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Tune into Spring, the Wood Element, and Heal Anger

Tune into Spring, the Wood Element, and Heal Anger

by | Acupuncture, Education, Health and Wellness, Immune Health, Integrative Therapy, Liver, Nutrition, Prevention

Spring is the element of WOOD and the color GREEN.

The ancient Taoists (Prounounced “dao-ists”) looked to nature to understand the human body, mind and spirit. They were philosophers and we need to be clear, Taoism is not a religion. When we tune into the movement of the seasons, we reconnect with and maintain our vitality. Just as with our circadian rhythms, our seasonal rhythms affect our health. Eating with the seasons is an excellent foundation to thriving health.

Spring- Wood – Green, Liver,
Liver out of balance = Anger
Liver in balance = Flow

In Spring, Yang is Rising

Let’s look around, what do you see? Trees starting to leaf out, flowers begining their bloom, greens pushing up? This is YANG rising. This is the start of the great in-breath – the height of which is the heat and outward orientation of summer. Yang is rising, the rivers are flowing, the birds are chirping and making nests, we all come out of hibernation.

The LIVER is the organ associated with spring. If our liver is in balance we experience free flow of qi (energy, emotions). If our liver needs some support, we may be quick to anger, snap at loved ones, or experience a low slow simmer of anger. Also, referred to Liver Qi Stagnation. I suffered with this for years. It’s true. Part of this is constitutional, meaning I have a tendency towards this, my family has a tendency, essentially – lots of – um- venting. Living in the south has been a balm to my constitution. I deeply enjoy – and have learned from- the kindness and generosity of spirit I have met in this region.

One of the solutions to opening up the free flow of liver qi is to take an aimless walk. This is for real, and it works wonders at opening up the free flow of liver qi. There is also a wonderful Chinese Medicine herbal formula called, Free and Easy Wanderer. Also, very helpful. These work wonders in conjunction with acupuncture which will support your liver and it’s reflexes. Feel free to ask us more about these remedies.

Healing Foods

Foods to add in to your diet are – Greens, Greens, Greens. Greens impart, light, flexible energy to us. Bitter Greens and herbs, support the liver directly. Dandelion, Broccoli Rabe, and Nettles are especially helpful. Chickweed is growing abundantly, add this to your salads or smoothies. When working with the more bitter greens, please be sure to have them with plenty of healthy fat, it cuts the bitterness and adds a nutritional punch. Health fats would include  Avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, grass fed butter, and for those who tolerate it- bacon fat. A wonderful tincture to support the liver is Milk Thistle.

But truly, any greens- the fresher the better. These new greens that sprout up are here to help us clear away stagnation. Here is a fantastic Nettles Pesto recipe that I love to make with Fresh Nettles every spring. I usually do a green juice cleanse and my spirit and my body feel lighter and more upbeat.

Helpful Stones

A wonderful stone for this time of year that would support the free flow of liver qi is Amazonite. Known by the ancients as “Heaven flowing into the river stone.” It is calm, tranquil and supports us.

Here are some other thoughts to help us tune into the beauty of Spring.

  • Young plants
  • Spring fever- is Yang Rising
  • Moved by nature – Emotions, awakening
  • Nature sings, puts on a show
  • Slough away the old, the dense
  • Joyousness and Cheer
  • Tending to the garden can bring joy and connection

As we align our hearts with Nature, we arrive more deeply into balance.

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 or Call our office 828-333-5087​ to discuss your options.

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Four Ways to Reduce Anxiety and Get a Better Night’s Sleep

Four Ways to Reduce Anxiety and Get a Better Night’s Sleep

by | Acupuncture

In the clinic we’re seeing more and more people who are experiencing anxiety. Some have it during the day and others find they are waking during sleep. These times carry a great deal of stress for the body, mind, and spirit. Here are four ways to reduce anxiety and get a better night’s sleep.

Catnip Tea with Honey:

Catnip is a gentle nervine to humans and is know to promote restful sleep and release nervous tension. The honey supports the liver and it’s functions during the sleep cycle.

Milky Oats Tincture:

Milky Oats aids with chronic stress, replenishes the nervous system, and boosts mood and energy levels. Taken during the day to calm the nerves system down and take the  jangled edges off of the nerves.

CBD or CBD with Melatonin:

This supplement is an excellent sleep aid and supports the immune system as well. Inquire in the clinic.

Regular Mindfulness Practice:

Creating a simple practice that you know by rote can help maintain lower stress levels, relieve anxiety and boost the immune system. This is helpful to start the day, practice for 5 mins or less mid day, right before bed and can be most especially helpful when waking up at night with anxiety. Try this simple yet powerful 60% breathing technique.

 

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Give Yourself a Break and Support Your Adrenals

Give Yourself a Break and Support Your Adrenals

by | Acupuncture, Adrenal Fatigue, Fatigue, Immune Health, Kidneys, Nutrition

It’s been a rough few years and we have all been -to varying degrees- in fight or flight. This raises cortisol and puts extra strain on the Adrenal Glands.

Here are some quick tips to support your healthy body and its myriad of functions:

  • Get plenty of rest – 8-10 hours of sleep, embrace naps, and scheduled downtime.
  • Hydrate – have you tuned into your water lately? Drink high quality H2O and plenty of it.
  • Support your Kidneys (the Adrenals and Kidneys are best friends) – do this by doing the above, drinking bone broth or vegan mineral broth, keeping warm, being chill.
  • Moxa & Acupuncture support the Kidneys and Adrenal function – they are the deepest layer, they are in charge of the will and in relationship to the heart spirit as well. A moxa and acupuncture treatment can support better sleep (goodbye insomnia), relieve anxiety, and support the body in keeping the parasympathetic response.

What is your stress level on a scale of 1-10?

Sometimes the first step is to realize you are operating at a high level of stress. Some folks feel like they are at a 4 when they’re really at an 11 on scale of 1 to 10. Take a moment to tune in and assess where you really are. Are there activities or habits you can let go of?

We are here to support you. Call to schedule an acupuncture treatment or a health coaching phone session.

 

We're Here to Help. Schedule Now.

 or Call our office 828-333-5087​ to discuss your options.

Schedule Now

Hydration’s Role in Healing

Hydration’s Role in Healing

by | Acupuncture, Health and Wellness, Immune Health, Pain Management

Water affects every system in the body.

When we see muscle tissue that’s slow to heal –or the healing mechanism doesn’t spark in the body quite as well– often the culprit is dehydration.

 

Water helps keep the the muscles pliable. The muscle has a more difficult time healing itself after treatment if the person is not properly hydrated. If your body is well-hydrated before acupuncture the healing potential is heightened. It usually takes 2-3 days to become fluid. Many of us are chronically dehydrated.

Water helps keep the blood alive and healthy. Without water the blood gets sticky.

The body’s tissues are what holds the water in the body. The way to get the water into the tissues – here’s the secret: Drink a bunch of water and then stretch. If you sit still it will go right through you, if you move it will go into the the soft tissue of the body – the muscles and the fascia.

If the fascia is dry, the conductivity and communication in the body is hampered.

Whenever you have enough water in the fascia system – the connective tissue– the body can work more efficiently at immunity, tissue healing (muscle repair), oxygenation, brain function, and heart health to name a few.

Hydration goals: Drink half your body weight in ounces per day – for example 140lbs = 70 ounces water per day.

The quality of water is important. Taste and cleanliness are paramount  (no chlorine or fluoride) opt for local spring water.

Drink mindfully,  good water.

Read more about healthy hydration techniques in article 4 Ways to Make the Most Out of Water.

The Kidneys Ask Us to Slow Down

The Kidneys Ask Us to Slow Down

by | Acupuncture, Adrenal Fatigue, Covid-19, Fatigue, Health and Wellness, Kidneys, Prevention

In Traditional East Asian Medicine, the body’s physiological processes can be viewed through the lens of Five Phase theory. 

Each phase relates to a major organ, an emotion and a season. 

All things can be viewed through this lens for easy discussion and healing discoveries.

The heart and lungs are relatively higher in the body away from the earth. They process blood and air every second of every day. 

 

The liver and spleen are physically just below the diaphragm in the middle. They process food and blood on a daily or in some cases weekly cycles. 

 

The kidneys are the lowest of these five.

They rule events in life such as birth, puberty, child bearing.

These processes are slow. 

In the last 40 or so years the speed of our lifestyles has increased exponentially.  Mother Earth is still telling us all to slow down – more. 

In 2020 I went from 50 patients per week to 22. It wasn’t by choice. But it was most certainly better for me. More time for conscious breathing, exercise, and hydrating. 

Kidney Deficiency usually manifests in the low back and the knees.

This past year has been challenging, heart-breaking, and difficult to varying degrees for each of us.  As we press on into this third wave, it is important to understand the stress this has on the kidneys. We are all to some degree in fight or flight. We are in survival mode. Every social pattern we have known has been disrupted and changed. As we move through this transition, the healthiest thing we can do is to acknowledge how this affects the kidneys and support ourselves accordingly.

In the kidneys resides essence or Jing and our will to live.

The connection between the kidneys and the heart is important to understand. If you look at the diagram, you may notice  that this is the axis of fear and joy. Water and fire. This is a spectrum. The antidote for fear – is Cultivating Joy. The adrenals and kidneys are directly connected. We want to nourish our kidneys and support our essence. We can do this in the following ways:

  • Turn the TV off
  • Take a holiday from social media
  • Go outside. Make a fire, talk a walk, tend to your yard- connect with the natural rhythms of nature. Feel the wind, see the stars, you get the idea.
  • Get plenty of rest at regular intervals
  • Hydrate well and often with good quality
  • 20 min Gentle movement necessary during the day – yoga, qi-gong or pleasant walk in the park (not a 3 mile run)
  • Plan to do less
  • Practice self-care
  • Drink bone broth or mineral broth if vegetarian

 

The Kidneys…

  • are at the deepest level of all the organs (this operates on the levels of mind, body and spirit) 
  • control your entire blood pressure system
  • regulate Blood cell production
  • regulate all the water in the body (regulate the salinity of the water through the advanced filtration system)
  • are related to the element of water and are in affinity with the colors black and blue (where these colors to support the kidneys!)
  • In the Kidneys we find the will – including the will to live – the will to move forward and conversely, fear. Kidneys out of balance will be an experience of stuckness/frozen in fear. It is like the roots of the tree are all dried out.

Winter is the time of a deep going within, it is the season of the kidneys, so having loving intention in this direction can amplify our process.

If we can find the gifts, the silver linings and perhaps even find the joy in places and moments we can proceed in that direction, slowly, mindfully and heal. 

 

What to do After an Acupuncture Treatment

What to do After an Acupuncture Treatment

by | Acupuncture

Acupuncture After Care

I hope you enjoyed your session today. Acupuncture and massage facilitate great change in the body. How you proceed from here affects the outcome of your treatment. Here are some important notes on the coming week for you.

Photo by Julia Zolotova on Unsplash 1. You will need to drink more water. Try having two glasses upon awakening in the morning to start. Add lemon water to your first glass to support your liver. This improves digestion and orients you to drinking a clean source of water throughout the day.

2. You may notice more range of motion, soreness as if you’ve just worked out, or other body changes. Be gentle with yourself for a couple of days, then, ease into more activity each day mindful of the changes that are taking place.

3. Watch less TV and media– and listen to your body. Unplug from computers, wifi, social media and email if possible, even if just for short periods of time.

4. It is helpful to keep a journal during your course of treatment to reflect changes and progress.

5. Eat nourishing, whole, seasonal foods that are prepared with love. 

Thank you for the opportunity to work with you. I look forward to continuing to help you create a new relationship with your body.   Please call the office with any questions or concerns. 828-333-5087