To say that 2020 was a stressful year is putting it mildly. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, many people put checkups and other medical procedures on hold, including acupuncture treatments. If you are more than ready to get back to your treatments, here are four things your acupuncturist wants you to know about their safety procedures in this new normal. And if this does not answer all your questions, please feel free to ask. Your acupuncturist wants you to feel safe and secure as you return for your first appointment. 

Local Laws and Ordinances

One thing to keep in mind is that your acupuncturist may have to follow certain local or state mandates to reopen. These requirements could include specific safety protocols they now have to adhere to, wearing masks all the time, or even using a different check-in procedure. Some of these changes might be inconvenient, but they are being done for your safety and security. 

Clean and Disinfected

Many of these new protocols include the cleaning of the treatment room and common areas. You might see additional cleaning procedures such as extra time between appointments to disinfect the room and safely prepare for the next patient. 

Booking an Appointment and Checking In

The booking process may have changed thanks to Covid restrictions as well. For example, you may experience more online communication with instructions for what to expect when you arrive. Depending on the new office procedures, your acupuncturist may have you wait in your car rather than the waiting room, until they are ready for you to come in. You may fill out intake forms and health histories online from your home prior to your appointment instead of doing this onsite as you normally would. And you may have to wear your mask when you are going to and from the treatment room. 

Safety of Your Acupuncturist

Your acupuncturist will have to change his or her protocols as well. They will most likely be wearing a mask and/or face shield when they see you. They are seeing patients throughout the day so you may experience a difference or reduction in their interaction with you to both minimize their risk, and your own. Do not take these changes personally, just know they are doing their best to keep everyone they treat safe and healthy. 

Your acupuncturist is happy to have you back and ready to help keep you healthy. They appreciate your willingness to go with the flow and follow all safety precautions they have put in place. So do not wait! Make your appointment today!

The post Is Acupuncture Safe Post-Covid? 4 Things Your Acupuncturist Wants You to Know Before You Book Your Appointment appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.

2020 has proven to be a year of trials and growth for all of us. With a new school year just around the corner, it’s important to have an open dialogue with our children about what to expect, how to stay safe and how they can express themselves even with certain restrictions.

GET THEM A MASK THEY CAN BE EXCITED ABOUT

Children don’t have the full scope-of-understanding about this virus like us adults do. They may be confused, find it frustrating that they have to cover half of their face (which is a means of self-expression) and not be able to function in a way that they’re used to.

Getting your child a mask that they enjoy may encourage their desire to wear it, thus keeping them and others around them more safe. Affordable and unique masks can be found on sites such as Etsy and can range anywhere from $5-15.

Private sellers make masks with anything from floral print, to superheroes and video game characters such as Spider Man or Fortnite.

RECESS GAMES AT A DISTANCE

Depending on your governing state and the rules that they apply when it comes to COVID-19, you may find your child becoming antsy not being able to play with their friends at recess like they used to. Here are some fun socially-distanced activities that you can incorporate so that kids can still enjoy their play time.

Fitness Relay: Set up into teams of 3 (ensuring everyone is at least 6 feet from one another). Set up cones in front of each team in a straight line to distinguish the start and finish areas. The leader will call out an exercise (jumping jacks, pushups, toe-touches, etc.) and when the leader yells “go!” The first players of each team will run to the cone and perform that exercise. Then, they run back to the starting cone and the next person goes. The first team to have all players finished, wins!

Mirror, Mirror: Players pick a partner and face each other keeping at least 6 feet of distance. One child is deemed the leader, and the others must mirror their movements. Talking and/or giving hints isn’t allowed! So pay close attention. The leader tries to come up with as many movements as possible while the others follow along. Switch leaders after 2 minutes.

MOBILE APPS AND GAMES

There are some mobile apps that can be downloaded on cell phones to help kids stay connected while social distancing. Of course, we encourage family discussions before a game is downloaded to ensure that it lines up with online safety as well as family values.

That being said, a few apps that we have found to be fun include Online Uno (a classic card game), Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and even Pokemon Go!

ACUPRESSURE!

Even with the above suggestions, kids are likely to get stressed and hold tension in their bodies when trying to navigate this new world. If your child shows signs of headaches or stress, show them the below acupressure points so relieve some of their symptoms.

Pericardium 6 – This point is located bilaterally on the underside of the forearm, roughly three finger widths below the wrist crease, between the two tendons. PC6 is a great point to alleviate nausea from pregnancy-related issues, motion sickness, drug reactions, stomach issues, etc.. It’s also an excellent point to calm the mind and spirit.

All things considered, this new school year will be challenging and will break conventional norms. That also means it’s a great opportunity to have conversation with your children and teach them how to still have fun, socialize and spend time with their friends all while prioritizing their health and safety.

For more information like you found in this article, follow us on social media to stay up-to-date and in-the-know about how we’re handling current world issues.

The post 4 Ways To Support Your Kids: Back-To-School & COVID appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.

Navigating stay-at-home orders, working from home, schooling from home and the myriad other new things that are now a daily part of life are stressful. It can be easy to get overwhelmed with each new development and all the unknowns that surround our lives because of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Chinese medicine offers something old and grounding to turn back to during this time.

The idea that supporting mental health is a significant factor in supporting physical health is a central tenet of traditional Chinese medicine. Beyond acupuncture and herbal remedies, TCM takes a holistic approach to health that includes simple things you can do each day to foster physical health through supporting that mind-body connection.

Here are five things you can incorporate into your daily routine to mitigate stress and stay healthy right now.

Sleep. Get enough sleep! Your body does a significant amount of healing each night while you’re asleep. Don’t lose track of any helpful routines you have to help yourself get restful sleep each night. If you don’t have any, consider incorporating a dedicated routine of winding down each evening to get your body ready for sleep. Putting away your phone, drinking a cup of herbal tea, light reading/ a novel or some poetry, or doing some simple yoga stretches are all ways to signal to your body that it’s time to start winding down for the day. Try to go to sleep at the same time each evening too; while so many things are up in the air, your sleep schedule shouldn’t be one of them, and your body will thank you for that. 

Hydrate. Drinking enough water is another one of the simplest ways to stay healthy in your body and mind. If this is a hard one for you, adding some lemon or cucumber to your water can make it more enjoyable. Make it a goal to drink about a cup of water each hour throughout the day. It’s amazing how big of a difference this can make.

Move. Move your body! Even five minutes each day will make a difference. Incorporate movement into your day in whatever way is most palatable to you. That might be going on a walk, having a dance party with your kids, or moving through some yoga poses. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, there are more free online exercise and yoga resources than ever, if having some guidance will help you to incorporate movement into your day.

Eat well. Don’t let go of healthy eating habits right now. When we’re stressed, it’s really easy to want comfort in any form, including comfort food (which is totally understandable!)…but make sure you’re eating vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and protein as well. Again, with everyone stuck at home, free online recipes for your quarantine abound. Making sure your body is well-nourished is one of the best things you can do for long-term physical and mental health.

Go easy on yourself. Do what you can for yourself and those around you. It’s okay if you’re unable to maintain these things all the time. Even small efforts can have a big impact!

The post Coronavirus and TCM: Staying Healthy at Home appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.

Dear patients and our community,

As you already know, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is very real and it is everyone’s responsibility to help keep our community safe from the rapid spread of Coronavirus.  To help slow the spread of this virus, it is now more important than ever to take an abundance of caution to help protect you, your family, our community, and our healthcare system. 

Because there are many unknowns about Coronavirus and things can change rapidly, we as acupuncture practitioners believe using common sense is the best measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

If you are feeling ill, or experiencing any of the following symptoms, please stay home and limit your exposure to other people in your community.  By taking action, you will significantly delay the spread of COVID-19:

• Fever (oral temperature 100.4° or higher) or symptoms of fever (such as chills or body aches) within the past 24 hours. Please do not consider yourself fever-free until your temperature has been normal for at least 24 hours without the use of Tylenol (acetaminophen). The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends avoiding Advil (ibuprofen) and other NSAIDs for COVID-19 symptoms until more information is available.
• Shortness of breath and/or cough that is not known to be caused by another condition (for example allergies).  
• Travel within the past 14 days to areas that have people known to be infected with COVID-19. 
• Close contact with a person known/suspected to be infected with COVID-19 within the past 14 days.
• Healthcare workers who have been in contact with patients known/suspected to be infected with COVID-19 within the past 14 days. 

Prevention is the best medicine.  Here are some additional resources for patients and community during this critical time.

What You Can Do To Take Care Of Yourself

The most important things you can do to support your immune system are really basic:

1. Don’t panic.  Stress is bad for your immune system.  It’s normal to have worried thoughts…just don’t entertain them for too long.  Make some time to do something enjoyable each day and connect with loved ones.
2. Wash your hands frequently and try not to touch your face.
3. Get enough sleep.  Turn off the screens and start winding down a little earlier.
4. Drink lots of water to support healthy mucous membranes as a first line of defense.  Hot water and tea have been shown to inhibit viruses in our throat.
5. Eat more nutrient dense whole foods, soups, and bone broth.
6. Eat less inflammatory foods: sugar, industrial seed oils, processed foods, alcohol, and foods you are sensitive to (wheat, dairy, eggs, nightshades etc.)
7. Support lung health by doing some even breathing, preferably outdoors in fresh air, to move circulation and clear out toxins.  Breath in through your nose for a count of 5, hold for 1 count, then out through your mouth for a count of 5, hold for 1 count. Repeat 5 times.  Make the counts even and not too long that you struggle.  

Up-to-date COVID-19 Data from the World Health Organization

For the current number of cases worldwide, the World Health Organization maintains a COVID-19 Situation Report worldwide. Click here.

As acupuncturists we are committed to the health and safety of our community.

With your help and support, we can all take part in mitigating the spread of COVID-19. 

While these times may feel unusually challenging, please know we will continue to monitor the current situation and evaluate additional measures to help support patients and community.

Thank you and stay safe.

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