Dear friends,
Today, Tuesday February 5th, marks the first day of the Lunar New Year. Happy New Year! This year is the Year of the Brown Pig, which is the final year of the 12 year cycle. This means that it will be a good year for completing projects, reflecting on where you are in life, and for celebrating. The pig is a barnyard animal, staying close to home, eating, sleeping, and socializing. It can be chubby and well-rested, which can translate as abundance and prosperity, remembering that having enough food and rest is a gift. It is also a good year to spend time with friends and family.
Once again, I've attached a link to Lillian Bridge's full essay about the Year of the Pig. It includes predictions, details, and some very nice explanations of the five elements in Chinese Tradition.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0914/1204/files/Year_of_the_Pig_Forecast.pdf?1684451053155977801
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January 30th marked another great visit to the State Capital. Rebecca joined other members of the Georgia Association of Acupuncture and Asian Medicine (http://gaaam.org) to help our elected officials understand that acupuncturists are critical to fighting the opioid epidemic, boosting preventative care and lowering the costs of health care. In addition to discussing policy, we also answered their personal questions that acupuncture can help reduce stress, ease pain, and boost healthy aging.
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Most mainstream articles on healthy living do not warrant inclusion in this newsletter. But these two stories caught my eye:
Is sunscreen the new margarine?
Is sunscreen as bad for us as smoking? Does sun exposure decrease the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and blood clots? Is vitamin D a marker of health levels and low levels indicate other health concerns? This article discusses how the research on sunshine contradicts the public discussion of sun avoidance. Prepare to be perplexed:
https://www.outsideonline.com/2380751/sunscreen-sun-exposure-skin-cancer-science
Planetary Health Diet
How do we feed a future population of 10 billion people? Can we do it in a sustainable way that keeps the planet healthy? Can it be healthy for the individual too? What about individuals who suffer from obesity and obesity related health concerns?
Scientists are revising guidelines to balance individual heath and planetary health. This research examines numerous factors across the globe. Say yes to vegetables, dairy, grains and beans while limiting red meat and fish. It is an interesting read that embraces the traditional "mostly vegetarian" and "lots of produce" while exploring the costs, financial and environmental, of the different options.
This is a nice summary of what they found
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/16/new-plant-focused-diet-would-transform-planets-future-say-scientists
Want the full report? https://eatforum.org
As always, my goal is to support you in your choices and to help you find healthy approaches for your body and your life. Please consider these stories as informative and I'll be happy to work with you to customize the information to fit your lifestyle.
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