Sundala center for wellness Tue, 29 Sep 2015 02:01:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Is Your Internal Location “Enabled”? Sat, 15 Aug 2015 21:27:54 +0000 The Brain Quote



Every trauma, bump, bruise or accident will cause our internal motor and sensory map to become less clear. When this happens, compensation occurs because the ONLY thing our brain makes sure to happen is our minute by minute, second by second SURVIVAL. So, pain that lasts too long which limits movements or promotes  compensatory patterns can “stick” in our motor system and brain and wreak havoc.  These aberrant movements continue on because the brain will do everything it can to prevent activity due to the feeling of threatened survival. 

We can instruct you in moving your elbow to unglue your knee. We can show you how to move your jaw to unhinge your pelvis. How about assisting you in performing knee circles to lessen the fear of moving your tennis elbow?

If we can help you toggle your switch to “go” instead of “do not go” would you be up for it?

Using Acupuncture (root) with Dry Needling (branch) and brain hacks (enabling location) to improve movement and reduce pain is how The Sundala Method™ continues to evolve.

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Acupuncture vs Dry Needling: Knowing the Difference Fri, 24 Jul 2015 09:36:21 +0000 ACUPUNCTURE vs DRY NEEDLING: KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE




What you need to know:




against the insurance company. You have a voice!





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Depression Linked to Inflammation? Wed, 25 Feb 2015 12:53:42 +0000 Another reason to drop the sugar addiction! Depression linked to inflammation? There have been some interesting studies done in the past few years about how potentially high levels of cytokines are found in those with depressive disorders. Cytokines are molecules that help us regulate our inflammation and immune systems. Some studies are showing that adding an anti-inflammatory medication to antidepressants can be helpful however this typical pharma approach is not entirely efficacious in all the studies conducted.

Also, did you know that Serotonin, our bodies “HAPPY HORMONE” is made in the gut and not in the brain? Keeping your gut healthy means higher levels of feeling good!

Here’s a novel idea…regulate your inflammation, immune responses and happiness through proper eating! As in, drop the sugar addiction and start eating foods that can support your physical and emotional systems. Challenge yourself to become aware of how you actually feel AFTER you eat instead of being regulated by your cravings BEFOREHAND. Maybe keep a journal and write down the food that you eat and how your mood is 15 min / 30 min / 60 min after your meal. This might give you a clue on what can be contributing to you feeling down or achey.

Don’t know what foods can help with inflammation?
Here are some suggestions:

Blue and Red berries: reduces inflammatory marker TNF-alpha
Wild Salmon: boosts your omega fatty acids
Fresh ginger: contains a compound called gingerol that combats inflammation
Sweet Potatoes: high in C, E and carotenoids
Tart cherries: great for arthritic conditions
Cruciferous veggies: (kale, arugula, broccoli, bok choy, brussel sprouts) are all rich in sulfur and forces your liver to go through two detox cycles
Walnuts: they contain the highest concentration of plant based Omega 3s


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Trigger Point Dry Needling: Got Pain? We Can Help! Sat, 21 Feb 2015 13:45:41 +0000 trigger point dry needling

Trigger point therapy aka “Dry Needling”  is an extremely effective technique that uses the insertion of fine acupuncture needles to “deactivate” or “shut down” painful or knotted areas in your muscles. Most of us have areas in our bodies that feel tense or tight and restricted whether due to athletic activities or repetitive strain, poor ergonomics.  When inserting the needle with a specific technique into these tight areas, we elicit a “twitch response” or a brief contraction followed by an immediate and long lasting relaxation of the muscle fibers which often corresponds with shutting down the pain response.

The physiology behind this type of treatment goes like this:

1. The needle creates a slight micro-trauma to the underlying tissue.

2. The body recognizes this irritation and creates a histamine response.

3. The histamine corresponds to increase blood flow which floods the tissue with rich oxygenated blood.

4. The oxygen enters the cells of the muscles that have been restricted and allows them to be fed (finally!….restricted tissue and “knots” have poor blood supply and are painful because of their lack of mobility and flexibility).

5. The muscle responds to this new oxygen infusion with an involuntary twitch response. The muscle fibers have been “set free” and will now move with ease and an immediate physical change occurs both to the touch and to the feel of the tissue. The patient often is aware of this and their physical pain diminishes and their control over the muscle increases. It is a quite extraordinary phenomenon!

This type of  therapy is based off of the clinical findings of Dr. Janet Travell, author of “Myofascial Pain Referral Patterns”. Dr. Travell performed extensive research on how fascia (the intricate fabric of connective tissue)  creates specific patterns of pain and when needled correctly at very specific areas, can disengage the muscle and remediate pain immediately.

Bianca taught a course called “Myology”, the Art of Manipulating Fascial Restrictions, at TriState College  of Acupuncture (TSCA) in NYC for 5 years where she was known by her students as the “queen of fascia”. Jodie also assisted 3rd year students in their clinical rotation at TSCA during their trigger point rotation as she too has mastered the art of dry needling.

It can effectively treat any and all pain related complaints due to muscle, connective tissue and fascial restrictions.

Please note, Acupuncturists are the most proficient at this type of needling. PT’s (aside from Bianca, who received a full PT and Acupuncture education), Chiropractors, MD’s and DO’s who practice dry needling attend a weekend course of 27 hours for a certification vs an Acupuncturists 3,000 hour training. Please be an informed consumer when looking for a practitioner who dry needles. Seek out a trained Acupuncturist with this specialty! 

A quick visual to see where trigger points can refer pain and why they’re often overlooked and under treated:


This Trigger Point clearly shows how the “Psoas” muscle which connects the back of the body to the front of the body can cause a referral pain pattern to the low back or front of the top of the thigh. The Psoas, when restricted can cause debilitating “back pain”.


This is an example of a rotator cuff muscle causing pain along the outside of the shoulder (often mis-diagnosed as “Shoulder Bursitis”) and since the pain referral goes to the hand can be mistreated and overlooked as “Carpal Tunnel” pain.


An example of how the long muscle in the front of your neck (often indicated after a “whiplash injury” or those that sit at a computer with a forward head posture) can refer pain to the top of the eyebrow, top of the head or cause ear ringing & headaches.


An example of how a Trigger Point in the calf can cause the same pain as “Plantar Fascitis” or “Heel Spurs”: two very common diagnoses of foot pain. Forgo the foot injections and wearing an uncomfortable boot, release the calf and the foot / heel pain often subsides.









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The 3 Pillars of Macronutrition…part 1 Thu, 12 Feb 2015 00:14:21 +0000 Screen Shot 2015-02-28 at 4.29.15 PMSound familiar?

December 1st:  month long eating frenzy….



March 1st: you’re in a panic because you don’t know how you are going to get into a bathing suit for Spring Break to the Caribbean and instead you book a trip skiing because you can hide your gut better in a snow jacket…

April 1st:  the fool in you thought January 1st was when it was going to change….

May 1st:  you realize that summer is 1 month away and you go so full force into the gym that you injure yourself from repetitive strain and you’ve slid back to feeling like you did in December during your gluttonous days of eating.

June 1st: the BBQs begin and then the rest of the summer you spend wearing big t-shirts into the pool.

Why are there a gazillion diet books on the market and we just keep getting fatter and sicker? Why can’t we break the cycle and find an individualized plan of nutrition that can both nourish and satiate us at the same time? What if we told you that there is a way of eating that can take into account the occasional bagel, donut or cheat meal? Don’t get us wrong, eating too many muffins will ensure that cupcake top waist line but why follow a way of eating that makes you focus on lack and scarcity? You know what it feels like when you tell yourself that you aren’t allowed to have something….you want that very thing MORE! So much more that you think about it, obsess about it, dream about, salivate about it and downright NEED to have it. What if we told you that if you combine your foods the right way, you could fill up, fuel up and feel satisfied? If you pieced together the right nutrients and your body got what it needed, you wouldn’t crave the very things that deplete you.

Food combinations create chemical reactions that can either give you a boost, sustain you or suck the life energy out of you. Every time you put something to your lips, you have a choice of these three possibilities. Which do you choose? Food combining doesn’t have to be complicated, it just needs to be understood in a simple way.

You’ve heard the words proteins, fats and carbohydrates…diet fads over the past four decades have bastardized each of these macronutrients (macro = large; meaning a lot of these nutrients are necessary for life) and made them all out to be villainous at one time or another. You can undoubtedly find books that say too much protein can cause kidney disorders, too many fats can cause cardiovascular disease and too many carbohydrates turn to sugar which make you fat. Too much of one thing can for sure create an imbalance but lets not play the blame game on any one of these without understanding why each macronutrient is imperative to your health and proper weight.

Proteins play an important functional role in our health. They can create antibodies to stave off harmful bacteria and viruses. They can help us maintain a neutral pH by picking up or releasing hydrogen ions in the blood when our pH gets too high or low. Protein is a primary component of collagen, the connective matrix that keeps our skin looking young, our hair vibrant, our joints flexible and our nails strong. Proteins carry sodium and potassium into and out of cells to balance our electrolytes. They carry oxygen into our cells from respiration by way of hemoglobin.

Fats are energy powerhouses. Each 1 gram of fat provides us with 9 g of energy! Fats give you sustained energy and allow you to “go the distance”. Many hormones are derived from fats including those that help to create muscle! So, how would anyone think it would make sense to deprive themselves of fat when we need it to build muscle??? Let us be clear here: stay away from “trans fats” (big box packaged goods, fried foods, fast food chain eating) and eat more “good” fats (avocados, flax, walnuts, wild salmon, oily small fish).

Carbohydrates are THE MOST IMPORTANT QUICK ENERGY SOURCE of fuel for  your body. It is quick acting as it changes to sugar in the blood to energize cells, muscles and organs. Carbs, when digested, causes the pancreas to secrete insulin which triggers the release of blood sugar to be used as energy. Physiologically, when  too much insulin rushes through your body it will cause an “insulin spike” which is detrimental to losing weight. Carbs are pretty misunderstood by most and they aren’t all evil! Understanding the two types of carbohydrates (simple vs complex) might make you feel a little better about this macronutrient overall.

Simple carbs are small chain molecules that can be broken down very quickly for fast energy however they also tend to spike more insulin.

(examples of simple carbs: white sugar, corn syrup, honey, fruit juices, cola, candy) 

Complex carbs are made up of many molecules of sugar and it takes longer to break these bonds so it takes more time for insulin to extract energy from them

(examples of complex carbs: yogurt, beans, buckwheat, brown rice, carrots, yams, strawberries). 

Here is a great chart for you to print out and keep on you so you understand what macronutrient choices you have!


Read part 2 on how to properly put these 3 macronutrients to use for you individually….

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Essential Oils Publication in Heart and Soul Magazine 2014 Tue, 21 Oct 2014 15:53:17 +0000 Heart and Soul Magazine


EO Publication Heart and Soul Mag

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Using Essential Oils to Improve Exercise & Fitness Wed, 18 Jun 2014 13:29:55 +0000 James Lawrence YLEO











“I train my body hard. With big goals on the horizon, I can’t afford to be sidelined with injury or fatigue. My muscles love the relief they get from PanAway…this oil keeps me on track to achieving my goals. I’ve used R.C. blend since 1995 and it’s a staple oil I use while racing, recovery and with my kids. Life would be different without it. Nothing opens my lungs quite like R.C.”

Sundala’s oily “two cents”: PanAway blend of oils contains two powerhouse anti-inflammatory oils: Helichrysum and Wintergreen. Think Mother Nature’s original Icy Hot. A natural corticosteroid, topical anti-histamine and pro-circulatory oil. When you work out hard and you have caused micro-trauma to your tissue, it is imperative that you use something to support the bodies natural healing process.

James also uses R.C. to “open his lungs”. This particular blend does that by way of using 4 types of Eucalyptus oils which dilate the airways of the lungs combined with Peppermint oil to increase oxygen consumption and dilate the blood vessels of the muscle tissue of the lungs.

Sundala is located on the corner of Cedar Hill and 9W in Palisades, NY….where triathletes and cyclists take their multiple mile trek from Manhattan to Rockland.  If any of our Gothamists have made their way out of the city via two wheels, we are sure they have passed our new residence.

If you are in our neighborhood, come on in to try out these oils. We guarantee, you will feel a difference. If you want to learn more about these oils or which oils can specifically work for your training and recovery, send us a shout! Fill out the contact form with your questions and we will get back to you with specific recommendations for you because we understand that each sport varies and there are oils for them all.


From triathletes to dancers to crossfitters, these oils need to be a staple during your training, racing and recovery protocol. Ditch the toxic over the counter muscle rubs, the only benefit they have is NOTHING.


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Acupuncture for Knee Pain Sat, 29 Mar 2014 12:06:22 +0000 CBS NY Knee Pain Dr. Max Gomez

Experts: Look to Acupuncture As a Treatment for Knee Pain



How does Acupuncture work? A few ways!
1. It helps with increasing circulation to the local tissue. Think of it this way: damns in a river…too many damns, not enough flow. Blood and lymph need to move. Stagnation causes lack of movement and lack of flow. Break the damns and flow begins! Aaaahhhhhh!
2. Slight microtrauma will stimulate the repair system of the body. When I insert a needle, I stimulate the lymph system to come in and flood the area with lymph fluid so it can act like a change agent…move the bad, bathe the tissue in good and encourage repair. Healthy tissue re-emerges!!!!!
3. Dampers pain. How? Through our superficial nerve receptors. Think of this: you get out of bed in the dark and bump your shin. Your first reaction?? To rub the area vigorously! Why? Because rubbing tricks the brain signals into thinking the original hit is no longer there! We all instinctively know how to treat our bumps and bruises. Acupuncture stimulation is a different stimulus that the brain is receiving beyond the pain stimulus. Why not replace one for the other and get some relief??

Acupuncture has no side effects and it’s been used for 5,000 years…


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How to Stoke Your Internal Thermostat in Frigid Temps Fri, 24 Jan 2014 15:33:35 +0000 Whatever meteorologists are calling this weather: “polar vortex”, “polar cyclone” or “circumpolar whirl” (sounds like a very cool dance), there is one common theme….FRIGID TEMPS that are causing us to shiver not sashay!


1. Eat foods that are “warming”. In Chinese medical dietary theory, there is a belief that foods have specific temperatures which have direct effects on the body. Some foods can cause dampness (cysts, fibroids), heat (rashes, inflammation), dryness (brittle hair, nails) and cold (poor circulation, stagnation of healing). So, when it’s cold outside, one of the best ways to increase your internal thermostat is to try to get some of these ingredients into your daily intake: anise, basil, cumin, chives, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, ginseng, scallions, black pepper, leeks, yams, turnips. HINT: sip on some ginger tea throughout the day!

2. Do NOT eat foods or drinks directly from the refrigerator or freezer. Yup, that means no ice cream, ice cubes or frozen fruit in the winter months. Room temp or hot liquids will keep you warm on the inside.

3. Work your core! Your abdominal area is the meeting and crossing point of all major meridian, circulatory and lymphatic highways in the body. If you keep the infrastructure of this roadway strong and congestion free, the flow of qi, blood and fluids to the extremities will stay moving.

4. Don’t walk barefoot on cold floors! In Chinese medicine, the first point on the “kidney” meridian is located on the base of the bottom of both feet. It is said that there is an energy that swirls between both kidneys and this energy is fed by the channels that start at the feet. If your pipes are cold then your house will be cold…get it?

Keep it warm!


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5 Things to Do for Natural Pain Relief Fri, 17 Jan 2014 04:17:11 +0000 PAIN!  Nobody likes it but we happen to specialize in it.  So, here are Sundala’s  5 most common answers to:

“How to Manage Pain Naturally”:

1. Play with FIRE and you’re gonna get burned! What does this have to do with pain? Think of it this way…you tell your child not to put its hand on the stove because you know it could cause a horrible outcome. If we told you that eating sugar, processed goods and fried foods would have the same effect on you (yes, a horrible outcome), would you keep putting your hand on that stove, or uh-hum, into the cookie jar? Sugar creates internal heat which causes inflammation. Keep eating bad things and your poor body will stay in a chronic state of 5 Alarm Fire status. Burns are no fun on the outside…they certainly aren’t peachy on the inside!

2. Drown your sorrows. Ok, not with alcohol like most Hollywood dramas but with good quality, water. Keeping hydrated keeps you from drying out! You know, #1 up top talks about heat, well a daily intake of water will keep the inflammation down! Drink up!




3. Gut instincts. Did you know that 90% of the happy hormone called seratonin is made in your gut? A good gut is a happy gut and a happy gut can cut back on the way we perceive pain by stimulating the production of said “happy” hormone. There’s lots of happy going on here….if you want in on the fun, then grab a probiotic and make your tummy and the rest of you smile!





4. Snooze. Get yourself into a dark room and turn off all electronic devices because the only thing that should be plugged in for recharging is YOU! Sleep allows your body to enter a state of unconscious calm. This time allows your body to heal. If you forgo the few precious hours then you are slowing down your rate of healing




5. Pet your Frenchie!

Frankie Christmas Tie 2012

Oops, sorry, more like, pet your animal(s)! Or get yourself pet by getting some bodywork done! Petting, touching, squeezing and holding all help to increase our body’s natural relaxation response. This is the opposite from the over-production of cortisol aka “stress hormone”. When we can mitigate the bodies stress response our pain perception decreases and that yummy feel good hormone takes over! Who doesn’t want to feel yummy?

So…Throw some water on the fire! Trust your gut! Get some ZZZZ’s and stroke the back of your fur babies!

That’s all folks!

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