Acupuncture Works

A Natural Way of Healing

Category Archives: Health


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Chinese White Fungus for clearing Lung heat and Liver detoxification during Fires

White fungus, dried lotus seeds and dried Chinese dates jujube soup. Instant pot, select slow cooker, 8 hours; or high pressure, 1 hour.

White fungus is also known as snow ear fungus, silver ear fungus and white wood ear. It belongs to the mushroom family.

White fungus has been used as one of Chinese herbs because of its medicinal benefits. It tastes sweet and goes to the lung channel. It is commonly used for healing dry coughs, dry skin, clearing heat in the lungs, nourishing the bodies. Modern study has shown white fungus has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor benefits. Hence, it can improve our bodies’ immune system.

There is a very popular desert recipe in Chinese culture, called rock sugar and white fungus soup. It can help lung function, moisten skin. Eating white fungus can also help to keep our skin young, it is believed that because of its collagen content. Personally I prefer not to put any sugar.

There are precautions to eat white fungus. If you aversion to cold, cough with a lot of phlegm, or have diarrhea, don’t eat white fungus. If you are not sure, please consult local acupuncturists.

White fungus can be purchased from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/White-Fungus-Mushroom-Tremella-Premium/dp/B00S13TG0I


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Integrate Tai Chi into Your Daily Routine

Tai chi is a special form of exercise originating in ancient China. The name, Tai chi, translates as ‘Supreme Ultimate Exercise’ or ‘Skill’. Initially, it began as a martial arts practice but developed into forms that the ordinary person can easily adapt as part of a daily routine. Tai chi exercises consist of flowing, relaxed physical movements coordinated with the breath. This effectively links the body and mind in an effort to maintain optimum health.

When we practice Tai chi we have to keep in mind that we have to leg go our tension in our body. When our tension is let go, our mind is much easy to be calmed. This is the mental part. For our body, when we move slowly, more muscles are needed and this will force more blood to move in our body. It in turned to push heart to pump more blood, so our circulation is improved, and our muscle toning will be improved as well. The purpose of Tai chi is to enhance energy levels without the use of external substances. One way to look at this is to compare waking up with a strong cup of coffee, as opposed to relying on your body’s internal resources to start your day.

Tai chi exercises play out as an eye-pleasing dance in its elegance and grace. Performing them should bring satisfaction and joy. In this way, one can look forward to it and find relief from daily stress. This is different than the rush, or massive energy surge, experienced in competitive sports or other rigorous exercises. Tai chi is appropriate for all age groups and is very popular among seniors in China today.

Many forms of Tai chi exist today and most emphasize the use of relatively easy motions. It doubles as a form of meditation to address issues of the mind. This makes it an excellent choice for those needing to unburden their minds from overthinking or anxious thoughts. A great time to practice is early morning, preferably before eating or after a light breakfast. However, there is really no bad time to practice, although it is not recommended right after a heavy meal.

The one of advantages of practicing Tai chi is people can safely perform on their own. Some forms are as easy as standing with the legs shoulder-width apart, as the arms swing slowly in large circles. Even 10 minutes a day of Tai chi exercise can make a difference in someone’s life.

If you are interested in learning more about Tai chi, I highly recommend my Tai chi master’s new book, Zhao Bao Tai Chi Kung Fu (pictures showed on top the page). You can find the book on amazon, https://www.amazon.com/Zhao-Bao-Tai-Chi-Kung/dp/1645704866/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=zhaobao+taichi&qid=1589490358&sr=8-1

 

 


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Home remedies for Flu/Cold season

Ginger (Sheng Jiang) and Green onion (Cong Bai) Tea

When you just begin to feel the onset of cold or flu especially with chill, sneeze and/or running nose, this ancient remedy is a wonderful easy to sip to treat and prevent symptoms from getting worse. Green onion is an excellent source of vitamin C and K, and a very good source of vitamin A as well. The benefits of ginger and green onion tea are induces light sweating, warms the lungs, alleviates nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, strengthens immunity, and reduces phlegm. 

The dosage is flexible. I usually use 15g of ginger, 2 sticks of green onion and 3-4 cups water bring to boil, and simmer for 5 minutes. You may add a tea spoon of honey to the tea if you feel itching or dry of your throat. Please note, if you have been sick for a few days, then this is not the herb formula.

Asian Pears

Asian pears are well known in China as cough remedy for centuries. They are in nature of cold, high in Vitamin C and K, and low in fat and cholesterol. You can eat it as raw with skin peeled off, or if you begin to cough, you can cook it with a spoonful of honey. We all know honey is very effective against infections. You will need to 1. Wash the pear and cut the top of the pear and make a lid,  Core out the middle then pour honey into the hole; 3. Cover the lid; 4. Bring it to steam for 20 minutes. 5. Ready to eat, and drink the pear juice with honey. If you don’t find Asian pears, other pears can be used.

However, this remedy will soothe your throat and may reduce your coughing, but it will not cure. If coughing persists, you will need to contact your primary doctor and/or getting acupuncture and herbal treatments.

Chicken soup

Chicken soup is my favorite home healing remedy, as everyone knows the healing power of  chicken soup. You can cook with a whole chicken, chicken breast or chicken thighs. I usually like to add a few slices of ginger, some cooking wine, and oyster mushrooms. It’s flexible to add whatever your favorites, most common ones are carrots and celery. If you don’t have chicken to cook, store bought organic chicken broth is always a good alternative. When you are sick, drink more chicken soup than warm water will be possible helpful from getting worse. Cabbage, tomato and potato cook with chicken soup is one of our family’s favorite Winter soups.

 

 


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Self Acupressure for Pain Relief

These simple and effective methods of acupressure can be safely used to alleviate chronic pain. As always, when engaging in self-acupressure, find a comfortable position before beginning. Take a minute or two for focused deep breathing to ease into a peaceful state.

Head Corner for Headache Relief (Tai Yang)
You can find the Head Corner point on your hairline, roughly in the area just above the end of your eyebrows. If there’s not much hair to judge by, take your best guess. If you imagine your head as a square, the points are at the corners. Apply gentle pressure in a circular motion with the pads of your three middle fingers. Gradually increase the pressure if needed. In addition to alleviating headaches, rubbing here can soothe tired eyes and alleviate nausea.
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Welcome Fragrance to Open Sinuses (Ying Xiang)
This point is nestled very close to the nose, at its base, just off to the sides. It is well-known for its ability to open up the sinuses. Try experimenting here with your fingertips by delicately pulling the skin towards your ears, or in a slightly upward direction. The free flow of air can help reduce chronic headaches induce a calming effect by allowing you to deep breathe through your nose.

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Union Valley to Move Qi (He Gu)
This point is located near the thumb and is a highly effective point when addressing any kind of pain. To locate, put the thumb and first finger in a position where they are straight but touching each other. The fleshy mound between the two should be visible to the eye and easily located. Apply steady, strong pressure with your opposite thumb, as you make tiny, circular motions.
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Commanding Middle Point for Back Pain (Wei Zhong)
This point is conveniently located at the back of the knee, in the center, right where it bends. Use your thumbs to press with moderate to strong pressure. Circular motions or directly pressing this area can help bring relief to chronic lower backache and the pain associated with osteoarthritis.

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Curb your food cravings with Acupuncture

It’s a challenge to eat healthy when there is junk food readily available. It only takes a single glimpse or thought of a sweet treat or salty, savory snack for a ravenous craving to kick in.

Over time, these binges, if not controlled, can lead to weight gain, fatigue, muddled thinking, and moodiness, to name a few.

A balanced meal, according to according acupuncture and Oriental medicine, consists of foods that represent all five tastes—sweet, sour, bitter, salty, pungent. Each taste corresponds with a specific organ channel. By understanding their connection, you can move toward maintaining a healthy appetite.

The five tastes are:

Pungent
Associated with the Lung and Large Intestine pungent tastes include the dry, hot taste found in garlic, ginger, and onions needed to help the lungs properly circulate energy throughout the whole body.

Sweet
Sweet tastes are associated with the stomach and spleen. Fruits, sweet potatoes, and some vegetables like carrots aid in digestion and reduce the toxicity of all foods.

Sour
Liver and Gall Bladder are associated with sour tastes. Sour foods, like pickles or vinegar, help your body metabolize fats better.

Bitter
The bitter taste found in dark chocolate, radish, and bitter gourd removes excess heat from the Heart and Small Intestine helping them function better and pacify negative emotions.

Salty
The salty taste associated with the Kidney and Bladder has a big impact on moistening hard bowels and regulating their movements.

Curbing your cravings takes knowing which system is out of whack. If there is an intense hankering for sweet and salty, this implicates the Spleen, Stomach, Kidney, and Urinary Bladder. The desire for rich, fatty foods can be traced back to the Liver and Gall Bladder.

Since the Spleen and Stomach are associated with obsession, which can certainly be the case in an inability to restrain oneself from devouring all cookies and chips in the kitchen, these are usually the culprit behind every craving. An acupuncture treatment typically includes points to help bolster a sluggish Spleen and other lagging organs.


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Acid Reflux? Try Acupuncture!

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More than 95 million Americans suffer from digestive disorders ranging from constipation, diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome to more serious conditions such as acid reflux (GERD), ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. In fact, more than 35 million physician office visits a year are due to gastrointestinal complaints. Reports confirm that acupuncture and Oriental medicine can offer relief from even the most complex digestive problems.

Evidence that Oriental medicine has been used for digestive disorders can be found in early medical literature dating back to 3 AD, where specific acupuncture points and herbal formulas for borborygmus (rumbling or gurgling in the intestines), abdominal pain and diarrhea with pain are discussed.

According to Oriental medical theory, most digestive disorders are due to disharmony in the spleen and stomach. The spleen plays a central part in the health and vitality of the body, taking a lead role in the assimilation of nutrients and maintenance of physical strength. It turns digested food from the stomach into usable nutrients and Qi (energy). Many schools of thought have been formed around this organ; the premise being that the proper functioning of the “middle” is the key to all aspects of vitality.

It is estimated that more than 20 percent of the general population is affected by acid reflux. While other groups are impacted, at least half of all asthmatic children experience symptoms, and pregnant women tend to suffer more than the average population, with half reporting severe symptoms during their second and third trimesters.

Two examples of diagnoses would be rebellious stomach Qi and food accumulation in the stomach. Qi is a vital energy necessary for all life to exist. Both of these diagnoses call for an acupuncture treatment that will redirect energy downwards, as should naturally happen just after eating or drinking. Rebellious stomach Qi is a perfect description for some of the symptoms of acid reflux.

The stomach, according to the philosophy of acupuncture and Oriental medicine, is needed to ripen and rot food. After this process of fermentation occurs, only then may the nutrients be extracted during the next phase of digestion. Without strong stomach Qi, issues regarding malnutrition may arise. This is why an acupuncturist will need to evaluate a patient with acid reflux and address any nutritional deficiencies that may be present. Diet is very important in helping to calm symptoms.

 


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Acupressure for Nausea

Neiguan

Nausea can range from mild queasiness to serious distress. While not classified as a disease itself, it is an indicator that something else is wrong.

Depending on the severity and duration of vomiting, some level of dehydration may occur. In severe cases, this may become a medical emergency. Small sips of warm water may help the patient stay hydrated or, if this is not tolerable, sucking on ice chips may help.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine offer some simple acupressure techniques you can perform at home to help alleviate nausea.

The first exercise involves the acupuncture point called Pericardium 6 (P6), or Inner Gate. To locate this point, place your hand with the palm facing up. Starting from the middle of the wrist crease, place three fingers down below your wrist. Your index finger should be in the middle of two tendons.

If you are having trouble locating the tendons, flex your wrist and they should be displayed more prominently.

Press Inner Gate lightly with the pad of your thumb. You can slowly increase pressure and go deeper into the point. Continue this exercise for up to five minutes if you are using heavy pressure.

Some people experience more relief from nausea when they continuously press with gentle to moderate pressure. If this is the case for you, it is safe to apply acupressure for longer periods of time.

If nausea still persists after applying acupressure at Inner Gate, you can activate its partner point, called Outer Gate or San Jiao 5 (SJ5). It is found on the opposite side of the forearm from Inner Gate.

With your thumb on Inner Gate and your middle finger on Outer Gate, complete the circuit by squeezing the points together using moderate pressure. Hold for a few seconds and then release. This can be done for up to five minutes.

Some people experience more relief from nausea when they continuously press with gentle to moderate pressure. If this is the case for you, it is safe to apply acupressure for longer periods of time.


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Get Arthritis Relief with Acupuncture

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For many people, arthritis pain and inflammation cannot be avoided as the body ages. In fact, most people over the age of 50 show some signs of arthritis as joints naturally degenerate over time. Fortunately, arthritis can frequently be managed with acupuncture and Oriental medicine.

According to Oriental medical theory, arthritis arises when the cyclical flow of Qi (energy) in the meridians becomes blocked resulting in pain, soreness, numbness and stiffness. This blockage is called Bi-syndrome and is successfully treated using a combination of treatment modalities. The acupuncture points and herbs that are used depend on whether the underlying cause of the blockage of Qi (arthritis) is caused by wind, cold, dampness or damp-heat.

A pilot study found in the medical publication International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases 2010, demonstrated the safety and efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study criteria focused on the disease activity, pain scores, functional ability and quality of life issues for the study participants. To evaluate disease activity, researchers used the DAS28 test. This test measures and records the levels of tenderness and inflammation of 28 separate joints in the body.

The study, conducted at Kwong Wah Hospital in Hong Kong, provided an average of 14 acupuncture sessions for each patient. At the end, researchers determined that improvements in the physical, emotional and social well-being of some of the participants improved. The improvement was significant enough to conclude that acupuncture is a viable treatment method to reduce pain and other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Source: Lao WN et al. Effects of Acupuncture on Rheumatoid Arthritis. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases. Conference: 14th Congress of Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology, APLAR 2010 Hong Kong Hong Kong. Conference Publication 2010; 13: 231.


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Acupuncture for Post Operative Pain

Acupuncture is excellent for managing post-surgical side effects such as surgical pain, loss of appetite, and upset stomach or nausea. In addition to strengthening the immune system and increasing energy, acupuncture is also a great way to reduce swelling, decrease stiffness and pain, reduce scarring and scar tissue and speed up recovery.

Research from Duke University Medical Center has shown that acupuncture can significantly reduce post-operative pain and their need for powerful opioids to treat pain.

Duke University anesthesiologists combined data from 15 randomized clinical trials to reach their conclusion. Using acupuncture both before and after surgery produced the best results for patients, who reported lower levels of post-operative pain and a significantly reduced need for painkillers. In addition, acupuncture mitigated the negative side effects of opioids when they were used.

“The most important outcome for the patient is the reduction of the side effects associated with opioids,” said T.J. Gan, M.D., the Duke anesthesiologist who presented the study at the annual scientific conference of the American Society for Anesthesiology in San Francisco in October 2007.

Gan pointed out that acupuncture is a relatively inexpensive therapy that has virtually no side effects when practiced by trained professionals.

 

 


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Relieve Pain Naturally with Acupuncture

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Increasingly, people are looking for more natural approaches to help relieve painful conditions instead of relying on medications. Acupuncture has no side effects and can be helpful for all types of pain, regardless of what is causing the pain or where the pain is located. Some studies have shown the pain relief it provides can last for months.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain before and after acupuncture treatment for pain shows dramatic decreases in brain activity–up to 70 percent. This decrease in activity in certain areas of the brain is thought to be the reason why acupuncture treatments reduce pain.

In addition to reducing pain, acupuncture also hastens the healing process by increasing circulation and attracting white blood cells to an injured area.

The basis of acupuncture is expressed in this famous Chinese saying: “Bu tong ze tong, tong ze bu tong,” which means “free flow: no pain, no free flow: pain.”

In other words, any kind of pain or illness represents an obstruction in the normal flow of Qi, or life force. Simply put, acupuncture moves Qi, restoring free flow.

Studies on Acupuncture and Pain

Acupuncture has become readily accepted as a viable option for pain management and studies support its therapeutic effects.

In a German study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 1,162 adults with chronic, lower back pain were divided into groups treated with either acupuncture or the standard pharmaceutical and exercise therapy commonly used in conventional medicine. Researchers reported that acupuncture provided relief and lasting benefit to nearly twice as many lower back pain patients compared to drugs and exercise. Forty-eight percent of the acupuncture patients reported at least a one-third decrease in pain along with improvement in their ability to function, versus 27 percent of the patients treated with conventional methods reporting such benefits.

In another recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine analyzed 33 studies covering more than 2,100 patients from around the world on acupuncture for lower back pain. They found acupuncture provided definite pain relief in the short-term (defined as relief sustained for three weeks after the end of the acupuncture sessions).

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is a viable treatment option for chronic pain, lower back pain, musculoskeletal pain, arthritis pain, headaches and post surgical pain. Whether your symptoms are just beginning to crop up, or you are looking for a more natural approach with less side effects, acupuncture and Oriental medicine can bring relief.