October 2002

Publisher: The Pacific Wellness Institute
Tim Tanaka, Ph.D., Director

Newsletter Editor: Victor Chan, MBA

Contributors for this issue: Emily Crown, CST; Haruko Ishihara, RNC, CR

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

Inside this Issue

• Happy New Year from the Pacific Wellness Institute
• New Service: Chiropractic
• Why Crash Diets Crash
• Uncover Your Composition
  - Bio Impedance Analysis
• Styles of Acupuncture are Diversified
• Acupuncture Safety And Hygiene
• Shiatsu Therapy For Menopausal Symptoms
• Healthy Japanese Cooking:
   Yose Nabe
   

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

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Newsletter 

Happy New Year From The Pacific Wellness Institute
Let us help you achieve your New Year's resolution goals

The staff at the Pacific Wellness Institute would like to wish everyone much joy and good health in 2003.

A new year brings with it a sense of renewal and a chance for a fresh start. Have you made a New Year's resolution? Maybe you're one of the many people who have vowed to shed a few pounds or kick the cigarette habit. Often, however, the hope and resolve that motivates us quickly fades and we end up making the same resolutions year after year. If this sounds familiar, you'll be interested to find out how modalities used at our clinic such as hypnosis, acupuncture, biofeedback, and nutritional counseling can help you break the cycle (see our website at www.pacificwellness.ca).

New Service: Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a powerful way to help you fully express your potential. There are actually over 150 techniques to help re-align your spine. Some may prefer a rotational method which is great. But Dr. Sandy Bhasin only uses techniques that involve no rotation or twisting movements. That means an adjustment that feels gentle and relaxing.Dr. Bhasin is available at The Pacific Wellness Institute every Friday from 10 am to 1 pm."I love taking my patients from a place of pain - to a place of power".- Dr. Sandy Bhasin, Chiropractor

Why Crash Diets Crash

Most people want to lose weight for two reasons - to feel healthier and look better. Surprisingly, however, weight loss doesn't necessarily lead to better health or appearance. In fact, the opposite is often true. Sudden weight loss through crash dieting can result in devastating consequences such as:

• Deterioration in posture
• Dehydration
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Permanent stretch marks on skin
•  Dry, unhealthy looking skin
• Body fluids imbalance
• Deterioration in body composition (decreased lean body mass)
• Other health-related complications such as amenorrhea (no menstruation), dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain), anemia, and infertility

It is important to note that deterioration in body composition (balance of muscle, fat, fluids) slows down your metabolism, thus increasing the likelihood of regaining the lost weight and making it far more challenging to lose weight in the future. Most diets measure success solely by the number of pounds lost. However in order to avoid the "yo-yo" cycle and metabolic slow down, it is important to focus on the amount of fat you lose rather than the amount of weight you lose. Researchers in gerontology (the study of aging) report that there is a significant co-relationship between the deterioration in body composition (muscle loss and fat tissue increase) and aging.Visit www.pacificwellness.ca for more information on different weight control options we offer.

Uncover Your Composition - Bio Impedence Analysis

Bio Impedance Analysis (BIA) is one of the most convenient and reliable ways to measure of your body's composition and provides insight into your overall health. BIA works by estimating the percentage of lean muscle tissue in your body and other essential biological markers of health. Our research grade BIA equipment is the same as the ones used regularly by major hospitals and university facilities. It reveals the proportion and amount of fat and lean tissue and can be effectively used to indicate how much muscle and fat is being lost or gained as a result of physical or dietary changes.
 

Special OfferFor a limited time, we are offering Bio Impedance Analysis for only $5 (regularly $20) to anyone interested in finding out their own body composition. This simple, non-invasive procedure is done in a matter of minutes with your clothes and provides a 17-page analysis report. Call us at (416) 929-6958 for further information. This offer ends February 28, 2003.

 

Why Are Styles Of Acupuncture Techniques So Diversified?

Acupuncture has developed in the past few thousand years, through a rich tradition of trial and error, into an "empirical" medicine. In the U.S. and Canada, many different styles of acupuncture have been introduced. The most common system of acupuncture used in North America today is the Chinese system (or Traditional Chinese Medicine - TCM). TCM-trained acupuncturists (and also most medically trained acupuncturists) use bigger and longer needles and almost always attempt to produce a de qi sensation (numbness, heaviness, twitching, or radiating ache around the needle insertion). TCM practitioners believe that the de qi sensation is essential for producing acupuncture's benefits. In contrast, many Japanese-trained practitioners tend to use much finer needles and stimulate only the surface of the skin, and often do not consider the de-qi sensation of importance. It should be noted that not all Japanese practitioners treat their patients with the same technique. Chinese acupuncture was introduced into Japan about 1500 years ago. The basic principles remained similar to the Chinese meridian system, but the treatment style became quite different. This may be the result of social differences between mainland China and the island of Japan but it may also be a matter of simple economics.

In China, acupuncture is one of the cheapest medicines available whereas Western medical interventions and pharmaceuticals are expensive and less accessible. Acupuncture is so commonly practiced and the stream of patients is so voluminous that ensuring patient's comfort has actually become secondary in this training and system.In Japan especially in the last 100 years, acupuncture has thrived in the private-practice sector. Western medicine has proved to be highly economical and is the central paradigm for Japanese government-supported healthcare. Practitioners of acupuncture in Japan have had to compete by developing traditional methods into highly effective and comfortable treatments. The Japanese have a long tradition of borrowing from other cultures and refining a good idea. This can obviously be seen in their highly innovative and successful automobile and electronics industries.There are many styles of acupuncture but which is best for you? This really depends on your condition and personal preference and may mean trying out a few practitioners before you find the right one. Every acupuncturist believes their treatment system is best but really, there is simply not enough evidence to conclude either way.
 

Is painless, gentle acupuncture less effective? Some acupuncturists believe that one must insert needles deeper and administer a much stronger stimulation in order to produce a significant effect. However, Dr. Tanaka does not believe this to be necessarily true. Many Japanese practitioners clinically observe significant improvement in their patient's condition using an extremely gentle superficial needling technique. Dr. Tanaka's scientific study (Tanaka, H.T. et al., International Journal of Neuroscience in 1996) indicated that very gentle superficial needling stimulation produces an immensely favorable response in the human physiological system. The study demonstrated that a very small amount of superficial stimulation produces significant responses in the body when applied skillfully with consideration of the patient's physiological condition. Our goal is to deliver the most effective treatment for a patient's condition while providing the most comfortable treatment experience.

Acupuncture Safety And Hygiene

Since acupuncture is not yet regulated in Ontario, professional standards have not been set. Therefore, virtually anyone can practice acupuncture. As a consequence, the hygienic health conditions of acupuncture clinics are of great concern to many people.

 Did You Know?

•  We are one of the very first clinics in Ontario to shift from traditional reusable acupuncture needles to 100 % disposable needles. That was over 12 years ago!
•  The only brand of needle we use in our clinic is Seirin brand. Seirin needles are approximately five times more expensive than some of the common brands on market. They are the highest quality disposable needles and are manufactured in Japan.
•  Dr. Tanaka has been a member of the Board of two major acupuncture organizations in Ontario (Vice Director of the Education Committee for CMACC and PCTAO Proficiency Examination Committee).
•  The Pacific Wellness Institute is designated as an upgrade training center for the CMACC and has been providing continuing education to members (especially in the areas of efficacy and safety issues).

Shiatsu Therapy For Menopausal Symptoms
By Emily Crown, CST

Many women experience discomfort at the close of their menstrual cycle. This time can be very difficult due to the many symptoms often attributed to menopause (also referred to as "Second Spring" in Eastern theory). Fatigue, hot flashes, dizziness, obesity, edema in ankles, poor memory, anxiety, moodiness, insomnia and back ache can all be symptoms of a menopausal woman. These are usually due to a hormone imbalance, and a general decline in kidney energy resulting in a stasis of Qi. In Eastern theory, kidney energy represents the source of energy in our body. A decline in this area leads to general fatigue, and lends to the previously mentioned conditions.A full body treatment along with gentle stretching will target and relax the affected areas. The overall goal at this point is to tonify the kidney energy, thus strengthening and soothing the body during this vulnerable period of transition. After a general kidney tonification, each shiatsu session can then be specialized to ease any specific symptoms experienced. Regular treatments are suggested as the benefits become cumulative over time.According to Eastern theory, Qi is the vital energy of life and we are all in good health as long as it is flowing in a smooth and bountiful manner. Symptoms of "ill health" begin to appear in our body and mind when we do not have enough Qi, or if it is not flowing smoothly.During a Shiatsu treatment the therapist applies pressure to the areas where the Qi is insufficient, or its flow is distorted or stagnated. When the right amount of holding pressure is applied the flow returns to normal, and the excess or blocked energy is dispersed. Deep relaxation and balance are experienced; stimulating the body's natural healing process. Shiatsu therefore, can be described as a catalyst for balancing the body naturally, allowing the body to heal itself.

Healthy Japanese Cooking
By Haruko Ishihara, RNCP, CNP, CR.

Another name for winter is the "cold and flu season". Many of you may already have had a cold or the flu this winter. It may be caused by bad diet or poor eating habits during holiday season along with cold weather and dry air. During winter Japanese people often eat a hot pot dish, called Nabe, to warm the body and fight the cold. Nabe is an excellent winter dinner, nutritious, healthy and delicious.There are many types of hot pot dishes, depending on their ingredients. For example, thin sliced beef is used for Shabu Shabu, duck for Kamo Nabe, chicken for Mizutaki, seafood with miso based soup for Ishikari Nabe, seafood and meats for Yose Nabe, and meat balls and anything in your fridge for Chanko Nabe. With all of these hot pot dishes, you are able to consume large amounts of winter vegetables which provide you with vitamins, minerals, fibre and proteins. More importantly, many of winter vegetables do warm your body.One of the most fun parts of a Nabe dinner is the way you cook and eat it. Traditionally, an earthenware pot and a portable gas stove are used for Nabe and it is usually cooked and eaten at the table. Thanks to this procedure we naturally need to eat food more slowly and that supports digestion and enhances good communication among family members or friends at the dinner table. For this issue of newsletter, I would like to introduce Yose Nabe, which is probably the most popular Nabe dinner at Japanese home. With this healthy recipe you can warm your body and heart and protect your body from evil colds and flu.

Yose Nabe

Ingredients:

• 250g of chicken thighs with bone (cut into 3 cm square pieces)
• 250g of salmon fillet (cut into 5cm pieces)
• 8 pieces shrimp/ 8 pieces scallops
• 8 Nappa (Chinese cabbage) leaves (cut into 5cm square pieces)
• 1 bunch of Mizuna/kale/bok choy/other green leafy vegetables (cut into 5 cm length)
• 1 leek(cut diagonally and thinly)
• 1 carrot (cut into julienne strips)
• 1 gobo (burdock) (cut into julienne strips)
• 8 Shiitake Mushrooms (remove stalks)/1 bag of Enoki mushrooms
• 1 block of tofu (cut into 3cm square)
• 1 cup of cooked rice (brown)
• 1 egg: beaten

For the soup:

• 20cm of Kombu seaweed
• 9 cups of dashi stock
• 1/2 cup of sake
• 3 tbsp of soy sauce
• 3 tbsp of Mirin (if you have it)
• small amount of salt

(home-made dashi stock: bring 10 cups of water to boil with dashi Kombu 15g, 30g of bonito flakes and leave for few minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve)

For the sauce (PONZU):

• 1/4 cups of soy sauce
• 3 tbsp of lime juice
• small piece of KombuCondiments:
• 1/2 cup of grated white radish (Daikon)
• 1 red chili pepper
• 1/4 cups of finely chopped green onions

1. Mix soy sauce and lime juice in a small bowl. Add Kombu to the mixture. Take out the Kombu just before serving
2. Cut and prepare all ingredients except rice and egg and place them on large plates
3. Lay the Kombu seaweed on the bottom of the pot, preferably earthenware, and add stock and other ingredients for soup. Bring to a boil.
4. Put a small amount of each ingredient (add ingredients, such as chicken, which take longer to cook first) into the pot and cook
5. Bring the pot and remaining ingredients to the table and put the pot on a portable gas stove.
6. Put the foods you would like and the soup into a small individual bowl and add sauce and condiments as you wish to strengthen the taste. Serve yourself small amounts each time (as often as you like).
7. Cook more ingredients as you go, adding more water/stock as the stock is reduced.
8. Just before everyone is full, add the rice into the soup, cook, and add beaten egg. Boil lightly with lid for about 2 minutes. Enjoy the soupy rice that has absorbed the wonderful essences and flavours from all the ingredients.

* The earthenware pot is ideal for Nabe but any kind of flameproof casserole can be used instead.

* If you don't have a portable gas stove you can cook on a regular stove, put food into a larger bowls and bring them to the table.