Benefits Of Acupuncture During Pregnancy Acupuncture helps to relieve a host of symptoms, assists with labor, and even aids in correcting a breech presentation
Many scientific studies have been conducted to verify the benefits of acupuncture during pregnancy.
They have found that acupuncture can be a safe and worthwhile complementary treatment during pregnancy.
For pregnancy, acupuncture helps to relieve a host of symptoms, assists with labor, and even aids in correcting a breech presentation.
Acupuncture And Pregnancy
Fertility– Acupuncture is helpful even before you are pregnant. Whether alone or with assisted reproductive technologies, it can improve the chances of you becoming pregnant.
Gastrointestinal upsets – Most women prefer acupuncture over medication, with vomiting and nausea related to morning sickness showing improvements from the first session. It also alleviates heartburn and constipation.
Pain and swelling – Acupuncture can help significantly to ease pain in the lower back, pelvic pain, swelling in the legs and carpal tunnel syndrome, all common during the second and third trimesters.
Breech position – Acupuncture (in conjunction with moxibustion) relaxes the muscles in the uterus and abdomen, as it controls the movements of the uterus. This creates the ideal conditions for the baby to turn.
Sleep problems and fatigue – Getting sufficient sleep is one of the biggest challenges in pregnancy. Acupuncture can help pregnant women get more restful and rejuvenating sleep. It also increases fuel production and energy levels, helping women cope with the physical toll of pregnancy.
Stress, mild to moderate depression, and headaches – Here, acupuncture provides a safe alternative to medication. It significantly reduces stress and anxiety during pregnancy, labor and delivery. Depression, which affects nearly a quarter of pregnant women, can also be alleviated with acupuncture, as can the occurrence of pregnancy-induced headaches.
Labor induction and shortening the length of labor – Acupuncture can be used to prepare the mother’s body for labor and delivery. It is also effective at reducing the length of labor and lessening the need for medical interventions.
Postnatal – Acupuncture assists physical and mental recovery after delivery, preventing fatigue and mood swings. It can improve blood circulation, leading to improved breast milk supply. Other postpartum issues commonly treated with acupuncture are urination difficulty, abdominal cramps, bleeding, hair loss, fever, night sweats and mastitis.
While acupuncture is not a substitute for Western prenatal medical care, it offers many benefits as a complementary treatment.
Original article and pictures take www.acupuncture-treatment.com site
Beer, Barbeque and Balance – from the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) nutrition viewpoint
Warmer temperatures combined with long weekends inspire Canadians to joyfully fire up their barbeques to grill food for family and friends. Typically they will pair their barbequed feast with cold beer.
Chicken, classified as warm and sweet, has the ability to nourish our bodies, giving us strength and increasing vitality. It is said to support healthy digestion and ‘warm the middle’.
Cooking methods impart various energies to food. Grilling over coals or an open flame adds significant energetic heat to food. Since chicken is already warm by nature, grilling makes it even more so. The various spices, rubs or sauces that we add in cooking also contribute to the overall energetic mix. A typical barbeque sauce has noticeably sweet, salty and spicy flavours that temper the final product. Most chicken is grilled with the skin on, so there is an additional digestive burden of processing the attendant fat. TCM nutrition discourages the regular consumption of grilled meats because of the fat content and heating thermal nature.
Potato Salad
Potatoes are said to have a neutral ‘thermal nature’ (we feel neither warmer nor cooler after eating them) and a sweet flavour. The sweet flavour is clearly not like that of candy or even fruit but again implies the food’s ability to provide solid nourishment to the body. The potato has a strong influence on the digestive system and has anti-inflammatory effects.
Green onions add a bit of colour and flavour to potato salad. They are warming and pungent (spicy), and even a small amount can lighten the effects of other heavier foods (meat, potatoes).
A dressing like mayonnaise is cooling and sweet. It has a moistening effect on the body. For a thin person who tends to dryness, small amounts are fine. For a heavier person who tends to have mucus or phlegm, it is considered too dampening and consumption should be limited.
Typically potato salad is served chilled. As pleasant as this may feel on a warm day, it burdens our digestive system. The Spleen and Stomach (TCM organs of digestion) have to expend extra energy bringing the food to body temperature before it can start the process of digestion.
Beer
Beer has a cool thermal nature and a bitter and sweet taste. In North America, beer is served as cold as possible, thereby enhancing its cooling property.
In TCM nutrition, balancing Yin and Yang is important. Cool and cold foods are Yin while warm and hot foods are Yang. It would appear that barbequed chicken served with potato salad and beer are the ideal combination! However, there are some other factors to consider. How much food and drink is being consumed in one sitting? How well is the food being chewed before swallowing? Will there be at least three hours between supper and bedtime?
We know that overeating is harmful. This is especially true if it happens on a regular basis.
In TCM nutrition, overeating makes the digestive system work harder and may overwhelm it. This can lead to incomplete digestion and ‘food stagnation’, insomnia and irregularity (diarrhea and/or constipation). Chronic overeating can lead to signs of ‘dampness’ in the body: nausea, a feeling of heaviness in the head or limbs, mucus and phlegm, weight gain or edema.
Chewing food well has a positive influence on digestion. Food becomes well mixed with saliva and is broken into smaller, easier to digest particles. Our digestive organs have enough work to do without having to contend with large pieces of barely chewed food. Also, eating mindfully lets us enjoy our food and the company of those we share meals with. TCM nutrition advises a pleasant eating atmosphere to enhance digestion.
The process of digestion takes several hours. It is best to eat heavier foods earlier in the day when possible. Giving the body enough time to digest before turning in at night is important. It is very difficult for the body to digest and sleep at the same time – both processes suffer.
Having strong, effective digestion is considered a prerequisite to good health in TCM. TCM has been helping people with digestive issues for millennia. There is a wonderful flexibility to this medicine that makes it applicable to all people, no matter what their constitution or eating habits. TCM nutrition shows us not only which foods are most suitable for each season of the year but also which are most appropriate for each individual person. In addition, there are specific herbal formulae that address problematic digestion. Acupuncture can also help optimize digestion. There are many acupuncture points on the trunk and also on the limbs that influence digestive function. Two famous points that promote digestion are Zusanli (Leg Three Miles, ST36), located below the kneecap, and Sanyinjiao (Three Yin Crossing), located above the ankle.
Is this long weekend menu suitable for everyone? While regular consumption of grilled meats, heavy starchy vegetables and beer is obviously not healthy, it is a fine way to celebrate and enjoy our all too short Canadian spring and summer.
Please request your acupuncture and nutrition consultation appointment with our registered acupuncturist Barbara Adach, R.Ac. by contacting The Pacific Wellness Institute at 416-929-6958 or submit your online appointment request.
Original article and pictures take www.pacificwellness.ca site
I’ll admit it: I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to things like acupuncture. I’d rather deal with headaches and stress by popping a couple of Aleve or working my way through a heart-pounding Crossfit workout than “focusing on my breathing” or trying “healing yoga.” But, could taking a more rounded and holistic approach be the way to go?
I talked to Dr. John J. Kim, L.Ac., O.M.D., founder of ReNuMi Wellness Center and Mila Alexandra Mintsis, licensed acupuncturist at Shift Integrative Medicine on all things acupuncture. It turns out, those little needles can solve a lot more of life’s little dilemmas than ibuprofen can, like acne and wrinkles. Consider this your non-new age-y guide to the beauty benefits of sticking needles in your skin.
Needles For: Getting Stress Under Control
"Acupuncture helps energy flow through our body through a network of meridians," says Kim. Think of meridians like blood vessels that connect acupuncture points to each other. Only instead of carrying blood, these channels carry qi (energy). When we’re stressed, these pathways become blocked; acupuncture needles stimulate points along the meridian, and help open them up.
To zap stress, needles are most commonly placed in the hands and feet. For me, it was the needle placed between my thumb and forefinger that had an immediate, just-drank-a-glass-of-warm-milk effect.
To ease stress long-term, Kim recommends a course of acupuncture twice a week for six to eight weeks. This gives the treatment time to help regulate body temperature, improve blood circulation and help you sleep better (all things that lead to reduced stress). Though it may seem counterintuitive if you’re needle-phobic, even the treatment itself is relaxing (just close your eyes). Kim says that a lot of times, people will fall asleep while they’re on the table.
Needles For: Banishing Pesky Pimples
Clearly, acupuncture isn’t our go-to method for clearing up acne (hello, face full of benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid). But Mintsis argues that topical remedies treat only the outward appearance instead of what’s going on internally. “Acne is usually an outward manifestation of an internal imbalance,” she says. When you fix that, you also quash future breakouts.
Because acupuncture addresses the root of one’s acne problem, such as digestive imbalances or a slow-moving lymphatic system, treatment varies from person to person. Mintis says that the tongue and pulse are used to determine a course of treatment and the placement of the needles. “Dietary changes, herbs and essential oils would be an additional important component of treatment,” she adds. She recommends 12 sessions for those looking to clear up their acne.
Needles For: Glowy Skin and Fewer Wrinkles
"Acupuncture has been used to improve physical appearance for thousands of years," says Mintsis. It works by creating a positive microtrauma in the skin (similar to the tears that happen to your muscles during exercise), which Mintsis says is thought to "stimulate fibroblasts and increase collagen production," meaning, you can see improved skin tone, diminished wrinkles and fine lines, a decrease in sagging skin and a youthful glow.
Mintsis says that acupuncture is unique in that it also addresses imbalances in the body that results in puffiness or chronically dry skin, which is essential for long-lasting results.
Acupuncture facial rejuvenation, as the process is called, involves placing small, hair-thin needles along certain points on the body, head and face.
Unlike Botox or invasive procedures, cosmetic acupuncture has no side effects. This treatment plan involves ten sessions over five weeks, followed by a monthly treatment to maintain the results.
Kim also developed a treatment system called ART that works by balancing hormones and regulating the digestive and lymphatic systems. “A healthy organ system is reflected as a healthy glow to the face,” he says. “ART treatment cleans body fluids by regulating water metabolism. It refreshes blood and detoxifies the whole body.” Basically, it acts like a detox and increases blood circulation to the skin — this releases muscle tightness and results in fewer wrinkles. Unlike other acupuncture treatments, the needles are removed immediately to improve collagen and muscle tone. One treatment program has four sessions.
Needles For: Helping With Weight Loss
"A series of acupuncture can regulate water metabolism for the whole body to help suppress the appetite," Kim says. Mintsis says that two points on the ear (the "hunger point" and the "stomach point"), can be stimulated, AKA needled (my words), to help get cravings and feelings of hunger under control. Certain points on your body — just above the ankle bone on the inside of your leg, for one — can also be stimulated to help improve metabolism.
Don’t expect it to be magic, however — Mintsis notes that this isn’t any substitute for exercising and maintaining a healthy diet (so don’t toss that kale and gym membership just yet), but it is an effective tool to have in your arsenal to help you reach your goals. Twelve sessions seems to be the magic number; that’s how many are recommended to assist with a weight-loss plan.
Needles For: Calming a Tension Headache
If you’re chronically stressed (see above), you’re probably pretty familiar with tension headaches. While headache pains occur in the head, Mintsis says the culprit is usually somewhere else. “Poor posture, heavy bags and long hours at work in front of a computer create a lot of tension in our neck and upper back muscles,” she says. “In addition, a lot of people carry their stress in their neck and upper back, and feel increased pain and tension every time they are exposed to a stressful situation.” (Which is most of the time, for many of us).
To relieve this, Mintsis explains that, in Chinese medicine, you place the needle where the tension is to balance the qi and increase blood flow to the area. “That is the ‘calming point,’ and if you place needles at many of these, then you open the channels of chi, to ease pain in the body,” she explains.
Original article and pictures take s.yimg.com site
Did you know that your tongue is a mirror image of what is going on inside your body? According to Ayurvedic studies, your tongue is a map of all your organs and can be used as a diagnostic tool. Whatever issues you have going on internally, you will see on your tongue. There are also pulse, facial, lips , nail, and eye diagnostic tools. Cool huh?! Check out this site to see what your tongue says about your health.
Original article and pictures take 78.media.tumblr.com site
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Original article and pictures take baysideanimal.com site
I am blessed to know this wonderful science of Ayurveda that changed and is changing my approach towards life every moment in a positive way.
I started my education in Ayurvedic science in 1990 and since then this journey is filled with knowledge, especially understanding myself and people around me and enjoying the beauty in everything.
I have been in this profession for more than 17 years now, and have seen people suffering from numerous physical and mental imbalances. All imbalances manifests due to imposed need of responding to surrounding than peeking inside of self to know self needs and maneuvering life accordingly.
To keep the well balanced health, moderation in everything is good strategy. When we exceed the limit it shows up with some symptom in our body and mind. Weather it is endocrinal disease like Diabetes or increased weight.
Weight gain does not happen all of a sudden unless there is underlying pathological cause.
Most people who want to lose weight are continuously thinking of losing weight, which gives good exercise to their mind than body. This mental exercise is a strenuous one which generates more stress and exhausts the mind.
When it comes to losing weight the first attention goes to food that we eat.
Food or eating is such a simple act. Food is to nourish your body and mind. There is hardly any good reason to stress one’s mind and lose the peace of one’s mind in thinking about food.
Ayurveda makes eating simpler. Eat as per your body type. Every person is a unique make up of Vata Pitta and Kapha dosha. The diet which is good for one may not suite another because the body constitution, habits, metabolism, lifestyle, bodily demands are different for each individual, eating as per your body demand maintains all bodily functions.For reducing weight it is important to pay attention on what you eat, when you eat and how you eat.
A Few simple steps to start with:
1. Never go on “Fasting” or “starve “for reducing weight
Fasting or not having food does not help to reduce weight; it might give a temporary effect of losing weight but not for long. Fasting when done for spiritual purpose as mentioned in Yogic Science, is for the mind and body connection. If we fast by not eating anything and think of Pizza and pastry it will have no effect on reducing weight. Changing food habit – in moderation helps to reduce and maintain the weight that is reduced.
2. Timing — honor the biological clock of your body
Breakfast lunch and dinner are three important meals of a day.Breakfast and dinner should be light as compared to lunch. Avoid eating in between meals. Having dinner no later than 7 pm and not eating anything after that until next morning. If hungry 1 cup of warm milk is advised at bed time. One should not eat anything after 10 pm. At least spend two hours between the dinner and bed time that is the time needed for your GI system to digest the food, uninterrupted.
However if you are a personality – I don’t feel hungry for breakfast!!, then wait until you feel hungry (I recommend Ginger tea or just a fruit for breakfast this helps to get the system started and you don’t over eat at lunch) and have a smaller portion of lunch, this helps to improve the metabolism and gets you back to your natural physiology.
3. What to eat
Food items to choose for meals should be as per Dosha type that maintains the function and metabolism which is responsible for optimal function of all organs e.g. Kapha predominant personalities tend to gain weight quick and have a hard time to lose weight , Kapha is a combination of Water and Earth element so trying to avoid the food items that have water and earth element and favoring those items those have fire, air and space element:
(Ayurveda books can be of great help to know the details of such food items)
In general, avoid combining two proteins from different source together e.g Beans and cheese, egg and cheese, milk and fish. Eat at least one meal at home; preferably cook it every day fresh.
4. Fruits and fruit juices
Eat fruits on empty stomach, either for breakfast or after exercise.
Eat fruits alone or leave them alone, try not to eat fruits with any other food item. Fruits give the best when we eat them whole, this gives good exercise to our oral cavity and the fibrous part in fruits helps in colon function.
5. Train your Gut
Our stomach is twice as our hand fist, so imagine how much can it hold?
Eating small portions helps in digesting the food well and keeps the metabolism going. We often over eat and not realize it until we pay attention to how much is needed.
6. Do Less
Switch off Television, Phone and computer while eating, serve half the portion then what you usually eat, this gives time to think weather you need the rest half or you can wait.
Always sit down and eat, never eat when standing.
7. Drink a glass of water 10 minutes before meals
Try not to drink water after meals.
Never drink cold water or ice cold beverages with food.
8. Exercise
Everyday exercise is important, do we eat five days a week? No, the same concept is for exercise, it should be done daily.
What type of exercise differs person to person and how is based on one’s lifestyle.
Be careful before you plan to rely and try these things for reducing weight, honey is heating and can cause increase pitta dosha.
When honey is used in hot water or hot teas it glues to the mucus membrane causing Ama (toxins).
Apple cider vinegar when taken on empty stomach can increase acid reflux. Herbal teas can be misleading too, it is important to know what types of herb are beneficial for your system to detoxify.
10. Mind Power – Mind is everything, mind is limitless!
Along with the proper diet you must “Think Thin”.
Once you apply this technique you will experience the wonders it does to achieve your goal. Giving yourself quiet time daily for 10 minutes will help you to listen to your own self carefully.
11. Herbs
Herbs play an important role in improving the metabolism and reducing the toxin from the body that not only benefits for reducing weight but also helps to improve overall metabolism and should be taken as advised by the physician.
Ayurveda suggests Panchakarma therapies to remove excess doshas and ama (toxins) from mind and body.
These procedures require proper guidance from a highly trained Ayurvedic Physician and should not be done from reading information in books.
Panchakarma helps in deep cleansing the cells and reduce the severity of symptoms from chronic illness. Dietary and lifestyle restrictions are advised during the period of panchakarma for optimal benefits.
Don’t lose your mind while losing weight!
Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site
