greetings from bitter melon.
It’s been many years since we’ve sent out a Bitter Melon Acupuncture newsletter and we’re excited to introduce our expanded team of wonderful acupuncturists and new clinic locations in El Cerrito and Pinole.
While it’s been a challenging few years for many, we feel fortunate to continue working with our patients on boosting immunity, lessening pain, improving sleep, and myriad other aspects of improving health and well-being.
We hope the tips and references in this newsletter will help you ease into the new year feeling supported.
tips for self care during the winter season.
on’t forget that we live as a part of the larger, natural world, and should adapt to the seasons. In East Asian Medicine, this translates:
More rest - try to get 30 minutes - 1 hour more sleep than you usually do
More nutrient-dense foods - stews, red lentils, beans, eggs, and walnuts are examples
Stay toasty - pay special attention to keeping your low back, abdomen and feet warm.
These lifestyle adjustments will boost your Kidney yin and yang during these coldest and wettest months of the year, and help you to emerge into springtime with abundant energy.
recipe for steamed pear during flu season.
It’s been a tough cold and flu season already, and we’ve seen a lot of lingering dry throats and coughs with hard to expel phlegm.
Here is a simple pear “tea” recipe that can help to resolve this “sticky” problem:
Cut up 1-2 pears (Asian pear preferred but any type is okay), and bring to boil with 4 cups of water. Simmer until there are about 2 cups left and drink the tea while it’s warm. If you have more signs of “heat” - dry eyes, swollen gums, headache - you can add some citrus peels. If you have more “deficiency” symptoms - fatigue, bloating after meals - you can add some goji berries and/or jujube dates.
And yes, please eat the pear!
turning the spotlight to friends we love.
We are an acupuncture and herbal medicine clinic and herbs are integral to many of our patients’ treatment plans. This fall, we were excited to add an herbal pharmacy at our El Cerrito location, and have a more extensive inventory at our Oakland clinic. Still, there are herbal formulas we do not have in stock, and we are also not equipped to make custom formulations onsite.
That’s why we love to work with Shen Clinic and Herb Dispensary in Albany. They have well-trained staff who can mix up custom formulas through our Bitter Melon Acupuncture account for patients to pick-up. They are also well-stocked with their own formulations and many other trusted brands for customers to purchase.
and now for some business.
Private patient fee increase.
It’s been a point of pride and alignment with our values that we have not increased our private patient appointment fees for 8 years (!). However, as inflation costs continue to impact both our rents and materials and supplies costs, we are adjusting our rates starting in 2024.
Acupuncture:
Initial appointment: $140
Returning patient: $95
Herbal Consultation:
Initial appointment: $100
Returning patient: $75
If this rate increase presents a financial hardship for you, please let us know.
We continue to accept Cigna and Optum insurance, and Kaiser through a medical referral. We are also happy to provide Superbills for patients with out-of-network acupuncture insurance coverage.
Thank you for choosing us.
nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - lao tzu