Acupuncture

Anyone who has suffered from anxiety knows how paralyzing it can be. It’s hard to know what to do in a moment of panic to break the cycle of distress. But just doing something, anything, in the direction of self-help can shift our entire mental, emotional and physiological experience. It has been said that “action is the antidote to anxiety”. Here are some Chinese Medicine inspired tips to consider when we need a little guidance in taking action.

Slow Your Breath

Sounds simple but this is the most important first step as slow, paced breathing has the power to help us regulate emotions while giving us access to frontal lobe reasoning and flexibility in thought to see our way through stressful situations. Slow, deep breathing, as taught in Qi Gong (ancient energy cultivation practice) pacifies the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) nervous system , calming the mind and body simultaneously.

Rub Your Lower Back

The kidneys are important in anxiety-care because they house the Zhi, the spirit of the kidneys. Zhi loosely translates to the will. It relates to our place and purpose in the world and helps us feel safe and secure in our existence and our destiny. With kidney deficiencies, we can lose that spiritual support from the zhi. Anxiety and fears can take hold. Chinese medicine encourages us to warm the kidneys daily with the friction of (mid to) low back rubs.

Spend Some Time In Nature

Another way to restore that sense of safety and belonging is to get in nature. In our technological society we can easily feel disconnected and forget that we are a part of nature. Chinese Medicine, rooted in Taoist philosophies, reminds us that true health is harmony with nature. We can help reset our natural rhythms by a walk in the forest or a meditation in the garden. Get some sun on your face and some earth under your feet! The act of connecting barefoot feet to the ground has been said to recharge our kidney energy through the kidney pressure point on the bottoms of the feet, and this practice of “earthing” has actually been shown to have many beneficial effects on the body!

Press These Acu Points

HEART-7: Shen men (spirit gate) Located on the inside of your wrist, in the crease, on the pinky side. Calms the heart, physically and emotionally, to relieve anxiety.

Du-24 Shenting (spirit courtyard) Located at the top-center of the forehead over the pre-frontal cortex of the brain. Has a sedative effect and helps to restore balance between emotions and logic.

Reach Out To Family And Friends

ounds simple but this is the most important first step as slow, paced breathing has the power to help us regulate emotions while giving us access to frontal lobe reasoning and flexibility in thought to see our way through stressful situations. Slow, deep breathing, as taught in Qi Gong (ancient energy cultivation practice) pacifies the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) nervous system , calming the mind and body simultaneously.

Tap Your Upper Chest

The Kidney ‘transport’ points are found on the upper chest on either side of the sternum. Each of these points deal with emotional or spiritual aspects of our health. Tapping these points gently with fingertips has been shown to have profound effects in emotional healing practices such as EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).

Make A Cup Of Tea

Trade in your coffee for chamomile, an easily accessible tea flower that has calming properties. Add some rose petals to move the liver qi and soothe feelings of frustration. If you can get your hands on some mimosa flowers, sprinkle those in the mix to bring your heart back into balance.

One of the best actionable self-help steps is calling at (218) 724-3400 and making your next acupuncture appointment in Duluth MN with Heidi. We are here for you with all the tools and knowledge to support a balanced nervous system and help you feel your best self!

A runny nose, sneezing, itching and watery-eyes…also known as symptoms of allergies. Seasonal allergies can really be a pain. It is estimated that nearly 50 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies every year. And, the amount of money being spent on over-the-counter allergy medications is over $18 billion.  

But, what if there was a way to combat seasonal allergies without the side effects of medications and to actually get to the root of the problem instead of just masking the symptoms? Well, there is a way to do this, and it’s called acupuncture.
        
Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine offer a permanent solution to seasonal allergies with an all-natural approach that will ultimately save you money.  Since traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) attacks allergies in a much different method than Western medicine, there is a good chance your allergies will cease to be a problem. Western medicine knows how allergies work and what happens to the body, but there is still no explanation as to why. TCM doesn’t need to know why because TCM looks at the body as a whole and uses an elemental system to determine where there are excesses and deficiencies in each person. So the TCM treatments are completely customized to each patient, thus making them much more effective than over-the-counter medications.
        
When using TCM to treat allergies, practitioners focus heavily on something called Wei Qi. Wei Qi is similar to the immune system in Western medicine. Wei Qi protects the body against foreign materials that can lead to inflammation and eventually allergies. People with lower immunity/Wei Qi are more susceptible to allergies and frequent colds. Acupuncture helps to boost the Wei Qi making it more difficult for allergens to attack the body. 
        
Acupuncture by itself will make a difference in fighting allergies, but adding herbs and herbal formulas will provide the final punch to help eliminate allergies for good.  Because each patient has different causes for their allergies, adding herbal formulas can greatly increase the efficacy of the acupuncture treatments by extending the effect of the needles. For example, if a patient specifically gets itchy, or watery eyes when their allergies flare up, then the practitioner would likely want to draw the excess energy/element down. In this particular case, the patient would have an excess of fire creating wind. The practitioner would use acupuncture points known to decrease fire and wind in the body. Then also adding herbs that do the same thing, would create a one-two punch type of treatment that has longer lasting, more permanent effects. 
        
Ultimately what acupuncture does is boost the Wei Qi/immune system while decreasing the inflammatory response in your body that occurs when an allergen is encountered. The other aspect of treatment, as stated earlier, is to look at the patient as a whole versus just the symptoms. A good acupuncturist will also focus on dietary habits that may be contributing to your allergies. Many times a person’s Wei Qi is depleted from within due to the foods they are eating. Things like sugar and dairy are often associated with a lower immune system. Eliminating or drastically reducing these items will allow the body to recover more quickly, making allergy attacks easier to resolve.
        
A comprehensive plan including acupuncture treatments, herbs and dietary changes will yield the best results when it comes to fighting allergies. Be sure to call us at (218) 724-3400 to schedule an appointment with Heidi and you will be grateful year after year for the relief they provide when it comes to treating allergies.

How acupuncture helps

Acupuncture treats the patient by addressing the whole body. When the body is out of balance, pain and illness can arise. Acupuncture works by returning the body back to its natural balance and energy flow to eliminate pain and to improve overall health.  

There are more than 2,000 acupuncture points on the body. When these specific points are stimulated through small acupuncture needles, it can help relieve pain by improving the body’s nervous system, which can jumpstart the production of pain-reducing endorphins.

Research studies

A study in Germany found that 304,674 people with osteoarthritis experienced less pain and stiffness after 15 sessions of acupuncture. The treatments were done during a three-month period and lasting results were seen for another three months after treatment was stopped. The patients who had the acupuncture treatment reported better quality of life and function than those who had no treatment.

A study done at the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan Medical School found that of 20 women who were diagnosed with fibromyalgia, the half that received acupuncture treatment had increased activity of the pain-reducing receptors in the brain.   

A trial published in the Annals of Internal Medicine studied 570 men and women with osteoarthritis. For the men and women who received 23 acupuncture treatments for about 6 months, results of less pain and better functionality occurred, compared to those with the placebo treatment.

Arthritis can be painful and persistent, resulting in frustration when it isn’t easy to find relief. Acupuncture is a non-invasive, alternative treatment that has been proven in numerous studies to help reduce pain and increase mobility.  

Source: Arthritis Foundation 


6 Foods to Help Your Arthritis

Fish

Fish are full of omega-3 fatty acids, which work as a natural anti-inflammatory. Some of the best fish to consume include salmon, tuna, mackerel and herring, which are all rich in omega-3s. The recommended weekly amount is around six to eight ounces of fish.

Oil

Healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil, avocado and safflower oils are packed with healthy fats and anti-inflammatory properties.

Broccoli

Because it contains sulforaphane, broccoli has been shown to slow and prevent the progression of osteoarthritis. Broccoli is rich in vitamin K, C and calcium, which is known to help strengthen bones.

Green Tea

Green tea has many health benefits, one including reducing pain of arthritis. The tea is full of antioxidants that work to lower inflammation and the disintegration of cartilage.

Citrus Fruits

Fruits like oranges, limes and grapefruits are very acidic and full of vitamin C. Vitamin C can help aid healthy joints for those with arthritis and work as an anti-inflammatory.

Beans

Beans are beneficial for many reasons. They are a great alternative to meat for protein and are rich in folic acid, magnesium, iron, zinc and potassium. Red beans, kidney beans and pinto beans are known to improve muscle health and the heart and immune system.

Having a natural and well-rounded diet is a part of any healthy lifestyle, but can be especially beneficial for arthritis and chronic pain.



Sources


Have you recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure (HBP)?

You’re not alone! According to the CDC, one in three U.S. adults have high blood pressure and only half of those have their condition under control.

Many health factors intertwine to cause HBP including:

• genetics (family history)
• other conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease
• diets too high in sodium and too low in potassium
• a lack of physical activity
• excessive alcohol and caffeine intake
• tobacco use
• chronic stress
• obesity

While many medications exist to help control high blood pressure, they do not always work well and can have adverse side effects. Chronic high blood pressure is often referred to as the ‘silent killer’ as there are often no bothersome symptoms, making it easy to ignore. However, if left untreated HBP significantly increases one’s risk of stroke and heart disease. Fortunately, for people willing to be proactive there are many natural ways to lower blood pressure and mitigate the side effects of medication.

4 Tips for naturally lowering blood pressure

Acceptance

The first step in naturally treating your HBP is to accept it. Denial will keep most people from consistently developing and maintaining lifestyle habits that bring blood pressure into healthy ranges. It’s especially easy to do because often in the initial stages HBP has no obvious symptoms that impair enjoyment of daily life.

Get acupuncture!

Several recent studies on the effects of acupuncture on hypertension indicate that it can have a significant impact on lowering high blood pressure and managing the side effects of medication (Cevik, 2013). Researchers at University of California at Irvine have been studying the neuroendocrine mechanism underlying the significant clinical effect acupuncture has on the treatment of hypertension for the last 15 years. They have discovered that electroacupuncture (EA) at the points P 5-6, Li11-10, St 36-37 and Ht 6-7 lowered hypertension and that low frequency and low current electroacupuncture (EA) produces significant results. Notably when P 5-6 receives only acupuncture without needle manipulation to stimulate ‘deQi’ sensation there was no effect on hypertension. EA is used to deliver consistent stimulation to the underlying nerves which send impulses to the rVLM part of the brain, a part of the medulla which interacts with the cardiovascular system. EA at low frequency at P 5-6, Li 11-10, St 36-37 and Ht 6-7 causes a release of enkephalin neuropeptides, endorphins, and GABA which has a net effect of lowering high blood pressure. In an eight week study with participants receiving EA acupuncture once per week, there was a clinically significant result lowering of BP by 12-18 mmHg and results lasted up to four weeks post treatment. (Zhou, 2011)

According to Acupuncture and oriental medicine (OM) theory there are about 11 different patterns of hypertension, with most people presenting with a mixed pattern. The most common OM pattern for hypertension is called Liver Yang Rising (LYR). LYR is always a secondary pattern; underlying primary patterns can vary from years of chronic stress and internalized tension (liver Qi stagnation), years of overwork, chronic sleep disturbances and menopause can lead to yin deficiency or years of digestive irregularity and excessive weight can lead to a buildup of phlegm (high cholesterol). A professional acupuncture practitioner will carefully evaluate your overall health to determine your pattern and select the best points to regulate your HBP.

Try Acupressure

Acupressure applies gentle pressure at acupoints. Pause and linger along tender points (no more than 30 seconds at a time). Press gently as aggressive, deep pressure can irritate nerves. The pressure should feel pleasant.
Begin by sitting or lying down in a comfortable position with your body supported. H 7 is located on the wrist above the pinkie finger. Next move over to locate P 6 by placing your ring finger at the inner wrist crease, laying the middle finger and index finger along side, bend your index finger and press in the center of the forearm (should be between two tendons). Locate St 36 by placing one hand just below the outer knee cap (index finger by the kneecap), use your other hand to find St
36 (just below your pinkie finger) just off the outer shin.

Make your own Acupressure patches
You can try make your own acupressure patch: place a small round seed, dried round bean, or bead on the points using a bandaid or medical tape to affix in place.

Aromatherapy

Inhaling Clary Sage essential oil was found to be more effective in lowering blood pressure than lavender oil. Participants inhaled clary sage for an hour. Try using a diffuser with clary sage essential oil one to three times throughout your day.

Please feel free to call Heidi at (218) 724-3400 if you have further questions or concerns.