Conspicuous consumption

EYE’D LIKE A DRINK Kate Melcher watches as her urge to imbibe leaves her body.

Stress Eating

The stress case As an active 36-year-old who’s run two marathons and several races in recent years, Kate Melcher appears to be the picture of good health. But, like many high achievers, she’s anxious as a moose in Sarah Palin’s backyard. Her crutch: overdoing it with sweets and vino.

When she’s not begging friends for shoulder massages or rubbing against doorways to relieve the tension in her upper body, Melcher hits the (wine) bottle and eats cake to put her mind at ease. But the binge only adds to her stress.

The holistic treatment When she walked into Lincoln Square Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine, Melcher saw folks reclining on chairs in a circle formation with their eyes closed and needles sticking out of various parts of their bodies. “I got a little bit of a Frankenstein vibe,” she says, “but they looked tranquil so I wasn’t scared.”

Acupuncturist David Kato reviewed her medical history, discussed her reason for visiting and proceeded to insert a handful of needles in her ear, ankle, foot and one between the brows. The goal, he explained, was to promote the free flow of qi (positive energy), strengthen the gallbladder (the source of decision making), liver and spleen. “By strengthening the spleen, we’re hoping to curb sweet cravings,” Kato says, “and strengthening the liver helps process anxiety.”

Kato also prescribed a stress-relieving herbal supplement, xiao yao wan. “[It] helps strengthen the middle jiao: the spleen, stomach and liver,” Kato notes.

When Melcher returned a few days later, Kato gave Melcher a similar treatment, placing the needles on the opposite side of her body. Now knowing what to expect, she settled in, even dozing off.

The result The biggest change Melcher noticed that week was the effect on her 3:30pm eat-a-cookie-or-die craving; she wasn’t as compelled to indulge.

“At the end of the week, I felt slightly more relaxed,” Melcher says. “I was hosting a party and had a busy work week with plenty of opportunities to get worked up about daily life [and didn’t].”

4720 A N Lincoln Ave, 773-878-3888. $30–$50 for first visit; $20–$40 for follow-up visits; $6/bottle of supplements.

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