It's a long-held truism in the realm of Chinese medicine, that Springtime is a favorable time of year to include natural sour-flavored foods to one's plate in small amounts at each meal.

The thinking here is it's an advantage to do so for the parts of our system that are involved in clearing the heavier residues of the winter diet and assisting getting things moving anew upward and outward. 

Read more about recommendations the Chinese medical classics make for us down below.   

Aside from citrus juices like lemons and grapefruit, a number of natural sour-flavored foods can be found among those that are fermented.  Fermented foods are produced or preserved by the action of microorganisms.

Think pickles or sauerkraut or kimchi as common examples. 

Adding to the case for fermented foods in the Springtime, or any time of year for that matter, is information like this that comes out of modern research. This research from the National Institute of Health suggests fermented foods have the measurable effect of aiding the beneficial bacteria in the lower digestive system, but also improves our ability to perform various mental processes such as memory recall, orientation to the outside world, learning and furthering language skills.

The transition from operating as a for-profit for 10 years, to non-profit for the past 2 has been interesting in many ways. In fact, we're planning to write a about this in more length over the next few weeks, here on the blog.
In the meantime, we'll offer up a quick-format review of the year that was 2018 at MAS in the form of an executive summary.
Full-color printed copies are currently available at MAS Manchester & Nashua clinics, in case your heart desires a copy to hold in your hands.

As always, comments, questions and compliments are welcomed via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

At MAS, we know that acupuncture only works when people have access to it. As part of the People's Organization of Community Acupuncture (POCA) our mission is to make acupuncture affordable and accessible to as many people as possible.

That is why we are happy to know New Hampshire now offers tiered-licensing for providers of acupuncture. Lay practitioners such as recovery coaches, peer counselors, and other health professionals can now be certified as Acupuncture Detoxification Specialists, providing a very helpful and specific ear acupuncture point combination.

Last week, the Governor's Recovery Task Force voted unanimously to support this expansion of access to ear acupuncture. You can read more about it here.

This fascinating new research courtesy of the journal Nature. 
It seems to have been determined by gene-engineering zebrafish (naturally), the cellular mechanisms responsible for DNA repair are moving twice as much during sleep as when awake.
Sleep, this suggests, is the time when animals prioritize putting ourselves back together.

(edit: good timing, as this is National Sleep Week, according to those who know things like this!)

We're grateful for all folks who come and rest their bones in MAS clinic recliners; who surrender to the mysterious movements of acupuncture treatments.  

Thank you for your company and your contribution in making the treatment rooms a venerable space.  We all make it so, this we know.

Three more meditations on gratitude...

"If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes." - Sri Chinmoy

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul." – Henry Ward Beecher

"When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around." – Willie Nelson