If you are just beginning to look into acupuncture, you will be exposed to language you probably aren’t familiar with. One of the first phrases you might come across is the term “meridian.” Meridians are defined as the invisible channels through which qi (or energy) circulates throughout the body. The acupuncture points are the locations where the qi of the channels rises close to the surface of the body. 

What acupuncture seeks to do is restore the balance of energy and the appropriate energy flow to these meridians which allows the body to function normally and return to health more naturally. Meridians exist in corresponding pairs and each meridian has multiple acupuncture points along the channels.

In total, it is generally understood that there are fourteen main meridians throughout the body. There is a meridian that runs up the center of the body on the front and another that runs along the spine. The other 12 meridians run from head to toe along the rest of the body. Each limb is traversed by six channels, three yin and three yang in nature. Yin channels are located on the inside surfaces and the yang channels are located on the outside surfaces. Each yin organ (lung, heart, kidney, liver, spleen) is paired with its corresponding yang organ (large intestine, stomach, small intestine, bladder, and gallbladder). In order for the body to function properly, there must be balance between the yin and yang. 

Now that we have defined “qi” as energy and the meridians as essentially the highway on which qi travels, what is this concept of yin and yang in acupuncture? There is a basic understanding in Western culture as to the meaning of yin and yang but the give and take of yin and yang in the human body is not as easily understood. This concept is actually a cornerstone in traditional acupuncture and Chinese medicine. In a nutshell, it is believed that every entity in the universe carries both positive and negative influences. The negative is defined as yin and the positive as yang. Yin and yang are never static and always fluctuating. The yin/yang symbol provides a visual example of the balancing act that goes on constantly in our bodies.

When an acupuncture needle is placed to stimulate a certain acupuncture point along the meridian, this helps to restore the normal balance and flow of qi (or energy) so your organs and bodily systems can work together in harmony as intended. This sets the stage for the body to repair itself and maintain overall health and wellness. The goal is typically threefold: relieve any pain or other symptoms, strengthen the immune system, and balance the organ functions with each other for optimum health.

As an acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese medicine, don’t be afraid to ask me any questions if you don’t fully understand some of the terminology. The more you know about this ancient form of medicine, the better you’ll understand how it can impact your health for the better. Give me a call today if you are interested in giving acupuncture a try or have more questions about how acupuncture can benefit you and your health care goals.

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Well, no emotion is inherently good or bad, it’s how we deal with challenging emotions that can end up hurting ourselves or those we love. 

According to TCM, springtime is a very yang time of year, full of new energy and growth in nature, and in us. In humans, when growth or change occurs in our lives, there often is a catalyst, something we’re not satisfied with or something we’re inspired by, something compelling enough to move us to make a change.

Anger can be a very compelling emotion. When anger is channeled into action, it can be very powerful. All of this to say, TCM connects the high energy and potential growth of springtime with anger, a strong catalyst for growth if it’s acknowledged and channeled well.

Of course, it’s not a given that when we feel anger, we’ll be able to use it to catalyze an important change or even recognize why we’re angry in the first place. Too much anger can also cause harm to the physical body over time.

One of the most common causes of anger, according to TCM, is chronic or acute stress resulting in energy stagnation, especially in the liver. The liver is responsible for the healthy flow of qi around the body. When qi is stuck in our bodies, emotions too can become stuck, and hard to express or even identify. 

According to TCM, there are several modalities that can help the flow of qi and emotion in our bodies. 

1. Acupuncture is a great modality for supporting the healthy flow of qi through the liver. 
2. Stretching helps release blood and qi through the body and into the tendons, maintaining a healthy physical body.
3. Eye exercises help support the health of the liver and vice versa. The liver is partly responsible for the function of the eyes. Remember to take breaks from looking at computer or phone screens throughout the day.
4. Eating greens helps maintain healthy liver function and the movement of qi.
5. Spending time outside, especially combined with exercise, helps qi movement and overall mental health.

Qi stagnation is very common, especially in springtime as we move out of the lower energy of winter. But when qi is flowing smoothly, we can fully engage with all the opportunities springtime can provide. Getting seasonal acupuncture tune-ups is a great way to stay healthy all year long. Call me today for an appointment!

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Winter’s element is water and is associated with the kidneys, which in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is considered the source of all qi and energy within the body. Winter is also associated with the bladder and adrenal glands.

Focusing on inner reflection, rest, energy conservation and storage during the winter months is when it’s most important as it helps us to properly nourish our Kidney Qi.

Below are a few methods you can learn about and apply during this season in order to maintain a balanced qi.

Balancing your lifestyle

For most people, a reduction in activity is common during the winter months whether it’s due to the frigid temperatures, damp weather, or lack of activities available in the area where you reside.

Given that reduced activity is likely a factor for many, it’s important to also consume less food this time of year to avoid unnecessary weight gain. Food that should be gravitated towards would be warmer foods such as beans, ginger or garlic, and even soups and stews.

Rest & Relaxation

Although the days are shorter during the winter, it’s important to stay in line with our circadian rhythm. This can be done by having an earlier bedtime and waking up after the sun has had time to warm the earth in the morning. Not only does getting more sleep helps with balancing our Yang Qi, it helps give our body the necessary rest we need in order to prevent common winter illnesses such as the flu, colds, and general aches and pains. Not only that, but according to TCM, unresolved anger, stress and frustration can throw your immune system thus off allowing pathogens to affect the body.

Relaxation is also a way to stay balanced during this time of year.

Drink Plenty of Water

We’re all aware that drinking water is extremely important to our survival, but it does more than simply keeping us alive.

Drinking water has many benefits including the fact that it’s essential for proper kidney function and can even prevent kidney stones. It’s also known for lubricating the joints, delivers oxygen through the body, regulates body temperature, and maintaining blood pressure.

If you have a hard time drinking water, try adding lemon to it to amplify the taste, drinking tea, or adding a vitamin flavor enhancer.

Wash your hands

Winter time is the time of year where we are in close proximity with others because we tend to stay indoors more. That being said, we are more likely to spread our germs to others and vice versa.

Washing your hands often can help prevent the spread of germs and keep you healthy. Other ways to avoid coming in contact with germs is to keep a container of sanitizing cloths with you so you can wipe down door knobs, grocery cart handles, and even condiment containers at restaurants before handling them.

Acupuncture Points

The acupuncture point that we suggest catering to is Du 14. It helps regulate blood circulation and can also strengthen the outer defense layers of the skin and muscle to prevent the intrusion and duration of germs and viruses.

Du 14 is a crucial point that is used to release the Exterior and treat Wind-Heat.

Applying Traditional Chinese Medicine to your active lifestyle is beneficial for your health and should be made a priority.

https://www.centredaily.com/living/liv-columns-blogs/article189158219.html
https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Chinese+Medicine+and+Winter+Season
http://www.acupuncture.com/education/points/du/du14.htm

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Everyone feels cold sometimes, but some people are perpetually chilled to a point where it interferes with their lives.

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, there are two different kinds of cold in the body: full cold and empty cold. Full cold refers to a condition where there is an excess of cold-type energy in the body leading to a feeling of cold, and most likely other health problems, as well. The other kind of cold is empty cold. This means there is not an abundance of cold energy but rather a weakness of the warm fiery energy. When there isn’t enough warmth in the body, you will feel cold – not because the cold is so strong, but because you don’t have enough fire to balance it out.

Full cold

As mentioned, a full cold condition refers to an over-abundance of cold type energy in the body. This is often an acute case and may relate to being outside on cold weather, or exposing a certain area of your body to cold water, cold wind or cold weather. Symptoms really depend on the location of the cold in the body.

For instance, you might feel really cold when you are coming down with a cold virus. From a TCM perspective, this is cold being trapped under the skin or in certain channels on the back of the neck. Other associated symptoms may be a stiff neck, a runny nose or an occipital headache.

Full cold can also lodge itself in the digestive system – this may happen following a meal of cold food, drinking cold beverages in a cold environment or following exposure to very cold temperatures. Full cold in the digestive system can lead to a feeling of cold, as well as painful cramping, diarrhea or loose stools and pain in the abdomen.

Another common site of a full-cold condition is the uterus. This can be from exposure to cold temperatures such as swimming in cold water or sitting on a cold surface. Certain gynecological procedures can also introduce cold into the uterus. This type of cold manifests as a feeling of cold, particularly with the period and very painful cramping before and during the period. There will likely also be clots and possible problems with fertility.

All of these full-cold conditions can be avoided by limiting exposure to cold environments and cold foods. Also introducing heat internally through teas, soups and warming herbs can help.

Empty cold

In TCM, health is a state of balance between yin and yang. Yin refers to the cool, watery, passive parts of our physiology, whereas yang refers to the hot, fiery, active parts. When the yang energy is weakened, there isn’t enough fire to balance out the cool and watery yin. This leads to a pervasive feeling of cold that is hard to shake, even with lots of blankets and warm drinks. This is someone who always feels chilled, no matter what. There may be other symptoms, as well, such as loose stools, a lack of energy or motivation, wanting to sleep all the time or fluid accumulation. Yang deficiency cold often requires use of herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxa to treat appropriately.

While these are the main reasons for feeling cold, there are two other energetic imbalances that can also lead to feeling cold – Qi stagnation and blood deficiency.  When Qi is stuck, circulation is impaired and heat can’t get to our extremities effectively. This kind of cold often manifests as very cold hands and feet. It can be helped by regular exercise, reducing stress and limiting heavy foods. A weakness in the blood energy of the body leads to a low-grade constant feeling of cold less severe than a yang deficiency cold, but still pervasive and consistent. It can be helped with getting enough sleep, reducing stressors and eating a well-balanced diet of blood-nourishing foods.

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From an acupuncture and Chinese Medicine perspective, there are numerous imbalances in our bodies that can cause the constant fatigue. Here are some of the most common imbalances that can lead to fatigue, lethargy, lack of energy/motivation, and tiredness.

Your energy is weakened or struggling

Simply put, when systems in our body are compromised (through illness, heredity, stress, or lifestyle choices), they can’t produce the abundance of good, positive energy our body (and mind) needs to function. Many different systems in our body can produce a feeling of fatigue when they are weakened. When the Qi of our Spleen and Lung organ systems is compromised, we often feel like we don’t have enough energy to get through the day. This sort of fatigue often improves with good sleep, hygiene and a healthy diet. When our Liver Blood energy is weakened (through overwork, poor sleep, poor diet, illness, or excessive bleeding), the fatigue we experience is hard to shake; we may feel restless, and have a hard time falling asleep even though we are tired. This type of fatigue is improved by eating more dark leafy greens and more organ meats, to nourish the blood energy. A deficiency of either Kidney yin or Kidney yang energy– our two most fundamental energies – can also result in fatigue. This kind of fatigue manifests as true exhaustion. It is very important to give yourself ample time to rest, to recover from this type of tiredness; dietary changes, as well as herbal medicine, can also be very helpful.

Your energy is stuck

Fatigue does not always stem from a weakness in your body’s energy; sometimes fatigue comes from energy not moving properly. Health, in Chinese Medicine, is all about the smooth flow of energy through the body. When something alters that smooth flow, such as illness, injury, trauma, stress, poor lifestyle choices, etc – fatigue can be a result.

When your body’s energy is not flowing the way it should be, your body actually has to exert a lot more energy to keep you running well. The kind of fatigue that comes from Qi Stagnation (energy not flowing well) can present as a fatigue that is actually better with exercise or movement. It is the kind of fatigue that makes it really hard to get to the gym, but can disappear once you complete your work-out. Qi stagnation fatigue can make us feel ‘tired but wired’, and can also be closely related to feeling overwhelmed or run down by stress.

This sort of fatigue is helped by exercise, movement, and stress-reduction techniques.

You are damp

‘Dampness’ is a concept somewhat unique to Chinese Medicine – it refers to an abnormal processing of fluids in the body. Dampness can ‘lodge’ itself in many different areas, and as such, can lead to numerous symptoms. When dampness is pervasive throughout the whole body, usually one experiences a kind of constant fatigue – this can be both physical and mental. Patients who are tired from dampness describe feeling “sluggish”, “heavy”, or “fuzzy”. This kind of fatigue is greatly improved by making dietary changes, such as reducing the intake of dairy, cold temperature or raw foods, and greasy or fried foods. Dampness is also helped by regular exercise – which helps to break through that sluggishness; also trying to remove yourself from damp environments (ie. Seattle!) can be helpful.

In all of these situations, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be a huge help. Acupuncture and herbs focus on creating balance in the body to restore energy and vitality, rather than giving you false energy like coffee or an energy drink.                         You don’t deserve to be tired all the time – the combination of diet, lifestyle changes, and Chinese Medicine can get you back on the road to health, vitality, and feeling great!

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Based upon Taoist meditation practices, the Inner Smile Meditation can have profound effects on your body and mind. This simple meditation suggests that you ‘smile’ to all of your internal organs and glands. It is a way of saying “thank you” to your body for working 24 hours­­­, 7 days a week!

Focusing your attention and smiling in this way can calm the autonomic nervous system, revitalize the internal organs, and increase the flow of blood and Qi.

Here you will find the Inner Smile Meditation for the main Meridian Organ Systems. For more information, please refer to Mantak Chia’s book, Taoist Ways to Transform Stress into Vitality.

Choose a quiet spot and keep warm throughout the meditation. Sit comfortably at the edge of a chair, feet flat on the ground with your back straight. Breathe deeply and relax. Clasp your hands together, left hand on bottom and right hand on top, palms touching, and rest them in your lap.

Close your eyes and feel a connection between the soles of your feet and the ground.

Focus on the midpoint between your eyebrows. Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth. Put a smile on your face and journey down to the wonderfully amazing body that keeps you alive, alert and active.

Heart -See your heart as a vibrant red color. Focus the energy of “joy” into your heart. Feel it pulse with love. Breathe in and exhale with the sound of HAW.

Lungs – Radiate the feeling in your heart to your lungs. Picture your lungs as pure white. Focus on letting go of sadness and grief. Exhale with the sound of SSSSSS.

Liver – Keep the feeling spilling over into your liver, which is just under your ribs on the right side. Picture it as a vibrant grass-green. When exhaling, let go of anger and frustration with the sound of SHHHH.

Spleen – Continue to the left, under the ribs. Shine a vibrant yellow color into this organ. When you exhale, let go of overthinking and worry, and use the sound of WHOO.

Kidney – Focus your attention on your lower back, just below and under your ribs. Imagine a deep blue-purple light. Breathe in courage and exhale fear. When you exhale, use the sound of WOOO.

Once you have traveled through your body, begin to focus your attention on your navel. Smile down to your navel, and focus your attention there.

Mentally move the energy in a spiral at the navel 36 times. Women start the spiral counterclockwise, men start it clockwise. Next, reverse the spiral direction and bring the energy back into the navel, circling 24 times. You can use a finger to guide the spiral motion.

It is ok if you don’t know the exact locations of your organs. Just bringing awareness to these areas of your organs is benefit enough. Your body will love you just the same.

Perform each exercise 9 times, twice a day. These exercises can affect your body and mind; consult me if you have any questions about this meditation.

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There have been numerous cases where professional athletes in the peak of their careers have died of heart attacks and other natural complications. Could these deaths have been prevented by taking better care of their overall health? Possibly…

A physically fit body is typically a body that exudes health and vibrancy, however, this doesn’t mean that underlying illnesses such as cancer or cardiovascular disorders are not underneath the surface.

According to traditional Chinese medical theory, when there are meridian imbalances in the body, our organs are not functioning to their fullest capacity; this can lead to pain and injury.

Although you may feel in great athletic shape, when your body is out of balance, your organs are not getting the sufficient energy and blood flow they need to function properly; many of my patients who participate in rigorous workout schedules, don’t even know to stay properly hydrated.

The best thing to do is listen to your body. If something feels off or you feel low energy, these could be signs of an imbalance in your body. I often see people who continue to workout while their body is trying to fight off a cold. It’s more important to take a little extra time to rest, and seek out the proper therapies to get yourself  ‘tuned back up’.

The foundation of healthy living is a powerful, free-flowing meridian system, free to help the body without interference. Acupuncture points on the body are used to restore balance, providing better overall health.

Come in for an acupuncture tune-up today!

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