Chinese Herbal Formulas for Optimal Health and Wellness

When most people hear the term "Traditional Chinese Medicine," they probably think of Acupuncture.  But did you know, before Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine was predominantly herbal medicine, and today, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs together form the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The benefit received from Acupuncture can be enhanced and magnified by the addition of a Chinese Herbal formula into your daily routine, and the right formula can make all the difference in your progress towards optimal health.  Chinese Herbs are a great way to supplement your Acupuncture treatment, help you keep feeling the therapeutic effect of Chinese Medicine in between Acupuncture treatment days, and assist your healing process from the inside out.     

At The Pin Cushion Clinic, we carry a line of Chinese Herbal formulas by Evergreen Herbs, a company we have chosen for the clinical effectiveness of their products, as well as the purity of the ingredients.  Although Chinese Herbs can be prescribed in whole bulk form which you boil to make a tea, most people don't have the time to dedicate to this process, so the herbs we carry have already been ground into a powder and encapsulated so they are convenient for travel and a busy lifestyle.  We stock common formulas for conditions we see often, and many people are surprised at how many types of conditions can be treated with Chinese Herbs.  We carry formulas for anything from insomnia, anxiety, and stress relief,  to menstrual cycle regulation, and pain relief.  And, if the formula we prescribe for you is a little more obscure, we are happy to order it. 

Keep this in mind for your next Acupuncture appointment.  If you have been curious about Chinese Herbs, or wonder how they could benefit you and help you reach your health and wellness goals even more quickly, ask your Acupuncturist at your next appointment, and we'd be happy to make a recommendation for you.

Here's to your good health!

Cherry Bublanina

It's summer already and the cherries are showing up in grocery stores and farmers' markets. According to Chinese medicine, cherries are nourishing to the blood and are great for arthritis. While they're great on their own, why not add a little butter and sugar to sweeten the deal? This is a variation of a recipe my best friend's mom made for us during sleepovers in grade school. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs divided, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cream of tartar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pound washed, pitted and halved red cherries
• Confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

1. Place rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch-by-9-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, sugar and yolks until light and fluffy. Add salt, mixing well.
   
   
2. In a clean medium bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff. Alternately fold in egg whites and flour into butter-egg mixture.
   
   
3. Turn batter into prepared pan and scatter cherries evenly over top. Lightly press down cherries into batter until partially covered. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cut into 6 equal pieces. Serve warm or cold dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Acupuncture for the Common Cold

Acupuncture has been found to be an effective treatment for the common cold, and is an excellent ally to give our immune system a boost during a time when our defenses need strengthening.  Typically, Acupuncture can help alleviate the intensity of symptoms, and often shortens the duration of the cold.  The treatment will vary depending on your specific symptoms, and your Acupuncturist will probably asks things about whether you have sore throat, fever, chills, cough, phlegm, headache, body aches, fatigue, and more.  The information you provide, along with your pulse and tongue, will help the Acupuncturist arrive at a diagnosis and treatment plan to help boost your body's defenses and get you feeling better as soon as possible. 

Some people are under the impression that they shouldn't come in for a treatment if they have a cold.  We ultimately leave that decision up to you, and we certainly encourage you to stay home in bed, resting, if that feels like the best place for you to be.  A high fever, a persistent, uncontrollable cough, or vomiting, would all be good reasons to stay home and rest.  However, if you feel well enough to come to the clinic, there are a lot of things we can do to help point your body back in a healing direction.   

Often people are concerned about their symptoms disturbing other patients in the community setting.  While this is a valid concern, we would like you to be able to come get treatment if possible, and sometimes coughing or sneezing dissipates during a treatment.  We take measures to keep other patients germ free, such as switching out the blanket that covers your chair after your done, with a clean blanket.  We also have hand sanitizer and tissues in the room, and of course as always, all the needles are packaged in sterile containers and are disposed of after a single use.  If you are unsure of the best choice in your particular situation, you can always call us to explain your symptoms and get our opinion about the best plan for you.

Acupuncture encourages your body to shift back into a healthy balance, so, in applicable cases, the treatments would be aimed at clearing heat (fever, sore throat, inflammation), soothing the lungs to alleviate cough, alleviating head and body aches, soothing an upset stomach, and strengthening your immune system to fight off whatever pathogen is causing the symptoms.  Beyond the Acupuncture treatment, we have various herbal lozenges and syrups to soothe sore throats, as well as several herbal formulas and herbal teas to help support your process of recovery and healing.

Acupuncture for Emotional Well Being

Many people get Acupuncture treatment for physical health concerns, but Acupuncture is also very effective at relieving stress, calming the mind, and balancing mood and emotional fluctuations. Our emotional and mental health has a huge impact on our well being, and can transform our experience of day to day life. Our emotions and mood are always changing over the course of our life, or even over the course of a day. This is a completely normal and healthy part of life. However, when we get "stuck" in a certain emotional pattern, whether it be sadness, depression, anxiety, fear, anger or irritability, sometimes we need a little support to help us shift back into balance.

Acupuncture is all about treating every individual holistically- mind, body, and spirit. The Acupuncturist looks for any areas of deficiency, excess, or stagnation, in order to select treatment points that will re-balance that individual and promote the smooth flow of energy, harmonizing body, mind, and spirit. Our emotions often affect us on a physical level as well, whether they take a toll on our sleep, our energy level, or our digestion, and so each individual's unique presentation of s is treated with a unique set of points selected by the Acupuncturist to treat their specific condition.

Acupuncture has been found to stimulate release of the body's own endogenous endorphins which help relieve pain, and Acupuncture also regulates serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin has been called "nature's feel good chemical" because of it's effect on mood and disposition. Many anti-depressant prescriptions help by affecting serotonin levels, because it can help promote a feeling of calm and an uplifted mood. Acupuncture is a way to achieve this effect without the side effects of prescription medications. Additionally, Acupuncture relieves stress by encouraging the central nervous system to shift out of sympathetic "fight or flight" mode, into parasympathetic "rest and relax" mode. Most people feel very relaxed during and after treatment.

If you are seeking balance for your emotions, Acupuncture is an effective therapy that addresses the whole person, to bring balance and well being to body, mind, and spirit.

Smoking Cessation

Are you interested in quitting smoking, but it seems daunting? Here is The Pin Cushion's smoking cessation protocol. Remember, quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health!

Acupuncture is an effective tool to enable one to quit smoking by minimizing cravings, calming the nervous system and strengthening will power. However, acupuncture can only work if you are ready to quit and willing to commit to the process.

Acupuncture works by intercepting messages sent by the brain to the body that demand more nicotine, thereby disrupting the addictive process. Treatment will help eliminate most cravings, but not the habit. Generally treatment can help reduce cravings from 20+ cigarettes to only 3-5 a day.

Some behavior modification in the weeks before quitting helps to set the right course.

THE PLAN:

Today is the start date, and you will quit smoking 10 days from now. In the next 10 days you may smoke as often and as much as you want BUT, you may not do anything else while smoking. No driving, no tv, no email, no phone, no conversation. Your attention must be 100% toward the act of smoking. Smoke the strongest cigarettes you can handle for the first 5 days at your regular rate, and then move to ultralights for next 5 days while reducing your intake to half what it normally would be. All the while keeping your attention fixed exclusively on the act of smoking. Come in for acupuncture at least once during this time period.

Once the 10 days are up- that's it, you're done. Come in for acupuncture treatment 2-3 times the first and second week of quitting, followed by one acupuncture treatment in the third and fourth week of quitting.

Support person - The decision to stop smoking can elicit uncomfortable emotions. Ask someone who is available to you in the next few weeks to act as a sounding board and provide encouragement when needed.

Affirmation - An affirmation is a positive statement repeated often to create desired changes in your life. Repeating the affirmation helps not only to remind you why you are no longer smoking but imprints a new image of health so that the body can then produce health. Examples: "I am a non-smoker. I breathe fresh, clean air deeply into my lungs. I make healthy choices in my life."

Drink water - Research shows that dryness causes cravings. Drink water at room temperature frequently throughout the day.

Refrain from drinking coffee - Research shows that coffee causes cravings and dehydrates the body.

Food choices - Eat a lot of carrots, celery, and other vegetables throughout the next few days. Candies upset blood sugar level, which can aggravate smoking withdrawal symptoms. Sugar subsitutes such as Nutrasweet are sweeter than sugar and cause further cravings.

Managing cravings - Cravings feel like they will last forever but actually fade in two minutes. Plan what you will do during a craving. Examples: Repeat your affirmation, breathe deeply, walk to another place, use visualization, call your support person.

Fall Applesauce

According to Chinese Medicine, apples are very nourishing for the lung and metal element, which are both associated with sadness and lethargy. Got a stubborn cough? Feeling down about the shortening days? Just need a warm, comforting bowl of sweetness? Try applesauce! So much better than the canned stuff, fresh applesauce is simple, affordable, and incredibly healthful.
I love tart cooking apples for this, including Granny Smiths, Gravensteins, Gala, Fuji, and Honeycrisp, but any apple will do.

Apples, cored and chopped (peeled for smooth sauce)
Water
cinnamon (optional)

Add your chopped apples to a splash of water in a large saucepan and simmer, covered, over medium heat. Check on the apples every 10 minutes or so, adding more water to prevent burning, if necessary. Once the apples are tender, mash them with a potato masher or blend for extra-smooth sauce. Add a dash of cinnamon and you're good to go!

Acupuncture for Migraines

What do Vincent Van Gogh, Lewis Carroll, Claude Monet, Julius Caesar, Virginia Wolfe, Napolean, Elvis Presley, and President John F. Kennedy have in common? They are amongst the countless individuals that have played out their unique life story while dealing with the challenge of migraines.

The Mayo Clinic summarizes the definition of a migraine as such:

"A migraine headache can cause intense throbbing or pulsing in one area of the head and is commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. migraine attacks can cause significant pain for hours to days and be so severe that all you can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down. some migraines are preceded or accompanied by sensory warning symptoms (aura) such as flashes of light, blind spots or tingling in your arm or leg."

As unappealing as the above set of symptoms sounds, anyone who has experienced a migraine knows that a simple string of sentences does nothing to convey the intensity of debilitating effects migraines can have on daily life.

Migraines can also affect speech, and make it difficult to form sentences. Migraines typically last from four hours to three days, and sometimes even longer. The various visual phenomena, or, aura, that precede a migraine (usually by about 10-30 minutes before the headache) are experienced by approximately 20 percent of migraine sufferers.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Headache foundation report that approximately 30 million Americans suffer from migraines. 30 million! And a whopping 75% of those are women. So where do they come from, and why do some people suffer from them, when others have never experienced a migraine in their life?

A migraine is uniquely different than most other types of headaches, in that it is caused by vasodilation of cranial blood vessels, as opposed to vasoconstriction being the culprit in most other types of headaches- such as tension headaches. Genetics plays an influential role as well- 90% of migraine sufferers come from a family with a history of them. While the exact reason hasn't been fully explained yet, it is clear that migraine sufferers brain's are more easily excited than non-sufferers- the neurons are triggered to fire more easily.

Fluctuations in female hormones seem to increase the brain’s hyper-excitability even more. 75% of migraine sufferers are women, and migraines are often triggered before or during menstrual periods when estrogen levels drop. Additionally, most women report a decrease in frequency and severity of migraines after menopause.

Treatment options:

Most treatment options for migraine sufferers offer little to no relief, not to mention short lived results. More and more research is backing up the therapeutic effects of "alternative" medicine- natural, holistic health and wellness options that work to address the underlying cause of migraines, and prevent future attacks, as opposed to just trying to find a quick fix to cover a symptom for temporary relief.

The first step toward finding a solution for your unique set of symptoms, is finding what triggers send your brain into that hyper-excited state. There are uncontrollable triggers, such as weather fluctuations, and varying hormones during the menstrual cycle. Then there are controllable triggers, such as odors, lights, smoke, and diet.

Stress management is the number one goal for prevention, and making sure sleep is regular, restful, and the right amount for you, is a huge component to pain relief. Eating regularly and drinking enough water are also important components in migraine prevention. Along with eating regular, balanced meals of healthy, nutritive food, it's important to be conscious of dietary triggers. Some common dietary triggers include alcohol, dairy, chocolate, caffeine, gluten, aspartame, monosodium glutamate, salty foods, processed foods, and foods with nitrates. A food diary can be invaluable to help you identify triggers.

Naturopathic Doctors and Medical Doctors are recommending Acupuncture as a way to help prevent migraines, because they see the results. Because Acupuncture is a holistic medicine, it is addressing each patient on an individual basis, creating a unique treatment to address the symptoms they are experiencing. Acupuncture is beneficial for stress relief, and also therapeutic for improving quality of sleep, and those two reasons alone are enough to give it a try. Additionally, research has shown that Acupuncture points shift the body back into a parasympathetic mode, the central nervous system's "rest and relax" mode, a state conducive to healing, stress relief, and pain relief. Acupuncture is famous for pain relief, because it triggers the release of endogenous endorphins, our body's own natural painkillers.

Since migraines are such a complex condition, with varying triggers and symptoms, the treatment also needs to be unique and individualized, in order to get effective, lasting results. While there is no simple fix or easy cure, the process of studying your migraine patterns empowers you with knowledge that can be used to properly address your symptoms and find a level of relief that allows you to live a more manageable daily life.

Click here to read an article that explains the benefits of Acupuncture as compared to standard medical care for migraines.

Click here to learn why Acupuncture is a more effective and affordable option than Botox for migraines.