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The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system that produces different hormones. The adrenal glands are located above the kidneys and are vital to our life. The hormones that are produced by the adrenal glands are most important during times of stress. Adrenaline and natural steroids such as aldosterone and cortisol are made by the adrenal glands, these hormones help the body by controlling blood sugar, burn fat, react to stressors and help regulate the blood pressure.
In Tradition Chinese Medicine (TCM) we view things differently than our western counter-parts, but the adrenal glands are still an important part of the body. TCM treats the adrenal glands as part of the kidney’s and kidney meridian. This simply means that that the glands are part of the water element. The kidney area is seen as a key role player in determining the quality of our life in TCM. This is due to the kidneys control of Qi (pronounced “Chee”), which in TCM is the body’s life force.
The body is very efficient in self-regulating itself. When the body is depleted of quality sleep or food it will not be able to function and carry out all its functions. This is why people experience eating binges or are fatigue followed by excessive sleep when they are severely stressed. Stress can drain the body of energy, nutritional reserves and Qi over time. If this continues, adrenal fatigue may develop. Adrenal fatigue is a condition where the glands become weak and then don’t produce enough hormones needed for daily life. The symptoms of adrenal fatigue include: low libido, food cravings, general malaise, emotional problems, weight gain, low immunity, difficulty in concentrating and thyroid issues.
TCM offers you a couple of ways to help with weakened adrenal glands. Acupuncture and Moxibustion are able to help with the adrenals.
Regular acupuncture treatments can help strengthen the kidneys. In due time, the adrenals/kidneys will regain some of their Qi, thus allowing the body to fuel and heal itself. Acupuncture is able to help because it helps reduce stress and activates the relaxation part of the nervous system, allowing the heart rate to go down, digestion will improve and you will be able to get a deeper and more fulfilling rest.
Moxibustion is the burning of a dried herb called Mugwart. Mugwart is placed over or waved over specific acupuncture points that are known to tonify or improve the Qi associated with the kidneys/adrenal glands. Between acupuncture and moxibustion it will help bring your body back into balance.
If you or someone you know has adrenal fatigue, call Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City or come in so we can help you get your life back and defend your health.
The National Institute of Health recently published a study on the effectiveness of Acupuncture on Chronic Kidney Disease. The researchers were specifically looking at the effects on renal function, by evaluating the levels of serum creatinine and established glomerular filtration. The study was done with 53 patients who suffered from chronic kidney disease. Each patient received acupuncture plus electroacupuncture once per week for 12 weeks. The study showed that regular acupuncture treatments can lower the creatinine levels and increase the glomerular filtration rates, which ultimately decreases the symptoms of Chronic Kidney disease. This allows the patient to lead a more normal life.
There are an estimated 31 million people suffering from chronic kidney disease, putting it in ninth place for leading causes of death in the United States. When the function of the kidney decreases it can either be acute or chronic. When the kidney is acute the injury can be caused by a sudden drop in blood flow to the kidneys, which can be damaged from medications, infections or a sudden blockage that prevents urine from flowing out of the kidneys. When the kidneys have received chronic damage, which can be caused by an autoimmune disease, genetic disorder or sexually transmitted disease or even chronic Urinary Tract infection. Despite how it was caused, decreased kidney function can be deadly if not detected or left untreated.
Traditional Chinese Medicine offers multiple methods to help battle decreased kidney function. The kidneys function is to filter and purify blood though out the body. When there is inadequate blood flow to the kidneys it can lead to a host of problems. The most common form of TCM used is acupuncture. Acupuncture has been shown to increase blood flow into areas lacking, allowing the transportation of vital nutrients that keep the tissues healthy and functioning properly. Acupuncture can relieve clinical symptoms of kidney disease, such as fatigue, back pain,headaches, nausea and vomiting.
In TCM the kidneys are the source of yin and yang. Yang is fire and yin is water. When yang is weak or yang is not nourished the body, then the kidney function must be addressed. The kidney also house the essence of Jing in TCM. Think of jing similarly to DNA. Since the kidneys are the most deep seated of the internal organs, they are responsible for providing the tools to fulfill the deepest needs, such as survival and reproduction. While the kidneys house the deep reserve that fuels the body, they are also the organs damaged the most by stress. Bones and marrow are governed by the kidneys in TCM. What this means is that even illnesses like osteoporosis can be related to the kidneys and as such, when treating a patient with these ailments, the kidney meridian must always be included in the treatments.
When you get regular treatments it can improve the health of the kidneys greatly. It’s also important to remember to keep stress levels at a minimum. This is where the practice of Tai Chi or Qi Gong comes into play. All of these practices can help to calm the mind and relieve stress. It should also be pointed out to avoid or manage fear, as it can deplete the energy of the kidney meridian. The kidney meridian can manifest itself physically, in the lower back and knees. Therefore proper stretching and exercises to strengthen the back and leg muscles will be extremely helpful in supporting overall kidney health. A good tip to remember, certain foods can also help your kidneys health, dark foods like black beans, black walnuts, as well as seafood are all excellent kidney tonics.
If you or someone you know is suffering from acute or chronic Kidney disease, please give us a call at Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City or come in and let’s see what we can do to help in improving your kidney’s health.
In most places winter is cold with short days and long nights. When winter comes the body has a tendency to want to stay indoors where it is warmer. The body’s metabolic rate slows down, so the body tends to hold onto body fat and we gain weight. There are animals that will hibernate during the colder months. People are not so different. We take the information being given and use it accordingly.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), winter is a time to preserve and build up strength for spring. During the winter months the kidneys are at their highest activity. They function to preserve the body’s energy. Food loaded with salt can actually burden the kidneys and cause them to work extra hard. This could lead to disease or failure in the kidney when done for many years.
According to Chinese medicine, during the winter months tonics should be eaten primarily. Most of the tonics include meats, fatty foods and warming herbs. The body is designed to absorb these rich foods especially during this time of year. When we pay attention to nature, we can be guided towards the proper nutrients. Since most fruits are not usually abundant during the winter months, we should avoid eating large quantities of them. Foods such as fruits, salads and raw foods can deplete the immune system causing it to overwork to warm the body. When a person has a dislike of the cold weather, joint aches and pains, sore low back or catches cold frequently, then there is an imbalance and that person may be eating to many cold foods.
We recommend eating warm foods during the winter months, and foods that will strengthen the kidneys, blood and Qi (pronounced “Chee”), which sometimes is considered our inner form of energy. Foods that are best during the winter are: beef, lamb, root vegetables, dark leafy greens, black beans oats, quinoa, pumpkin, kidney beans and walnuts. Fruits are good as well and can be warmed by adding spices like cinnamon, so they don’t tax the system too much. Herbs like ginseng, garlic, onion, ginger, parsley and basil all have warming properties that can also be used when cooking.
Soups and stews are really best to eat this time of year. When you use bone broth as a base it will help, it’s very good for supplementing the kidney. These types of foods can help warm the body’s core and keep us fully nourished. Cooking should be done for longer periods over low heat using less water. This will infuse the food with heat and lasting nourishment.
TCM nutritional therapy is an important component of the TCM. The food consumed can have profound effects on the body that affects our health and well-being. Along with paying close attention to the foods that are abundant during the seasons, we also recommend that locally grown foods be utilized. This may help decrease the possibility of allergic reactions.
If you are interested in learning more about TCM and how it can help you, please call us at Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City or come in so we can help you take control of your health
It’s that time of year again. That time of year when everybody starts making New Year Resolution to improve themselves in one way or another. Unfortunately, not many people keep these resolutions much past January. According to Forbes.com, only about eight percent of the people who actually make New Year’s Resolutions, carry them to fruition. That’s not good. While the number of those who drop out of their commitment to their New Years Resolution, there is help to stay on track. You guessed it, acupuncture. Acupuncture is a great way to help achieve the new goals we set for ourselves.
Losing weight is one of the most popular New Year Resolutions. So we commit to join a gym, start dieting, exercising and by the time January ends, most give up. Why is that? It’s too hard. Or is it? Acupuncture has been shown to help in many areas when it comes to losing weight. First, it can help curb cravings. For many, this is huge. Acupuncture can also help balance hormones, which can lead people to eating more than they should and a lot of the things they shouldn’t, like sugary treats. When you add acupuncture to a proper diet and exercise it will greatly increase the likelihood that the weight will slowly come off, which is exactly how it should be approached.
One thing that happens after people joint the gym is they tend to overdo it. By overdoing it their muscles become overworked and sore. This is another area where acupuncture can help Relieving pain and muscles spasms is the most common reason people go to see an acupuncturist. Unfortunately, people come to see an acupuncturist after they have tried everything else, with no success. Acupuncture is great at helping to relieve the pains and muscles spasms that come from overdoing it, which will allow you to return to the gym sooner, which will help you with the resolution of losing weight.
The Final area regular acupuncture treatments can help, stress. The Holidays is one of the most stressful times of years, just ask any parent. Acupuncture is a wonderful way to relieve the stress and relax. When you look at the New Year Resolutions, less stress is in the top five. Believe it or not, stress has been shown to contribute to or at least cause at least 10 health related issues. Several Studies have shown that acupuncture can not only decrease stress and anxiety, it can also help lower blood pressure. For those who are on blood pressure medication, this is can help as a adjunctive therapy that could lead to lesser medication and even possibly getting off them altogether. While acupuncture is a great way to reduce stress, there are other aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine that will also help in reducing stress. Correct, Tai Chi and Qi Gong. These are both Internal Arts, meaning they are more fluid and creates less impact on the joints. So not only will you be able to reduce stress but you will notice more weight loss combining acupuncture and Tai Chi or Qi Gong. It’s a win-win situation!
Now that you are gearing up to tackle your New Year resolution and create a new you, don’t forget to have regular acupuncture to help you in accomplishing your goals. If you are ready to accomplish your goals this year, call us now at Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City or come in to help you defend your health and become a new you.
In recent years there has been an increase of research being done for the effectiveness of acupuncture for various health conditions. We would like to start highlighting some of the research that has been done. Each month we will blog about research updates. The research done on acupuncture will help you feel more comfortable about acupuncture and Chinese medicine as well as see evidence of Chinese medicine’s effectiveness. We hope that these research updates will be of value for you.
This month’s research update is about how acupuncture has been shown to be effective for bladder control. Healthcare Medicine Institute published a study that showed that acupuncture was effective for urinary incontinence. There are millions of people around the world that suffer from urinary incontinence. There could be several reasons for urinary incontinence such as age, trauma, and neurological conditions.
The research study had two groups, one that did acupuncture alone and another that added electrostimulation with the acupuncture. Both groups had significantly shown effectiveness to help control the bladder. The acupuncture alone group had a 54 percent efficacy and the acupuncture plus electrostimulation had a 86 percent efficacy.
Either way the study showed that acupuncture is effective for chronic urinary incontinence. There still needs to be more research done to make stronger conclusions.
The bladder in Chinese medicine stores and excretes urine. In fact in the Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic, it says “The urinary bladder serves as the officer of an administrative division who takes charge of storing and excreting water (urine).” The bladder channel runs along the entire body from the head to the foot along the entire back and back of the legs. When there are urinary problems we will strengthen both the kidney and the bladder. The kidney has a strong relationship to the bladder. As we strengthen both kidney and bladder it will help with urinary incontinence.
Acupuncture is effective for urinary incontinence and will help balance your body. If you suffer or anyone has problems with their bladder, have them contact us at Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City to see how we can help
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine has been shown to especially effective for pain management. There are numerous studies that have come out recently about how effective acupuncture is for pain. In fact, we recommend you to go to check out the white papers and research that has been published by the Acupuncture Now Foundation about pain management. One area of pain that acupuncture has been shown to be effective for is knee pain. At Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City, we treat various types of knee pain. We can help you with your knee pain to alleviate pain, increase range of motion, and to feel good always.
The knee is the largest joint in the body. It is a hinge joint so it is able to do the movements that a knee does. The knee is also dependent upon all the ligaments surrounding the knee and the patella. Without the ligaments, the knee would not be stable and you would not be able to walk. That is why when someone injures a ligament such as the ACL they are not able to walk.
There are several reasons why there could be knee pain. Each condition varies in severity and treatments. There could be torn ligaments, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and bursitis. Western medical treatments could vary from surgery, medications, to injections. There could also be residual pain from surgery. We have treated several people who will have pain after their knee replacements. Many times people will get relief from some of the medical treatments for a period of time, but then the pain comes back or gets worse.
There are more and more people who are looking for alternative or complimentary treatments that will help with knee pain. Acupuncture has been shown to help with knee pain. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine will help with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, patellar bursitis, and other types of pain. There are times when your knee will just ache for no reason at all. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine will help with even those idiopathic pains and aches.
If you did have torn ligaments or needed surgery acupuncture will help with rehabilitation. The best time to have acupuncture is pre and post surgery. Acupuncture will help prepare your body and knee before surgery, and after surgery will help with rehabilitation to heal quicker.
Why and how does acupuncture help with various types of knee pain and conditions? Acupuncture will improve blood flow. The blood flow will promote the healing process and stimulate your body’s self -healing mechanisms. In the Chinese classics it says that when there is no free flow there is pain. Free flow of what is the blood and other essential substances. Acupuncture will improve that blood flow and allow your body to heal itself and alleviate pain.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine has been used for pain for over 3000 years. It is a complete medical system in diagnosing and treating disease. If you have knee pain you can look into acupuncture and Chinese medicine as a form of treatment and healing.
Have you been struggling with pain? Have you been to all of the doctors and you still have a lot of pain problems? Are you sick and tired of taking pain medications? We have a great and natural solution for you. Here at Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City, we specialize in pain management and pain condition utilizing acupuncture, Chinese herbs, exercise, and nutrition to help you feel better, more balanced, and pain free.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine has been shown to help with many different pain conditions both acute and chronic. Acupuncture is effective for low back pain, neck pain, knee pain, arthritis, tendonitis, and other musculoskeletal conditions. In fact the Acupuncture Now Foundation have come out with some white papers and research on how acupuncture can treat pain, also acupuncture’s role in fighting the opioid epidemic. You can check out the white papers and research here https://acunow.org/whitepaper/
Acupuncture will improve blood flow and circulation that will promote your body’s self healing mechanisms. It will also at on the brain and will release your body’s natural pain killers and chemicals such as endorphins, neurotransmitters, and hormones that will balance the body and promote your body’s self healing mechanisms.
Hope this helps you understand more about how acupuncture can help you with pain relief. If you have any questions feel free to contact Master Lu’s Health Center anytime.
Here is a short video on acupuncture and pain management.
In 2016 a study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showing Acupuncture, more specifically Elecroacupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for Chronic severe functional Constipation. This study was conducted in 15 hospital in china. The patients had chronic severe functional constipation and no underlying pathological causes for the constipation. Each patient received 28 sessions of Electroacupuncture. The results of the study showed that each participant increased the number of consistent bowel movements with assistance of electroacupuncture treatments and without any adverse side effect.
In Western medicine the arge intestine is responsible for absorbing water from indigestible food and transporting the useless waste material that comes out of the body. This is the second to the last step of the digestive tract in the human body. In Chinese medicine we look at it a bit differently, the large intestine is both an organ and an entity.
The large intestine channel is associated with the emotions of sadness, loss, grief, guilt and stagnation.
These can lead to pathologies that make it difficult for one to go with the flow of everyday life. When these emotions become severe, then the body can show this as constipation, diarrhea and lower abdominal cramping. Imbalance in the lower intestine can also lead to physical weakness, at the same time provoking emotional responses that then produce instant defecation due to the body’s natural reflex reaction.
An imbalance affecting the large intestine are quite frequent in today’s society, cause by excessive stress and constant worry. Chronic stress and worry will stimulate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which is responsible for the heart rate, it increases the intestinal and glands activities and relaxes the sphincter muscles that control the gastrointestinal tract. When the PNS is constantly stimulated, the body is unable to rest and digest. This will lead to some of the aforementioned symptoms, diseases and ailments that trouble the large intestine.
TCM can help a person who is dealing with pathologies of the large intestine safely and naturally. TCM uses several techniques for treating ailments within the body. The most common of these techniques is acupuncture. Acupuncture uses hair-thin, stainless steel solid needles to stimulate the body’s ability to heal itself. Acupuncture works by stimulating the sensory neurons that communicates with the central nervous system (CNS). This helps the body to use it’s self-defense to bring harmony and balance back to itself.
Suffering from gastrointestinal ailments doesn’t have to be a normal part of life. Help is closer then you think. If you or someone you know suffers from Gastrointestinal ailments, come in or call us to see how we can help you live a life free of your Gastrointestinal ailment. www.luhealthcenter.com
Stress is a major factor that may cause disease. According to Chinese medicine, when there is too much stress it will cause imbalance and different health problems will arise. Stress may cause you to have insomnia, stomach problems, and headaches. The good thing is that it is possible to manage and decrease stress. Here are three methods that you can do to decrease stress.
As a society we are always rushed and busy through out day and lives. With all of the things that we do each day, it can get stressful. Some people will have more stress than others. One simple method that will help reduce your stress from the day is to take some time to deep breathe and meditate.
Breathing will help you feel better and calm your mind. As you focus on your breath it will help you relax your mind and feel calm. Deep breathing will put you in more of a meditative state and will reduce your stress.
When you breathe deeply it is important to use your nose to breath. When you breathe in sink your breath down to your belly so your stomach expands out. When you breathe out your belly will come inward. This type of deep breathing will help you feel more relaxed.
Exercise will help release different hormones and chemicals such as endorphins. The release of these natural substances in your body will help you feel better and reduce your stress.
Mind body exercises such as Tai Chi will help with reducing stress. Tai Chi will help calm the mind and improve your energy.
Go out and exercise. It will help you manage your stress.
Acupuncture is part of Chinese medicine. Acupuncture will help you reduce stress and anxiety. It will calm your mind and allow you to better manage stress. Acupuncture will act on the brain and release different chemicals, neurotransmitters, and hormones. These natural substances that your brain releases will reduce your stress and calm your mind.
We treat people all of the time for stress and anxiety. Acupuncture will help you feel balanced, calm, and rejuvenated.
By practicing deep breathing, exercising, and acupuncture you will be able to better manage your stress. You will feel better, more energized, and balanced.
If you feel you need to reduce your stress give us a call anytime at Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine is one of the oldest forms of medicine. It has an over 3000 year old history to diagnose and treat disease. It is a systematical and scientific form of medicine and healing. Over the years acupuncture has gained popularity in western countries. Most people who seek out acupuncture has been for pain conditions such as low back and neck pain. However, because acupuncture and Chinese medicine is a complete medical system for diagnosing and treating disease, it can help you with many other health conditions besides pain.
Recently, the Acupuncture Now Foundation in collaboration with several other organizations put together a white paper that has shows the current research on many health conditions that acupuncture is effective for.
The white paper also goes through in depth how acupuncture works according to western medical terms. Summarizing the paper acupuncture will act on the nervous system of the body. It will act on the brain and release your body’s natural opioids, chemicals, and hormones such as endorphins, seratonin, and dopamine. Research has shown that acupuncture will release seratonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The releasing of these natural substances within the body will allow your body to self heal. Click on this link for the Acupuncture Now Foundation Whitepaper for an in depth discussion on how acupuncture works.
There are many conditions that acupuncture is good for. Pain has been the most common one. Here at Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City, we will use acupuncture and Chinese medicine to treat low back pain, neck pain, knee pain, and joint pain. Acupuncture is very effective for pain. The acupuncture now foundation in their white paper has shown that acupuncture can be effective for internal diseases such as depression and fertility.
The World Health Organization through research has determined that acupuncture is effective for the following conditions:
As you can see acupuncture and Chinese medicine can be used for more than just pain. Some of the common health conditions that we have treated in our clinic in Salt Lake clinic include stroke rehabilitation, high blood pressure, infertility, diabetes, MS, dizziness, eye disorders, side effects from chemotherapy, depression, emotional disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders. There are many other health conditions that doesn’t even have a western term for or the physicians don’t know what it is that we treat as well.
Chinese medicine is a powerful and effective medicine that will help you heal your body and improve your health naturally.
If you feel that you suffer from a health condition and don’t want to take many medications please give us a call to see how we can help you regain your health.
