Studies Prove That Acupuncture Can Help Treat the Symptoms of Acid Reflux
With the wish to avoid drugs and chemicals and the risk of side effects, a natural healing approach to acid reflux natural remedy is a really attractive option for a lot of heartburn sufferers.
A surge in popularity in Chinese medicine as well as for the above mentioned reasons, a lot of individuals wonder if there is proof behind the treatments offered by many acupuncturists.
Since people react differently to acupuncture treatment and that in Chinese medicine, a condition can have different causes, it is impossible to say whether acupuncture will work for you. The best thing to do is to try it out and see if it helps you with your problem or not.
These past recent years, there has been a rise in interest in acupuncture therapy. Nine years ago, a Chinese gastroenterologist performed a few experiments that studied the effectiveness of acupuncture and other traditional Chinese medicine modalities in the treatment of acid reflux.
In these experiments which were published in the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, August 2005, it was showed that the TLESRs (transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations), functions that directly involve acid reflux, were lessened with the use of an enhanced acupuncture technique known as electrical acupuncture point stimulation. The experiments utilized very weak stimulation on the wrist acupoint known as the Neiguan point.
The TLESRs was significantly lessened by about 40% from 6/hour to just about 3.5/hr. The placebo group whose members received sham or placebo acupuncture (acupuncture treatment on the hip) also experienced a lowering of their TLESR’s but the decrease was quite insignificant (only 0.02/ hour).
Your own unique constitution, of course, will determine whether acupuncture would work for you or not. It’s best to try it a few times and see how you respond to the treatment. For a lot of acid reflux patients, a traditional form of acupuncture which is much less expensive than electrical acupoint stimulation has worked successfully for them. Furthermore, traditional modes of acupuncture therapies are now covered by a lot of health insurance companies.
Treating acid reflux using acupuncture and Chinese medicine in Pembroke Pines has actually been performed by acupuncturists for thousands of years. Acupuncture has been used to treat acid reflux and GERD symptoms including vomiting, nausea, burning, and pain. Recent studies have shown that acupuncture treats acid reflux by changing the way nerve cells communicate with one another. It also has the ability to affect the manner the central nervous system secretes specific chemicals in the bloodstream which normalizes the function of the lower esophageal sphincter.
Although electro-point stimulation was used in lieu of needles in these studies, the research conductors believe that traditional needling acupuncture will work the same way for the stimulation of a specific acupoint and thus have the same therapeutic effect as that of electro-point stimulation therapy.
Acupressure can also be used as an alternative to acupuncture or electro-point stimulation especially if the patient has a dislike for needles. Applying manual pressure on the P6 or Neiguan acupoint can help relieve the symptoms of acid reflux and GERD.
Sinusitis Relief Using Acupuncture Treatment
Sinusitis is an acute respiratory problem that can last a few weeks or can turn into a permanent chronic condition. It can appear as a minor nuisance or can become an all out debilitating problem. Several factors can lead to symptoms when the sinuses are affected by certain causes.
One of these causes includes the inability of the cilia (small hairs) in the sinus cavities to move along mucous which leads to the mucosal blockage of the cavity. Other causes include nasal polyps, a deviated septum, excessive mucus produced by the body or even a bone spur preventing the sinus from draining.
Western modalities for sinusitis vary. They range from weekly allergy shots, steroids, and over-the-counter medications.
Relieving Sinusitis Symptoms with Acupuncture
A 1982 study orchestrated by Yeh and Pothman tested the effectiveness of acupuncture on sinusitis symptoms. The test showed that acupuncture was a superior treatment compared to antibiotics that was used in the control group. The relief provided by acupuncture lasted for a minimum of three months. A good acupuncturist will resolve your sinusitis condition with the use of proven Chinese Medicine diagnostic procedures to evaluate the underlying reason that usually includes an invasion of Wind-Heat or Wind-Cold. These invasions compromise the balance of the descending and ascending Lung Qi that in turn causes the fluids in the sinuses and nose to stagnate. To fortify a weakened body, the acupuncturist manipulates the patient’s energy channels using acupuncture. This will help release stuck or sluggish energy. The treatment also helps release in the body endorphins, natural pain killing chemicals that can help alleviate the discomfort. Acupuncture also heals inflammation and boosts the flow of blood in the body.
Penetrating Sinusitis from Within using Homeopathy
Applying the principle of ‘like cures like,’ homeopathy helps the body to self heal through the administration of remedies taken from minerals, animals, plants and sometimes even humans. Sweet pellets often taken sublingually or drunk as liquids are applied as treatments. In the case of sinusitis, homeopathic remedies that can be individually prescribed include: Kali Bichromicum, Hepar Sulphur, Mercurius, Belladona, or Arsenicum.
Galina Semyonova is a licensed acupuncturist and massage therapist in New York City. She has studied extensively in the fields of biofeedback therapy, SCENAR therapy, Chinese herbal treatments and Chinese and Western nutrition.
Scar tissue Treatment Using Chinese Massage Therapy and Acupuncture
Traditional acupuncture can be used to help scar tissue become more functional. As a natural consequence of the body after an injury, scars may superficially look small and therefore innocuous measuring a few millimeters to a few inches in length. These scars can, in reality however, be thick under the surface of the skin, rigid, and long. Doctors and acupuncturists who have long experience treating these issues are able to properly evaluate the dimensions of scars.
A lot of scars in people are due to gross trauma. It may come from constant micro-tearing over time such as what happens when a regularly exercising person does not do stretching exercises after a workout or he continues exercising without ever pausing to rest in between workouts.
Scars potentially can lead to dysfunction and pain but sadly more often than not, medical professionals tend to ignore this health issue. Doctors and alternative health practitioners who have treated scars have seen the benefits scar removal can give a person and these benefits are by no means insignificant.
Acupuncturists have discovered that some of the physical complaints of their patients stem from a scar tissue that is rigid or immobile:
A scar can potentially generate chronic pain around or in the region where it is located; it may also even cause pain and dysfunction in areas remote from it. There are people who have suffered from chronic lower back pain because of a scar in their stomach. The back pain dramatically disappears or dissipates instantly once the scar in the stomach has been treated. Sometimes patients with a scar in their stomach complain of a pulling sensation or tightness in their groin. Making the scar tissue more mobile led to the curing of the tightness/pulling sensation.
Some patients complain about a longstanding tight sensation while doing their stretching exercises. Some scars may not affect the person’s full range of motion, they problem they generate is muscle tightness. If a neurological condition has been ruled out, then the doctor may allude the problem to a scar tissue that cause the patient to feel tightness is in the muscle (such as the hamstring located at the back of the thigh) no matter how much the muscle is stretched.
Some patients may experience postural dysfunction that result in pain. Thick and tight scars can force the patient to readjust the way he sits, stands, or walk. Lower back, shoulder, and neck pain as well as headaches can be the result of this postural issue.
Chronic swelling can also be a health problem caused by scar tissues. Pain may be felt when the scar is tight enough to bear pressure on blood vessels, nerves and other body structures. Fluid accumulation in affected areas may also occur because of scars. Fluids may also be prevented from moving in an area where a scar is located. This issue may develop during surgery and may lead to incessant pain besides the pain caused by the surgery. Swelling may occur due to fluid welling up in the place where a scar is located. Thus besides causing pain, the scar can prevent the lowering of fluid leading to pressure on sensitive areas and opening up another source of pain. Treatment of this type of scar will result in the relief of pain and the lowering of the swelling. Oftentimes treatment of this type of scar leads to dramatic improvements.
Patients can become too self-conscious of a specific part of the body where the scar tissue can be quite thick. It may cause emotional stress to them and lead to low self-esteem and insecurity.
Acupuncturists and other traditional Chinese medicine practitioners often combine massage therapy with acupuncture for the treatment of scar tissue. Utilizing this combo has lead to much better results compared to effects of standalone massage therapy. The truth is that Tui Na (Chinese massage), Gua Sha (scraping) and traditional acupuncture have greatly affected scar treatments and has led to the successful curing of so many cases of scar tissue problems.
Here are the benefits you can expect when using traditional Chinese acupuncture and massage therapy for the treatment of scar tissues:
-In TCM, a mobile scar can help improve the vital energy or qi of the body
-Posture improvement from transformation of an immobile scar to one that is mobile and non rigid
-In terms of cosmetics, acupuncture and massage therapy, can flatten out a thick scar leading to a sense of wellbeing and increased confidence
-Treatment of swelling
-Enhanced circulation to a specific part of the body that will result in healing
-Much better flexibility, mobility, and motion
-Relief of pain
Is Acupuncture Treatment for Scar Removal Painful?
Since acupuncture is about sticking needles into the skin people automatically think that it is a painful procedure. The truth is acupuncture may generate a tingling or numbing sensation (not pain) once the needles are inserted into the skin. Yes, these can be considered discomforts and when you have yourself treated by a qualified and well-experienced acupuncturist in Vancouver, you can expect a pain-free and even very relaxing procedure. The level of discomfort may vary depending on what type of scar you have and its characteristics. However, the discomfort goes away once the effect of the treatment kick in and will be replaced with a pleasant sensation that causes a lot of patients to comfortably sleep for the remainder of the procedure.
The needles used for acupuncture are not the ones used in hospitals for injections. Acupuncture needles used are as thin as the hair in your scalp and generates a light pressure or prick when the needles are inserted. This is in contrast with the needles used in injections which are a lot bigger and thicker generating real painful when they’re inserted into the body.
During treatment a sensation of numbness, aching, soreness, heaviness and heat may occur. These are all normal body reactions to the treatment. Acupoints are near the areas of the body where blood vessels and nerves are located. The nervous system is the body system directly affected by the treatment
Over time the effects of the treatment are quite impressive. It is important to note however that not everyone will benefit from acupuncture and that this treatment will generate different and unique responses per patient.
So, if you are suffering from tightness or chronic pain, remember to consider acupuncture as one of your treatment options.
People Can Much Better Cope with Allergy Symptoms by Availing Themselves of TCM
Individuals are often curious whether Chinese medicine can really relieve seasonal allergies. Herbal medicine and acupuncture in Bellingham not only are capable of treating allergy symptoms, they can also address the root problems that cause the rise of those allergies. Allergies, less commonly known as seasonal hay fever can affect millions of individuals every year and factors such as dust, animal dander, pollen, and mold play a huge role in its development.
Allergies may impact individuals either:
All year round (perennial allergies) or
During a certain season (winter, summer, spring, or fall)
Some of the symptoms of allergy include:
-Insomnia
-Wheezing or coughing
-Headache
-Runny nose, nasal congestion
-Itching of the nose or eyes
-Watery eyes
-Sneezing
Your life can be adversely affected and your normal activities disrupted if you are stricken with allergy. Because of the symptoms, you may find it hard to sleep, may miss work or school, and may not be able to perform your normal daily activities.
In TCM or traditional Chinese medicine, allergies are usually the result of a number of deficiency patterns in the body. There is an external as well as internal deficiency that affects the body’s capability to repel allergens. External patterns are the actual symptomatic manifestations of allergy. They include itchy eyes and runny nose.
In order to resolve allergies using TCM modalities such as acupuncture, it is vital to use these treatments during an actual allergy attack in order to alleviate the symptoms. They can also be used to strengthen the body making it less sensitive to histamines. Then, after the symptoms are under control, acupuncturists and other TCM practitioners can give the patient a customized herbal remedy to help build the deficiency in the body and make the body strong enough to fight the allergens. Moreover, this remedy can come with herbs that have the ability to cure the symptoms so that patients may be able to resume their normal daily life. In addressing both the external and internal allergy patterns, TCM can help lessen the severity of the allergy symptoms and help prevent future allergy attacks as well.
Besides prescribing a customized formula, dietary changes and nutritional supplements should also be parts of the treatment to ward off future attacks and to beef up the immune system.
Through the use of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, allergy patients will be able to drastically decrease their symptoms during the allergy season or symptoms stemming from a perennial allergy. This will allow them to return to school, work and get back to other important priorities in their lives.
PCOS Can be Effectively Cured with Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture
Millions of women in the United States are fighting a losing battle when it comes to losing weight. They engage in various weight-loss programs without success. All of the long hours in the gym and all the dieting leave them hungry, frustrated, and fatigued. Well, some of these women may probably be a bit surprised that their weight gain might not be a fault of their own. They may by suffering from a hormonal issue known as PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome that has a symptom of weight gain that makes it all but impossible to lose weight no matter what type of dieting or exercise they try.
PCOS can bring about a number of possible symptoms. The good news is that there are many available treatments that both Western and Eastern medicine offers for patients with this type of condition can avail of. Western modes of treatment may include drugs and hormone therapy while Eastern treatments may use Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture in Portland.
PCOS sufferers tend to develop a lot of cysts on their ovaries, which accounts for the name of the condition. Symptoms and signs of PCOS include increase in weight, especially in the stomach, irregular menstruation, obesity, acne, excess facial hair growth, and hair thinning in the scalp. Women with PCOS who tend to exercise intensively will discover that no matter how hard they exercise, the weight in their stomach just won’t seem to go away leaving them extremely frustrated. They may experience a skipped period or have menstrual cycles that are delayed, and when they their menses come, it is often extremely painful. This cyclical disruption can make it also hard for them to get pregnant. The truth is that one of the tops causes of female infertility is PCOS and women who seem to have a hard time attaining pregnancy do not know that they suffer from this reproductive problem. Thankfully, Chinese medicine is available to help restore their normal ovulation, balance their body, and normalize their menstrual cycle.
Chinese medicine is a holistic type of treatment. This implies that suffering from a certain condition doesn’t necessarily mean that every person requires the same type of treatment. Acupuncturists and Chinese medicine practitioners treat the underlying reason of the condition and not just its symptoms. PCOS can be diagnosed from three different causes. A sufferer can suffer from one of these causes, a couple of them, or from all of them with the last combination being the most commonly diagnosed. These three diagnoses are Damp and/or Phlegm Accumulation, Blood and/or Qi Stagnation, and deficiency in Kidney Yang. A woman suffering from all three causes will have one syndrome that will predominate. Acupuncture therapies combined with Chinese herbal medicine are used to Tonify Kidney Yang, move Blood and Qi, and remove damp and phlegm. It’s been demonstrated in a number of studies that one of the most effective forms of acupunctures treatment for PCOS is electro-acupuncture. This technique utilizes low electrical current generated by machines running run on 9-volt batteries, to decrease the levels of testosterone in PCOS patients.
PCOS sufferers need to consider their condition as serious since PCOS can result in much serious complication like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, or obesity, not to mention the physical signs of this disease. To avoid hormone therapy and to keep you r hormones balanced, you need to have a plan of treatment that uses the safe modalities of Chinese herbs and acupuncture and a daily exercise program.
Natural Face Lift and Breast Enhancement Using Acupuncture
In the United States, a growing number of women are finding out firsthand the advantages of using acupuncture for enhancing their breasts and face. Yes, you’ve heard it right, besides treating health conditions acupuncture can also enhance your breast shape and size.
Mainly because of the internet, cosmetic acupuncture has become a very popular way of enabling women of all ages to look much better in a safe and natural way. This treatment uses a holistic approach that makes it appealing to women who desire to improve their natural features as well as lessen the signs of aging without the use of surgery drugs, or chemicals.
Popularly known as acupuncture face-lift, cosmetic acupuncture has actually very few similarities to its counterpart cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic acupuncture is aimed at improving the pumping of blood and oxygen to the breast and facial tissues via the process of vasodilation, as well as enhancing the flow of nutrients and fluids to the breasts and face. Acupuncture has the ability to boost circulation to these tissues which results in the brightening of the skin’s complexion, the reduction in muscle tension, the lessening of the effects of sun damage, toning of facial lines and providing the body and face with a beautiful youthful fullness.
Most women who have tried cosmetic acupuncture are extremely satisfied by its results. Their face glows with youthful fullness, and their skin looks smoother and radiant. The enhancement of their breast looks more natural, akin to the changes in the hormones during menses. They are perky tight, and plump whose effects last for a long period of time.
Cosmetic Acupuncture Can Also Benefit Men
Highly successful businessmen and actors who want to look their best have turned to cosmetic acupuncture to look more youthful and vital for personal engagements, dating service photographs, and for important public presentations.
Cosmetic acupuncture has the added benefit of activating the neural communication centers on the face. Body acupuncture, which is oftentimes a part of cosmetic acupuncture, stimulates the healing processes of the body.
A lot of successful men are opting for cosmetic acupuncture because for them, the results are vastly superior to the ones offered by conventional face-enhancing treatments.
How Does Cosmetic Acupuncture Work in Cleveland?
There are three primary layers that make up the skin: the subcutaneous layer (the deepest layer), the dermis (mid layer), and the epidermis (the outermost layer). The skin is one of the strongest and most versatile organs of the body.
The subcutaneous layer or bottom layer or of the skin is composed of blood vessels, adipose tissue, and collagen fibers. The very important roles this layer plays include providing the shape that defines the features of our face and insulating the body to aid in the regulation of body temperature.
The dermis or middle skin is thick and is composed of nerves, blood vessels, elastic fibers, and collagen. This layer provides fullness and resiliency to the skin. When a person ages, his/her small blood vessels in this layer become constricted as a result of a number of factors including tension from stress, inflammation, injury, and poor nutrition. The skin becomes less resilient, and loses its luster and moisture content as circulation weakens. A dramatic example of this is when a person seems to grow older overnight after experiencing a very taxing or traumatic event. One of the most effective ways to dilate and relax the blood vessels of the body and face that boost overall blood flow is acupuncture.
The epidermis is the protective and most external layer of the skin composed of a waxy substance known as keratin and a combination of dead and living cells. Depending on body location, the epidermis may differ in thickness. It is a bit thin on the face and its waxy coating serves as protection from the ultraviolet rays of the sun, chemicals, abrasions, and scratches and abrasions, chemicals, cracking, and drying out. The epidermis aids in the regulation of normal body temperature; the proper care of this layer helps give luster to the complexions of the face making it glow in a healthy, more attractive, and natural way.
It is essential to remember that the epidermis is not directly supplied by the body with blood. This means that it doesn’t have any blood vessels and it gets its blood only from the dermis.
Breast enhancement using acupuncture treatment
The number of women getting breast enhancement acupuncture, sometimes also called acupuncture breast enlargement is growing fast in the United States. It is a huge topic of interest in Asian countries such as Taiwan and South Korea due to the growing number of actresses and models whom have had their breasts enhanced. A lot of these women and women in the US have their breasts boosted a few days before important events like parties, weddings, and public appearances. This is due to the immediate effect of the treatment that has very little, or no side effects, and is very affordable, as well. And instead of leaving ugly surgery scars that breast surgery tends to do, acupuncture provides the woman with full, perky natural breasts without incurring scars.
What is the difference between acupuncture breast enhancement treatment and breast implants?
Unlike breast implants, acupuncture for breast enhancement does not give the breasts an instant improvement in size. What it does is it enhances their appearance by boosting their perkiness, firmness, and fullness. There is a similarity in facial acupuncture to breast enhancement acupuncture as both work to improve the skin and the other tissues of the face and the body. Micro-circulation is boosted by the stimulation of local acupuncture points not in the breast but around the breast to help get an abundant supply of blood to the breast.
What a patient needs in order to get a breast enhancement acupuncture procedure
In order to attain really good results, your acupuncturist needs to interview the patient first and then physically evaluate her to see if she is qualified to undergo the procedure.
A typical acupuncture treatment for this procedure goes like this: The patient lies on a table. Her breasts are draped by a cloth while the practitioner administers needles on the selected acupoints around surrounding. The needles are left in the skin for around 30 minutes to 45 minutes.
It is common to undergo a treatment course of 12 sessions once each week combined with nutritional support. The number of sessions and the kind of treatment the patient gets will depend on what kind of results the patient desires.
If You Want A Treatment That Really Works To Help You Quit Smoking Permanently, Then You Need To Try Acupuncture
A lot of smokers will try anything to help forever break their addiction to nicotine. The ancient Chinese medicine treatment of acupuncture might just help. This article will talk about how a few needles and pins can help cure of your acute or chronic smoking habit.
More and more people are slowly realizing that western medicine does not have all the answers for mankind’s myriad problems. Happily, many are now beginning to experience the many benefits to health herbs, meditation, and yoga can offer. Can acupuncture offer another drug free way of curing a smoker of his addiction? First, we need to know what acupuncture actually is.
What Is Acupuncture?
Discovered and developed in China thousands of years ago, acupuncture is a medical procedure used needles to generate healing and treat pain. According to Chinese medicine, the inserting of acupuncture needles in the skin will help bring pain relief. Practitioners believe that special points on the body are points where “vital energy” or Qi flows. If the needles are inserted in the correct manner, your body will produce a physical response.
One of the most common uses for acupuncture is for the alleviation of pain. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, sticking needles in the correct place can actually heal body pain.
How Can Acupuncture Treat Smoking Addiction?
Besides relieving pain and curing several ailments, acupuncturists claim that their treatment can also help a person quit smoking. The way the treatment works is that needles are inserted into specific acupoints in some parts of the body to help reduce the craving for cigarettes.
How and why acupuncture is able to do this is not quite known although some attribute this to acupuncture’s ability to produce and release pleasure neuro-hormones in the body known as endorphins. These are chemicals that help a person relax and calm the mind. The endorphins help eliminate the craving of an individual. In treating smoking addiction, acupoints on the ear are selected for treatment.
Does It Work?
If you are open minded and amenable to try out alternative forms of treatment, acupuncture may be an ideal treatment procedure for you. However, it is widely believed that the cravings just temporarily go away and come back after several days or weeks. However, if you undergo regular therapies then chances are great that your cravings will be eliminated completely. Studies have shown that unless the smoker has a real desire to quit, even acupuncture treatments would not be enough to help him stop smoking permanently.
Is There Any Evidence That Acupuncture Can Really Treat Addiction?
Yes there is. There have been literally thousands of cases where acupuncture forever cured the smoking addiction of patients. This truth has stayed unreported and hidden by the mainstream media for some reason or another. However, I can safely say that acupuncture actually works because I myself have tried acupuncture to help me stop smoking and it did help. Big government and big business are trying to corrupt people into using methods and treatment that have less than a 5% chance of success in the long term. Now, at least you know that there are much better and more effective ways to help you quit smoking for good.
Vickery Health & Wellness
18455 Burbank Blvd #306
Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 578-6730
http://www.vickeryhealth.com/
How Acupuncture, TCM, And Diet and Lifestyle Choices Can Help You Lose Weight
This article will talk about the possibilities that Chinese medicine can offer to help an individual attain and maintain his/her ideal weight.
The thing to do first is to examine the differences in common sense and paradigms in order to tackle the issue based on logical and sound information instead of believing in gossip or magazine inspired myths. It is often said, that the more you eat the more you weigh, and conversely, the less you eat, the less you weigh. This may be valid in the high school physics sense of the phrase but the human body has so many inherent complexities to make this kind of reasoning sound simplistic and naïve.
The endocrine and nervous systems have several reactions that are activated by both through the abstaining and ingestion of food to a system that is demanding for it through the mechanism of hunger. If the ingested food is greater than what is normally required, the extra food is stored up by the body for future use. If mechanisms or activities such as moderate exercise exhaust these foods, then, a net gain is achieved. This may be obvious and irrefutable but because of the adaptive mechanisms that were developed by the body to guarantee its survival, food abstinence in response to hunger will cause the body to hold onto the present resources as it does not expect more food to come in the future.
In terms of body metabolism, the view that is commonly accepted and is the reason for why people indulge in yo-yo dieting is that starving yourself to death and then gorging yourselves beyond satiety will help you lose weight is widespread among dieters.
Despite dieting, an increase or maintenance of weight is achieved. Digestion, according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is like a cauldron set on a stove. The digestive processes are the fire on the stove while the food ingested and the stomach represent the pot.
You can then visualize that the pot as having pipes that are linked to the other parts of the body. These pipes act as pathways where digested food travels and is distributed to the intestines and blood vessels. If the pot has too much content, this content will basically overflow to the pipes resulting in mass increase of the body. And similar to the correction to the aforementioned paradigm, if the pot does not over flow with food, or the intake of food is irregular, the food that is eventually ingested will fail to be digested properly and will flow into the pipes where the cooked food ought to be, again causing mass increase. In these two examples, weight gain is the result of irregular food intake and the overconsumption of food.
Normally, the food is “cooked” through digestion leading to the digested food being transported to parts of the body where it is needed and used. If the body takes in too much food, digestions becomes backed up and overwhelmed. On the other hand, if too little food is consumed, energy is lowered which can damage digestion. This can result in a lack of energy to help keep the fire alive, and then whatever food is in there is improperly conserved or used. When normal digestion is disrupted due to stress, even ingested food taken in moderate/normal amounts will be undercooked and may eventually accumulate in the body. If the mind or body is fatigued or overworked, it will cause digestion to function improperly. The point to this is that an impaired digestion means the probability of weight gain in a person and the four basic reasons behind the impairment of digestion are fatigue, stress, under eating, and overeating.
You may ask, “what about exercise?” The belief that exercise can cause people to burn calories is true to a certain extent. However, there is also a chance that the person can still gain weight by exercising too much. Over exercising can damage digestion and fatigue the body. If done in the right amount, exercise can help relieve or lessen stress which makes the digestive function run more efficiently.
What kind of foods do I need to eat? Based on the above-mentioned information, in order not to disrupt the cooking process, the food that is best to eat will be food that is easily digestible. If the food is easily broken down by the body, it can be quickly utilized by the body making it less likely to be held unnecessarily. Contrary to the notion that foods such as salads are ideal ways to reduce intake of calories, the truth is that cold and/or raw foods entail more cooking by the digestion which makes it likely to end up as undercooked and held onto in the long run. These foods will need more fire which results in a weaker digestive fire. Weight gain also becomes likelier if stress or fatigue and other factors that weaken digestive fire complicate the problems already caused by these difficult to cook foods.
We can see a lot of people with this weight gain issue who consume only salads and are overstressed and overworked. In order to lose weight, they need to stay away from foods that are raw, cold and hard to digest and replace them with foods that are easily digested and cooked as stir frys, stews, or soups. We now can see that that the kinds of food we eat is just as important as the amount of food we eat when it comes to losing weight. Digestion is just as affected by eating small portions of hard to digest foods as it is when eating large amounts of easily digestible foods.
“I feel hungry, but because I may gain weight, I don’t want to eat.” No one can argue with this statement; however, because the conditions under which a person becomes hungry from day to day change, a lot of people have learned to use food as a reliever of stress as stress for them also equates to hunger. The problem of this situation is that people tend to eat food not necessarily as a means for sustenance and the foods that they usually choose on this occasion are ones that are difficult to digest. Moreover, stress that is in their body will definitely disrupt their digestion. And as we have seen earlier, if food is denied, it can have harmful consequences to the body. Therefore, to resolve these problems, the person must regulate his/her hunger mechanism. This is done by balancing the emotions and managing stress properly. These two requirements can be easily met by TCM and acupuncture.
Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture in Boynton Beach can regulate both the ensuing damage to the digestive process and the fatigue, emotions, and stress (the causes of weight gain), which leads to an increase in body mass. The effect of emotions and stress in the body can be controlled by TCM and acupuncture’s effect on the brain and the nervous system leading to an increase in the efficiency of the digestive organs in the body. The ways to prevent emotional imbalance and stress lie with you. The environmental and lifestyle choices you select will determine whether you gain or lose weight. However, you can make the choosing much easier through long-term treatment combined, if you want to, with complementary counseling.
TCM and acupuncture will not guarantee that you will attain your ideal weight. But when you take in your own unique circumstances and map out a proper plan of treatment, the achievement of your weight management goals can become easier. It is important to remember that weight loss lies in maintaining healthy lifestyle choices.
Healing Depression the Healthy and Natural Way Using Acupuncture
People with anxiety and depression have certainly benefited from the many advantages of modern life but a lot of individuals still sadly suffer from emotional distress. Depression and anxiety are the two most common emotional-mental health issues affecting people today. Fortunately, there is acupuncture, an ancient Asian healing modality that offers people a natural and safe way of helping people return to a happier life and relieve them of these conditions.
How Can Acupuncture Help Depression and Anxiety
Traditional Chinese medicine (also called Oriental Medicine or TCM) and acupuncture have always considered the connection between the body and mind to be inseparable. Internal causes of health conditions along with the ancient descriptions of external environmental disease factors, such as Cold, Heat, and Wind were seen as the effects of emotions. Joy, worry, sadness, fear, and anger were associated with each of the body’s five Yin organs. From time to time, imbalances develop within these organs and those imbalances are where emotion has its origins from. Over the course of time, the emotion could injure the affected internal organ if it’s not addressed promptly and correctly.
People’s mental health surely has been severely affected by the Western motto of “more is better.” While some people tend to over exhaust themselves by playing or working hard, other people may think too much worrying about every aspect of life. They have no time at all to just unwind and take it easy without seeking some social event or powering on the TV. The body and mind becomes so tied-up inside because of this lifestyle eventually resulting in depression and anxiety. Acupuncture offers a treatment for people suffering from emotional- mental disorders by helping them to “un-do”. This treatment will provide patients with a deep state of relaxation enabling them to heal and rest both their body and mind.
Anxiety Acupuncture Treatment
Manifesting in a variety of ways, anxiety can be experienced from mild worrying about an upcoming speech or exam to a nervous stomach, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), phobias, and even panic attacks. Anxiety is usually a healthy normal reaction of the mind and body to new situations and the daily stresses of life. But when anxiety arises in an excessive or random manner, this should be a sign for concern. The good news is that acupuncture can restore balance to both the physical and mental manifestations of anxiety helping you to get back to an easy-going life.
When you are over anxious, it makes you experience obsessive thoughts that transfix your mind to the fearful situation. It can lead to physical symptoms such as headache, nausea, stomach pain, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, and chest pain. The acupuncturist observes your tongue and pulse and evaluates the exact manifestations of your anxiety to determine what specific TCM anxiety pattern you are suffering from.
Kidney and Heart energy imbalances are the most common TCM diagnoses for anxiety. Seen as a Water (Yin) organ, the Kidney’s function is to balance the Fire of the Heart helping to contain an excess of Fire. An energy deficient Kidney causes the Heart Fire to rise up and disturb the mind. Considered a Yang organ, the heart organ system constantly pumps blood throughout the body. When the Heart becomes over-excited due to an imbalance of Fire or to excessive joy, it can generate Heat resulting in insomnia and anxiety.
Anxiety treatments using acupuncture in Overland Park can utilize both ear acupuncture (auricular acupuncture) and body acupuncture. The Spirit Gate or Shenmen ear acupoints and other ear acupoints can help relieve anxiety effectively; oftentimes small magnetic balls or ear tacks are retained on these ear acupoints to prolong the benefits of the treatment until the next treatment session comes. Body acupoints including the Spleen 6, Kidney 6, and Heart 7 are needled to harmonize the Kidney and Heart and to nourish the Yin energy of these organs. The points Heart 8 and 9 are treated to sedate the Fire within the Heart if Heart Heat is excessive.
Acupuncture Depression Treatment
The United States has about 20% of its population suffering from depression at some point in their lives. Due to its rifeness, doctors labels depression as the “common cold” of psychology. One of Western Medicine’s treatments for this condition is pharmaceutical medications but the side effects of these drugs forces people to consider a safe and natural alternative treatment such as acupuncture.
More often than not depression may feel like a kind of extreme exhaustion. There is just not enough energy to make you feel better no matter how much you want to be. Each individual may manifest symptoms of depression in different ways; nevertheless, each of them shares a common poor state of mind that that a depressed person can’t seem to surmount. The key to overcoming this condition is to break out of this rut.
Depression, according to TCM, is a problem of constraint, called Yu. The Liver is the main Yin organ related to this issue with the Heart and Spleen playing complementary roles. As the organ responsible for the flow of vital energy (Qi) throughout the body, the Liver is very much affected by your mood. If you are depressed or if your mood is low, the flow of Qi slows down and stagnates causing Liver Qi Stagnation. When this happens, all other physiological activities are affected including energy level, sleep, and digestion. If left unresolved, this will lead to additional stagnations of Blood, Phlegm, and Heat possibly resulting in body pains, mental cloudiness, and mania respectively. Secondary stagnations over the course of time will eventually affect the Spleen and Heart causing additional symptoms, such as fatigue and poor memory.
Treating depression with acupuncture will aim at improving Qi flow as well as restoring balance to the circulation of Qi to alleviate symptoms. The Four Gates treatment is the most common acupuncture procedure to boost Qi circulation. It involves the treatment of the Liv 3 points on the foot bilaterally and the LI 4 points on the hand also bilaterally. These pairs of acupoints are located in similar anatomical positions on the body: Liv 3 between the 2nd toe and the big toe on top of the foot and the LI4 in the fleshy web between the index finger and thumb in. Extra points treated may include Spleen 6 and Stomach 36 as they can be used to boost production of Qi in the body and reinforce digestion. You can start to feel your strength coming back and your life in full swing once more once your energy levels are normalized and your Qi is flowing properly enabling you to say good bye to your depression.
Life Changes
Altering your lifestyle into a healthy one can help balance your mind regardless of whether you are experiencing depression, anxiety or some other emotional difficulty. The mind oftentimes tends to resist acceptance of new ideas and attaches itself to negative emotions. You need to think about embarking on an exercise program that will help circulate your own energy and study some form of meditation to learn how to relax and control your mind. Yoga, Qi gong, and Tai Chi are excellent mind-body exercises that can make you to better able to control both depression and anxiety. Regular acupuncture treatments in conjunction with these activities provide the groundwork for a healthy change in your life.
Healing Arthritis Sufferers with the Use of Acupuncture
It is never easy to treat arthritis and its symptoms have often been addressed by taking in unpalatable and even toxic arthritis drugs. One very good alternative treatment for arthritis is acupuncture as it can provide you with substantial pain relief that can last for a long time.
What is Acupuncture and How Can It Relieve Arthritis Pain?
For thousands of years, acupuncture has been used in China and other parts of Asia as a way to relieve arthritis pain and all types of pain. It is one major component for an ancient Chinese healing tradition known as traditional Chinese medicine. Recently, acupuncture has become a commonly used modality in conventional medicine and is now actually practiced by doctors other medical professionals these days.
When it comes to arthritis pain, acupuncture has claimed good results that it can back up. Joint pain relief and arthritis pain relief are two of the most common reasons for the use of acupuncture in Western societies. Several osteoarthritis sufferers as well as people with gout, degenerative arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, can avail themselves of acupuncture either as a standalone treatment or a complementary form of treatment along with conventional therapy for their condition.
Involving the sticking of filiform need in various parts of the body, acupuncture for arthritis treatment may entail the needling of points near the area of soreness or on points remote to the affected body area. The points remote from the affected part of the body are known as distal points. Depending on the way the acupuncturist performs the procedure, as many as 20 points can be inserted into the body all at once or as little as two.
On the average, arthritis patients may receive around 3 -6 sessions of acupuncture before they start to notice some improvements in their symptoms. A typical acupuncture needle is as thin as a hair in the scalp. The needles are left inserted into the body for around 20 minutes.
No one knows how much relief you will get from your pain in acupuncture. The important thing is to try it out and see what happens.
How Acupuncture is Utilized for the Relief of Arthritis Pain
Your initial visit to your acupuncturist may last an hour. The number of needles used may range between two to as many as 20 needles. A lot of people are scared of needles; however, these are extremely thin needles that d o not cause pain although some patients have felt a little stinging sensation that lasts just for a few seconds. Some became dizzy during the course of the treatment.
The number of acupuncture treatment sessions differs; however, with complex and chronic pain, it might take a week for a few months before significant results are seen.
You need to consider acupuncture If you’re a chronic arthritis sufferer. It may be the only treatment capable of treating your arthritis condition.
Manhattan Acupuncture Clinic
900 Broadway, Suite 404
New York, NY 10003
Ph: (917) 968-6456
http://www.manhattanacupunctureclinic.com/