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Black Sesame Seeds (hei zhi ma): These have 3 major functions in Chinese medicine. They nourish the liver and kidneys, nourish blood and moisten and lubricate the intestines and lungs. Black sesame seeds are also said to prevent premature graying of the hair.

Feel free to get creative on this! One of the reasons I like congee so much is because it is so versatile. For my congee I chose sweet rice, black rice, black eyed peas, red beans, lotus seeds, walnuts, longan and red dates.  I love this combination, but please explore with your own blend!
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As for cooking this congee, I like to use my instant pot, but you can also use a rice cooker with a porridge setting or even a pot on the stove just make sure you set aside some extra preparation time because you will want to make sure you have time to soak the grains for at least an hour and soak the beans for at least 4 hours (overnight is best). 

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​Honey (feng mi): Honey is a moistening herb that is known to restore qi and prevent dryness in the body. It is also a fantastic immune system tonic.

As an aside: My version contains a little less sugar than most recipes I found so if you prefer it “traditionally” sweet you might want to add ¼-½ cup more sugar to the batch.

​Also if you need a catchy tune to sing while you whip up a batch then look no further than the show Schmigadoon! ​

Sorry I'm a little late this year on my Mother's Day Gift Ideas post. I have had so many things going on with getting ready for my wedding and moving into my new space that there just hasn't been enough hours in the day, but my goodness have the days been flying by.

Since COVID-19 disrupted our world last year, I think we’re all realizing just how important family is, now more than ever. I know that I am very fortunate to have been able to see my parents a few times due to our "bubble" and now am very fortunate to be vaccinated.

Of course, family looks different for everyone: some people have friends that are more like family, others have families split or changed. Whatever your family looks like, or whatever situation you’re in, maybe you have someone in your life who’s like a mother figure.

Please join with me in celebrating mother figures of all types. Because guess what… Mothers Day is just around the corner!  💐

It’s actually happening on May 9th this year… in just 9 days. (Can you believe it’s already May?!)

​I wanted to share with you some ideas for Mothers Day, (full disclosure, yes, they are mostly from my business Melissa Durfey Skin and Wellness) if you want to gift something to your mom or another special person in your life this year (whoever that is to you!) 🎁

Gift Cards (and an extra special gift!)

Gift cards are always a great idea, because they give you the gift of choice! Mom can use her gift card for in-person pampering or trying out new skincare or wellness products, or even buy from an online shop. 

This month, when you buy a $125 e-gift card at Melissa Durfey Skin and Wellness, I’m gifting you an extra $25 e-gift card, that you can pass on to her, or keep for yourself (a sneaky gift for you, too!)

Note: This blog was originally posted on my former acupuncture blog, but because I am still seeing this all the time on social media: I feel the need to post it again as my views have not changed. 

Normally I try to keep my blog posts very positive, but I have to say something about this issue. Over the past few weeks I have seen a photo shared over and over again on friend's feeds of a Daith Piercing on a woman's ear touting relief from migraines. Today alone I saw it on my feed four times and even a local news station is covering it now.  Here is a link to one of the articles I've seen floating around Facebook and other social media sites: https://drupalsites.purchase.edu/journalism/index.php?q=node/49 (note: article has been removed from this website...this blog was originally posted in 2015. I am still looking for an archived copy to link.)

I feel like as a health care provider trained in auriculotherapy, both ear acupressure and acupuncture I needed to offer my $0.02 for the integrity of the medicine I hold very dear.

Most people who have seen me as a provider or checked out my Instagram know how much I enjoy utilizing the microsystem of the ear. It is almost magical how using the ear points can release those happy little neurotransmitters. It is a clinically proven system that has helped millions of people around the world.

While I am in no way against piercings or using the ear for other benefits rather than looks (I even have Swavorski EarSeeds on my own ears for stress relief at this very moment!) I am incredibly skeptical of this so called "alternative treatment" for migraines. There are many reasons for this. The first is the lack of research on the topic.

There are no studies cited and no "proof" offered other than the body piercers who claims it works and the other people who were interviewed for the article. This article claims that this piercing is the "same concept as acupuncture". That statement alone inflamed me more than almost anything else. Acupuncture is a field that requires many years of study to scratch the surface of and while I mean no disrespect to any body piercer, they are incredibly ill-qualified to state that something works like acupuncture.

My second issue comes down to point location. According to Wikipedia: "A Daith piercing is an ear piercing that passes through the ear's innermost cartilage fold, the crus of the helix." In Chinese Medicine and auriculotherapy this part of the ear corresponds to the large intestine, not the head. Unless it is a gut issue that is the root cause of your migraines then the chances of this working are pretty slim. There is actually no system of auriculotherapy that I or any of my colleagues that I spoke to are familiar with that has a point that could be even loosely related to a migraine. The only thing that may actually be at "work" here is that there is a potential that you are stimulating the vagus nerve, thereby causing a widespread response in the body, which is a whole other conversation that I'm happy to dive into some other time.

The third issue I have is with the type of metal used on the piercing. Depending on the type of headache the type of metal used makes a huge difference. I use silver mostly for headaches because of its calming effects. Gold and Surgical Steel both activate the tissue and can cause more harm than good.

Finally, scar tissue is something that one needs to be aware of with any body modification. Creating scar tissue blocks qi and blood flow and can once again create even bigger problems. I have found this a lot clinically with digestive issues and tongue piercings.

My advice to anyone seeking out an alternative treatment for their migraines to please go to someone who knows what they are doing. When I treat people for headaches with acupuncture I expect near immediate results and I get them. Same with EarSeeds. Nothing beats getting auriculotherapy or acupuncture at the right location for your unique presentation so please seek out a trained profession. I highly recommend visiting www.nccaom.org to find a qualified acupuncturist near you!

Ok I am finished on my soapbox for now.

Cheers,
​Melissa West MAcOM, LE

 P.S. My amazing colleague Doug recently posted on this topic if you are interested in another great perspective:
https://www.facebook.com/acuinked/posts/2772202943001408
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Got everything? Great! Let's Go!
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​Mix 1/2c + 1 T Gluten Free Baking Mix (I used Bob’s Red Mill because it’s still my favorite) with 2T Brown Sugar with 3T melted butter, coconut oil or ghee in a small bowl and stir until combined. (Don’t mind my picture as all I have out still is my medium pyrex.) I used some amazing brown butter ghee that my fiance Sam made in the instant pot. I’ll have to have him guest blog about that sometime soon!

I had the perfect post planned for this week! I had heard amazing things about the Schär bagels so when I finally found some, I picked them up right away and was planning on making them a couple different ways and reviewing them for you. I was so excited! I got some cream cheese and lox and set Sunday as the day to take photos, nosh and write out an outline for my review…and then...this happened: