Bambú Naturopathic Clinic in Portland, OR • January 2011 Newsletter

in this issue:

Happy New Year!

At this time of year, many folks recommit to their health in a number of ways, including making New Year’s resolutions. While resolutions may help us to refocus our energy, often times they can make us feel guilty for what we have not been doing. Many of you know Amber, our fantastic office manager who greets you at the door or on the phone here at Bambú Clinic. Amber posted a fantastic tip to our Facebook page recently, which read, “Instead of approaching this year's resolutions with the guilt of eating poorly over the holidays or the shoulds of what you think you ought to be doing more or less of, consider resolving to spend more time doing what you love and enriching your life in ways you genuinely look forward to.” What a fantastic way to think about resolutions! This month, the physicians of Bambú Clinic invite you to think about the year ahead in a positive manner that will allow you to accomplish great things without the guilt.

Bambú Clinic’s Top 10 Tips for the New Year

Focus on what you love, and do more of it.
Chart your successes, and visualize yourself achieving your goals.
Move your body every day, no matter what.
Talk about what you want and ask for support in achieving it.

Be realistic about how your body, life, house, etc. “should” look – focus on health and not appearances.
Strive for more meaningful connection with friends, family, and colleagues. Define what this means for you.
Get the blood work, dental cleaning, or home repair you’ve been putting off. Don’t take up mental space with self-criticism for tasks that have not been completed.
Compare your progress in life to your own goals, not others. You are not them.
Smile and laugh as often as possible. Cry when needed.
Make a collage from magazine photos of everything you would like to draw to you this year. You’ll be amazed at this time next year how much of it actually happened.

What about weight loss?

Often at this time of year, folks decide to make weight loss a priority, only to be disappointed with the temporary results of whichever diet they choose to follow. Here at Bambú Clinic, our physicians take a holistic look at weight, reaching far beyond the “calories in / calories burned” model of weight loss. That’s why we are so happy to review the book The New ME Diet: Eat More, Work Out Less, and Actually Lose Weight While You Rest.

Written by brothers Jade and Keoni Teta, who are both naturopathic physicians and personal trainers, this is the first book on diet and fitness we’ve seen that really puts all the pieces together, including the right foods, right exercise, and hormonal balance as components of successful fat loss and maintenance. Perhaps the best feature of the book is the metabolic quiz that helps you determine the types and ratios of foods that will best optimize fat loss (not muscle loss) for you. If you’d like to pick up a copy of The New ME Diet, stop in to Bambú Clinic or click here to order from Powell’s books.

Bambú Clinic introduces Bambú in a Bag:

First Aid Kits for every emergency

Have you ever wished you had the right remedies on hand for minor emergencies? Our first aid kits are the answer. The physicians of Bambú Clinic have developed kits that allow you to treat simple emergencies at home. Each kit contains remedies along with instructions for use. Order one or all five to have on hand when you need them.

Achoo: Cold & Flu: The basics for typical upper respiratory illnesses, $50

Achoo Plus: UNDA remedies best suited for acute upper respiratory ailments, $75

Crummy Tummy: Various remedies for tummy upset and food poisoning, $50

Bumps & Bruises: Remedies and external applications for minor injuries, $50

Cuts & Infections: Remedies and external applications for minor skin cuts and infections, $45

Interested in ordering some kits? Email Amber and let her know which ones you would like.

We hope you found this information helpful. We strive to help our patients find a healthy way in the world. If you have topics you'd like us to address in future issues please let us know. We are always available for questions and comments.

Warm Regards,

The Physicians of Bambú Clinic