Allendale Acupuncture & Nutrition Clinic

acupuncture, nutrition, clinic, allendale

Author: susannaeun

alternative medical practitioner specializing in Chinese medicine, energy healing, author, lecturer

Combat Cravings with Ear Massage

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Ear Massage is an extremely relaxing and effective therapy aimed at decreasing cravings, reducing stress, promoting well being and addressing various health issues.

Ear massage triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. Studies have demonstrated that ear stimulation increases levels of endorphins in both the blood and cerebrospinal fluid.

combat cravings with ear massage

Here is a great ear massage that you can do for yourself or your loved ones:

1. Rub in small circular motions with your thumbs inside the widest upper part inside the ears, holding them from outside with the index and middle fingers.

2. Use your index finger to massage inside the smaller crevices if your thumbs don’t fit and along the front of your ear where it attaches to the head.

3. Massage the earlobes by gently pulling them down and making circles with your thumb and index finger.

Call Allendale Acupuncture today at 201.760.8811 to get additional help in combating cravings. Between acupuncture and / or our nutritional programs, we can help you!

Insomnia, Acupuncture and Nutrition Response Testing

Posted by on in Anxiety and Depression

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. People with insomnia have one or more of the following symptoms:

  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Waking up often during the night and having trouble going back to sleep
  • Waking up too early in the morning
  • Feeling tired upon waking

Major Causes of Insomnia

  • Significant life stress (job loss or change, death of a loved one, divorce, or moving)
  • Illness, pain, or discomfort at night
  • Environmental factors like noise, light, or extreme temperatures (hot or cold) that interfere with sleep
  • Medications (notably those used to treat depression, asthma, or high blood pressure) may interfere with sleep
  • Interferences in normal sleep schedule such as jet lag switching from a day to night shift
  • Depression and/or anxiety
  • Hormonal imbalance

Millions of people suffer from insomnia these days. Sleep deprivation is the root of many health issues like memory impairment, a weakened immune system and stress that can lead to cardiac disease, heart disease and digestive disorders. Sound sleep is the foundation of good health. We need 6-8 hours of sleep every night to recharge our batteries. Practicing good sleep hygiene and keeping your body in sync with the rhythm of day and night can help your body cope with sleep deprivation and give it an opportunity to get stronger and heal.

insomnia

We can address the root cause of insomnia by applying the yin-yang principle. In Chinese medicine, sleep occurs when the yang energy of the day folds into the yin energy of night time. Yin energy of the body is cooling and restorative; it is the time of day when our bodies turn inward and regenerate. Conversely, day time is yang, which is expansive. We expend the energy we have built up from the process of sleeping. This yin-yang principle provides invaluable tips to improve our sleeping patterns.

What to Do:

Keep your body and mind as much Yin as possible by following: Exposure to the diminishing light at dusk, eating your last meal at least three hours before going to bed, gentle and slow-moving exercise such as yoga or Tai-Chi, and Unwind your mind through meditation (Meditation is best practiced dung the day to help improve your sleep patterns at night.)

What to Avoid:

Cool your Yang energy down by avoiding hot and spicy food and drink. Avoid alcohol, coffee, chocolate and any other stimulants, especially late in the day. Excessive lighting at night, evening shift work, evening computing, video games, television, and late-night eating all serve to counteract the body’s natural rhythms.

Nutrition:

Just like any other human health issues, insomnia can be caused by: improper diet, immunological challenges, heavy metal or chemical toxins in your body, and unhealed scar tissues. Fruits and vegetables, seaweeds, bone-marrow soup, foods rich in minerals, and Vitamin B Complex can induce peaceful sleep at night..

If you or someone you know suffers from insomnia, call today to see what Acupuncture and Nutrition Response Testing can do for you!

Nutritional Support During Allergy Season

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Here are inexpensive, effective, and easy ideas in alleviating allergy symptoms.

allergynutritional

Apple Cider Vinegar

Raw, unfiltered, organic apple cider vinegar has long been used to treat many respiratory diseases including allergies and asthma. Depending on the severity of symptoms, the dosage will vary. The best way to use apple cider vinegar for your allergies is on a consistent basis. Mix 1 tablespoon ACV with 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon of raw bees honey and drink three times a day.

Manuka Honey

Manuka honey produced in New Zealand has been used to treat many conditions ranging from stomach ulcers to tinnitus (ringing in the ear). Manuka honey is a strong anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal. Since most of allergy symptoms are caused by bacteria, mold and yeast, and parasites, using Manuka honey makes a perfect sense. Some claim that locally-grown honey is a good alternative, however Manuka honey is known to be far more potent than any other honey brands.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice that belongs to the ginger family. It is a natural nutritional supplement that helps to cure many health problems, including allergies, because it contains curcumin, a compound that acts as a decongestant. Tumeric also acts as anti-histamine in reducing the mast cell de-granulation or histamine release.

Dandelion Tea

Dandelion root and leaves are natural detoxifiers and blood cleansers. The Chinese use the greens and roots of dandelions to “cool the blood.” Drinking the tea on a daily basis in the springtime can help to detox the body, purify the blood and is helpful for allergy-prone people.

Vitamin D

Optimizing your vitamin D levels is absolutely crucial in dealing with allergies. In fact, research suggests that vitamin D deficiency may be a primary underlying cause of asthma. 1000-2000 iu of Vitamin D is recommended, however during high pollen counts season, it can go up to 5000 iu per day.

Eucalyptus oil

This pure essential oil can be healing to mucus membranes. You can apply a drop on a cotton ball and sniff it several times a day, add a few drops to water for a steam treatment, or use a few drops in your bath water.

Avoid pasteurized milk products, all forms of sugar, and wheat

Dairy products are notorious for increasing phlegm and making allergies and asthma worse.  Sugar and wheat products tend to cause inflammations within the body and to reduce body’s natural immune capabilities.

Get Regular Exercise

Exercise regularly, especially out in fresh air, as it helps to boost your overall immune functions.

Strengthen Your Digestive Health with Acupuncture

Posted by on in Uncategorized

Our gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) starts from the mouth and ends at the anus. There are a number of diseases associated with our GI tract ranging from excessive gas build-up, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea to more serious conditions such as acid reflux (GERD), ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and Crohn’s disease. Most of these conditions are chronic, although some conditions of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease can be life-threatening.

Early Chinese medical texts state that “The origins of any chronic disease can be traced back to compromised digestive function.” In other words, Chinese medicine views digestive health as the foundation to total health.

digestive health

According to Chinese medical theory, most digestive disorders are due to disharmony in the spleen and stomach. In fact, it’s not so much the stomach that holds the key in maintaining optimal digestive function, it’s the SPLEEN.

Unlike Western medicine that views the spleen as not-so-vital, Chinese medicine considers the spleen an extremely important organ, not only for digestive functions, but for reproductive health, immune functions, and vascular strength.

The spleen (which includes the pancreas in Chinese medical theory) takes a lead role in the assimilation of nutrients and maintenance of physical strength. It turns digested food from the stomach into usable nutrients and Qi (energy).

digestive health 2

The liver also plays a critical role in the digestive process. When the spleen is weak, the liver cannot move smoothly, so that the combined effects of weak spleen and liver often result in serious digestive disorders.

In addition, the large/small intestines, the gallbladder, and the kidneys are intricately involved in our digestive process. Therefore, maintaining optimal digestive heath always requires a holistic approach that takes into a whole body into account, not just the organs associated with the GI tract.

Acid Reflux Anyone?

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It is estimated that more than 20 percent of the general population is affected by Acid Reflux (GERD). While other groups are impacted, at least half of all asthmatic children experience symptoms, and pregnant women tend to suffer more than the average population.

For some people, eating a heavy, spicy or fatty meal can produce the unmistakable signs of acid reflux. Symptoms can vary from a burning pain in the chest to a sour taste in the mouth as stomach acid and/or regurgitated food flows upward through the esophagus into the oral cavity. Additionally they may experience difficult or painful swallowing, sore throat, a dry, rough voice, or feeling of a lump in the throat that cannot be cleared away.

acid reflux

In western medicine views too much acidity causes Acid Reflux. Some doctors (including myself) think that Heartburn and GERD are NOT caused by too much stomach acid. They are caused by too little stomach acid and bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and intestines. Therefore successful treatment is based on restoring adequate stomach acid production and eliminating bacterial overgrowth.

acid reflux 2

In Chinese medicine, acid reflux is viewed as rebellious stomach Qi. Typical treatment includes needling on the points to redirect energy downwards, as should naturally happen just after eating or drinking.

Diet is very important in helping to calm symptoms. By all accounts, reduce the intake of “wheat” and sugary foods. Drinking freshly-squeezed lemon in a one cupful of water with a touch of honey and/or eating an apple in an empty stomach, preferably first in the morning, can help tremendously in restoring acidity in the stomach.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

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A common disorder affecting 10 to 20 percent of adults at some point in their lives, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has a combination of symptoms that may include constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, fatigue and headaches that can be worsened by certain foods, stress and other irritants.

ibs

IBS is the end result of nervous interference with the normal function of the lower digestive tract. Symptoms can be managed by avoiding overeating, exercise, identifying trigger foods and reducing stress.

ibs 2

Inserting acupuncture needles on certain points on the liver and spleen meridians, along with some points on the stomach meridians often produce astounding results in handling IBS symptoms.

ibs3

Crohn’s Disease Symptom Relief

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Crohn’s disease is a medical condition that can cause chronic inflammation anywhere in the GI tract–from the mouth all the way to the rectum.

Often, the inflamed tissue is specifically found in the ileum (the end of the small intestine) and the beginning of the colon. Inflammation can spread into the deeper layers of the tract and frequently has what is known as a “cobblestone appearance.”

crohns' diseqse

Symptoms vary from patient to patient, and may include persistent, recurrent diarrhea, bleeding from the anus, urgent need to evacuate the bowels, constipation or feeling of incomplete evacuation, abdominal cramping, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, mental and physical developmental delays (in certain cases occurring amongst children), fever, night sweats, or irregular menstrual cycle

crohn's disease 2

Crohn’s is a difficult condition to cure. In some cases, surgery to repair or remove affected areas of the GI tract is necessary.

It is important to receive an early diagnosis as untreated Crohn’s disease can eventually cause life-threatening symptoms such as tears in the lining of the rectum and fistulas.

Fissures can cause excess bleeding and pain. Fistulas happen when inflammation erodes tissue, causing the formation of a tunnel starting from the intestines, going to the urinary bladder, vagina or even the skin.

I cannot stress enough how important diet is in reducing some symptoms.

Ulcerative Colitis

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Ulcerative colitis is part of disease called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It presents with inflammation in the lining of the large intestine, specifically the colon and sometimes the rectum. The lining becomes inflamed due to small wounds or ulcers, which then produce mucus and pus.

ulcerqtive colitis

The inflammation and ulceration an cause pain and different problems, including frequent, watery diarrhea, persistent diarrhea with pain and bloody stool, urgent bowel movements, incomplete evacuation of the bowels despite a feeling of urgency, abdominal cramping, loss of appetite, weight loss, body fluid depletion, fatigue, fever or urgent diarrhea that wakes you up in the middle of the night.

How can Chinese medicine help patients with ulcerative colitis?

ulcerative colitis 2

An article published in the 2013 issue of Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine concluded that “acupuncture and moxibustion (a traditional technique that uses the smoke from the herb mugwort to penetrate the skin) demonstrated better overall efficacy than oral sulphasalazine in treating inflammatory bowel disease.”

Sulphasalazine is a doctor-prescribed pharmaceutical drug that is commonly used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Reduce Your Risk of Getting Food Poisoning

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Four simple steps to reducing the occurrence of food poisoning are to clean, separate, cook and chill.

food poisoning

Clean: Wash hands, surfaces, utensils and platters often. Rinse all produce in cold running water before peeling, cutting or eating.

Separate: Keep foods that won’t be cooked separate from raw meat and poultry. Don’t use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meats and poultry.

Cook: Cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria.

Chill: Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers.

food poisoning 2

If you are ill with diarrhea or vomiting, do not prepare food for others, especially infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems since they are more vulnerable to infection.

Nutrition Response Testing for Digestive Health

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Acupuncture and Chinese medicine offers extremely effective means of combating both acute and chronic digestive disorders. However, when it comes to identifying specific diet changes or eliminating pathogens from the GI tract, Nutrition Response Testing offers far more detailed, individually-tailored information.

nutrition response testing for digestive heqlth

For instance, Nutrition Response Testing can immediately identify which food items wreak havoc on one’s digestive health, and whether or not one’s digestive system needs additional enzymes.

Typically, “wheat and sugar” are the major culprits, although eggs, dairy products, soy, rye, nuts, and other grains can cause violent reactions for some people. Once identified as “threats,” patients are advised to stay away from those food items for at least 90 days. In the mean time, various real-food-based supplements are introduced to neutralize “overly sensitized” tissues in the GI tract.

nutrition response testing for digestive heqlth 2

Not only food items, Nutrition Response Testing can easily detect whether one’s digestive disorder is caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungus, and/or parasites. Metal and/or chemical toxins embedded in the GI tract can be identified as well.

We have found that most of digestive disorders are caused by combined effects of food items, pathogens, and toxins. We HIGHLY recommend Nutrition Response Testing for anyone who experiences digestive issues.

nutrition response testing for digestive health 2

Is your digestive system functioning as well as it can? Call (201)760-8811 today for more information or to schedule an appointment.