Acupuncture for Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is a condition in which your stomach empties too slowly.  The muscles responsible for moving food out of your stomach are either weakened or damaged, causing food to sit in your stomach.  The symptoms of gastroparesis can include heartburn, nausea, vomiting, pain, bloating, decreased appetite, and anxiety.  The possible causes of gastroparesis include damage to the nerve responsible for digestion (vagus nerve), diabetes, a viral infection, certain medications, and adhesions from scar tissue.

In Chinese medicine, gastroparesis would be diagnosed as something called Food Stagnation, which is essentially food not moving through your digestive tract.  Because there is frequently an emotional/anxiety aspect to gastroparesis, it might also be diagnosed as a Liver and Spleen disharmony.   Your Chinese Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of everything in your body, including your emotions and digestion.  When that flow is impaired—or because that flow is impaired—your Chinese Spleen, which is responsible for digestion, is weakened.

Chinese medicine for Gastroparesis SymptomsWhile the symptoms of gastroparesis tend to ebb and flow, it is generally a chronic condition, with no known cure. In Western medicine, gastroparesis symptoms may be controlled with medications.  In addition, there are a number of factors, mostly dietary, that can help bring the discomfort associated with this condition under control.

Can acupuncture help with gastroparesis?  The answer is yes; while acupuncture isn’t a cure, it is all about enhancing flow and movement in your body.  Many patients have found that acupuncture can help move food through the digestive tract and bring relief from the pain, bloating, nausea, and emotional symptoms associated with gastroparesis.

If you suffer from gastroparesis, there are a number of things you can do for yourself to alleviate symptoms.  Your goal is to get adequate nutrition while avoiding flare-ups.  Some tips that help accomplish this goal include:

-Eat several small meals during the day, and keep your meals light.  The more you eat at one sitting, the slower your stomach will empty—so think small.

-Movement helps move your food along.  Take a not-too-vigorous walk after eating to help the process.

-Eat more of your meals earlier in the day.  Stop eating a few hours before you wind down for bedtime.

-Make friends with soups and smoothies.  Liquid meals will be best tolerated, as they will empty from your stomach better than solid foods.  In addition, be sure to drink liquids with any solid foods that you eat.

-Aim to get enough calories, which can be difficult with this condition.  While fats in solid foods may be hard to digest, you may find that you can tolerate fats in a liquid or softened form such as full fat milk or nut butters.

-High fiber foods that are found in some fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains tend to slow down the emptying process. You will better tolerate high fiber foods if you eat them well-cooked in soup.

-Chew your food well.

-You may find that probiotics or digestive enzymes help this condition.  Get some advice from a health care provider or from your natural foods store.

-When you’re having a flare-up, use some gentle heat on your stomach.  In Chinese medicine, heat enhances flow and may help move things along.

-Do whatever it takes to manage your stress.  Stress and emotional upsets play a huge role in this condition.  Acupuncture can be a big help here, but you can also meditate, visualize, take a yoga class, or go fishing—whatever works to calm your frazzled nerves.  Your stomach will thank you for it.

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Acupuncture for Pain Relief

At Acupuncture in the Park, pain relief is one of the most common treatments we perform. Many people believe that pain is a very simple thing: you have pain, and you want it to go away. Or at least you want it to be better.

Pain relief and Chinese medicineFor some people, pain is anything but simple. It can be debilitating, and it can take over your life. Over the years that we have worked with people in varying forms of pain, we’ve learned that the consequences of that pain can be far-reaching. In this post, we’d like to share a few things that we know about pain and relief from pain from the standpoint of Chinese medicine:

-Pain can wipe you out. It can seriously and completely deplete your energy, and here’s why: In Chinese medicine, pain is considered a blockage. Whether your pain is caused by a tight muscle, loss of circulation, infection, inflammation, or trauma, if you have pain, it means that your circulation of blood and energy is impaired. Pain is like a dam that blocks the flow of water in a river, There is a lake upstream from the dam and a trickle of water on the downstream. Your energy on pain is that little trickle of water. When you hurt, you’re not firing on all cylinders.

-Your pain has a personality. It has a quality and can be sharp, stabbing, dull, achy, burning…you get the picture. Your pain may also respond better to heat or it may feel better when you ice it. Sometimes you have pain that likes pressure–like a trigger point in a muscle. However, there are types of pain where touching it will send you through the roof. As an acupuncturist, the quality and circumstances of your pain matter, and it tells me a lot about how best to treat it.

-Pain can show up far away from it’s source. For example, many people who come in with symptoms of sciatica have a piriformis muscle injury in their butt. The muscle is pressing on the sciatic nerve, causing pain to occur down the side or back of their leg, sometimes all the way into the foot. When this happens it’s called referred pain, and our job is to treat this referred pain at its source.

-The longer you’ve had the pain, the harder it is to treat. Your body likes habits, and it’s no different with pain. The pain symptoms you’ve had for years are treatable, but it’s a little more of a challenge because your body is “stuck” in a pattern of pain.

-The better your overall health, the better able you are to heal. Children seem to heal before your very eyes, mostly because they’re young and usually pretty healthy. Likewise, adults who are healthy in general respond better to acupuncture and tend to heal faster. As you get older or if you’ve had health problems, it can take a little longer to find relief from acupuncture.

-There are physiological reasons behind acupuncture’s effectiveness in treating pain. Researchers have found that acupuncture alters your brain chemistry–in a good way. It increases the circulation of your body’s natural pain-killing opioid and endorphins. Acupuncture also blocks the circulation of a chemical called adenisone which transmits pain signals to your brain. Locally, at the site where an acupuncture needle is inserted, the concentration of white blood cells is increased, which helps to clear out the inflammatory process in that area. That’s why if your elbow is hurting, your acupuncturist is likely to place a needle near the point of pain.

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Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for Eye Tics

I had a woman* in my clinic recently who had a bad case of chronic eye twitches. Not that anyone could see them, but they were driving her nuts. In most cases eye twitches, or tics, are fairly short lived, lasting less than a day (and often only for seconds), but this woman had been twitching in one eye or the other for over a month. She said that her face had become almost hyper sensitive, and any frown, sneeze, or nose-blowing set off a new round of tics.

In Chinese medicine, eye tics are considered to be a pathogen (something that makes you sick) called wind. Many of the concepts of Chinese medicine are based on the natural world, and what makes you sick is no exception.  Pathogens are a little bit like bad weather in your body.  When you have a fever or inflammation, you have heat; when your arthritis flares up during the cold weather, you have a cold pathogen; and when you retain lots of water, you have dampness. (This is a very simplified explanation.)

Acupuncture for eye ticsWind is considered movement where there should be stillness, and as a pathogen, wind is dry, light and active.  It tends to be Yang in nature in that it’s slightly warm, and it generally moves upward and outward. In most cases, the symptoms of wind affect the upper part of your body, such as the eye tics this woman was experiencing.

There are actually two kinds of wind—internal and external.  External wind is the pathogen behind conditions such as colds, flu, allergies, and viral infections. However, it’s internal wind that’s the problem with tics and dizziness. Internal wind tends to affect your body on a deeper level.  It’s frequently associated with a malfunction of your Liver system to control the smooth flow of energy in your body, and can cause symptoms associated with movement—vertigo, tremors, twitches, and seizures.  Wind is usually the culprit behind illnesses such as Meniere’s and Parkinson’s.

While frequently related to a Liver system malfunction, internal wind can also be caused by systemic dryness or malnourishment.  Much like a dry tree, the brittle leaves at the top rattle in the wind.

Internal wind conditions are most frequently caused by a depletion, or a weakness of some kind in your body. As a result, treating it entails building up the depleted substance(s), such as Yin, Blood, or Qi (energy), which would ideally relieve the symptoms of wind.  In some cases, extreme emotions such as anger or severe stress can also bring on wind-type symptoms. Treating the symptoms associated with wind is done through the use of some combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, choosing the right foods, and getting adequate rest.

In the case of the woman in my clinic with the eye tics, she was definitely depleted and had some symptoms of dryness, including a dry itchy skin and dry pellety stools. This led me to believe that she was depleted in Yin, which is a nourishing, moistening, and cooling substance in the body. This dryness was the primary cause of her symptoms, so I added into her treatment plan an herbal formula for depleted Yin, and after a few days of taking the herbs, the tics were gone.

 

*Names and identifying details have been changed.

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Tips for Fighting Off the Common Cold

It’s going around right now; most people just call it the crud. It’s a particularly contagious upper respiratory infection–or maybe it’s the flu. Either way, it starts with a really sore throat, then your nose starts running like a faucet, and finally this alien being settles in your chest for about three weeks causing a loud, loopy cough that could wake the dead.

Nobody wants to get this thing, but can you fight it off? Possibly. I believe that there is a day or so, when you feel like you’re on Chinese medicine for the common coldthe verge of getting sick, and what you do during that time can make or break what happens next. Unfortunately, once this thing sets in, you just have to have it, sore throat, faucet nose, loopy cough and all. So what can you do during that day or so that you may or may not be getting sick?

First, a little background on immunity from the viewpoint of Chinese medicine. The Chinese believe that you are surrounded by something akin to a protective bubble that keeps pathogens away. Pathogens can take the form of viruses, bacteria, pollen, and in some cases, really annoying people or situations (seriously–these can make you sick, too).

Your protective bubble is a kind of body energy called Wei Qi. Your energy performs a number of functions. For example, it’s what keeps you warm, moves your muscles, and transforms your food into nutrients and more energy. It also protects you from outside invaders in the form of immunity. Keeping your energy strong is a good way to keep your immunity strong. So, again, what can you do to keep from catching the crud? Some tips:

-Lay low. Conserve your energy so you have enough to fight off that cold. Take a nap, postpone your workout for a couple of days, and don’t work too hard.

-Get enough sleep. For me, this is a key strategy in avoiding colds and flu. You heal while you sleep, so when I feel like I’m about to get something, I get some serious sleep in the form of a couple of nine-hour nights. I go to bed a little earlier and sleep in a little later.

-I start taking some Chinese herbs. My personal favorite and in my opinion, the most effective, is a formula that contains isatis root (Ban Lan Gen), which has anti viral, anti microbial properties and is good for a sore throat. This is a popular formula that is commonly used throughout China. It comes in granules that you dissolve into hot water and drink like tea. Look for it at your nearest Asian grocery store or Chinese medicine provider.

-Get some zinc, either in the form of ColdEeze lozenges, gel, or nasal spray, or as a mineral supplement. As a supplement, you can take 25 mg two or three times a day. Scientists believe that zinc works because it prevents the formation of the proteins a cold or a virus needs to replicate itself. Be sure to take your zinc with food, as it has the potential to upset an empty stomach.

-Stay warm. This is an energetic thing. If you’re using your energy to stay warm, you don’t have it to keep your protective immunity bubble strong. Bundle up, sit by the fire, and don’t get chilled.

I find that with a little proactive care, there are times when you can fight off that nasty cold before it sets in. Take it easy, take some zinc, drink some herbs, and stay warm.

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Seven Tips for Better Sleep

If you struggle with sleeplessness, you’re not alone. Most people have insomnia of one kind or another at some point in their lives. The inability to sleep may take the form of a racing mind when you first go to bed, early waking, restless sleep, or being awake the entire night.

How insomnia is treated in Chinese medicine is generally different than in Western medicine. If you go to your Western medical doctor complaining of sleeplessness, you will likely be prescribed some kind of prescription sleep aid. In Chinese medicine, the Acupuncture for sleeplessnessfirst order of business is to determine why you’re not sleeping. Your treatment will focus on the cause of your insomnia, and in treating the cause, your insomnia should be resolved for good. The down side of Chinese medicine is that in some instances, treating a sleepless habit that has gone on for many years can take a long time to resolve. For more on the some of the underlying causes of insomnia, go here.

In the meantime, here are some tips, most of them based on Chinese theory, to help you get a better night’s sleep:

-Turn down the thermostat. Too much internal body heat can cause you to wake hot and sleep restlessly. A hot room or too many blankets only aggravates this condition. In addition, nighttime is meant to be a cool and quiet time of the day, so a cool bedroom is conducive to better sleep.

-Don’t go to bed full. Eating too close to bedtime is a recipe for sleeplessness in the form of heartburn, rumbling, bloating, and general discomfort. Your body is trying to digest while you’re trying to sleep–it has a hard time doing both.

-Avoid caffeine. This may seem like a no-brainer later in the day, but a few strong cups of coffee earlier in the day can also play a role in disrupting your sleep/wake cycle.

-Check out your medications. Many prescription drugs can mess with your sleep, including antihistamines, blood pressure medications, asthma medications, and diuretics, to name a few.

-Get some exercise. Just not right before bed. If stress, strong emotions, or a racing mind is keeping you awake, a vigorous workout earlier in the day will help you sleep better. If you wake during the wee hours and can’t get back to sleep, gentler exercise during the day (like walking, Yoga, Qi Gong) is a better option for you.

-Use light to your advantage. To help your body release the specific hormones that help regulate your sleep, try to get at least a half hour of direct sunlight each day and keep the room where you sleep as dark as possible. If you’re unable to get outside for a half hour each day (or if you live in the hinterlands of Minnesota) you can also get your light fix by using a full-spectrum light box.

-Get ready to sleep. Winding down in the evening is an important part of getting to sleep. Turn off your computer an hour or two before bed–the screen gives off as much light as a light box and can derail the sleep process. Also, slow down, read, and relax to signal to your body that it’s time to sleep.

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Chinese Medicine and Why You Don’t Sleep

Over the years at Acupuncture in the Park, we’ve found that it’s the rare person who sleeps really well; that person who drifts off easily, stays asleep all night long, and wakes refreshed in the morning ready to take on the day. Why is that?

As kids, sleep seemed pretty simple–you were tired at night, went to bed, and the next thing you knew it was morning. However, as you get older, getting an uninterrupted night of sleep isn’t always a given. Unfortunately, in Western medicine, insomnia tends to be treated in a similar way for every sufferer, which usually means a prescription sleep aid.

Chinese medicine for sleeplessnessIn Chinese medicine, however, sleeplessness is treated very individually, and can have a variety of causes. Among them:

-Too much internal heat. If you tend to run warm during the daytime, are thirsty for cool drinks, have lots of inflammation, and/or feel impatient and irritable, your internal engine may be running warm. At night, this heat can cause you to feel hot and sleep restlessly.

-Poor digestion. Eating too late in the evening, overeating, or eating spicy, rich, or greasy foods may keep your digestion running far into the night. In Chinese medicine, this is called food stagnation, and may present as heartburn or lots of stomach rumbling and gurgling at night, making it hard for you to sleep.

-Stress and strong emotions. It’s not a revelation to anyone that stress can interrupt your sleep. Generally, this kind of insomnia presents as an inability to get to sleep when you first go to bed and a racing mind.

-Hormones. Two of the most common complaints from women going through menopause are interrupted sleep and night sweats. In Chinese medicine, this kind of sleeplessness is caused by something called a depletion of Yin, a nourishing and cooling substance in your body. Estrogen is considered to be very Yin in nature, and when levels drop in menopause, it causes some women to wake repeatedly feeling hot and drenched in sweat.

-Depletion. It is possible to be just too wiped out to sleep. This happens most frequently to people who are chronically exhausted, have had a recent surgery or blood loss, or who suffer from adrenal fatigue or a chronic illness. When your insomnia is caused by a true depletion, you may be able to fall asleep, but wake in the early hours and either struggle to get back to sleep, or drift in and out for the rest of the night. This kind of insomnia can also affect people who are just plain tired out.

In Chinese medicine, the cause of your insomnia is an important factor in treating it effectively. There is no one blanket solution; only the right treatment for you. Treatment of insomnia with Chinese medicine is specific to your underlying cause, and would likely incorporate acupuncture treatments with Chinese herbs, some lifestyle tweaks, and dietary therapy.

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Acupuncture and Lung Health

Lately, we’ve been seeing a number of patients here at Acupuncture in the Park who have been struggling with lung issues. Beyond seeing lots of patients with seasonal allergies this hay fever season, we’ve also seen people suffering from pneumonia, pleurisy, and even pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs). While acupuncture shouldn’t be considered the first line of care for these serious conditions, it can be a helpful adjunct in the healing process.

Healing Your Lungs with Chinese MedicineYour lungs are an interesting organ system in Chinese medicine in that they are considered the most exterior of your internal organs. Think about it–with each and every breath, your lungs come into contact with the outside world. In addition, any part of your body that has anything to do with breathing is considered to be part of your lung system. This includes your nose, sinuses, bronchi, and diaphragm.

When you seek out acupuncture for a lung problem, your practitioner has a number of things to consider in their diagnosis before they can begin treating you. Among them:

Is this an external or internal problem? External conditions that affect your lungs tend to be superficial and short-lived, including colds, flu, and seasonal allergies. Internal problems affect your lungs at a deeper level and tend to be more difficult to resolve. Such conditions would include pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, emphysema, asthma, and pleurisy.

It this a warm or cold condition? A warm (or hot) lung condition is usually accompanied by a fever, feeling warm, thirst, and thick yellow mucous (I know, gross!), and sometimes constipation. A cool condition generally is not accompanied by a fever, and the mucous, if any, is thin and clear.

Are the symptoms caused by some kind of excess or a depletion? An excess condition is associated with too much of something–heat, water, phlegm, etc., and can be especially challenging if it’s clogging up your lungs. Another sign of an excess condition is a loud, barking cough. A depleted lung pattern means that you’re run down, short of breath, wiped out, or have low immunity–essentially your energy is low. In this case, your cough may be quiet, unproductive, or non-existent.

Is this a Yin condition or a Yang condition? This one is a little more complicated. In your body, Yin is cool, moist and replenishing. In contrast, Yang is warm, dry, and active. In general, a Yin lung pattern is cool and moist (um… phlegmmy) and a Yang pattern is warm and dry. What if it’s warm with lots of phlegm? Then the pattern would be a little of both.

If you come to a practitioner of Chinese medicine, after determining the nature of your lung pattern, they would work with you using acupuncture, herbs, dietary guidelines, and even lifestyle tweaks to help you resolve your condition. And while most of us don’t think about our lungs until we have symptoms, there are actually some things you can do to ensure that your lungs stay healthy. Among them:

-The most obvious way to strengthen your lungs is to use them. That’s right, breathe. Whether through the intentional breathing of a Yoga class, or through singing, public speaking, or simply exercising briskly, activities that open your diaphragm and cause you to breathe harder are good for your lungs.

-Good posture is key to lung health. Stand or sit up tall to enable your lungs to pull in the air it needs that’s so vital to your well-being and to life itself.

-Foods that are good for your lungs are also foods that build up your Qi (energy). Light proteins, such as fish, chicken, or tofu are helpful. White is the color associated with your lung organ system, so foods such as white root vegetables and mushrooms are also good for your lungs. Pungent flavors open up your lungs, so mildly spicy foods such as scallions, basil, ginger, and other strongly flavored herbs can be nourishing.

-If you tend towards dryness in your lungs, white fruits such as apples and pears are cool and moistening. In contrast, if you tend to have problems with phlegm, avoid foods that make it worse, such as dairy products, rich or greasy foods, and foods that have been overly processed.

-Get and use a Neti pot, especially if you suffer from seasonal allergies. It’s a great way to cleanse your sinuses and wash out any offending pollen. You can find Neti pots at just about any drug store, and include directions for use. Remember, your nose and sinuses are considered part of your lung organ system, and keeping them healthy is the same as keeping your lungs healthy.

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Six Steps to Kidney Health Using Chinese Medicine

Your Chinese Kidneys are considered to be one of the most important organs in your body. They are the organ system of growth, maturation, sexuality, fertility, and aging. Like a seed which holds the potential of an entire plant, your Kidneys hold the genetic blueprint of who you are and how healthy and strong you will be.

Your Kidneys (or Kidney, in Chinese medicine) are the source of Yin and Yang in your body. When the fire of Yang is burning low or Yin is not nourishing your body, your Kidney must always be addressed. Your Kidney also houses a substance called Essence, which is similar to DNA.

The Kidney is considered the most deep-seated of all your internal organs, and for good reason. It’s the root of all substances in your body and is responsible for providing the tools you require to fulfill your deepest needs: survival and reproduction. Your Kidney acts a bit like the Energizer Bunny as the home of your deep reserves, but as such it’s also the organ that is most damaged by stress.

Your Kidney is physically located in the lower back, so when it becomes weak one of the most common symptoms is low back pain. Also, sore or weak knees or ankles can be associated with a Kidney weakness.

Chinese medicine and kidney healthYour body’s bones and marrow are governed by your Kidney. Weak bones and bone diseases such as osteoporosis are related to weak Kidneys. The function of your Kidney is also connected to your ears and sense of hearing. When there is an imbalance or weakness in your Kidney system, a common symptom is tinnitus, or ringing in your ears. If you’re losing your hair or it’s going gray prematurely, you can also blame your Kidney, as it governs the hair on your head.

Your Kidney and Kidney Essence determine how well you will age. Gray hair, weak bones, loss of hearing, loss of skin elasticity, tooth problems, and many other signs of aging are related to the Kidney. If you are interested in aging as well as possible, your Kidney is the most important organ system to safeguard.

The element in nature associated with the Kidney is water, which is appropriate and symbolic in that water is the source of all life. The organ paired with the Kidney is the Urinary Bladder, and together both organs govern water metabolism in the body. If you think of Kidney Yang as a pilot light that warms the body and its fluids, then Kidney Yin is a bit like coolant, which nourishes the body and keeps the heat of Yang in check.

Sexuality and creativity are emotional components of the Kidney system. As the organ that governs survival through reproduction, the Kidney system is responsible for libido and sexual attraction. The Kidney is also the source of artistic creation. In addition, the emotions associated with this deepest organ are fear and fright. Fear has the ability to shake you to your core, and chronic fright translates into something very much like unrelenting stress, which is extremely damaging to the Kidney. In Western medicine, your adrenal glands pump out adrenaline (stress hormones) and are located right next to your Kidneys.

Signs and symptoms that your Kidney is depleted include a sore or weak low back, knees, or ankles; bone or tooth problems; dark circles under your eyes; hearing problems; and premature graying or thinning of your hair. Thyroid problems or extreme reactions to the climate—feeling really cold or having lots of hot flashes—are also indications that your Kidney is out of balance. Edema, kidney stones, and getting up several times each night to urinate suggest a problem with the water metabolism function of the Kidney and Urinary Bladder. Also, issues with fertility, libido, or the menstrual cycle generally are Kidney problems.

If you feel that your Kidney system needs some nourishing, here are five ways to help strengthen it:

1) Remember, your Kidney is the organ most damaged by stress, so one of the best ways to nourish it is to get your stress under control. Whatever you choose, whether it’s Yoga, Tai Qi, meditation, or fishing, any stress relief measures will benefit your Kidney.

2) Finding the right balance between activity and rest will help improve the health of your Kidney.  Aim for a balance of Yang activities which are challenging, exciting, and stimulating with some Yin activities that incorporate rest, rejuvenation, and contemplation.

3) Beyond handling stress, resolving any situations in your life that are making you fearful will only serve to enhance Kidney health. If you tend to be fearful with no obvious threat, you may want to try some things that stretch you beyond your comfort zone.

4) The physical realm of your Kidney is your lower back and knees. Stretching and exercises to strengthen your lumbar area and leg muscles are helpful in supporting your Kidney. You can also stimulate your Kidney by patting or massaging your lower back area.

5) Foods that are particularly nourishing to your Kidney include those that are very dark (even black!) in color. These would include dark fruits and vegetables, and foods like black beans, black sesame seeds, and black walnuts. The water element comes into play when choosing foods for your Kidney, too. Foods from the sea, such as fish, shellfish, seaweed, kelp, and sushi are all excellent Kidney tonics.

6) Your acupuncturist has a number of tools to help you strengthen your Kidney organ system.  They can combine acupuncture with an herbal formula specifically designed to nourish your Kidneys.  In addition, they can help you develop a lifestyle and meal plan that will not only protect your Kidney system, but help to boost your overall health.

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Six Reasons You Need Acupuncture Maintenance

 You do it with your dentist, car mechanic, and doctor.  Pet owners do it for their animal companions.  And around the house, many people do it for their furnace, roof, and even their pool.  You should be doing it with your acupuncturist, too.  What is it?  Regular maintenance visits.

Why should you be having regular health maintenance visits for acupuncture?  Once your symptoms are gone, aren’t you good to go?  Well, yes and no.  Yes, once your symptoms have gotten better, you’re in good shape for now, but there are a number of benefits to having a couple of  acupuncture maintenance sessions each year.

1) Prevention. Your acupuncturist can see any problems you may be having before they become serious and cause you symptoms.  Maybe you’re not sleeping very well lately, seem to have a little less energy, or feel like you’re running hot.  While this may not seem like much to you, in Chinese medicine, these are signs that your Six benefits of acupuncture for health maintenancebody is beginning to get out of balance.  The solution:  a session or two of acupuncture as a preventative tune-up, which should head off any major problems that might have otherwise been brewing.

2) Maintenance treatments are a way to be proactive.  This is a little different than prevention, in that you’re trying to head off a known health problem.  For example, if you know that you suffer from spring allergies, a couple of sessions in February or March can help you get through allergy season symptom-free or with greatly reduced symptoms.

3) Improved energy.  At Acupuncture in the Park, we have found that after a few maintenance sessions, many of our patients report having improved energy and the ability to do the things they have been putting off lately due to fatigue. 

4) Strengthened immunity.  If you seem to be catching every cold, flu, or stomach virus going around, it’s time for an acupuncture boost.  A few acupuncture treatments can be aimed at beefing up your protective energy to stay healthier, especially during the winter months.

5) Keep your body systems moving.  Acupuncture is all about movement and smooth flow.  Whether it’s your digestive system, menstrual cycle, emotions, or achy muscles and joints, a couple of sessions can keep things moving nicely.

6) Stress relief.  I’ve been saving the best for last.  Many people are surprised at how relaxing acupuncture is, and the relaxing effects can last days and even weeks after a treatment.  If your loved ones are beginning to describe you as irritable or overwhelmed, …um, it’s time for some acupuncture.

How many sessions do you need and how often?  Generally, booking a couple of sessions every six months is recommended.  However, everyone is different in their needs.  Some patients come in for one treatment every six months, and they’re good to go.  Other patients wait longer, but come in for a series of two or three health maintenance treatments.  If you wait until symptoms become unmanageable, it usually will take a few more sessions to get things under control.

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Our Eleven Best Health Tips

It seems like every day we are asked by our acupuncture patients what they can do to improve their health. Of course, the answer varies depending on the circumstances and health of the person asking. What we have found over the years at Acupuncture in the Park, however, is that there are a few changes that you can make to create a solid foundation for your health.  These simple changes can help you feel better, have more energy, and protect you from future illness. Here is our list:

1) Eat at home. This also means learning to cook, if you don’t do so regularly. You don’t have to be Julia Child or Wolfgang Puck, but trying one new recipe a week would be great. By eating at home, you are better able to control your weight, eat nutritiously, and spend valuable time with your family.

Acupuncture in Minneapolis health tips2) Eat food. Many of the items you see in the grocery store are processed with chemicals and ingredients that are not considered to be food in any way, shape, or form. When you’re shopping, ask yourself two questions: Would my grandma have eaten this? and Would I have any of these individual ingredients in my pantry? I’m guessing your Granny wouldn’t have cooked with BHT, sodium nitrite, or potassium bromate, nor would you have some sitting in your cupboard.

3) Eliminate sugar from your diet.  The average American eats about 150 pounds of sugar each year.  Unfortunately, sugar in the form of sweeteners and refined carbohydrates is the culprit behind many major diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. In addition, over consumption of sugar can speed up the aging process, decrease your immunity, rob the minerals from your bones, and is responsible for the epidemic of obesity in this country.

4) Eat good (unprocessed) fats. When you press olives, you get olive oil. When you churn cream, it becomes butter. If you squeeze corn, you don’t get corn oil. Oils such as corn, safflower, soy, and rapeseed (used to make canola) are heated to very high temperatures in the manufacturing process, which makes them rancid (you don’t notice it, because they’re deodorized, too). These polyunsaturated oils directly contribute to the accumulation of plaque in your arteries. Choose unprocessed oils and fats, such as olive oil, coconut oil, and butter.

5) Eat breakfast. It balances your blood sugar and eliminates food cravings (Translation: you won’t need that mid-morning Crispy Creme donut.)

6) Eat a little protein at every meal. For the same reason as above; protein levels out your blood sugar and helps with cravings. Also, protein makes a great snack!

7) Get enough sleep. Sack time is restorative; you heal and rejuvenate while you sleep. Lack of adequate sleep is associated with a whole host of health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and weight gain. In addition, not getting enough shuteye increases your risk for accidents, kills your sex drive, and ages your skin. How much is enough? Everyone is different, but most experts will tell you to aim for eight hours a night.

8) Exercise efficiently. Yes, walking the dog is better than nothing, but if you’re going to spend the time to exercise, do what it takes to get the most benefit. You don’t need to spend an hour on the treadmill. You’re better off mixing in some short, intense bursts of speed into a shorter cardio workout and by adding some weight training into your routine. By doing so, you can get better results in less time; you’ll burn more body fat, slow the aging process, strengthen your bones, and burn more calories at rest.

9) Deal with your stress. Stress is the root cause of 85 percent of hospital admissions, according to the American Medical Association. Stress can come from anywhere, but usually relationships, money, health, or work is the source of most peoples’ stress. It’s imperative that you deal with your stress–through meditation, counseling, acupuncture, Yoga, paying off your debt, turning off the news, or learning how not to over think–or whatever else works for you.

10) Do something you love. It’s amazing how many people I see who work hard all week, run errands on the weekend, and spend very little time for themselves. The balance between time for yourself and time for others is every bit as important as the work/rest balance or eating a balanced diet. Spending time doing something you love is not only the key to happiness, but it’s important to your health.

11)  Develop a relationship with the natural world—this is the foundation of Chinese medicine.  Eat foods that are local and in season now.  Go outside and play, spend time in a garden, grow a few of your own vegetables, take a walk in the forest.  Researchers inJapanhave found that just walking in the woods improves your health and lowers your stress.

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