Tag Archive for: prevention

Taking care of your body during the summer

in /by

summer yogaThe summer is a wonderful time to spend with family, take vacations, and enjoy the weather. But, warm weather activities and summertime come with negative effects on the body such as heat exhaustion, dehydration, sun burns, injuries, stressful schedules and so much more. These are just a few of the issues that I see during the summer.

At To The Point Acupuncture, I help my patients have the best summer of their lives and experience new things that were too stressful before. To make sure that this summer is the best one so far, there are a few health tips I recommend to put in place to stay happy, healthy, and protected this summer.

I always suggest scheduling the following tasks to make sure that the summer of 2016 is the best one yet:

  1. Drink a Lot of Water. It sounds simple, but this is one of the biggest things I have to remind my patients about. The majority of the heat based issues listed above can be prevented by drinking water. Wondering how much water is enough? On average, a normal adult should have approximately 64 ounces of water per day.
  2. Take Frequent Breaks. Frequent breaks are a great way to prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration, but can also help prevent any outdoor injuries. However, if a sports injury occurs, give me a call so we can help alleviate the pain and resolve any further issues.
  3. Schedule an Acupuncture Appointment. Although everyone is different, one acupuncture treatment per month works very well for most people for maintenance and prevention. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and acupuncture in particular, is a great way to keep healthy during the summer months. If an injury has already occurred, a weekly appointment with a Raleigh acupuncturist is best.

Balancing kid’s schedules in the summer can be very stressful and lead to anxiety; acupuncture is a great solution for this issue. The summer sun can also cause headaches and migraines which acupuncture has been proven to alleviate.

Never tried acupuncture before? The summer of 2016 is a great time to meet with a Raleigh acupuncturist for the first time. Contact me, Jill Doan, at To The Point Acupuncture with any questions and to schedule your first acupuncture appointment today.

 

Autumn Leaves

The Key to your Wei-Qi

in , /by

The change of seasons, especially late summer into fall, can also mean the start of cold season. In Chinese medicine, there are 5 Elements. Each are related to a particular season: winter, spring, summer, late summer, and fall. The element associated with the fall is Metal. The two organs associated with this element are the large intestine and the lungs. The lungs help circulate the wei-qi, or defensive qi in our bodies. If the wei-qi is weak, the body’s defense system is down and you are more susceptible to colds and flu. Although we can control much of our everyday life, one thing we cannot control is the constant exposure to germs, bacteria and viruses. Our best defense is to keep our immune system strong enough so that when we encounter these germs we don’t get sick. Acupuncture is very effective at strengthening the body’s immune system. If our lung qi is weak, then our wei-qi is also weak and it can’t circulate properly. By strengthening our lung qi and keeping our energy balanced, we can strengthen our body’s natural resistance to disease.

Herbs can also be very effective in prevention or decreasing the duration of an illness. A common Chinese formula used to build up the body’s natural defenses is called Jade Windscreen, or Yu Ping Feng San. It is a classic formula that dates back over 800 years and it most widely known to treat for the prevention of colds and allergies. It is safe for both adults and children. If a cold or flu is already present in the body, other herbal formulas would be prescribed.

 

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?

  1. Drink plenty of water
  2. Get an adequate amount of sleep (7-8 hours a night is sufficient)
  3. Exercise regularly (aerobic activity a few times a week and muscle strengthening at least twice a week is recommended)
  4. Avoid refined sugars (it taxes and weakens the body’s immune system)
  5. Foods: sweet potatoes, pears, and nuts are foods that strengthen and tonify lung energy. The flavor associated with the fall is pungent. Examples of some pungent foods are: peppers, chilies, onions, mustard, ginger, and garlic.