Water The Element of Power and Patience

           Water The Element of Power and Patience

Here is another post I wrote for the blog Hopefulparents. 

In the philosophy of Acupuncture Therapy , there are five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. These five elements are not simply the materials associated with each of the names, but rather they are metaphors for describing how things interact and relate to each other. Each of the Five Elements represents an aspect of a dynamic process and phases of change.

Water is the element of winter; therefore this is a good month to discuss it. Water is one of the most powerful elements. In nature, we have seen water’s dangerous wrath, remember the tsunami in Southeast Asia? Yet water is also patient and slow. We see how water can slowly smooth the surface of a rock by years of continual gentle persistence. From these examples, we understand that Water represents fluidity, or the ability to "go with the flow.” I really appreciate this aspect – water is quiet, still, and patient, yet unyielding, determined, and unstoppable. Hopeful parents can relate to water’s ability to adapt, to go with the flow when necessary, to exercise determination when needed, to be a source of growth, and to remain optimistically determined for long stretches of time. Human emotions exist in a wide range. It is healthy for us to feel all the emotions - from happiness, to irritation, to sadness and joy and everything in between. Acupuncture Therapy  says that the key is to allow our feelings to arrive, to be experienced and to leave.

For my logo, I use the Chinese symbol that signifies The Tao. Tao Te Ching, better known as The Tao is a book written by Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher. Literally translated, The Tao means "the way". It is the source of great wisdom and some famous Chinese sayings such as, "Even a 1,000 mile journey starts with a single step".

The Tao symbol is often compared to water: clear, colorless, and able to form itself as both a wave and a little trickle. All beings depend on water for life and even the hardest stone cannot stand in its way forever. I love the symbolism of water in TCM because water represents the epitome of adaptability and strength all at once.

                 Acupuncture For Stress And Anxiety

At one time or another, all of us experience stress. These feelings are a healthy response to events in our lives that may feel beyond our control. When we are healthy and the stress is short-lived, we are usually able to recover without too much wear and tear to our overall health. However, when the stress is extreme, or if it lasts a long time, our emotional health and ultimately, our physical health begin to suffer.

Our bodies are hardwired to help us react to stressful events. At the first sign of a threat, whether real or perceived, our sympathetic nervous system kicks in and facilitates what is called the “fight or flight” response. Our heart rate increases, our pupils dilate, and our digestion temporarily shuts down, directing blood to our extremities, so that if need be, we can either fight what is threatening us, or turn and run if the threat is too formidable.

Unfortunately, the “fight or flight” response, which worked well in caveman days, does not serve us as well if the “threat” is a demanding boss, nasty co-worker or even a worrisome situation that is not being resolved. More often than not, the stress in our lives is long-term, and as a result, we find ourselves in a constant state of “fight or flight”, or stress. Over time, the constant state of stress takes its toll. Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone elevates, blood pressure increases, and our immune function is suppressed. Over time, these symptoms become worse and can develop into anxiety, depression, fatigue, digestive problems, and tension headaches.

Emotions from a Acupuncture Therapy Perspective

In Acupuncture Therapy, stress, anxiety, depression or any strong emotion interrupts the smooth flow of energy throughout the body. According to acupuncture therapy, energy flows through our body through a network of “roads”, almost like a highway system. Stress, anger, or any intense emotion acts like a traffic jam, blocking the free flow of energy in the body. For example, many people who are very stressed out complain of upper back, shoulder and neck pain. This is because stress is causing tension in those areas, blocking the free flow of energy, causing pain, tightness, and often leading to headaches.

In a highway system, when there is road construction or an accident, traffic may be also backed up on other secondary roads that feed into or out of the affected area. This is true in the body, too. Stress may affect many other parts of the body, most notably digestion, the ability to sleep, pain conditions, and blood pressure. Stress can also aggravate an already troublesome health condition.

Through acupuncture, theses energy blockages can be addressed. Acupuncture points serve as the on and off ramps to the energy highway, and can help energy flow smoothly, and alleviate not only the symptoms of stress and anxiety, but the stress and anxiety itself.

From a Western viewpoint, acupuncture works to alleviate stress by releasing natural pain-killing chemicals in the brain, called endorphins. In addition, acupuncture improves circulation of blood throughout the body, which oxygenates the tissues and cycles out cortisol and other waste chemicals. The calming nature of acupuncture also decreases heart rate, lowers blood pressure and relaxes the muscles.

                                                                                                                            
Anger and The Element of Wood

 Angry?

We all get angry sometimes, right? I certainly can get furious and I'm sure many of you have plenty of angry moments. It hurts to feel angry and it is often treated as an unacceptable emotion. But, Traditional Chinese Medicine has a different view of anger.

Classical Five Element Chinese Medicine theory says that each of each of the five elements has a particular emotion related to it. The emotion of the Wood Element is Anger. The Wood element is connected to the emotion of anger. The Wood element is also the element of Spring, making it appropriate to think about now.

Wood exemplifies the energy of growth, change, and pushing through It is a very active energy that allows for a lot of movement and progress, both internally and externally. In Spring, we may have more energy to get moving on projects, hence the classic “spring cleaning.” It is a good time of year to work on any blockages. We want to get things moving so we can have access to all that great energy. Spring is a time of action, change and rebirth.

On the other side, when thwarted or constrained, wood is also the energy of frustration, anger and stress. Like the Wood element, anger can make us hard and unbendable - like the tree that snaps in a strong wind instead of swaying

So what can we learn from the Wood element? The key here is flexibility. If we hold ourselves too rigidly, we will break and crumble. If we are too loose and wobbly, like a badly rooted tree, there is no growth and real potential for change. So, the healthy balance is to remain flexible but engaged. Because the Wood element exemplifies the energy of growth, it is also about vision, planning and decision making, essential for creative change. Try to be assertive (not angry), flexible (not rigid), and remain engaged with our eyes on the important people and projects in our life.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, elements are also associated with body organs. The Wood element represents the liver and the gall bladder. The liver function is considered to be the grand architect for our vision of the future. The liver is the center of strategic planning. President Obama is a great example of the wood element at it's best. The Gall Bladder is thought to be the center of our ability to make decisions and judge wisely. From the functions of the liver and the gall bladder, we can plan and choose – we combine new future possibilities with the wisdom of the past and, as a result, are able to see the clear and appropriate course to take.

                                                       Acupuncture And Autism

Tongue acupuncture can improve the lives of children with autism, according to scientists from Hong Kong. 

Speaking recently at the World Congress of Neurology in London, the researchers claim that it can make children calmer and more stable, making it easier for them to learn and look after themselves. BBC Science reports.

Toothpick and Tongue

Acupuncture dates from several millennia back in Chinese history; tongue acupuncture by contrast is just a couple of decades old but is becoming increasingly popular in Hong Kong.

Based on traditional methods of acupuncture, where needles are used to stimulate pressure points on the body, therefore releasing blocked energy or Qi, recipients of tongue acupuncture have described the sensation as similar to being ‘pricked with a toothpick’.

Researchers now see the tongue as an attractive thing to stick their needles in because it's full of nerves, and in recent years scientists have produced hints that it might help people recover after a stroke. 

However this is the first time that the potential of tongue acupuncture and autism has been explored.

What Is Autism?

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects the way a person communicates and interacts with other people. 

This means that in many cases, autistic children have problems with social interaction, and problems with verbal and non-verbal communication. This can also lead to low IQ scores. 

Nobody really knows what causes autism. However, it is thought that genetic factors are likely to play a crucial role. 

Research has also linked the condition with a variety of conditions affecting brain development which occur before, during, or very soon after birth.

Acupuncture And Autism

According to the scientists at The University Of Hong Kong, the new research aims to ‘improve the overall functional dependence in ASD children by tongue acupuncture.’ 

Dr Virginia Wong, who led the investigators, recently told the World Congress of Neurology that the treatment helps autistic children lead a more normal life. 

She says children who are hyperactive or aggressive have become calmer and emotionally stable after acupuncture treatment. 

The holistic acupuncture treatment was carried out on a control group of 30 children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. According to the researchers, after a period of treatment, teachers who were blind to the study, found:

‘Improvement in children in terms of behaviour, communication skills and also higher intelligent quotient, have more imagination – draw better, more coherence in their composition and writing up of stories and become more initiative.’

Dr Wong believes that tongue acupuncture treats the symptoms of autism, rather than autism itself, but doctors at the Congress said that if her results can be replicated, tongue acupuncture could potentially become a standard treatment in years to come.

ACUPUNCTURE

ACUPUNCTURE

                              5 Steps to a Healthy Heart with Acupuncture Therapy

By integrating Acupuncture therapy into your heart healthy lifestyle, you can dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease.

Heart disease includes conditions affecting the heart, such as coronary heart disease, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and congenital heart disease. Despite dramatic medical advances over the past fifty years, heart disease remains a leading cause of death globally and the number one cause of death in India & Worldwide Nations .

Taking small steps to improve your health can reduce your risk for heart disease by as much as eighty percent. Steps to prevention include managing high blood pressure, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress and improved sleep - all of which can be helped with Acupuncture Therapy .

1. Manage High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure makes the heart work harder, increasing its oxygen demands and contributing to angina. This excessive pressure can lead to an enlarged heart (cardiomegaly), as well as damage to blood vessels in the kidneys and brain. It increases the risk of heart attacks, stroke and kidney disease.

Acupuncture Therapy has been found to be particularly helpful in lowering blood pressure. By applying acupuncture needles at specific sites along the wrist, inside the forearm or in the leg, researchers at the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, were able to stimulate the release of opioids, which decreases the heart’s activity and thus its need for oxygen. This, in turn, lowers blood pressure.

2. Quit Smoking
Most people associate cigarette smoking with breathing problems and lung cancer. But did you know that smoking is also a major cause of coronary artery disease? In fact, about twenty percent of all deaths from heart disease are directly related to cigarette smoking.

Acupuncture Therapy has shown to be an effective treatment for smoking. Acupuncture treatments for smoking cessation focus on jitters, cravings, irritability, and restlessness; symptoms that people commonly complain about when they quit. It also aids in relaxation and detoxification.

3. Maintain a Healthy Weight

Obesity is associated with diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease, all of which increase the risk of developing heart disease, but studies have shown that excess body weight itself (and not just the associated medical conditions) can also lead to heart failure. Even if you are entirely healthy otherwise, being overweight still places you at a greater risk of developing heart failure.

Acupuncture Therapy is an excellent adjunctive tool when it comes to losing weight. It  help’s  to energize the body, maximize the absorption of nutrients, regulate elimination, control overeating, suppress the appetite, and reduce anxiety.

4. Reduce Stress
Stress is a normal part of life. But if left unmanaged, stress can lead to emotional, psychological, and even physical problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pains, or irregular heart beats. Medical researchers aren't sure exactly how stress increases the risk of heart disease. Stress itself might be a risk factor, or it could be that high levels of stress make other risk factors worse. For example, if you are under stress, your blood pressure goes up, you may overeat, you may exercise less, and you may be more likely to smoke.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the substantial benefits of Acupuncture Therapy  in the treatment of stress, anxiety and mental health. In addition to Acupuncture Therapy , can be integrated into your life to keep stress in check.

5. Improve Sleep
Poor sleep has been linked with high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart failure, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. Researchers have shown that getting at least eight hours of sleep is needed for good heart health and getting less than eight hours of sleep can put you at a greater risk for developing heart disease.

Acupuncture Therapy has shown great success treating a wide array of sleep problems without any of the side effects of prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids. The Acupuncture treatments for problems sleeping focus on the root disharmony within the body that is causing the insomnia. Therefore, those who use Acupuncture Therapy for insomnia achieve not only better sleep, but also an overall improvement of physical and mental health.

Contact an Acupuncture Therapist for a consultation who can assist you with your heart health and help you to live a long, healthy life.

                                                                                  

 Shonishin: Acupuncture for Children

Shonishin pediatric acupuncture (sho=little, ni=children, shin=needle) is a specialized form of treatment for infants and children that became renowned in the 1700s in the Osaka region of Japan. To this day, Japanese parents regularly bring children for shonishin treatment, and the shonishin approach is increasing in popularity around the world.

Children’s bio-energetic systems are not fully formed and, being at the most “yang” phase of their existence, their energy (Qi) moves extremely rapidly. Consequently, children’s systems can be easily over stimulated, and health problems can progress rapidly.

Shonishin focuses on gentle, specialized, mostly non-inserted treatment techniques that children find comfortable and even pleasurable. Dramatic results can be obtained even with very light treatment.

The ancient classics of China, such as the Ling Shu, describe nine types of needles, several of which were clearly never intended to pierce the skin. Three of these non-inserted needles — the enshin, the teishin, and the zanshin — are considered basic to the practice of shonishin pediatric acupuncture. Over the years, many additional tools and supplementary techniques have been designed specifically for pediatric therapy.

Shonishin techniques involve rhythmic stroking, rubbing, tapping, and pressing the skin to give different kinds of gentle stimulation. These techniques harmonize and fortify the child’s vital energy, and strengthen the child’s constitution.

Shonishin is used to treat a wide variety of problems, including:

·                 Failure to thrive syndrome

·                 Weak constitution

·                 Colic, excessive night crying, temper tantrums

·                 Indigestion, constipation, and diarrhea

·                 Night terrors

·                 Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

·                 Allergies, asthma, and colds

·                 Eczema and hives

·                 Ear infections

·                 Bedwetting

·                 Stuttering

·                 Cerebral palsy

The specifics of the treatment (frequency, dosage, strength) depend on the practitioner, the age, and condition of the child, among other factors. Treatments for children are actually very brief: a typical treatment generally lasts only one to five minutes. Generally speaking, the older the child, the longer the treatment. It’s particularly important that the practitioner develops a touch (and a heart) that a child responds to!

The key to successful Shonishin treatment is “less is better.” The beauty of Shonishin is its simplicity, gentleness, and effectiveness.