Acupuncture: Your Secret Weapon to Being your Best Self

March 7, 2019

When it comes to managing your health, bolstering your wellness routine with acupuncture is a total gamechanger. And yet, what’s so crazy is how few people take advantage of the healing capacity of this ancient medicine on a regular basis. Truly, this could very well be one of alternative medicine’s best kept secrets. Many of my long-term patients (we’ll call them acupuncture converts) describe their continued experience with acupuncture as a “life-saver” or their “secret weapon” to being their best selves. In the beginning, most patients walk into the treatment room a tad curious and hoping to experience this “little bit of magic” they’ve heard whispers about from their friends. Many are at the end of their rope in attempting to manage whatever ails them. They have tried everything else and have exhausted every other therapy. In my personal experience, first as a patient and now as a practitioner, I believe that whatever brings a patient in to see me also comes along with a healthy dose of skepticism – and who can really be blamed for that?  Acupuncture by its very nature carries within it a certain brand of mystique and intrigue. How exactly does this traditional medicine work? […]

Read post

Cervical Ripening: The Acupuncture Pre-Birth Protocol

January 23, 2019

Treatment: At the beginning of each and every pregnancy, I encourage all my patients to make plans to utilize this pre-birth protocol. This is not only to promote an easier, smoother and faster labour with a more rapidly progressive rate of dilation, but also serves to reduce the chances of intervention when the time comes. Ideally, the pre-birth protocol starts at 36 weeks and continues weekly until birth. By gently preparing the body and the mind for labour and delivery, we are better able to support our patients throughout the final stages of their pregnancy. This means utilizing points to aid in cervical dilation (the ripening/ softening of the cervix), building blood, loosening the pelvic ligaments/ tendons and supporting the pelvic floor. In addition, I always use acupuncture points to increase energy, stamina and the immune system to fortify a women’s body for the journey ahead. Each woman as well as every pregnancy is special and unique unto itself. Pre-birth acupuncture appointments give us the valuable opportunity to manage any symptoms or discomfort that can arise at this stage of pregnancy, such as back and hip pain, insomnia, constipation or pelvic floor issues, so that our patients can go into […]

Read post

Acupuncture for Pregnancy: Part One

April 13, 2017

Conception and Fertility A great many people like to think of this stage as the “fun” part of trying for a baby! However, for a lot of soon-to-be parents, this phase can be the most challenging and frustrating part of the baby-making cycle. There are, of course, various reasons as to why oftentimes couples find themselves feeling stressed and overwhelmed while trying to conceive. It could be that they simply have not fallen pregnant as quickly as they would have imagined, and become nervous as they start to wonder “what is wrong with them.” For some, they could be contending with reproductive difficulties such as irregular cycles, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or clinically-diagnosed infertility (female or male-oriented). For others, it could be a mad-dash against the clock, having felt that perhaps they have waited a bit too long in starting a family. For many, couples can become stressed-out about being stressed-out, sometimes even slipping into anxiety and depression along the way. Although we now live in a society that promotes instantaneous gratification, conception has remained virtually intact as one of life’s greatest surprises. What is so important to remember and to believe in full-heartedly, is that the body does truly […]

Read post

Chasing the Miracle

April 7, 2017

During Infertility Awareness Week across Canada, we are reminded of how many women and their partners are affected by this disease. While such a diagnosis is disheartening at best, there remains a multitude of various options to exhaust before many women might lose hope of conceiving. A very wise, old woman once said to me: “Do not quit before the miracle happens.” Western Medicine remains very successful regarding diagnosis, surgery and symptomatic therapy, but the gentle subtleties of the mind, body and spirit are typically left out of the picture. Research shows that even slight deviations from the body’s natural state of being (such as the use of birth control, high levels of stress, excessive exercise, poor diet, etc…) have the potential to cause a ripple effect throughout the rest of the body. Over time (and often without us even noticing), changes that start out as a drop in the ocean, can eventually erupt into a tsunami. For women trying to conceive, these slight deviations can set off chain-reactions- menstrual and hormonal imbalances that might disrupt ovulation, damage gynecological environments, and hinder pregnancy. Without treating imbalances, it isn’t uncommon for a woman to be deemed infertile by Western medical standards, […]

Read post

Exhausted? Here’s Your Plan of Attack!

April 5, 2017

You’re hitting the snooze button on repeat, and spend the day as a walking, talking zombie. You’re chronically exhausted, you’re emotionally taxed out, and you consistently experience mood swings, bursts of anger, frustration and/or tears. In our crazy, non-stop society, there are countless things that can sabotage our energy reserves. Common “energy-sucks” (as I favourably call them) are as follows… Improper or irregular diet (Those who avoid breakfast: TAKE NOTE!) Abandonment of exercise ( Endorphins carry energy! USE THEM!) Overuse of stimulants – coffee, energy drinks, processed sugar, starchy carbohydrates, etc. Lack of sleep (Shoot for 7-8 hours on a regular basis) Emotional restraint (suppressing anger, frustration, resentment, anxiety, fear, guilt, sadness, jealousy, etc. requires a lot of energy) These symptoms can exacerbate (or often times set off) hormonal and endocrine imbalances in the body such as thyroid dysfunction, adrenal insufficiency, menstrual cycle irregularities and diabetes. Stagnated emotions wreck havoc in our bodies, which trip off alarms in our mind-body. Chemical receptors in the brain such as serotonin and dopamine become depleted and inefficient, while cortisol (our body’s inflammatory response) and norepinephrine (our fight-or-flight stress hormone) gets jacked up to the nines. “Energy-sucks” create an overly acidic environment in our […]

Read post

Topics

Archive

Top