The Tale the Tongue Tells |
|
To your acupuncturist, the tongue is a repository of information about the overall health of your body. The tongue reflects changes in your health, telling the story of what is taking place now, offering insight into your hydration, the quality of your digestion, the level of blood circulation and vital information about your organ systems. But, the practitioner is mostly assessing the history of your overall health from the appearance of your tongue as it holds onto visible aspects of what has occurred in your body over the past months and years of your life.
Diagnosing your health by assessing your tongue helps your practitioner understand not only your current state of health, but what health issues may have contributed to any current complaints and imbalances.
Learn more about what your tongue has to say in our latest blog article.
|
|
When does chest pain indicate heart problems and when is it something else?
Many of us have fears about our heart health and when (not if), we will find out the bad news that something is wrong. The media is full of stories of heart health problems even among people eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and drinking plenty of water.
If you experience chest discomfort, it's possible that it is due to one of the multiple non-heart related organ systems located in the chest cavity. An irritated esophagus could be radiating inflammation that leads to heartburn, or gall stones and sludge that is stuck in the hepatic portals could be aggravating the pancreas. Another possibility could be phlegm accumulation that the body is working hard to expel and its congestion is causing radiating costal pain (inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to your breastbone). Along with chest pain, you may experience back spasms and stabbing or aggravating rib cage pain.
Acupuncture and herbs, massage, and/or a chiropractic treatment in conjunction with stretching and adequate water intake will usually alleviate these types of chest pain. If non-cancerous cysts or lumps are the cause of pain and discomfort, there are specific acupuncture treatments with accompanying herbal medicinals that I can use to reduce their size and assist the body in expelling the noxious tissue.
Anxiety and panic attacks are another source of non-cardiac chest pain and tightness that I frequently treat in my clinic. A lot of emotion is contained in the chest and thoracic region in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) because of the organs located there and the bodily functions they govern. In TCM, the liver is in charge of the free flow of qi (energy) and when it stagnates due to stress and anxiety, it usually does so in the chest/breast region. This congestion creates a feeling of difficulty in taking a deep breath and is usually accompanied by tightness in the chest. If the qi has built up and stagnated for a long time, the blood doesn’t move, causing even greater pain and alarm at the sensation felt. This is a very scary feeling, but a treatable condition that mimics a far more serious problem such as heart attack.
Of course, chest pain can be heart-related, and you should consult your physician or a specialist if you have heart health issues and are feeling unexplained discomfort in your chest or back.
If you are in good health without heart problems and you are experiencing chest pain and discomfort, it is time to make an appointment for a relaxing and therapeutic acupuncture treatment.
|
|
Herbal Relief for Covid Symptoms |
|
I have treated many patients who are experiencing a 2nd or 3rd Covid infection. Most have benefited from an herbal blend called Qing Fei Pai Du Tang to clear the lungs and relieve toxicity. Patients who used this herbal remedy recovered much faster than in their previous bouts with Covid. While they still had the normal symptoms of the illness such as fever, head and body aches, sore throat and lack of energy, they regained their health much more quickly than previous encounters when they had not taken any herbal medicinals.
If you're experiencing Covid symptoms and looking for relief, call or email and we'll discuss if this is the right treatment for you.
|
|
Intermittent Fasting and Your Health |
Wilson Fisk, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
It seems like every day I see an article about fasting. Some describe how beneficial a fast is to our overall health, while others warn of the dangers of attempting a shift away from constant consumption.
So, is it good for you? Should you try a fast, and what can you expect?
I recommend the technique of intermittent fasting. This is a good way to “reset” your digestive system which is generally overworked in most modern Americans from constant and continuous eating.
Intermittent fasting allows you to think about consciously eating something instead of just grazing and snacking because you are feeling bored or stressed. Constant snacking keeps the body’s insulin levels high in a state of perma-digestion, overworking not only your stomach but your liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestines. Giving these organs a break can lead to stronger digestion along with less food cravings (especially sugar) and can aid in weight loss.
Drinking plenty of water and other non-caloric beverages will help reduce food cravings and keep us feeling full. Adequate water consumption will:
- Increase urination, promoting kidney detoxification
- Help to flush out built up toxins
- Increase bowel movements, assisting in weight loss by moving excess waste out of the colon
- Boost your immune system, including skin health, acne reduction and even hormone regulation
Intermittent fasting is meant to reduce intake, but NOT to restrict intake to an unhealthy amount. This is not a diet technique, but an aid in optimizing your health. Since we tend to overeat, fasting may seem like under eating but it is probably actually closer to how much and how often we should be eating. If you feel lightheaded and lethargic during a fast, you are not intaking enough calories and you should reassess the fast. Most individuals when adhering to an intermittent fast will feel lighter and happier with less sluggish bowels and more movement in their mid-section which is the goal!
|
|
|
|
Acupuncture by Andrea will be closed July 12-17. Please schedule your acupuncture, massage or herbal consultation for Monday the 18th or anytime after.
See you when I return!
|
|
Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
