Sunset Acupuncture

11/12/2019

"Nearly 8 out of every 10 people will have low back pain at some point in life. Back pain is one of the top reasons people seek medical treatment. It is also the No. 1 reported reason for seeking acupuncture. The good news is chronic low back pain is one of the conditions that research suggests acupuncture may be an effective tool for treating."

WebMD explains the role of acupuncture in treating back pain.

11/04/2019

"Where there’s stagnation, there will be pain. Remove the stagnation, and you remove the pain.

Cupping is the term applied to a technique that uses small glass cups as suction devices that are placed on the skin to disperse and break up stagnation and congestion by drawing congested blood, energy or other humors to the surface.

Cupping is much like the inverse of massage - rather than applying pressure to muscles, it uses gentle pressure to pull them upward. For most patients, this is a particularly relaxing and relieving sensation."

Chinese cupping therapy is a lesser-known treatment that is also part of Oriental medicine, one that can provide a lot of pain relief among other great benefits.

10/29/2019

Today, He Gu (LI4) is clinically used for stress, facial pain, headaches, toothaches and neck pain. He Gu (LI4) is located on the highest spot of the muscle when the thumb and index fingers are brought close together. To use acupressure on this point, (1) locate the point then (2) use a deep, firm pressure to massage and stimulate the area for 4-5 seconds.

When applying acupressure, try to relax and breath deeply as you massage the area. The massage and the acupressure can be done by yourself, or by someone else who is there to assist you.

The ancient traditional Chinese medicine text includes a wide range of indications for He Gu (LI4) from headaches and constipation to general pain and delayed labor. A precaution for this point is that He Gu (LI4) may induce labor, thus must never be used during pregnancy.

He Gu (LI4) is a point that has been extensively studied through randomized controlled trials and clinical research. Recent studies from the Journal of Orofacial Pain showed that the stimulation of He Gu (LI4) significantly reduced myofascial pain of the jaw muscles [2]. A recent Cochrane systematic review on acupuncture in migraine and tension-type headaches suggests stimulation of acupoints as an effective and valuable option for alleviating migraines and tension-type headaches [1].

(https://exploreim.ucla.edu/self-care/acupressure-point-li4/)

10/23/2019

Acupuncture relieves shoulder pain, inflammation, and range of motion impingement. Researchers from the Yuxi Hospital of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) investigated the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of acute shoulder periarthritis. Commonly known as frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis, this condition is an inflammatory disorder of the rotator cuff and surrounding tissues that leads to pain and immobility of the shoulder. The investigation reveals that acupuncture has a total effective rate exceeding 90%.

One hundred shoulder periarthritis patients were randomly divided into two equal acupuncture groups. One group received a style of acupuncture known as the Hui approach. The second group received conventional acupuncture treatments. The Hui acupuncture group had a 96% total effective rate and the standard acupuncture group had a 94% total effective rate. The scores indicate that acupuncture effectively reduces shoulder pain and improves range of motion. Moreover, the Hui acupuncture approach to care shortened the total treatment time needed to resolve the condition over standard acupuncture therapy.

Acupuncture is also very effective in speeding the healing and recovery process after surgery.

(https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1562-acupuncture-relieves-shoulder-pain-ups-range-of-motion)

10/14/2019

"Gua sha is the practice of using a tool to apply pressure and scrape the skin to relieve pain and tension. This action causes light bruising, which often appears as purple or red spots known as petechiae or sha.

The name gua sha — pronounced gwahshah — comes from the Chinese word for scraping. It may also be called skin scraping, spooning, or coining.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, qi or chi is energy that flows through the body. Many people believe that a person's qi must be balanced and flowing freely to ensure their health and wellbeing.

People also believe that qi can become blocked, causing pain or tension in the muscles and joints. Gua sha aims to move this blocked energy to relieve aches or stiffness.

Traditional East Asian medicine also views blood stasis or stagnation as a cause of pain and illness. Another aim of gua sha is to move pooled or stagnated blood to relieve symptoms."

Gua sha is a technique used in traditional East Asian medicine that is often used to treat muscle pain and tension. We look at the benefits and risks.

10/07/2019

Many people come to acupuncture for relief from various aches and pains. But how does acupuncture give relief?

"The modern scientific explanation is needling the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain, including endorphins, encephalin (a type of endorphin) and other neurochemicals. These natural chemicals may either change the pain experience or trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones that influence the body's own internal regulating system. This can bring about a normalizing effect on neuroendocrine (nerve and hormone) function. The improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body's natural healing abilities, and in promoting physical and emotional well-being."

Today, as people are becoming more aware of alternative treatments and seek pain relief options that do not include medication. Acupuncture seems to have jumped to the top of many people’s radar.

01/09/2019

Getting him ready to begin track season feeling the best he can!

And the Day After report was "It feels great!"

01/08/2019

Spaghetti squash is all the rage these days! Here's another great way to get some extra servings of veggies in your diet!

***SPAGHETTI SQUASH EGG CUPS***

*INGREDIENTS:

1 medium (350g) spaghetti squash
2 teaspoons cooking oil
2 stalks (25g) green onions, chopped
1 large (30g) egg white
1/4 teaspoon salt
Black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (40g) shredded cheddar cheese
8 large (50g each) eggs

*DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 425°F (218ºC). Spray a 12-well muffin tin with cooking spray.

Wash the spaghetti squash, and use a knife to poke 8–10 holes into it. Place squash into a microwaveable dish. Microwave for 7 minutes; turn over and microwave for an additional 7 minutes. Allow squash to cool for 5 minutes. Cut off the ends of the squash and cut in half. Remove seeds, and use a fork to scrape pulp into a mesh strainer. Press down on squash pulp to drain liquid.

Heat cooking oil in a medium skillet on medium-low heat. Reserve a handful of green onions for garnish. Add remaining onions to the pan, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until soft.

Put squash, green onions, egg white, salt, pepper, flour and cheese into mixing bowl. Combine until well mixed. Evenly divide mixture into 8–10 muffin-tin wells (depending on size of your squash). Press down on the bottom and sides of each well to create a “nest.” Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges become golden and crispy.

Reduce the heat to 375°F. Remove muffin tin from oven, and carefully crack 1 egg into each well. Bake an additional 10–12 minutes, or longer depending on how you like your eggs. Garnish with green onions, and serve.

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 2 squash cups

*NUTRITON INFO (per serving): Calories: 288; Total Fat: 18g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 389mg; Sodium: 424mg; Carbohydrate: 13g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 19g

*ENERGIZING OPTIONS (optional):

1) Serve with 1 slice 100% whole-grain bread plus 1 teaspoon butter for more calories, carbs and fiber. (Per serving: Calories: 398; Fat: 19g; Carbohydrate: 33g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 24g)

2) Serve with a side of sautéed spinach (about 1 cup) for more calories, fiber and valuable vitamins and minerals. (Per serving: Calories: 329; Fat: 18g; Carbohydrate: 20g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 24g)

(https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/spaghetti-squash-egg-cups/)

01/03/2019

What a great first day at the new location! Thank you to all my patients who were patient as I work out the kinks and get the new flow mastered! This is going to be a great space for healing!

12/28/2018

12/26/2018

As the year comes to a close, many of us reflect on what has changed or stayed the same. Take stock of things that are going well, or that you have done well. When we always look at what we don't have we forget to be grateful for what we do have.

Give yourself credit and grace and look to the future with optimism!

(www.mymentalhealth.ca)