Did you know that are you should have pain free periods with no side effects such as PMS? We all have been conditioned to believe that period symptoms are normal. 

Well they are not. 

A Normal Period is…

It starts and ends without any of the following: 

• No pain 
• No brown blood (Blood should be a bright color from start to finish, brown blood indicts old blood)  
• No cramping
• No bloating 
• No breast pain/discomfort
• No emotional shifts 
• No headaches 

Your monthly cycle shows you the state of your health. If you have some or all of the above symptoms, your body is sending you a message. You either have a structural blockage or misalignment, hormonal imbalance, or a vitamin, mineral, and/or nutrient deficiency. All things that can be fix with the proper care and time. 

I personally have suffered from extremely painful periods (pain level above a 10) from the age 14 to my mid twenties. I was able to heal the extreme pain with acupuncture and diet. Currently, I manage my period and I’m mostly pain-free using the 4 prevention tips below. When I do find myself with a slightly painful period (2 to 3 pain level), I have usually been slacking on my self care. And it is a reminder to get back to taking care of my reproductive health. 

Is your uterus in alignment? Your uterus is held up by muscles and ligaments. Then can become weaken or loosen due to various reasons: trauma, surgery, emotions, pregnancy, state of your health or age. Your uterus can fall forward, downward, backwards or be off to one side. A misaligned uterus will have a lack of proper energy, blood and lymphatic flow. Thus, it will affect your period, your fertility and your overall health. Book a session with a Mayan Abdominal Therapist who can help you get your uterus back into place. 

2. Avoid COLD

Extremely Limit:  cold foods, cold drinks, sitting on cold surfaces or walking on cold floors. When cold enters your body it creates congestion, this leads to stagnation of blood and energy and results in pain. Cold contracts muscles and prevents blood and your body’s warm to permeate the area. Think of a frozen pipe or water hose in both situations the expansion of the ice don’t allow water to flow, and over time it can cause serious problems. The same is happening in your body, cold stays in your body and disturbs your natural flow. This will cause menstrual pain, hence why heat feels so good.  

Use tampons? You may want reconsider that choice. Tampons can increase your menstrual cramps. You want your period to flow, out of your body. Tampons inhibit your natural outward flow of your menstrual blood. It causes blood to get backed up and stagnate. This contributes to your discomfort and/or pain. Also tampons dry out your vagina of the self lubricating and self cleaning fluids that are needed to keep you balance and free of infections. A majority of tampons are filled with toxins, that are getting directly absorbed in your bloodstream. And they leave mirco fibers (toxic) behind in your vagina. Overall, even organic tampons are not recommended. Especially if you suffer from menstrual cramps, it is so important to allow your menstrual blood to flow freely. 

Next blog post will be about safe menstrual pads…

When there is a stagnation of qi it can lead to a blood congestion. Cramping with blood clots?  This means you have blood stagnation. Blood congestion can also be the result of IUDs, surgeries, or birth control pills.

Things you can do to get your liver qi moving: 

Exercise– moving your body will get your lymphatic system circulating, and helps to release your emotions. Great for mental clarity and overall health. 

Diet– especially a week before your period. Eat less to no sugar, no processed foods, drink more water. Include more cruciferous veggies into your diet, leafy greens, and clean meats- no chemicals or added hormones. 

Stick your tongue out in a mirror? Is it a pale red or light pink? If so, you may be anemic or have what we call blood deficient. You will want to include more iron rich foods in your diet. And if you can stomach it, eat some grass fed liver. 

Limit caffeine and alcohol. You can also include teas such as milk thistle to support the liver. 

Everyone woman has an individual story about their period journey. And it changes as we do. You may want to consider seeing a natural healthcare provider to help you look into other factors that could be affecting your menstrual pain like your thyroid  and digestive health that could need supplementation. 

A great to jump start your lifestyle change is to do a 10 day cleanse. Get in the habit of eating healthy, and cut out foods that are not contributing to your wellbeing. 

Want to do a cleanse? Email me hello@pelviswellnessmethod.com and we can set up your free consultation. 

There is also vaginal steaming for preventative care…Check out more information on that here. 

For more specific information on how I can help you with your period send me your information HERE. 

And if you are not local to Los Angeles, no worries. We can work via online. Connect with me HERE. 

Big Love on your Healing Journey!

xo Carine

Vaginal/Perineal Steaming also deals with abdominal gut issues by helping with circulation and energy flow. It also relaxes the tissues of the urinary bladder, digestive and muscular system.

Steaming involves taking a bunch of herbs such as rose, lavender, calendula, rosemary, basil, mugwort or many others and boiling with filtered water in a pot. When the steam begins to rise you sit on stool or chair with a hole and cover yourself to keep the steam contained. You can steam for 10 up to 30 minutes.

They not only increase uterine circulation for women, it helps for the following conditions: 

• Painful menstrual cramps 
• Uterine fibroids
• Infertility 
• Vaginal dryness 
• Hormonal imbalances 
• Weak vaginal muscles 
• Softens scar tissue 
• Helps heal vaginal tears, surgery 
• Uterine prolapse 
• Adhesions 
• Ovarian cysts 
• Endometriosis 
• Inflammation 
• Pelvic Pain 
• Calms prolong stress 
• Eases general tension (allowing the facial muscles to relax- softening of wrinkles) 

The benefits for men are:  

• Prostate Health 
• Reduces inflammation and pain, especially pelvic area 
• Improves cardiovascular system 
• Induces deeper sleep 
• Increases energy
• Invigorates sexual performance 

Besides the positive physical benefits, steaming the organs and muscles of your pelvic floor also will help to create a different more intimate relationship with your woman or man parts. This emotional relationship that you are cultivating for yourself will help to unravel deep traumas and pains that are stored in the pelvic area. Not to say the steaming can heal all wounds, it can help soften them.  

The best part of getting a steam is doing it before or after an acupuncture or abdominal therapy session. 

It is a lovely experience. 

Have questions?

Book your session and enjoy the relaxing sensation of a vaginal/perineal steam. 

Collectively the holiday season creates a lot of havoc, especially for those of us that live in cities. For many the holidays are anxiety producing. Between work, family obligations, financial stress, gift giving, traveling, and busy schedules this time of the year feels intense and crazy.

For those of you who are sensitive to energies and the people around you. Like myself. The holiday season can be exhausting, and filled with anguish.

I used to dread the holiday season, I’m a recovering scrooge. Mostly because it is so anxiety producing, and the pop Christmas music that starts playing in every store right after Halloween. I’m still peeved about the latter. However, I have learned how to keep my center, by self care, eating healthy and being grateful for all the gifts I have in my life. Now I can appreciate the joy of the holidays which are also a beautiful time to spend with people you love, share food and laugh.

1. Self Care– this is the season of giving. And give to yourself. Take the time to gift yourself a massage, an acupuncture session, energy work, spa treatment or any other healing modality. Move the stress and anxiety out of your body. I personally make sure I keep on top of this with regular acupuncture and bodywork sessions, because this is also the season for illness. Due to stress and diet, people get sick during the holiday season. It is so important to keep your immune system strong, and your stress levels down. Acupuncture sessions also help you stay balanced and focus during this time.

2. Meditate- breathe and stay grounded in your body. If you a person that meditates great. Do more. If you are someone that has a hard time meditating- find a guided one. Youtube has thousands of guided meditations.

Here is a simple 5 or so minute meditation you can use: Breathing is key to to building a strong relationship with your body. Close your eyes. Take 5 deep breaths. Inhale for 5 counts into your belly, exhale for 5 counts.

Now notice any place in your body where you are having any sensations. It could be tension, tightness, pain, dull ache or tingling. Breathe into that space. Have the intention of calming and relaxing the area. You can continue relaxing various parts of your body. And just breathe and be.

In a situation that is stressful- remove yourself and breathe. Like at your family gathering.  Bathrooms are really good places to find some privacy to get centered.

I just started meditating this year. I had a hard time for many years. Since my mind is always on hyper mode. Guided meditations with visualizations helped me begin the process. As an empath, I used to have a hard time differentiating what I was feeling. Since I started meditating on a regular basis over the last year, it’s so much easier monitoring my thoughts and emotions. So when I am in situations where I am triggered, I can always go within. I like to think of meditation as cultivating a relationship with yourself.

3. Food– Enjoy the food of the holidays. There are dinner and work parties, so much celebration happening. Just monitor you sugar intake. Sugar lowers your immune system, adversing affects your digestion and cognitive functions. Read more on my post on sugar and the flu season. Eat as much whole, natural organic foods as possible. And drink lots of water.

4. Alcohol – is a depressant. And for those who are inclined towards depression and or anxiety. Drinking copious amounts of alcohol will intensify your emotional state. Limit your consumption of alcohol, and drink moderately.

5. Give back– being of service to others is always a beautiful way to shift your emotional state. Volunteer and share your time with others. It will help you see a different perspective of your life.

6. Gratitude– We all have so much to be grateful for. Give thanks for all the gifts and the love you have in your life. It is helpful to write it all out. Set 5  minutes on a timer and write all the things you grateful for. You’ll have quite a lot.

I am grateful to have a great apartment in Los Angles. Beautiful friends. I’m forever and always grateful that I love what I do.

During this month of frenzy remember do take some time for yourself. Give to yourself. Love Yourself.

If you are looking to book an acupuncture session to get you balanced during this holiday season. You can book ONLINE, or email me at hello@pelviswellnessmethod.com.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

With Love,
Carine

According to Chinese Medicine the summer is associated with the heart. Love in all of its expressions joy, compassion, forgiveness, happiness, trust, pleasure, acceptance, pure intelligence, gratitude, laughter and abundance.  All the feelings we all seek and appreciate in our lives. The summer is also associated with the fire element, an expansive energy. During these summer months is is important to be surrounded by loved ones, and do the things that make you happy. Enjoy life!

It’s the time of LOVE. A wonderful season to heal past betrayals, sexual traumas, broken hearts and all other forms of heart pain. Get some esoteric acupuncture heart opening treatments to help you receive the abundance of energy that is available during the summer months. These treatments can be gateways for you to initiate your spiritual healing through chakra balancing and sacred geometry. Sessions can align you with your higher self, and reconnect you with your heart.

It is also a time to open your heart to your fears. The opposite of the summer is winter, which is the season of the kidneys. They are associated with fear, the other end to the polarity of love.

Right now during these summer months your heart energy is thriving. Nature can be a powerful ally, use it to benefit you. It can be quite scary opening up your heart to your fears. And there is no better time then the present.

What I have learn about fear: is the things that you are afraid of, are areas in your life where you thrive. Which is why the fear is placed there, a self imposed block. Once you become conscious of your fears, and start to place your intentions on healing. You will realized that your fear is no longer needed.

Trauma can cause fear. And for a time that fear is needed to protect you, but over time it can become a block that cripples your life. And the remedy is love. Fear can’t live where love lives. And it starts with you, loving the crap out of your fears. And once you overcome them, you realize that your fears are one of your many gifts you can offer the world.

And I write this from my own personal experience of living in fear. As a child I had dreams of falling off a boat and drowning. Year after year I had the same dream. I loved and feared the water, at 8 years old during day camp I did almost drowned in a lake. This led to anxiety anytime I had to be in a body of water that my feet didn’t touch the bottom. It took me years to get in a body of water. At 20 I was able to swim in shallow water, and was able to swim in the ocean for the first time. Each year that passed I told myself I would get over my fears and learn how to swim. It wasn’t until December of 2016 that I dragged myself to a pool and joined a master’s swim team.

During the winter months, I literally drove into my fear of water. My fear of survival. And my fear of death. By the spring time, I was no longer afraid of water. I actually LOVE it, and I am a great swimmer.

Overcoming this fear has tickled into other aspects of my life. Now, when I’m afraid of something, I go right into it. And when I come out the other side I’m totally in love with it.

And the summer is the perfect time to overcome some of your fears, you can use to energy of love that is all around you to support you.

Book your heart opening session today.

And or email me your questions at info@carinecamara.com or call me at 925 310 5317.

With lots of Love,

Carine

As a plant based person aka vegan, the one number question I get asked is: Where do you get your protein?

98% of people are getting more than enough protein in their diets. Even the vegans and vegetarians are fulfilling the daily requirement of 42 grams of protein daily for women and 56 grams for men. There is plenty of protein in vegetables, grains, nuts and beans. However, whatever your diet is it is important to create a balanced one.

The real question should be: Are you getting a variety of foods in your diet? In our developed nation it is nearly impossible to become protein deficient. We run into problems in not consuming enough nutrients from a lack of  variety in our diet.

Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein, there are twenty. Nine of which are essential and are needed to maintain a healthy body. They have to come from our food. And you can get all the essential amino acids from plant based sources.

Each amino acid has a specific purpose. For example Leucine is best for stimulating muscle strength and growth. If you are an active person, you should consume more cashews, almonds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.

Most of us have been conditioned to believe that veggie proteins are limited. They are not. Plant based protein sources are vast and abundant.

Have questions on how to incorporate more plant based foods in your diet? Or about your health?

Schedule your 15 min free consultation or email me at info@carinecamara.com.

Big Love,

Carine

Download the full list of the essential amino acids and their best plant based food sources

Winter, the time of the kidneys. Words that describe this time of year are contraction, receptive, introspective, rest, hibernate, and darkness.

In Chinese Medicine, this time of year is associated with the Kidney energy system. Quite different from Western Medicine. The Kidneys are our enery center including the sexual organs and reproductive functions.

This is the best time of year to consume foods to support your kidneys. They are the root of life- they govern birth, growth and development. If you kidneys are weak, they cannot support your digestive organs, and if your digestive organs are weak they cannot support your kidneys. Thus, it’s vital to have both organ systems functioning at their optimal.

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. It’s a great time to nourish your kidneys.

Porridge is one of the best foundations to build your breakfast. It is warm, and easy to digest.

Most people think of oatmeal. Though it may only be a good option for some. Since oats are very moistening to the lungs, they are good if you are suffering from dry lungs, chronic cough or a sore throat. If not, oats tend to be damp forming especially if you consume a lot of meat and dairy.

In Chinese Medicine this type of porridge is called, congee. The best grains to use are white rice, barley, brown rice, or quinoa.

You cook 1 cup of white rice (or another grain) with 5-8 cups of water. In many recipes you can add Chinese herbs as well as various types of food. Mine recipes are with fruit, nuts, seeds, and herbs. If time is an issue, you can throw the rice in a rice cooker or crock pot and have it cook overnight. And your breakfast will be waiting for you in the morning. For my congee recipes enter your info below to download.

Want more information on how you can support your kidneys email me at: info@carinecamara.com or write in the comments below. 

Big Love and Hugs,

Carine

Download your congee recipes

Initial stages of a cold, Build your Jing, and Strengthen your Digestion.

We all have judgements about everything. Speaking as someone that has been working on my own judgements about life for years. I recently started looking at my judgement around food. Is food good, bad or neutral? What are your food judgements based on?

Food is neither good or bad. It’s neutral. How your body feels is what matters most. Your body will give you signs that will help you understand what feels good and what doesn’t.

Food is our life force. We think about it all day. What are we going to eat? With whom? We plan events and dates around food. It is an important part of our lives. And it can be the source of so much suffering and anxiety.

So what, I am an acupuncturist and have years of training and experience. Yes, I have a lot of knowledge and resources, however, you know your body more than I do. You live with it. And if you don’t understand how to read and interpret the messages your body is showing you, that is where I come in.

This is where my expertise lays: guiding you to a place where you can understand what nutrition your body needs.

No Diet. No judgement. You learn what foods feel good in your body.

I don’t know about you. But I LOVE food. I love cooking it, eating it and sharing it. I use it medically and recreationally.

And I love having FREEDOM. Releasing my judgements about my food has given me a certain level of freedom. I choose to eat healthy and mostly plant-based foods because that is what feels good in my body. And I am happy about my decision. And your diet will look completely different, because that is what your body needs.

I invite you to think about your judgements around food and your diet. And see where you can be more compassionate, loving and nourishing towards yourself.

“Be less of a judge and you will be surprised that when you become a witness and you don’t judge yourself, you stop judging others too. And that makes you more human, more compassionate, more understanding.” —OSHO

Curious, on ways to deepen your understanding about your diet. Email me at info@carinecamara.com or call 925 310 5317.

Bon Appetite.

Much Love,

Carine

I have suffered from facial acne since I was 14 years old. I have used various products, topical creams prescribed from my dermatologists, and got facials from estheticians.  But they never got to the root of the problem. At its worse during my teenage years, I asked these skin experts could it be my diet. The overwhelming response was no.

As a teenager and into my twenties my acne was a major source of pain and insecurity. I never really saw myself as beautiful because every time I looked in a mirror all I saw were my whiteheads, blackheads and blemishes. I was desperate to figure out a way to heal my skin. And now I consider it a blessing because it forced me to look within. Beauty shines from your heart not your face.

Along with acne, I suffered from chronic digestive issues with constant bloating. I know when my digestive system feels good, my skin looks good.

For me, I started with removing sugar and processed foods. This helped. Then for most of my twenties, I did no dairy and no gluten. This made a huge difference, and I thought that my skin would really start to heal. I went to estheticians, try new natural products and took some supplements. Sigh, I still had breakouts.

By the time I reached my thirties I was pretty frustrated. Being a holistic health care provider and an acupuncturist, I felt like I should be able to figure this out. With the help of a fellow acupuncturist,  I realized that for me the inflammation was due to nightshades. This food group potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers were the cause of my bloating. Since eliminating these foods my digestion and my skin have improved. Food sensitives change as we do. Now small amounts of dairy and wheat are okay. However, I closely monitor my skin and its reaction to my diet.

Presently my skin still has a bit of more healing to do. But this is the best it has EVER been.

I have a simple skin routine I use natural products that are made for sensitive skin.

Internally I saw the biggest shift when I started increasing the amounts of antioxidants I consume. Eating large amounts of fruits and veggies. My skin has never looked so good!!!  And drinking lots of alkaline water is always important.

I write this all to say: if you suffering from acne, there are ways to heal it!!! This was my journey and yours may look different; however, the one constant is DIET.

Want to learn about your body and the best foods for you to avoid and consume for your skin? Schedule a free 15 min health consultation, email at info@carinecamara.com or call 925 310 5317.

Much Love,

Carine

The heat of the summer months tends to dry out our skin. Top priority is to stay hydrated, by drinking a lot of water and eating hydrating foods.

Here are some Chinese Medicine Tips:

Summer is a time of expansion, growth, activity, creativity, connection. Being outside, travel, play are all summertime joys. This is also the time of year when the fruits and vegetable are plentiful and colorful. Take advantage of this abundant time of year to enjoy food and the people in your life. It is best to eat raw fruits and vegetables, or lightly cook your foods by steaming. Cooking with more water than oils will produce lighter meals.

True radiant skin, stems from the root of your internal organs. They keep your skin glowing.

Of course, acupuncture sessions will bring more blood and healing to your skin. As well stimulate collagen production, helping to keep your skin tight. Acupuncture treats your whole body to address the root cause of your health condition.

For a pdf of the foods that specifically nourish your Lungs and Large Intestine.

Email me at: info@carinecamara.com

With Love,

Carine

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