This is for you or your children. It works!

There is a process to healing. I can’t even count the number of new patients who were disappointed that I could not fix their condition in one treatment. A pill can’t fix it. A needle can’t fix it. A team effort starting with and including the patient all the way through can begin to fix it.

Nothing in life moves forward forever in a straight line. There are ups and downs, setbacks and forward leaps. Acupuncture can be part of your healing process. 
Individuals respond just that way–individually. One feels a little worse for the first day or two, one feels significantly better immediately, one notices no changes, and another will have progressive gradual improvement.

I wish I could tell each person how they will respond; I can provide the gamete of responses. The body, after an acupuncture session, will try to continue the flow the acupuncture treatment created. The body may not have the resources to do that after one treatment.

• When the energy of a condition is deeply “stuck”, the result could be a greater sensaton of pain as  the energy (qi) tries to break through. After the release, sensation of the pain is reduced.
• When the energy of a condition is moderately “stuck”, the qi is released with less stress and an improvement felt immediately. It won’t be necessarily 100%, but an improvement. 
• When the energy of the body is weakened, there is a reduced ability of qi to flow freely. Acupuncture increases the body energy so the qi will flow. In this situation, no change may be felt because it takes longer to add energy to the system. Aditional energy could cause a greater sensation of pain until the qi is at the appropriate level and able to flow freely.

Once the qi is flowing, treatment isn’t necessarily over. The general principle is to provide 10-12 treatments to improve a condition. If the conditon has existed for years, improvement could take a few months of weekly treatments whereas a recent condition could be treated in 2-4 sessions. Treatments are needed to train the body to keep the energy flowing. If treatment is ceased early, the condition may return and the body’s energy will go back to what it remembers. Say a client is treated during the onset of a cold, the pathogen is released and the cold never takes form. Treatment could end there, but ideally a few treatments to boost the immune system for prevention would be in order.

Emotions are related to energy. In Chinese Medicine, emotions flow with your body energy which flows with your blood through arteries and veins. Many conditions have emotional and behavioural correlations which could cause a conditon to recur. Client awareness around patterns and emotional symptoms can assist in curbing a recurrence of a physical symptom. Following a treatment protocol that includes a specifc number of treatments; dietary, herbal and lifestyle recommendatons; and both the practitioner and the client actively participating in the process will enable the healing process.

  What method of healing uses these as tools? Chinese Medicine does.

Cupping, a technique using suction, draws deeply held stagnation of blood, lymph and toxins to the surface of the skin. I use this for sore and strained muscles, painful periods, deep coughs, seasonal allergies, and early stage cold symptoms.

Cups come in a variety of styles. The most used are pump, fire, or silicone cups. Plastic or glass cups are placed on the skin, a device is attached to the top of the cup to remove some air. Fire cups, which I use most often, have a more dramatic flair. A flame removes air from the cup whcih is then quickly placed onto to skin. Silicone cups, which air is pressed out of with the practitioner’s hand, are easy to use.

The cups either remain stationary for no longer than 10 minutes or, if oil is applied to the area, can be moved over the skin in a technique aptly named sliding cupping. The process will feel a bit like a vacuum suction on the area.

Yes, I use spoons too. Gua Sha, a scraping technique with a Chinese soup spoon or other impliment, is mostly used to release a cold or pathogen from the body in the very early stage. I have also used it for releasing heat, and alleviating spinal and muscular pain. It can be applied to the insertion and origin of muscles for sports related injuries. 

Both of these techniques will leave marks on the treated area ranging from pink to red to purplish. These are not bruises, but broken surface capillaries. No pain is elicited except occassionally mild muscular ache from deeply held stagnation.

Healing of the skin coloration generally takes a few days, but relief will happen quickly . Drink plenty of water to flush these released toxins from the body.

Needles are the main tool used acupuncturists. Whisker-thin, sterile needles are inserted into specific points to adjust the body back to homeostasis. Whether the issue is musculoskeletal, symptoms from an internal organ disease, or just a need for relaxation, the needle treatment will activate your body’s healing ability.

If you want a re-do on New Year’s resolutions start February 3 with the Chinese New Year – Year of the Rabbit. We know the Rabbit is gentler than last year’s Tiger; it’s a year to catch your breath and calm your nerves.

Support and cleanse your liver and calm the sleep issues that accompany stress, de-stress with an easy DIY tea. I found all the ingredients in the Whole Foods bulk herb section.

• 1 tsp Dandelion leafs/tea (liver and blood cleanser)
• 1 tsp Milk Thistle (liver and blood cleanser)
• 5 Rose buds (reduces pent up tension) or 1/8 tsp Lavender buds (calms nerves)
• ¼ tsp Nutmeg –from your kitchen (reduce bloating and discomfort…sometimes a liver energy issue)
• 1 Licorice stick (overall toner)
• A little lemon zest is always a nice addition to revive the Liver

To relieve the physical symptoms that accompany stress, you have to breathe! Tap on sternum with 2 fingertips as you breathe into your low belly. Make sure your shoulders don’t rise and the upper lung under your chest is the last part to fill with air. Take 6 seconds to inhale through your nose and 12 seconds to exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat 5 times
To relieve the mental symptoms that accompany stress, you have to stop the repetitive thoughts. Exercise is always the go-to activity to get out of your head, but a quick fix is sound.

• If you hold a tone, hum, you can’t think of anything else. Try it, hum one note, after a minute your body will be humming, you won’t be able to think about what’s bugging you and you’ll be more relaxed.
• Specific sounds and colors correlate to energy centers in Chinese Medicine, to revive your Liver energy, take a deep inhale and exhale the sound SSHHHHHHHH and visualize a green light. Do this with three long breaths daily.

Learn how the tea you already drink helps your body and energy
Learn how to choose teas, tisanes and combinations to treat a variety of symptoms
We will focus mainly on Chinese medicinal herbal traditions

Elemental Health                    2225 W. North Ave                         Chicago

RSVP and prepay $25 by Sunday, March 6 to hold your space.

Learn the basics of making coconut kefir and how to use to create other drinks

Kefir is chock full of probiotics-all the good bacteria your digestive tract needs. Much of your immune system and serotonin production is housed in your gut. Reestablishing the microflora ecosystem will help you feel healthier, happier, more balanced.

• Promotes Healthy Detox
• Rehydrates the Body
• Aids in Weight Loss
• Enhances Mood
• Boosts Energy
• Reduces Allergies and Candida symptoms
• Makes a good hangover cure
• Lifts Depression, Fatigue and much more!

Wednesday, March 9 5:45 pm to 7 pm

RSVP and prepay $35 by Thursday, March 3  to hold your space

Elemental Health                   2225 W North Ave                Chicago