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Reclaim Your Sleep (from anywhere)

Is your mind constantly racing at bedtime?  Do you toss and turn all night, and wake up feeling like you haven’t slept at all?  Do you feel like you are walking around in a fog all day?  

You are not alone. Approximately 30-50% of adults in the US have difficulty falling and/or staying asleep, and 10% suffer from chronic insomnia. Lack of sleep can cause you to gain weight, kill your sex drive, make you look older, and make it difficult to concentrate at work. You may feel hopeless because you’ve exhausted OTC remedies, sleeping medications, and the standard lifestyle changes. Your doctor may have prescribed sleeping pills, but they leave you feeling groggy.

Chinese medicine has answers to this common modern-day challenge, Let me tap into my expertise as a Chinese medicine sleep specialist and certified life coach and the knowledge I’ve gained from working with hundreds of clients with sleep issues to create a personalized plan to help you fall asleep quickly and wake feeling rested.

For the best results, I recommend a series of 5 weekly 30-45 minute Zoom sessions.

Your personalized plan will include simple techniques you can apply immediately to fall asleep more quickly and wake feeling more rested, 1-2 hours of homeplay each week and coaching on successful adoption of manageable lifestyle changes.

Call me at 815-814-1319 or email amy@northshoreacupuncturecenter.com to schedule a free evaluation.
Note: This program will not address sleep issues related to physical pain, medication or other health issues.

Amy Landolt’s Bio 

Amy is a licensed acupuncturist and certified life coach specializing in sleep. She helps people reclaim their sleep using Chinese medicine, essential oils, supplements, and lifestyle changes. Amy is passionate about finding natural ways to improve sleep because in 2011, insomnia was impacting her work and personal life. Sleeping pills helped her sleep, but left her feeling groggy. She was frustrated that her doctor’s only suggestion was different (and more) pills. It was only after a combination of acupuncture, massage and yoga that she was able to sleep through the night and wake rested and refreshed. 

She learned that she needed to take the lead in managing her health and fully leverage all of the natural ways to address any health challenges, and she loves helping others do the same. 

What other people have to say: 

“For about two years now I have been suffering from terrible seasonal allergies. The inability to breathe through my nose left me restless. I would take a cocktail of allergy medications and sleeping aids, but still no luck. After visiting an allergist,I was able to get that issue under control, however the anxiety of sleep and lack of it still haunted me. I was breathing just fine at night, but my mind was constantly racing and anticipating. My body would eventually pass out from exhaustion around 6am and I’d wake around 8am. Running on two hours of restless sleep left me feeling drained, fatigue and moody during the day. I felt like I had tried everything a western doctor would suggest: sleeping tablets, melatonin, setting a bedtime routine, but nothing worked. I told my allergist about this issue and she suggested I try acupuncture by Amy Landolt. 

Amy prescribed a holistic regime of meditation, yoga and herbs. The night after my first appointment I slept the most I had in months. After a month of working with Amy, one-to-two-times a week, I am sleeping more restfully than ever. Along with acupuncture she advised to incorporate yoga and medication which has helped speed up the healing process as well as helped me grow as a person.” P.L. 

 

“After my first session, I slept from 12:15 until 6:45am. Wow! A full six and ½ hours. I woke up feeling more rested than I have in about six months. Lack of sleep was leaving me feeling fatigued most of the day, every day. It was hard to focus on any project, personal or professional, to see it through to conclusion. Or if I did, it required more time than ever. I know I was more irritable than usual, too. I had tried sleeping apps, lifestyle changes, and cognitive behavioral techniques. After four sessions, I am sleeping 6-7 hours most nights, which I hadn’t for over a year.  

THANK YOU!!! I am now excited to go to bed at night! Often I have a sort of low-level dread as the hour draws nigh! Now I am excited to use my oils, listen to the meditation you suggested, and reclaim my sleep!!!”  M.M. 

 

“I was having a lot of trouble sleeping, not being able to fall asleep or if I did, couldn’t stay asleep.  It was horrible. After just a few sessions, I’m getting a good night’s rest, which is so important for our brains! I have clarity of thought and I no longer feel like I’m walking around in a fog all day. I appreciated your laid- back, easy going style, and your concern for my comfort and my results.  My husband was surprised that it’s worked!  He’s not necessarily open to new ideas and treatments but was happy that I’ve gotten results.”  C.S. 

No Black Friday Promotions 2021

No Black Friday Promotions

SS_Logo_Clean_BlueNorthshore Acupuncture Center is not offering Black Friday promotions beyond the holiday special offers.

Northern Lights Apothecary said it perfectly:
“As an anti-capitalist business owner, I don’t want to participate in Black Friday. It fosters a sense of greed, of gotta-have-it-all that goes against my ethics. What’s more, mindless consumption contributes to climate change by wasting resources.”
Instead of offering sales and discounts, I am making reparations by contributing 20% of the proceeds from all gift certificate purchases and treatments on Friday, November 26th towards mental health costs for those marginalized people from our community who are most impacted by capitalism.
Call 815.814.1319 or email amy@northshoreacupuncturecenter.com to purchase gift certificates or schedule a treatment.
Shop small!!

Evanston families – ways to show up for our community/Familias Evanston – Apoyando a nuestra comunidad

Sigue la traducción al español.

Please read for simple ways (cash and no cost) to support members of our Evanston community who are struggling and the owners of Gyros Planet & Taqueria.

Background
Pablo Sanchez and Erika Castro are the owners of Gyros Planet & Taqueria in Evanston.  Over the last seven months, they have been providing 110 free meals to individuals in need daily. The restaurant just opened in March 2019 and the pandemic has really impacted them. Their business income has been reduced by 75% due to the high school, Y.O.U and districts 65 closing. They could really use the support of the community to help them survive this challenge and allow them to continue helping others. Here is a Tribune article from earlier this year about how they are serving.

Ways to Support

The following are some ideas of ways you can support Gyros Planet & Taqueria. Many of us are not in a position to provide financial support right now; if that is the case, please consider supporting via #2, 4 and/or 5. All types of support are needed and appreciated.

  1. If you have money to spend on gifts this year, do some of your holiday shopping at the online auction from Friday, 11/27 – Sunday, 12/6. Auction items include donations from some young Evanston activists as well as local businesses. Proceeds will help Erika and Pablo continue to feed the community.
  2. Share this post and the Facebook and Instagram posts about the auction with your Evanston neighbors, friends and family.
  3. Order lunch from Gyros Planet & Taqueria!  We recommend the jerk tacos. Call 847-868-8112 to order, and have it delivered or pick it up at 1903 Church St  Hours: Monday-Friday, 11am-4pm and Saturday 12-4pm. Post a picture of your lunch on social media and tag them. Write a review on Facebook, Google, and/or Yelp.
  4. Sign up for one of the Taco Tuesday Text Banks in December and January.
  5. Follow Gyros Planet & Taqueria on  Facebook and Instagram. Comment on, like/heart and share their posts.
  6. If you are fortunate enough to be financially secure, please consider contributing to their GoFundMe.

Thanks for supporting one of our favorite local businesses and those they serve!

Friends of Gyros Planet & Taqueria

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Los propietarios de Gyros Planet & Taqueria han ayudado mucho a nuestra comunidad en este tiempo de COVID-19.  Pero ahora necesitan nuestro apoyo.  Por favor, lea lo siguiente….

Fondo

Pablo Sánchez y Erika Castro son los propietarios de Gyros Planet & Taqueria en Evanston.  Durante los últimos siete meses, han estado proporcionando 110 comidas gratuitas a las personas necesitadas diariamente. El restaurante abrió sus puertas en marzo de 2019, pero la pandemia realmente les ha afectado mucho. Sus ingresos comerciales se han reducido en un 75% debido al cierre de las escuelas y Y.O.U. Podrían usar el apoyo de la comunidad para ayudarles a sobrevivir a este desafío y permitirles seguir ayudando a otros. Aquí hay un artículo de ChicagoTribune sobre cómo están sirviendo a la comunidad.

Formas de Apoyar

Las siguientes son algunas ideas de formas en las que puedes apoyar Gyros Planet & Taqueria. Muchos de nosotros no estamos en condiciones de proporcionar apoyo financiero en este momento; si ese es el caso, considere el apoyo a través de #2, 4 y/o 5. Se necesitan y aprecian todo tipo de apoyo.

  1. Si usted tiene dinero para gastar en regalos este año, por favor considerge comprar regalos en la subasta del viernes, 11/27 – domingo, 12/6. Los artículos de subasta incluyen donaciones de algunos jóvenes activistas de Evanston, así como de empresas locales. Los ingresos ayudarán a Erika y Pablo a seguir alimentando a la comunidad.
  2. Comparte este a traves de Facebook e Instagram con tus vecinos, amigos y familiares de Evanston.
  3. ¡Pide el almuerzo de Gyros Planet & Taqueria!  Recomendamos sus tacos de Jerk porque son una receta unica de Pablo. Llame al 847-868-8112 para pedir, y haga que lo entreguen o recójalos en 1903 Church St Hours: de lunes a viernes, de 11 a. m. a 4 p. m. y sábados de 12 a 4 p. m. Publica una foto de tu almuerzo en las redes sociales. Escribe una reseña en  Facebook, Google y/o Yelp.
  4. Regístrese en uno de los Bancos de Texto de Taco Martes en diciembre y enero.
  5. Sigue Gyros Planet & Taqueria en Facebook e Instagram. Comenta que te gusta.
  6. Si tiene la suerte de estar financieramente seguro, considere contribuir a su GoFundMe.

Gracias por apoyar a uno de nuestros negocios locales favoritos y aquellos a los que sirven!

Amigos de Gyros Planet & Taqueria

Northshore Acupuncture Center Land Acknowledgement

Northshore Acupuncture Center acknowledges Indigenous Peoples as the original stewards of the land, and acknowledges the enduring relationship that exists between them and their traditional territories. The land on which we reside is within the territories of the Council of Three Fires, the Potawatomi, Ojibwe and Odawa. This land also served as an important meeting place for Miami, Ho-Chunk, the Menominee, Inoka, Sac, Fox, Peoria and other Tribal nations.

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Perimenopausal in a Pandemic

I am on a mission to change the narrative about perimenopause and to provide support and community for women going through the challenges of this period of expansion and healing. And over the next two weeks, some of my colleagues (and friends) are joining me. We will be doing a series of Facebook Live discussions about releasing anger with tapping, tuning into your intuition, reframing and managing hot flashes, body positivity, uncovering your inner queen, managing joint pain, nutrition, finding your voice and speaking your truth, meditation, movement, exploring your creativity, yoga for bone health, hormone replacement therapy, sexuality and pelvic health.

You will benefit from the knowledge of:
✅Julie Schiffman, EFT Practitioner
✅Sonia Choquette Tully, Intuitive Teacher & Guide
✅Beth Lynch, Eden Energy Medicine Practitioner
✅Malik Turley, Change Instigator
✅Queen Wheeler, Transformational Coach
✅Karen Ruiz, Physical Therapist
✅Marcy Kirshenbaum, Holistic Nutritionist
✅Lisa Kaplin, Psychologist and Life Coach
✅Jodie Baudek, Mindset Coach
✅Heather Collins, Certified Personal Trainer
✅Dr. Tiffany Mullen, DO, FABM, ABoIM
✅Becky Paulin-Liston, Physical Therapist & Registered Yoga Teacher
✅Melissa Matson, Movement & Voice Expert
✅Jennifer Litner, Certified Sex Therapist
✅Suzanne Badillo, Physical Therapist
✅Judith Florendo, Physical Therapist

Go to Events on the Northshore Acupuncture Center FB page to get the details about dates/times for each session or see the summary below. Make sure you follow Northshore Acupuncture Center on FB so you can more easily access the FB Lives. The videos will be copied to my YouTube channel after completion and can be found at perimenopausalinapandemic.com.

Summary

Releasing anger with tapping, Julie Schiffman, Mon 5/18 at 4pm CDT

Tuning into your intuition, Sonia Tully, Tues 5/19 at 3:30pm CDT

Hot flashes (burning off what you don’t need), Beth Lynch, Thurs 5/21 at 4:30pm CDT

Body positivity, Malik Turley, Fri 5/22 at 2pm CDT

Uncovering your inner queen, Queen Wheeler, Mon 5/25 at 9am CDT

Managing joint pain, Karen Ruiz, Tues 5/26 at 2pm CDT

Nutrition in perimenopause, Marcy Kirshenbaum, Wed 5/27 at 11am CDT

Find your voice; speak your truth, Lisa Kaplin, Thurs 5/28 at 9am CDT

Meditation makes perimenopause magical, Jodie Baudek, Fri 5/29 at 10am CDT

Movement to ease perimenopause, Heather Collins, Sat 5/30 at 9am CDT

Hormone replacement therapy, Dr. Tiffany Mullen, Sun 5/31 at 7:30pm CDT

Yoga for bone health, Becky Liston, Tues 6/2 at 11am CDT

Embodied creativity, Melissa Matson, Wed 6/3 at 11am CDT

Sexuality during perimenopause, Jennifer Litner, Thurs 6/4 at 10am CDT

Pelvic health in perimenopause, Suzanne Badillo or Judith Florendo, Fri 6/5 at 11:30am CDT

WE’RE OPEN

We are re-open!

As you know, we closed the practice one week prior to the Illinois Stay At Home Order to prevent the spread of the virus. We do not make these decisions lightly.  Acupuncture care is deemed essential under the Illinois Stay At Home Order.

We will be taking all the precautions that have been recommended by both the CDC and OSHA, and in some instances going beyond those recommendations.

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Intro: Northshore Acupuncture Tribe of Mentors – Sleep Edition

Getting a good night’s sleep is critical for good health. Many experts now recognize sleep as being as important for good health (if not more) as nutrition and movement. So many things factor into whether or not we get high quality sleep – our emotional and spiritual health; what we consume – food, drinks, substances, music, news, social media; our lifestyle and daily habits; our physical health; our sleep environment. continue reading »

Evanstrong – Helping Out our Neighbors

We are partnering with Curt’s Cafe and C&W Market to provide an “essentials” care package to 40-45 local families.

Curt’s Cafe is providing meals daily for 40-45 families identified through Connections for the Homeless and Family Focus who are shut in because they are COVID19 positive or are in a high risk group.

We need your help to donate funds that will provide these families with a one-time delivery of an “essentials” care package (see donate button below).

Contents of the care packages were determined through collaboration with Curt’s Cafe and generously acquired by C&W Market. They include items such as toilet paper, paper towels, soap, masks, etc. and are modified to fit the family’s size.

Our goal is to raise $2,000 to pay for the contents of care packages which will be prepared and sent along with meal deliveries for a single day. 100% of donations will be used for care package contents. Any money raised above $2,000 will be promptly split evenly between Connections for the Homeless, Curt’s Cafe and Family Focus.
All donations will be spent locally. Masks are being donated by Jen Roberts Law LLC.
We can do this together! Thanks for your donation – see button below. Note: Your receipt will say paid to dlarbale@gmail.
If you would prefer to donate via check or Venmo, contact Anne Marie, Amy, Dawn or Pam directly. You can reach Amy at amy@northshoreacupuncturecenter.com.
Evanston Neighbors
Anne Marie Anderson, Amy Landolt, Dawn Larbalestier, and Pam Tingley

 

 

Supporting your immune system

During these crazy times, I wanted to remind you of key things you can be doing right now to support your immune system besides of course WEAR A MASK, WASH YOUR HANDS, SOCIAL DISTANCE and VOTE.

  1. Get plenty of sleep – ideally 8-10 hours/night. If you are having problems sleeping, check out my Pandemic Sleep Tips series. You can also check out my Sleep Tip playlists on my FB page (Sleep Soundly in September, Sleep Tips November 2017 and Sleep Tips) and the sleep tips shared by my network on this blog Sleep Edition – NS Acu Tribe of Mentors.
  2. Stay hydrated.
  3. Limit dampening foods. Reduce your intake of sugar, dairy, gluten, fried foods and alcohol as they add dampness to the body, and this virus appears to be a damp pathogen.
  4. Breath through your nose! We are meant to breath through our noses. Air is “filtered” when we breath through our nose – cilia and mucus catch viruses (along with pollen, bacteria and other debris). In addition, nitric oxide is produced in the paranasal sinuses and is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. Any virus that makes it through the nasal “filtering” system, will pass through the nasal cavity where the antiviral nitric oxide is excreted.
  5. Do things that bring you pleasure. Watch the latest stand up specials on Netflix, draw seasonal botanicals you can find in your yard, listen to Weightless (a song designed by sound therapists to reduce stress), read something for fun, play your guitar or piano or didgeridoo, journal, dance, and/or give yourself the Big O.  (It’s not the time to be the master of your domain). When we feel pleasure, puffs of nitric oxide are released from our blood vessels and boosts immunity (along with increasing blood flow, decreasing cellular inflammation, and improving your mood and outlook on life.)
  6. Manage your stress through meditation and/or breath work. Practice 4-7-8 breath and/or alternate nostril breathing throughout the day.
  7. Limit your consumption of updates/news. Watching updates 24/7 and consuming all of the misinformation and exaggerations being shared on social media increases your stress levels which impact your immune system. Set aside a specific time each day to get your updates. Limit your sources.
  8. Limit the amount of time you spend worrying. Set aside specific time each day to focus on planning and executing any actions you need to take to keep your family safe, manage their learning and activities, and any actions related to your career/business. Stay focused during that time of planning and execution. However, when thoughts come up outside of that time, remind yourself that you have a plan, you’ve taken the actions within your control for today, and bring yourself back to the present by engaging your senses – what do you see, smell, hear, feel. The worries are likely to come up multiple times – just keeping repeating these steps.
  9. Start a gratitude practice. It can be as simple as taking a few minutes every day to write down things for which you are grateful. Or you can use an app – gthx is offering a 30 day free trial of their gratitude app. The code is 30daysfree. Here are some other ideas of how to focus on gratitude.
  10. Help others. Donate blood. Donate to local food pantries. Check in with at-risk neighbors to see if they  need help picking up prescription refills or critical groceries. Buy a gift certificate from or post a review for your favorite small businesses. Don’t hoard supplies. If an item you need to purchase has a WIC symbol near the price, get something else. A person who uses WIC can’t switch to another brand.
  11. Move. Dance. Start a yoga, tai chi or qi gong practice. Go for a walk. Try the toilet roll workout.  Sample some of the streaming classes from Hip Circle Empowerment Center.
  12. Do acupressure daily on ST36 and LU7. You can locate ST36 point by sliding your finger on the outside of your shin towards your knee. It will stop around ST36. Or identify a tender spot near your shin about the width of your four fingers from the bottom of your knee. You can locate LU7 by  joining your hands between the thumb and forefinger as in the picture below. Your index finger should be resting along the radius bone.  The tip of your index finger will come to rest in a small notch between two tendons which lie on top of the styloid process.
  13. Wear a scarf.
  14. Brew yourself an Immune Support Tea.

Ingredients​

1 bag echinacea tea​

3 or 4 thin slices of fresh organic ginger root​

3 tablespoons organic lemon juice, fresh squeezed​

2 tablespoons raw organic honey​

½ teaspoon organic ground cinnamon​

¼ teaspoon organic ground clove​

Cayenne pepper to taste​

Instructions: In a large cup of hot water steep the tea bag and the sliced ginger for two minutes. Add the lemon juice, honey and spices and stir well. 

If you have any questions, please call me at 815.814.1319 or email me at amy@northshoreacupuncturecenter.com.

Note:

If you aren’t able to find hand sanitizer or want to limit your exposure to chemicals, you can make your own with tea tree oil or Onguard/Thieves. Reach out to me if you need help getting tea tree oil.

 

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

NOTE: I have since re-opened.

I am temporarily closing my practice. Note – I am open for business virtually though. See this blog for details.

“Everything we do before a pandemic will seem alarmist. Everything we do after will seem inadequate.”- Michael Leavitt

While this has been a difficult decision, I feel wholeheartedly that it is the right one.

The work I do is in close proximity with others and involves multiple patients coming in and out of the same room. While there is still a lot we don’t know about this virus we DO KNOW that you or I can be asymptomatic and still be shedding virus. While I have always maintained a sanitized and clean office I am simply not set up for infectious disease containment on this level. Only hospitals are and even they are having a difficult time.

While the work I do is important, I am following the lead of most other non-essential medical offices. For everyone’s sake and the strain on our healthcare system I would highly encourage you to limit all non-essential interaction that is face to face. The time is NOW for us all to do our part to flatten the curve before it is too late.

If you’re anxious, need to connect, or even just need to chat I am here for you anytime: 815.814.1319. We will make it through this but is going to require each and every individual doing their part and watching out for one another.

I’ve created a post with tips for supporting your immune system.

I’d like to thank you for your ongoing support.

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