Did anyone see the latest episode of Outlander because Jamie gets acupuncture for seasickness. We love seeing acupuncture making it’s way into tv and movies!

Any time there are stories about animals and acupuncture, we are thrilled! Whenever someone is skeptical about acupuncture, we refer to stories like this. Acupuncture is widely used in veterinary offices, zoos and farms. Lions, tigers and bears (oh my!), cats, dogs, horses and many other species benefit from the modality. Animals do not know what they are having done and what it is supposed to be doing to them. Therefore, there is no possibility of placebo effect.

Watch Tian Tian get acupuncture and hear what the vet has to say about his initial skepticism.

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/tian-tian-panda-treated-like-national-treasure-health-care/

This is a VERY IMPORTANT POST- feel free to share with friends and family too. Open enrollment each year means you have to decide which plan to choose for next year. Big thing is DO NOT ASSUME YOU HAVE THE SAME COVERED BENEFITS AS LAST YEAR OR IF YOU CHANGE PLANS. Acupuncture is a big one that you have to make sure is on the list as a covered benefit. While acupuncture is considered an essential health benefit in MD, some cheaper plans omit it. Acupuncture, chiropractic, bariatric surgery, autism therapy and infertility treatments are not guaranteed to be covered. When you are going for the cheaper plan, do the math! It may be cheaper per month but you may end up putting out much more money in copays and out of pocket expenses over the year. You may save $50 a month in premiums but if you lose acupuncture coverage, that is $75-80 per visit out of pocket that you will end up paying instead.

I (Colleen) am in the process of writing an article about health insurance, what to look out for and the financials. My suggestion is to pull up your online record for this year and see how much you have put out in medical expenses including your premiums. Compare this to the plans you are offered. If the copays are different, add those differences for each visit you had this year. Don’t forget to get your pharmacy info too! The math is a pain to do but very worth it in the long run!

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/watch-out-for-these-landmines-as-you-navigate-your-companys-open-enrollment_us_59f8b5dde4b0d1cf6e90db4f?ncid=edlinkushpmg00000313

Seasonal Affective Disorder can occur during any season. However it tends to be worse for people as the days become shorter and darkness creeps in earlier and earlier, each day. While SAD occurs in both men and women, women are 4 times more likely to get it than men. In fact, for every 3 people that reads this, 1 of those people suffers from SAD. But there is hope! There are many ways to manage and reduce the symptoms. Check out this article by Pacific College of Oriental Medicine.

http://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2015/02/25/natural-treatments-seasonal-affective-disorder