Hello—Happy New Year!
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This Year of the Monkey promises plenty of opportunity for those who make an effort to let go of unhelpful patterns of thought and behavior. Following your passions can help you make bold choices with confidence. Although research and planning are helpful, because the Yang Fire Monkey can be unpredictable, we also need to be able to go with the flow and not be too rigid in our thinking or plans. What are some new ways you can take care of yourself this year?


Tips to Shop Healthy & Save Money - Healthy COSTCO Shopping List

In the Chinese zodiac, the Monkey is known to be clever and energetic. This year eating healthier can help you be more energetic and to do so, you don't have to spend your "whole paycheck." I love to support local food producers at the farmer's market and I also like stretching my budget. For an annual membership, you can be a clever Monkey and save on real, minimally processed food at Costco in Superior (or any of their 691 stores in eight countries). And, unlike a certain other discount stores, it has good corporate practices that can help you feel good about where you're shopping (and they do carry quite a few Colorado products). As you know, Costco is not a "health food store" and there is plenty of opportunity to make bad choices. But I've compiled a list of some of the healthier items I've bought at Costco to guide newbies in their explorations. Items do come in larger sizes, but many things on my list have a good shelf life and can be stored or frozen until needed. Aside from food you can save on a myriad of other items from electronics and housewares to furniture, clothing and camping gear. They also have one of the best return policies around in case you're ever unhappy with something you've purchased—including the membership.

In the Freezers:
Wild Alaskan Salmon Burgers
Wild Mahi Mahi Filets
Organic Black Bean Burgers
Organic Blueberries
Organic Triple Berry Blend (Blueberry, Raspberry, Blackberry)
Organic Sweet Cherries
Organic Broccoli Florets
Organic Green Beans
Organic Baby Peas
​Organic Mixed Vegetables

In the Refrigerators:
Organic Eggs
Cage Free Eggs
Organic Butter
Pita Pal Organic Hummus
Wholly Guacamole

In the Grocery Aisles:
Avocado Oil (for higher heat cooking, sauteeing, roasting and grilling)
Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil (lower heat cooking and baking)
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for use in dressings, not cooking) 
Organic Lemon Juice (in green glass bottles)
Organic Quinoa
Organic Black Chia Seeds
Organic Hemp Seeds
Organic Chicken Stock
Organic Classico Marinara Sauce
Organic Coconut Flour
Bob's Red Mill Wheat-Gluten-and-Dairy-Free All Purpose Baking Flour
Canned Wild Alaskan Salmon 
Sardines in Olive Oil (High in Omega-3's, these are so good for you! I make sardine salad instead of tuna salad using lots of lemon juice, a little mayo, veggies such as celery, and spices—ground turmeric, ginger and cumin.)
Minced Garlic
Raw Almonds
Raw Walnuts 
Lundberg Organic Brown Rice
Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free Bread
Mary's Gone Crackers (in the snack section near the cash registers)
Himalayan Pink Salt and Salt Grinder
Tellicherry Black Pepper Grinder
Organic Heinz Ketchup
Non-GMO Avacado Oil Mayo

In the Meat Section:
Organic Chicken Breasts and Thighs
Organic Ground Beef
Ground Bison/Buffalo
Fosters Farms Organic Free Range Ground Turkey

In the Refrigerated Produce Section:
Organic Super Greens (Kale, Chard & Spinach in a 5 lb bag. When you wilt/steam it, it reduces quickly, so you can easily go through the bag before it goes bad. I wilt some greens with a bit of water in the same pan after cooking eggs.)
Organic Baby Spinach
Organic Baby Carrots
Organic Pears
Asparagus*
Brussels Sprouts* 
Onions* (non-refrigerated produce section)

*although not organic, these are among the fruits and veggies with lowest pesticide residues
 
I'd be happy to make further suggestions about how to enjoy some of the foods I've listed if you're not familiar with them (quinoa and chia, anyone?). And as always, please feel free to contact me with any of your health questions or concerns. 

For acupuncture availability, see my calendar and request an appointment here.  Have questions? Ask here.
Warmest regards,
Robin

If you have been helped by Robin and would like to share your experience with others, please feel free to write a review on Google, Yelp or Facebook. Your comments are appreciated--Thank you!
       

Hello!

Mother's Day is approaching and now is the time to let your Mom know how much you appreciate everything she's done for you. 
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If you or your mom have a sweet tooth but are watching sugar intake, try the Gluten-Free Low Carb brownie recipe below.  The recipe is wheat-free and only calls for 1/3 cup maple syrup for the entire batch, but they're so chocolatey and delicious you'd never know they're so healthy! Share how they turn out with a post on Acupuncture Boulder's Facebook page.

As a reward for reading this, the first person to post on my Facebook page the place where this photo was taken will receive a free Relaxation Treatment! I've already posted a hint to help you out.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any of your health questions or concerns. 

For acupuncture availability, see my calendar and request an appointment here.  Have questions? Ask here.


Warmest regards,
Robin

Gluten-Free Low Carb Brownies

Modified from The Primal Blueprint Cookbook
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups walnut meal (Grind up 1 3/4 c. raw walnuts in a food processor until it looks like breadcrumbs)
3/4 cup cocoa3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 large eggs*
1 cup coconut milk (or milk or other milk substitute)
1/3 cup maple syrup*
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup gently melted extra virgin coconut oil (or butter or other mild vegetable oil)
*room temperature

• Grease a 13 x 9 or 8 1/2 x 11 inch pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix the walnut meal, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In a small bowl, whisk the eggs for a minute, then add the coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and oil, whisking until completely blended.
• Immediately add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, mixing until there are no dry pockets.
• Pour the mixture into the pan.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 F. Cool before cutting.

If you have been helped by Robin and would like to share your experience with others, please feel free to write a review on Yelp or Google. Your comments are appreciated--Thank you!
       
If you received this newsletter as a forward, you can subscribe here. Please add robin at acupunctureboulder dot com to your address book to make sure you can see all pictures and to avoid issues being delivered to your bulk or junk folder. If you'd rather receive this letter through your RSS reader, you can subscribe to my blog.
 
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 Robin L. Schiesser, L.Ac ., Dipl. OM | www.acupunctureboulder.com |
Copyright (C) 2010-2012 Acupuncture Boulder Inc. All rights reserved.

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Vitamin B12 Supplements
Could Vitamin B12 deficiency be causing your chronic cough?

Vitamin B12 fuels many of your body’s most important functions:

proper food digestion and absorption
immune system
nervous system function and sleep cycles
mood regulationmental clarity, concentration, memory
formation of red blood cells (needed for energy)
proper circulation  


But a recent study also found vitamin B12 deficiency to be related to chronic cough. Since vitamin B12 is present in natural form only in animal sources of food such as beef, clams, salmon, chicken, pork, milk and eggs, strict vegetarians and vegans are high on the list of those who could be B12 deficient. Other symptoms of B12 deficiency include anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, depression, poor memory, and soreness of the mouth or tongue. But even non-vegetarians, especially older people and  those who take antacid or diabetes medications, may not produce enough instrinsic factor to absorb B12 effectively from food. And all of us need more B12 when we are under stress.

Taking B12 supplements is a good way to make sure you are getting enough. Not all forms are equal, however. MethylCobalamin is the form that is active in the body. However many supplements consist only of CyanoCobalamin, which may not be absorbed as well by the body. Since B12 is water soluble, it is very safe to supplement and there have been no documented cases of overdose. (It is contraindicated, however, if you have  the hereditary disease known as Leber's optic neuropathy.) 

Vitamin Cottage and Whole Foods both carry good brands of vitamin B12 supplements containing MethylCobalamin such as Now Foods Ultra B-12 liquid and Source Naturals sublingual. iHerb.com is a safe web merchant that offers low prices. You can get $5 off your first order with the coupon code OCO253.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any of your health questions or concern

Happy New Year!

I hope this finds you well and enjoying an inspired Year of the Dragon! I just wanted to remind those of you who have asked me about Allergy Elimination treatments that this is the best time of year to get treated. AE treatments also make a great Valentine's Day gift, and during the month of February you can save up to $30!

The new year is also a great time to start healthy new habits, so if you haven't tried meditation yet I encourage you to check out the link to Free Guided Meditations from the Chopra Center.

If you know anyone who is trying to conceive, you may want to let them know that one of my specialties is Fertility Enhancement and forward this email that has a link to Free Yoga for Fertility classes. And, as always, don't hesitate to contact me with your health questions or concerns.


Warmest regards,
Robin

Seasonal Allergy Elimination
The winter months are the best time to clear pollen allergies

Save up to $30 on Seasonal Allergy Elimination treatments through February 29th. Using the Allergy Elimination method, I've seen pollen allergies cleared literally overnight. The method requires a 24-hour avoidance period, however, that can be quite difficult during the spring, summer and fall, when pollens are airborne. Winter is the best time to clear seasonal allergies. I can determine which trees, grasses and weeds you are allergic to, and then clear one class of allergens per treatment. If you are only sensitive to one type of allergen, usually only one treatment is necessary. (Regularly $70 individually or 3 for $180, now $60 individually or 3 for $150. Patients new to Acupuncture Boulder will save $10 on their initial visit as well.)

Check my availability and request an appointment here.  Have questions? Ask here. 

Free Guided Meditations
Improve your health and peace of mind with meditation

In a study of health insurance statistics, meditators had 87% fewer hospitalizationsfor heart disease, 55% fewer for benign and malignant tumors, and 30% fewer for infectious diseases. The meditators had more than 50% fewer doctor visits than did non-meditators. Other studies have found meditation to reduce blood pressure, increase circulation and reduce chronic pain. Need help getting started in your own meditation practice? Follow the links below for free, guided meditations from the Chopra center as well as information on free and donation-based meditation instruction at the Shambhala Center in Boulder. 

http://www.chopra.com/davidji/guidedmeditations

http://www.boulder.shambhala.org/learntomeditate.php

Free Yoga for Fertility Classes
Enhance your chances of conception with gentle yoga

If you or someone you know is trying to conceive, acupuncture and yoga are wonderful ways to balance the body, relax and optimize fertility. For a limited time you can take free online, video yoga classes from the comfort of your own home. Register to participate in upcoming classes live, or view recorded classes at your leisure using the link below. Laura Kupperman is a certified Yoga Therapist, who specializes in yoga for cancer survivors and yoga for fertility enhancement.

http://www.learnitlive.com/see-all.php?&user_id=4660

If you have been helped by Robin and would like to share your experience with others, please feel free to write a review on Yelp or Google. Your comments are appreciated--Thank you!
       
If you received this newsletter as a forward, you can subscribe here. Please add robin at acupunctureboulder dot com to your address book to make sure you can see all pictures and to avoid issues being delivered to your bulk or junk folder. If you'd rather receive this letter through your RSS reader, you can subscribe to my blog.
 
  Get updates and health info from Acupuncture Boulder on Facebook

 Robin L. Schiesser, L.Ac ., Dipl. OM | www.acupunctureboulder.com | 

Copyright (C) 2010-2012 Acupuncture Boulder Inc. All rights reserved.

Forward this email to a friend