The clinic owner at Ballard Wellness has decided to put the building up for sale so we are relocating less than half a mile northeast to 70th and 7th Ave NW. We will be in the north Ballard area / Phinney Ridge neighborhood.

We will miss everyone at Ballard Wellness so much but feel lucky we found this lovely space curated by the wonderful photographer Judy Lee. We plan to start at The Embody Space the 2nd week of April and look forward to seeing you there!

Did you know that hot weather can interact with certain medications? If you or anyone you know is on antidepressants, antihistamines, or blood pressure medication, they may be more susceptible to the dangerous effects of extremely hot weather. Being on Lexapro, Benadryl, or Lisinopril, for example, can put you at much higher risk for dehydration or heat stroke during a heat wave.

Airflow hacks to decrease the risk of spreading and getting CV-19 can be found here: CovidStraightTalk. I like the idea of using bubbles to see if the air is stagnant...I have also noticed the few times I will drop a tissue or cotton ball at work, that it gets sucked towards the air purifier or back of the box fan with the MERV 13 filter taped to it which means aerosols are being pulled through the filter…

An article in STAT talks about doctors protesting racial injustice. This very eloquent comment by an MD is one that I hope that everyone, including all health care professionals, will read and take to heart.

There has finally been more press on Vitamin D (and other nutrients) for supporting the immune system and its benefits re: COVID-19. A physicians group in Canada specifically recommends Vitamin D3, zinc, and Vitamin C to help protect seniors from COVID-19.

Prescription drug mix-ups are more common than you think. Have your loved ones double check the shape/color/markings of their prescription pills whenever they re-fill their medication especially if they are using a chain pharmacy (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid).

Wildfire smoke has become a new way of life for some of us. Lately, for Seattle, the air quality is the equivalent of smoking 7 cigarettes a day.

Most acupuncturists are familiar with using acupuncture points between the fingers (Ba Xie, or as I like to think of them, wolverine points) for ailments like rheumatoid arthritis. But for post-stroke recovery, the depth of the needle more than doubles so the tip of the needle practically reaches the wrist (metacarpal joint).

25 sounds like a lot but some people take 3-4 rounds a year for frequent sinus infections, urinary tract infections, strep throat or ear infections. The more antibiotic prescriptions you fill, the higher your risk.

…they’re likely stemming from your body’s desire for specific vitamins and minerals. Bookatable has this great chart showing what vitamin or mineral you might need if you have a certain craving and a healthy alternative to satiate that urge.

According to Guy Winch, one of the most harmful psychological habits we have is rumination. How many of us obsess over the past or worry about the future? How many of us can't stop our racing minds? It takes practice to conquer our tendency to stew in negative thoughts. One way to practice is to choose a 2 minute distraction to resist the urge to ruminate.

is this one by Marconi Union according to studies: Band creates the most relaxing tune ever. The article says that with this song, "there is no repeating melody, which allows your brain to completely switch off because you are no longer trying to predict what is coming next." Considering most pop songs have refrains, I found that interesting. What do you think?

…can be helpful during stressful times even when coming from a potato.

….so you can try this stretch to antidote that.

My favorites include Hu Kitchen’s Crunchy Mint Chocolate Bar, Cobb's Street’s Sunbutter Cup, and others.

…by Uncle Harry's Natural Products. I always put a few drops on my scarf before I get on a plane.

…and elements of naturopathic treatment methods. As polarizing as Tom Brady and the Patriots can be, I found this Washington Post article on his medical care interesting: Tom Brady rejected NFL's medical culture. At almost forty, he's never played better.

What's interesting about Chinese Medicine is that even if 5 people all have sore throats, each person could get a completely different treatment. Not all sore throats are the same. The same goes for ADHD. Dr. Stephen Cowan wrote a wonderful book on the different types of ADHD you will find in children based on their 5 element constitution. It illustrates beautifully how important it is to treat people individually and why medications won't always work-not everyone's type of ADHD is the same.

but this fun hobby might be helpful!

Washington state recently implemented a new law requiring that all providers take a suicide prevention training course. Apparently some doctors were not happy with this new requirement...especially anesthesiologists. And sure enough, while I was taking the course, I noticed the anesthesiologists in the class doing crossword puzzles.