Aculand

Headaches during, before, or after your period are common but it doesn’t been you have to suffer from them. They respond really well to acupuncture and herbal medicine! Potential causes: Excessive physical work; may injure the Spleen and lead to Qi and Blood deficiency. This is aggravated after the period because of the relative emptiness from the period. Deficient blood fails to nourish the Brain and results in a deficiency type headache which usually occurs during or afte...r the period. Emotional stress: Emotions such as anger, resentment, frustration, worry and guilt may lead to Liver Qi stagnation, which can turn into Fire. Liver Fire tends to flare upwards which can cause headaches before or during the period. The main pathologies according to Chinese Medicine for headaches during your period are: Blood deficiency, Liver Fire Blazing, Liver Yang Rising and Blood Stasis Blood deficiency dull headaches on the vertex during or after the period, dizziness, palpitations, insomnia, blurred vision, tiredness, dull pale complexion Tongue: Pale and Thin Pulse: Choppy or Fine Treatment Principle: Strengthen the Liver and Heart, nourish Blood. Foods to help nourish the blood: bone broth, beef, liver, chicken, eggs, oysters, longan, spinach, grapes, sea cucumber, dark leafy greens, goji berries beets, dates, pomegranates, berries, jujube dates Liver Fire severe throbbing headache in the temples, eyes or sides of the head before or during the period, heavy flow, dizziness, bitter taste, thirst, red face, dry stool, irritability Tongue: Red with yellow casting and redder sides Pulse: Wiry and Rapid Blood stasis stabbing headache in the temples, eyes or sides of head before the period, dark mensural blood with clots, painful period, abdominal pain Tongue: Purple Pulse: Wiry or Choppy If you suffer from headaches or migraines please try acupuncture. We will get down to the root of your problem and help fix it!#aculand See more

Aculand will remain OPEN for all of your Acupuncture and Cupping needs! #aculand #stayingopen

When you think of salads with tons of raw vegetables and eating lots of fruit it sounds healthy right? Well according to a Chinese medicine perspective, too much of this kind of eating can be detrimental to our Spleen function. The Spleen likes dry and warm foods and dislikes cold and wet ones. Although in theory raw foods contain and abundance of vitamins and minerals, it’s actually difficult for the Spleen, Stomach and Intestines to digest and absorb them. This is ...especially important to pay attention to if you suffer from painful periods or fertility issues. But don’t go crazy on the hot foods! Excessive consumption of hot foods ( most meats, especially lamb and beef, spices, curry, and alcohol) may cause Blood Heat and lead to heavy menstrual bleeding. A diet lacking in nourishment may lead to Qi and blood deficiency which can cause amenorrhea, scanty periods and fertility issues. This means if you are vegan or vegetarian you need to pay extra close attention to make sure you are consuming adequate amounts of protein and blood building foods. For this reason Chinese medicine does like a small amount of meat to be consumed for optimal nutrients. Eggs are a great source if your body tolerates them. Excessive consumption of greasy and sweet foods causes internal Dampness which may lead to painful periods and cysts. Foods like milk, cheese, ice cream, bananas (too many) peanuts, fatty meats, fried foods, and sugar can cause dampness and phlegm. Chinese medicine is all about balance. So I am not saying to never eat a salad, you can help balance out the cold with some warm ginger tea or soup. Just be mindful of your constitution ( do you run really hot or cold ), the season (can eat more cooling in summer and warming in winter), and your individual needs. Don’t get obsessive, enjoy that pizza and ice cream occasionally, I sure do! See more

Emotional stress has a significant influence on menstruation, pregnancy, labor and menopause. The Golden Mirror of Medicine, when discussing emotional causes of disease in gynecology, says: Worry, anger, depression injure the emotional life, Blood flows up rebelling upwards bringing Qi with it. Chapter 33 of the Simple Questions: When menstruation does not come, this is due to the Uterus Vessel being blocked. The Uterus Vessel pertains to the Heart and connects with the U...terus; when Qi rebels upwards towards the Lungs, Heart-Qi cannot flow downwards and the periods do not come. ‘Qi rebelling upwards towards the Lungs’ describes worry, sadness or grief. The Heart houses the Mind (Shen) and plays an important role in emotional stress. Other organs may also be affected by emotional stress that will influence the function of the Uterus. The Liver is especially affected by emotional stress which affects menstruation. Liver Qi-Stagnation, Liver Blood stasis, Liver-Blood-Heat and Liver-Fire may all have an influence on menstruation, conception, pregnancy, and labor. Emotional stress influences menstruation by affecting the movement of Blood by Qi. The circulation of Qi may become depleted, stagnated or rebellious. Below are a few examples of emotions and how they may affect menstruation. Sadness and grief: can deplete Heart Blood leading to amenorrhoea, scanty periods, or delayed cycle. Worry: knots the Qi of the Lungs, Heart and Spleen, leads to stagnation which can cause delayed or painful periods. Can also affect the Liver and make Liver-Yang rising which can cause menstrual headaches. Fear: A sudden fright makes Kidney-Qi descend, a chronic state of anxiety makes Qi rise. Image and Information from Giovanni Maciocia: Obstetrics and Gynecology in Chinese Medicine second edition. Fun Fact: my mom was roommates with Giovanni when she was studying acupuncture in London about 40 years ago! She said he was always in his study studying! See more

With Biden vote numbers looking good this morning I think it’s gonna be a Happier Friday!For those of you who have HSA/FSA (Health Savings or Flex Spending Accounts) you have until the end of the year to spend all the money on them or you lose it. . ( HSA rolls over but FSA does not) Come in and get some acupuncture/ cupping and buy your supplements using your spending account!It is important now more than ever to keep our immune systems strong and to use modalities to manage our stress. #stressrelief #gethealthy #useitorloseit #acupuncture

Aside from dysmenorrhea (painful periods), PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is one of the most common gynecological conditions that I treat. According to Chinese Medicine the two most important patterns in PCOS are Damp-Phlegm in the Uterus and Kidney deficiency. Other patterns include Blood stasis, Damp-Heat in the Liver channel, Blood deficiency, and occasionally Liver-Fire. While doing some research I found an interesting perspective about hirsutism which is a common mani...festation in PCOS (a condition in women that results in excessive growth of dark or coarse hair in a male-like pattern.) According to Giovanni Macioca, the author of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Chinese Medicine, hirsutism is due to a dysfunction of the Penetrating Vessel with imbalance between Qi and Blood. A deficiency of Blood in the Uterus leads to amenorrhoea but this would mean that there is more Blood available in the Penetrating Vessel at the skin level in the chin to promote the growth of hair. According to Chapter 65 of the Spiritual Axis, the Penetrating Vessel brings Qi and Blood to the chin area and, in women, losing some blood with menstruation, the Penetrating Vessel has relatively less Blood than Qi in this area compared to men. The lack of Blood in this area is the reason why women do not have a beard; as men have relatively more Blood in the head branch of the Penetrating Vessel, this blood promotes the growth of hair on the face. Throughout my years of practice I have helped many PCOS patients transition going off hormonal contraception with acupuncture, herbs, supplements, lifestyle and nutritional advice with great results. Acupuncture is also very helpful for painful cysts on the ovaries in general. #pcos #pcosawareness See more

I make this post every year and this year it’s EXTRA important due to the . Did you know that the external pathogens responsible for cold and flu symptoms in the body are seen as invasions of wind according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. (The other external pathogens are cold, damp, heat and summer heat) It is interesting to note that the ancient Chinese character for ‘Wind’ included an ‘insect’ (i.e. a small organism carried by the wind and causing disease, equivalent to... modern bacteria and viruses). Western medicine sees infectious diseases as being caused by bacteria and viruses whereas Chinese medicine sees them as being caused by exterior climatic factors. We also take into consideration the state of the body’s Qi in infectious diseases, this is something we can improve! You know how your parents always told you to put on more warm clothing before leaving the house (my dad is STILL always telling me to put on a coat! ), or not to go out with wet hair, it's so you don't catch the wind cold! Protect yourself from the wind by wearing a scarf or a hood( the acupuncture points around the neck and upper back have the name wind in them and are particularly vulnerable) and keeping your body warm(don’t walk around barefoot on cold floor either, there are important acupuncture points on the feet that we want to protect). I am also seeing a lot of the young ladies in LA walking around with crop tops even when its cold out. This is not great for the reproductive or digestive organs, so cover up that belly and low back from the cold! #protectyourself #staywarmandcozy #immunitytips See more

The beautiful @alyssanena is getting her glow in with facial acupuncture. Cosmetic Acupuncture or Facial Acupuncture involves gently inserting tiny, hair-thin acupuncture needles into the face and other body points to help stimulate collagen and elastic production allowing the skin to be nourished, oxygenated, and moisturised from the inside out. The benefit of cosmetic acupuncture goes beyond healthy, younger looking skin. It also addresses the disharmonies in the body t...hereby improving overall health. Benefits of Cosmetic Acupuncture include: Reduction in fine lines Improved complexion Improved elasticity via the collagen and elastin matrix Softening of deep lines Improvement in acne, rosacea, and broken capillaries Softer, smoother and more vibrant skin More consistent skin tone Reduction in puffiness I am lucky that my girl Adina @natural_feeling_spa is having me take care of her @lightstim so I can use it at Aculand! LED light therapy is and amazing added bonus for lines and wrinkles, collagen stimulation, and facial rejuvenation . #facialacupuncture #cosmeticacupuncture #beautyfromtheinsideout See more

Doing what I love and loving what I do Ready for a full day of #tgifacupuncture and @lovecupping. Happy FriYAY! (pre pandemic photo shoot )#aculand

Royal Jelly (RJ) is one of my favorite supplements for fertility, skin, stress, and immunity! Royal Jelly is a honeybee hypopharyngeal gland secretion of young nurse and exclusive nourishment for the bee queen. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Royal Jelly is known for its ability to tonify the qi, yin, and jing. This means it helps to generate and nourish the storing and captive energy of the body (primarily the kidney system). It directly affects the brain, sp...inal cord, nerves, bones, marrow, reproductive organs, and the hormonal centers (adrenals). It also helps to regulate blood circulation, and clear heat. In general the ancientChinese medical texts cite that it enters the spleen and liver. The major component is water, ranged from 60% to 70% followed by carbohydrates from 11% to 23% proteins from 9% to 18%, , lipids from 4% to 8%, and there are present in low amount vitamins and mineral salts with other unknown substances present in traces and all together could range from 0.83% Contains 17 amino acids, and is very rich in natural hormones and B vitamins (including B-12) and has antioxidant compounds . Royal jelly has 16% aspartic acid which is essential for proper tissue growth and regeneration. Included in royal jelly are precursors to DHEA, as well as DHEA itself, both well-known anti-aging hormones that help to modulate and restore exhausted adrenal function. It also contains choline, inositol, and acetylcholine, powerful substances that directly nourish and increase brain functioning. Contains PABA, an amino acid shown to increase fertility( good for both egg and sperm quality! This one from @healthaidamerica is my favorite and you can find it on my shop page. #royaljelly #fertilefoods #fertilitydiet #skinhealth #queenbee #chinesemedicine See more

Welcome to day 1 of #womenshealthweek2020 hosted by @dr.bryant and @megtantillorn. My passion for women’s health started about 10 years ago when I was an intern treating one of my first patients at @emperorscollege clinic. I remember a young women came in with the chief concern of extremely painful periods. Almost every month she would end up in the ER due to the pain. Her period was described as a very dark purple color with big clots, and her pulse and tongue in Chinese ...Medicine indicated a blood stagnation issue with cold. I gave her a specific acupuncture treatment to address her imbalances and we prescribed a custom herbal formula with a special ingredient Wu Ling Zhi that is particularly strong at invigorating the blood. (if you are an acupuncturist/ herbalist you know ) We also advised on dietary recommendations (more about this in other posts this week). We aim to treat the root of the problem and correct underlying imbalances for lasting results. When she came back in after her first period after treatment she reported that it had dramatically improved! Yay! I see this kind of story all the time in my practice. Pictured above is one of the points we commonly use for gynecological issues. If you are suffering from painful periods I highly recommend looking for an acupuncturist in your area that you like and feel connected to. We can’t wait to help you feel better!#womenshealth #zigongxue See more

With wildfires sadly covering most of the West coast, smoke and unhealthy air quality is widespread. Do your best to stay indoors and keep the windows closed to limit the amount of smoke you are breathing. . If you have air purifiers turn them on! If you generally suffer from lung related problems like asthma, cupping and acupuncture can help! Applying the cups on the back and/ or the chest helps open up the lungs and promotes the flow of blood and Qi which increase the movement of fluids around the body. If you are experiencing a dry throat eating pears or making a pear tea can be soothing, nourishing, and moistening for the lungs. Model @fitarts @lovecupping #acupuncture #lovecupping

Stomach 36, one of the best points for digestive issues and your immune system. It is a key acupuncture/ acupressure/ moxibustion point to preserve and promote good health. Traditional Actions: Harmonies the Stomach Fortifies the Spleen and resolves dampness Supports the correct qi and fosters original qi... Tonifies qi and nourishes blood and yin Clears fire and calms the spirit Activates the channel and alleviates pain Revives the yang and restores consciousness Commonly used for epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, belching, fullness and distention of the abdomen, gas, diarrhea, constipation, undigested food in the stool , dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, insufficiency of qi. The single most important point in the body to stimulate the action of the Stomach and Spleen/ Pancreas in generating qi and blood. I think it’s really interesting and relevant that the #1 point for digestion is also the #1 point for immunity. Coincidence, I think not! located on the Stomach meridian, about 4 finger spaces below the knee in the depression on the lateral side of the tibia DIY: Gently massage this point for 30-90 seconds #gutweek2020 #acupressure #moxibustion #st36 #immunesupport #digestivehealth See more

With intermittent fasting being the trend recently and skipping breakfast (especially not good for women’s hormone health) its good to know that this type of eating pattern might not be the best for each individual. I have to admit that I am totally guilty of just having coffee in the morning and eating most of my calories at night( don’t do what I do). According to Traditional Chinese Medicine this is not optimal for our digestion. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner should be... eaten daily and at about the same time when possible and supplemented by 2 smaller meals or snacks around 11am and 4 pm if needed. Some people do much better without snacks to give the digestive system a break in between meals, especially if you suffer from bloating. Recommended for breakfast: an ideal start to the day is something like a cooked and warm porridge like oatmeal or congee, can be combined with nuts, seeds and a little seasonal fruit, or something like eggs with sautéed veggies. (like the complete opposite of all those frozen smoothies!) Black tea or coffee in moderation are ok to support the yang. Avoid: energetically cold and dampness producing foods that suppress the expanding morning yang and weaken the digestive fire: too many fruits , fruit juices, raw foods, excess dairy products . For Lunch you can still have that big salad but instead of a ton of raw veggies that are hard to digest and creates bloating, make it a WARM salad! A little bit of raw lettuce is ok but make all those veggie toppings roasted or steamed with a warm protein/grain and maybe some squash or pumpkin, the spleen likes yellow foods. We also love soups and stews. A good meal does not burden the body or cause drowsiness. Limit greasy fried foods, foods that are too cold, or meals that are too big. They produce dampness in the body, slow down qi flow, and cause fatigue and sluggishness. Dinner should be a light meal. Avoid energetically hot, stimulating foods such as acridly seasoned foods. Hope these tips help improve your digestion!#gutweek2020 @dr.bryant @drrenatazambo See more

The Spleen Channel of Foot Taiyin Interiorly-exteriorly coupled with the Stomach channel, and paired with the Lung channel of hand taiyin according to six channel theory. There are 21 points on the Spleen meridian. Many points on this channel can help with digestion and other spleen related issues. treats failure of transportation and transformation function resulting in borborygmus, loose stools, undigested food in stool, poor appetite treats disorders of the intestines s...uch as dysenteric disorder, diarrhea and constipation retention of dampness and consequent qi stagnation resulting in distention and pain of the abdomen, edema, heaviness in the body, soreness of the muscles and joints, swelling of the limbs, lethargy tonifies the qi and blood resolves blood stasis, especially the uterus and cools the blood raising qi and treates prolapse calming and regulating the spirit treats disorders of the genitals #gutweek2020 #betterdigestion #eatwarmfood See more

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the Spleen is the central organ in the digestive process. Its main function is to assist the Stomach digestion by transporting and transforming food essences, absorbing the nourishment of food and separating the usable from the unusable part of the food. The Spleen is the central organ in the production of Qi, and from that Food-Qi (Gu Qi) of the Spleen it is also the basis for the formation of Blood. As you can see these are vital funct...ions in our body! The Spleen and Stomach (paired organs) together are so important that the famous Chinese scholar Li Gao, during the Song dynasty (AD 920-1280) founded a special school for the Strengthening of the Center focusing the treatment of the center burner. The famous herbal formula used is Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang Tonifying the Centre and Benefiting Qi Decoction. Many doctors during that period believed that no disorder is really curable as long as the network of the center burner is impaired. Spleen Functions governs transportation and transformation controls ascending of Qi controls the blood controls the muscles opens into the mouth and manifests in the lips controls saliva controls the raising of Qi houses the intellect (Yi) affected by worry Foods that strengthen the Center Burner: millet, corn , oats, rice, carrots, cabbage, fennel, potatoes ,peas, squash, pumpkin, soy beans, beef ,poultry, lamb, fish, apples, dates, figs, grapes, papaya, fennel tea Avoid foods with cool an cold thermal nature: too many raw foods, citrus fruits, salads and fruits. They can cool down the body too much and weaken the spleen and stomach qi. excess of dairy products: they are energetically cool and cause dampness and phlegm. excess sweet, heavy or fatty foods: they weaken spleen qi and form dampness and phlegm Stay tuned for more tips and recommendations for optimal digestion and Spleen function tomorrow for #gutweek2020 with @dr.bryant @drrenatazambo See more

TaichongLiver 3 Great Rushing Shu- Stream ~Yuan Source~Earth point of the Liver channel Located on the top of your foot, in the valley or webbing between the large toe and second toe. Using your thumb or index finger, press between the bones. For acupressure start with light pressure, this point can be tender and sensitive, increase pressure to moderate to firm and massage for 1-2 minutes. Spreads Liver Qi AKA good for STRESS! ( distention and pain along the channel, PM...S, frequent sighing, moody, depression) Subdues liver and and extinguishes wind Nourishes the Blood and Liver yin Clears the head and eyes ( good for headaches and dizziness) Regulates menstruation ( amenorrhoea, irregular menses, incessant uterine bleeding, insufficient lactation ) Regulates the lower jiao ( enureses,, difficult urination) Although the Liver is not considered responsible for the production of qi, it ensures that the flow of qi in the body remains free, easy, open, relaxed and unobstructed. When Liver qi stagnates it gives rise to sensations of pressure, distention and pain, predominantly in those areas traversed by the Liver channel and its interiorly coupled Gall Bladder channel. Qi stagnation tends to move around and fluctuate, mainly according to emotional changes, and is relieved by emotional expressiveness and physical activity, both of which free the flow of qi. The name of Taichong ‘Great Rushing’ refers to this point’s function as the great passageway for the flow of qi in the channel. It is a primary point for promoting the free-flow of Liver qi and can resolve Liver qi stagnation giving rise to distension and pain in any part of the body, whether the head, eyes, throat, chest, heart, breasts, epigastrium, abdomen, lateral costal region, uterus, or genitals. (A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman)#acupressure #diy #liver3 #aculand See more

New research led by a team of neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School has successfully used acupuncture to tame systemic inflammation in mice. In the study acupuncture stimulation influenced how animals coped with cytokine storm. I will add the swipe up link to my stories so you can read the full article! Below is a caption from my March 11th post which is just as relevant today! Our magical acupuncture needles are backed by scientific research! Acupuncture has been prove...n to boost your immune system. I think everyone could use some right about now, so if you haven’t come in for a treatment in a while now is the time! Researchers conclude that acupuncture benefits the immune system. In a controlled laboratory experiment, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine researchers discovered that electroacupuncture stimulation of acupuncture point ST36 (Zusanli) enhanced the level of immune cytokines and splenic CD4+ T cells through TRPV channels. [1] In addition, the researchers document that electroacupuncture applied to ST36 enhances serum interferon- (IFN-) levels, interleukin (IL)-2, and IL-17. Results were confirmed using immunohistochemical analysis. ST36 has long been an important acupuncture point in TCM. In approximately 440 CE, imperial medical officer Qin Cheng-zu stated that all diseases can be treated with the application of ST36. During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE220 CE), the Chinese physician Hua Tuo applied ST36 for the treatment of the five taxations: excessive use of the eyes injuring the blood, excessive lying down injuring the qi, excessive sitting injuring the flesh, excessive standing injuring the bones, excessive walking injuring the sinews. These are but two historical examples for the uses of ST36. Now, with the advent of the Hubei University of Chinese Medicine research, we can add that ST36 enhances the immune system, stimulates production of helper T cells, and promotes cytokines. Info from: https://www.healthcmi.com//1803-acupuncture-immune-system- https://news.harvard.edu//study-reveals-acupuncture-affec/ See more