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The importance of seasonal acupuncture treatments

seasonal acupuncture treatments

What are seasonal acupuncture treatments?

Seasonal acupuncture treatments are treatments tailored to support people during the change of seasons when the energy in our environment is shifting. Our bodies experience shifts just like the outdoor landscapes transform with the changing seasons. For example, we often feel more energetic in the springtime as flowers are blooming outside. In the winter, there is a tendency to want to stay indoors more and be still.

Some people consider a seasonal acupuncture treatment to be a “tune up”, just like when we take our cars in for maintenance tune ups. I love it when patients arrive and announce, “I’m here for my tune up!”. Changing seasons can exacerbate any energetic imbalances we may be experiencing. Seasonal treatments help our bodies adjust to the changes and potential challenges that each season brings. They help promote wellbeing and prevent illness that often accompanies the changing seasons.

 

Seasons, solstices, and equinoxes

It can be helpful to understand the difference between seasons, solstices, and equinoxes. The dates shared in this blog are specific to the Northern Hemisphere. Meteorologists divide each of the seasons into three months, and according to National Geographic, meteorologists identify the start of the meteorological seasons as follows: spring on March 1st, summer on June 1st, fall on September 1st, and winter on December 1st.

 

Additionally, the National Weather Service outlines the dates for solstices and equinoxes. A solstice occurs twice a year and designates the day with either the most or least amount of daylight in a single day. The summer solstice, when there is the most daylight, occurs between June 20th-22nd. The winter solstice, when there is the least daylight, occurs between December 21st-22nd. The summer solstice marks the start of summer, and the winter solstice marks the start of winter.

 

According to dictionary.com, an equinox occurs when the amount of daylight and nighttime hours is equal. The vernal equinox occurs between March 21st-22nd. The autumnal equinox occurs between September 22nd-23rd. The vernal equinox marks the start of spring, and the autumnal equinox marks the start of fall.

 

When is a good time to schedule a seasonal acupuncture treatment?

While any time during a particular season can be beneficial, many patients see the most benefit as the seasons start to shift and at the beginning of a new season. That is often when people might start to feel off or out of balance. Sometimes, our bodies can struggle to adapt to climactic changes, which can result in depleted energy and make us more susceptible to illness. Some patients schedule regular appointments at the start of each season, where others wait until the equinox or solstice when they notice a greater shift.

 

Benefits of seasonal acupuncture treatments

While technology continues to evolve and allow us to do many things that our ancestors could not do, it can also result in people being disconnected from the rhythms of nature. Air conditioning can keep us cool in the summer, and electric lights can allow us to work during the dark nights of winter. Even so, our bodies do still respond to nature and the seasonal shifts that occur. Being in harmony with our environment has a positive effect on our health and wellbeing.

 

Regular treatments contribute to long-term health and wellness. Additionally, regular treatments often inspire additional positive lifestyle changes that enhance vitality and wellness. This might include eating seasonal foods, engaging in physical activity that is aligned with the season, and even practicing stress and mindfulness techniques. You can read more about the benefits of regular acupuncture treatments as an investment in long-term health in my blog The value of regular acupuncture treatments.

 

Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine 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.

The value of regular acupuncture treatments

regular acupuncture treatments

An early case for preventative medicine

Regular acupuncture treatments are a great form of preventative medicine. This is the way medicine was practiced in ancient times as documented in the classics, which are ancient Chinese medical texts. “The sage does not treat those who are ill but those who are well.” This is a quote from the Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen, the oldest surviving book on Chinese medicine. Legend has it that ancient Chinese doctors were paid to keep patients well, and they would not be paid if patients became sick.

 

Routine acupuncture treatments help manage stress

Stress is a major cause of disease. The research paper Inflammation: The Common Pathway of Stress-Related Diseases in the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience Journal states that “Stress is the common risk factor of 75%–90% diseases”. The paper lists the most common overall stress-related diseases as follows:

  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Metabolic diseases like diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Psychological and neurodegenerative disorders like depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease

 

Additionally, a report shared in the National Library of Medicine states that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 75% of doctor visits are stress-related with complaints including:

  • Headache
  • Back pain
  • Heart problems
  • Upset stomach
  • Stomach ulcer
  • Sleep problems
  • Tiredness and accidents

 

Furthermore, the Occupational Health and Safety news and the National Council on compensation of insurance have an even higher estimate, stating that up to 90% of all doctor visits are for stress-related complaints. Stress reduction is key to maintaining well-being and preventing disease. Acupuncture treatments promote the relaxation response and are very effective in managing stress. Please see my blog Healing yourself with the relaxation response for details about the relaxation response.

 

Maintenance

Regular acupuncture treatments promote wellness and help reduce stress. By comparison, it is well understood that regular exercise maintains muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness. We can start an exercise program where we go to the gym for eight weeks and achieve the results we want. If we stop going to the gym completely, over time our bodies will return to the way they were before. We know that we need to shift into a maintenance exercise routine to maintain our overall muscle tone and cardiovascular health.

 

Similarly, patients find it beneficial to continue with maintenance acupuncture treatments on a regular basis to maintain their results and prevent symptom recurrence. I typically recommend monthly treatments for maintenance, but even every two or three months can be beneficial.

 

Additional benefits of regular acupuncture treatments

Please consider regular acupuncture treatments as investment in your well-being. I share personalized lifestyle recommendations with my patients.  They are often inspired to create positive changes that enhance their longevity and health. This might include nutritional considerations, mindfulness, and even qigong exercise. The better we feel, the more motivated we are to choose healthy habits.  When we balance our body, mind, and spirit, we feel wonderful and fulfilled.

 

Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine 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.

Hot or cold? Why acupuncturists love warmth

hot or cold

Hot or cold?

Is hot or cold best while recovering from an injury? Typically, people choose cold. It’s instinctual. Remember when you were a child, and the school nurse gave you an ice pack when you got hurt? Many of us have been conditioned to reach for ice as soon as we have an injury. Later, if an injury is lingering, people start to wonder if hot or cold would be better.

 

Cold therapies

In addition to using ice to treat injuries, people are using ice for overall wellness. Many health-conscious people turn to cold therapies to promote their health and vitality. Cold therapy is becoming increasingly popular, with options like cold plunges and cryotherapy popping up everywhere.

 

What does cold do?

Cold contracts. It stops movement. It tells the body to “freeze”. So, if someone has an injury with swelling that hurts, ice will stop or limit the swelling. The cold numbs the injury. The pain lessens. Because the swelling and the pain appears to be better, people think that the ice was beneficial.

 

What does heat do?

Heat, and warmth in particular, creates gentle movement. It loosens and softens. It promotes circulation. In Chinese medicine, we look for balance. Not too much one way or the other. When we’re looking to help heal cold conditions, we don’t want to go too far in the other direction with extreme heat. Warmth is a gentle medium. A temperature that feels comforting and good. I emphasize this point because often people think that if a little bit of something is good, then more must be better. In this case, warmth is the middle ground that can greatly support healing.

 

What the experts say

Dr. Gabe Mirkin, the doctor who wrote the Sportsmedicine Book, coined the term RICE. Rice stands for rest, ice, compression, elevation. It was the gold standard for the treatment of athletic injuries. In the past 10 years, Dr. Mirkin has reversed his recommendation in an article called Why Ice Delays Recovery. In this article, he shares that ice may actually delay healing. Ice causes blood vessels to constrict. This prevents the body from bringing healing cells to the injured area.

 

Anne Cecil-Sterman, an expert in Chinese medicine and one of my favorite teachers, wrote a fascinating blog called Cold Plunge, Cold Shower, Hot Mess. Anne is very straightforward and calls things like she sees them. In this blog, she shares how the body responds to the shock of cold and moves the cold into the joints to protect our organs, often resulting in chronic joint pain and arthritis.

 

Consider warmth instead of ice

When patients have an injury that is slow to heal, I’ll ask what they have been doing. Frequently, they’ll tell me they have been icing it for weeks or even months. They can’t figure out why they’re not getting better.

 

I often have new patients call asking for help because they woke up in pain one day, and they don’t know what happened. Usually, their neck or shoulder is stiff and sore. I’ll ask them if they went outside in the cold with wet hair, or if they slept with a window open or a fan that blew cold air on them. Usually, the answer is yes.

 

In all of these cases I ask if a hot shower or bath helps them feel better. Most times, patients will say yes. I suggest that patients try to avoid cold air blowing directly on the injured area. Maybe even take a break from ice and consider warmth instead. Patients are often pleasantly surprised to find they start feeling better.

 

Consider a topical liniment like Zheng Gu Shui

Right after an injury, support the body’s natural inflammatory and healing process. Consider using a topical liniment instead of ice. Zheng Gu Shui is a 500-year-old topical Chinese herbal analgesic formula that is also known as “rectify bone liquid” or “royal bone water”. From a Chinese medicine perspective, it disperses blood, fluid, and energetic blockages to facilitate healing. It increases circulation, eases pain, strengthens connective tissues, speeds bone regrowth, and shortens injury recovery time. Learn more in my blog How Zheng Gu Shui can help you.

 

Use a warm neck wrap

neck wraps

I frequently recommend to patients that they apply gentle warmth at home to facilitate healing. A neck wrap is the perfect size and shape for many parts of the body, and it can be heated in the microwave. I recently found an artist in Wisconsin who creates small batch handmade neck wraps. These wraps are made from the softest flannel and filled with rice and lavender. They smell heavenly, especially when warmed up. Our patients love these neck wraps!

 

When to see a Doctor

Please note that the information in this blog is to support you when you’re healing from an injury and considering hot and cold therapies. It is not a substitute for medical advice. It is important to see a doctor to have any injury evaluated as soon as possible after the injury occurs and rule out any serious conditions.

 

Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help 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. 

How Zheng Gu Shui can help you

Background on Zheng Gu Shui

Zheng Gu Shui is a 500-year-old topical Chinese herbal analgesic liniment that is also known as “rectify bone liquid” or “royal bone water”. The formulation of Zheng Gu Shui that we use at HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is called Evil Bone Water. Evil Bone Water is a hand-crafted version of Zheng Gu Shui that is made by master herbalist Saint Apothecary in the USA using only ethically sourced, imperial grade ingredients. The term “evil bone” refers to any bone pathology like arthritis, sprains, and broken bones.

 

Evil Bone Water penetrates down to the bone level. From a Chinese medicine perspective, it disperses blood, fluid, and energy blockages to facilitate healing. It increases circulation, decreases inflammation, eases pain, strengthens connective tissues, speeds bone regrowth, and shortens injury recovery time.

 

How can it help you? Here’s a list of common uses:

  • Anything that is painful or sore and needs to heal
  • Incidental Injuries (particularly sports injuries)
  • Broken bones
  • Arthritis
  • Joint pain
  • Spinal pain
  • Muscle & Ligament Pain
  • Bruising
  • Sprains
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Cuts & Insect Bites

 

From Saint Apothecary: “The power of Evil Bone Water is that is actually helps the problem instead of just patching up the symptoms.”

 

Here are the Materials/Ingredients in Evil Bone Water:

  • Zhang Nao (Camphor) – Helps local circulation.
  • Bo He Nao (Menthol) – Aromatic and cooling, clears heat.
  • San/Tian Qi (Notoginseng,Pseudoginseng) – Helps with bleeding & blood stasis, bruising & swelling, inflammation and pain.
  • Ji Gu Xiang (Japanese Knot Weed) – Bruising and sprains inflammation.
  • Gui Pi (Cinnamon Bark) – Relaxes muscles, promotes circulation and warms.
  • E Zhu (Zedoary Rhizome, Rhizoma Curcumae) – Promotes the circulation of qi and blood while helping break down accumulations in the body.
  • Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) – Anti-inflammatory properties, helps relieve pain, muscle spasms and cramps.
  • Hu Zhang (Knotweed Rhizome) – Invigorates the blood, helps dispel stasis, helps open channels.
  • Bai Niu Dan (Inula Cappa DC) – Helps dispel wind, lessening dampness.
  • Qian Jin Ba (Philippine Flemingia Root) – Strengthens the tendons and bones, astringes the lung and relieves sore throat.

 

Makers note from Saint Apothecary:

Evil Bone Water has no animal products. Furthermore, non-GMO, gluten free, cruelty free, pesticide free, contaminant free. The camphor and menthol in Evil Bone Water are not synthetic. We also only use potable grain alcohol not synthetic ethanol.

Every herb is microscopically tested not only for proper variety and contaminants, but strength. We make sure they are all sustainable and ethically sourced. Everything that goes into that bottle comes from the finest ingredients on the planet that are currently available.

*Evil Bone Water is intended for external application only. Do not consume under any circumstances. Do not drink! *

 

Want to know more?

Want to know more about how Chinese topical liniments and the treatments available at HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese medicine?  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 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 directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.