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Why am I so Hot? Heat in Chinese Medicine

why-am-i-so-hot

In acupuncture, one of the goals is to balance heating and cooling aspects of the body.  Now, as we move past the hottest summer on record, most of us are thankfully packing away thoughts of the heat of the summer along with it.

Not so fast for some people. Heat, in this case, refers not only to the environmental temperature but also your body.

Heat and Cooling in the Body

Our bodies possess qualities of heating and cooling. Health problems can occur if the heating and cooling goes out of balance.  That’s why some people are always hot and sweat … Read More

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Why Olympic Athletes Use Cupping

cupping on the upper backThose little bruises on Michael Phelps shoulders stimulated huge interest in cupping therapy.

It started the Olympic cupping craze!

Cupping is extremely useful for athletes and sport enthusiasts (not to mention those with chronic back pain or neck pain).  This is because it helps with pain, soreness, stiffness and immobility.

How does cupping work?

Cupping creates a vacuum in a glass or plastic cup.  This pulls the skin, connective tissue, and muscle up and results in the classic cupping bruise.

Cupping can help muscle soreness and pain after a workout.  Cupping has been shown to reduce inflammation from a strenuous … Read More

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Getting the Qi

acupuncture on upper backDoes acupuncture hurt? No, acupuncture does not usually hurt when performed by a trained acupuncturists.

There are many feelings associated with acupuncture.  Feeling is good!  It means that the acupuncture points are stimulated and they will being the healing process.

How does acupuncture feel?

Acupuncture usually does not hurt.  After the needle is inserted you can feel numbess, tingling, movement, heaviness, or a feeling of floating.  This is called “Getting the Qi” and it means that the acupuncture points are properly stimulated.

Getting the Qi

Qi is the energy which flows through channels on the body. Acupuncture stimulates the … Read More

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Chinese Medicine Antioxidants

Traditional Chinese Medicine has a long history of promoting longevity and anti-aging therapies. Recently, research shows that Chinese medicine therapies such as herbs, acupuncture, and tai ji all have antioxidant capabilities.

Oxidative stress can be understood as an imbalance between the creation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the body’s ability to detoxify through antioxidants and other mechanisms.[1]  Health in TCM is based upon the idea of balance which can be understood as a homeostatic state.[2]

Herbal Antioxidants

chinese herbs 1 copyTraditional Chinese medicine has long focused on longevity and improving health for those with age related diseases such as arthritis, joint … Read More

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What is an Acupuncture Point?

The science of acupuncture is fascinating and there is a lifetime of exploring to be done.

Some scientists examine what is happening at the acupuncture points to explore acupuncture’s healing effect.

What is an Acupuncture Point?

Acupuncture points are areas of the body that can be stimulated to produce a healing effect.  We like to say they are places where the Qi is more accessible.  This is why we needle or massage them to influence the flow and circulation of qi.  Acupuncture points most often lie on acupuncture channels.

Scientists think that acupuncture points have lower electrical resistance than … Read More