Make it FUN! 

I know, too simple right? Nope. It really is that simple. Studies show that if you don't enjoy it then you will grow to despise it and quit. Plus the stress hormones released from the act of forcing yourself to go can lead to weight gain. Forcing yourself to go to the gym if you don't enjoy can literally have the opposite effect.

So what do we do to make it fun? After years of trying to figure it out I've come up with a few tips:

• Do it with a community! Now this one can be a little tricky because if you become dependent on a friend for it and they don't want to workout one day, you can lose your momentum. That's why it's important to create a community around exercise.
• Make it a large community and make it part of your hangouts! Have multiple groups of friends that you do different activities with, go to group exercise classes and make friends with people there, or make big events out of being active like a game of ultimate frisbee on a sunny afternoon!
• Practice a skill. I like dance classes, tai chi, and trapeze, but you can really do anything that works your brain. This will keep you mentally engaged and help you forget that you are working out haha!
• Make yourself accountable. Whether it's on social media or to your friends, publicly commit to fitness goals and you are much more likely to make them.
• Don't overdo it. Working out can make a person feel great, from body image, to endorphins, to increased testosterone. Unfortunately if your body isn't used to working out you can end up overdoing it and injuring yourself. That stops you from working out regularly. Give yourself lots of self care and rest days when you start a new regiment. 

Stay healthy, friends!
​~The Red Raven

Diabetes is very common in my clinic and in San Antonio. We lead the national average by more than 4% and by 65, 1 in 3 San Antonians will have diabetes. But there's a lot that Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can do to curb that number, help with symptoms, and even balance hormones and blood sugars. It provides another great way to manage diabetes in addition to medication, and lifestyle and nutritional changes.

Understanding Diabetes
As we consume food, the body breaks it down into glucose (sugar) and is passed into the bloodstream. Then the body uses insulin to transport the glucose in to muscles, fat and liver cells. In diabetes though, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to transport the insulin and leaves the sugar in the bloodstream. This elevates sugar levels and leads to serious issues that if left untreated can cause blindness, heart attack, or kidney failure to name a few.

How Acupuncture Can Help
Acupuncture is a holistic approach to healthcare that nurtures the body by inserting very fine sterile needles into specific places in the body to promote healing. To learn more about the basics of acupuncture puncture check out this blog post. Ultimately acupuncture works on the regulatory systems in the body to help balance hormones and make insulin work more effectively. Combined with herbs patients often see marked differences in their symptoms and well-being. Of course, one should always work with their doctor and follow their instructions for using insulin. But pairing acupuncture and chinese herbs with dietary changes and lifestyle changes like exercise, patients can learn to manage their diabetes easier and live a fuller life.