I just boarded a plane heading back to New York after an incredible vacation in Cancun. When I was younger, I never paid much attention to the weather. It did not phase me so long as I was having fun. As I get older, I really do not enjoy NY blistery winters. That being said, it is not as bad as it was when I was a child. The idea of living in a warm climate all year long is gaining increasing appeal. Nevertheless, I love what I do for a living and try never to forget that I am truly blessed. I really appreciate my patients and am grateful to be able to help them heal. The idea of relocating to a warmer climate but starting a practice from scratch is way too daunting. I will have to just enjoy my sunny vacation getaways when I can.
I needed this vacation. We all do these days. The awful situation in Israel is a constant worry. There are really no words to adequately express the pain and broken hearts. The guilt I felt at vacationing was slightly abetted by having met a Jewish group in our hotel. Together we completed a round of Tehillim/Psalms, saying prayers for our brothers and sisters and soldiers in Israel. One of the women was incredible at setting up a Challah bake through Chabad Cancun with prayers for Israel. A woman who participated, spoke about her niece who was kidnapped and taken to Gaza. Miraculously she was released a month ago. Her boyfriend is still being held captive. You could feel her anguish at what she and her family have been through. Another local Cancún person attending recited a prayer for our soldiers in both Hebrew and Spanish. Catching her breath, she tearfully explained that her son is a lone soldier currently fighting in Gaza. There was not a dry eye in the room. We all think about it constantly. We must continue to pray. We must continue to demonstrate and to support and to do whatever we can during this awful time. Being together helps. We should also incorporate Acupuncture to help alleviate the ongoing stress and anxiety. It is essential we make sure to take care of ourselves. Otherwise, we will not be good to anyone. We need the strength and unity to get through these grievous times.
Years ago, when I worked in Manhattan, I used to enjoy ‘people watching’ on the LIRR. It was curious guessing at what type of jobs people had, and what kind of family life. It was fun watching people put on makeup. Seeing them absorbed in a good book, or silently rocking to music. I used to imagine and conjecture if they were content, happy, or sad based upon all the observations. I am still people watching, but in a slightly unique way.
Sitting at the pool in Cancun, I observe a middle aged man get up off the lounge chair leaning and waning towards one side. It took him a few minutes to find balance. He was clearly protecting one side of his lower back and trying to adjust his gait accordingly. He could really benefit from a lower back Acupuncture treatment. Along with Cupping and Electric Stimulation on the Acupuncture points to relieve the obvious tension in his back. I can only picture how he must feel when he first wakes up in the morning. I am certain he longs for the old days in his twenties and thirties, when his body did not protest and talk to him quite so often.
Across from me is a family binging on sweets. I am certainly not someone to judge. Those who know me personally are well aware that I make good healthy choices in food selection. However, I have an incorrigible sweet tooth and enjoy dessert immensely. Chocolate, chocolate in any form really. I am not picky. Here I am silently observing while snacking on a bar of 85% dark chocolate. Of course, that is super healthy, so I still reserve the right to silently judge. So back to this family… The wasted calories on sodas and drinks with a parade of excessively sugary snacks is enlightening. I can only imagine that these young children will be running around like the Roadrunner shortly. All that sugar is likely to kick in-in roughly twenty minutes. Just as the parents are settling down to sit and enjoy the sun and relax a little, I expect the sugar rush to kick in, followed by the crash. It resembles much of what I see in patients in my clinic whose mood swings, as well as digestive issues are exacerbated by their diet. I am of course the exception to this rule. Just ask my family. It is me and my chocolate. With no mood swings whatsoever.
I am watching a couple which definitely depicts how opposites attract. I do not mean this in terms of physical attributes, but rather in demeanor. The woman is as calm as can be. It hardly phases her when her children knock over her Mimosa as they jump into the pool. It is almost imperceptible to her when they splash her romance novel that she has barely perused a few pages of. She is all smiles waiting on them. The man beside her is losing it. Everything that happens seems to set him off. He is so obviously frustrated at anything and everything happening in his midst. It is quite windy today and he seems literally disturbed at constantly having to fix his hair. His complacent wife used a ponytail and did not seem to even notice. He is irate with his children’s inability to sit still for a single minute. Oblivious that they are thrilled to be poolside on vacation and are just being kids. I am envisioning smoke rising from his head. He is red in the face, and practically fuming. I am itching to treat him with Acupuncture to help calm him down. I am also itching to put him on an herbal regimen. He would especially benefit from CBD calm gummies to help him settle down and truly relax. I would love to help him not take everything to heart quite so much. I desperately want to start with auricular Acupuncture and use points like the tranquilizer point. He is the type of personality I love to treat as the changes are immediate and remarkable. I often see this kind of yin/yang balance with couples. They complete each other and offer a needed balance. He could obviously benefit from Acupuncture to simply chill out. While she could benefit from Acupuncture as a reward for putting up with his sour expression!
If you are overcome with anxiety during these challenging times. If you are recovering from a vacation and need another one. If you did not get the opportunity to take a vacation. If you have back pain, digestive issues, a ridiculous sweet tooth, mood swings, etc. it is time to schedule an appointment.
What makes Acupuncture so effective is that each person is diagnosed as an individual. The magical point selection is customized to you and your symptoms. That is why Acupuncture is for everyone! Let me help you get started on your wellness journey today. You will not look back as you begin to experience incredible healing and see what you have been missing!