CONNECT WITH US!
Friday, June 10th is National Herb and Spice Day, a day to celebrate the diversity of flavors available to us through the powerful plant parts that have come to be known as herbs and spices. While this tradition is relatively recent in origin (first celebrated in 1999), the wonder of herbs and spices has been recognized throughout history, and not just for their culinary contributions. Former Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne (742-814 AD) had 74 different herbs growing in his garden and was quoted as saying:
“Herbs are the friends of physicians and the praise of cooks”
In Europe, by the middle ages, herbs and spices were commonly used in both cooking and medicine. As far back as around 2700 BC in Ancient China, however, a historical work known as The Classic Herbal mentioned more than a hundred medicinal plants, including cinnamon. It has been said that advisors to the royal court in China during the 3rd century BC carried cloves in their mouths so their breath was fresh when they addressed the emperors. In the 5th Century AD, according to Chinese records, ginger was carried on long sea journeys to prevent scurvy, as well as to delight the taste buds. [1]
Any student or practitioner of Chinese Medicine knows that Chinese food therapy (which includes many applications of medicinal herbs) was well documented in The Yellow Emperor’s Classic dating back to the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD).
So, if your medicine cabinet is looking a little bare, spice it up! If you’ve got some of these common seasonings in your kitchen, you’ve actually got a pretty well-stocked medicine cabinet!
Cinnamon: One of the most ancient spices still in use, the bark (Rou Gui) of the Cassia tree benefits circulation, and warms the body to expel cold and alleviate pain. Cinnamon is known to help support the body’s yang energy to stop diarrhea and even help with wound healing.
Ginger: Probably the most common seasoning in Chinese cooking, this root is used both fresh and dried. You may have the dried version in your cabinet as a powder. Dried ginger (Gan Jiang) is warming, aids in digestion, and boosts the qi for alleviating feelings of cold and fatigue.
Turmeric: Turmeric (Jiang Huang) is a root from a flowering plant related to ginger. It strongly moves the blood to unblock stasis, helping to ease arthritic, menstrual, and chest pain and to support liver health.
Clove: The penetrating aroma of clove (Ding Xiang) comes from the flower buds of a tree and when taken internally imparts strong warming energy that boosts yang qi in the body. They can help with hiccups, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Pepper: If you can’t find any of the other spices mentioned, you probably at least have this one on hand. Peppercorn (hu jiao) is the fruit of a flowering vine that warms the core of the body, descends rebellious qi, and dissipates phlegm to help with abdominal pain, vomiting, congestion, and epilepsy.
Mint: While many of these spices are considered warming. Mint leaves (bo he) is actually very strong in their ability to cool the body while promoting sweat and can ease symptoms of cold and flu, and help with headaches and menstrual cramps.
Garlic: In addition to scaring away vampires, this plant bulb (Da Suan) that is technically considered a vegetable (like an onion), is warm and dispersing. It is known for its ability to kill parasites, relieve toxicity in treating food poisoning, and can help clean the blood and reduce clotting.
Thyme: Much more than a delicious pizza topping, this herb was used by ancient Greeks and Romans as a way to stimulate courage. The Chinese use these shrub leaves (Bai Li Xiang) to tonify qi and warm the lungs. It has been used to treat cough and shortness of breath, and to strengthen immunity and digestion.
It’s good to know you’ve got some health resources right in your own spice cabinet, but it’s even better to know you’ve also got your local acupuncturist/herbalist on hand with even more tools to support your well-being. We’re here for you and look forward to seeing you at your next appointment!
[1] https://www.mccormickscienceinstitute.com/resources/history-of-spices
Essential oils can work wonders on the body when combined with massage and other healing modalities. Each essential oil has its own distinctive properties that work on different parts of the body, mind, and spirit. There are many different essential oils that can be incorporated into a self-care session, but there are also a few essential oils recommended to get you the most out of your self-care.
As always with any therapy, it is recommended to receive multiple treatment sessions in order to reap the most rejuvenating and healing effects possible. Check out the five essential oils you should ask for at your next session.
Lavender essential oil is one of the most widely utilized essential oils you can find. Lavender oil promotes good sleep, relaxation, and an increase in healthy energy levels. These properties are what make it such a good essential oil for many things. Lavender oil is also great for reducing stress, ask your therapist if they carry lavender essential oil and increase the benefits of your session.
A perfect essential oil for curing insomnia and anxiety, mandarin essential oil is a go-to because of its calming and therapeutic properties. It gives off a light citrus aroma which proves very pleasing to all of the senses.
This essential oil is every bit as spicy as it is citrusy. Bergamot oil combines spicy and citrusy aromas in order to create versatile effects on the body. This essential oil is great for fighting addictive behaviors, mood disorders, and depression.
This essential oil is cleansing in every sense of the word. Eucalyptus oil can help keep germs away and cure problems you may be experiencing due to sinus infections and allergies. Overall the calming smells eucalyptus oil emits can be very beneficial for your therapy session.
Various therapy sessions directly target both your muscles and nerves. Angelica essential oil is a great way to ensure your muscles are soothed and relaxed during your treatment. If you want to increase the relaxing and soothing effects, make sure to ask for angelica essential oil at your next therapy session.
June is Men’s Health Month, a time to highlight the need for more awareness of men’s health issues. Given that men have shorter life expectancies and poorer overall health when compared to women, it is not just a courtesy hat tip. The reasons for these poorer health outcomes may be a combination of genetic and social influences. Genetically, men are more prone to heart disease than women. In addition, social constructs around masculinity may contribute to the fact that men are much less likely than women to look after their health and see physicians.[1]
According to the CDC, the two most common causes of death for men are heart disease and cancer. [2] June is a time to talk about these looming killers and encourage health screenings that can help promote longer lives for men, but it is also a time to consider the quality of life.
‘Healthy aging’ is a buzz phrase often focused on women, but men also want to retain the energy and strength (and good looks!) of their youth once they’ve got the wisdom to go with it. One of the main threats to the quality of life for aging men is testosterone decline. Testosterone is a hormone that maintains sex drive, sperm production, body hair, muscle, and bone. While not as dramatic as women’s plunging hormones in menopause, all men go through a period of many years known as andropause, marked by a gradual decline in testosterone. Generally, this plays out as about a 1% decrease a year after the age of 40. [3] For many men, this is a normal transition that comes without noticeable symptoms. And many continue to have testosterone levels within normal ranges. But for some men, there are accompanying symptoms or further decline in levels that drop them below the normal range. About 10-25% of men experience what has been called: “Aging Male Syndrome” and this can be a serious threat to their quality of life.[4] The struggle can include weight gain, insomnia, decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, sweats, and hot flashes, trouble concentrating, irritability, depression, increased urination, and bone, hair, and muscle loss.
The western approach to this problem, in addition to encouraging a healthy lifestyle and regular health screenings, offers drug therapy in the form of hormone replacement for men with severe symptoms. Testosterone therapy has shown some benefits for some, but for others, these benefits are not always clear. And the risks are concerning, as hormone therapy can stimulate the growth of metastatic prostate or breast cancer. It may also increase the formation of clots and the risk of heart attack or stroke. [5]
When Chinese Medicine talks about aging, the focus is on the kidneys. Kidney energy (qi) and essence govern the life cycles of human development. Testosterone, in general, is thought of as a manifestation of Kidney Yang (the hot, active aspect of kidney qi) As this declines, it is associated with low back pain, cold limbs, lower libido, paling complexion, and weakness.
The TCM approach is therefore to boost kidney yang. This is mainly done through acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbs. One herb used to boost the kidney yang is called: yin yang huo, commonly known as horny goat weed. This and other individual herbs are known for strengthening kidney yang, but it is more likely that your practitioner will prescribe a multi-herb formula to address the issue from a few angles. Depending on the individual pattern, Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan is a formula that may be prescribed to supplement yang and warm the kidneys, while restoring balance in the system.
Even without herbs, getting in for regular treatment proves very beneficial for men looking to maintain healthy testosterone levels. An eight-week protocol of electro-acupuncture and moxibustion given to aging men at acupuncture points UB23 and DU 4 (known for tonifying the kidney yang energy), significantly increased total and free testosterone [6]. The best part? This acupuncture-induced hormone boost comes without unwanted side effects.
Acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbs are some of the best “healthy aging” tools available for both men and women! Improve your quantity and quality of life by calling to schedule your next appointment today!
[1] https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/06/men-die
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/lcod/men/2016/all-races-origins/index.htm
[3] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/male-menopause/art-20048056
[4] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/male-menopause/art-20048056
[5] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/sexual-health/in-depth/testosterone-therapy/art-20045728
[6] https://www.attiliodalberto.com/fertility/research/male/acupuncture-and-moxibustion-increase-testosterone-levels.php
Heart health is extremely important. Without a healthy heart, the body does not function properly. The same can be said for a healthy state of mind. This is where Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can be extremely beneficial. TCM, a medical system that dates back nearly 3,000 years, uses multiple modalities to treat illnesses and conditions of the mind and body.
When the heart is strong, circulation will be sufficient, the body will be well-nourished, and the pulse will reflect that by being full and regular. Both TCM and conventional medicine agree a weak heart can manifest as palpitations, chest pain, and even heart disease or a heart attack. Where the two medical systems diverge is this: Traditional Chinese Medicine also acknowledges that the heart “houses the mind.”
In TCM, the heart and the mind are virtually inseparable. The heart governs the ability to think clearly and sleep soundly. Our emotional state is strongly influenced by how healthy or unhealthy our hearts may be. A weak and deficient heart may create feelings of anxiety and mania, while also contributing to insomnia, forgetfulness, and lack of concentration. And conversely, a weak mind or uncontrolled emotions can lead to a sick heart.
Heart health can be reflected in the facial complexion also. A nice rosy complexion indicates a strong, healthy heart, while a pale or sallow complexion is indicative of a deficient, weak heart. If the heart blood becomes stagnant, the complexion may have a purplish tint. When the complexion is reddish, this may indicate heart heat. This is one of the diagnostic tools that TCM practitioners use to determine the disease pattern of their patients.
Looking at some of the different modalities incorporated into TCM, there are many ways a person can manage their heart health. Here are some ways that TCM can help.
Acupuncture for Heart Health: Inserting hair-thin, solid, filiform needles into acupressure points along the body can help tremendously to keep your heart healthy. Acupuncture has been shown to lower blood pressure, calm the mind, relieve stress, and decrease any pain that might be occurring. Acupuncture also stimulates blood flow, making circulation more effective.
Acupuncture Points for Heart Health:
Chinese Herbs and Formulas for Heart Health: Another important component of TCM is the use of herbs and herbal formulas. Many times, the herbs can be used alone, but there will be a more synergistic effect when single herbs are combined to make a formula. One such herb is San Qi. San Qi invigorates the blood, removing blockages, and it is also known to lower blood pressure. One of the most popular herbal formulas is Suan Zao Ren Tang. This formula nourishes the blood, calms the spirit, and clears heat, which are all symptoms that can be associated with an imbalanced heart.
Dietary Recommendations for Heart Health: Nutrition can also be very important in keeping the heart-healthy. Berries are loaded with antioxidants that can reduce the risk of heart disease. Chia seeds and flax seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids that can help lower blood pressure. Other foods like asparagus, nuts, dark chocolate, beans, and green tea can also help to maintain a healthy heart.
If you want to help your heart be healthier, call us today and schedule an appointment. If you are experiencing any chest pains or stroke symptoms, it is best to go to urgent care first, just to make sure there is no serious damage.
Nearly 30% of American adults struggle with chronic insomnia, and that percentage increases with age. [1] Standard treatment includes sleeping pills and cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy shows a lot of promise as an effective treatment and sleeping pills, though presenting some risks, can be helpful in the short term. It is a condition, however, according to standard approaches, that can be treated, but unfortunately, not cured. And while many Americans don’t meet the criteria of a ‘chronic insomnia’ label, anyone who lacks proper sleep on a regular basis will eventually suffer physical, mental, and emotional health consequences. Besides the obvious fatigue that comes along with many types of insomnia, there can be accompanying effects such as headaches, dizziness, sore muscles, and mood issues. One large study found that those with insomnia were five times more likely to suffer from depression than those who got adequate sleep.[2] This is in addition to other associated effects on brain health, cardiovascular health, immunity, and weight.
Acupuncturists typically always ask about the quantity and quality of sleep no matter the initial complaint or reason for seeking treatment. This is because as holistic health practitioners, we recognize the enormous impact sleep has on the overall health experience. If there are any deficits when it comes to sleep, this will usually be part of the focus of treatment. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), nighttime is yin time, a time for rest, healing, and recovery. It needs to be in balance with yang time (daytime) activity levels. This harmony of yin and yang is central to the TCM understanding of health.
Acupuncture takes an individualized approach to insomnia, as everyone is different, and there can be many reasons why someone is out of balance. In addition to external factors such as trauma or stress, a person’s internal environment will be looked at. A pattern assessment is done to evaluate both the abundance and flow of blood and energy (qi) in the body, excess hot or cold type disorders, and any organ imbalances. But is it effective?
In a review of randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture for insomnia, acupuncture was found superior to medications in its ability to increase sleep duration for >3 hours. Also, acupuncture plus medications showed better effects than medications alone on total sleep duration. And finally, acupuncture plus herbs was significantly better than herbs alone on increase of sleep rates. Worthwhile to note that there were no serious adverse effects of acupuncture observed in any of the trials.[3]
According to Western physiology, acupuncture affects our ability to sleep by triggering the release of our sleep hormone: melatonin, and various other mechanisms still being studied, such as the activation of specific brain pathways involved in sensory processing [4]. Acupuncture is also known to stimulate the vagus nerve, which helps shift the whole body into a more relaxed state. When the body goes into this relaxed state, not only does sleep quality improve, but the body also turns on the immune and repair systems, cutting down oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. [5]
Given the interrelationship of sleep and overall health, if all acupuncture did was improve sleep, it would still merit recognition as a valuable health system. But Acupuncture is prescribed for so much more! Call today to set up a sleep and overall health improving series of treatments and start feeling the benefits right away!
[1] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/sleep-facts-statistics
[2] https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/insomnia-21/slideshow-chronic-insomnia-health-impacts
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156618/
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4265683/
[5] https://www.morningsideacupuncturenyc.com/blog/acupuncture-and-the-vagus-nerve
Back pain is one of the most expensive and exhausting ailments of our time. It’s the 6th most costly condition in the United States, costing Americans at least 50 billion in health care costs each year (let alone the cost of missed work due to disability). [1] It is the third most common reason for a visit to the doctor’s office (behind skin disorders and osteoarthritis joint issues).[2] For Acupuncturists, it is the #1 reason people show up at their door. [3]
So, does it really work? For those that turn to acupuncture, they can rest assured they are increasing their odds of finding relief. Acupuncture has been found to be effective for chronic pain, including low back pain. Not only is acupuncture more clinically effective than no treatment at short-term follow-ups that looked at measures of pain relief and functional improvement [4]acupuncture was found to be substantially better than standard care in a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that included around 20,000 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.[5]
Acupuncture is also safe. In a cumulative review of more than 1 million acupuncture treatments, the risk of a serious adverse event with acupuncture was estimated to be 0.05 per 10,000 treatments and 0.55 per 10,000 individual patients. The most common side effects were minor and included bleeding at the needle site and localized needling pain.[6]
So how does sticking needles at the various points in the body help to alleviate back pain? The explanation according to Acupuncture theory involves the movement of stuck energy (qi) and blood in the body. Points along various energy channels are used to open pathways and redirect ‘traffic’ to promote a healthy flow of qi and blood. Western biomedical research looks at acupuncture’s effects on the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. It has been shown that the stimulation with acupuncture needles produces an analgesic effect through the release of endorphins, dopamine, endogenous cannabinoids (some of the body’s natural painkillers), and anti-inflammatory substances as well as the inhibition of pro-inflammatory factors.[7]
And does it last? The beneficial effects of acupuncture do, in fact. persist beyond the course of treatment. In a meta-analysis of around 18,000 patients with chronic pain, 90% of the pain-relieving effects were maintained at 1 year out. [8]
As far as cost-effectiveness, acupuncture scores again. In one study in Canada, low back pain patients divided into 2 groups (201 patients receiving acupuncture and 804 patients not receiving acupuncture) were evaluated for the number of medical doctor visits required for treatment of their low back pain. The acupuncture patients saw their doctors 49% less after having acupuncture compared with the year prior to having acupuncture. Non-acupuncture patients had a decrease of only 2%. [9] The WHO officially classifies acupuncture as a cost-effective treatment strategy in patients with chronic low back pain, according to their cost-effectiveness threshold values. [10]
Back pain, as many of us have experienced, can be an expensive threat to our quality of life. Depending on the cause and severity of the back pain, acupuncture can be a safe and cost-effective alternative or complementary approach to treatment, providing much-needed relief!
If you are one of the many people suffering from back pain, don’t hesitate to get in for some pain-relieving acupuncture sessions. Call us today to schedule an appointment! The sooner you get in, the sooner you’ll experience the benefits!
[1] https://hpi.georgetown.edu/backpain/
[2] https://handsdownbetter.org/health-and-wellness/back-pain-facts-and-statistics/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2830903/
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4364128/
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6913801/#B12
[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15551936/
[7] https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2019/2326867/
[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6913801/#B14
[9] https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/619-acupunctureceuslowbackpaincalgaryalberta
[10] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24138020/
When acupuncturists treat back pain in Chinese Medicine, we often focus on 2 aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): the Kidney system and the concept of ‘qi (energy) & Blood Stagnation’. The low back is the ‘mansion of the kidneys’ and relies on good stores of kidney qi for proper function while qi & blood stagnation is a major contributor to low back pain. Qi and blood stagnation can be due to external factors such as pathogens or trauma, or internal weakness of qi and blood flow related to diet and lifestyle. Many of the bad habits we develop that can induce back pain are repeated poor choices in our everyday lives that cause qi and blood stagnation and/or tax our kidney system.
Let’s look at some of the common problem areas:
We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping so it makes sense that how we sleep is going to have a huge impact on how we feel in our bodies. A major factor that can make or break our backs is our sleep position. The idea is to keep the spine in alignment by sleeping on your back or using a pillow between your legs. Sleeping on the wrong mattress is another common mistake. Finding the right one can be a challenge as there isn’t one type of mattress that’s best for everyone. The best mattress to keep your spine aligned depends on your body type, hip size, etc., so shop around! The right mattress and sleeping position are crucial in keeping proper qi and blood flow in the body.
Let’s face it, modern-day life has most of us sitting more than ever in history. Whether we are at a computer, commuting, or just sitting for long periods of time, the mechanics of too much sitting can increase muscle stiffness and put pressure on the discs of the spine. Simple standing stretches or short walks to break up these routines can get that qi and blood moving again and prevent further stagnation in the lower back.
Even if we aren’t living a sedentary lifestyle and are standing and moving more, we need to pay attention to our posture. For many of us, slouching is one of the hardest habits to break. It takes constant awareness to reset a hunched position to one with our shoulders back, chest lifted, and our center of gravity stabilized. It’s a worthwhile effort though as it opens our breathing, delivers oxygen to our cells, and allows for a rejuvenating flow of qi and blood.
We’ve all heard the expression: “Lift with the knees, not with the back”, but when in a rush many of us make the near-fatal mistake of bending at the waist to lift a heavy item and end up putting tremendous pressure on the lower spine and back muscles. Remember to pause, get help when needed, or use tools if necessary. Slow down and practice martial artist-like awareness when your body needs to maneuver with strength and stability.
If your feet hurt at the end of the day, you should look at your shoes. Are they really supporting your feet? Do they fit right? You may even want to consider orthopedic shoes depending on your foot shape and how ‘on your feet’ you are from day today. If our feet are not positioned right, it can cause the hip and lower back to become misaligned.
Another reason this is important is that the kidney channel begins at the bottom of the foot and travels up the legs. We need to make sure that energy in that channel is not impeded as it is a direct source of low back support.
Bad nutritional habits that can directly affect our low backs include eating kidney-depleting foods such as overly salted processed snacks and not drinking enough water. Overeating is another bad habit that can tax not just the kidney qi, but all organ systems and affect back muscles by pulling weight forward.
For additional assistance in changing unhealthy behaviors, moving qi and blood stagnation, and supporting your kidneys for back pain relief and better overall health, get in for some re-balancing acupuncture treatments!
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used for thousands of years and it includes different modalities of healing including, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Cupping, Chinese Medicinal Massage (Tui Na), Exercises (including Tai Chi and Qi Gong), and Chinese Nutrition. The basis of TCM is the concept of qi, the body’s vital energy.
TCM treatments promote the movement of qi throughout the body to help bring balance back to the body. The goal of acupuncture is to correct this imbalance which can cause a variety of ailments and conditions that you may currently have.
Acupuncture uses very thin needles (which have been compared to being as small as cat whiskers) that stimulate pressure points and other areas of your body. It stimulates qi by placing needles in specific spots, often along meridians. Meridians are the channels that Qi travels in the body.
Acupuncture can help with many health conditions, including:
Below are the top five ways that acupuncture can help:
Today we have access to more things to help us heal than at any other time in history, one of the first and most important steps to healing is making sure you’re getting enough quality sleep every night for the body to do its internal restorative work. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) yang qi is what keeps our minds and bodies busy during the day and at night it goes internal to help a deeper detox and repair the systems of the body while the yin qi takes over externally to rest our conscious minds and shut down muscle activity. This yin/yang trade-off, when working in balance, is the very foundation of good health according to TCM.
The nature of yin is cool and calm. It’s associated with calm, darkness, and stillness…all the relaxing sensations you get when you’re genuinely resting. A body in a yin state will slow down its heart rate and metabolism. In Biomedicine (Western Medicine), this relates to the parasympathetic nervous system. Its main purpose aligns with yin qi: to keep us calm and conserve energy. While the sympathetic nervous system is what switches on our fight or flight response and is more correlated with Yang qi. Yang is expansive, stimulating, warming, and gets us moving. In general, yang qi is more accessible during the day, while yin qi dominates the nighttime.
Sleep disturbances are one of the main manifestations of too much yang and/ or not enough yin. To correct issues like insomnia we need to look at how we are living in accordance with that natural balance.
1) Ingesting Too Much Yang: Before bed, or in general, spicy food, alcohol, or stimulants can disturb sleep. Spicy food and alcohol causes heat in the system, which creates excess yang in the body. Too much coffee also keeps yang qi stuck at the surface to be available for activity. Even just having a large meal before bed can block the yang energy from going deep in the body at night.
2) Too Much Activity/Excitement: The yang qi is needed deep on the inside of the body at night, don’t hold it hostage with outward energy requirements. Stop exercising at least 90 minutes before bedtime. This allows for endorphin levels and body temperature to return to levels that are conducive to sleep. Try not to argue before bed, or even get too excited. Give yourself time to wind down & transition.
3) You need to Cool Down: Literally. Yin is associated with coolness. To invite your yin qi to come out at night keep the bedroom temperature between 60-67℉.
4) Too Much External Stimulation: Lights, especially blue light from tv’s, phones and computer screens prevent melatonin release in the body, making it harder to fall asleep. If you need to finish work on a computer, wear blue blocker glasses or get a blue light blocking screen cover for your computer. Also, yin time should be quiet time, it’s recommended that all electronics should be turned off about half an hour before bed to help calm the mind before bed.
5) Too Much Stress, Not Enough Rest: We live in a yang-obsessed world. This creates stress as many of us are over-worked and over-stimulated, while not always having time for a healthy self-care practice (meditation, Tai Ch, etc.). This leaves us with a restless mind (‘disturbed shen’ in TCM terms), and can keep us lying in bed exhausted, but unable to sleep. The challenge is to resist the modern-day pressure to keep up and create more self-care time to support a more balanced lifestyle.
6) Feng Shui of the bedroom: A Feng Shui specialist can analyze the yin yang balance in your bedroom. For instance, the bed should be opposite the room’s door, but not directly in line with it (this is called the command position in feng shui). The headboard should be against a solid wall with balanced night tables on each side. It is also important to keep the area under the bed clear, not for storage. Many people find simple feng shui adjustments can have a perceptible effect on things like sleep and wake cycles.
In addition to these considerations for improving sleep, don’t forget the value of relaxing into a healing state on the acupuncture table. Acupuncture is a cost-effective self-care tool and can help reset your yin-yang balance for better sleep and overall health, call us today so we can help you get better sleep!
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Yes, but… there are a few things to consider when relying on our ‘natural propensity towards health’. The most important of which is entropy, the second law of thermodynamics, a disorderly force we must contend with. It runs counter to the organizational efforts of nature, but also works in balance with them, in yet another dynamic expression of yin and yang.
Entropy is played out in living systems as the natural deterioration of the body. As we age past mid-life our body tissues and physiological systems gradually lose their vibrance. Structure and function suffer, as entropy takes over in the process of decay necessary to the cycle of life. So, where we are in the stages of development/decline in life is a big determining factor for the ability to self-heal.
Imbalances have a much better chance of resolving themselves while we are young and more in the yang (growth) phase of our life versus the yin (decline) phase. The severity of disease or injury also dictates the level of counter-entropy efforts needed.
Regardless of age, however, and even the severity of our condition, we can still tap into our innate healing energy under certain conditions. And yes, some of those conditions can be practically effortless, depending on how you look at it.
One condition is: to stop doing the things that are pushing your body into a state of entropy. Don’t keep eating toxic food, don’t keep putting yourself in overly stressful situations (as much as you can control it), in other words: don’t keep banging your head against the wall.
The other condition is that your qi must be strong. In TCM terms, qi (chee) is that natural healing force. It is that spark of life that organizes chaos into form and function. Qi can be supported by even minimal efforts such as adequate sleep, meditation, or simply sitting quietly in a restful but conscious state.
While some of us call it qi, others think of it as the inborn system of self-preservation. Zhigou Wang, a biomedicine researcher from China, breaks down the ways the human body resists entropy into 4 processes[1]: self-organization, self-defense, self-healing, and anti-wear and tear.
Self-organization can be witnessed in the miracle of development, the way a single cell matures into a full-grown organism. Scientists at Tufts University looked at this miracle in the early stages of tadpole development. In doing so they documented a perfect physical representation of the organizing power of qi: patterns of visible bioelectrical signals outlining and directing the development of the embryo.[2]
Self-defense includes our immune system, inflammatory response, endogenous antioxidants, stress response, autophagy, and apoptosis (the destruction and removal of sick cells).
Self-healing includes compensatory mechanisms like the increase in heart rate that occurs to compensate for slow circulation due to heart damage. This is also the category of cell/tissue renewal. Think of a wound healing or a broken bone that seems to magically repair itself over time. When a large number of cells are destroyed, surrounding cells replicate to make new ones. Self-healing also happens on a molecular level with DNA repair. There is a natural editing process at work correcting damaged or mutated DNA. Finally, anti-wear and tear is simply the daily process of upkeep necessary to mend minor internal injuries that arise from continued use of the body’s tissues.
And while these self-preservation mechanisms can help to slow or even reverse the degradation of our living system, there are no guarantees (well, except eventual death).
Effortless repair and renewal do happen, even in seemingly miraculous ways, but every little effort to support this process gives us a better shot at healing and a better chance at enjoying the best quality of life. Acupuncture is one of the best tools for supporting all aspects of this self-preservation system. It has been shown to strengthen immunity and regulate inflammation[3], aid in tissue renewal[4], and even DNA repair[5]. It does this because it supports the driving force of this self-preservation system, that spark of life, that intelligent bio-electrical energy that organizes and directs our growth and healing: or as practitioners of Chinese medicine have called it for millennia: qi.
Yes, it takes effort to call and make an appointment but once you are on the table you can relax and allow your acupuncturist to support your own effortless healing abilities. The gentle placement of needles at various acupuncture points will free up the flow of your own qi-driven self-preservation system.
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809921003866#!
[2] https://now.tufts.edu/news-releases/face-frog-time-lapse-video-reveals-never-seen
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4540978/
[4] https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1939-acupuncture-muscle-regeneration-discovery-2
