Here at CalmPoint Acupuncture we undertook a little pilot study towards the end of 2015. The aim of this pilot research study was to assess the effectiveness of auricular (ear) acupuncture as a treatment for stress and anxiety. I’m happy to say that I now have some feedback from the pilot study. I have been very fortunate to have had assistance looking at and analysing the data from an academic and lecturer from the Psychology Department at Strathclyde University.
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In summary, acupuncture treatments were carried out by me over a four week period in my clinical practice based in Paisley. Tiny acupuncture needles were inserted into specific points on each ear and participants were encouraged to sit quietly for the 20 minute duration of the treatment.

​Unfortunately, the numbers taking part in the study were far too small to provide statistically significant or meaningful analysis of the acupuncture treatments. Also, some participants had to leave the study early due to ill health (mainly flu virus & migraine) and this change in numbers also affected the ability to meaningfully analyse the data. However, although there was no statistically significant difference between the treatment groups (ie those receiving acupuncture treatment vs those receiving a placebo acupuncture treatment), the data does provide very useful information to help inform my future research studies.

The good news is that there was a difference in stress levels for everyone taking part – stress levels reduced significantly regardless of which treatment they had or which treatment group they were in (group treatment or 1-2-1). For research/statistically-minded people the p-value was p<0.001. For non-statistically-minded people that’s quite a big improvement! Some participants’ stress scores came down by more than half… though perhaps not such good news for me as I was hoping that the study would show that it was the acupuncture that reduced the stress levels…  Here are some of the comments participants made on their feedback forms at the end of the four week study:

“I can definitely report feeling more calm and more in control of my emotions. I have had situations over the last few weeks which would normally see me nearing breakdown, but I’ve managed to be calm and rational and able to relax”

“I still felt calm and relaxed – even when I was cooking and feeding 12 people on Christmas day – I would normally have high stress levels.”

“For the first time in a long time my Christmas was happy”

There are so many variables that can influence the results of research studies like this, not least the very subjective perception of stress levels. However, I’m more than happy that participants’ stress scores changed so significantly – especially in the busy four weeks leading up to Christmas. Just by volunteering to take part in the study, thinking about and having an awareness of their stress levels in order to ‘score’ them each week for the study did have a significant and positive impact on how participants felt and how they scored their stress levels over time. My experience tells me that this is that happens when people do stop and pay attention to how they are responding/ reacting to life and situations around them – that pause creates a space for new ways of coping, thinking and feeling to make themselves known. Even something as simple as taking a little time out to be still and just breathe… helps tremendously. So I would most definitely encourage participants and everyone else(!) to keep doing that.

So, in summary then, the numbers were far too small to say anything about the acupuncture treatment – whether it worked or didn’t work. What the data does tell us is that everyone who took part felt less stressed whilst taking part in the study.

My plan is to conduct a bigger research study later in the year with assistance from Strathclyde University. Studies like this are particularly (notoriously….) difficult to carry out. The gold standard would be a ‘double-blind’ study where neither the participant nor the acupuncturist know which treatment is being given and which group is being treated. This is definitely going to prove a challenge in future studies we carry out and I’m not so sure that it’s possible do this as a completely double-blind study.

I’d like to personally thank everyone who volunteered to take part and those who did take some time out during that busy time of year to assist me with my research. Personally, I was in my element as it is so important to me that the treatments I provide are effective. The results of this pilot study have given me lots to think about and given me some challenges for future studies!
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If you would like more information about the study and/or the data analysis please don’t hesitate to contact me.

A while ago I wrote a blog post about the menopause and 34 symptoms you might not immediately think were caused by the hormonal changes taking place at this time of life. You can read it here Maybe it's the menopause...?.  I thought I'd give you a little update and tell you about one of my favourite treatment choices for my clients.  I regularly see women who experience a whole variety of different menopausal symptoms and very often these women haven't suspected that the changes happening to them could be related to the hormonal changes that are taking place in their body during the menopause.

Women often come with aches and pains, feeling that they're not coping as well as they usually do, they often complain of feeling more emotional and tearful, have experienced weight gain, loss of libido, headaches..... the list goes on.  I usually start with a full case history and suggest changes that can be made with nutrition, supplements and some lifestyle changes. Acupuncture is my first treatment of choice in these situations - mainly because I can treat a variety of different symptoms using acupuncture, it's very effective, very safe and generally free from negative side effects.

Earlier this year I had a client who came to see me for acupuncture for back pain. When we completed the case history it transpired that she'd been experiencing quite a number of the problems I mentioned earlier.  I treated her back pain by placing needles on a variety of points on her back and legs. I then used ear acupuncture to help reduce stress levels, balance hormones and generally help her feel stronger and better able to cope. I then placed 2 little magnetic pellets on each ear and gave her instructions on how to use these when feeling stressed or anxious. When I saw her a week later her pain score had come down from 7 out of 10 to just 1, she was feeling much better in herself with a reduction in most of the symptoms... and had noticed an increase in libido :)

Who'd have thought that sticking a few tiny needles in someone's ear could help with so many different 'problems'.

Ladies - please don't ignore those changes!  I've heard so many women say that they thought they were going crazy or were worried that something more sinister was going on in their body  because so many different things seemed to be going 'wrong' at the same time. There are lots of things you can do to help ease the symptoms you're experiencing during this time in your life.  Acupuncture is just one of those treatment choices but there are plenty of other 'natural' treatments that can help you balance and support your body and surf the menopausal waves.  Do a little research, contact local natural/complementary therapy practitioners - ask for an initial chat before you commit to treatment, most professional practitioners will welcome this opportunity to meet you and answer your questions.  It might take a little time to find the best treatment for you but when you find it you'll definitely feel the benefit.  As one client said to me "I've got my mojo back!"
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Happy Menopause :)

A real passion of mine is food – no surprises there then! I also have a passion for using food medicinally to help relieve chronic and other health conditions, in cancer care as well as for health and vitality.  I know that just small changes can make a huge difference to your health and energy levels.

A recurring theme for clients coming to see me is the issue of food, diets and healthy eating. What comes across clearly to me is that people are confused - they want to eat food that's healthy, nourishing and nurturing for their bodies but they read and hear so much about what's 'good' or 'bad' to eat don't know where to start. Just think about the huge variety of 'diets' that claim to offer amazing health benefits, or the warnings that certain foods are bad for us, advice from well meaning friends who've found the 'perfect' diet, as well as the slimming diets that promise amazing weight loss – not to mention what the glossy photos promise in the way of happiness, glamour, wealth, love… Is it any wonder that we lose motivation to change our eating habits, or worse still, become so confused about the whole issue of food that fears and phobias develop. The situation can become even more complicated if you are the main person in your family doing the cooking and feeding your family - "what do I feed my children?" "is it bad for them, am I damaging my children?"

Time to take a deep breath and get back to basics and remind ourselves what ‘normal’ eating is.......

What is Normal Eating?

I like this explanation from the Ellyn Satter Institute:
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“Normal eating is being able to eat when you are hungry and continue eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it – not just stop eating because you think you should. Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored, or just because it feels good. Normal eating is three meals a day or it can be choosing to munch along the way. It is leaving some biscuits or cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful when they are fresh. Normal eating is overeating at times: feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. It is also under-eating at times and wishing you had more. Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating. Normal eating takes some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life. In short, normal eating is flexible and varied, in response to your emotions, your schedule, your hunger and your proximity to food.” .

Ok, let’s be clear that I’m not condoning eating everything in sight giving no thought to your health!  I am however, wholeheartedly and passionately encouraging you to make a conscious choice to ENJOY your food - food can be a powerful sensual experience that engages all of your senses, allow yourself to be seduced by the sight, smell, taste, and touch of it - savour the flavour, texture and the appearance, make time to prepare your food with care and love, give yourself permission to enjoy your food.  If you do decide to make changes to your diet – either to eliminate certain foods or just eat less then don’t be too hard on yourself.  Slip-ups happen and are okay!  Think of trying to push a cart up a hill. If it slips a bit, and you catch it and keep pushing, you haven’t lost much. If it slips and you let it slide, you’ll have to go back down the hill and start all over again.  It’s the same in weight loss. If you eat the chocolate cake at lunch and keep pushing, you haven’t lost much. If you let the chocolate cake kill the day for you, you’re back at the bottom of the hill…  Accept the tiny slip and keep pushing.

A good place to start....

Practice mindful eating.   Mindful eating is allowing yourself to become aware of the positive and nurturing opportunities that are available through food preparation and consumption by respecting your own inner wisdom.  Choosing to eat food that is both pleasing to you and nourishing to your body by using all your senses to explore, savour and taste.  Acknowledge your responses to food (likes, neutral or dislikes) without judgement.  Learn to be aware of physical hunger and satiety cues to guide your decision to begin eating and to stop eating.

Here are a few easy things you can do that will make a huge difference and you’ll notice the positive benefits very quickly:

1. The most important first step – get your bowels moving!  Ideally, at least once a day!  The other tips will help you do this....
2. Every morning have a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon, this is great for purifying the blood and a good tonic for your liver. It’s also great for relieving constipation and bloating.
3. Eat more whole foods (food in its natural state), fresh fruit and vegetables, grains & pulses, nuts and seeds (these are great as snacks).
4. Decrease your caffeine intake.  Switch to good quality herbal teas (don’t confuse with fruit teas) such as camomile, peppermint, ginger and green tea.  The medicinal and therapeutic benefits of herbs are well known.  
5. Avoid artificial sweeteners, refined sugary foods, highly processed and manufactured foods.
6. Decrease the amount of carbohydrate (bread, pasta, cakes) in your diet - favour more good proteins (salmon/tuna, eggs, chicken) natural fats and oils (olive, sesame, coconut).
7. Take good quality multivitamin and vitamin C supplements.
8. Drink more water. Water helps transports nutrients and oxygen around your body, helps detoxify and protect your body.  Your brain consists of 90% water.  If your brain doesn’t get enough water you can experience headaches, lack of concentration and fatigue. 

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Everything I’ve learned over the years as a therapist and Life Coach I’ve tried to include in my life; slowly but surely changing the way I think about things, the way I deal with stress, the way I care for myself and those around me, but the biggest change I’ve made is in what I eat.  Like most people I work hard and have a family as well as juggling all of the other demands life - it hasn’t always been easy to make those changes. I’m in the business of helping others change so you’d think it would be easy for me... nope!  Still a blissfully happy chocolate addict – I’m just a more mindful one ;)  I can honestly say that changing my diet is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Just have a wee look at some of the delicious goodies below - if they can't entice you to make a few changes....  If I can change then anyone can!

A recurring theme for clients who come to see me for help and advice is that they want to know how to manage their cravings – especially for unhealthy, processed and sweet food and drink.   In the dark days of winter and as we begin a new year, many of us are thinking about areas in our lives we’d like to change or improve.   There’s no doubt about the many benefits to our health when we choose to eat a healthier diet. 

Lots of people describe sweet cravings as one of the hardest aspects of balancing weight and I use a variety of therapies and techniques to help people – hypnotherapy, EFT and Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  I’d like to give you a little information about managing cravings from the TCM perspective.  According to TCM all foods have a distinct energy and characteristic properties that either help to balance our bodies and make us healthy, or create imbalances which ultimately result in sickness. Bear in mind that TCM views our body systems and organ functions quite differently from Western medicine so when I talk about your Spleen I’m describing it from a TCM perspective.

The first thing perhaps to say is that according to TCM a craving for something sweet is usually driven by a need to feel nurtured and to nourish our ‘Spleen’. Think about how you feel when you crave something sweet… sad, perhaps fearful, unloved, feeling the need to nurture and comfort yourself. The Spleen’s function in TCM is to transform water and food into ‘qi’ or energy.  The Spleen meridian is associated with the sweet flavour hence the reason that so many of us crave sweet things if we are feeling weak or tired.  In TCM the Spleen also reflects how grounded and safe we feel.  When the Spleen is functioning well we have a good appetite, strong digestion, and vibrant energy.  When this function is weak you will see issues such as bloating, reflux, fatigue, diarrhoea, poor appetite and/or malnutrition.  When the Spleen is out of balance it often manifests as someone being overweight or underweight.  We can also feel:

• drained, depleted, 
• lacking a sense of comfort and well-being,
• difficulty setting boundaries within ourselves and with others,
• fuzzy headed, unable to think clearly,  
• worry, ruminating thoughts and a tendency to obsess. 

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So, our craving of sweet foods is our body’s way of trying to help bring us back into balance - it's asking (craving) 'sweet' food to help restore energy levels . The aim of TCM is to work with our cravings – welcoming them and satisfying them in a healthy way to restore balance.  In TCM therefore, fundamentally it is not what we need to avoid but in fact what we need to include that balances us.  Instead of ‘nurturing’ our Spleens with refined sugar and processed foods (these may taste sweet but confuse and actively deplete our Spleens), there are some healthy ‘sweet’ alternatives you can add to your diet that will help nurture your Spleen and manage those cravings:

warm and cooked - thick hearty stews and soups, squash, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, ginger, cauliflower, sprouts, cabbage, peppers, onions, oats, rice, quinoa, pearl barley, beans and pulses, olive oil, chicken, turkey, white fish, salmon, eggs, mangoes, apples and berries.

Experiment with different ingredients.... you can be as imaginative as you like. Here are some dishes I make regularly during the winter months to feed my Spleen :) 
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