Why Every Busy Woman Should Try Acupuncture

Why Every Busy Woman Should Try Acupuncture

When I found out my new health insurance covered twenty-five sessions of acupuncture treatments in a calendar year, I thought to myself, why not try it? I've always been curious about the benefits from this "alternative" form of healthcare. When posting on Facebook months ago that I was going to give acupuncture a go, it received multiple comments containing success stories in treating injuries that were otherwise considered unfixable and relief from all sorts of ailments including kidney stones, allergies, migraines, and chronic lower back pain.

I didn't have a targeted purpose for trying acupuncture, although I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was curious about the possibility of "curing" my never ending tummy troubles. Outside of that, I was looking at it from a more holistic and preventative perspective. I wanted to see if going to acupuncture on a regular basis would help with my stress levels, bouts of unwelcome anxiety, and keep me from getting the common cold.

I'd like to report that although acupuncture has been experimental for me, I have found success in small things such as my TMJ (from the stress I carry in my jaw), random aches and pains (usually related to pushing it too hard in the gym) and, I'm being 100 percent honest when I tell you, that I have not been sick one day this over the entire winter.

I've developed a beautiful and nurturing relationship with my acupuncturist, Mona Chopra and believe that she always has my best interest at heart when treating me. Over the course of the past four months, and seven sessions, she's provided me various resources like alternatives to coffee drinking and research on meditation including possible locations I might want to consider in New York. She's made recommendations for teas, books, supplements, and a myriad of health related products, some of which I've adopted into my daily routine.

For me, my hour-long acupuncture sessions are a time to relax, to shut off my mind, and to be in the presence of someone I truly trust with my mind and body. When I consulted with Mona over the course of our relationship about why every busy woman should try acupuncture here are some interesting reasons that resonated most with me.

•First and foremost, prevention. This was my number one reason for trying acupuncture and although it's not the most common reason to try it, "most people try acupuncture for the first time because they have some kind of ailment be it a pain, digestive distress, emotional imbalance, or in some way feeling ‘off’ or ‘not okay.’ Acupuncture can and should be looked at like ‘preventative medicine,’ instead of waiting to get a diagnosis that you have X or Y condition," says Chopra. If you see an acupuncturist, she or he will be able to detect much more subtle imbalances in your system and work to correct them. I wholeheartedly believe that prevention is the best medicine and we, as a society, could enhance our immune systems by taking this approach, therefore being less likely to need medications and reducing the possibilities of getting sick. Preventative health is key, however you seek it—eating healthy, taking supplements, staying active, and/or acupuncture.

• Acupuncture can be used to offset stress and the effects of aging. Research proves that neglected stress can wreak havoc on our bodies and minds, leading to all kinds of ailments ranging from digestive distress, painful periods, chronic pain, hormonal imbalances, allergies, blood pressure and sugar imbalances, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and fatigue. Must I go on? Cosmetically speaking, wrinkled skin, grey hairs, thin hair, and dark circles under the eyes are no strangers to the extremely stressed body. Acupuncture has been proven to help offset these adverse effects and can help promote a more youthful energetic you—on the inside and out. Are you building a career but one day hope to have children? Join the club. Acupuncture can be a powerful modality for promoting fertility too, when the time comes!

• Acupuncture can help you understand your body and mind better. "It can help you see yourself in a whole new light," Chopra says. Acupuncture is so much more than just being stuck with tiny needles. Imagine having someone sit with you with for one full hour (or more) and listen to you express your concerns about your health and your life as a whole. Imagine that person asking key questions that no medical doctor or psychotherapist may have asked you (because it's not in their training and/or paradigm to ask). Questions that will help you better understand why you are the way you are, why your body may be acting the way it's been acting. And, in addition to being treated with acupuncture to help regulate your system, also offering suggestions for your diet and lifestyle that may help you make the changes you want to see in your life.

The next time you have trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, have paid the doctor a visit only to receive a 'clean bill of health' but know that something else is lurking underneath the surface, consider acupuncture. Your acupuncturist may be able to detect more subtle imbalances that could be leading to those distressing symptoms.

Furthermore, acupuncturists are trained to treat not only the “symptoms” but the “root causes,” which means making changes on deep fundamental levels of your being. If you have ever had the thought, "I've always been like this" or "I'm just an anxious kind of person," an acupuncturist can not only help you understand how these constitutional tendencies or learned habits are thought of in Chinese medicine, she or he can also help you to see how unblocking certain channels or nourishing others may help to free you from those ways of being.

Signing Off Glad I Tried Acupuncture,

Renee

Mona Chopra, MA, MS, is a New York state licensed and nationally board certified (NCCAOM) acupuncturist with over a decade of experience in mind-body medicine. Mona is also a therapeutic yoga instructor, a certified hypnotist and a childbirth doula. Mona enjoys treating people of all ages and walks of life, and is committed to finding ways of making acupuncture and holistic medicine accessible to more and more people. After all these years, Mona continues to be awe-inspired by the immense potential of the human body and spirit to heal. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call: 917.834.2124 or email: mona@peopletreewellness.com. More information about Mona Chopra, L.Ac., and about acupuncture visit www.peopletreewellness.com.

Original article and pictures take www.shape.com site

Why Acupuncture Works for Infertility

Why Acupuncture Works for Infertility

Big, giant kudos to Today Show correspondent Bobbie Thomas, who's currently going through her third round of IVF and documenting it all for viewers and fans. With her brave #nomorewhispers campaign, she's using social media and Today segments to show every step of the process—from getting bloodwork and ultrasounds done to having an egg retrieval procedure. She even showed off her belly bruises from all of the hormone injections… Way to keep it real, Bobbie!

So when I saw Thomas undergoing acupuncture and cupping treatments during her most recent Today segment, I could immediately relate. Like a lot of us, the first time I ever heard about acupuncture being used as an infertility treatment was during the Sex and the City episode where Charlotte seeks it out to help overcome her reproductive challenges. A lifelong needle-phobe, I've always avoided the mere mention of acupuncture, but when I found out I had diminished ovarian reserve in March, I changed my tune rather quickly. I started seeing acupuncturist Carolyn Leigh every week, and six months later, she has become a trusted friend, advocate, and go-to guru for all things fertility. (Plus, she gives great caviar prescriptions.)

At each of my sessions with Leigh, I receive traditional acupuncture as well as cupping, an ancient Chinese treatment said to increase blood flow and promote healing. Though the benefits aren't always tangible, I'm a believer—especially after witnessing its magic in action during my first IVF cycle. I had only four very small follicles at the start, and when I upped my acupuncture visits to three times a week, they started growing more quickly and the amount increased to six follicles. (Not an easy feat for someone with diminished ovarian reserve.) Thomas also touts the benefits, saying that she's seen a marked improvement between her first cycle, when she didn't do acupuncture and cupping, and when she incorporated them the second time around.

Research supports acupuncture's efficacy too—one study published in Fertility and Sterility found that patients who received acupuncture before and after embryo transfer had significantly higher pregnancy rates than those who didn't.

"It helps to improve the chances of pregnancy by keeping the body in balance," says Leigh. "I've seen people get pregnant after just one month of treatment, and for others, it can take up to a year; it depends on the complexity of whatever it is that is causing the infertility in the first place."

Some acupuncturists rely on the pulse as a diagnostic tool, but Leigh likes to look at her patients' tongues to see what's happening inside the body. Her sessions last 30 to 45 minutes, as that provides ample time for the needles to work their magic. "With normal breathing patterns, it takes 18 to 20 minutes for your chi to make a full circuit through the system," she says.

There's also the fact that receiving acupuncture and/or cupping can help decrease stress and anxiety brought on by infertility. "My acupuncturist says it's all about blood flow and de-stressing, and it really does help," said Thomas on Today.

For those who don't have access to acupuncture, foot reflexology can be a viable alternative, according to Leigh. "I've seen people get really good results that way, as you're stimulating the same points we'd be using with acupuncture on the foot," she explains.

As for cupping, Leigh says it doesn't necessarily have a direct effect on infertility, but it can help those who have circulation issues. "Some people hold a lot of tension and inflammation in their back and shoulders, and if that's the case, it would help balance the whole system out. I normally won't do cupping unless there are indicators of it being necessary."

Check out Thomas' latest Today segment, in which she gets needled and cupped on the air.

Jen Jones Donatelli is an author and journalist whose work and photography have appeared in Conde Nast Traveler, LA Confidential, Natural Health, Variety, San Francisco, Whole Life Times, Clean Plates, Total Beauty, and many more. When not typing the day away at her laptop, she is also a journalism instructor for Ohio University, MediaBistro, and StoryStudio Chicago. Specializing in all things lifestyle and wellness, Jen is passionate about the topic of fertility—and thrilled to explore it more fully for REDBOOK. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Joe, and beloved spaniel pup, Tanner.

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Original article and pictures take www.redbookmag.com site

Why Acupuncture Works for Anxiety Relief

Why Acupuncture Works for Anxiety Relief

Research shows that acupuncture for anxiety is effective.

You might think acupuncture is for hipsters who don’t believe in Western medicine or for your aging parent with chronic back pain, but a growing body of research shows that acupuncture can help treat a condition that affects everyone from time to time: anxiety.

Managing severe anxiety can be tricky because it generally includes therapy, which might not provide results for months, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. What's more, it can require anxiety medication, which can have serious side effects, says Ladan Eshkevari, PhD, CRNA, LAc, a certified acupuncturist, a physiologist, and the assistant director of the Nurse Anesthesia Program at the School of Nursing & Health Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Yet when acupuncture for anxiety is effective, symptoms lessen after the first few visits, and practitioners like Eshkevari are confident it attacks the problem at its roots.

How Acupuncture for Anxiety Works

Ancient Chinese medicine describes an energy force called Qi that regulates the body’s overall health, according to University of Chicago Medicine. Like blood in the circulatory system, Qi moves throughout the body via pathways called meridians. When factors like injury, stress, poor nutrition, or a change in environment disrupt the flow of Qi, health issues follow, according to the University of Miami Health System. By inserting needles at specific points in the body, acupuncturists restore the balance of Qi and the body’s overall health, University of Chicago Medicine reports.

This concept might seem outdated to some, but Daniel Hsu, DAOM (Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine), LAc, a practitioner at New York AcuHealth Acupuncture in New York City, says Qi is just a metaphor for metabolic function, or the chemical reactions constantly taking place in the body.

Acupuncturists insert each needle half a millimeter away from a nerve, Dr. Hsu explains. Depending on where the needles go, acupuncture can cause the nervous system to produce painkilling chemicals, jump-start the body’s natural ability to heal itself, or stimulate the part of the brain that controls emotions, including anxiety. All of these results, Hsu adds, can help people feel more balanced and treat a variety of illnesses.

The Mechanics of Acupuncture for Anxiety Management

Hsu says acupuncture has increased in popularity since the 1970s simply because it works, and now there’s growing research supporting its effectiveness for anxiety and other mental conditions.

For instance, in a study published online in October 2013 in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, students who underwent a 20-minute acupuncture session were found to have less anxiety and better memory immediately afterward than those who didn't have acupuncture.

Why does it work? Eshkevari explains that external circumstances beyond your control can set off your anxiety and that acupuncture allows your body to take back control.

“We’re constantly under stress and pressure to perform, which can bring on disease and other serious health issues,” Hsu says. “Acupuncture is great for maintenance. It helps a long life become a better-quality life.”

How does it work? Led by Eshkevari, researchers at Georgetown University used lab studies to demonstrate that acupuncture slows the body’s production of stress hormones. Their findings were published in the April 2013 issue of the Journal of Endocrinology.

Few procedures work 100 percent of the time. That includes acupuncture, but it does have benefits that conventional treatments like psychotherapy and medication do not, Eshkevari says. She explains that side effects, such as bruising and dizziness, are minimal and uncommon, whereas some prescription drugs can have serious side effects and can lead to dependency.

Unlike with counseling, people treated with acupuncture often see results after one session, and the results improve with continued treatment. Hsu says acupuncture is particularly helpful for people who want to limit or stop drug use — prescription or otherwise. Because it regulates the body’s chemical balance naturally, acupuncture can even prevent people from needing medication at all, he says.

Getting Started With Acupuncture

When it comes to trying acupuncture, you have nothing to lose, Hsu says. With a certified acupuncturist, the risks are almost nonexistent and are far outweighed by the potential benefits. The majority of Eshkevari’s patients have told her they sleep better and have a stronger sense of overall well-being after just a few sessions.

If you're already receiving treatment for anxiety, Eshkevari suggests adding acupuncture to your current regimen. If you decide it works for you, you can work with your doctor to wean off anxiety medication. First, though, contact your insurance provider to find out whether it covers any acupuncturists in your area. Then talk with a practitioner — ask questions and openly discuss a potential treatment plan.

Original article and pictures take images.agoramedia.com site