Cooking/Recipes, Health & Fitness, Paleo

Muffins & Acupuncture

My birthday was this weekend.  What does that mean?  Firstly, it means I’m a year older.  Secondly, it means I get a free day off work.  Thirdly, it means I can eat whatever I want for the weekend.  Well, that’s what it SHOULD mean.  And, that’s what it DID mean.  But what it DIDN’T mean is that those calories didn’t count.  I’m getting confused by the double negatives here, so let me state this plainly.  I ate a ton of non-paleo food this weekend, and despite it being my birthday weekend, I still gained 3 pounds.  The world is just not fair.  All that apple crisp, pizza, chicken wings, and beer had no respect for my special day.

But despite the weight gain, I had a really great weekend.  We watched a few movies, did some house cleaning, got my budget set up for 2014, went to the gym twice, got groceries for the week, etc.  I also took advantage of the poopy weather to stay inside and make tasty paleo muffins:  Apple Cinnamon Muffins, in point of fact.  These little gems are super easy and very delicious.  I think they would be fabulous with some pecans on top as well.  They make your house smell beautiful too.

I was also fighting some pretty severe sinus pain over the weekend.  Since going paleo, I rarely get sick for any extended period of time.  However, with the stress of the past month, my immune system just wasn’t up to the task of protecting me.  Tomorrow will be the 2 week mark for this cold.  I am 95% better, but only after a weekend of neti pots, epsom salt baths, hot compresses seething with eucalyptus oil, and tons of bone broth.

To get this cold completely out of my system, I went to the acupuncturist today.  I have to say, getting an acupuncture treatment is one of my favorite things.  In case you’ve never gone, I will explain what the process is like.  First, the acupuncturist takes you into a private room and asks you questions about your health and symptoms.  Mine usually looks at the top and bottom of my tongue as well.  Then she leaves the room while you strip down to your underclothes and put on a robe-type thing, climb on a cot that is covered in a heating pad, and cover up your legs with a towel.  The cot has a pillow for your head and a bolster for your knees.  It’s very warm, cozy, and comfortable.

The acupuncturist returns and swabs all the needle entry points with alcohol.  She then taps in needles in various places around your body.  I got one in the top of my head, my forehead, one of each side of my nose, my wrists, the tops of my feet, my sternum, and my shins.  If she thinks a needle is going to hurt a bit going in, she instructs you to breathe in deeply and then exhale.  It makes the slight pinch less noticeable.

When she is all done inserting the needles, she covers your feet with the sheet, moves a heating lamp over them, turns off the lights, and leaves the room.  You are left in the dark, warm room, listening to the soothing tones of Chinese instrumental music.  Fifteen to twenty minutes later, she returns and gives each needle a turn.  She leaves again, and you are left to your warm nest.  It’s a great time to meditate or fall asleep, or just to enjoy doing nothing for the first time that day.  Another 15-20 minutes later, she returns and removes all the needles and asks you how you felt about the treatment.

I find the whole experience to be very relaxing.  I never notice any *amazing* improvements from acupuncture, but I do feel better, more calm, more relaxed, and more centered.  I highly recommend trying it!

And that’s it for me tonight.  It’s almost 8 o’clock, and I have literally 5 books that I am trying to read right now.  I just picked up Mindset from the library on Friday, so I better get moving with that before I have to return it.

Have a great evening!

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