Wellness for Children and Infants: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

I became a parent the same year I became an acupuncturist. Now over 17 years later, I see how much my work in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has supported my daughter and the many children who I have treated.TCM has a long and successful history in building, resilient, strong kids. I am excited to offer TCM at WholeFamily MD where I see infants and children 10 and under. 

How does TCM help children and infants? In a nutshell, holistically, TCM helps the body and mind to work in a coordinated and effective way. How do I use TCM in my work with children? It doesn’t always involve needles! I have created a technique to enhance sensory and nervous system integration using massage, tapping, brushing and cupping. I combine this physical work with plant-based herbal formulas to strengthen immune, digestion, urinary and nervous system functions. Finally, I create easy to follow nutrition plans for families that are specific to their needs. This approach, as a whole, helps children to become healthier, more relaxed and more resilient. In turn, a more relaxed body system reduces the frequency, severity, and intensity of childhood illness. The wonderful thing is, not only do kids get healthier with my approach, but parents become healthier and more relaxed too.

If this approach sounds right for you and your family, I encourage you to contact me for more information. Dr. Giulietta Octavio, DACM, info@integralbody.com, 415-550-8444.

4 ways to boost your immune system this fall and winter

The holidays are just around the corner and, of course, that means colds, flus, earaches, and coughs are on the rise. With kids back in school, holiday parties, and holiday sweets galore, the often overwhelming job of parenting, nurturing your family, and staying healthy can be challenging. Having a simple and effective action plan can make all the difference for you and your family’s health.  Fall is the time to start to ensure greater immunity through the holidays. 

4 ways to boost your immune system this fall and winter 

  • Get acupuncturePoor sleep, chronic stress, poor nutrition, and pathogens that are stronger than the immune system are four common reasons why otherwise healthy adults and children get sick. The good news? Acupuncture has a positive effect on all of these and raises your immunity. Your immune system functions in direct inverse proportion to your stress response. In other words, the more stressed you are, the more inhibited your immune system. The more relaxed and content you are, the better your immune system works. And while we’re at it, the more relaxed you are, the deeper you sleep, the better you digest, and the more positive your mood, all of which boosts your immune system.

    Acupuncture has a direct effect upon your nervous system, down-regulating the stress response and upregulating the immune system function. Down-regulating the stress response and improving sleep. Down-regulating stress response and up-regulating digestion. Down-regulating the stress response and increasing mood-lifting brain chemicals. 
  • Get more sleepNot getting enough rest can wreak havoc on your immune system, metabolism, and brain. It’s recommended that adults get about 8 hours of sleep and children get 10 hours. This time resting allows your body to heal itself, helps keep your hormones balanced, and helps your immune system function in balance.
  • Stop overdoing, especially stressful thingsDoing too much, especially things that bring you no real joy, creates a stress response in your body. Circulation and breathing constrict and adrenaline and tension increase,  responses to stress that inhibit your immune system and sleep.

    If you find yourself in a pattern of having way too many things to do than you can possibly accomplish in a relaxed manner, then it’s time to have a conversation with yourself about what you’re spending time on and do what you can to trim back. Kids also go through this when they’re overscheduled with sports, music lessons, schoolwork, and trying to be a kid. You can model to your child a healthier way of balancing life activities — both of your immune system’s will thank you.

  • Nutrition. Eat well, in a relaxed manner —  There are 3 important components to healthy eating one of which we often forget about and all of which are difficult to achieve when we are overscheduled, tired and stressed. The first is eating high quality, whole food, in a variety of flavors and colors. The second is preparing foods with a minimum of packaging, frying, sugars or salts. The third is eating in a relaxed manner where you have time to chew, breath and enjoy each bite in good company. Well-rested, under-scheduled, low stress families have a much wider bandwidth to prepare and enjoy high quality nutrition together. All of these contribute to a higher functioning immune system.

Want to further your inquiry into immune boosting for yourself and your whole family? 

Reach out with your comments, questions, requests. I’m happy to speak with you.

In Health!
Dr. Giulietta Octavio, DACM
ibwellsf@gmail.com   |   Schedule me

Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips for Staying Cool

Traditional Chinese Medicine is all about simple, natural self-care for you and your family. Here are a few tips from the Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective for staying cool and healthy during the Summer months. 

    1. Peppermint and Chrysanthemum iced tea. Both are cooling. One opens up the nose and benefits digestion, the other clears heat from the eyes and is a home remedy for stress and high blood pressure. Combining both, over ice, is a perfect Summer treat. 
    2. Cool water and lemongrass essential oil. Fill a mister/ sprayer with ice water and add a drop of lemongrass oil. Use the same mixture to wet a bandana and tie it around your neck. Spray yourself and your kids. Keep a stack of frozen bananas in your freezer or cooler when camping. Lemongrass is a refreshing and cooling oil that is traditionally used in Asia to relax the neck and shoulders. It feels and smells AMAZING. 
    3. Massage your “Four Gates”. Rub the area between your thumb and 2nd finger, and between your big toe and second toe. These 4 points are acupuncture/ acupressure points collectively referred to as the “Four Gates”. They are used to increase circulation and blood flow throughout the body. In Summer, rubbing these points can help clear hand and foot swelling when the weather heats up. 
    4. Take a Nap. Summer mornings and nights are equally inviting and naturally the best times for activity in Summer. Since we can’t be everywhere all the time, and we particularly shouldn’t be out at noon getting heatstroke, Traditional Chinese medicine recommends rising early, sleeping late and taking a nap in Summer. Preferably in a hammock. Actually, that last one is just my recommendation. 
    5. Bao He Wan and Long Dan Xie Gan Tang Formula. Summer can be full of BBQs, chips, ice cream, rose and beer. As tasty as these are, they can also lead to hangovers and indigestion. My two favorite herbal remedies for these “too much of a good thing” ailments are Bao He Wan and Long Dan Xie Gan Tang. I recommend having a bottle of each on hand as part of your Herbal Medicine Cabinet. 

If you need help sourcing any of the above ingredients, feel free to let me know. If you are a regular patient, I can have them shipped to you. If you are a new patient, then a brief consult can get you in good shape for getting the most out of your Summer. 

Giulietta Octavio is a doctor of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, and has been helping adults and families discover natural, effective healthcare alternatives since 2002.

Fall Into Your Groove

With fall comes the return to busy routines of work, school, and perhaps preparing the home for upcoming winter festivities or holiday travel. Increased exposure to people in close quarters and increased demands on our time and energy may bring “back to school” colds and respiratory ailments that affect the whole family.

In traditional life, fall was the time of harvest, for gathering our resources to guard against the adversity and scarcity of winter. It was the season to lay in supplies and eat heartily before fresh foods diminish.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, fall is the season of supporting the lungs, sinuses, and immune system with specific foods, treatments, and herbs.

In 2018, our bodies still carry a connection to nature and we still benefit from living in harmony with each season. What can you do this fall to support your lungs, sinuses, and immune system and ward off colds and flus?

Tips for finding your fall groove:

  1. Eat seasonal foods: There are still many kinds of fresh produce to be had in fall, but our cooking style should change with the season. Prepare vegetables warm and serve with aromatic seasonings, grilled, or roasted meats and warm grains. Minimize cheese, milk, and cream to keep phlegm at a minimum.
    • Examples: Roasted squash, caramelized red onions with cumin, star anise or ginger over quinoa. Roasted sweet potatoes with garlic and thyme served with grilled lamb sausage.
  2. Eat local, raw honey: See my article highlighting a local beekeeper and purchase local raw honey here.
  3. Breathe: Take a few minutes morning and night to sit quietly and inhale for a count of 4, hold 2 and exhale for a count of 4. Practice breathing into the very back and bottom of your lungs. This will both calm your nervous system and bring more oxygen into your body. Both are great for bolstering immune function.
  4. Sleep: Our bodies do most of their repair and restoration during sleep. Without it, your health, mood, and immunity can start to break down. Eight hours is vital for the prevention of a host of ills. If you have trouble sleeping, I offer acupuncture for insomnia.
  5. Take herbs to support your health: Depending on your area of weakness, it can make sense to have a few specific herbal formulas to have on hand like Yin Qiao for colds,  Respitrol CF for cough, Immune + to prevent colds, Pinellia XPT to expectorate phlegm and Pueraria Clear Sinus to clear phlegm and congestion from the nose.
  6. Get Acupuncture:  Weekly in the fall before the holiday season takes over. This is especially important for those who catch colds and flus frequently.
  7. Enjoy your life: This is the most underrated yet essential element for health. Do what you love, with people you love and who inspire you, and take the time to enjoy and appreciate what is right here, right now. The fall offers unique pleasures to enjoy like changing leaves, sweaters, and in the Bay Area, extended summer. Enjoy it all!

For help finding your fall groove, Dr. Giulietta Octavio uses acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, nutrition, Gua Sha, counseling, Chi Nei Tsang, cupping, and herbal medicine to help patients in the Bay Area, at WholeFamily MD and Integral Body. For more information or to schedule an appointment, click here.

Understanding High Blood Pressure: A Holistic Approach

Hypertension, also known as  high blood pressure, is an important health concern for men and women of all ages, including during pregnancy. It is important to understand the mechanics and the contributors of high blood pressure, not only to help manage it if you have it, but to prevent it if you don’t. High blood pressure is currently defined as 130 systolic (the “top” number) over 80 diastolic (the “bottom” number).

High blood pressure can be a serious health issue. If left untreated, it can have potentially life threatening consequences like heart attack or stroke. Acupuncture and herbs, as well as stress reduction techniques, can be very effective at lowering blood pressure, but they are best utilized after your primary care doctor has assessed the severity of your condition and your individual risk factors. Western and Eastern methods can, and do, work well together in the treatment of hypertension. They work especially well when your providers have great communication which allows them to coordinate care and individualize a safe and appropriate course of treatment, specifically for you.

Getting a diagnosis of high blood pressure is NOT a death sentence! Think of it more as a wake up call, giving you a full mandate to put your health, happiness, and well-being in the front of the line of life’s list of priorities. After all, you are a very special and important person, right? Your well-being is paramount.

What causes high blood pressure from an Holistic Mind-Body perspective?

From a purely mechanical standpoint, blood pressure is determined by the tubes the blood flows through, your blood vessels, the health of your heart, the pump, and the makeup of the blood itself. Blood flows through your blood vessels, guided by complex chemical and physical feedback mechanisms. The pressure with which blood flows through the vessels is affected by the volume of blood and the flexibility or rigidity of the vessels.

Blood volume is driven by how well your kidneys are managing fluid volume. If kidney function is low, they are able to remove less fluid from the body, thus the volume of blood is higher than the vascular system is designed to handle and the blood pressure goes up.

Blood vessels rigidity or elasticity is directly related to stress, both emotional and physical, leading to higher levels of tension in the arteries than the vascular system is designed to handle. Stress can be in the form of high levels of responsibility coupled with low levels of control at work or at home, leading to persistent anger, frustration, worry, or fear, which produce stress hormones that constrict and tense the muscles and blood vessels. Another type of stress can be produced by eating a diet high in saturated fats that lead to plaque build up on the inner walls of your arteries creating a mechanical rigidity and stress. Further aggravators are being overweight or under exercised.

Understanding the causes of your particular high blood pressure is important. Addressing your high blood pressure physically and emotionally is even more important.

What does high blood pressure imply “emotionally”?

As a Holistic Doctor of Acupuncture, I am concerned with both your physical and emotional health. They are so profoundly interconnected, especially in stress driven conditions like hypertension, that it really pays to take a closer look. So let’s take a look at what high blood pressure could mean emotionally by breaking down the language used to describe it.

Blood is a fundamental life substance, right? It delivers nourishment, removes waste, and fights unwanted invaders in every part of ourselves.

Now let’s look at high pressure. What does this evoke? Tension, hardening, stress, tightness, intensity, pushing, an urgent situation?

So putting these together, we have the most essential aspect of ourselves under high pressure – under more pressure than it can safely bear. This is the emotional underlay of the physical condition of high blood pressure. Objectively, this simply means that something, or many things in one’s life, are creating more pressure than is safe or useful for you to do well. Left unaddressed, the symptoms may increase in severity until they cannot be ignored. Addressing all the causes of high blood pressure are both respectful to your health, and can save your life.

Potential Contributors to High Blood Pressure:

  • Emotional Stress
  • Dietary Stress
  • Lack of exercise or stress relieving activities
  • Fluid retention or poor kidney function

Emotional Stress

Emotional stress often arises in areas of our life where we have the greatest responsibility with the least amount of control over outcomes and we feel obligated to stay in the situation even if it clearly isn’t working for us. Take a kind look your life objectively, as if you were looking over the life details of a friend. Make a list of those areas in your life. Even if you may not be able to change them radically right away, there may be some incremental shifts you can start right now that can reduce the stress of them. If they feel insurmountable, this could be a good indicator to bring in some professional help to re-shape your life in a way that supports your happiness and health.

Dietary Stress

For most people, lots of fresh vegetables, high quality meat or other protein sources, moderate fruit, grains, dairy and healthy fats are the best diet. The key is to eat well and deeply enjoy your food. Food is a pleasure, it’s family, it’s social, culture, and community, as well as nourishment. It’s vital to eat well and allow yourself the enjoyment of food. This relaxed state of eating allows better digestion and less stress.

Exercise

Movement or exercise is a basic component of health. Imagine of you never took your dog for a walk. They would probably go crazy, then drive you crazy, then become sick and sad. I hate to break it to you, but you are more like your dog than you know! Any kind of movement, even simple walking, improves all of your physical and mental functions. Blood flows, digestion moves, oxygen comes in, relaxing brain chemicals get released, making everything work better and more easily. If walking isn’t your thing, try swimming, biking, stretching, rolling around on the floor, you get the idea. Not only will you feel better in every way, you can also lower your blood pressure.

Kidney Function

Most people know from past testing or exams if they have kidney disease or low function, but some do not. It’s always a good idea to have a yearly physical and check up with your doctor. This helps develop a baseline and helps catch things quickly if they go out of normal range.

Applying a Holistic Approach in the Treatment of High Blood Pressure

Here are some ways we can treat high blood pressure holistically:

  • Stress reduction via breathing, counseling, meditation, exercise
  • Dietary shifts to whole, unprocessed foods low in sodium and eliminating saturated fats
  • Medications  
  • Herbal Medicines
  • Acupuncture

Medications vs. Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture

Western medicine, herbs, lifestyle and acupuncture can all work together to lower blood pressure. We want to help you optimize diet, exercise, stress control, and all lifestyle factors that could contribute to your diagnosis.

Once you have spoken with your primary care doctor, see if it is appropriate for you to incorporate acupuncture and herbs with Giulietta into your treatment plan for high blood pressure.

ADDITIONAL LEARNING

Using Acupuncture and Breathwork to Lower Blood Pressure

One of the most effective acupuncture points for lowering blood pressure is Kidney 1. It is in the very center of the underside of both feet. Using guided imagery breathwork to activate this point can dramatically lower blood pressure. Let’s try it!

Lie down in a comfortable spot. Picture your the bottom of your feet in your mind’s eye. Now imagine that there’s a big lovely mouth on the sole of each foot. Give it a great big smile if you like. (It’s ok to laugh, this is silly!)

Now imagine that you are only breathing from these two big mouths, one on the bottom of each foot. Your feet may start to feel very large and tingly at this point. That’s good.

With each inhale, all the air comes in from the bottom of your feet, up through your body and then with each exhale, all the air drains back out, down through your feet.

Imagine each breath washing over you and sending out any heat, tension or frustration down and out through the bottoms of your feet. Each inhale feels cool and refreshing, releasing any tension anywhere in the body.

Take as long as you like with this exercise. It’s a great mid-afternoon or end of the day reset.

Can Acupuncture And Herbs Help Your Seasonal Allergies?

As spring blooms, have you noticed your nose running or eyes itching more? If so, you may be suffering from seasonal allergies.

Symptoms of seasonal allergies occur when environmental “antigens” interact with antibodies, proteins made by your body’s immune system. These interactions can produce clear, watery phlegm, itching, sneezing, headache and fatigue.

The most common antigens are pollen, that fine yellow powder that both helps plants reproduce and dusts the hoods of our cars. But once a sensitivity in the mucosal tissue is active, it can be more reactive to a variety of irritants like smoke, fumes, and perfume, as well as other antigens like pet dander, dust, mold, and mites.

If you only get symptoms seasonally, you have – you guessed it – seasonal allergies. If you suffer from these symptoms all the time, well, lucky you – you unfortunately have chronic allergies.

Treatment Options

The most common allopathic treatment, ie. western medical treatment, for both seasonal and chronic allergies are antihistamines and steroidal nasal sprays. If these work well for you and you do not experience bothersome side effects, then you may not need to read any further.

The most common Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment for allergies, i.e. acupuncture and herbs, is a visit to your acupuncturist once a week before and during your high allergy season and some take home herbs to help keep your breathing clear.

For those of you who experience side effects from such antihistamines and steroidal nasal sprays, including sedation, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, nervousness, stomach upset, or for whom the standard treatment does not resolve your allergic symptoms, acupuncture and herbs offer an effective alternative and possible relief.

Can I get acupuncture and herbs at WholeFamily MD?

Yes! We now have an experienced and skilled acupuncturist and herbalist in our Noe Valley office every Wednesday. You can schedule online with Dr. Giulietta Octavio, DACM here.

Have Questions?

Dr. Giulietta Octavio, DACM, can answer your questions and help determine if this treatment option is right for you. Simply send her a note here.  

Want More Information?

Here are a few studies on the efficacy of acupuncture in reducing symptoms of allergic rhinitis in children and adults:

Acupuncture During Cold and Flu Season at WholeFamily MD!

The combination of a busy year and all the fires this fall has seen more families affected by an early cold and flu season. Don’t let that be you!

In Chinese Medicine, this is the season to strengthen the lungs and immune system. Our in-house acupuncturist, Giulietta Octavio, LAc, DACM, has effective protocols for preventing or reducing the severity of colds, cough, flu, and congestion. Ask her or your physician if these are appropriate treatments for you and your family. A few simple interventions now can make all the difference in helping you get through the holidays and the cold and flu season feeling great.

Schedule your immune focused treatment with Dr. Giulietta Octavio, today.