Allendale Acupuncture & Nutrition Clinic

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Self Acupuncture for Grief, Depression, Anxiety and Exhaustion

Posted by on in Anxiety and Depression

Lu 1: The 1st Lung Meridian Point called  Zhong Fu (Central Palace)

lung meridian 1A

Lung 1 is located on the top of the chest, under the shoulder. First locate the depression under the end of the clavicle, next to the muscle. LU-1 is one thumbwidth under this point, slightly to the side. These acupressure points on both sides of your can facilitate letting go of deep-seated fear, anxiety, depression, or grief. This point is also excellent for cough, asthma, and wheezing.

When your energy system is blocked, you can become fatigued, anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, and despondent because your supply of energy is impaired.  Use your fingertips to press the Lu 1. Inhale slowly and deeply as you gradually release your finger pressure, bring your arms outward, lift your chest, and tilt your head back. Hold your breath for a few second to assimilate the oxygen.  Exhale as your head comes downward and your fingertips return to the Lung 1 acupressure points. Repeat this exercise four or five more times.

lung meridian 1B

Try this acupressure point several times a day, along with deep breathing techniques, if you want to lessen your anxiety/depression.

Alleviate Arthritis Pain with Acupuncture

Posted by on in Uncategorized

Arthritis isn’t just one disease, but a complex disorder comprised of more than 100 distinct conditions that can affect people at any stage of life. Two of the most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While these two types of arthritis have very different causes,  they often share a common symptom: persistent joint pain.

For many people, arthritis pain and  inflammation cannot be avoided as the body ages. In fact, most people over the age of 50 show some signs of arthritis as joints naturally degenerate over time. Fortunately, arthritis can frequently be managed with acupuncture and nutrition programs.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting an estimated 21 million adults in the United States. Beginning with the breakdown of joint cartilage that results in pain and stiffness, osteoarthritis usually affects the joints of the fingers, knees, hips and spine. The wrists, elbows, shoulders and ankles are less frequently affected and when osteoarthritis is found in these joints, there is typically a history of injury or unusual stress to the joints. This may include and be attributed to work-related repetitive injury and physical trauma. For example, if you have a strenuous job that requires repetitive bending, kneeling or squatting, you may be at high risk for osteoarthritis of the knee.

arthritis 3

Rheumatoid arthritis can affect many different joints and, in some people, other parts of the body as well, including the blood vessels, lungs and heart. With this kind of arthritis, inflammation of the joint lining (called the synovium) can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth and redness. The impacted joint may also lose its shape, resulting in loss of normal movement. Rheumatoid arthritis can last a long time and is a disease characterized by flares (active symptoms) and remissions (few to no symptoms).

arthritis 2

Diagnosis and Treatment of Arthritis with Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

According to Oriental medical theory, arthritis arises when the cyclical flow of Qi (energy) in the meridians becomes blocked resulting in pain, soreness, numbness and stiffness. This blockage is called “bi syndrome” and is widely studied and successfully treated using a combination of treatment modalities. The acupuncture points and herbs that are used depend on whether the underlying cause of the blockage of Qi(arthritis) is caused by wind, cold, damp or damp-heat.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine aim to treat the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual using a variety of techniques such as acupuncture, bodywork, lifestyle/dietary recommendations and energetic exercises to restore imbalances found in the body. Therefore, if 10 patients are treated with Oriental medicine for joint pain, each of these 10 patients will receive a unique, customized treatment with different acupuncture points, different herbs/supplements, and different lifestyle and diet recommendations.

Your acupuncturist will examine you, take a look at the onset of your condition and learn your signs and symptoms to determine your diagnosis and choose the appropriate acupuncture points and treatment plan.

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!

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.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Posted by on in Uncategorized

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

Ulcerative Colitis

Posted by on in Uncategorized

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.

Nutrition Response Testing for Digestive Health

Posted by on in Uncategorized

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.

Nurture Your Cardiovascular Health

Posted by on in Cardiovascular Health

February is the American Heart Association’s Heart Health Awareness Month. The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels, and is responsible for carrying nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and removing carbon dioxide and other waste from them.

susanna heart pic

Diseases affecting the cardiovascular system include arteriosclerosis, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, hypertension, orthostatic hypotension, and congenital heart disease..

Cardiovascular disease is the leading health threat, with heart disease and stroke topping the list of leading causes of death worldwide. One out of every two men and one out of every three women will develop heart disease sometime in their life.

By integrating acupuncture and Oriental medicine into your heart-healthy lifestyle, you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 80 percent. Let’s take a look at how acupuncture can assist your cardiovascular health.

cardiovascular health

1. Manage High Blood Pressure
Acupuncture has been found to be particularly helpful in lowering blood pressure. By applying acupuncture needles at specific sites along the wrist, inside the forearm or in the leg, researchers at the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, were able to stimulate the release of opioids, which decreases the heart’s activity and thus its need for oxygen. This, in turn, lowers blood pressure.

2. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Obesity is associated with diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease–all of which increase the risk of developing heart disease. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is an excellent adjunctive tool when it comes to losing weight. They can help to energize the body, maximize the absorption of nutrients, regulate elimination, control overeating, suppress the appetite and reduce anxiety.

3. Reduce Stress
In Chinese Medicine, the Heart is the King of all of our physiological, emotional, and spiritual health. Excessive stress can easily damage the heart so that people with a high degree of stress often suffer from high blood pressure, chest pains, or irregular heartbeats. Numerous studies have demonstrated the substantial benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of stress, anxiety and mental health.

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4. Improve Sleep Quality
Poor sleep has been linked with high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart failure, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes and obesity. Acupuncture has shown great success treating a wide array of sleep problems without any of the side effects of prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids. The acupuncture treatments for problems sleeping focus on the root disharmony within the body that is causing the insomnia. Therefore, those who use acupuncture for insomnia achieve not only better sleep, but also an overall improvement of physical and mental health.

5. If You Smoke, Quit
Most people associate cigarette smoking with breathing problems and lung cancer. But did you know that smoking is also a major cause of coronary artery disease? In fact, about 20 percent of all deaths from heart disease are directly related to cigarette smoking.

Acupuncture has shown to be an effective treatment for smoking. Acupuncture treatments for smoking cessation focus on jitters, cravings, irritability and restlessness–symptoms that people commonly complain about when they quit. It also aids in relaxation and detoxification.

cardiovascular and acupuncture

 

Endocrine Health from Nutrition Response Testing Perspective

Posted by on in Endocrine Health

All human diseases are the result of many imbalances affecting diverse organs and tissues over time. Our bodies are made up of many layers, organs, and tissues, all of which affect each other at all times. Anything can cause anything, literally.

endocrine health

Using a cookie-cutter approach based on previous medical studies can be dangerous and costly since each individual has a uniquely different genetic makeup, diet, and medical history. Even if two people demonstrate almost identical symptoms, what one person’s body needs can be vastly different from what the other individual needs.

Let me give an example. A few months ago, a lady in her late forties came into the office complaining about menopausal issues like hot flushes, night sweats, heart palpitations, and mood swings. She had been on synthetic estrogen pills for months, but her symptoms were getting worse.

endocrine health 2

After a few acupuncture sessions, I decided to test her body to determine the “real” cause of her menopausal symptoms by using applied kinesiology.

Instead of hormonal/endocrine issues, the root cause of her problems turned to be MERCURY POISOINING IN HER RIGHT KIDNEY.

Immediately, we started the program designed to eliminate mercury from her body and supporting her intestines. In two or three weeks, most of her symptoms disappeared.

endocrine health 3

Nutrition response testing system is designed to identify the root cause of any disease, regardless of its severity and length.

There are five common causes of any illnesses, including endocrine disorders.

They are: Food sensitivity, pathogens, metal toxicity, chemical toxicity, and scar tissues.

Testing is easy and simple; treatment plans based on REAL FOOD BASED supplements often produce outstanding results.

endocrine health 4

Foot and Ankle Pain and Acupuncture

Posted by on in Foot and Ankle Pain

Let’s Talk About Foot and Ankle Pain

Your foot is an extremely complex part of your body. A single foot is made up of 38 bones. Which makes both feet hosts to 76 bones!! This multitude of bones is connected by joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments, making just one foot even more complex than just the 38 bones! Your foot is subject to many debilitating stresses throughout any given day.

Foot pain and ankle pain account for almost 5 million doctor’s office visits every year. That’s a staggering amount of pain, which can become debilitating in that it will limit your range of normal motion, and seriously limit your quality of life.

foot and ankle pain

What Is Foot and Ankle Pain Caused By?

A wide variety of conditions can cause foot and ankle pain. The quest for fashion, and improper footwear, such as high heeled shoes, can cause much pain. Tight shoes or improperly fitting shoes are the usual culprits responsible for pressure, friction and stress.

Exercise and sports can cause very painful foot and ankle injuries, some of which are temporary, some of which stay with you and end up causing you chronic pain. Improper warm up techniques, improper footwear when exercising, or improper foot usage during sports or exercising are just a few of the most common examples.

Other causes of foot pain are less dependent on outside factors such as those noted above. The more inherent foot problems which involve foot joints, ligaments, nerves, tendons, toes and heels which can cause severe or chronic foot and ankle pain are:

  • Abnormal Pronation – your foot does not meet with the ground or leave the ground properly
  • Bunions – bone or tissue that protrudes from a foot joint
  • Corns – callous growths on top of your toes0
  • Hammertoes – middle joint of any given toe pops out
  • Heel spurs – abnormal growths attached to the heel bone
  • Neuromas – tissue buildup on the nerves of the long bones of the foot

foot and ankle pain 2

Who Is Most Affected By Foot and Ankle Pain?

Almost everyone is affected by foot and ankle pain at some point in their lifetime, be it simply stepping down wrong, leaning wrong, bad posture or by subjecting their feet to undue stress.

Foot and ankle pain affects two segments of the population mainly. Those whose feet are brand new such as babies and toddlers who are learning to walk, and individuals over the age of 50. Once you are over the age of 50, things start to wear down and feet are no exception.

So How Does Acupuncture Help Foot And Ankle Pain?

Acupuncture is a pain management treatment that has been around for thousands of years. Acupuncture treats the pain both locally and systemically, with acute and chronic pain responding well to the treatment, especially where conventional medicine did not provide an effective treatment.

Acupuncture as a foot and ankle pain treatment can stimulate blood flow to your feet, ankles and lower legs. Different acupuncturists use varying techniques when working to provide pain relief to your ankles, ball of your foot and your heels as well as when working to provide you with chronic foot and ankle pain relief.

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Always discuss your particular condition first with your acupuncturist before beginning any treatment. Not everyone responds the same to all treatments. Your acupuncturist will create a customized plan of foot and ankle pain relief with you before treatment is initiated.

Understanding Pain in Relation to Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pain and it’s relation to acupuncture is relatively simple and straightforward.

Pain is considered to be a stagnation or blockage of Qi, (energy). Qi runs in what is known as energy channels and meridians throughout your body. When an energy channel or meridian is blocked, Qi is then blocked, and pain will be experienced.

Acupuncture helps to break up the blockages and to establish or re-establish the smooth balanced flow of Qi.

Contact us today at Allendale Acupuncture and Nutrition Center for more information on how we can help you with your foot and ankle pain. Give us a call – 201.760.8811!