The west coast of Canada is notorious for its dramatic old growth trees, a nature loving culture and RAIN.  In Vancouver BC you can expect up to 165 days of the year to be wet and gray.  The statistics are not much better in other regions above the 49th parallel.

When the sun comes out our whole world and outlook changes.  However, the sun is much more than just a source of mood enhancement, it is a vital nutrient we cant live without.  Recent research into Vitamin D has concluded that regular skin exposure to the suns healing rays may in fact help prevent many of the chronic degenerative illnesses that plague our modern world.

Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin, it is more of a neuro-regulatory steroidal hormone generated when sunlight interacts with our skin..  There are a number of physiological mechanisms triggered by vitamin D that regulate the immune system, reduce inflammation and promote a sense of well being.

Vitamin D deficiency leads to a whole host of health issues, particularly the top 3 killers in North America – heart disease, cancer and diabetes.  The lack of exposure to sunlight is an issue of climate and lifestyle.  Given that most of us spend our waking hours working indoors or in transit to work, it is hard for our bodies to produce enough Vitamin D.    In this case most people are deficient in Vit D and supplementation is crucial for maintaining health especially as we age.

Generally adults need about 5,000 IU to 10,000 IU a day during the cold months. The higher dose can actually help to prevent colds and flus in the winter.  When the warm sun is out you need to expose about 40% of your skin surface to direct sun light for 20 minutes to get full benefit. Just remember if you are fair skinned, once you go light pink it is time to cover up.

While there is no denying the harmful effects of sun burns or excessive exposure, many people have been scared into avoiding the sun for fear of possible negative health consequences. However, the lack of exposure to the sun is perhaps one of greatest unseen factors in poor health and chronic disease.

The sun in many traditions is revered as the giver of life, the best part is it is free for the taking.

Silas Rosenblatt, R Ac is a registered acupuncturist and wellness coach in Victoria BC specializing in chronic pain and adaptive stress.

The tragedy unfolding in Japan has gripped the minds and hearts of many from all corners of the planet.  Truly we are a global community as thousands of miles away in Victoria BC the fear of a possible melt down at the Fukushima rector has some people buying up potassium iodine in ridiculous quantities.

The local health authority has already made it clear high doses of potassium iodine is not recommended and could be harmful, unless one is in close proximity to the melt down.  It is hard to separate truth from hype as the media machine churns out new and often conflicting reports on an hourly basis.

Catastrophes on this scale have a way of waking us up to the fear lingering beneath the surface of our daily grind.  I personally feel a certain resistance to giving into this group mentality.  However, there is a healthy middle ground between panic and sticking our head in the sand.

Protecting your health in case of nuclear fallout – A lesson from the past
A cheaper and saner form of preparation can be drawn from an earlier tragedy in Japan’s history at the end of World War 2.  After the bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima those not killed by the initial blast were quickly overcome by radiation sickness.  To counter these effects doctors looked to traditional folk medicine and food therapy for help.
Dr. Tatsuichiro Akizuki, a Japanese physician at St Francis hospital in Nagasaki, feed his staff and other radiation victims seaweed, vegetables, miso (a fermented rice or bean paste) algae and brown rice.  Sugar was strictly avoided.  Almost all victims who adhered to this diet were saved.
Benefits of kelp and sea vegetables
Researchers at McGill University have concluded that radioactive strontium binds to the algin in brown seaweeds to create sodium alginate, a compound that can be harmlessly excreted.

To protect your thyroid from radioactive iodine it is important to preload it with naturally occurring iodine which kelp is abundant in.  Two 500 mg kelp pills daily provides enough iodine and trace minerals for adequate protection.  On the west coast stores are selling out of kelp pills.  In this case you can supplement with a couple of pinches of dried seaweed in a warm broth or soup.  Powdered kelp has an amazing 12 mg of iodine per teaspoon.  Sprinkle kelp powder on steamed veggies or grains.

Chlorella and blue green algae
Chorella, spirulina and blue green algae are chlorophyll rich super foods that have many healing properties.  During the Chernobyl melt down children exposed to high levels of radiation were effectively treated with 5 grams of spirulina for 45 days.

Chlorella in particular is a potent immune boaster and detoxifier of heavy metals.  It promotes cell regeneration and reduces inflammation.  Start with small doses, 500 mg then build up to 2 grams.

Bump up your anti-oxidants

Antioxidants are nutrients in our foods that prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our cells.  Ionizing radiation consists of particles that are energetic enough to detach electrons from atoms or molecules, thus producing free radicals. Free radicals can damage cell structures including DNA, leading to cell mutations.  Antioxidants scavenge free radicals in the body and also enhance the immune system, lowering the risk of cancer and infection

Food based antioxidants
Vitamin A, C, E and selenium are particularly helpful.  While it is easy to get these from a pill, many key antioxidants are naturally present in whole foods

Nuts and seeds – contain vitamin E, selenium and beneficial omega oils.  Organic almonds, flax seed and walnuts are good sources

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Leafy greens and Berries – most berries and leafy greens, particularly dark green, blue and red colored ones, are high in vitamin C and Flavonoids / polyphenols .  Blueberries, goli berries and kale are some of the most nutrient dense foods available.

Whole grains and naturally raised meats – most grains and meats are rich in selenium and other trace minerals.  Brown rice and lean white meat, such as chicken and turkey are best.

In these unprecedented times mega catastrophes are becoming commonplace.  While preparedness is essential it is also import for us to learn to work with fear and uncertainty in a way that builds connectedness to the larger world.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Japan.

Silas Rosenblatt, R Ac is a registered acupuncturist and wellness coach in Victoria BC specializing in chronic pain and adaptive stress.

For many who suffer chronic or suborn health challenges life can often seem burdensome and unjust.  Like insult added to injury, one starts to feel bad about feeling bad.  The mind is a powerful thing and can be a primary factor in the recovery from chronic pain. 

No one wants to feel pain and it is understandable to try to escape it.  Pain is both physical and mental in nature.  One way we try to get some distance from pain is to create a wall of tension around it.  This mostly happens on an unconscious level.  The tension shuts down our feelings.  However, tension tends to create further problems by inhibiting important processes in the body like blood circulation, digestion, hormone production and nerve conduction.

In chronic pain problems resulting from emotional trauma relaxation can be difficult and seem counter intuitive.  If muscle tension is the minds way of containing difficult or challenging feelings, it may be necessary to face the original feelings and find some way to reintegrate them to progress on the healing path.

Gentleness and fearlessness are essential qualities when relating to pain.   It is possible to have pain be a part of your life, rather than your whole life.  However, to achieve this it is necessary to de-escalate the struggle and anxiety associated with pain.

Acupuncture can be very helpful to induce a relaxation response to interrupt the tension and pain pattern.  However, the process of healing and transformation is a very personal journey requiring a fundamental shift in view and sometimes lifestyle, which I will discuss in future posts.

Silas Rosenblatt, R Ac is a registered acupuncturist and wellness coach in Victoria BC specializing in chronic pain and adaptive stress.

Victoria, BC has to be one of the most stable and comfortable places on the planet to live.  However, living in such a favorable situation clearly does not make one immune from anxiety.  The experience of anxiety is so common among clients who come to acupuncture I feel compelled to share some of my perspective on this crippling state.

Aside from some obvious biological and social triggers, anxiety can often be difficult to nail down.  For many people things may appear perfect on the outside, but the inside reality is in turmoil. This manifests as a ‘haunted’ feeling or sense of doom.  This dark feeling hangs in the background and prevents one from fully experiencing a state of relaxation or joy.

In my clinical view many people who struggle with this ambient anxiety tend to be extremely empathetic individuals.  They feel everything, before they process it with the intellect.  When watching the news or hearing about the suffering of others a certain part of an empathetic individual feels the pain too.

Considering the unprecedented changes and challenges afoot on our planet, anxiety could be considered a reasonable human response to perilous times.  Certainly there have been other points in human history where the future was somewhat uncertain, but never with 6.8 billion people sharing this experience.

Rapid change demands we suppress our natural feelings to maintain a sense of normalcy.  Empathetic people don’t tend to suppress their feelings about what they see, but instead personalize them.  Without the capacity to effectively filter information from the environment empathetic individuals can often walk around in a constant state of overwhelm.

I don’t want to discourage anyone from seeking professional help for anxiety.  At the same time if the obvious triggers have been addressed with no avail, a shift in view is probably what is needed.

Like all troublesome emotions anxiety can be transformed with awareness.  It is important to first acknowledge the experience of anxiety as real and develop some familiarity of it on a visceral/body level.  It is also important to cultivate some gentleness with oneself.  Feeling that something is fundamentally wrong with them people with high anxiety often develop a critical self image.  The practice of meditation can be immensely helpful for cutting through negative self talk and connecting to a stable place of calm inside.  Anxiety creates a build up of mental energy, which vigorous physical exercise can help disperse.

Rather than seeing anxiety as purely a biological or social problem it can also be evidence of ones caring and connection to the larger world.  Next time you notice a profound anxiety welling up inside ask yourself, “is this anxiety really about me?”

Silas Rosenblatt, R Ac is a registered acupuncturist and wellness coach in Victoria BC specializing in chrinic pain and adaptive stress.

In my acupuncture practice a common question I get from new clients is “how long will it take for me to get better?”  First it is important to note that acupuncture, like any other medicine, takes some regularity to get the desired results.  Many people see an acupuncturist after exhausting their search for help from conventional treatments.  They have heard about acupuncture’s miraculous results on the news or from a friend and may expect a similar miracle after one visit.

Sometimes acupuncture can yield dramatic results, that even surprise me.  However, in such situations the health condition is usually something acute or superfial in nature.  Chronic health issues, particularly later in life generally take longer to resolve.

I appreciate that those who are new to acupuncture have no reference point as to what to expect.  As a rule I generally advise new clients to try acupuncture for a minimum of five visits to see if it is the right modality for them.  In my experience there are usually some promising shifts in symptoms during this time, especially if the treatments are done close together.  I recommend 2 sessions a week for the first 2-3 weeks of treatment for the best results.  If there is absolutely no change in symptoms i am happy to refer out to another therapy, such as chiropractic, massage, physiotherapy or naturopathy.

When some significant gains have been made with the chief complaint the duration of visits can begin to be rolled back to a maintenance schedule or done as needed during flare ups.  The process of healing is much like peeling away the layers of an onion.  It is a common experience for clients to have other undisclosed health conditions resolve as I work on their primary concern.  This is evidence that acupuncture doesn’t just treat symptoms.  As the underlying imbalance is corrected through treatment and good lifestyle choices the body naturally recovers and renews itself.

If you suffer from a chronic health conditions and are curious to know more about acupuncture or wellness coaching, please feel free to call me to book a free 20 minute health consultation.  This is a great opportunity to discover a new perspective on your concern and learn a bit about Chinese medicine.

Silas Rosenblatt, RAc is an registered acupuncturist and wellness coach in Victoria BC specializing in chronic pain and adaptive stress

I have never been one for new years resolutions, but I do believe in setting intentions for the future.  Most of us are trying to catch up with the onslaught of change happening around us, it seems luxurious to contemplate two steps forward, let alone a whole year.

In my acupuncture practice I also do wellness coaching for clients who are transitioning out of unhealthy life situations.  Much of this work is centered around developing a compelling vision for the future and a plan to get there.   This process is both inspiring and deeply transformative, if taken to heart.

What often happens when we set a goal is we come up against an obstacle that prevents us from moving forward.  For many of us this obstacle is some variation of fear, which has been around for a long time.  As much as we would like new and positive things to enter our world, change means going beyond the safe boundaries of ego.    If we have become habituated to struggle and strife, new experience can seem strangely threatening.  This is a paradoxical situation that requires a great deal of personal discipline and support to get beyond.

In the words of W. Clement Stone, “whatever the mind can conceive it can achieve”.   However, to add a caveat to this affirmation, I strongly believe that the heart needs to be on board fully.  There needs to be an absence of internal conflict to reach the goals that matter.

For anyone working with a chronic health condition there can be no better medicine than turning the mind towards a positive vision for the future.  Without vision and inspiration it is too easy to surrender to a sense of resignation about one’s lot in life.  Holding a high vision for the possibilities of life fosters new connections and invokes energy in the mind and body.

Here is a simple exercise to start 2011 off right.  Take out a clean sheet of paper, divide it in 3 sections and write to be, to do, and to have at the top of each column.  Now brainstorm all that you would like to be, to do and to have in 2011.  There is no need to censor yourself, just write the first thing that comes into your head.  Do this until your lists are complete.

Now sellect the top 3 goals from the 3 lists and write them out on a separate piece of paper.  These are the goals you are going to commit to working on in the next 12 months.  It may be helpful to tell a supportive friend about your aspirations and ask them to check in with you periodically on your progress.  Place this paper in a place where you will see it regularly and if you are feeling super keen, spend a minute or two visualizing these goals in as much detail as possible before going to bed at night.

I feel very strongly that 2011 will be a year of great change for our world that will open up new opportunities for many of us.  We can actually ride the momentum of this change, rather than being afraid of it.  Now is the time to make the shift towards what the heart desires most.

Silas Rosenblatt is a registered acupuncturist in Victoria BC, specializing in chronic pain and adaptive stress.

Acupuncture is commonly thought of as a physical therapy.  However, acupuncture can also have a profound influence on the mind, especially when it comes to stress.  According to Chinese medicine the mind and body are intimately linked.  Anyone who has endured long term stress knows the deleterious effects of stress has on health and well being.

The problem of stress related illness in nothing new.  Over one hundred years ago a pioneering endocrinologist and researcher from Quebec named Hans Selye made the link between stress and its affect on people’s overall well being. He concluded that many maladies were rooted in chronic stress, what he referred to as General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS).

Dr Selye posited that stress accumulates in the body.  If stressors remained unaddressed over time the body will go through 3 predictable phases of stress response.

3 Stages of stress response

Alarm Phase: Acute stressors trigger a flight or fight response in the body   The body’s alarm system goes off and responds to neutralize the harmful effects of the stressor. Bodily resources are sent to major muscles and the cardio-vascular system to enable us to fight or run away.  In the process non essential functions like digestion, the immune system and reproductive system are suppressed.

Adaption phase – Continued exposure to a stressor leads to adaption.  The body attempts to maintain normal functioning while in a hyper vigilant state.  However, this adaptation often involves chronic elevated stress hormones, namely cortisol and norepinephrine. These hormones can have negative effects on the body reducing immunity, raising blood pressure, and inhibiting digestion and cognitive function.

In adaption phase we do not directly feel the effects of stress as urgently as in the acute phase, but if left unresolved stress begins to consume more and more energy.

Exhaustion phase: With continued exposure to high levels of stress the ability of the body to adapt can break down.  At a certain point the body runs out of resources and we experience symptoms related to burn out.  Adrenal exhaustion, nervous breakdowns, chronic fatigue and more serious conditions resulting from a suppressed immune system emerge.

Most people these days are clearly in the adaption phase and are just getting by with little energy to spare.  Clients in my acupuncture practice often remark on their surprise when a relatively small stressor sets of a cascade of health problems.  Eventually we all hit a symptom threshold and the accumulation of stress in the body cannot be ignored any longer.

Acupuncture helps to down regulate the stress response, which re-balances the endocrine system, improves circulation and induces a para-sympathetic response.  Studies have shown that acupuncture increase serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which accounts for the experience of deep calm felt during treatment.

In my acupuncture practice I aim to help clients manage stress at the physical level and to address it proactively through lifestyle design.  Stress has deep, some may say even existential roots.  Ultimately, it is the day to day, moment to moment choices we make that puts us in harmony or conflict with our world.

Silas Rosenblatt, R Ac is a registered acupuncturist and wellness coach in Victoria BC specializing in chronic pain and adaptive stress

Stress is an experience we all have to deal with to a greater or lesser degree, even in sunny Victoria BC.  Many people I see in my acupuncture practice complain of an ambient stress or anxiety that colors their interactions at home and at work.  We are all running to keep pace with the onslaught of daily challenges. Relaxation is often seen as a luxury, but in truth it is more like a cost cutting strategy.  According to a 1999 stats Canada estimation, the loss of productivity due to stress was calculated at $12-billion annually.

Many sources of stress are easy to feel, but difficult to name.  In the workplace stress is often experienced as a sense of overwhelm, loss of control and uncertainty.  If these feelings are unaddressed within a business or organization they build up and create a toxic, unproductive work environment.

Positive change begins with awareness and empathy.  Addressing workplace stress requires all levels of the organization work together to address the common human needs for security and agency. The current pace of change demands that companies be more flexible in regard to employee needs, especially as they age.   For example, this may mean allowing employees to work less hours or from home when needed.

In balanced measures stress is an evolutionary force compelling us to reach beyond our limits.  However, excessive and prolonged exposure to stress drains us and is recognized as a primary determinant in many degenerative health conditions.  For any business to adapt and thrive in the 21^st century they must acknowledge they are only as healthy as the people who work for them.

Silas Rosenblatt, R Ac is a registered acupuncturist and wellness coach in Victoria BC specializing in chronic pain and adaptive stress

When it comes to cancer care it can be difficult to navigate the plethora of opinions and options available today.  In Victoria we are fortunate to have one of five oncology treatment and research centres in BC.  Cancer treatment garners alot of health resources and for good reason.  It is now expected that one in four individuals alive today will be touched by this disease.  This prediction is stagering and one has to wonder what is driving this disturbing trend.

Despite advances in oncology the prospects of going through a radical treatment regime is overwhelming, especially for those who are regular consumers of natural medicine.  Some feel conflicted about submitting themselves to chemotherapy or radiation and seek out alternatives.

When I am asked if acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help with cancer, I find myself in an ethical quandary concerning how to respond.  I don’t wish to undermine confidence in conventional therapies or exaggerate the benefits of acupuncture.  On the other hand I question the modern approach of ‘waging war on cancer’, as if cancer cells were some sort of external invader or enemy.

There is no doubt that current cancer research and treatments save lives.  However, the paradigm of medicine seems to leave many people with feelings of powerless and a loss of control.  This is where Chinese medicine can help.  The healing journey needs a road map back to wholeness.

To be clear acupuncture is not a stand alone treatment for cancer.  Acupuncture is however an excellent adjunct for anyone going through chemotherapy, radiation or natural treatments.  Acupuncture helps with post operative pain and swelling, boosts immunity, reduces anxiety and controls nausea.  In a palliative setting acupuncture lessen the need for heavy narcotics enabling individuals at the end stage of life to connect more fully with family.

A health crisis like cancer is often the wake up call to find a new way of being in the world that is in harmony with our spirit or essence.  A return to health is possible when body, mind and spirit work together.  The vision of wholeness articulated in Chinese Medicine can be a helpful and affirming guide for those in the depths of a transformational journey.

Silas Rosenblatt, R Ac is a registered acupuncturist and wellness coach in Victoria BC specializing in chronic pain and adaptive stress

Fibromyalgia is an increasingly common condition seen in health clinic in North America, affecting 3 -5 percent of the population.  In my Victoria acupuncture practice most fibromyalgia clients tend to be women at mid life who are over worked and stressed to the max.  Desperate for some relief, these clients  seek acupuncture after exhausting all conventional treatment options.  Unfortunately, the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia in not well understood in western medicine because there is no definitive test or single causative factor.  Rather it is a collection of symptoms – the most common including whole body pain, disturbed sleep, and chronic fatigue.

Many clients are initially told by their GP that the issue is all in their head and are prescribed anti - depressants or opioids to mask some of the symptoms.  Often the side effects of these medications are crippling and leave people bed ridden and feeling a sense of hopelessness.

Chinese Medicine has been treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia long before their was a western diagnosis.    The label fibromyalgia states the obvious – pain the in muscle fibers.  The one thing acupuncture does well is treat the subjective experience directly, even if the underlying mechanism is not fully understood.  How is this possible?  Acupuncture increases the production of endogenous endorphins (the body’s natural pain killers), increases circulation and reduces inflammation.  On a deeper level this treatment induces relaxation in the body and mind.

While I would never suggest that fibromyalgia is all psycho-somatic, there is often a shared history of trauma or stress I see among clients.  Chronic stress manifests as muscle tension and armoring.  Acupuncture can relax this holding pattern, but long term relief depends of resolving any lingering stressors.

As most people with fibromyalgia are energetically depleted and incredibly sensitive to any stimulation, a gentle approach to treatment is best.  Trigger point acupuncture using micro fine needles and little to no stimulation can produce dramatic results.  There are also a number of great herbal supplements, mostly adaptogens, on the market that can provide relief of some of the more troubling symptoms.

Acupuncture is certainly not a magic bullet cure, but it can be an invaluable support for suffers of fibromyalgia to get to the place where a little self care and some lifestyle adjustments can manage this illness effectively.  If you live in Victoria BC and wish to know more about how acupuncture can help you please call Silas Rosenblatt, R Ac with any questions.

Silas Rosenblatt, R Ac is a registered acupuncturist and wellness coach in Victoria BC specializing in chronic pain and adaptive stress