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A Love Letter to You, Dripping Springs Mama

Written by Michelle Wendt on . Posted in Balance, Community, Emotions, Family, Fatigue, Insomnia, Life, Marriage, Motherhood, Parenting, Recovery, Relationships, Sleep, Stress, Weekends, Wellness, Worry. No Comments on A Love Letter to You, Dripping Springs Mama

To you, Dripping Springs Mama,

The kids are back in school! As you get back into the daily grind of school schedules, carpools, sports, extracurricular activities, meal planning, laundry, and maybe that thing called work, what are you doing to take care of yourself?

At Indigo Healing Acupuncture & Massage, I listen to mamas just like you that have spent months, years, even decades of putting their kids first and letting their own needs slide into the backseat. When we sit down and talk, I learn that you have high blood pressure, you toss and turn every night, you feel too exhausted to exercise, you feel frustrated with your family, calls and texts go unanswered because you’re out of bandwidth, and you generally feel like a hot mess express. 

I’m here to give you a tough love wake-up call. You need to put yourself first. Now.

Why?

Your blood pressure is dangerously high. 

Your restless nights are prematurely aging you. 

Your chronic sleep deprivation is wreaking havoc on your hormones.

You feel constantly on edge.

You are go, Go, GO, while your body is screaming for care.

You are on the fast track to having a devastating stroke.

Or a heart attack.

And you will not get to choose the time or place.

You and your family’s life will change forever.

Sadly, you might not even be around to see the impact. 

A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked or a blood vessel bursts, severely damaging brain cells. It might surprise you to learn that stroke is the 5th leading cause of death for women, and 1 in 5 women between 55 and 75 will experience it. These figures are not meant to scare you, but rather empower you with knowledge. The good news is that 4 out of 5 strokes can be prevented.

One of the major warning signs your body will send you before having a stroke is high blood pressure. Hypertension affects over 45% of women and more than 2 in 5 women have blood pressure greater than or equal to 130/80 mm Hg. Only about 1 in 4 of those women have their blood pressure controlled to below 130/80 mm Hg.

In the midst of your packed schedule, it’s important to acknowledge the impact of lifestyle choices. Smoking/vaping, an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, obesity, high blood pressure (equal or greater than 130/80 mm Hg, high cholesterol, diabetes, stress, excessive alcohol, and poor sleep can heighten your vulnerability.

I completely understand the challenges of finding time, but small positive changes can yield substantial benefits. Incorporating a healthier diet, even a bit of activity, managing stress in manageable ways, considering steps to quit smoking and moderate alcohol, and maintaining a healthy weight can all contribute to lowering your risk. 

Your well-being matters. By investing a little time now, you’re securing a healthier future for yourself and your family. 

With love and understanding,

Dr. Michelle Wendt, L.Ac., DACM

P.S. My team and I are here to guide and support you. Give us a call at 512-686-0777 or learn more at IndigoHealingAcupuncture.com

P.S.S. We have morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend appointments to fit YOUR schedule.

Dr. Michelle Wendt, DACM

We Are Open and Here to Help You Feel Better!

Written by indigoacupuncture@megamad.work on . Posted in Appointments, Recovery. No Comments on We Are Open and Here to Help You Feel Better!

We have relaunched in-clinic services for Dripping Springs! Give us a call at (512) 686-0777 to schedule an appointment.

​For May 2020, we are open 4 days a week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday.

Here’s what to expect as we operate in the new normal:

  • Our clinic will continue to practice rigorous standard sanitary protocols.
  • All patients will be treated in private rooms and separated by a minimum of 6ft in common areas.
  • Appointment availability will be reduced to accommodate physical distancing.
  • All staff will be screened prior to each shift for subjective and objective markers of COVID-19.
  • All staff will be wearing masks while working with patients.

During this time, we ask that you assist us by adhering to the following safety measures:

  • Please wear a mask when in public spaces, including our clinic. We’ll ask you to wear your mask during your treatment. If you do not have a mask, let us know and we will give one to you as supplies last.
  • We will check your body temperature via forehead scan before you enter the clinic.
  • We will apply hand sanitizer to your hands as soon as you arrive at the clinic.
  • Please call to cancel your appointment if you are feeling unwell with symptoms such as cough, fever, rash, shortness of breath, loss of smell and/or taste, if you have traveled recently, or if you have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19.
  • If you are able to come to your appointment by yourself, please do so; if a medically-necessary caregiver is required to accompany you, we may ask him/her to wait outside or in the car during your treatment due to clinic capacity levels.
  • Children (under the age of 18) are only permitted in the clinic with a pediatric appointment.

To ensure the safety of our clinic for all patients, we reserve the right to re-schedule or cancel your appointment if we feel it is not safe to provide a treatment.

Please give us a call if you have any questions about our new clinic policies. We look forward to seeing you!

Silver Lining

The Magic of this Pandemic

Written by indigoacupuncture@megamad.work on . Posted in Clinic, Emotions, Family, Gratitude, Grief, Recovery, Relationships, Stress, Wellness, Worry. No Comments on The Magic of this Pandemic

“There is no magic cure, no making it all go away forever. There are only small steps upward; an easier day, an unexpected laugh, a mirror that doesn’t matter anymore.”
​- Laurie Halse Anderson
​The entire modern world is at a standstill.

Streets are empty.
Playgrounds are eerily quiet.
Music venues are silent.
Sport fields are barren.
Going out in public is a risky adventure.

Birds chirp.
Deer roam.
Alarm clocks are unset.
Dogs enjoy company all day.
Neighbors help neighbors.

Hitting a collective pause button has never happened in our lifetimes. It was inconceivable.

So much was lost when we hit the pause button. Big games, weddings, birthday parties, family vacations, grand openings, anniversary celebrations, graduations, baby showers and countless other special occasions.

When external activities disappear from our calendars, what’s left? What are the side-effects of this crisis?

  • Long phone calls talking about nothing & everything.
  • Sunsets glowing over families at a dinner table filled with odds & ends.​
  • Forgetting what day of the week it is.
  • Discovering new hobbies.
  • Finding solace in music.
  • Rekindling old pastimes.
  • Neighborhood walks.
  • Growing food.
  • Supporting a struggling small business with an order.
  • Watching old TV shows.
  • Stargazing.

In the midst of a pandemic that has disrupted our daily lives, this is where the magic resides.

We can choose to focus on the moments that matter.

We can embrace the surprising side-effects of our lives on hold. We can graciously accept that aspects of our former lives will undergo a transformation beyond our control. We can linger in the unknowing of when our new normal might begin. This pandemic will pass.  We will all have new beginnings. There is no going back.

Embrace the magic because we’ll never have this time again.

Healing Food: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Written by indigoacupuncture@megamad.work on . Posted in Community, Recovery, Uncategorized, Wellness. No Comments on Healing Food: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This is one of my family’s favorite soups. It’s easy to make and every bite is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals that are soothing to the digestive system. It’s the perfect soup to eat when recovering from an illness or surgery.

I serve it blended and creamy, not chunky. It’s a meal in itself or a filling side dish.

Butternut Squash Soup
1 large organic butternut squash (Costco has pre-packaged cubes)
1 sweet onion
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
Handful of baby carrots, sliced or ribboned
1 box of organic chicken bone broth
1 can of organic full-fat coconut milk
1/8th teaspoon ground nutmeg
Sea salt and pepper
Organic extra virgin olive oil.

Have all of your ingredients? Let’s do this!

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (I use a toaster oven)
  2. Place the squash cubes and carrots in a large bowl and toss to coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper.
  3. Line baking dish or rimmed tray with parchment paper. Spread the squash and carrots evenly across the tray. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the veggies are soft.
  4. Coat bottom of large soup pot with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and place on medium heat.
  5. Slice onion and add to soup pot. Saute onion until soft and season with salt and pepper.
  6. At medium heat, add garlic to onions and stir until the garlic is light brown.
  7. Dump in your tray of roasted squash and carrots.
  8. Add about 2 cups of the bone broth, stir everything, and bring to simmer (medium-high heat).
  9. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Add more broth if the vegetables are not coated.
  10. Remove pot from heat and blend the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or transfer the (Caution: Hot!) soup to a heavy-duty blender (Vitamix, Ninja, etc).
  11. Once blended and smooth, bring the soup pot back to simmering heat.
  12. Add a pinch of ground nutmeg (about 1/8th teaspoon) to the soup and stir it in.
  13. Slowly stir in coconut milk to your desired soup consistency. We like our soups to be more hearty, less watery, so I typically add about 1/4 cup of coconut milk or less.
  14. Turn off the heat, take a taste and season with more sea salt and pepper if needed.

That’s it! You’ve made a delicious, healthy soup that nourishes the Lungs, Kidneys, and Stomach! It keeps in the refrigerator for about 3 days in an airtight container.

Another tip: To make an easy one-pot dinner, add chunks of rotisserie chicken to the finished soup.