Holistic Care

As the use of acupuncture and complementary medicine becomes more prevalent and accessible throughout the US and the world, more and more people are turning to these modalities to help them enhance fertility, both at home and in the assisted reproductive technology clinic. But just what does it mean when you are using acupuncture for fertility and why would working with a specialist be any better than just a highly trained acupuncturist?

First off, it’s worth noting that not everybody has access to a fertility specialist, and if that’s the case, fine. Remember that Chinese medicine is fundamentally balancing in nature, and even if your acupuncturist doesn’t specialize in treating infertility, your treatment will still benefit you. Or perhaps you already have an established relationship with your acupuncturist and you prefer to work with them, even if they might not have that training. This is fine too, and in fact, this is the beauty of Chinese medicine and acupuncture. The needles can help adjust energy and blood flow in a way that will support your goals even if the treatment is more general in nature. Read More

Meridian of the Month: Let’s talk about the Liver meridian

The Liver is the system that’s responsible for smooth flow throughout the body. As such, it’s the system most directly affected by things that cause us to tense up—stress, changes in environment and less than ideal lifestyle choices. When things aren’t flowing smoothly, we start to experience what acupuncturists think of as stagnation-type symptoms. This commonly happens in the spring as we make the adjustment from the slow hibernation of winter into the newness of spring. Read More

The Heart Meridian is one of 12 major meridians in the body. It begins in the chest and travels along the inside of the arm, ending at the tip of the pinky finger. This channel connects with other major meridians and organs, and uses 9 acupuncture points to treat a variety of physical, mental and spiritual conditions.

The Heart was described in the classics of Chinese Medicine as the sovereign within the body, responsible for intelligence, wisdom and spiritual transformation. It belongs to the element of fire, and is associated with aspects and emotions related to Spirit: warmth, laughter, joy, enthusiasm, love and happiness.

By using acupuncture points along the Heart Meridian, we can provide for the spiritual needs of an individual along with physical and mental needs. For example, if a patient presents with chronic palpitations but no emotional manifestations, we would focus on points to treat the physical condition. If a patient presents with palpitations along with extreme emotional upset or feelings of hopelessness and despair, we would add points to calm Spirit or strengthen Spirit.

What is a meridian?
A key point in Chinese Medicine is the principle of Yin and Yang, two opposing energies in Read More

Meridian of the Month:  The Ren vessel

In Chinese medical theory, acupuncture points lie upon meridians. Meridians are pathways of energy along the body which connect the extremities to the torso. They are all connected, to every tissue of the body and to one another. They flow along the body like rivers. From a western standpoint, they have been found to often correlate with nerve pathways.

The Ren channel runs along the midline of the body and it is also referred to as the ‘Conception vessel’, because of its essential role it plays in reproduction.

The Pathway

Starting internally in the uterus or lower belly, the Ren travels to the perineum, where it emerges along the skin and up through the center line of the front body until ending in the dip between the mouth and the chin. Read More