Melody Short-Boice L.Ac.

On Tuesday night, Standing Rock and other Tribal Nations had their opportunity to voice their concern to the US Army Corps of Engineers on why the Dakota Access Pipeline needs to be stopped. We thank the other Tribes that joined & supported in voicing their concern over the pipeline.

TONIGHT AND TOMORROW (10/15 & 10/16), we are asking for the public’s help to virtually participate in the DAPL public scoping meetings regarding the EIS. News broke just today that the Dakota Access Pipeline cleared the final regulatory hurdle that will allow the pipeline to nearly double its capacity. We invite you to voice your concern and disapproval of granting the easement. We need your help more than ever. Links to Facebook events are below to join the public hearings!

For more information and notice of intent:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/10/2020-19993/notice-of-intent-to-prepare-an-environmental-impact-statement-for-an-easement-to-cross-under-lake

Facebook event links to participate in the virtual meetings:
https://www.facebook.com/events/692888648002967
https://www.facebook.com/events/770219400493248

I would also like to say "Congrats!!!" to Robin Ray Green L.Ac., (another pediatric acupuncturist who studied senior to me at Five Branches), who has just sent in her soon to be published book on treating children with gua sha and other similar techniques to her publisher! I heard from my new intern that she also has some pediatric CEU courses available on line now so if you are a practitioner wanting to learn more about TCM pediatrics check her out! Yay Robin!

Summer is the season of the fire element. It is associated with the heart and small intestine and when in balance laughter, play, and joy are abundant. However, if the fire element is out of whack you will have experience anxiety (deficient fire) or mania (excess fire) or even depression (lack of fire). Symptom wise you may also have insomnia, restlessness, upper back shoulder blade area pain or tension, heart palpitations, or medial forearm pain (carpal tunnel patten rather than tennis elbow area). So what's one simple thing you can do to help all of this? LAUGH! Laughter helps all of these but especially the emotional components. Just as creativity is the antidote to many of the springtime stress/anger/trapped feelings, joy, laughter, and play all antidote summer symptoms. I fully encourage you to tell dirty jokes, look up funny stuff on you tube, play games, and watch comedians in any form! Be goofy and enjoy it and soon you will find your anxiety levels drop and your shoulder tension eases. I will post some of my favorite laughter inducing videos, pix, jokes etc. for your enjoyment. Today and throughout the summer. Here's to your health!

My favorite chicken joke from childhood:

Why'd the chicken cross the road?

To prove to the opossum it could be done!

Please post more jokes etc in the comments below! Let the giggling fest begin! :-D