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What do you want to let go this fall?

let go this fall

What are you ready to let go this fall?

Fall is a beautiful time of year, and a great time to release what no longer serves you. The weather shifts, giving a break from the summer heat. Cool breezes gently loosen leaves from the trees. The leaves start to change color, in beautiful shades of gold, orange, and red. Then, the leaves start to fall.

 

This is the time of year when many people start feeling a little sad, or even a little stuck or unfocused. This can result in depressed feelings or digestive issues, for example. In Chinese medicine, our organs are associated with phases or elements. In the fall, the metal element is dominant, and the associated organs are the lungs and the large intestine. Feelings of sadness and needing to let go are right in line with the energetic shift of the changing seasons.

 

Alignment with the seasons and phases

People are often fascinated to hear about how their organs are associated with the different seasons and how this relates to symptoms they experience in their bodies.

 

In Chinese Medicine, there are five phases of transformation: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. While in Traditional Chinese Medicine these are called elements, Classical Chinese Medicine refers to them as phases because they develop and change into one another. The five phases or elements correspond to the seasons spring, summer, fall, and winter. Chinese medicine further divides summer into two parts: summer and late summer. Late summer refers to the transformation between the warmer summer weather and cool fall weather. The seasons and phases (or elements) are associated as follows:

 

  • Spring: Wood. This is when nature starts stirring from winter’s dormancy. Trees and plants blossom. New branches grow out of old wood, and new growth begins.

 

  • Summer: Fire. This is the time of warmth and activity. Nature is moving actively, and as a result is growing and flourishing.

 

  • Late summer: Earth. This is the time of harvest. It is also is the pause between the rising of the warming and active phases of wood and fire and the declining and cooler phases of fall and winter.

 

  • Fall: Metal. This is when nature lets go of what is not needed. Leaves fall from the trees. The compost from dead leaves enriches the soil so it can prepare for the next cycle of growth in the spring.

 

  • Winter: Water. This is a time of rest. Animals hibernate, the days are shorter, and nature gets still and goes within to build up reserves.

 

How the fall season influences the lungs and large intestine

As I shared earlier, the lungs and large intestines represent the metal element and fall. Just as the trees let go of their leaves in the fall, this is the perfect time to let go of what we no longer need. When we hold on to grief rather than letting it move through us, we can feel depressed and sad. When our large intestine does not let go of waste the body does not need, we can feel bloated and uncomfortable. Additionally, we can feel foggy and unfocused when our lung and large intestine energy are weak. The metal energy is not strong enough to cut through to reveal what’s really important.

 

In Chinese Medicine, the skin belongs to the metal element. This is a time of year where people frequently experience dry, itchy, skin. There can also be an increase in acne and rashes, among other skin conditions. A dry, itchy condition can indicate an energetic deficiency. On the other hand, a hot and red condition can indicate excessive energy.

 

 

Help your lungs and large intestine release what no longer serves you

Every individual is unique, and no two people will experience the same symptoms for exactly the same reason. When I see a new patient, I make the time to ask a lot of questions and review their health history. This allows me to determine what is going on with their energy. For example, it is important to determine whether their energy is getting stuck or is deficient. I develop a customized treatment to address their specific needs and restore the balance of energy. This might involve acupuncture needles, ear seeds, qigong exercises, and diet and lifestyle advice.

 

What are you ready to release this fall? Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you let go of what no longer serves you? I’d love to hear from you. Reach out and email me through our website or call or text 910-622-4269.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directionsClick this link for a listing and description of services offered.

The benefits of light therapy

light therapy

Background on light therapy

Light therapy is the use of specific wavelengths of light to produce therapeutic benefits. It is also referred to as phototherapy, photobiomodulation (PBM), low-level laser light therapy (LLLT), and low power laser therapy (LPLT). Red light therapy (RLT), where devices use the red light wavelength, has gained a lot of attention lately as a treatment for fine lines and wrinkles. Light therapy dates back to the early 1900s as a treatment for skin tuberculosis. NASA used red light therapy to help plants grow in space stations, and then to help astronauts who might become ill or injured on long space flights.

 

Applying light at specific wavelengths to human cells allows the cells to absorb the light energy and stimulates cell function and performance. It stimulates circulation and delivers oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, facilitating repair and increasing health and vitality.

 

Light therapy is used as a facial rejuvenation tool to treat acne, kill bacteria, heal wounds and scars, treat pigmentation, redness, and sun damage, stimulate circulation, promote fibroblast formation and collagen production, and improve the tone and texture of the skin as well as fine lines and wrinkles. It has also been shown to stimulate hair growth.

 

A Chinese medicine perspective

Light influences our “qi”, or energy. Light is believed to move the qi and directly enters the acupuncture channels. Concentrated light in the form of lasers has been used for decades to stimulate acupuncture points as an alternative to needles. Light therapy has a similar effect to that of acupuncture needles by bringing blood and qi to the area being treated. Additionally, research studies like the study Clinical effectiveness of laser acupuncture: a systematic review have shown the effectiveness of light therapy in the treatment of a variety of conditions.

 

Light for facial rejuvenation

The kind of light used for facial rejuvenation is produced through light emitting diodes, also known as LED, bulbs. This kind of light does not produce any ultraviolet (UV) rays. There is no risk of UV damage to skin tissue. In fact, light therapy can help heal damage caused by UV rays.

Read more about how LED therapy has been shown to increase protection against UV rays in the research article LED photoprevention: reduced MED response following multiple LED exposures.

 

Additionally, LED lights are non-ablative, which means they do not cause any injury to the skin surface. They are also non-thermal which means that they do not produce heat. Light therapy is safe and non-invasive, with no harmful or long-term side effects. It can be used on all skin types. There is no recovery time.

 

How light therapy works

The light device emits photons, which are tiny particles of light. The photons penetrate deeply into the skin’s epidermal, dermal, and subcutaneous layers. The energy is absorbed into the mitochondria of the cells at these layers, and the photons are transformed into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP fuels the metabolic events of the cells, and in particular, the energy that cells use for growth and repair.

 

An important part of this process involves fibroblast production. Fibroblasts are a type of cell that make connective tissue. They secrete collagen and elastin proteins that build skin and give skin its structure and elasticity. Additionally, light therapy increases blood circulation to the tissues and reduces inflammation.

 

Benefits

  • Stimulates collagen production
  • Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
  • Improves facial tone and texture
  • Repairs sun damage
  • Can help heal eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea
  • Improves the appearance of scars and varicose veins
  • Accelerates the healing of cold sores
  • Kills the bacteria that causes acne
  • Helps heal wounds
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Helps stimulate hair growth

 

About the AcuLight – our preferred light therapy device

We use the AcuLight light therapy device at HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine. The AcuLight is a professional grade device from AcuMicro. AcuMicro developed the light with input from a Licensed Acupuncturist. It has 1,226 LED bulbs with red, blue, and yellow light. There are many light therapy devices available for home use. It is important to note that home devices are less powerful than devices used by trained professionals.

 

The AcuLight uses three types of light:

  • Blue light (Wavelength 423 nm): Produces singlet oxygen in the skin that destroys the P.acnes bacteria, improves acne, cleans skin, heals wounds

 

  • Yellow light (Wavelength 583nm): Promotes circulation, benefits uneven pigmentation, rosacea, skin redness, sun damage, bruising, spider veins

 

  • Red light (Wavelength 680 nm): Regenerates skin, stimulates circulation, assists wound healing, promotes fibroblast production of collagen and elastin, improves fine lines and wrinkles, eases pain, enhances energy

 

What to expect during a light therapy treatment

A light therapy treatment is relaxing. You’ll rest comfortably on a massage table for about 20 minutes while you listen to soft music. We provide protective eyewear and will position the light at a comfortable distance about eight inches above your face. There is no downtime, so after the treatment you’ll be free to go about your day and resume your normal activities.

 

Recommended treatment frequency 

The benefits from light therapy are cumulative. Light therapy is most effective when done on a regular basis, and it takes consistency and time to notice results. We recommend a series of 12 sessions for facial rejuvenation. We suggest scheduling sessions either 3 times per week for 4 weeks, or 2 times per week for 6 weeks.

 

While results will likely be visible even months after the treatment series is complete, maintenance is recommended to continue to support your skin’s vitality. You might think of regular light therapy treatments like you would regular exercise workouts.  When starting an exercise program, results are often seen after several weeks of consistent exercise, and continued exercise is important to maintain those results. While light therapy is safe to use as frequently as every day, it can be tailored to your needs. Even weekly maintenance treatments can be beneficial.

 

Before and after photos

Here are before and after photos from our practice. These photos were taken before light therapy treatment started and again after 12 treatments.

 

Contraindications and considerations 

Light therapy is a safe and effective treatment option. Side effects from light therapy are rare, like temporary redness of the skin on the face. Here are contraindications and things to consider when deciding if light therapy is right for you:

  • Do not use on people under the age of 12.
  • Do not use over a known cancer or tumor, any active skin cancer, or where cancer has metastasized.
  • Need to wait at least one week after using steroids or cortisol.
  • Do not use if you have a photosensitizing medical condition, like lupus.
  • Do not use while using photosensitive medications, including tetracycline, doxycycline, hydrochlorothiazide, or naproxen. Check with your doctor if you are on any medications or have any conditions that prohibit the use of light therapy.
  • Do not use while using photosensitive herbs, supplements, or topicals like citrus oil.
  • Do not use if you have seizures or epilepsy.
  • Do not use if you have a migraine.
  • Not for use with pregnant women or near the breasts of nursing women.
  • Do not use if you have an eye disorder that would prevent you from wearing the protective goggles.
  • Skin should be clean and dry before treatment.

 

A note on retinoids, retinols, and retinoic acid 

Retinoids refer to the class of topical skincare that contains vitamin A derivatives. Retinol is a natural form of vitamin A. Retinol requires enzymes within the skin to convert retinol to retinoic acid, which is the active component in prescription products like Tretinoin or Retin-A. Thus, the body’s conversion of retinol to retinoic acid can be a slow process.

 

Since retinols do not contain retinoic acid, over the counter products containing retinol are safe to use with light therapy. While there is no consensus on whether retinoids need to be discontinued before treatment, the most conservative approach is to discontinue prescription products containing retinoic acid 5 days before using light therapy treatment. The rationale is that retinoic acid makes the skin more sensitive to light and may cause redness.

 

Research articles

Light therapy is a proven therapy that has been studied over the past several decades in thousands of clinical trials. Below is a sampling of some of the many research studies available.

Overall

Cosmetic

Wound healing

Hair growth

 

When to seek medical attention 

Please seek medical attention if you have particularly severe acne, hair loss, skin disease, or a wound that recurs or won’t heal. Also, please be sure to read through the list of contraindicated conditions listed above. Talk to your doctor to see if light therapy is right for you.

 

Want to talk about how light therapy can help you? If so, I’d love to hear from you. Reach out and email me through our website or call or text 910-622-4269.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.

Nourish your skin with hydrosols

nourish your skin with hydrosols

What are hydrosols and how can they nourish your skin?

Hydrosols are aromatic waters that are produced from distilling flowers, fruits, leaves, and other plant materials with hot steam. They are also known as “flower waters” or “floral waters”.  Hydrosols are much less concentrated and more gentle than essential oils. They have a lighter, more delicate scent than an essential oil. Their production dates back to the early 1500s. Hydrosols nourish your skin by delivering a fine mist of therapeutic plant essence to your skin.

A true hydrosol is produced by hot steam distillation, and fresh plants are used rather than dried plants. It is recommended to select a hydrosol that is made from a dedicated water distillation rather than a water that is collected as s byproduct of an essential oil production. A dedicated water distillation ensures a more potent, therapeutic, and fragrant content of essential oil in the hydrosol. Additionally, some products are marketed as hydrosols that are made from reconstituted water and essential oil with chemical dispersants added.

 

How to use hydrosols

Hydrosols provide moisture and nourishment to the skin. One great way to use them is to spray lightly around the face and neckline for a soothing, reviving mist. Mist throughout the day to freshen the face. Hydrosols are wonderful for maintaining moist, healthy skin, as well as nourishing skin that is dry from travel, air conditioning or heat, and stress. They’re a great pick me up, and can feel like a treat to take a revitalizing break during the day. Close your eyes, give a gentle spray to the face and neck, inhale, and exhale with a smile.

 

Use hydrosols in a more concentrated form to treat specific skin conditions. For skin care, after cleansing, spray a cotton ball or compress about five times and apply to the face and neckline. Follow with your favorite serum and / or moisturizer. Finish with another spray of the hydrosol if desired.

 

Hydrosols can also be used as room sprays. They are great for refreshing the air in a room, whether in a dry or warm climate. Mist freely to add a subtle fragrance to any room. Hydrosols can refresh, revitalize, and deodorize a space. They can also clear negative energy from a space.

 

Our preferred hydrosol source

We prefer Snow Lotus hydrosols at HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese medicine. Snow Lotus crafts hydrosols from organically cultivated and ethically wild harvested fresh plant sources. They are genuine hydrosols produced through hot steam distillation dedicated to creating the hydrosol. Snow Lotus hydrosols are wonderfully fragrant and therapeutically potent. Snow Lotus is a California-based company founded by Licensed Acupuncturist and Medical Herbalist Peter Holmes. Peter personally sources and selects plants and oils directly from the artisans who grow and distill the plants. He selects artisans who focus on regional biodiversity and sustainability.

 

Our favorite hydrosols

We love using the following Snow Lotus hydrosols at HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese medicine. Here are some of our favorites:

 

Chamomile

Origin: France

Properties: Relaxing, sensuous, cooling, and soothing.

Best for: All skin types, especially sensitive and combination.

Additional benefits: Very gentle.

 

Geranium

Origin: France

Properties: Relaxing, soothing, harmonizing.

Best for: Mature, oily, and sensitive.

Additional benefits: Anti-inflammatory, heals broken capillaries, wrinkles, stretch marks, bruises, wounds, ulcers, acne, boils, and rosacea.

 

Helichrysum

Origin: France

Properties: Soothing, sensual, nurturing.

Best for: All skin types, especially sensitive or delicate.

Additional benefits: Toning, firming. Healing and soothing properties treat damaged skin, broken capillaries, and veins, stretch marks, and mild cuts. Soothes irritated skin, inflammation, and itching, including sunburn, eczema, rosacea, and shingles.

 

Lavender

Origin: USA, California

Properties: Soothing, refreshing, rejuvenating.

Best for: All skin types.

Additional benefits: Calming to irritated and ‘hot’ skin.

 

Lindenflower

Origin: France

Properties: Harmonizing, calming, soothing.

Best for: Dry, delicate or combination skin.

Additional benefits: Soothing and cooling for skin irritation, sunburn, scalds, rashes.

 

Neroli (Orange blossom)

Origin: France

Properties: Uplifting, clearing, euphoric.

Best for: All skin types, especially sensitive skin.

Additional benefits: Hydrating delicate or sensitive skin.

 

Rose

Origin: Bulgaria

Properties: Harmonizing, calming, soothing, nurturing.

Best for: All skin types, especially dry, delicate, or mature skin.

Additional benefits: Very hydrating, soothing, and conditioning on the skin.

 

Want to know more about how to nourish your skin with hydrosols and the treatments available at HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese medicine?  If so, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out and email through our website or call or text 910-622-4269.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directionsClick this link for a listing and description of services offered.

Release what no longer serves you this fall

release this fall

What are you ready to release this fall?

Fall can be a beautiful time of year, and a great time to release what no longer serves you. The weather shifts, giving a break from the summer heat. Cool breezes gently loosen leaves from the trees. The leaves start to change color, in beautiful shades of gold, orange, and red. Then, the leaves start to fall.

 

This is the time of year when many people start feeling a little sad, or even a little stuck. This can result in depressed feelings or digestive issues, for example. In Chinese medicine, our organs are associated with phases or elements. In the fall, the metal element is dominant, and the associated organs are the lungs and the large intestine. Feelings of sadness and needing to let go are right in line with the energetic shift of the changing seasons.

 

Alignment with the seasons and phases

People are often fascinated to hear about how their organs are associated with the different seasons and how this relates to symptoms they experience in their bodies.

 

In Chinese Medicine, there are five phases of transformation: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. While in Traditional Chinese Medicine these are called elements, Classical Chinese Medicine refers to them as phases because they develop and change into one another. The five phases or elements correspond to the seasons spring, summer, fall, and winter. In Chinese medicine, summer is further divided into summer and late summer. Late summer refers to the transformation between the warmer summer weather and cool fall weather. The seasons and phases (or elements) are associated as follows:

 

  • Spring: Wood. This is when nature starts stirring from winter’s dormancy. Trees and plants blossom. New branches grow out of old wood, and new growth begins.

 

  • Summer: Fire. This is the time of warmth and activity. Nature is moving actively, and as a result is growing and flourishing.

 

  • Late summer: Earth. This is the time of harvest. It is also is the pause between the rising of the warming and active phases of wood and fire and the declining and cooler phases of fall and winter.

 

  • Fall: Metal. This is when nature will let go of what is not needed, as seen in the falling leaves from the trees. The soil is enriched with the compost from the dead leaves so it can prepare for the next cycle of growth in the spring.

 

  • Winter: Water. This is a time of rest. Animals hibernate, the days are shorter, and nature gets still and goes within to build up reserves.

 

How the fall season influences the lungs and large intestine

As I shared earlier, the lungs and large intestines are the organs associated with the metal element and fall. Just as the trees let go of their leaves in the fall, this is the perfect time to let go of what we no longer need. When we hold on to grief rather than letting it move through us, we can feel depressed and sad. When our large intestine does not let go of waste the body does not need, we can feel bloated and uncomfortable.

 

In Chinese Medicine, the skin belongs to the metal element. This is a time of year where people frequently experience dry, itchy, skin. There can also be an increase in acne and rashes, among other skin conditions. A dry, itchy condition can indicate an energetic deficiency. On the other hand, a hot and red condition can indicate excessive energy.

 

 

Help your lungs and large intestine release what no longer serves you

Every individual is unique, and no two people will experience the same symptoms for exactly the same reason. When I see a new patient, I make the time to ask a lot of questions and review their health history. This allows me to determine what is going on with their energy. For example, it is important to determine whether their energy is getting stuck or is deficient. I develop a customized treatment to address their specific needs and restore the balance of energy. This might involve acupuncture needles, ear seeds, qigong exercises, and diet and lifestyle advice.

 

What are you ready to release this fall? Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you let go of what no longer serves you? I’d love to hear from you. Reach out and email me through our website or call or text 910-622-4269.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directionsClick this link for a listing and description of services offered.

What acupuncture can treat – it may surprise you!

acupuncture can treat

I had no idea that acupuncture can treat all that!

People often ask me what acupuncture can treat. They are usually surprised by my response. I tell them that acupuncture can treat almost anything that is causing someone to feel unwell. That is, except for life threatening or acute conditions like a heart attack, stroke, or severe bleeding. In those cases, I advise a prompt trip to the emergency room. So, why would I make such a broad statement about acupuncture? Acupuncture and Chinese medicine focus on identifying where the body’s energy flow needs support. If a person’s energy is blocked, excessive or deficient, then pain, discomfort, and illness can result.  Acupuncture and Chinese medicine help restore the optimal flow of energy so the body can heal itself. Therefore, it is effective in helping with a multitude of challenges people face.

 

Examples of conditions that acupuncture can treat

Dermatological

  • Acne
  • Eczema
  • Pruritus
  • Psoriasis
  • Rosacea
  • Rashes / hives
  • Dryness
  • Swelling
  • Wrinkles
  • Sagging skin

Digestive

  • Heartburn
  • Acid Reflux
  • Bloating
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Chronic indigestion
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Peptic ulcer
  • Acute and chronic gastritis
  • Morning sickness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Side effects of chemotherapy

ENT / Respiratory Pain

  • Sinusitis
  • Colds / Flu
  • Cough
  • Allergies / wheezing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sore throat
  • Hearing issues
  • Tinnitus
  • Symptoms from long COVID

A note on allergies – people are surprised to learn that acupuncture can even treat the “red meat allergy” to alpha gal, where someone is not able to consume red meat or products containing alpha galactose. You can read more about the treatment for the alpha gal allergy in my blog How auricular acupuncture can help the alpha gal allergy.

 

 Mental & Emotional Wellbeing

  • Stress
  • Anxiety, palpitations
  • Insomnia
  • Depression
  • Grief, healing from trauma
  • Weight loss / loss of appetite
  • Smoking cessation
  • Addiction

Neurological

  • Dizziness
  • Vertigo
  • Vision issues
  • Twitches, tics, tremors
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
  • Bell’s palsy
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Recovery from stroke

Pain

  • Sports injuries
  •  Muscle pain and cramps
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Sciatica
  • Back, neck and shoulder pain
  • Leg, ankle and foot pain
  •  Arm, wrist and hand pain
  • Knee pain
  • Hip pain
  • Tennis Elbow
  • Repetitive strain injuries
  • Jaw pain (TMJ)
  • Dental pain
  • Arthritis
  • Tendonitis
  • Myofascial pain
  • Headaches and migraines
  • Eye pain
  • Postoperative pain
  • Cold hands / feet

Reproductive / Genitourinary

  • Menstrual issues
  • Fertility
  • Menopause
  • Hot flashes / night sweats
  • Incontinence

 

Articles about what acupuncture can treat

Here are links to articles from the Mayo Clinic,  Johns Hopkins Medicine, and the Cleveland Clinic that describe conditions that acupuncture can help.

Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you? We’d love to hear from you. Reach out and email us through our website or call or text us at 910-622-4269.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directionsClick this link for a listing and description of services offered.