What is Qigong?

What is Qigong? It’s a Branch of Chinese Medicine

What is Qigong? It is perhaps not as well-known as some of the other modalities of Chinese Medicine in “the west”. This is a shame as it is a well-developed and powerful healing system. Qigong is pronounced “Chee Gung”. Here is my definition of Qigong:

Qigong is a set of exercises done to produce a specific effect on the function or energy of the body.

You see, over its thousands of years of history Chinese Medicine developed into a vast system of healing and nourishing the body and mind. In this way it is akin to how “Western Medicine” developed various specialties (dermatology, psychiatry, internal medicine, etc.) and modes of treatment (drugs, surgery, talk therapy, etc.) Here are just a few of the branches of Chinese Medicine:

  • Acupuncture
  • Herbal Medicine
  • Tuina (medical massage)
  • Dietary Therapy
  • Moxabustion (heat therapy)
  • Qigong

Do It Yourself Healthcare

What sets qigong apart from most of the other branches of Chinese Medicine is that it is (typically) not done to you- you do it to yourself!

This “do it yourself” characteristic makes qigong uniquely positioned. It is a way to directly participate in transforming our own health!

Supercharge Your Results

Another great aspect of qigong is that it is compatible with virtually any other form of treatment you may be utilizing. It won’t interact with western pharmaceuticals, because it’s not a drug. It complements and supercharges the effects of acupuncture by reinforcing the effects of the needles. It is compatible with chiropractic, massage, herbal medicine, surgery, you name it!

“What Can I Do To Heal Faster?”

Often my acupuncture patients ask me what they can do to help their healing process. I’m thrilled when I get asked that kind of question because when a patient is willing to take personal responsibility for their health the results really accelerate.

I do my very best to empower people who want to actively participate in their own healthcare. I may suggest and teach a qigong exercise specific to a particular person’s acupuncture diagnosis. If you are a patient of mine, ask me if there is any qigong we can add to your treatment routine.

Not an acupuncture patient of mine yet? I am offering free face-to-face consultations. Schedule one to see if a combination of acupuncture and qigong might help you find freedom from pain and illness.

If you’re interested in learning more about acupuncture, simply schedule an appointment at our location in Durham, NC. To schedule an appointment call 919-228-8448, or use our online scheduling system.

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Man suffering from insomnia- needs acupuncture

Another Way to Sleep Better

I’ve posted a lot on sleep and how acupuncture for sleep problems. I think quality sleep is crucial for good health. A good night’s rest plays a role in preventing Alzheimer’s Disease, and is crucial for optimal weight loss. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who suffer from insomnia or poor sleep quality.

I’ve offered some tips for better sleep in the past. Here is a new one- get regular exercise. A new study provided evidence that regular exercise helps create better sleep. In addition the study found that participants had more energy during the day.

I also offer great health tips like these in my email newsletter. This is exclusive content for my subscribers that doesn’t make it to my blog. For instance, in my most recent issue I shared a potent combination of foods that slashed breast cancer rate by an astonishing 89% in one study! Subscribing is completely free, and won’t clog your inbox- issues come out at most twice a month. Follow this link to Subscribe to my Newsletter so you won’t miss the next one!

If you’re interested in learning more about acupuncture, simply schedule an appointment at our location in Durham, NC. To schedule an appointment call 919-228-8448, or use our online scheduling system.

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Navel piercings inhibit the flow of qi and jing in the conception vessel.

Navel Piercings Reproductive Health

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Navel Piercings and Reproductive Health

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlUYSAVl46M

I’ve written a blog post about this topic in the past, but now I’ve created a video on navel piercings.

A navel piercing may seem like a benign adornment, but acupuncture theory strongly suggests that this is not a healthy or safe practice.

The problem is that the piercing is creating a semi-permanent obstruction in the flow of a very important energy channel known as the Conception Vessel (or Ren Mai in Chinese). The conception runs from between the legs up the front of the body, ending below the mouth. Here’s a diagram of the Conception Vessel, for the curious. If you do look at the diagram, notice that the navel is an acupuncture point on the Conception Vessel- CV-8. You may also notice CV-8 is a point that one is specifically forbidden to needle.

When an obstruction like a navel piercing is placed in a channel it creates a physical blockage to the flow of the channel. The piercing represents a constant interruption in the energetic field of the body. As you might gather from its name in English, the Conception Vessel is a very important channel in the energetics of the reproductive system.

Consequently the blockage created by the piercing can possibly lead to problems down the road, particularly with the reproductive system:

  • Infertility
  • Amenorrhea (no menstrual periods)
  • Cervical Dysplasia (abnormal cells of the cervix which may lead to cancer)
  • Uterine fibroids
  • Endometriosis

When a woman comes to me for treatment with menstrual complaints or infertility it is very common for her to have either a navel piercing or surgical scar along or across the Conception Vessel. It is also pretty rare that I talk to someone who has had a navel piercing for more than five years who doesn’t have some sort of menstrual or cervical abnormality.

Some people can do okay with navel piercings for a few years, but problems may develop down the line. I’m sure it is possible that most people will never develop symptoms from a navel piercing. Is it worth the risk? You’ll need to decide for yourself.

I would love to hear what you think about this. Would you consider removing a navel piercing based on this? Do you have friends or family with navel piercings?

If you’re interested in learning more about acupuncture, simply schedule an appointment at our location in Durham, NC. To schedule an appointment call 919-228-8448, or use our online scheduling system.

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An image of nerves of the nervous system, a posterior view.

Good Sleep Prevents Alzheimer’s

Man suffering from insomnia- needs acupunctureGetting a good night’s sleep is inarguably important for good health. The type of rest we can only get with sufficient restful sleep keeps us alert, energetic, and mentally clear during the day. Earlier this year I blogged about how good sleep helps weight loss.

Now there’s increasing evidence of a link between sleep deprivation and Alzheimer’s disease. The study involved measuring spinal fluid participants for the presence of a protein called “amyloid beta”. Plaques found in the brain of sufferers of Alzheimers disease are composed of mostly amyloid beta, so this is seen as a marker for the disease. The study showed that during prolonged sleep these protein levels dropped, and during prolonged wakefulness the levels rose.

Well over 20 million prescriptions a year are written for habit-forming sleep aids, such as Ambien in America. It’s clear that the problem of sleeplessness is a large one.

If you have not yet read my “tips for falling asleep” article, I encourage you to do so. It includes simple but powerful things you can do to help achieve restful sleep without all of the pitfalls of pharmaceutical sleep aids.

If you’re interested in learning more about acupuncture, simply schedule an appointment at our location in Durham, NC. To schedule an appointment call 919-228-8448, or use our online scheduling system.

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An image of nerves of the nervous system, a posterior view.

Does Acupuncture Use Nerves?

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An image of nerves of the nervous system, a posterior view.Does acupuncture use nerves? Believe it or not, it’s a very common question I get goes something like this, “Does acupuncture have something to do with nerves?” The short answer to this question is, “No. Not in the way you are probably thinking.” Let’s see why.

There is a prevailing view, outside of the acupuncture community at least, that acupuncture clearly has something to do with nerves. The thought behind this is that nerves exist all over the body, and are able to transmit very powerful signals to the brain very quickly (via afferent nerves). So since “medical science” has no other explanation for how acupuncture works (and sometimes works very quickly), nerves must be involved.

For certain acupuncture points, this makes reasonable sense. A point like Nei Guan (labeled “PC 6” in this chart) lies above the median nerve and unsurprisingly often elicits a very “nervy” sensation when needled. Other important acupuncture points do not have a close association to major nerves, so this hypothesis breaks down.

The effects of acupuncture cannot be explained with our current understanding of “western medicine”. Acupuncture uses points that lie on acupuncture channels (often inaccurately called acupuncture meridians) which may or may not correspond to nerves.

Truly integrative medicine, combining the discoveries of the eastern and western systems into a unified medicine is ultimately where I hope and believe we are headed. This unification will be a long road, however and it is important not to jump to hasty conclusions. We must proceed scientifically, just as each of these systems were derived scientifically. Nerves simply fail to fully explain the many effects of acupuncture.

If you’re interested in learning more about acupuncture, simply schedule an appointment at our location in Durham, NC. To schedule an appointment call 919-228-8448, or use our online scheduling system.

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Household toxins create an unhealthy living environment

Acupuncture for Anger and Frustration – The Liver and Hun

Acupuncture for Anger and Frustration – The Liver and Hun

Road rage, unexplained bursts of anger, easily frustrated, pent-up, short-fuse… Chances are these words describe someone you know well. Perhaps these words even describe you. Why are so many of us so angry and frustrated? Is there a way to calm the mind and channel the energy to more productive expressions of energy?

This post is our fifth in our series about rounds out our series centered around the mind-body connection, or “jing shen”.

Bursts of anger and/or frustration are most commonly the result of an imbalance in one aspect of the mental state known as “hun”. A healthy hun is responsible for creativity and a healthy sense of judgment. A demonstration of rage is seldom a creative solution to any problem and one that further demonstrates a lack of healthy judgment.

These sorts of unhealthy mental states are commonly a manifestation of an unhealthy imbalance within the body. In particular, it is the liver and “wood” energetics that are in a state of imbalance. When the yin of the liver is suppressed the activity of the liver becomes ungrounded. This causes yang, or heat to rise up to the head. This rising yang can lead to anger, headaches, flushed face, poor sleep and many other symptoms. If it sounds confusing and you find yourself living with anger and frustration, let’s talk about it.

Acupuncture can help our bodies in so many ways and it can be a great way to help the mind return to a state of health. By providing a nourished body the mind can rest much more easily. Mental health and an even keel are simply a consequence of a healthy internal balance.

If you’re interested in learning more about acupuncture, simply schedule an appointment at our location in Durham, NC. To schedule an appointment call 919-228-8448, or use our online scheduling system.

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Depressed woman - choosing acupuncture or drugs?

Acupuncture for Willpower – The Kidneys and Zhi

Acupuncture for Willpower – The Kidneys and Zhi

Have you ever wondered, “Why can’t I drag myself out of bed this morning?” Or perhaps there are things you know you should do (perhaps things that you really want to do) but you just can’t seem to make yourself take action? On the flip side there may be something you know is bad for you (food, cigarettes, sugar, alcohol, etc.) but you can’t stop yourself from partaking?

Welcome to part four of my series introducing the “jing-shen”- the mental aspect and relationships of the body-mind.

The Chinese word for the will is “zhi” and Chinese Medicine identifies it an aspect of “water” energetics. The water system is a poetic label that does not literally mean H2O in the body; it refers to the idea, attributes, and relationships of water in nature. The water system includes the kidneys, bladder, hair, bones, and brain.

Will is the determination of the mind. It bends the mindset in a certain direction and controls its activity. The will aims at a goal, whether personal ambition or noble ideal. By means of the will, one is disposed to do or not to do something, inclined to like or dislike something. The will is a deep and strong aspiration of the whole being.

I get a lot of practice treating the willpower and the “water” system in my patients as it is one area where Americans almost universally struggle. This is simply a consequence of our high-stress lifestyles.

If you live a high-stress life your health is surely to be impacted now or “down the line”. Acupuncture provides a natural way to combat the effects of stress as well as restore the willpower. Give us a call at 919-228-8448 or use our online schedule to set up a free face-to-face consultation to see if acupuncture might be right for you.

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Acupuncture for Sensitivity – The Lungs and Po

If you have ever noticed that some days you feel far more sensitive than others? You may find yourself easily irritated physically or emotionally. Other days you may even feel dull and numb, even for things that would normally excite, anger, hurt, or otherwise have an impact on you physically or emotionally. What you are experiencing is a shift in your “po”, or sensitivity.

Even though some people are more sensitive than others, that’s not what I’m talking about. Because everyone is sensitive in some ways.

I’ve been working on a blog series. This is the third installment of five in the series. In this post we’re introducing the “jing-shen”- the mental aspect of the body-mind.

It is through the po that we are able to have a healthy interaction with the outside world. If we are unaware of, or alternately hyper-aware of that which is outside of us we lose that healthy connection. Po refers to our physical sensitivity as well as our emotional sensitivity.

As the po connects us to the outside world it should be no surprise that it is dependent on the bodily organs that have the closest physical contact with the outside world. These are the organs of “metal” energy and include the lungs, large intestine, nose, sinuses, and skin.

Changes in your sensitivity may be more than simply your moods, personality, or natural hormone fluctuations. Even if your sensitivity isn’t causing you problems now it can be an indication of an underlying energetic imbalance. To see if acupuncture might be right for you, give us a call at our Durham location or you may call us at 919-228-8448. If you find it easier to make an appointment online, you can simply click here to use our online schedule to set up a free face-to-face consultation.

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Acupuncture for a Clear Mind – The Spleen and Yi

Acupuncture for a worried, scattered mindAcupuncture for a clear mind is not usually a way that people think about when then think about having acupuncture treatments.

Imagine lying down for bed, but your brain won’t seem to shut off. The more quiet you try to create in your mind the more your mind revolts. It reminds you of all the things in your life you have on your “To Do List”. It tells you of all the things you have to worry about tomorrow and in the days ahead. It may seem like your mind is stuck on the “ruminate” setting!

This situation is all too familiar for many of us.

My last post looked at “shen” and acupuncture for mental alertness. The shen or “awakeness” is just one aspect of the mind. Today we look at “yi” – the cognition, or the intellect.

The health of the spleen (and also the pancreas) are critical for a healthy mind. These are the organs of the “earth” energy in the body. When the “earth” system is weakened it can result in a disturbance in the thought process. Often this manifests as over-rumination, but it can also show up as an unclear, foggy mind.

What is over ruminating? When people ruminate, they over-think or obsess about situations or life events, such as work or relationships. Research has shown that rumination is associated with a variety of negative consequences, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, binge-drinking and binge-eating.

Acupuncture may be able to help you re-establish clear thought. To see if acupuncture might be right for you, give us a call at our Durham location or you may call us at 919-228-8448. If you find it easier to make an appointment online, you can simply click here to use our online schedule to set up a free face-to-face consultation.

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Pomegranate for anti-cancer - illuminating acupuncture theory

Acupuncture for Mental Alertness- The Heart and Shen

Mental Alertness

Have you ever been awake, but just not quite mentally there? Maybe someone noticed you being “spaced out”. It’s not that you were daydreaming so much as “nobody was home”- you weren’t thinking of anything in particular. When this happens it feels like not being fully conscious.

The word we use for what is missing here in the mental state is “shen”. Shen is sometimes loosely translated as “spirit”, but that’s a bit of a loaded word in our culture with it’s religious overtones. A less exciting, but more accurate definition in the context of acupuncture might be “awakeness” or “mental presence”.

The heart is the organ that is said to generate or have dominion over the shen. When sleeping it is said that the shen retires into the heart. What this statement means from a practical standpoint is that when someone is having a hard time finding peaceful sleep it implies that somehow the heart is being energetically disturbed.

Acupuncture treats the body and the mind. I’ve spoken about the body-mind connection in a previous blog post. If you’ve read that post you know that it is actually impossible to treat the mind without the body and vice versa.

If you are experience issues with mental alertness or problems with sleep, you are experiencing an imbalanced shen. Acupuncture may be able to help.

To see if acupuncture might be right for you, give us a call at our Durham location or you may call us at 919-228-8448. If you find it easier to make an appointment online, you can simply click here to use our online schedule to set up a free face-to-face consultation.

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