Five Seasons Women’s Wellness: Health and Wellness Blog

Research is showing that regular exercise may not be enough to stave off heart disease; you need to keep moving, even after you visit the gym.

Read the NY Times article.

On a more personal note…Some of my patients may know that beyond being an acupuncturist and herbalist, I am an amateur dog trainer and compete in agility with my border collie Piper.

Last weekend, I competed with Piper at an AKC agility trial in Ridgefield, WA. After our runs, I was a little disappointed. We made a few mistakes and didn’t qualify. I was discouraged that I didn’t have anything to show for all of my hard work. After a long day, I drove home tired and a little deflated.

Piper running with full abandon

The next morning, I loaded the video of our runs onto my computer to see what our problems were. Watching the video of Piper in action overwhelmed me with a deep sense of gratitude. Our runs were beautiful, even with our novice mistakes. I was so grateful that such an amazing and talented dog could find such joy in running with me and playing my game of agility.

I can’t believe that I ever felt even the slightest tinge of disappointment in her and myself. I have always known that agility is about the fun of it, not titles or awards, but for a moment I lost sight of that.

This experience reminded me of how important it is to find joy and gratitude in your life, even when things do not go as you plan. I could have held on to my disappointment, eventually transforming it into bitterness and regret, but instead my heart is filled with thankfulness for life and all of its opportunities.

This morning, I was reading Susan Garrett’s blog, and the entry Lessons in Gratitude struck me. Susan is a world-class agility competitor and a truly marvelous dog trainer, and I think she owes that in part to her ability to focus on the positive. Reading her thoughts inspired me to share my own.

Here are a few quotes she shared:

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~Melody Beattie

“When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present…. we experience heaven on earth.” ~Sarah Breathnach

“Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain!” ~Vivian Greene

“At times when our own light goes out, it is rekindled by a spark from another person.  Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” ~Albert Schweitzer

Today I am grateful that my life is abundant and my heart found its way back to gratitude.

Be Well!

Ariel Solomon, L.Ac.

Ariel and Piper in Action

Susan Garrett’s Blog: Lessons in Gratitude

This is an interesting Washington Post article about the different types of health care systems around the world.

Once again, wherever you stand in the health care debate, knowledge is power- it’s important to know all the facts.

Happy reading!

Read the Full Article

The proposed healthcare overhaul has caused quite a stir over the last few weeks. Widespread misinformation seems to be fueling growing fear and outrage among many Americans.

In an effort to simplify the picture, NPR’s Scott Hensley put together some resources to help people understand how healthcare reform might affect them: Health Overhaul Boiled Down To A Flowchart.

The Whitehouse has also launched a “Health Insurance Reform Reality Check” to answer people’s question and concerns about health reform: Health Insurance Reform Reality Check.

Wherever you stand in the debate, it is imperative to know and understand the facts before choosing a side.

Happy reading!

Are you having difficulty conceiving?  Have you ever wondered what fertility options are out there?

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have been used to enhance fertility for over 2,000 years.  Used together, acupuncture and herbal medicine regulate hormone levels, increase blood flow to the uterus, and reduce stress and anxiety, thus boosting fertility and promoting overall health.

Acupuncture is a safe and effective way to treat both female and male factor infertility.  It can be used alone or in conjunction with other assisted reproductive techniques, and has the added bonus of being side effect free!

Ariel Solomon, licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist, specializes in holistic women’s health and fertility.  She has a very high rate of success in helping couples conceive and go on to have healthy and happy babies.

More questions?  No problem!  Join Ariel Solomon, L.Ac., MSTCM, Dipl. O.M., CMT, ADS, for an evening of acupuncture and fertility questions and answers.

what: Acupuncture and Fertility Q&A
when:  Tuesday, August 25, 2009, 6:00 p.m.
where: Five Seasons Women’s Wellness, 840 Lawrence Street, Eugene, OR
contact: Ariel Solomon at (541) 515-6446

I look forward to seeing you!

Announcement issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA):

“[Posted 05/01/2009] FDA warned consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products by Iovate Health Sciences, Inc., because they are associated with serious liver injuries. Hydroxycut products are dietary supplements that are marketed for weight-loss, as fat burners, as energy-enhancers, as low carb diet aids, and for water loss under the Iovate and MuscleTech brand names.

FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplants. One death due to liver failure has been reported to FDA. Other health problems reported include seizures; cardiovascular disorders; and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.

The agency has not yet determined which ingredients, dosages, or other health-related factors may be associated with risks related to these Hydroxycut products. FDA continues to investigate the potential relationship between Hydroxycut dietary supplements and liver injury or other potentially serious side effects.”

visit the FDA’s website for more information

Five Seasons Women’s Wellness is moving on April 1st!

Starting April 1, I will be at my new location, 840 Lawrence Street in Eugene.  The new space is beautiful, and I will have much greater scheduling flexibility.  There is plenty of 2-hour street parking in the area, as well as a bike rack.

I look forward to seeing you at my new office.

Happy Spring!
Ariel Solomon, L.Ac.

The year of the Ox is upon us, and not a minute too soon!

The Ox is a steadfast and solid worker and doesn’t give up until the job is done- and there are a lot of jobs to do in 2009.  Discipline and hard work are the name of the game.

Our newly elected president, Barack Obama, who incidentally happens to be an Ox, is poised to rise to the challenge and be the hardworking and patient Ox leader we need.

2009 is a good time to settle domestic affairs and put your house in order.

Happy Chinese New Year!