Health WellNews

Fatigue is defined as extreme tiredness, usually resulting from physical or mental exertion or illness. For most people, their bodies are programmed to be tired at night and alert during the day. However, work, family and other responsibilities frequently require that we ignore these innate programs and interrupt our natural sleep patterns. Statistics show that nearly 43 percent of all people in the workforce report being fatigued on a daily basis. This can ultimately lead to illness, accidents and even death. Fatigue is no joke and needs to be addressed.

Conventional medicine treats chronic fatigue with prescription medications, and while this may work for some, for many others it becomes an addiction. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a better alternative. TCM is a medical system that has been around for nearly 3,000 years. It utilizes multiple modalities to treat fatigue, including acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal formulas and nutrition. To determine the right treatment, a diagnosis must be made first.

TCM diagnosing is quite different from conventional medicine. Eastern Medicine considers the whole person when diagnosing and treating. TCM looks at the patient holistically, considering all aspects, including the mind, the body and the environment of the person. Diagnosis of a person includes inspection and observance of the expressions, colors, appearance, smells and any idiosyncrasies that may be present.

TCM also looks at the patient’s tongue and pulses on both wrists. These two practices are the primary diagnostic tools used in TCM. The tongue and pulses can reveal quite a bit of information about what is going on internally. Different areas of the tongue correspond to body systems and energetic pathways. For example, the tip of the tongue can show irregularities related to the heart and the mind. The rear of the tongue can show irregularities related to the urinary bladder and kidneys and is associated with the emotion of fear. The pulse is also broken down into six locations, three on each side, all of which correspond to a body system and the related energetic pathway.

With fatigue and TCM, there are multiple possible diagnoses, including energy deficiency, blood deficiency, phlegm / dampness accumulation, liver energy stagnation, etc. Each one of these patterns has their own unique symptoms, but they all have one thing in common: feelings of fatigue. While there is not enough time to discuss all of the aforementioned patterns, some of the symptoms can include poor digestion, dizziness, shortness of breath, vision issues, mood swings, irritability, depression, chronic coughing, sinus conditions, poor concentration and mental fogginess.

The modalities mentioned before, such as acupuncture, can help bring balance back into the body, thus correcting the symptoms and alleviating fatigue, over time. Moxibustion can warm the energetic pathways and help remove excessive phlegm accumulation in the body. Herbal formulas can treat any host of symptoms, as can proper nutrition, all of which will most likely be used by the seasoned TCM professional.

If you or somebody you know is suffering from fatigue, contact a licensed acupuncturist in your area. They can walk you through the diagnosis and treatment process and help you get back on the road to recovery.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) supports healthy weight loss by addressing the reasons behind the weight problem.  Is the excess weight due to hormonal imbalances and deficiency?  Is is due to a weakness in the digestive system due to dampness?  Is it due unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle?  Is there an emotional component to it?  Often the weight problem is a combination of more than one reason.  Once the underlying causes for the excess weight is understood, a treatment plan is recommended including acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet recommendations and lifestyle changes.

Here are three causes of obesity according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Hormonal Issues–Testosterone and estrogen are an aspect of yin and yang, the underlying principle in TCM. Yin is feminine, moist, soft, cool, nurturing; estrogen is a hormone that regulates the yin functions of the body. Yang is masculine, muscular, hard, hot, protective; testosterone is a hormone that regulates the yang functions of the body. The natural body seeks homeostasis in all things including the balance of yin and yang, estrogen and testosterone. Over time, with stress, with exposure to toxins, the testosterone and estrogen effectiveness becomes weakened creating an under functioning body in general which means all systems are weakened including the digestive system.  The solution is not to add chemical estrogen or testosterone to the body. The solution is to support the hormonal function with detoxification; herbal support to build hormonal reserves; and support the signally of the normal digestive processes with acupuncture.

Dampness—In TCM the term dampness refers to the stagnation of moisture combined with fat due to the eating of damp inducing foods including greasy, frozen, sugary, sticky and heavy foods. A diet like this causes “dampness” and decreases the overall functioning of the body because a body that is not nourished properly will not create enough qi, energy, to do its work. A patient with fat accumulation will be diagnosed with Damp Spleen. Herbal medicine, acupuncture and diet modification help to dry up the dampness and build the energy of the digestive system to support weight loss and normal healthy functioning of the digestive system.

Eating habits and lifestyle–Irregular eating habits such as overeating, eating quickly, eating at odd times, under eating, emotional eating, eating non-foods such as overly processed chemically laden foods and consuming cold foods impair the function of the digestive system. Stress also causes weight gain as a body in fight flight pattern does not rest and restore. In other words, a body in stress stores fat and deals with it later.  The great news about acupuncture is that no matter what the patient is being treated for, acupuncture induces a feeling of relaxation and offers stress relief for patients.

Learn more about how Traditional Chinese Medicine is proven to help reach weight loss goals here:Auricular Acupuncture Weight Loss Found EffectiveWeight Loss Herbs and Acupuncture

There are many elements to keeping our skin healthy and vibrant. For instance, are we drinking 1/2 of our body weight in ounces of water daily? Are we eating mostly healthy, organic, whole foods?  Are we sleeping 8 hours each night?  All of these things affect how we feel on the inside and how we look on the outside. However, in our busy culture, many people forget to take time to care for their health. This can show on our faces in the form of wrinkles, dry lackluster skin and blemishes.

Along with healthy lifestyle choices, there is another natural solution that is scientifically proven to reduces wrinkles, calm acne and improve the texture of the skin and it’s called low level light therapy available with CellumaPro.

At Nature’s Wisdom Healing Center- Mary Cetan, patients receive the benefits of the natural low level light therapy from the CellumaPRO.  We are professional sellers of these Class II medical devices and offer them to our patients and customers at a price under the manufacturers suggested retail price.

Check out this link to access research and product details.

If you’re someone who spends a lot of the day on the computer, or in a job that requires other repetitive motions in your wrists and hands, you might be experiencing pain.  In some cases, repetitive movements of the wrist and fingers, including typing, can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Characterized by pain in the wrist and hand, carpal tunnel syndrome means the median nerve, which runs from the forearm to the wrist to the hand, has been compressed. This compression causes pain, numbness, tingling and occasional weakness of the wrist, arm and hand.

Conventional medicine treats carpal tunnel syndrome with splints, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and cortisone shots. If drug therapy doesn’t satisfactorily relieve the pain, then surgery is recommended.

Most people who develop wrist pain are given medication and sent to surgery prematurely without being advised to seek out less invasive treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers safe and proven effective treatment. A study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital demonstrated that patients who received traditional acupuncture and a more modern form, electroacupuncture, for carpal tunnel syndrome had a reduction in pain and a remapping of their brain! Before and after magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) proved that the carpal tunnel related damage to the somatosensory cortex was repaired in participants who received acupuncture. This is amazing! People who received acupuncture actually had the benefit of continued improvement from their carpal tunnel syndrome over time and their ability to function improved, too.  Would you like to be one of these people who have lasting pain relief with out the use of drugs and surgery?

Findings published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal refers to a number of studies using acupuncture to treat carpal tunnel sydrome: Electroacupuncture helps ease carpal tunnel in study

Acupuncture is a safer alternative to NSAIDs, cortisone shots and surgery. Studies confirm acupuncture decreases inflammation and restores function to tight muscles and tendons. Studies show acupuncture eliminating the pain by increasing circulation and restoring function. Acupuncture is cheaper, less invasive and has a much higher probability of providing permanent relief.  Consider utilizing acupuncture to treat carpal tunnel syndrome for yourself and also to recommend to others.

Have you seen those dark purple cup marks on the upper back of your favorite celebrity lately and wondered what that was all about? That is from an ancient Chinese medicine technique called cupping, which is a wonderful and effective supplement to an acupuncture treatment.

Cupping describes the practice of Chinese medical practitioners using thick glass cups in certain regions of the body to relieve pain and for other medicinal uses. In what is called “fire cupping,” the acupuncturist takes the glass cup, saturates a cotton ball with alcohol and applies a small flame to the cotton. The cotton is then placed in the glass cup (with lightning speed and accuracy) whereby the oxygen is removed from the glass and the skin is suctioned up tightly. What the cup is doing is drawing pressure out and up. Nowadays, some practitioners use plastic suction cups or cups made of bamboo.

There are two types of cupping: one is “dry cupping” and is the most common. This is where the cup stays put for about five minutes or more. The acupuncturist may in some instances use a small lancet to draw out a tiny amount of blood from an area before placing the cup over the region in what’s called “wet cupping.” The next type is called “moving cupping” and is the most pleasurable experience. This is when oil is put on the skin before the cup is suctioned so that the cup can be moved along a large region, for example, down your back.  This feels like a massage and is very relaxing and helpful for stiffness. Multiple cups are typically used for any of these forms of cupping.

Why cupping?

Cupping promotes blood flow, eases stiffness and pain, especially in the back, neck, and shoulders and lifts tense muscles. By promoting better circulation through cupping, tissues receive vital nutrients and oxygen. Cupping releases stagnation of blood and lymph fluid and removes harmful toxins. It has been shown to help respiratory ailments and the common cold, muscle conditions, stress, arthritis, digestion and gynecological issues.

Cupping feels wonderful during and after treatment, but any bathing suit modeling or cruise vacations should be postponed a few days after therapy due to local redness or purple color and perhaps bruising of the area. You might have a small cup mark, but this is very common, it should dissipate in a couple of days, and is not harmful. Of course, if you experience any other acute complications, see your physician.

Certain conditions are contraindicated for cupping techniques and your acupuncturist will advise against treatment. These conditions include broken skin, skin ulcers, high fever, inflammation, thin skin that bleeds easily, pregnancy (no cupping on the abdomen) and bony areas of the body.

Cupping is an old therapy, and although some patients have mentioned seeing their grandparents apply cupping using glass jars, it is not recommended to self-diagnose or to try fire cupping at home on your own. It can be dangerous and you could get a severe burn or blisters. See your friendly acupuncturist to give you a relaxing cupping treatment that is both safe and effective.