December 2004

This newsletter is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice

• Pacific Wellness News
• Massage? Time is running out!
• Welcome to our New Staff!Rahal Kay, RMT
• B12-Folate Shots Now Available at PWI
• Eat Kabocha Whole
• Moxibustion: An Ancient Fire Acupuncture Therapy
• Coping With Winter Depression

The Pacific Wellness Institute
80 Bloor Street West, Suite 1100
Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2V1
Tel: 416-929-6958
Fax: 416-929-6365
e-mail:
website: www.pacificwellness.ca

Newsletter 

Pacific Wellness News

Christmas Holiday Schedule for The Pacific Wellness Institute

We would like to inform you that we will close the clinic on Friday, December 24, 2004 at 3pm and re-open on Monday, January 3, 2005 at 9am.

Holiday Gift Certificates Available!

Pamper loved ones with holiday gift certificates! The holiday season is fast approaching and as usual, we have holiday gift certificates now on sale. We offer special package prices, for any services available at The Pacific Wellness Institute, such as massage and shiatsu therapy. Please drop by or call us for further details.

Congratulations to Amy & Charlene!

Our former clinical assistants, Amy Tung and Charlene Chan have successfully completed the full time program at Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors as Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine.  

Massage? Time is running out!

As you may already be aware, many insurance plans cover massage treatments. Most insurance companies allow a certain amount of coverage per calendar year and will not allow you to carry forward any unused portions over to the next year. So, if you still have some unused insurance benefits left, this is the time to take advantage of your coverage. Why not receive a series of treatments before the year-end to fully utilize your benefits? To find out how much coverage you have remaining or to book an appointment please contact Claudia by phone at 416-929-6958 or by e-mail reception@pacificwellness.ca.

Welcome to our New Staff!
Rahel Kay, RMT

I am a Registered Massage Therapist at The Pacific Wellness Institute. Allow me to begin by telling you a bit about who I am and what my goals are.I chose Massage Therapy as a career because it incorporates my fascination with healthcare and my desire to work hands-on with others. I am outgoing, fun loving, hard working and easy to talk to. My experience with Massage Therapy has been that it is relaxing, and effective in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

I attended Sutherland-Chan School and Teaching Clinic, a well known accredited college from which I graduated in July of 2004. This program was rigorous, challenging, exciting and provided an excellent foundation for the development of my skills as a therapist. I have also attended special clinics and gained valuable experience in different realms of Massage Therapy such as pregnancy and breast massage, massage specialized to central nervous system disorders and massage for stroke related conditions along with all the more commonly treated conditions. I am certified in CPR and first aid. In the past I have been an integral part of a research project comparing tissue memory with cognitive memory and I continue to be interested in these and many other subjects. All of this is intended to provide my patients with the widest array of treatment options possible.

Massage Therapy alone or in conjunction with the other treatments available at The Pacific Wellness Institute can provide you with a well-rounded healthcare regimen that will decrease stress and increase vitality and wellness. I believe strongly in the integrity and strength inherent in all patients' own good health and I am sure that I can play a key role in your team of health care professionals. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to work with you and I hope to see you soon, warmest regards...

B12-Folate Shots Now Available at The Pacific Wellness Institute
By EeVon Ling, BSc, ND

A shot in the arm may be what you need for good health and increased energy! You may have heard of vitamin B12 and folate, but what do they do and why do you need a shot of them? B12 (cobalamin) and folate (or folic acid) work together to perform many vital functions in the body. Together they help form DNA, red blood cells, and components of the nervous system. Another important function of B12 and folate is to break down homocysteine, a protein known to contribute to heart disease.

Because they are so involved in the basic functions of the body, many health conditions can benefit from B12 and folate: chronic fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, anemia, neurological conditions (MS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetic neuropathy etc.), cancer, auto-immune disorders, heart disease, eye conditions, asthma, male infertility, chronic ringing in the ear, and frequent illness…just to name a few.

B12 is naturally available from animal products such as eggs and meat. It is absorbed via a series of digestive events that requires adequate levels of stomach acid, enzymes and a specific protein, intrinsic factor. As we age, our ability to digest and absorb B12 decreases. Also certain medications deplete B12 from our bodies. It can take up to 5 years before any outward symptoms of B12 deficiency shows, however, by that time the damage has been done.

Folate, on the other hand, is available from green leafy vegetables and mushrooms. It helps the body use amino acids, works with B12, and forms components of the nervous system and red blood cells. Recently, folate has been recommended to pregnant women to prevent spinal deformities in the developing baby. However, folate is good for female health throughout the ages. From infertility, cervical dysplasia, to osteoporosis, B12 and folate can help treat these conditions. Research has also shown that folate may also help prevent the development of cancer.

Therefore vegetarians and vegans, as well as those with diets lacking green leafy vegetables, those with any digestive health problems, those taking antacids and acid lowering drugs, those suffering from alcoholism and addictions, women on estrogen therapy or hormonal birth control, and individuals on the following types of medications: anticonvulsants, gout medication, antibiotics, oral antifungal medication, diabetic medication, ulcer medication, certain heart medications, tricyclic antidepressants, may all need to receive B12-folate injections.

At The Pacific Wellness Institute, we only use special preparations of preservative-free active forms of B12 and folate. There are 3 different forms of B12 available: cyanocobalamin, hydroycobalamin and methylcobalamin. Cyanocobalamin is often used in vitamin supplements. Hydroxycobalamin and methylcobalamin are used in injections. Medical doctors often use the hydroxy form because it is the cheapest. In addition, the B12 available through your medical doctor is most likely preserved with alcohol and other chemicals. Only the methyl form is the active and useful form of B12 in the body. At The Pacific Wellness Institute, we only use the methyl form to get the most effective results.

B12-folate injections are available from our Naturopathic doctor. If you are a new patient, an initial consultation is required. Prescriptions from your medical doctor or from another naturopathic doctor can be filled without an initial consultation.

Eat Kabocha Whole
By Haruko Ishihara, Holistic Nutritional Consultant

Have you ever heard the name Kabocha or eaten this naturally sweet root vegetable? Kabocha is a type of pumpkin/squash, which is regularly used in Japanese home cooking. This pumpkin/squash provides you with tremendous nutritional value along with a richer flavour than other squash.

Its nutrients are well-balanced, and from this root vegetable, you can expect to get beta carotene, vitamin C and E and fibre, as well as minerals and trace B vitamins. Perhaps surprisingly, some of the prime nutrients are contained more in its skin, pulp and seeds than in the flesh. Beta carotene is abundant in Kabocha as in many other brightly coloured vegetables and this anti-oxidant nutrient is found more in the skin and pulp. Another powerful anti-oxidant, polyphenol (a plant nutrient) is also contained more in the pulp. So don't peel the skin or discard the pulp when you cook Kabocha. Mineral-rich seeds cannot be ignored either. Kabocha pumpkin seeds can be prepared for eating by washing, drying under the sun and roasting. You can consume the entire Kabocha with no parts thrown away!

The season for Kabocha in Japan is summer but here in Canada, late summer and early fall seem to be the good season for flavourful ones. Kabocha ripen in about 10 days after being harvested. Choose one with a dried stem and vertical creases. The skin should be hard, dark green in colour with clear stripes. While a whole Kabocha can be kept in a cool dark place for 1-2 months, once it is cut, it should be kept in the fridge for no longer than 1 week.

Kabocha Pumpkin with Sesame Seeds
Ingredients
Half Kabocha: cut into medium pieces (one-bite size)
Several snow peas: steam or boil and cut julienne strip
4 tbsp of black sesame seeds: toast and grind them
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp sake
˝ tsp maple syrup

Method
1. Steam or boil Kabocha with a small amount of water until cooked.
2. Mix all ingredients of sauce.
3. Pour the sauce on Kabocha and combine well.
4. Sprinkle the snow peas on top of Kabocha (or the snow peas can be mixed with Kabocha if you would like).

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The ancients said that a man who understandsDrugs but does not know acupuncture, or one whoknows acupuncture but does not know moxa, cannever make a real physician.

(Chin Li-Meng, Chinese Physician, 1447)

Moxibustion: An Ancient Fire Acupuncture Therapy 
By Tim Tanaka, Ph.D., D.Ac., RMT, RNCP, BCIAC

Moxibustion is a form of fire heat treatment that stimulates specific acupuncture points of the body. The term is derived from the Japanese "mogusa" meaning herb (mugwort) and the Latin "bustion" meaning burning.



Why is moxibustion such an integral part of acupuncture practice today?

Up until this century, before the advancement of 'modern medicine', acupuncturists played the role of physician in China and Japan. The patient population at acupuncture clinics was quite different in those days, consisting of many people with acute life threatening illnesses such as serious infection, systemic inflammation, and communicable diseases. These illnesses are typically 'heat syndrome' in traditional Chinese medicine terms manifested by noticeably high fever. Today, patient populations are quite different compared to in the past. Rarely, acupuncturists encounter serious acute conditions but rather most patients visit with chronic pain conditions, functional disorders, or a variety of stress related illnesses. In the majority of those chronic conditions, the patients have a cold constitution. Even some patients who appear to be manifesting heat, really have underlying chronic cold in their system which creates the heat-syndrome-like symptoms as their body tries to balance.

Why do more people have cold constitutions now than in the past?

A cold constitution is triggered or aggravated by over-cooling of our body systems. Due to technological advancement, we are exposing our systems to cold of a much higher magnitude than in the past. Two such examples, both of which did not exist in the past, are widespread use of refrigerators and air conditioners in almost every office and household. Many people are regularly drinking a large amount of icy cold beverages and eating their favorite ice cream. Air conditioners certainly make our lives more comfortable in hot summer days and nights, however we are then exposed to cold winds not only in winter but year-round. Unlike in the past, cold constitutions are not commonly seen in the cold climate regions only, but anywhere in the modern world including the southern tropics. Furthermore, it should also be noted that many pharmaceutical drugs including common over the counter pain medications are known to decrease body temperature. Other common causes of cold constitution are large consumptions of fruits and raw vegetables and ongoing mental/emotional stress.

More so than in the past, people today are in fact having a cold constitution based on eastern medical diagnosis. The burning of moxa is believed to expel cold and to warm the meridians, leading to the smoother flow of blood and qi.

Moxibustion has been used in tandem with acupuncture to treat a variety of diseases throughout Asia for thousands of years. In fact, the actual Chinese character for what we routinely call acupuncture is Zhen Jiu (or Shin Kyu in Japanese), translated literally, it means "needle-moxibustion." Moxibustion, which is so integral to the original concepts of acupuncture has not been taught in depth in the Western acupuncture education and training system. Thus, a number of practitioners today practice acupuncture using the needling method only. Using one without the other is like playing the piano with just one hand. Read more athttp://www.acupuncture-treatment.com/moxibustion.html

Coping with Winter Depression 

Now that summer is over and the long, cold Canadian winter is fast approaching, many people may start to notice changes in their wellbeing. The "winter blues", also clinically known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.), are something many people suffer from. This can include symptoms such as fatigue, depression, body pains and aches and a host of other related symptoms.

We would like to refer you to the article below, courtesy of the Mayo Clinic, which lists some helpful strategies to minimize your susceptibility to S.A.D. and explains how to deal with these "winter blues."

"Light therapy lifts the gloom of seasonal affective disorder"

By Mayo Clinic, staff

In the depths of winter, you may turn your face to the afternoon sun, seeking out what little light filters through fading gray skies. You may throw open the blinds, leave lights on throughout your home, or even head South for a vacation - anything for a little more light.For people with a type of depression called seasonal affective disorder, this need for light takes on greater significance. Light may be instrumental in treating potentially debilitating symptoms of the disorder.

Hope through light therapy
People with seasonal affective disorder have a cyclical type of depression that's most often triggered by the onset of fall or winter, when daylight hours wane. In rare cases, the condition develops during summer months. Signs and symptoms of winter-time seasonal affective disorder can include sadness, sleep difficulties, increased appetite, carbohydrate craving, irritability, weight gain, lack of energy, anxiety and problems concentrating. Symptoms can be severe enough to interfere with your daily activities and quality of life for months on end. You may find your symptoms gradually abating with the arrival of spring, and sunnier, longer days.
But what can you do in the meantime, during those dark days when you can't get out of bed, when you skip work, miss deadlines, overeat, or feel overwhelmed by fatigue or despair? Because symptoms can be severe, don't try to ride them out or treat them yourself. Consult your doctor or a mental health professional for help.

There's a good chance that therapy with specialized lights - not your ordinary living room lamp - will help reduce your symptoms and enable you to enjoy life more again.
Light therapy, also called phototherapy, has been used to treat seasonal affective disorder since the early 1980s, and it has many benefits. It's easy to use in your own home, it usually doesn't have major side effects, it's generally safe, and it's cost-effective. In fact, light therapy is now considered standard treatment for seasonal affective disorder.

For more information about light therapy devices, visit: http://www.litebook.com. The litebook is also available for purchase at The Pacific Wellness Institute.