This is the year of the Yin Fire Rooster.The confident and resourceful Yin Fire Rooster reminds us that, ultimately, it is ourselves and our abilities that are most important as we progress along the path of life. This dynamic Rooster demands we look inward to answer difficult questions . Only with patience & faith can the spirit of this Rooster year emerge fully. Many thanks to our trusted herbal suppliers at Far East Summit.
Happy New Year
Every February men all over the world flock to the local flower shops and jewelry stores in search of the perfect bouquet or piece of jewelry to express their undying love to their significant other. Why? Nobody knows for certain, but there are at least a couple of theories.
One theory is a Catholic priest, Valentine, was imprisoned for helping Christians escape Roman prisons. While he imprisoned himself, Valentine fell in love with a young girl who visited him. Allegedly, before his death, Valentine wrote a letter and signed it, “From your Valentine.” Thus, the first Valentine’s Day card was created, or so it is reported. continue reading
Chinese Medicine helped Michael Phelps in the Olympics. Cupping has been used for thousands of years in China. We use it at East-West Acupuncture Clinic to stop pain, loosen tight muscles, increase blood flow to the area & also to open up the lungs (asthma, cough,ect) click here to see more
While the flu is actually not a season, we have become programmed to think of it as the months of November through March. On average, the flu hospitalizes thousands every year, especially the young and elderly. There are also a number of deaths related to the flu, mostly due to people already having compromised immune systems.
The flu, also known as influenza, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that is caused by a number of viruses. To date, there are approximately 26 to 30 different known strains of the flu virus. This is one of the reasons the flu vaccine has only mild efficacy. The flu vaccine itself, typically only covers five to seven strains of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever, coughing, a sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, pains, runny nose and watery eyes. continue reading
The organs in Chinese medicine are more than just a physical representation. The organs include not only their physiological function, but also mental, emotional, spiritual and elemental qualities that align with nature and the seasons. Let’s explore the kidneys.
The kidney element in Chinese medicine governs water and is associated with the season of winter, where the energies are turning from the hotter yang months to the more yin of winter. Each organ has an element associated with it: liver and wood, stomach and earth, kidney and water, for example. There is also an emotion, a color and flavor associated with the organ system. For the kidneys, the emotion is fear, the color is dark or black and the flavor is salty. It also opens to the ear, has the direction of north and is paired with the bladder. The kidney element houses willpower and manifests in the teeth and luster of the hair. continue reading
Happy Holidays everyone. How about a Healthy New Years Resolution.
Here’s what I call the Five Free Therapies
1) Good Diet , which means a diet that’s right for you. Of course avoiding sugar, preservatives,colors
eating organic if possible
2) Exercise: Aerobic & Anaerobic at least a couple of times a week better yet 3-4, yes walking counts too
3) Sleep: Getting good rest at nite using good sleep hygiene (break from computer/TV before bed, dark
room, warm bath can help,ect)
4) Relaxation/Meditation: Doing Tai Qi, Qi Gong or even silent meditation sitting on a pillow on floor
using deep belly breathing letting what ever comes up come up but not holding on to our thoughts
5) Positive Attitude on Life: Glass is half full, too easy to think of what went wrong when so many things
go right. An old saying is Attitude is Everything!
Remember that East-West Acupuncture is not just here when you’re hurting but here to help you on your path to real Wellness! Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine can help with this.
Large Intestine 4 is one of the most important and influential points in the entire body. The Chinese name for Large Intestine 4 is “He Gu” meaning union valley or converging valley. The point is located on the hand in the web between the thumb and index finger, also described as the depression where the index finger and thumb bones part. This area of the hand is often described as “valley like” hence the name converging valley.
The large intestine has many important functions in the body. Connected to the Western medicine function of the large Intestine, it is vital in digestion and bowel regulation, but it also has many functions above and beyond that in Chinese medicine. The large intestine is associated with the emotions of sadness and grief, it can help build immunity as it works as a paired channel to the lung meridian and has a big effect of the flow of Qi and blood in the body. continue reading
We’re having a cold day today in Portland, Oregon. I’m thinking of the warm heat we use in Chinese Medicine Moxibustion or Moxa. The most common way of using Moxa is the Moxa Stick which is a rolled up cigar of moxa. Moxa mainly made up of Mugwort a Chinese Herb. Moxa can also be applied to the body in small cones (direct moxa). Moxa helps warm the body and is also thought to build energy.
Everybody knows that food is what gives our bodies the energy we need to survive. But not everybody is aware that certain foods should be consumed during specific times of the year. In areas like the Midwest, where fruits and vegetables are harder to keep on hand when the weather becomes colder, this principle is followed a little more closely. But in areas like Hawaii and Southern California, where fresh fruits and vegetables are always available and the climate is more moderate, people sometimes forget to eat according to the seasons. continue reading
A very common complaint that acupuncturists hear from our patients is that they constantly feel tired. Sometimes this fatigue is related to lack of sleep, but sometimes no amount of rest seems to alleviate the sleepiness.
From an acupuncture and Chinese Medicine perspective, there are numerous imbalances in our bodies that can cause the constant fatigue. Here are some of the most common imbalances that can lead to fatigue, lethargy, lack of energy and motivation, and tiredness. continue reading
