Dear Chantelle,

IN THIS NEWSLETTER

• How acupuncture helps reduce sugar cravings
• Benefits of quitting sugar
• 5 Tips for balanced blood sugar
• Yummy sunbutter chocolate protein balls

Tired of feeling tired? Stressed? Craving sugar? Joint Pain? Keep reading to see how acupuncture plays a pivotal role in supporting healthy blood sugar levels, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and reducing sugar cravings. Keeping your blood sugar balanced is important for great energy, clear, focused thinking, and controlling inflammation, especially for those navigating the challenges of diabetes.

Acupuncture and Blood Sugar Management: How It Helps

Enhances Insulin Sensitivity: Acupuncture can improve the body's responsiveness to insulin, facilitating more effective glucose uptake and utilization.

Stimulates Digestive System: Specific acupuncture points can boost digestive health, ensuring that sugars are processed more efficiently, and reducing the risk of blood sugar spikes.

Promotes Stress Reduction: By activating the body's relaxation response, acupuncture lowers the release of stress hormones. These hormones, such as cortisol, can interfere with blood sugar control. 

Improves Blood Flow: Acupuncture is known to enhance circulation, ensuring that nutrients and insulin are distributed more evenly throughout the body, supporting balanced blood sugar levels.

A Statistic to Consider

A significant study found that patients with diabetes who received acupuncture treatments along with their standard care experienced a notable improvement in their blood sugar control. Specifically, up to 25% of participants showed enhanced blood glucose management, highlighting acupuncture's potential as a complementary therapy for diabetes management.

(See systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by Chao Chen et al., published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice in August 2019.)

Our Commitment to Your Wellness

My practice is dedicated to offering therapies that not only alleviate symptoms but also address the root causes of health issues. By integrating acupuncture into your health regimen, you're taking a proactive step towards having a long, healthy life! Or HEALTHSPAN, as we call it!

We're here to support you and are happy to answer any questions you may have.

"If you don't take care of your body, where will you live?" Dr. Wayne Dyer

In health,

Dr. Chantelle DeShazer, L.Ac. Ph.D. MTOM

Benefits of Quitting Sugar

5 Tips To Control Sugar Cravings

1. Eat More Protein and Fiber: Both help you feel fuller for longer, thus reducing cravings. Include lean meats, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and non-GMO whole grains.

2. Stay Hydrated: Sometimes thirst is mistaken for sugar cravings. Drink plenty of water, and try infusing it with fruit, cucumber or lemon juice for taste. Drink when you first wake up and fill containers with your daily amount of water instead of counting glasses. 

3. Get Adequate Sleep: A lack of sleep can increase sugar cravings. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep to help regulate hunger hormones. (For more easy tips on sleep, see past newsletters Better Sleep: Part 1 and Part 2)

4. Manage Stress: Ever notice how we don’t usually crave a boiled egg when stressed? High stress can trigger cravings for sweet foods, which then triggers a dopamine release. Use deep breathing meditation, yoga, acupuncture, or physical activity. Gargling and humming are quick, easy ways to activate the vagus nerve (see recent Vagus Nerve newsletter), which has a calming effect. 

5. Choose Healthy Alternatives: Satisfy sweet cravings with healthier options like fruits, dark chocolate, yogurt with berries, or vegetable-based smoothies. Use Stevia or monk fruit to sweeten homemade baked goods. 

Low-Sugar SunButter Chocolate Protein Balls

SunButter Chocolate Protein Balls

• 1 cup sunbutter or nut butter of your choice
• 2-3 TB coconut flour
• 1-2 scoops BodyHealth Chocolate protein powder or your choice of powder.
• 1-2 TB Lakanto Monk fruit sweetened maple syrup or real maple syrup
• 1 TB vanilla extract (alcohol-free)
• (Can also add a few drops of stevia extract to taste. Taste as you're mixing to ensure it's how you like it.)
• Optional: 1-2 tsp cocoa powder for more chocolatey antioxidants. For coffee flavor, you can add espresso powder.

COATING: Dark chocolate (70% or higher) chips, 1-2 tsp refined coconut oil.

Mix ingredients well until it's like the inside of a Reese's peanut butter cup. Form into small bite-size balls. Place on parchment paper and freeze for 30 minutes.

Coating: Melt approximately 6 ounces of dark chocolate 70-85% cacao with approximately 1 tsp refined coconut oil (refined is without the coconut flavor).

Use 2 forks to dip the balls while the chocolate is still warm and liquid. Coat thoroughly, let drip, and place back on parchment paper. Freeze for another 30 minutes. Place in an air-tight container, and keep frozen until ready to eat.

This makes me approximately 30 to 36 balls, approximately 67 calories each.

Add BodyHealth Chocolate or Vanilla Protein Powder to your next order on Fullscript and have them delivered to your door. Receive discounts when you order through our dispensary - click on the Fullscript link below to access or create your account.

Therapeutic Calming Massage

Rejuvenation

Check out our brochure for the various services we have to offer:

Meridian Brochure and Services Pricing.

For more information on these beauty services go to

Radiant Aging with MicroNeedling and Red Light Therapy

To find out about pricing for individual light sessions and packages, or to make an appointment, call us at 619-325-0771 or text Andy at 858-945-1737 

Chantelle's newly published Health Inspiration, Affirmation and Gratitude Journal now on sale at Amazon or in our office.