Join CCIH for the Tour De Cure: American Diabetes Association - Ride ~ Run ~ Walk

1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year.  Lifestyle and everything we do at Charm City Integrative Health can reverse Type 2 diabetes and that’s why we are raising money for the ADA. 

Join us as we support the ADA on Sunday, June 2nd by raising awareness and $ for an amazing cause.  Please come walk, run, ride or make a virtual donation!

Sign up here - http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TourAdmin?pg=entry&fr_id=12765 

Tour de Cure: Maryland
06/02/2019

5K Walk/Run, 13M, 29M and 63M Ride
Registration fee: $20 for cyclists, free for walkers and runners
Fundraising Minimum: $200 for adult cyclists, $100 for adult walkers/runners, $50 for children 12 and under

Goucher College
1021 Dulaney Valley Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21204
DIRECTIONS

The Pizza Test By Dr. Tom Ingegno, DACM, MSOM, L.Ac.

Inflammation is one of the underlying causes and complications of most illnesses from which a person can be suffering.  Possibly the most common cause of chronic inflammation is your diet. Coincidentally, it's also the most difficult to change. I often joke it would be easier to get someone to convert their religion than to change their diets.

Fortunately, I have two “aces in the hole” for you! First - there is a ton of dietary information available today.  Most restaurants have at least a couple of menus options that will fit almost any diet restriction. There are also some amazing sources on the internet as well as books that can help you fill your belly with quality foods.  Whatever diet you follow (Whole30, Bulletproof, Paleo, The Plan or AIP), they all aim to improve your health by removing inflammatory foods from your diet.

My second ace is our nutritionist, Caitlin Self, who is available for consultations, and regardless of your preferred eating style can help you make better choices.  She is currently available for consultation in our Baltimore office and has a special deal for members as well.

Honestly, I am a huge fan of Food Sensitivity Tests and Elimination Diets that are available to help people pin down their individual inflammatory foods.  There are some drawbacks to both. Food Sensitivity Tests can be costly out of pocket, and many insurance companies won’t cover them, because sensitivity is not an allergy, even though both can negatively impact your life and overall health.  Elimination Diets are in essence free but it often takes a long time to slowly eliminate foods and then reintroduce them to see how they affect you. In addition, dining out and some prepared foods may not totally list their ingredients which may mess up all your hard work.  

Now to the meat and potatoes of the article, or more appropriately, the Pizza.  One quick way to help figure out if you are sensitive to three common inflammatory compounds will only take a week of commitment and at the end, you get to dig into a slice of your favorite pizza.  (Please be warned, after this, pizza may no longer be your favorite!)

I like to start this test over the weekend so have time to meal plan.  I also suggest doing it on a week that doesn’t include any birthdays, holidays or special events where you will be tempted to slip up.  Spend time deciding on your menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinners for a total of 7 days. Make sure every meal you pick does NOT contain dairy, gluten or any nightshades.

Nightshades: Tomatoes (all varieties), Potatoes (white and red potatoes but not sweet potatoes), Eggplant, Peppers (Bell peppers, chili peppers, and any red spices), Paprika, and Goji berries

Everyone knows someone who is Lactose Intolerant, but did you know that a second protein called casein is even more inflammatory and is the compound that makes Elmer’s glue so sticky.  When ingested in most people, it creates mucus in the sinuses and can make joints stiff and painful.  Check out what WebMD has to say here.

Gluten is a protein that is present in anything containing wheat, rye or barley and is the reason bread, cereals, and other baked goods are so chewy.  This may be the most inflammatory compound in American diets. Here’s a great article from Chris Kresser that talks about some of the symptoms of gluten intolerance you may not have known.

A third, but a lesser-known inflammatory family of foods, called nightshades. As an Italian-American, this one pains me the most, as it contains fruits and veggies including tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and other foods generally considered healthy for most. Greenmedinfo.com talks about removing these from your diet for 3 months to see changes, for right now try one week.

*Bonus points if you can remove soy and corn from your diet for a week as well.  We can address issues with those more in the future.

Make a shopping list.  Choose simple recipes that do not contain the previously mentioned ingredients.  Even better - choose fresh organic foods. There’s no limit to the amount of food you consume during this week but eat sensibly.  Shop and meal prep ahead of time because this will help you be more successful and get thrown off track if the week throws you an unexpected curveball. However, don’t forget to leave the 7th day’s dinner menu open for your favorite pizza.  

This week you are going to track several variables to help you gauge your sensitivity.  You may notice changes in these factors at different times so writing them down and comparing day to day will help you reflect.

• Weight: Weigh yourself every morning and evening.  This isn’t to lose weight, but you may notice a significant drop in weight when you are not consuming foods that cause inflammation.

• Pain: If you have body aches, old injuries, or have experienced massive trauma, give yourself a 1-10 Pain Rating every morning and evening.  

• Congestion:  Maybe you never have a stuffy nose or sinus issues, but more often than not you may be walking around with congestion you thought was normal. Give yourself a 1-10 rating.

• Energy: Give yourself a 1-10 rating on this as well.  Be advised that 2-3 days into this process you may notice a drop in energy, or generally feel a bit crappy (that’s the medical term) because of the bacteria die off in your gut.  Don’t worry. The ones that are dying are hijacking your system and telling your brain to eat more foods that cause inflammation. The good ones will enjoy more room to reproduce. I’ll save that for another post.  Your energy should pick back up towards the end of the week

• Sleep:  This goes hand and hand with the energy.  Many people are already tracking sleep thanks to devices like the Fitbit, but don’t feel like you need to buy a tracker for this self-experiment.  In this case, see how you feel when you wake up. Give yourself a 1-10 for your overall quality of sleep.

Now that you’ve made it to the seventh evening, go ahead and indulge in your favorite slice or two. Track how you feel immediately after eating as well as over the next few days.  

Use the variables above to compare how you felt to how you feel, after eating pizza.  Did you suddenly add weight? Do you have an increase in pain? How’s your energy?

None of this is set out to demonize pizza, just to give you an insight into how to help your body function better.  If you noticed no difference, congratulations, you have an iron stomach and were blessed with great intestinal flora and good genes.  But, I am willing to guess, you saw some improvement in at least one of the above criteria. Now you can go back and eliminate, dairy, gluten, and nightshades one at a time to see where your sensitivities exist.  

Every service at Charm City Integrative Health addresses inflammation. This post, as well as a few others, will soon be compiled into a short guide titled, “5 Steps to Knock Down Inflammation”. Seriously, you don’t want to miss this super helpful, free guide! Sign up for our newsletter here and you’ll be one of the first people to get your hands on it.

Dr. Tom in "Your Tango" Magazine - It's More Than Just Weight!→

Credit: Your Tango Magazine

Does Acupuncture Help With Weight Loss?

There's a lot that can be going on when you gain weight, and acupuncture can actually help with many of those things.

Recently, Dr. Tom Ingegno was asked to voice his opinion in YourTango Magazine:

“Weight gain can come from a variety of issues. Looking into the realm of functional medicine, weight gain may be due hormone imbalance, bad gut health, or stress inducing high cortisol levels. Acupuncture can’t magically help people lose weight, but can help resolve some of these underlying issues. Studies have shown that acupuncture combined with diet and exercise can help patients lose about an additional pound a week,” advises Dr. Tom Ingegno, DACM, who owns an integrative medical center in Baltimore, MD.”

To read the entire article, please visit https://www.yourtango.com/2019321972/does-acupuncture-help-with-weight-loss.

Charm City Integrative Health: October Events

Please join us!!!

Date: Wednesday, October 10th
Time: 5:30-6:30 
Price: Free
Location: Chesacanna - 10534 York Rd #101, Cockeysville, MD 21030  

Tom will be presenting ways to increase your naturally occurring endocannabinoids (bliss molecules), increase your wellbeing, improve your mood, and relieve pain.  

Date: Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20th
Time: 8 am-Noon
Location: McKeldin Square, E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21230

Our team will be providing cupping therapy at the Baltimore Running Festival in UnderArmour's VIP booth.  VIPs can stop by for both pre and post race tune-ups.

Date: Sunday, October 21st
Time: 11 am-1 pm
Location: Lululemon - 107, 820 Aliceanna St #1b, Baltimore, MD 21202

We will be at Lululemon providing local cryotherapy, integrative health information and discounts on our other services.  

Charm City Integrative Health: A Path to Healing

We recently got a lovely letter from one of our patients that had received acupuncture for chronic pain back in 2010/2011. Wonderful to hear about her journey to healing and living pain free. (Seriously, this just made our day!)

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Hello! I’ve been meaning to write this email for some time, because I think it’s important for people who live with chronic pain to know that acupuncture can really help. 

Several years ago, probably around 2010/2011, I came to a community acupuncture session that Tom was giving. I asked him if acupuncture could help with a coccyx injury. As a person in my mid-late 20s, I’d experienced chronic pain in that region for about 6 years that led to cortisol injections, physical therapy (which made it worse), and even a consultation with a spinal surgeon. I never had a fall or any trauma to that area so it wasn’t a surprise that traditional western treatments weren’t working. Tom said it could help, but he made no promises. 

After what was probably a few weeks of treatment, I stopped thinking about the pain, and I remember that I wasn’t wincing every time I shifted my body when I was sitting in a chair. It was taking the edge off and that was all I ever hoped for. That and no more cortisol injections. After a couple months I stopped treatment, thinking this was as good as it was gonna get. 

But one day, maybe a month or two after I stopped treatment, I realized there was no more pain. I didn’t understand why or how, but it was gone! I knew it had to be the acupuncture. Nothing else had changed. I’ve been pain-free ever since. And I’ve always meant to let Tom know that but never took the time. 

Fast forward to 2016 when I started seeing a healer, and I’m actually about to begin seeing my first reiki clients! It’s amazing how the whole process helped me to understand why acupuncture worked, circumstances that led to the issue in the first place, and so much more. 

I just wanted to say how grateful I am for the treatments I received. I also want to make sure Tom knows that he was successful in healing someone with severe chronic pain at that location. Please let people with pain know there is help for them and they don’t have to go the traditional western medicine route which is invasive, expensive, and for me, was very painful. Thank you so much for what you do every day.

With love,
P

You're Invited to Charm City Integrative Health's Second Annual OPEN HOUSE

July marked Charm City Integrative Health's second year in Canton and we have SO much to celebrate! We have added new staff and several amazing new services. We would love to introduce them to you.

Please stop by on Sunday, September 9th from 1 pm to 5 pm, enjoy some light refreshments, meet our staff, learn about our services and score some great deals on cryotherapy.

During this special event, take advantage of:
• $20 Cryotherapy Sessions
• 10 packs of Cryotherapy for $299 (SAVE $100. Must be purchased on 9/9.)
• Get your insurance verified for acupuncture benefits.
• Enter Raffles for free services from us as well as our partners in health and fitness.
• Pick up a grab bag with coupons from us and our partners.
• Learn about Medical Cannabis Certification.
• Book a FREE consultation with our founder, Tom Ingegno, DACM, to talk about how we can help you reach your health goals. 

Mark your calendars! Bring friends! We can't wait to see you all there!

You Got Sick - Now What? (Free Chapter!)

Please click HERE to read the free chapter!

"You Got Sick - Now What? Seven Secrets From Oriental Medicine to Eliminate the Cold and Flu"
Available on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Sick-Now-Secrets-Oriental-Medicine-Eliminate/dp/1462023347

7 Healthy Tips For Coping with Financial Stress

If you feel stressed you're just living your life, you’re not alone

Americans lead stressful lives.  Jobs, relationships, health, family obligations, community responsibilities—they all take their toll.

In “Stress in America”, an annual survey by the American Psychology Association, 1 in 5 respondents reported an extreme stress level of 8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale.  In that same group, 69% of respondents reported physical or non-physical symptoms of stress, including irritability or anger, fatigue, feeling overwhelmed or changes in their sleep.

The top source of stress according to 69% of the respondents is money.

Coping with money worries is difficult for many people.  You may feel lost or out of control.  You may argue with your spouse.  And ironically, you may go on a shopping spree to try to relieve your stress.

7 Healthy Tips for Coping with Financial Stress

1) Take breaks from the computer.  Computer work is hard on your neck and shoulders and for many people, financial work is the most stressful computer work of all.  All this stress can lead to a sore neck, shoulders, and back. Get up every 45 minutes to walk around and stretch.  Take deep breaths.  Keep your body relaxed so your emotions stay level.

2) Take charge of your finances.  Track your earnings and spending every day for a month.  Be ruthless and write down every penny. When you have a clear picture of your income and expenses make a reasonable spending plan which keeps them balanced.  Don’t budget for what you hope you’ll make or wish you’ll spend.  Be realistic.  Having a budget will give you control and reduce your financial stress.

 3) Plan your splurges.  It’s difficult to stick with a financial plan if you feel like it is overly restrictive and deprives you of what you love.  Create a  budget for reasonable treats.  Plan to spend money on the things that give you the most pleasure.

 4) Balance making more with spending less.  Sometimes taking extra shifts at work is smart and sometimes spending less is the best plan.  Make conscious choices about which strategy gives you the most pleasure and the least financial stress.

 5) Plan your shopping trips to avoid impulse buys.  Shopping can be stressful when you’re worried about money.  Shop when you are fed, hydrated and relaxed. Shopping sales seem like a smart idea but if you buy because you’re afraid you will never see such great prices again, they cost you money.  When you shop sales buy only what you planned.  Don’t fall prey to “Sale Fever.”

 6) Find support.  Sharing your financial triumphs and frustrations with a friend can be a big help in dealing with your financial stress.  A friendly ear gives you feedback when you’re tempted to blow your budget and accountability when you get lax.

 7) Stay Calm.  If you feel panic because you can’t pay your bills, remember to breathe.  Think about what your next step should be, resist negative thoughts or making your circumstances huge.  Remember similar times when you managed your problems successfully.

When you worry about money it is especially important to take care of your health.  Remember to do your healthy routines.  Exercise, eat well and get enough sleep.

Take steps to manage your financial stress.  Call me if you need help relieving your stress symptoms. 443-869-6584

Don’t forget to get some acupuncture!
 

VIDEO: 3 Tips for Finding a GREAT Licensed Acupuncturist

It can be tough to find the right option in alternative medicine these days. With so many choices, the search can seem difficult but it's easy if you know the right questions to ask.

Today's local holistic expert is here to give you some great tips to help you find the right professional who will quickly treat your issues. 

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I'm often asked, "Tom, how do I find the right acupuncturist?" The problem is that finding the right choice in acupuncture can feel overwhelming. Acupuncture can often seem foreign and present concepts that we in the West haven't been exposed to before, but the good news is if you have some basic questions at your disposal - making the right choice can be much easier.

If you've heard good things about acupuncture and think it might be a treatment that would fit you, where do you start? Finding someone who is nearby with hours and availability that works for your schedule can be a challenge. I'd like to give you a few tips to help you find a great licensed acupuncturist. 

Tip #1
Do they have a great reputation? 

Social media has made it easy to find out all about your practitioner. Look them up online. Do they have a good amount of positive reviews? You want to make sure that others have had a good experience. It will give you some good information in order to make your decision

Tip #2
Do they offer free consultations? 

Consultations are a great way to meet the acupuncturist, see their location and make sure they are the right fit to help you get the results you're looking for. This is a great opportunity for you to ask the acupuncturist questions about your health issues as well as questions about their experience and training

Tip #3
Do they offer other therapies in their office? 

Acupuncture is amazing, but there are many other techniques that the acupuncturist may be able to provide you to help you get better faster. Not only can a good acupuncturist provide techniques like cupping, Gua Sha, Cupping, dietary advice and herbal medicine, but they may be able to offer modern therapies and supplements as well.

Our expertise is in recovery and peak performance and we focus on helping potential patients reach their health goals with custom treatment plans that can include acupuncture, whole body cryotherapy, massage and more. For a free consultation, they can schedule on our website here or they can call us at 443-869-6584. We're happy to help. We want patients to reach their optimal health levels

~   ~  ~

Wow. That's pretty incredible, isn't it? Now you have some great tips to find just the right professional that will help you along. Are you ready to learn more? You can reach today's expert by calling the number on your screen. See you next time

Interview with Tom Ingegno, L.Ac., owner of Charm City Integrative Health

I had a chance to sit down with Tom Ingengo, L.Ac., owner of Charm City Integrative Health, to discuss with him why he decided to open his wellness practice.

Q: When you think about your "perfect" patient, who is it that you are really trying to reach?

A:  All of our services are aimed at treating the whole person and resetting the system.  While this is beneficial to everyone, we really hit it out of the park with two groups of people in particular. 

The first group is athletes - everyone from professionals to weekend warriors.  Knocking down inflammation can not only make them train harder but also recover much faster.  Physically active people notice pretty quickly that we are helping to shave time off their pace, increase muscle strength, and decrease recovery time.

The next group of people we can really help is those with chronic illness and injury.  Everything from old injuries to autoimmune issues, to chronic infections, cause inflammatory responses in the body.  Getting more oxygen to tissue, moving blood and lymph more efficiently and relieving pain helps the body normalize function and can make a huge difference in peoples lives. 

Q: Specifically what information do you want to share with them?

A: Healthcare must be an ongoing multifaceted approach that is put together from various sources.  No magic pill exists and there is no one right way to heal for everyone.  We suggest using our therapies as part of an overall care plan which can increase and decrease as you need it.  This coupled with a good clean diet and moderate exercise can really pay off in dividends as we age.  We have a solid team of healthcare professionals that are focused not only on your illnesses, but your wellness-care can help you go far.

Treatment Options For Allergies and Asthma

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Do you suffer from allergies or asthma? It’s a little-known fact that these two conditions are directly linked to each other. Asthma, which affects roughly one in 12 people according to the CDC, is characterized by spasms of the small airways and inflammation. Furthermore, about 90% of children under the age of 16 with asthma have allergies, while 70% of people between the ages of 16 and 30 have allergies, and 50% of adults over the age of 40 have allergies.

Unfortunately, most people who suffer from allergies and asthma simply mask their symptoms with drugs rather than seeking a treatment for the root cause. Both of these conditions involve an overreaction by the body’s immune system to what it believes is a foreign invader. When you are exposed to an allergen (e.g. ragweed, pet dander, etc.), your immune system produces and abundance of inflammatory hormones, which subsequently cause the symptoms of allergies and asthma to manifest.

There are several alternative treatment options available for allergies and asthma, however, one of which is making dietary and lifestyle changes. We live in an age in which far too many people choose to pick up convenient fast food as opposed to preparing and cooking fresh meals. There’s nothing wrong with an occasional fast food burger, but basing the bulk of your diet around processed foods such as this will take a toll on your body. The lack of nutrients and increased intake of preservatives can disturb the immune system, causing greater sensitivity to allergens. A better choice is to consume a diet rich in lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains.

Of course, herbal medicine is a time-tested alternative treatment for allergies and asthma. Some of the most popular herbs used to treat these conditions include stinging nettle, Ginkgo biloba, green tea, and reishi, all of which contain heavy concentrations of antioxidants. These antioxidants are believed to fight harmful chemicals in the body known as free radicals, which if left unchecked, may irritate existing conditions like allergies and asthma.

Acupuncture is also known to improve the symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers. This Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) involves stimulating the body’s life force (Qi) by placing small, thin needles directly under the skin. When a person’s Qi grows stagnant or experiences other problems, he or she is more susceptible to disease and illness. Therefore, correcting this problem through acupuncture will naturally deter allergies, asthma and other common problems.

Give me a call today to learn how you can get back on track to better health. 

Relieve Your Arthritis with Acupuncture

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Arthritis is a painful and oftentimes debilitating condition that’s characterized by inflammation within one or more joints. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 2 people will develop osteoarthritis of the knee by the age of 85. It’s important to note, however, that there are several different types of arthritis, with osteoarthritis being just one. Other common types include rheumatoid arthritis, gout, septic arthritis, Still’s disease, and ankylosing spondylitis.

While most people living with moderate-to-severe arthritis resort to prescription medication to mask their symptoms, a safer and more effective form of treatment may come in the form of a 2,000-plus-year-old Chinese practice called acupuncture. Numerous studies have found acupuncture to offer relief of many different types of arthritis. And best of all, it doesn’t come with the adverse side effects associated with arthritis medication.

Acupuncture and Arthritis: How It Works

Acupuncture is based on the belief that our bodies have an essential life/energy force (referred to as Qi). This force flows through the body, traveling along 20 channels (referred to as meridians). Normally, Qi flows unrestricted, keeping the individual healthy while warding off disease and illness. However, there are times when the Qi will become stagnant, blocked or dislodged from its normal position, leaving the individual susceptible to illness.

By placing thin needles directly under the skin, a licensed acupuncturists can stimulate the flow of Qi, correcting blockages and other abnormalities. Furthermore, acupuncture aids in regulating the nervous system, which in turn produces the natural pain-relieving chemicals called endorphins.

Studies Reaffirm Acupuncture For Arthritis

A group of German researchers conducted a study on 304,674 patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. Researchers split the patients into two groups, one of which received traditional routine care, while the other received 15 sessions of acupuncture. Researchers concluded that patients who had received acupuncture experienced better knee function, less pain, and an overall better quality of life than their counterparts.

Another study – this one originating out of China – found that both acupuncture and electroacupuncture were effective at reduce pain, inflammation and tenderness in parts of the body by arthritis. Granted, this was a small study with just 36 patients, but it’s just one more study attesting to the healing power of acupuncture.

Give me a call today to learn how you can get back on track to better health!