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Fighting Flu Season with Acupuncture

By admin | Published January 16, 2017

While the flu is actually not a season, we have become programmed to think of it as the months of November through March. On average, the flu hospitalizes thousands every year, especially the young and elderly. There are also a number of deaths related to the flu, mostly due to people already having compromised immune systems.

The flu, also known as influenza, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that is caused by a number of viruses. To date, there are approximately 26 to 30 different known strains of the flu virus. This is one of the reasons the flu vaccine has only mild efficacy. The flu vaccine itself, typically only covers five to seven strains of the flu.  Symptoms of the flu include fever, coughing, a sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, pains, runny nose and watery eyes. continue reading »

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Making the Most of Good Intentions

By xiaomei | Published January 5, 2017

It’s the new year, and we start it with plans for the creation of new, positive habits. But, we all know it is easy to become frustrated and abandon our attempts before we’ve begun to feel the benefits. Here are some tips for setting intentions and making changes that will last, not just for through this year, but for a lifetime.

 

  • Make sure it’s coming from the right place. – We are inundated with advice and information every day, from our friends, relatives and doctors, and from outside media. But on a moment-to-moment basis, only we can make decisions and take actions for ourselves. Really think about the small choices you make, img_1486-1and make each one count towards your greater goals.

 

  • Be specific, but not too specific. – We’re human, and we want tangible rewards. A vague sense that we “should eat better” is going to come into conflict right away with our desires for convenience and satisfaction. However, a too-narrowly defined goal, such as, “I’m going to lose 10 lbs. for my trip in April” is dangerous, too. Likely, once the trip has come and gone, so have those healthy new habits. Achieving better health is an ongoing transition, with no real endpoint.

 

  • Set one over-arching intention. – Reflect deeply upon your true needs and desires, and set a goal that resonates. “I am going to listen to my body, and give it both the activity and the rest it needs.” “I am going to make my physical and mental health my top priority.” Intentions like these speak to a real self-love that goes beneath the surface.

 

  • Break it down into steps. – Now all the daily decisions can be made within the context of the greater goal, so that planning head, setting the alarm for a morning workout, and getting together a healthy lunch are not just punitive chores to be checked off a to-do list.

 

When we live our lives in accordance with our positive intentions, every action becomes an expression and validation of our selves and our power to achieve our goals.

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Going Deeper: The Kidneys

By admin | Published January 2, 2017

The organs in Chinese medicine are more than just a physical representation. The organs include not only their physiological function, but also mental, emotional, spiritual and elemental qualities that align with nature and the seasons. Let’s explore the kidneys.

The kidney element in Chinese medicine governs water and is associated with the season of winter, where the energies are turning from the hotter yang months to the more yin of winter. Each organ has an element associated with it: liver and wood, stomach and earth, kidney and water, for example. There is also an emotion, a color and flavor associated with the organ system. For the kidneys, the emotion is fear, the color is dark or black and the flavor is salty. It also opens to the ear, has the direction of north and is paired with the bladder. The kidney element houses willpower and manifests in the teeth and luster of the hair. continue reading »

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New Year’s Cleaning & Detox

By xiaomei | Published December 29, 2016

img_7662By Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.

 

The New Year is traditionally a time to re-focus our attention and energies. For many of us, this includes a renewed interest in our physical health. Taking the time and effort to “do a cleanse” may have become a trendy idea in recent years, but it is actually an age-old practice with many benefits.
Every day we are bombarded by toxins through processed foods, environmental pollution, chemical-based products, cell phones and devices, emotional and mental stress. All these toxic phenomena put tremendous pressure on the body. Toxins can cause us to feel foggy and fatigued, cause memory loss, anxiety, hair loss, weight gain, insomnia, constipation, hormone imbalance, rapid aging, and can even be one of the root causes of cancer and other diseases. It is so important to take time to detoxify the organ systems and get a fresh start. The Art of Wellness One-Week Detox program is an excellent way to cleanse the body and clear the mind.
Our Detox is not, like many store-bought products, just a colon cleanse. Following our program will release toxins from the deep tissues of the body, boost the functioning of the immune and liver systems, and strengthen Qi. The program works on several levels, using acupuncture, cupping, herbs (used internally and externally), nutrition and exercise.
The acupuncture portion of the program is designed to open up blocked pathways in the body, reestablishing connections between the organ systems. The herbal teas and patches will stimulate the kidney system and improve the functioning of the immune and reproductive . Herbal baths, aromatic and relaxing, also help to utilize one of the body’s most important excretory organs—the skin. Cupping treatments “vacuum” toxins from the lung, kidney and liver systems, while Tui Na and Qi Gong exercises massage the internal organs.
Detox participants will be given a food plan to follow for the week. This diet is not a fast; it consists of plenty of grains, greens and proteins, so it is both nourishing and filling. As Dr. Tan says, “hunger is not a solution.” The goal is to eat lots of clean, wholesome foods to strengthen the body during detoxification.
We recommend that everyone tries practicing a detox every six months for optimal health. Please call our office to get started on your New Year Detox Program to start a new, healthier year. We offer you our best wishes for your peace and wellness.

 

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Meridian Point for Winter: Large Intestine 4

By admin | Published December 19, 2016

Large Intestine 4 is one of the most important and influential points in the entire body. The Chinese name for Large Intestine 4 is “He Gu” meaning union valley or converging valley. The point is located on the hand in the web between the thumb and index finger, also described as the depression where the index finger and thumb bones part. This area of the hand is often described as “valley like” hence the name converging valley.

The large intestine has many important functions in the body. Connected to the Western medicine function of the large Intestine, it is vital in digestion and bowel regulation, but it also has many functions above and beyond that in Chinese medicine. The large intestine is associated with the emotions of sadness and grief, it can help build immunity as it works as a paired channel to the lung meridian and has a big effect of the flow of Qi and blood in the body. continue reading »

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