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December 5, 2013 by admin
Source: Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-calabro/acupuncture-treatment_b_3188605.html
Acupuncture is not a one-shot deal. It works cumulatively, meaning one treatment builds on the next.
There are certainly instances of acupuncture producing immediate results. However, this is more an exception than the rule — and when it happens, the results tend to be short-lived.
If you want lasting results from acupuncture, especially for a chronic condition, you must commit to the process.
This approach to healing is unfamiliar for Westerners, who are accustomed to instant gratification in most aspects of life, including health care. Being forced to adopt a long-term, cumulative perspective can be confusing and frustrating.
Sometimes us instant-gratification junkies need to be thrown a bone! Fortunately, there are several indications that acupuncture is taking effect — even if your primary symptoms have not yet resolved. When these signs appear, symptom relief typically is not far behind.
Here are six signs that your acupuncture treatments are working.
You’re sleeping better
This is one of the most common signs that acupuncture is doing its thing. Many insomniacs who seek acupuncture for other reasons are surprised when their sleep problems resolve — often without ever having mentioned the issue to their acupuncturist. Even if you’re not someone who struggles with sleep, you still may notice yourself sleeping more deeply, waking less during the night, or feeling more rested upon waking.
You’re more aware
When acupuncture starts working, it can feel as if all of your senses just got a tune up. You hear birds chirping a little louder. The sky looks bluer. You notice the texture of your shirt against your skin. You literally smell roses. Food tastes better.
You’re also more in touch with sensations throughout your body. Maybe you notice the way you tense your shoulders when you sit at the computer. Or, you discover that as soon as something stressful happens, your stomach tightens and your breath becomes shallow.
If it feels like your world has gone from normal viewing to a vivid HD experience, acupuncture is working for you.
You’re more emotional
Many of us are amazingly skilled at funneling emotions into our bodies. It’s a defense mechanism that allows us to avoid dealing with these things — until, of course, our bodies start paying the price for it. Most people who seek acupuncture are dealing, at least on some level, with emotional stress as a contributor to their physical symptoms.
Acupuncture is like peeling an onion. Layer by layer, it exposes us until it gets to the core. Since acupuncture works by addressing the root cause of a condition, the process can cause repressed emotions to surface.
You may be quicker to cry or notice yourself feeling more sentimental than usual. In general, emotions — good or bad — are felt more intensely.
This is a good thing. It’s a sign that layers are being peeled back, which means you’re getting closer to reaching the core issue. Acupuncture is working.
You have more energy
Although receiving acupuncture is a relaxing, energy-grounding experience, your energy level may rise in the hours and days following a treatment. This means acupuncture has stirred the pot and stimulated movement throughout the meridians — and regular, steady movement throughout the meridians is ultimately what will resolve your chief complaint.
The surge in energy that acupuncture produces is different from the somewhat frenetic energy that surrounds daily life. It’s a kind of energy that makes you feel more awake and alive. You may notice that you’re less tired during the day, feeling more motivated to go out for a walk, or just sensing a little extra spring in your step.
You’re less stressed out
Contrary to the acupuncture-as-hippy-medicine stereotype, acupuncture does not send you into la-la land. It does not put you in a daze that makes you numb. It does, however, take the edge off.
Acupuncture can even out our moods so that we are less affected by and better equipped to manage the stressful aspects of our lives. The stress won’t disappear, but if you find yourself feeling less bogged down by it, acupuncture is working for you.
You’re more regular
Remember what I said earlier about regular, steady movement throughout the meridians being the thing that will ultimately resolve your chief complaint? Well, one of the clearest indicators of movement throughout the meridians is digestive health.
The organ systems and meridians that regulate digestion are intimately connected to all other structures and functions throughout the body, so your digestive health says a lot about your overall state of health.
If your digestion is too slow, too fast, or just generally erratic, it’s a red flag. On the other hand, if you start moving your bowels more regularly, it means things are evening out and moving in the right direction.
If you recognize any of these six signs, hang in there and stick with it. Acupuncture is working.
November 30, 2013 by admin
Source: British Acupuncture Council
http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/public-content/public-pr-press-releases/why-not-give-a-gift-of-acupuncture-this-christmas.html
Why Not Give a Gift of Acupuncture This Christmas?
If you are looking for a unique Christmas gift, how about trying acupuncture? Acupuncture is a special gift that can make a real difference to the lives of your friends, family and colleagues. British Acupuncture Council members provide care to people throughout the year, but Christmas is a time when they can really help reduce stress and improve wellbeing.
Maureen Cromey, acupuncturist and British Acupuncture Council member explains: ‘Stress is a generic term used to describe the way we are feeling. Stress affects both emotions and physical health. An acupuncture session focuses on the individual, learning about their health, body type and lifestyle pressures, and considers how these combine to cause stress related problems.
The acupuncturist prescribes a specific treatment plan which addresses diet, exercise and lifestyle. This in combination with the needling to treat specific symptoms and strengthen the body can be very powerful. Studies have also found that acupuncture can decrease the levels of cortisol after just one session (Arranz, Siboni, De la Fuente, 2006).
November 30, 2013 by admin
Source: Acufinder
https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Treating+Holiday+Stress+and+Depression+with+Acupuncture
According to Oriental medicine, the cold months of winter are the perfect time to recharge your battery and generate vital energy, or Qi, in order to live, look, and feel your best.
The ancient Chinese believed that human beings should live in harmony with the natural cycles of their environment. The cold and darkness of winter urges us to slow down. This is the time of year to reflect on health, replenish energy and conserve strength.
Ruled by the water element, winter is associated with the kidneys, bladder and adrenal glands. The kidneys are considered the source of all energy or “Qi” within the body. They store all of the reserve Qi in the body so that it can be used in times of stress and change, or to heal, prevent illness and age gracefully.
Winter is the season where all living things slow down, conserve their energy and prepare for the outburst of new life and energy in the spring.
Eat warm hearty soups, whole grains, and roasted nuts to help warm the body’s core and to keep nourished. Sleep early, rest well, stay warm, and expend a minimum quantity of energy.
While optimal health and well-being in the winter season calls for rest, energy conservation and the revitalization of body and spirit, your holiday activities may have a different agenda.
The holidays can be filled with a dizzying array of demands, visitors, travel and frantic shopping trips. For many people, it is also a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness and anxiety. Compound the usual seasonal pressures with the constant barrage of bad economic news and you may find this to be one of the most emotionally trying times of the year.
Stress, anxiety and depression can cause a disruption in the flow of vital energy, or Qi, through the body. These energetic imbalances can throw off the immune system or cause symptoms of pain, sleep disturbances, abnormal digestion, headaches, and menstrual irregularities, and, over time, more serious illnesses can develop.
Acupuncture treatments can correct these imbalances and directly affect the way your body manages stress and your mental health.
Seasonal acupuncture treatments in winter serve to nurture and nourish kidney Qi which can greatly enhance the body’s ability to thrive in times of stress, aid in healing, prevent illness and increase vitality.
November 30, 2013 by admin
Source: Healthcare Review
http://www.healthcarereview.com/2011/01/acupuncture-a-tool-to-stress-proof-your-holidays/
The joys of the holiday season are often accompanied by increased demands that result in holiday stress. Busy schedules of events, shopping, entertaining and family affairs can leave us overwhelmed.
If you are feeling the effects of holiday stress, you are not alone. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, holiday stressors increase already high anxiety levels in many people. Additionally, those who experience elevated levels of stress rate their mental and physical health lower than those not experiencing stress – citing symptoms such as sadness, sleep problems and lack of energy.
Taking care of yourself with exercise, adequate sleep, relaxation and a careful diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables are all ways to keep stress in check. However, these healthy behaviors can be challenging during the holidays. For that reason, acupuncture is a great tool for stress relief during hectic times, serving as an effective coping method by helping to maintain a sense of calm and well-being.
Acupuncture is a time-proven holistic medical technique that works with the body’s inherent healing abilities through the painless insertion of small acupuncture needles followed by heat and massage. Multiple studies have found acupuncture to be particularly effective in treating stress, which researchers define as a physical, mental or emotional response to events which then cause mental or bodily tension. Stress can be manifested in a variety of ways: physically, mentally or emotionally. Common physical symptoms include headache, insomnia, digestive problems, muscle tension or pain and fatigue. Mental-emotional responses due to stress may include anxiety, anger, depression, irritability, overreaction to everyday problems, lack of concentration and memory loss.
Several studies suggest that acupuncture can work to activate the parasympathetic (“rest and digest” response) nervous system, providing deep relaxation. Findings indicate that acupuncture may actually activate the release of endorphins, the body’s natural “feel good” chemicals. In addition, acupuncture is shown to improve circulation which oxygenates the tissues and cycles out toxins. The calming effect of acupuncture can help decrease the heart rate, lower blood pressure and relax the muscles. This combination has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of cluster headaches, reduce stress and anxiety related to surgery and chemotherapy treatment and increase total sleep time and sleep efficiency.
As a result of acupuncture, clients feel more rested and prepared for the holidays and new year to come.
November 23, 2013 by admin
Source: New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/12/business/soothing-back-pain-by-learning-how-to-sit-again.html?_r=0
Ms. Gokhale (pronounced go-CLAY) is not helping aching office workers with high-tech gadgets and medical therapies. Rather, she says she is reintroducing her clients to what she calls “primal posture” — a way of holding themselves that is shared by older babies and toddlers, and that she says was common among our ancestors before slouching became a way of life. It is also a posture that Ms. Gokhale observed during research she conducted in a dozen other countries, as well as in India, where she was raised.
For a method based not on technology but primarily on observations of people, it has been embraced by an unlikely crowd: executives, board members and staff members at some of Silicon Valley’s biggest companies, including Google and Oracle; and heavy users of technology like Mr. Drudge.
“I need to do things that make sense and that I can see results from. Esther’s work is like that,” said Susan Wojcicki, 44, one of Google’s senior vice presidents, who has suffered from back and neck pain that she attributes to doing too much work at her desk.
Ms. Gokhale is not the first to suggest that changing posture is the key to a healthy spine. Practitioners of the Alexander Technique and the creators of the Aplomb Institute in Paris similarly help clients find more natural and comfortable ways to position themselves. Pilates and physical therapy can improve posture and bring awareness to it. A handful of companies, like Lumo BodyTech, now sell personal posture monitors, offering smartphone users constant feedback about the way they hold their bodies.
Ms. Gokhale’s methods have not been tested scientifically, though a doctor at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation is planning on conducting clinical trials by the end of the year.
But Ms. Gokhale, who was trained as a biochemist at Princeton University and studied at Stanford’s medical school, has some influence among medical professionals, particularly in Silicon Valley. Over 100 have referred patients to her, and a similar number have taken her course, she says.
FOR many office workers in the United States, sitting at a desk all day goes hand in hand with back, neck and shoulder discomfort. Stress and poor positioning can bring on aches or exacerbate injuries among workers faced with heavy computing, constant travel and long meetings. Regardless of occupation or lifestyle, backaches affect most Americans — about 8 in 10 deal with the pain at some point in their lifetimes, according to Dr. Richard Deyo, a professor of family medicine at Oregon Health and Science University.
The expenses are huge as well. By one estimate that appeared in The Journal of the American Medical Association, the national cost of treating people with back and neck pain was $86 billion in 2005. And with back pain one of the top reasons for worker disability, missed work because of these aches may cost employers close to $7 billion a year, according to one study.
For the majority of people with back pain, the aches are short-lived and relief comes with rest and time, according to Dr. Deyo. But methods to help those with chronic pain are diverse. Using a standing desk at work has become a popular way to ease discomfort. Exercise, yoga, acupuncture and chiropractic have also been shown to reduce pain. Medical treatments like surgery and steroids continue to be important options, doctors say, even amid concerns that these have been overused.
Dr. Haleh Agdassi, a rehabilitation doctor with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation in California, sees back and neck pain so frequently among heavy users of computers that she calls it the “Silicon Valley syndrome.” She encourages clients to try a mix of nonsurgical strategies, but finds it frustrating that treatments for such a common problem are only modestly effective.
“There’s no magic bullet out there for back pain,” she says. “That can be overwhelming for patients. It’s an anxious, vulnerable crowd — they’re looking for solutions.”
Ms. Gokhale, 52, can relate to the anxiety of searching for an answer. She previously dealt with pain in her lower back, first as a college student practicing yoga, then as a young mother with sciatica. She eventually had surgery for a herniated disk, but it failed, she said.
When doctors suggested she try a second time, Ms. Gokhale began a search for other answers. Many of her own clients come to her similarly exasperated, she said.
November 23, 2013 by admin
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/chinesemed.htm
Introduction
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) originated in ancient China and has evolved over thousands of years. TCM practitioners use herbs, acupuncture, and other methods to treat a wide range of conditions. In the United States, TCM is considered part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). This fact sheet provides a general overview of TCM and suggests sources for additional information.
Key Points
Herbal remedies and acupuncture are the treatments most commonly used by TCM practitioners. Other TCM practices include moxibustion, cupping, massage, mind-body therapy, and dietary therapy.
The TCM view of how the human body works, what causes illness, and how to treat illness is different from Western medicine concepts. Although TCM is used by the American public, scientific evidence of its effectiveness is, for the most part, limited. Acupuncture has the largest body of evidence and is considered safe if practiced correctly. Some Chinese herbal remedies may be safe, but others may not be.
TCM is typically delivered by a practitioner. Before using TCM, ask about the practitioner’s qualifications, including training and licensure.
Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
Background
Traditional Chinese medicine, which encompasses many different practices, is rooted in the ancient philosophy of Taoism and dates back more than 5,000 years. Today, TCM is practiced side by side with Western medicine in many of China’s hospitals and clinics.
TCM is widely used in the United States. Although the exact number of people who use TCM in the United States is unknown, it was estimated in 1997 that some 10,000 practitioners served more than 1 million patients each year. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, which included questions on the use of various CAM therapies, an estimated 3.1 million U.S. adults had used acupuncture in the previous year. In addition, according to this same survey, approximately 17 percent of adults use natural products, including herbs, making it the most commonly used therapy. In another survey, more than one-third of the patients at six large acupuncture clinics said they also received Chinese herbal treatments at the clinics.
Underlying Concepts
Underlying the practice of TCM is a unique view of the world and the human body that is different from Western medicine concepts. This view is based on the ancient Chinese perception of humans as microcosms of the larger, surrounding universe—interconnected with nature and subject to its forces. The human body is regarded as an organic entity in which the various organs, tissues, and other parts have distinct functions but are all interdependent. In this view, health and disease relate to balance of the functions.
The theoretical framework of TCM has a number of key components:
Yin-yang theory—the concept of two opposing, yet complementary, forces that shape the world and all life—is central to TCM.
In the TCM view, a vital energy or life force called qi circulates in the body through a system of pathways called meridians. Health is an ongoing process of maintaining balance and harmony in the circulation of qi.
The TCM approach uses eight principles to analyze symptoms and categorize conditions: cold/heat, interior/exterior, excess/deficiency, and yin/yang (the chief principles). TCM also uses the theory of five elements—fire, earth, metal, water, and wood—to explain how the body works; these elements correspond to particular organs and tissues in the body.
These concepts are documented in the Huang Di Nei Jing (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor), the classic Chinese medicine text.
Treatment
TCM emphasizes individualized treatment. Practitioners traditionally used four methods to evaluate a patient’s condition: observing (especially the tongue), hearing/smelling, asking/interviewing, and touching/palpating (especially the pulse).
TCM practitioners use a variety of therapies in an effort to promote health and treat disease. The most commonly used are Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture.
Chinese herbal medicine. The Chinese materia medica (a pharmacological reference book used by TCM practitioners) contains hundreds of medicinal substances—primarily plants, but also some minerals and animal products—classified by their perceived action in the body. Different parts of plants such as the leaves, roots, stems, flowers, and seeds are used. Usually, herbs are combined in formulas and given as teas, capsules, tinctures, or powders.
Acupuncture. By stimulating specific points on the body, most often by inserting thin metal needles through the skin, practitioners seek to remove blockages in the flow of qi.
Other TCM therapies include moxibustion (burning moxa—a cone or stick of dried herb, usually mugwort—on or near the skin, sometimes in conjunction with acupuncture); cupping (applying a heated cup to the skin to create a slight suction); Chinese massage; mind-body therapies such as qi gong and tai chi; and dietary therapy.
November 23, 2013 by admin
Source: Healthline
http://www.healthline.com/health-news/mental-researchers-find-proof-acupuncture-blocks-stress-031413
Being a lab rat can be pretty stressful, so it’s sometimes nice to take the edge off with a little acupuncture. But lab rats at Georgetown University Medical Center weren’t getting the spa treatment for therapeutic reasons—they became pincushions for science.
Ladan Eshkevari, an associate professor of nursing at the Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies, and fellow researchers investigated exactly how acupuncture works to reduce stress.
They found that, to a certain extent, acupuncture can actually block the chronic effects of stress.
Exploring the Secrets of Acupuncture
Though acupuncture has been a part of Eastern medicine for decades, Western medicine hasn’t widely accepted the practice because, until now, there’s been no evidence to show how it works or that “meridians,” a series of interconnected pressure points, really exist in the body.
Still, it’s widely used in the U.S. as a complimentary therapy for everything from allergies to GERD.
Eshkevari and colleagues enlisted the help of lab rats to see how acupuncture affects stress. Specifically, they used electroacupuncture, a type of acupuncture in which an electrical current passes through the acupuncture needles.
Eshkavari, a physiologist, nurse anesthetist, and certified acupuncturist said she chose this method of acupuncture to ensure that all the rats received the same amount of treatment.
Researchers caused the rats stress by exposing them to winter-like temperatures for one hour a day, and then gave them acupuncture right below the knee on the pressure point known as “Zusanli.”
After the stress and treatment, researchers tested the rats’ blood for hormones that help the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland, also known as the HPA axis. These hormones affect the body’s reaction to stress, mood, emotion, and more.
They also measured blood levels of the peptide NPY, which regulates the “fight or flight” response during stressful events. During these situations, blood flow is directed to your vital organs, such as the brain, heart, and lungs and away from systems not tied to survival.
Rats in control situations—those who received acupuncture somewhere besides their Zusanli—had the same elevated level of stress hormones as animals who received no therapy, researchers said.
“We found that electronic acupuncture blocks the chronic, stress-induced elevations of the HPA axis hormones and the sympathetic NPY pathway,” Eshkevari said in a press release. “Our growing body of evidence points to acupuncture’s protective effect against the stress response.”
November 15, 2013 by admin
Source: She Knows Health & Wellness
http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/973835/acupuncture-can-help-holiday-stress
SheKnows spoke to acupuncturist Sabine Gebelhoff of Moonstone Healing Arts & Yoga in Newtonville, Ontario about how the therapy works and its stress-busting results.
SheKnows: What is acupuncture all about?
Sabine Gebelhoff: Traditional acupuncture is a complete and elegant therapy to enhance your own body’s healing system. It helps to eliminate fatigue and disease from the body at the root causes, instead of using “Band-Aids” to cover and mask symptoms. We use the meridian system, the body’s energy pathways, to enhance our natural energies to strengthen our bodies, calm our mind and lift our spirits.
SheKnows: Do the needles hurt? They are fine, almost thread-like.
Sabine Gebelhoff: In the hands of an experienced practitioner, the needles and insertions are barely noticeable. Sometimes a particular energy point may be very congested and you will feel a slight energy shift (or “zing”) as the needle enters. If there is any discomfort, the practitioner can adjust the needles.
SheKnows: How is acupuncture more effective than acupressure, where a therapist manipulates pressure points on the body?
Sabine Gebelhoff: Acupuncture works on a deep healing level, not unlike acupressure, but below the skin. We have direct access to nerves, muscles, joints and ligaments, depending on what our target is. Also, by working below the dermis [skin], we activate the neural pathways and nervous system, so those feel-good endorphins release quite quickly.
SheKnows: Why do our bodies not self-heal as well as they should?
Sabine Gebelhoff: Our bodies are under constant strain from environmental challenges, toxins, stress, lack of sleep. All of these factors can inhibit our your body’s ability to recharge and rebalance, and therefore heal itself. Traditional acupuncture can assess and treat the root causes of illnesses.
SheKnows: How can acupuncture counteract our holiday anxiety?
Sabine Gebelhoff: Regular treatments — every three to five weeks — are very helpful in keeping your body’s natural energies balanced. At times of high stress, extra demands are put on our minds and bodies. Seek out gentle treatments during these high-stress times. We often seek treatment in response to pain or acute symptoms, but it’s easier to gently bring yourself to healing and center before serious symptoms occur. Most clients report improved mood and sleep after just one treatment.
SheKnows: Is there an anecdote from a patient you could share?
Sabine Gebelhoff: I have a lovely client whom I met earlier this year. She was under a lot of work and family stress, and was having a difficult time balancing all her responsibilities. As a result, she was suffering from insomnia, weeping spells, fatigue, body aches and pains, weight gain. We started treatment once weekly, with some suggested changes to her diet, along with yoga and meditation techniques. Within three months, she has reduced her treatments to once a month, and all of her symptoms have cleared or alleviated. I’ve had some of her friends comment to me how happy they are to see her back to her old self.
November 15, 2013 by admin
Source: Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-calabro/holiday-stress_b_2238396.html
Acupuncture is well known for its potential ability to lower stress. Many people use acupuncture for stress reduction. And in my experience, even those who don’t admit to or notice stress in their lives commonly report a greater sense of lightness and evenness to their moods after having acupuncture.
We asked acupuncturists from around the world to share one piece of acupuncture-inspired advice for reducing holiday stress. They had to be self-care tips that can be applied anytime, anywhere, and for free. Here are our 10 favorites:
Appreciate water
In acupuncture, each season has an associated natural element. Winter’s is water. As the holidays cue our wintery instincts, we can use water literally and metaphorically as a natural holiday de-stressor.
Acupuncturist Sara Szmodis of San Francisco recommends starting every day with a large glass of lukewarm water. Fill your favorite glass with water and drink it slowly, followed by taking some deep breaths into your abdomen. This morning ritual helps keep your body hydrated and relaxed at a time when more-than-usual amounts of alcohol and caffeine (both dehydrators) meet higher-than-usual stress levels.
Metaphorically, water serves as a model for coping with holiday stress. When stress starts to mount, close your eyes and imagine yourself as strong, yet fluid and flexible. You are easily able to adjust around whatever gets in your way.
Go with the Flow
We hear this all the time. But from an acupuncture perspective, this trite piece of de-stressing advice takes on a whole new meaning.
There is a famous Chinese medical saying: “Bu tong ze tong, tong ze bu tong.” This is roughly translated as, “If there is not free flow, there is pain. If there is free flow, there is no pain.” In other words, physical and emotional health are achieved when there is free flow throughout the channels of the body. Disease arises when the flow stops.
Portland, Ore. acupuncturist Alexis Goldstein says we can take this thinking and apply it to holiday stress. Things never go according to plan. Whether it’s to do with travel, food or gift-giving, Goldstein suggests trying to focus less on the details and more on your ability to flow through them. Keep flowing forward and you’ll have a less stressful holiday season.
Forget the “Shoulds”
Acupuncture is centered around the notion that we are ever-changing, evolving beings. Nothing is set in stone. There are no golden rules or absolute truths. When we fail to think of ourselves as the constant works-in-progress that we are, there’s a tendency to start imposing a lot of “shoulds” on ourselves.
“I ‘should’ invite my neighbor’s second cousin to dinner.” “I ‘should’ spend at least $50 on a gift for my boss.” “I ‘should’ have the house decorated by now.” So many of us place undue expectations on ourselves, says New York City acupuncturist Po-Hong Yu. By making a real effort to stop the shoulds, it frees you up to live without the pressure and guilt that have a tendency to increase this time of year.
Get out in Nature
In acupuncture theory, humans are viewed as microcosms of the natural world that surrounds them. The natural elements are essential parts of all of us, and yet many of us fail to make time to commune with them, especially when the weather turns cold.
According to acupuncturist Annie Porter from Scottsdale, Ariz., taking just three minutes a day to notice the natural world around you can be a refreshing de-stressor amid the holiday madness. Porter recommends picking a piece of nature that inspires gratitude in you. It can be an old tree, a serene pond, or crystal white snow. Maybe it is just standing outside and feeling the solid earth under your feet, or the crisp wind against your face.
Strive for Balance
Acupuncture is all about balance. The goal of treatment is to tonify (give to) areas of deficiency and reduce (take from) areas of excess. Delphine Baumer, an acupuncturist in Vancouver, British Columbia, reminds us that this principle applies to holiday gift-giving and time management.
Think about time and money in terms of balance, says Baumer. If you find yourself with extra time in the coming weeks, offer help to those who don’t. If you’re really strapped for time, ask for help. With gifts, ask yourself what you can offer that will help others without hurting you. Gifts come in all forms and should feel good on the receiving and giving end.
Be like a Mountain
In addition to balancing deficiencies and excesses, acupuncture focuses on balancing yin and yang. Yin-yang theory assigns certain qualities to various aspects of our lives, depending on the context within which they reside
Yin qualities are cold, dark, quiet, contracting, deficient, weak, delicate, soft-spoken, contemplative and introverted. Yang is hot, bright, loud, firm, expanding, excessive, robust, energetic and chatty.
In comparison to everyday life, the holidays are very yang! They are high-energy, fast-moving, and filled with constant hustle and bustle. While fun, this can become stressful. It is important to infuse this time of year with yin qualities so that we remain balanced, says New York City acupuncturist Nancy Byrne.
Byrne suggests a visual meditation where you imagine yourself as a mountain. A mountain is the ultimate yin, says Byrne–solid, rooted and still, despite the winds swirling around it. When the whirlwind of the holidays seems to engulf you, take a moment to think of yourself as a mountain. This will help you find inner calm despite the frenzy happening around you.
Find Middle Ground
By encouraging balance — of yin and yang, and excess and deficiency–acupuncture teaches us to find middle ground and appreciate moderation. It becomes a metaphor for not over- or under-doing it in life.
Holidays generally involve a lot of overdoing it–too much food, too many drinks, too much spending, too many late nights, too much stress. It happens, but it shouldn’t be used as an excuse for going to extremes in the other direction.
Rub Your Ears
The ear in acupuncture is a microcosm of the whole body, so ear points are used to address conditions that involve multiple systems. Since stress can wreak havoc throughout the entire body, treating the ears is considered an effective and efficient counter-measure.
Rubbing your ears is a great stress-reduction tool, says San Francisco acupuncturist Eric Kerr. Use your thumb and index finger to apply acupressure to the whole ear, moving from the top of the ear down to the earlobes.
Brush Your Teeth With Purpose
Acupuncture teaches us to tune into the ordinary. It heightens our awareness by requiring us to pay attention to subtle shifts. This is something we can practice on our own, by being more mindful in our daily routines. When we are more present in each moment, we aren’t bogged down by the various holiday stressors that surround us.
Remember Your Power
Acupuncture reminds us of our innate power. The driving idea behind acupuncture is that we already have everything we need to be well. We hold the power to heal ourselves. Philadelphia acupuncturist David Schiman says this idea can help us cope with holiday stress.
When you feel stress piling up, says Schiman, take a moment to ask yourself some questions: “How am I handling myself? And when I look back on this in 10 years, am I acting like the kind of person I want to see?” Schiman recommends reflecting on your answer and then striving to act consistently with your ideal self-image.
November 7, 2013 by admin
Source: Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/article/hot-celebrity-trend-acupuncture
Sure celebrity fads come and go but one trend that does not seem to go out of style is their love for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The uses of TCM consist anywhere from smoothing out wrinkles to getting and staying healthy. The following are a few examples of celebrities who endorse Chinese Medicine and how it helps them:
Sandra Bullock receives acupuncture “treatments three times a week whether she’s at home or on set. It’s in her contract that studios have to pay for it!” while filming for her performance in The Blind Side. She gets acupuncture done at her forehead, face, stomach, and feet. It is her secret weapon to looking and feeling young (Acufinder, 2010). Cosmetic acupuncture is a great way to reduce wrinkles, balance out oily or dry skin, clear acne, reduce dark spots and increase circulation. To name a few other celebrities that reportedly do cosmetic acupuncture are Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, Sean Connery, and Madonna (London Cosmetic Acupuncture, 2008).
Jennifer Lopez dropped 15lbs utilizing acupuncture along with Chinese herbs and weight-loss treatments. “She’s been gushing about how obsessed she is with acupuncture and herbs,” a source revealed to OK mag.” Weight loss treatments are very popular in TCM, and help to not only reduce weight but help with cravings and digestion (Pepper, 2010).
Robert Downey Jr credits his good health to TCM. He says it has “had a profound impact in all areas of his life for many years” says Downey who received an award for being an advocate of TCM. “I confess that I am as close to being a Chinese-American as any Caucasian ever could be in his life.” Downey routinely practices acupuncture, herbal medicine, and qigong (Duran, 2012).
Gwenyth Paltrow once said acupuncture had guided her to a “new level” in life, helping her to find love with her husband and giving her the strength to cope with the death of her father. She has even told Oprah “I have been a big fan of Chinese medicine for a long time because it works” (Acufinder, 2012).
Supermodel Elle McPherson says “I have acupuncture regularly and I see a Chinese doctor who treats most common ailments with herbs.” When she was asked how she stays so healthy she said, “I do choose to look after my body from a Chinese medicine perspective, which promotes and maintains wellness rather than treats illness” (Acufinder, 2012).
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Contact Us
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Meridian Healing
Silicon Valley
4161 El Camino Way, Suite A Palo Alto, CA
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PHONE:
650-815-8251 |
EMAIL:
meridianhealingsv@gmail.com |
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