Acupuncture, Acupuncture News, Research

3 Ways to Prepare For Seasonal Changes

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As the transition from summer to fall begins, changes start to happen externally as well as internally. The days become shorter and the air gets cooler; our bodies change to adapt as well. Here are three ways to prepare for the fall season ahead along with the beginning of the yin cycle.

1) Let go of negativity

The autumn season represents the time when positivitythe lungs and large intestine are of the utmost importance. This season is especially an important time to let of negative energy in your life. Negativity doesn’t just affect your psychological health but your physical health as well. You can help get rid toxicity in your life by being aware of the causes and surrounding yourself with positive energy and people who make you happy.

2) Spend time outside

Because fall is focused on the lungs, spending more time outside canoutdoors help strengthen this organ and increase your immune system as cold and flu season starts to emerge. Spend time in nature away from city pollution where you can breathe clean, cool air. Autumn time is the perfect opportunity to do this and refresh and strengthen the lungs.

3) Try acupunctureacupuncture

Acupuncture treatment can help you physically as well as mentally
prepare for the change in seasons. Some find it difficult to let go of the summer season and transition to shorter, cooler days. Acupuncture can ease this transition and make sure your body and energy are flowing properly.

Acupuncture, Acupuncture News, Research

Can Acupuncture Effectively Treat Psoriasis?

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Affecting approximately 125 million people – or about 2-3% of the global population – psoriasis is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in the world. It’s characterized by the chronic formation of skin lesions, red patches, papules and plaque. These formations may appear in localized areas of the body or throughout the entire body, depending on an individual’s condition.

psoriasisPsoriasis is known to trigger intense bouts of itching. The sensation can be so intense that it causes the individual to scratch infection-prone sores into his or her skin. Regardless of how bad it itches, you should never scratch your psoriasis, as it will only make the condition worse.

As with most autoimmune diseases and disorders, psoriasis is caused by an overactive immune system. The immune system is responsible for fending off potentially harmful viral and bacterial infections. It does this by producing key inflammatory hormones. Normally, it produces the right amount of these hormones, but there are times when it produces too much; resulting in conditions such as psoriasis.

The good news is that acupuncture may offer relief of psoriasis and its related symptoms. Acupuncture can have very positive effects on the immune system. When we are sick or dealing with chronic illness, our bodies are not able to function properly. This can be due to the body’s natural energy being restricted or blocked. Acupuncture works by treating the whole body and releasing any abnormalities through acupuncture points. By doing so, the body is able to function as it should and the immune system is strengthened because of this.

With psoriasis, the Spleen 10 xue hai acupuncture point is a popular choice because it targets the immune system.

One study found acupuncture to be effective at treating psoriasis, particularly when western medicine has been exhausted. “Our experience indicates that acupuncture is induced an effective therapeutic modality for psoriasis, particularly when the western medical management is unsuccessful. We speculated about the possible involvement of the cutaneous reticuloendothelial system in the clearance of the skin lesions,” wrote the study’s researchers.

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Sources:

http://1.usa.gov/1eh3vxg

 

Events, News, Notices

Congratulations!

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Photo of winner Stacey Marks holding her Kindle Fire
Stacey Marks, winner of our 2015 Kindle Fire HD drawing!

Congratulations to Stacey Marks, the winner of our Kindle Fire HD drawing!

 

Thank you to everyone who participated.

Special thanks to the donors who participated in our 2015 Anniversary Open House:

  • Homestead Organics
  • Mineshaft Pasty Co.
  • Hamilton Players, Inc.
  • Chapter One Bookstore
  • Moose Creek Barbeque

Thanks for the support of these other community businesses:

  • Coffee Cup Cafe
  • Appearances
  • Clatters Coffeehouse
  • Paper Clip
  • Big Sky Candy
  • Wine Cave
  • Super One Foods
  • Hamilton Market Place
  • Rainbow’s End
Tidbits

Yin Yang Theory

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The Basic Philosophy of Yin and Yang

According to yin yang philosophy the universe, and everything in it, is both constant and cyclical. One force dominates and then it is replaced by the opposing force. This activity continues constantly and repeats itself over time. Examples illustrating the philosophy of yin yang include:

  • Life and death
  • Heaven and earth
  • Night and day
  • Dark and light
  • Health and sickness
  • Cycle of the seasons – Cold to hot

 

The Comparative Sides of Yin Yang Theory

Yin                                                     Yang

  • Shady side of a hill                                          •  Sunny side of a hill
  • Earth                                                                      •  Heaven
  • Cold                                                                        •  Heat
  • Moon                                                                     •  Sun
  • Receptive                                                            •  Active
  • Solid                                                                       •  Hollow
  • Feminine                                                             • Masculine
  • Magnetic                                                             •  Dynamic
  • Downward                                                         •  Upward
  • Night                                                                     •  Day
  • Dark                                                                      •  Bright
Acupuncture, Research

Inner Smile Meditation

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Say “Hi” Inside!

Based upon Taoist meditation practices, the Inner Smile Meditation can have profound effects on your body and mind. This simple meditation suggests that you “smile” to all of your internal organs and glands. It is a way of saying “thank you” to your body for working 24 hours   , 7 days a week!

Below is the Inner Smile Meditation for the main Meridian Organ Systems. For more information, please refer to Mantak Chia’s book, Taoist Ways to Transform Stress into Vitality.

Choose a quiet spot and keep warm throughout the meditation. Sit comfortably at the edge of a chair, feet flat on the ground with your back straight. Breathe deeply and relax. Clasp your hands together, left hand on bottom and right hand on top, palms touching, and rest them in your lap.

Close your eyes and feel a connection between the soles of your feet and the ground. Focus on the midpoint between your eyebrows. Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth. Put a smile on your face and journey down to the wonderfully amazing body that keeps you alive, alert and active.inner smile

  1. Heart – See your heart as a vibrant red color. Focus the energy of “joy” into your heart. Feel it pulse with love. Breathe in and exhale with the sound of HAW.
  2. Lungs – Radiate the feeling in your heart to your lungs. Picture your lungs as pure white. Focus on letting go of sadness and grief. Exhale with the sound of SSSSSS.
  3. Liver – Keep the feeling spilling over into your liver, which is just under your ribs on the right side. Picture it as a vibrant grass-green. When exhaling, let go of anger and frustration with the sound of SHHHH.
  4. Spleen – Continue to the left, under the ribs. Shine a vibrantyellow color into this organ. When you exhale, let go of overthinking and worry, and use the sound of WHOO.
  5. Kidney – Focus your attention on your lower back, just below and under your ribs. Imagine a deep blue-purple light. Breathe in courage and exhale fear. When you exhale, use the sound of WOOO.

Once you have traveled through your body, begin to focus your attention on your navel. Smile down to your navel, and focus your attention there.

Mentally move the energy in a spiral at the navel 36 times. Women start the spiral counterclockwise, men start it clockwise. Next, reverse the spiral direction and bring the energy back into the navel, circling 24 times. You can use a finger to guide the spiral motion.

It is ok if you don’t know the exact locations of your organs. Just bringing awareness to your organs is benefit enough. Your body will love you just the same.

Perform each exercise 9 times, twice a day. These exercises can affect your body and mind, so it is advisable to consult with your healthcare provider.

Improving the community's health and well-being in Hamilton, Montana.