space is limited, so click this link to register and save your seat for:

Intro to Acu Tuning Forks with Jules Sears
Tuesday, February 18th from 6-7
at Thrive Acupuncture and Wellness

In this fun and interactive workshop, you’ll experience a mini Tuning Fork Tune Up and learn how specially designed tuning forks can stimulate, balance, and promote wellness and deep inner harmony.

New Year, New Insurance?Have there been any changes to your insurance?  Make sure to let us know before your next appointment so we can re-verify your benefits.  It’s a busy time of year for verifications, so it’s taking our billing department 48 hours verify benefits.  And acupuncture is like the black sheep of insurance.  The billing department has to call and talk to someone and ask all sorts of acupuncture specific questions.  But we’d rather do that now than get surprised when your claims come back.  Everyone hates insurance surprises!

If you have Blue Shield in 2020:  Click this link and check out this information.  There are some big changes for some plans and we’re trying to help all our patients get informed.  Let us know if you have questions about your ability to use your insurance in our office.

If you want to lodge a complaint that ASH is managing your acupuncture benefits for your Blue Shield Covered CA plan:  A representative of ASH told a colleague that not enough providers want to work with ASH. It’s possible that Blue Shield might change and opt out of ASH for 2021 and hopefully sooner!  If Blue Shield members like you contact Blue Shield and complain, it can help!

Call 888-256-3650: Ask to log a formal complaint about your health insurance. Get a reference # at end of call.
or
Online: login to your account, scroll to bottom, “send message about” > choose benefits inquiry.

Sample Script:
“I want to voice my complaint please. I do not want American Specialty Health (ASH) to manage ANY portion of my Blue Shield Health Insurance, especially not acupuncture. I’ve chosen Blue Shield as my health insurance company and agreed to pay its premium for Blue Shield’s high quality of care and reputation.

I do NOT want any portion of my health insurance plan to be subject to the poor reputation and horrible care that ASH offers. If ASH is managing part of my Blue Shield plan, I am getting HMO benefits for PPO prices.

Please remove ASH from managing any portion of my Blue Shield plan in 2020.”

What We’re Treating in the ClinicSometimes things come in obviously seasonal waves, but right now I’m not quite sure why so many people are seeking treatment for their digestion.  The good news is that digestion responds very quickly to acupuncture.  I think that’s because acupuncture is communicating through your circulation and there is so much blood flow to and from the digestive system.  The other good news is that I have lots of herbal and dietary recommendations to help you get your digestive system back in balance.  So whether it’s constipation, loose stools, bloating, cramping, nausea, food sensitivities, lack of hunger, excess hunger, heart burn–you name it, I got you.

Existing patients can book online here.  Make sure you get a confirmation email and click “CONFIRM” in that email.  You are also welcome to call or email us if you prefer to schedule that way, or you’re not finding any appointments that work for you online.

New patients need to call or email us to set up their first appointment because there is just too much information we need to share with you.

One Last RecommendationI want to let you all know about a workshop in Santa Rosa that I’m really excited about.  The workshop is based on the same understanding that I share in my Wisdom Workshops and is the basis for my deep understanding of our innate wellbeing that I talk with all my patients about at their acupuncture appointments–The Three Principles as discovered by Sydney Banks.  You can find out more info and register here:

http://cominghometolove.eventbrite.com/
Feb 15-17th, 2020
at Sonoma Academy

Please reach out if you have any questions or let me know if I’ll see you there.  I’m not involved in putting on the workshop, I just wanted to share this opportunity with you since people normally travel very far to see to see these speakers.

One of the workshop leaders, Dicken Bettinger, is one of my go-to teachers of this material.  He, along with the other workshop leader, Natasha Swerdloff, wrote Coming Home: Uncovering the Foundations of Psychological Well-being which we have in our lending library.  He’s known to embody and convey wisdom, love, and humorous stories that light people up and help them effortlessly experience a beautiful feeling.

Gong Xi Fa Cai (Happy New Year),
Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Posted in Diet, Digestive issues, Events, Office Happenings, Seasonal Health, Sydney Banks, Three Principles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Year Reflections

Posted on January 19, 2020 by Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Happy 2020!I’m not a New Year’s resolution kind of person.  Every moment is an opportunity for fresh thinking and insights.  And that’s where real change comes from, not from the turning of a calendar.
 
But I do enjoy the kind of reflection that happens naturally around the end and start of the year.  I think part of it is that winter season here in the Northern Hemisphere encourages a bit more hibernation.  And there are lots of things that reset in the new year, which invites us to make conscious choices about how we want to do it this time around.

Want to add more depth to your reflections?  Try this experiment.  I do this every year around this time.
 
Mind Experiment:  Reverse engineer your goals, resolutions, dreams, aspirations, or whatever you want to call them.  Ask yourself: If I reach my goal, what kind of experience will I be having?  What will I be feeling?  Then commit to inviting more of that feeling into your life right now.

If you want to kick some booty at work so you can feel aligned with purpose, why not invite more alignment with purpose into your life right now?  Allow yourself the freedom to NOT do the things that don’t feel aligned with purpose.  Yes, really give yourself permission to not do everything.  If you can get quiet enough, I think you’ll find that you still choose to do most of the things you were planning on doing, and you’ll feel the purpose in your formerly mundane daily tasks.  The other ones can wait until you feel called to do them.

 

If you want to spend less time on your phone so you can feel more present with your family, why not invite more presence into your life right now.  Start uni-tasking (the opposite of multitasking) and enjoy the pleasure of doing something with attention.  Try listening to your family members with true curiosity to understand their perspective.

 

If you want to plan more girl’s or guy's nights so you can feel more connected with your community, why not invite more connection into your life right now.  Did you know that you don’t actually have to be in the same room to feel connected with someone?  You don’t actually have to be talking or texting with them.  It’s actually pretty effortless to rest in the love and connection we have with loved ones just by thinking about them.

 
Why wait to have the experience you want to have?  Invite those feelings into your life right now.  The bonus is that the more clear you are on what kind of experience you want to have, and the more committed you are to having that experience along your journey, the more effortless it will be to accomplish your goals.  When I say effortless, I don’t mean without doing things in the world.  I mean doing them with less mental struggle and more good feelings.

Give it a try and let me know how it feels!
 
If you want some help in this area, I’d be happy to work one on one with you on a special goals exercise to help you get clear on what kind of experience you are aiming for in 2020.  I can mentor you to help you figure out how to have more of that experience effortlessly, everyday. 

I recently did this exercise and realized that I’m pointing towards experiencing more clarity, responding to calling, and being guided.  I’m pretty excited to see how that unfolds in 2020. If you're interested in exploring this for yourself with an experienced mentor, just let us know you want to do a “1 on 1 Goals Exercise Session” with Christina and we can answer any questions.
 
If this resonates with you, make sure to check out our upcoming Resiliency 101 Workshop, where we explore state of mind, thinking, moods, and behavior.  I've seen that we’re better off learning about how we create our experience so we can uncover wisdom, curiosity, love, and understanding in all kinds of circumstances, rather than planning out all the goals and plan B's in hopes that we can orchestrate a good feeling.
 

Upcoming Events:
Resiliency 101If some of your reflections have you looking in the direction of less stress and more connection with your spark, come learn the inside-out understanding that allows people to thrive in work, relationships, health, and life, regardless of circumstances.
 
Our first, and only state of mind workshop scheduled so far in 2020 is coming up fast and space is limited, so click this link to register and save your seat for:

Resiliency 101–The Art and Science of Thriving
Tuesday, January 28th from 6-7
at Thrive Acupuncture and Wellness

 
In this uplifting workshop you’ll learn how your mind works, so you can enjoy more peace of mind and:

  • Supercharge your performance
  • Improve your relationships
  • Enter the healing zone

Note: I’m taking a break from the Resiliency 101 Workshop in February and March, and I’m not quite sure what format the material is going to come back in, so if you’re interested, come join us in January for this well loved workshop.
 

Intro to Acu Tuning Forks with Jules Sears
If you’ve been in the office in the last 3 months you’ve met our new office manager Jules Sears.  While it’s obvious that she’s great at all things acupuncture office related (she’s been managing acupuncture offices for over 10 years) you might not know that she’s an amazing sound healer. 

Come join us for her inaugural sound healing workshop at Thrive.  Space is limited, so click this link to register and save your seat for:

Intro to Acu Tuning Forks with Jules Sears
Tuesday, February 18th from 6-7
at Thrive Acupuncture and Wellness

 
In this fun and interactive workshop, you’ll experience a mini Tuning Fork Tune Up and learn how specially designed tuning forks can stimulate, balance, and promote wellness and deep inner harmony.
 

New Year, New Insurance?Have there been any changes to your insurance?  Make sure to let us know before your next appointment so we can re-verify your benefits.  It’s a busy time of year for verifications, so it’s taking our billing department 48 hours verify benefits.  And acupuncture is like the black sheep of insurance.  The billing department has to call and talk to someone and ask all sorts of acupuncture specific questions.  But we’d rather do that now than get surprised when your claims come back.  Everyone hates insurance surprises!
 
If you have Blue Shield in 2020:  Click this link and check out this information.  There are some big changes for some plans and we're trying to help all our patients get informed.  Let us know if you have questions about your ability to use your insurance in our office.
 

What We’re Treating in the ClinicCold, flu, and virus prevention:  Back in August a patient of mine said they kept feeling like they were fighting something off, and they wanted a more targeted immune boosting strategy.  They had a family member that needed some extra care, so they didn’t have the bandwidth to get sick.  They already took Gan Mao Ling (“the pills in the yellow bottle” as we often call them) when exposed or fighting something off, but they wanted something more.  So I prescribed her a simple, easy to take daily formula, and she hasn’t had any cold, flu, or virus symptoms since she began taking it daily. 

I’m feeling the same way right now while I take on extra household and home nurse duties while my husband recovers from collarbone repair surgery.  No time to get sick, less time for self care, and lots of extra responsibilities on my plate.  So I’ve upped my immune boosting herbs. 

Now with the news of the China Virus (Wuhan Coronavirus), a lot of patients have been asking about boosting their immune system. 

Acupuncture is great at boosting the immune system and preventing colds, flus, and viruses.  And it’s empowering and effective to take some daily herbs.  Chinese Herbal Medicine has extensive immune boosting and cold, flu, and virus killing herbs, and I’m happy to help you find the ones that are best for you.

Existing patients can book online here.  Make sure you get a confirmation email and click "CONFIRM" in that email.  You are also welcome to call or email us if you prefer to schedule that way, or you’re not finding any appointments that work for you online. 

New patients need to call or email us to set up their first appointment because there is just too much information we need to share with you.
 

 

One Last RecommendationI want to let you all know about a workshop in Santa Rosa that I'm really excited about.  The workshop is based on the same understanding that I share in my Wisdom Workshops and is the basis for my deep understanding of our innate wellbeing that I talk with all my patients about at their acupuncture appointments–The Three Principles as discovered by Sydney Banks.  You can find out more info and register here: 

http://cominghometolove.eventbrite.com/
Feb 15-17th, 2020
at Sonoma Academy

Please reach out if you have any questions or let me know if I'll see you there.  I'm not involved in putting on the workshop, I just wanted to share this opportunity with you since people normally travel very far to see to see these speakers.

One of the workshop leaders, Dicken Bettinger, is one of my favorite teachers of this material.  He, along with the other workshop leader, Natasha Swerdloff, wrote one of my favorite books that we have in our lending library–Coming Home: Uncovering the Foundations of Psychological Well-being.  

Dicken is not just a favorite teacher of mine, whenever I've seen him at conferences, everyone agrees that he was their favorite speaker.  He's known to embody and convey wisdom, love, and humorous stories that light people up and help them effortlessly experience a beautiful feeling.  

If you want to get a gist of the understanding, check out his book from our lending library or come to our January Resiliency 101 Workshop.  
 

Happy Inside-out Reflecting and Mind Explorations!
Christina Ness-Hawks, LAc

Posted in acupuncture, Events, Immune Boosting / Immunity, Insurance, Mind Experiment, Respiratory Health, Seasonal Health, Sound Healing, Sydney Banks, Three Principles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment