Hi everyone! I’m going to be on vacation from Thursday, 5/2, through Friday, 5/10. I will be back in the office on Saturday, 5/11. I will be checking my email while I’m gone, so feel free to email me any questions you may have. Also, check out the most recent newsletter here. We have a new massage therapist in the office a new chiropractor right down the street!

Check out my most recent newsletter for an update on Lucky, the dog we had a raffle for, a 21-day meditation challenge, and online scheduling.

You can now book your appointments online here. You can also reach the appointment page on the main page of this website or at my Facebook page.

As always, please let me know if you have anything you’d like me to cover in an upcoming newsletter.

Check out this wonderful article about the experience of a first-time acupuncture treatment. The acupuncturist featured is a friend of mine who practices in Buffalo, NY.

Check out this interesting article about how a Harvard-trained MD began to appreciate Traditional Chinese Medicine!

‘“A big difference between our two practices,” said one TCM doctor, “Is that Western medicine treats people as organs. Eastern medicine treats people as a whole.” Indeed, I watched her inquire about family, diet, and life stressors. She counseled on issues of family planning, food safety, and managing debt. She even helped patients who needed advice on caring for the their elderly parents and choosing schools for their child. This is truly “whole person” care!’

I included this recipe in my last newsletter, but thought I would share it here individually. I’ve made a giant crockpot full of congee almost every week since the middle of December. It’s a wonderfully easy, affordable, warming, filling meal!

Crockpot Congee Recipe (Jook/Rice Porridge)

Growing up in Hawaii my family always made turkey congee after Thanksgiving or if someone was sick. It’s simple, comforting, and really sticks to the ribs! I was feeling a little under the weather last week, so I decided to try to make congee in my crockpot. It turned out great! The beauty of congee is that it is endlessly adaptable. You can make it plain and then add toppings based on what you feel like eating. Here’s what I did:

3 turkey drumsticks (2.5-3lbs)
3 cups long grain rice (I’ve found that if you use short grain rice you don’t need as much water)
2-3 inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced
8-14 cups water
1 green onion, sliced
soy sauce, to taste

Put first 4 ingredients into the crockpot. I started with 8 cups of water. The water should cover the top of the drumsticks and almost fill the crockpot. I have a large crockpot, so adjust the amounts if you have a smaller one or are cooking it on the stove. Turn it on low and cook for about 4 hours. Check after about 4 hours to see how much of the liquid has been absorbed. At this point I ended up adding another 6 cups of liquid, as most of the liquid had been absorbed. Cook another couple hours on low until the rice takes on a porridge-like consistency. You should not be able to distinguish individual rice grains. Remove the turkey bones (if it’s too hot, let it cool a bit), spoon into a bowl, garnish with green onions and a little soy sauce, and enjoy! (Sometimes it is a little thick – I just thin it with water to the consistency that I like.)

Adaptations:
If you are vegetarian/vegan, you can cook the rice in water or vegetable/mushroom broth or dashi and then add tofu, mushrooms, or other vegetables to the congee before eating.
You can also make the broth first and then cook the rice in the broth. I find this to be more work than necessary, but I’m sure it’s delicious!
If you want a little more turkey flavor, you can brown the legs before putting them in the crockpot.
If you don’t like turkey or can’t get ahold of it, you can use other meats as well.

Yesterday (October 24th) was Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day. Click here to check out the newsletter I sent out in honor of the day. In it I discuss new treatment package options (6-pack or 10-pack), a discount for those of you who haven’t had a treatment in six or more months and are looking to get back to it, and reasons why you may want to seek out acupuncture. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future newsletter topics, please email me.

Check out this great article in The New York Times about the epidemic of “busy-ness” in today’s world. It’s a great read and a wonderful reminder to slow down and enjoy the little things in life. Click here to read the article.

I recently was honored to be a guest blogger at The L Stop! I wrote about acupuncture for queer health. Click here to read it!

On Wednesday, May 16, I will be speaking at Solay Wellness in Skokie about Acupuncture for Asthma and Allergies. Following the talk I will do mini acupuncture treatments in the salt room. The event will take place from 7-8:30pm at 4819-4821 W. Main St, Skokie, IL 60077 and there is a $15 recommended donation. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions! Call me at 773.251.9836 or email me at info@kwaifahacupuncture.com.

Sorry I’m a little late in uploading this, but please check out the December newsletter. In it, I review a salt lamp store and salt room in Skokie and remind you that we always have gift certificates available! As always, if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions for upcoming newsletter topics, please feel free to email me.