Sorry it has been so long since my last post.
I am currently between ships waiting out my time in Denver and now San Francisco. The Grandeur is now in Panama and I do not speak fluent Spanish thus I am being transferred.
For those of you that are curious about ship life, I will do my best to summarize my experience so far. First of all, it is a lot of hard work and long hours, but being able to get paid to do what I love and get people excited for Chinese Medicine is totally worth it.
Living on a ship can be quite tough as there are so many rules about where you can go and what you have to wear which was very frustrating in the beginning, but after a while I got used to it. Also you have adjust to all the culture differences on the ship as I was one of only 5 or so Americans.
On average I was seeing at least 15-20 people per 5 day cruise and most were brand new to acupuncture. I am very happy to say that most people saw some if not major improvement and wanted to continue treatment when they got home.
The Grandeur while I was on it went from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Cococay. After a while those places could get a bit boring but the beaches and crystal clear water was such a nice treat from being on the ship. Cozumel was always my favorite. If you ever have a chance to go, you must eat at Abuelo Gerardo. We got to pick fresh fish out of a cooler that they threw right on the grill with prawns. It has been the best fish I have had to date.
So what is next....
I am in San Francisco for my friends wedding and am set to leave sometime next week for Australia or New Zealand. Last minute change of plans has me set for the Pacific Pearl. It is a renovated ship set to unveil in December. I should be meeting it in Singapore while it goes through last minute touch ups and then it heads for Auckland and cruises around the South Pacific. But things could change...
Here is a picture of the ship before it became the Pacific Pearl.
cheers-
Kerry
I knew going into this adventure that life would be a little bit crazy. However today was not supposed to be one of those days...
I started the day dropping off my mattress at my friends to hold for me for a while. I was up early super productive and proud of myself. Took my time getting ready to go to the airport when I glanced at my itinerary and noticed my flight was set to leave in 10mins...not in 3 hours as I had planned...that was the arrival time. Damn email itineraries.
So I booked it to the airport, but arrived 1/2 hour too late for my flight. My next option was to buy another ticket to get me to Ft. Lauderdale ASAP or try my luck on standby for the next flight. That one didn't leave until 1:20 and wouldn't arrive until 4:22. After much stressing and frantic texts to my friends to see what I should do next, and talking to management, I decided to chance it. I actually made it on the flight!!
Okay; One problem down next: do I make the ship? I didn't even know what time it left officially and if there was even a chance, but the management told me to give it a shot so I jumped on the plane.
After a super speedy and early flight I hopped in the cab and booked it over to the port...the ship was still there...relief! We drove right up to the doors and everything was closed:( I ran up to the windows, banged on the doors and an officer called up to the ship to see if there was any way to let me on. After a few minutes they said "yes"!!
I ran back to the cab, grabbed my bags and threw some money at the driver (how much?). With the help of 5 other port officers we raced to the ramp to get on the ship. One asked me for my medical records and papers...oh wait...they were right... STILL IN THE CAB...OH GOD I LEFT MY BACK PACK IN THE BACK SEAT...!! Game over.
So now I am in a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale trying to shake off today and get ready to fly to Key West tomorrow and board the ship.
Everything will be OK. I have never been so frantic or disorganized trying to get somewhere... but when you want something bad enough... At the end of the day all I can do is laugh and believe that things happen for a reason.
To be continued....
Summer time in NYC is one of my favorite times of the year. Concerts, beaches, outdoor bars and lots of play time with my friends.
However, when it reaches 100 degrees with humidity that smacks you in the face like a blowdryer, I desperately long to be back in Colorado, where the dry air gives you some relief at night.
And of course being in the ocean air is sounding fantastic right about now.
But until then, we have to brace the weather. Here are some helpful cooling tips to keep you sane and healthy.
1) Go tropical
Take the lead of those who spend most of their lives in tropical climates: loose, lightweight cotton and linen clothing rules.
The guayabera, sometimes called the "Mexican wedding shirt," is constructed to cool you naturally. A relative of the traditional Filipino barong, the guayabera wicks moisture from the skin and is worn untucked to promote air circulation. Madras is another good summertime choice for both men's and women's clothing.
Don't forget the old standard of the American Deep South: seersucker. Originally an Indian import, its crisp cotton and cooling ridges make it a hot weather classic.
2) Cool that pulse point
When you were sick as a child, your mom may have brought you a cold facecloth. This idea works the same way.
Chill your pulse points by running cold water over your wrist for a minute or so each hour. Splashing water on your temples or face can produce a similar effect. And be sure to put some of that tap water into a glass and stay hydrated.
3) Don't eat: Graze
Ever notice how you feel hot after a big meal? It's not just because the food was served warm.
Big, protein-laden meals force your body to stoke its metabolic fires. The solution is to break up your eating into smaller, more frequent meals. You'll feel cooler ? and it's better for you, anyway.
4) Eat to sweat
Latin America, India, Thailand ? some of the world's hottest places. And they happen to serve some of the world's hottest foods.
Scientists have argued for years over why this is the case, but the most likely reason is that spicy foods make you sweat without actually raising body temperature. Chalk it up to capsaicin, a chemical found in things like hot peppers. Once your skin is damp, you'll feel cooled by its evaporation.
5) Stay cool under the covers
A lot of people find it difficult to sleep in hot weather.
Want to cool the bed down? Fill a standard hot water bottle with ice water. Use it to cool your ankles and the back of your knees ? it works. You can also try bagging your sheets and tossing them in the freezer for an hour or two before bed.
Cooling your head cools your entire body. Opt for a cool and absorbent pillow of organic cotton it at all possible. Put aside down and latex pillows until the weather cools down this autumn.
6) Stay hydrated and add cooling foods when it is the hottest. Here are some examples:
Chrysanthemum tea
Brewed and drunk for centuries by the Chinese for its cooling properties, chrysanthemum tea is a refreshing drink when served chilled and can also help to clear your head. This tea helps to reduce body heat, helps ease a sore throat and is used to treat mild sunstroke.
Baked potato or pasta salad
It may be tempting to skip meals during the hotter months, but ensuring you get enough carbohydrates is important to combat heat exhaustion. Choose small, starchy foods during the day such as pitta bread or keep your energy levels steady. Avoid large, protein laden meals such as steak, as meat is difficult to digest and can raise your temperature.
Mint
A cooling herb, mint can be added to almost anything, from cold salads to pastas, soups to fresh juices to lemonade or iced teas. Mint has a natural cooling effect that can help you to reduce the temperature in hot weather.
Watermelon
Also has natural cooling properties. It is comprised of 92% water and is often used in Chinese Medicine for heat stroke and dehydration. Plus it is delicious.
Here's to summer and staying healthy to enjoy it.
Cheers :)
Acupunctures Molecular Effects Pinned Down
Scientists found that the chemical adenosine is very active in deeper tissues affected by acupuncture. The Rochester researchers looked at the effects of acupuncture on the peripheral nervous system ? the nerves in our body that arent part of the brain and spinal cord.
The team made a number of observations regarding adenosine:
?In mice with normal functioning levels of adenosine, acupuncture reduced discomfort by two-thirds.
?In special adenosine receptor knock-out mice not equipped with the adenosine receptor, acupuncture had no effect.
?When adenosine was turned on in the tissues, discomfort was reduced even without acupuncture.
?During and immediately after an acupuncture treatment, the level of adenosine in the tissues near the needles was 24 times greater than before the treatment.
Its clear that acupuncture may activate a number of different mechanisms, said Josephine P. Briggs, M.D., director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. This carefully performed study identifies adenosine as a new player in the process. Its an interesting contribution to our growing understanding of the complex intervention which is acupuncture.
Abstract: Nature Neuroscience May 30, 2010
Posted by mpence at May 30, 2010 03:16 PM
Where there is great doubt,
there will be great awakening;
small doubt, small awakening,
no doubt, no awakening.
Hey folks!
So I finally decided to start a blog-eek! I am a newly licensed acupuncturist and herbalist and have decided to go on adventures before finding a place to settle and start my practice.
The Ship I will be on (most likely) is The Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas. In August until early next year I will be traveling from Florida and travel all around the Caribbean, and then to Central and South America.
Meanwhile, hopefully seeing lots of patients and putting my extensive education to good use.
For now, I am just getting ready to wrap up my life here in NYC and live it up before I go.
Sorry it has been so long since my last post.
