Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 21, 2015

10

HEALTH & WEALTH

 Mountain Views News Saturday, November 21, 2015 


THE JOY OF YOGA

UNDERSTANDING ACUPUNCTURE 
THROUGH BIOMECHANICAL 
MECHANISMS


“Intellectuals 
Solve Problems, 
Geniuses 
Prevent Them.” 

-Albert Einstein-

The National Institute of Health (NIH) panel 
has concluded that acupuncture maybe an 
effective adjunctive therapy for many painful 
conditions. It has been over 30 years since 
acupuncture and Eastern medicine has been 
introduced to Europe and America, and there 
has been overwhelming evidence supporting 
acupuncture treatments for pain relief. It could be 
used as the primary treatment for many conditions, 
or an adjunct to western medicine, or as a good 
way to maintain health and prevent illness.

 At this time, the purpose of this column is 
to educate patients and medical professionals 
about the scientific basis of acupuncture. When we 
treat patients, we use different technique and one 
of them is Vertex Synchronizing Technique (VST), 
which is founded on the principles of biomechanics 
under the premise that acupuncture meridians 
lie on interstitial connective tissue, as current 
research shows. The shoulder and pelvic girdles 
compose the four vertices of our body linking the 
trunk to the extremities. Misalignment in any of 
these vertices is the source of musculoskeletal pain 
as other muscle groups try to compensate for the 
misalignment. By achieving proper alignment at 
these vertices, the source of pain can be targeted 
and treated, producing immediate results and 
preventing recurrence. Such analyses and studies 
allow for effective communication with patients as 
well as health practitioners outside of acupuncture 
who may find Eastern medical philosophy difficult 
to grasp. Moreover, VST acts on the source of pain 
which can be located via proper muscle exam and 
assessment. The source can then be treated by 
aligning the vertices within the framework of our 
bodies. In doing so, structural integrity is restored 
and patients experience not only immediate pain 
relief but increased Range of Motion (ROM).

 If time is allowed later, we would like to introduce 
some other Korean Acupuncture techniques, which 
is very effective for chronic internal disorders.

GRATITUDE IS EVERYTHING

When I am grateful, 
everything I have 
is enough. My 
particular place in the world seems exactly right 
and feels like I’m where I am supposed to be. 
It’s wonderful! For me, finding that feeling of 
gratitude happens in the present moment. This 
is why yoga is such a great practice of gratitude. 
The body is nurtured in a kind and loving way. 
The mind is calmed and pacified with jobs to 
do in practice; breathe deeply, gaze softly, direct 
energy. There’s a feeling cultivated during practice 
of restful, abiding awareness and appreciation for 
life itself. It’s being in the moment, but also giving 
thanks for that moment. 

I can tell when I am in the past and regretful over 
what I didn’t do right. The tape of events past, play 
over and over. What could have been said, should 
have been said. All time spent on this is wasted! 
When fear and worry creep in, I am stepping 
too far into the future. I am missing the precious 
moments (or lessons) right in front of me. 

Aside from relishing your yoga practice, find other 
ways to cultivate gratitude daily. Keep a gratitude 
journal, spend time with people who love you and 
whom you love. Do what you love to do. 

If you’re looking to have a gratitude yoga 
practice, come see us at Yoga Madre for a special 
Thanksgiving Day two hour practice with René, 
9am-11am. Asana, Pranayama, and Meditation. 

In gratitude, 

Keely Totten 


SHARE INTERESTS WITH LISTLY

 Recently I’ve discovered a cool tool called List.ly. 
It allows you to share interests and build lists with 
other people in an interactive way. It works great 
with Facebook and Twitter. 

 Basically, you start a list on list.ly and it posts to 
your Facebook account so that others can add to 
your list. People are making lists of restaurants, 
favorite iphone apps, tv shows, best cameras, gift 
ideas etc. It’s an interesting way to curate content 
and share ideas with others.

 To get started, go to list.ly. Connect with your 
Facebook account. Select “Make a List.” Add a 
few links to your list and then share to Facebook 
to encourage participation. I just started a list 
called “Unique and fun places to visit in Southern 
California.” I can’t wait to see what ideas people 
share!

About MJ: MJ and her brother David own 
HUTdogs, a creative services business that 
specializes in Internet Marketing strategies and 
Social Media. They offer social media management 
services and help their clients build a strong on-line 
presence. “Like” them on Facebook for trending 
news in social media, internet marketing and other 
helpful tips, www.facebook.com/hutdogs.

 

 Sign up for their upcoming classes, webinars and 
presentations at: www.hutdogs.com/workshops/
schedule 

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


5 REASONS WHY YOU 
NEED AN ESTATE PLAN 
REVIEW

Lots of people bring me their existing estate plans 
to review. Sometimes I get to deliver the good news 
that their documents are well drafted, their assets 
are properly protected, and their plans are up to date 
with the current laws as well as their present family 
situation. Unfortunately, more often than not, I have 
to tell them one or more of those essential planning 
elements is lacking or even missing altogether. Of 
course the silver lining is that they caught the problem 
before it was too late to do anything about it.

 I recommend every estate plan be reviewed at 
a minimum of every three years (and I do that for 
my clients’ plans as an added value benefit – at no 
additional charge). If you haven’t had your plan 
reviewed within the last three years, you should. And 
here are 5 triggers that mean it’s time to review your 
existing estate plan now, no matter how long it’s been:

 Family changes. Marriage, divorce, birth and 
death are four family changes that should prompt 
an immediate estate plan review. If one of your 
beneficiaries dies, you will need to remove them from 
your estate plan. A new child or grandchild means 
adding beneficiaries. If your daughter gets a divorce, 
you will likely want to remove her ex from your estate 
plan but keep their children in. These circumstances 
can also trigger changes to those people designated as 
guardians, executors or agents.

 Health changes. The state of your own health may 
dictate changes to your estate plan, especially when 
it comes to long-term care. You may want to help a 
family member who has no other resources for long-
term care, or if you yourself suddenly need long-
term care, you may need to provide a trustee with 
new instructions on the kind of care you want – i.e., 
staying at home with in-home help or paying to live in 
a senior living facility.

 Work changes. You may suddenly want – or need 
– to retire, which could necessitate withdrawing 
funds from your IRA to support yourself instead of 
contributing more. If you have a family business, 
you may want to sell it or perhaps convert a sole 
proprietorship into an LLC or corporation, which 
could mean a significant change for your overall 
estate plan.

 Market changes. If the total value of your securities 
and retirement plans has fluctuated by more than 
20 percent, this should prompt an immediate estate 
plan review. A significant gain could provide you 
with assets you may want to gift to children or 
grandchildren to reduce or remove estate taxes.

 Law changes. Tax and estate laws change all the 
time, so reviewing your plan to ensure you are taking 
advantage of any new changes that could benefit 
you, or revising your plan so those changes do not 
adversely impact your estate, is critical.

 To review an existing estate plan (or create a plan 
if you don’t have one already), call our office today. 
As the holiday season approaches, there really is no 
better gift you can give yourself and your family.

 Dedicated to your family’s wealth, health, and 
happiness,

 A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a 
mission to help parents protect what they love most. 
His office is located at 49 S. Baldwin Ave., Ste. G, 
Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Schedule an appointment 
to sit down and talk about ensuring a legacy of love 
and financial security for your family by calling 
626.355.4000 or visit www.GarlettLaw.com for more 
information.