Laying Down is SOOOO Basic. . .

Laying Down is SOOOO Basic. . . But, laying down on an infrared, negative ion, crystal filled mat that has the option to heat up is sooooo. . . uh, opposite of basic.

Honestly, the biomat I have in my South Austin location gives my North Austin location jealous vibes and I will most likely be getting a second mat so both locations can be ridiculously luxurious and extra af.

The mat is filled with rows of 5 alternating types of crystals: amethyst, obsidian, quartz, turquoise, and orange jade which each have a plethora of energetic healing potentials. It can be warmed up to your level of comfort and, when combined with a heat lamp, can feel like a cozy wellness nest (well-nest?)

Far infrared technology claims to help with pain relief and blood circulation and promote relaxation. Side benefit is that you feel like royalty laying on this gorgeous mat.

Come see me. Lay down in a non-basic way.

love,

Jenna

Been There for Self Care: IV Drip Therapy

I always tell my daughter that my super power is finding people that are better at me than things and then letting them shine. This power has guided me to the most badass group of friends who always seem to expose me to new ways to thrive. One such friend told me about MSW Lounge in Austin, TX. This hidden gem offers IV drips, chiropractic work, nutritional supplements, and so much more. The owners are a dynamic duo of kind, friendly and passionate men who are super pleasant to chat with and ooze competence.

The set up is funky and comfortable and you feel like you’re hanging out in someones professional back yard treehouse. They have a series of options to choose from and I opted for the immune-boosting IV drip which is a concoction of awesomeness to keep my body healthy — even more important during pandemic times. I chose a comfy couch and pulled out a book. The IV insertion was painless and the bag happily dripped nourishment into my veins as I read, relaxed and chatted with various other friendly clients.

There is no attempt to upsell clients and the overall vibe is a focus on community health and wellness. The owners offer weekly lunch & learn opportunities and are committed to educating the public on true holistic health options.

I’d recommend wearing an extra layer as I got a bit chilly towards the end, and be sure to not schedule yourself too tightly because the IV drip speed is dependent on your body. Mine took around 45 minutes give or take.

I felt incredibly relaxed for the remainder of the day, but also had plenty of energy and wasn’t even tempted to drink my forbidden -yet common- afternoon cup of coffee. Prevention is often harder to track, but my body felt fantastic and my brain felt clearer than normal. It was a very pleasant experience and I will be back for sure.

Definitely a GO THERE for self care!

xo,

Jenna

Been There for Self Care: Float Spa + Sauna

As many of you know, I’m pretty obsessed with self care. I love finding new ways to show myself love and firmly believe that the better I take care of myself, the better I can take care of you! My ultimate goal is to show up for all my clients with full presence from a place of abundance. When my cup is overflowing it will naturally get all over you, so I keep my cup filled to the brim or more with loving, healing, and interesting experiences.

I’ve been getting more questions around what I do for self care, so I thought I’d share as I journey into the varying modalities of care that our world has to offer. At some point, I’ll backtrack and write about former experiences, but for now, you will get the real time moments and my unfiltered thoughts. At the end I will either recommend you GO THERE for self care or that you GO ELSEWHERE for self care. And, as always, I am available to you for self care support through acupuncture, herbs, bodywork, and coaching.

So, let’s start. Last night I went to The Ocean Lab in Austin, TX for a 30 minute sauna and 60 minute float. I got a fantastic deal on their website, invited a special guy who’s always down for a new experience and we booked an appointment.

The place was easy to find, parking was easy, and we brought bathing suits to sweat in during the sauna. These turned out to be unnecessary as they provide robes, but may be more comfortable for some. There were individual and group sauna option, but don’t expect to be nude. Chad greeted us super warmly, gave us some soda waters and oriented us to the space. Expect to remove your shoes upon entering and put your items in a little cubby (unless you want to take them with you). The sauna was comfortable, hot, and definitely made us sweat a ton. Chad checked on us and brought water as needed and we felt really spoiled. When it was time to transition to the float, we opted for individual ‘cabins’ -which means the whole room is filled with water versus having a ‘pod'. The cabins are a way better option for us tall humans plus there aren’t any seams in the lid of the pod which can develop condensation and drip cold water on to you during the float which is pretty uncool.

Fun fact: The Ocean Lab also has float cabins that can accommodate couples which is such a cute date idea.

There is a shower area to rinse off prior to entering the float room, but be aware the floor gets pretty slick so walk carefully! Chad was so thorough in explaining all the details to make our float experience amazing. I got into the cabin and immediately turned out all the lights and cut the music to keep the sensory deprivation vibe. The warm salt water is so soothing and for some chemistry reason I don’t understand the body doesn’t get pruney from the water, but rather ends up feeling incredibly soft, silky and almost slimy. I got a little turned around and, at one point, had a little freak out about not knowing where the exit door was, but I just sat up and ran my hand along the wall until I felt the dip where the door was - I’d recommend noting this before you relax so you can easily find it if you are prone to ‘how the heck do I get out of here if I need to” moments like I am.

I had a beautiful time forgetting I had a body, remembering I had a body and feeling really happy about both. I slept a little, I thought a little, I played around with different arm positions. It was relaxing, rejuvenating and I will definitely be back. When time was up (eg, music comes on, the lights turn on and then the filtration system kicks on), I showered (again careful of slippery floor!), felt really glad I brought a brush, and walked out to be met with a cup of delicious tea that I drank while chatting with Chad and relaxing on some extremely comfy couches.

GO THERE for self care. Maybe we will cross paths.

xo,

Jenna

Building Natural Immunity

Covid-19 has really turned our world upside down. We are being inundated by strong yet conflicting opinions and we never know if we are over or under-reacting in any given moment. It’s hard, disorienting, and stressful. Whenever I feel this level of uncertainty and complexity, I try to take a step back and remind myself of the basic foundation of what we already know.

The virus is a pathogen. It wants to get into our body and create a new life for itself. It is looking for the easiest way to do this with the least resistance.

Our body is a protector. It wants to stay kick out any intruders. A healthy immune system is an inhospitable host for a virus. A healthy immune system is the equivalent of a bad hotel review on Trip Advisor - as a virus is looking for a place to stay it’s going to go to the 5-star recommendations of people with weakened immune systems.

If a virus were rating your body in terms of an accommodating host, where would you rank?

We know how to create an unwelcoming environment for a virus: healthy food, vitamins/supplements, sunshine/nature, exercise, restful sleep, laughter, meditation, sex, water, stress reduction. Living a life in balance.

There are lots of specific recommendations around each of these basic, foundational elements of health and I’m happy to talk more with you about this to create an optimal plan for your individual health.

It was sad to see Instagram remove the #naturalimmunity. I hope they’ve put it back online when this is published. I’m not sure why that happened, but it seems like the conservative Western medical practitioners don’t want some of the more ‘alternative’ modalities being shared. I’m not sure why it can’t be a: let’s benefit from both approach. We can have vaccines AND high dosing of vitamin D, C and zinc. We can have respirators AND Chinese herbs that facilitate healthy lung function. We can have antibody tests AND mindfulness stress reduction exercises.

During this stressful time, I hope each of you are finding ways to reduce as much stress as possible. Stress increases cortisol, cortisol drops immune function. But, don’t let that stress you out! Instead, reach out for help and we will get you on a plan to build your natural immunity.

xo,

Jenna

Acid Reflux: Stomach Acid Is Awesome, Too Much or Too Little Stomach Acid is Awful

It’s kind of the like the story of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears where she finds one porridge too hot, one too cold, and one juuuuust right. In order to be helpful, the level of stomach acid needs to be just right. Unfortunately, many of us are suffering from a stomach acid imbalance and pop antacids like they’re candy without truly understanding what’s going on. First of all, let’s back up and let me make the case for why the stomach secretes hydrochloric acid and why this stomach acid is awesome:

1. Stomach acid helps you digest protein.

2. It helps protect your gut against infection and food poisoning.

3. It facilitates the absorption of vitamin B12 (which is a totally badass and necessary vitamin).

4. It creates signals to other organs to release the helpful digestive enzymes and tells the gut muscles to contract making the digestive process run smoothly. The right amount of stomach acid even signals the flap (aka lower esophageal sphincter) from the esophagus to the stomach to close and open.

When stomach acid is too high it wreaks havoc and can lead to stomach ulcers and overall chaos. I had acid reflux in the later stages of pregnancy and I empathize with anyone experiencing this uncomfortable situation. I’ve even had patients who thought they were having a heart attack and met with a cardiologist only to be told it was stomach acid irritation the tissues near the heart! Too little stomach acid also wreaks havoc and can lead to low B12 levels which can eventually show up as tingling/altered sensation in the limbs and anemia. It can be hard to know if your acid reflux is due to excess or deficiency as the early symptoms manifest the same way. The deficiency acid reflux can be thought of as a gas tank running out of gas where it spurts and sputters and overefforts to get the insufficient gas where it needs to go. Kind of sweet, but also totally uncomfortable.

While it is always a good idea to check in with your primary physician, a quick way to check if your stomach acid is deficient or excess is to either a) take a stomach acid supplement and see if it gets better or worse (note this may seem counterintuitive, but often solves the problem!) or b) an even simpler way is to take a spoonful of apple cider vinegar each day and see if the symptoms improve or worsen. If you get better it was a deficiency pattern. If you get worse it’s usually excess.

For those of you who are constantly reaching for the antacids, it’s important to know there are different types, and there can be undesirable side effects - especially with long term use. Antacids are usually over-the-counter bases (I just went straight chemistry on you!) which neutralize the excess acid. While I STRONGLY prefer acupuncture and herbs over these types of pharmaceuticals, I get that sometimes sh*t happens and you’re traveling or whatever. If that’s the case, and you can’t come see me or get to the magical herbal remedies: consider choosing the ‘best’ antacid for you. My “Chemistry for Dummies” book (yep, how did you think I got through that doctoral class?!) notes that people with high blood pressure may want to avoid the sodium bicarbonate antacids as the sodium ion may increase blood pressure! Those concerned with osteoporosis may want to use the antacid with calcium carbonate. But, large doses may cause constipation. The third group of antacids is the hydroxides (aluminium and magnesium) is a balancing act as aluminium hydroxide can cause constipation in large doses, while magnesium hydroxide can serve as a laxative in large doses. With all these side effects, acupuncture and herbs are looking better and better. . . right? See you soon.