Pins and Needles

This was AWESOME last night:

I absolutely LOVED the duet by Crystal Bowersox and Lee Dewyze on American Idol last night. Their performance gave me chills. “Falling Slowly” is one of my favorite songs. Are you watching Idol this season?

Breakfast

This morning, I rocked Oats In A Jar for breakfast. I feel like I eat more peanut butter now that I know this food brainchild exists. I finish my jars so quickly now-a-days!

In the mix:

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 banana
• 1 cup water
• Almond slices
• Chia seeds
• Ground flaxseed meal

I also enjoyed some iced coffee with my OIAJ.

Of course, the pug was very interested in my breakfast this morning. He has a peanut butter “problem.”

Feel Great Weight

Do you eat for energy? Check out my recent FGW post: 4 Smart Ways to Boost Your Energy With Food.

OMBE: Acupuncture

Last week, I went to my first ever acupuncture appointment at OMBE. Going into this appointment, I wasn’t sure what to expect. To be completely honest, I was sort of skeptical about the whole thing. I mean, how could tiny needles help heal my hip pain?

Like my chiropractic appointment at OMBE, my initial consultation for acupuncture started with a comprehensive health history and evaluation, followed by a 50-minute session.

To begin my session, Jessica, the acupuncturist, instructed me to lay face down, so she could focus on my left hip and lower back where I have been having pain. She started by putting needles in my ankles and calves– if I felt anything at all, I barely felt a prick.

Then, Jessica moved to my hip and IT band on the left side of my body. She stuck the needles in, and I immediately felt a warm, dull, burning sensation. It didn’t hurt at all; it just felt sort of weird. The needles in my lower back felt the same way– although, I could feel some more than others.

When I asked Jessica why I could feel some needles more than others. Here’s what she said:

Your body is made up of an energy called qi (chee) which flows through a system of pathways called meridians. You can think of meridians as your own body’s circadian rhythm that regulates all of the physiological systems of your body-including pain regulation and your body’s ability to heal itself. If you have any kind of symptom whether it’s allergies, PMS, or hip pain, the general idea is that the qi flowing through this system of pathways isn’t balanced. The acupuncture points are points along the channel that are thought to be where the qi is the most accessible. When the acupuncturist taps into this point, sometimes you can feel your own body’s qi. This sensation is different for everyone-it varies from point to point and person to person. The qi sensation can be warm, tingly, dull, achy etc…Acupuncture points near a site of injury can be more sensitive especially if there is inflammation (hence the warm, burning sensation you felt)-it can also be a sign of increased blood flow.

Very interesting, right? I’m still trying to wrap my brain around it.

Once all the needles were in my body, Jessica turned on some Yo-Yo Ma and left me to relax for about 30 minutes. The needles in my hip, IT band, and lower back continued to feel warm, but my body was totally relaxed. I almost fell asleep a few times.

So, this is the crazy part… After the treatment, I felt ZERO pain in my left hip. Absolutely none. I moved around and stretched, hoping to find some sort of pain, but I didn’t feel any. It was weird, but awesome. My hip hasn’t felt like that in a year now!

My hip stayed pain-free for the next 24 hours or so, but it’s slowly come back over the past week. Jessica spoke with Erik (the chiropractor at OMBE), and they both agreed that until my pelvic alignment/rotation is addressed, no amount of acupuncture will hold for any length of time. Even still, my first acupuncture appointment was pretty cool. I’m a believer now! There’s definitely something going on.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be meeting with Erik for a couple of sessions to get me on the right track. Hopefully, I’ll be running sooner than later!

Question of the Day

Have you ever had acupuncture? If not, would you try it?