Acupuncture is an excellent remedy for recovering from jet lag. Acupuncture helps reset circadian rhythms naturally. How can acupuncture help you get a better night’s rest? There are both Eastern and Western ways of answering this question. Recent research has demonstrated acupuncture increases free adenosine levels by 24 percent (Goldman, 2010). Adenosine is the opposite of caffeine and helps explain why most acupuncture patients often take a little nap during their treatmen

Millions of people (as many as 50 million per year) suffer from recurring allergy symptoms. The causes of allergies are as many as the people who suffer from them. The severity of an individual’s reaction to a given allergy can vary greatly from one person to another and one allergic event to the next. Allergies range in severity from minor to mild, to irritating to severe, and some allergies can even be deadly. The most common, most problematic allergic sensitivity is Hay Fe

Measuring only four inches in length, the gallbladder is an organ small in comparison to many other organs in the human body. It can be found under the liver in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen. The gallbladder stores bile. Bile is a combination of fat, fluids and cholesterol that helps break down fat from the food we eat. The bile is then secreted into the small intestine allowing fat-soluble vitamins to be more easily absorbed by the body. And even though the gallbla

Statistics show that almost 8 out of 10 people will experience low back pain at some point during their life, and many of them will be seeking medical treatment for back pain. In some instances, back pain can be fleeting and can be resolved with rest, heat and an occasional anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen. However, once the damage is done, the recurrence of back pain becomes more common. One reason for this is when we age, our muscles and tendons become less flexible and pli

Planning, visioning, growing, expanding. Anger, headaches, frustration, pain. What do these words mean to an acupuncturist? They mean we are talking about the liver meridian and organ system functions. Now, when you are in the clinic, and you hear us talk about a particular organ, we aren’t talking about just the physical organ sitting in your abdomen, but an energetic system in your body that is tasked with certain physiological, mental, and psycho-spiritual functions. In Tr

Why do some people always catch a cold, and others don’t? Viruses, germs, and bacteria are everywhere. They are in the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink, but not all of them are bad or harmful. Think of the immune system as your body's security detail. The cells, tissues, and organs that comprise it help repel foreign invaders like harmful bacteria, parasites and other microbes that can cause infections. Disorders of the immune system range from everyday

Having recurring migraines is similar to parenting a temperamental toddler. When they go from being annoying to actively disruptive and mildly infuriating, there is often little one can do but grit your teeth and persevere. The helpful suggestions for managing this occurrence involved a mixture of expert opinion, anecdotal hearsay, individual tinkering and a big dose of patience. So where does acupuncture fit into this picture? We'll start with expert opinion. Consider a 2013

Large Intestine 4 is one of the most important and influential acupoints in the entire body. The Chinese name for Large Intestine 4 is “He Gu” meaning union valley or converging valley. The point is located on the hand in the web between the thumb and index finger, also described as the depression where the index finger and thumb bones part. This area of the hand is often described as “valley like” hence the name converging valley. The large intestine has many important funct

We often say in Traditional Chinese Medicine that the liver is the system most easily susceptible to stress. Stress knots the Qi (energy) and makes its flow stagnate - this happens most quickly in the liver energy system. The liver, in TCM, is in charge of the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body. This means that if Qi flow is impaired (ie, by stress), the liver system will suffer. Likewise, if the liver energy system is weak or stagnant (from lifestyle choices, diet, trauma