Acupuncture

More than Needles: 3 Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapies You Can Do at Home

If you asked the average person how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) keeps you healthy, they would probably answer that it uses acupuncture needles.

That is a good start.

TCM is a complex understanding of how Qi, or life force, affects your health. Qi flows through meridians passing through points which can be used to regulate and control that flow. When the flow of Qi increases, decreases or its quality changes, your health is affected. The most common way to manage the flow of Qi is with acupuncture needles.

But TCM is much more than needles.

In the second part of our two-part series “More than Needles,” you will learn three ways to keep yourself healthy using Traditional Chinese Medicine principles at home. By using these techniques in your daily life, you will be in charge of your health. continue reading »

More than Needles: 6 TCM Therapies You May Never Have Heard of

Most people know that one way to feel better is with acupuncture needles. You go to your acupuncturist feeling bad. I put in a few needles. You leave feeling lighter, energized, more pain-free.

Using acupuncture needles to heal is part of a broader medical system called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). By observing body systems and the links between symptoms, TCM developed a medical philosophy about the flow of Qi, or life force. When Qi is balanced, you feel healthy. When it is disrupted, blocked or unbalanced, poor health is the result.

In acupuncture, needles are placed at specific points along the meridians to balance the Qi.

But did you know that needles are just one way to balance Qi?

TCM is a flexible system. The principles can be applied in many ways and to many different therapies to achieve the same results.

In the following 2 part series, we will look at the many ways you can balance Qi. This first part of the series describes the TCM therapies that require the help of a practitioner.

6 Ways to Relieve Allergies Without Drugs, Shots or Needles

Summer finally arrives.

The sun comes out. The flowers bloom.

Most people grab their sunscreen and head outside. But what do you do?

You close the windows, grab your antihistamines and hide in the house.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could enjoy being outdoors?

Allergies are widespread. According to WebMD, 20% of the population suffers from allergies or asthma, and 55% of the population tests positive for one or more allergens. Allergies are the 5^th leading chronic disease in the US and cost the US health care system $7.9 billion annually.

If you can’t live with your runny nose, congestion or watery eyes, but you don’t want to take antihistamines or get allergy shots, what can you do to relieve your symptoms?

8 Sex Drive Killers that Ruin Your Romantic Date

Date night can be fun, a celebration of love and romance. But for some people, romance is the last thing on their minds. If you have a low sex drive or no sex drive, the pressure to be romantic can make date night uncomfortable. You may want to show your sweetheart how much you care, but you just don’t feel it.

There are many reasons for low libido and some of them are not obvious. Find out if any of the sex drive killers below are ruining your date night plans. continue reading »

7 Healthy Tips for Coping with Financial Stress

If you feel stressed just living your life, you’re not alone.

Americans lead stressful lives. Jobs, relationships, health, family obligations, community responsibilities—they all take their toll.

In “Stress in America 2012,” an annual survey by the American Psychology Association, 1 in 5 respondents reported an extreme stress level of 8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale. In that same group 69% of respondents reported physical or non-physical symptoms of stress, including irritability or anger, fatigue, feeling overwhelmed or changes in their sleep.

The top source of stress according to 69% of the respondents is–money. continue reading »

Tao of Health