May is Arthritis Awareness Month. There are over 100 different types of arthritis conditions, and it affects up to 60 million Americans of all ages
Read moreYou can keep your pants on and it shouldn’t hurt!
A skeptic’s guide to understanding acupuncture
Read moreThe 5 Flavors of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture is part of a system of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which includes practices that promote whole-person health. In addition to offering guidance on how to adjust your diet to match the seasons, TCM recommends working toward a balance of different tastes in your diet to increase feelings of satiety and emphasizing specific flavors in different seasons. In TCM “flavors” or “tastes” are less about the actual taste, and more so descriptions of the effects in the body.
Read moreSummer in TCM
Happy Summer! Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) teaches that the energetic shifts accompanying seasonal changes are reflected in both our physical and emotional bodies. This is a great time for an acupuncture tune-up to help your body acclimate to the weather and energy of summer. Each season is different, and asks for us to adapt our practices and habits to support our bodies.
Read moreSpring in TCM
The seasons they are a-changin’! As an ancient practice, the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine comes from a time when people spent much more time outside, paying attention to the natural world around them. Rather than ignoring the seasonal changes happening in nature, TCM sees people as part of those changes.
Read moreAcupuncture’s Activist History
It’s Black History Month! As part of the health care field, we have to acknowledge the historical neglect and abuse that BIPOC communities have experienced in medical settings. Because of the fraught history and complicated relationship BIPOC communities have with the medical system, individuals often don’t receive or seek the treatment they need. Fortunately, integrative care is an effective option for patients seeking care that doesn’t carry the negative baggage. In fact, historically, acupuncture has been an effective and accepted treatment for communities of color.
Read moreBack to Basics: Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a treatment that comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine and involves the insertion of very thin needles at strategic points on the body. There are different types of acupuncture that incorporate various diagnostic tests and methodologies.
Read moreWinter in TCM
While some may welcome the transition to winter with cooler weather and the opportunity for more quiet solitude, for others the season can contribute to depression, loneliness, and seasonal affective disorder. Whichever side you fall on, Traditional Chinese Medicine practices can help support the body, mind and spirit in the midst of seasonal change. During this time of year, the seasonal shift can feel even more potent as we are not only transitioning seasons, but preparing for a new year and reflecting on the year passed.
Read moreAutumn in TCM
Over the last year we’ve done a blog series on seasonal eating according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), from which Acupuncture comes. This year, we’ll be focusing on the physical and emotional elements associated with each season and the lifestyle factors that come into play, while offering tips on how to ensure optimal health. Here’s what you need to know for Fall:
Read moreAcupuncture and Anxiety
Like many other existing trends, mental health trends sped up over the last year and half. The CDC reports an 8-point increase in symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder and unmet mental health needs in eighteen- to twenty-nine-year-olds between August 2020 to February 2021. It’s clear we need more and better ways to help those suffering from anxiety. Combining common therapies with acupuncture treatment can reduce symptoms twice as much!
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