All Ways Well
wishes you a Happy Chinese New Year!!
January 23rd marks Chinese New Year - the Year of the Water Dragon!
Rebecca is offering her semi-annual 3 Treatment Special from now through February 29th!
Packages can be purchased by clicking HERE or by visiting Rebecca's website at allwayswell.com and clicking the "Gift Certificate" link at the top.
Packages can be purchased as a gift for someone else or a "gift" for yourself as well! Treatments do not expire, purchase today!
Year of the Water Dragon
The Dragon is a powerful symbol in Chinese culture - a symbol of strength, wealth and power. The Dragon can also be a transformative symbol, and with the flowing energy of water behind it, 2012 is poised to be a year marked by change and growth. Things should be looking up this year compared to last, and is an especially good year for new ventures and for having babies!
3 Treatment Special is On!
Yes! As mentioned above, my three treatment special is back for Chinese New Year! Available online and in office from now through February 29th purchase any package of 3 Acupuncture or 3 Foot Reflexology treatmnts for $30 off. Use the links above in the header to purchase, visit my website and click the Gift Certificate link at the top or click HERE to buy now. They make great Valentines Day gifts too and they don't expire!
Birthday Card Snafoo
Happy Birthday! A card in the mail recently read yet... it may not be your birthday for several months... hmm.... I had a little birthday card snafoo which I must apologize for. Rest assured that I have not forgotten or misrecorded your special day, I just had a little mailing mishap and I apologize for the confusion.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Happy New Year!
Hey Amazing Patients,
Here's wishing you a Happy New Year!
Remember that Acupuncture is a great way to help you reach your health and wellness goals in the Year of the Water Dragon. My new year resolution - eat less sugar (its my weakness) and increase my Yelp reviews!
Please take a moment to review me if you have a chance, and book online for 2012 now! Have a great day! ~ Rebecca
here are some yelp reviews:
"Rebecca is an amazing LAc. She brings so much in personality alone, but behind her warm and balanced demeanor is a very bright, informed and well educated..."
-- Libby G.
"5/14/08 Update: I never would have believed it. I went to Rebecca for pain relieve from uterine fibroids and they actually got smaller! I just had a..."
-- Jenny G.
Remember that Acupuncture is a great way to help you reach your health and wellness goals in the Year of the Water Dragon. My new year resolution - eat less sugar (its my weakness) and increase my Yelp reviews!
Please take a moment to review me if you have a chance, and book online for 2012 now! Have a great day! ~ Rebecca
here are some yelp reviews:
"Rebecca is an amazing LAc. She brings so much in personality alone, but behind her warm and balanced demeanor is a very bright, informed and well educated..."
-- Libby G.
"5/14/08 Update: I never would have believed it. I went to Rebecca for pain relieve from uterine fibroids and they actually got smaller! I just had a..."
-- Jenny G.
December 2011 Newsletter
In This Issue:
** Give the Gift of Wellness This Holiday Season!
**Treating Insomnia and Fatigue with Acupuncture
**Thanks for Tuning In! Book On-line Anytime!
Give the Gift of Wellness
Black Friday has come and gone and holiday shopping is in full force. If you're having a hard time finding a gift for your loved ones, please consider giving the gift of wellness this holiday season! Gift certificates from All Ways Well can be bought online and downloaded instantly or purchased in office in any amount. They make great gifts that can help someone start a path to wellness that may well last a lifetime.
Treating Insomnia and Fatigue
An estimated 32 million Americans suffer from insomnia and if you have ever been part of their ranks, you know that insomnia affects a lot more than just your sleep. It affects your energy, your stress level, your emotions and can contribute to chronic illnesses over time. In Chinese medicine there are many different causes for insomnia, and the specific symptoms such as more trouble falling asleep versus staying asleep, or having a running mind keeping you up, point to the specific cause for each individual. In general, however, the Heart and the Kidney are almost always involved in one way or another. The Kidney is the root of your Qi, it is also the water element associated with Winter. The Heart houses the Shen or Spirit and determines your presence of mind at any given moment. Dominated by Fire it is associated with Summer. Kidney water and Heart fire dynamically balance each other to create Yin Yang harmony and this is a major factor in the quality of your sleep.
Another common contributor to insomnia is stress which negatively affects the nervous system over time. Furthermore, in Chinese medicine stress affects the Liver which in turn governs the nervous system. Acupuncture in particular has a calming affect on your nerves. It can fast track your body to a parasympathetic or "rest and digest" state which reduces Liver Qi stagnation and stress, increases the calm quiet energy needed to nourish the Kidneys which will balance the fire of the heart to promote sleep, increase energy and decrease anxiousness.
Combined (as necessary) with lifestyle changes, Chinese herbs and general supplementation, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can be very effective in increasing energy, decreasing stress and anxiety and improving the quality of your sleep.
Thanks for Tuning In!
As usual thanks again for tuning in! If you are interested in more information please don't hesitate to call or book on-line. Free 15 minute consultations in person or over the phone are always available which you can book via phone at (503)445-8888 or on-line as well if you have more specific questions.
Looking forward to seeing you! ~Rebecca
** Give the Gift of Wellness This Holiday Season!
**Treating Insomnia and Fatigue with Acupuncture
**Thanks for Tuning In! Book On-line Anytime!
Give the Gift of Wellness
Black Friday has come and gone and holiday shopping is in full force. If you're having a hard time finding a gift for your loved ones, please consider giving the gift of wellness this holiday season! Gift certificates from All Ways Well can be bought online and downloaded instantly or purchased in office in any amount. They make great gifts that can help someone start a path to wellness that may well last a lifetime.
Treating Insomnia and Fatigue
An estimated 32 million Americans suffer from insomnia and if you have ever been part of their ranks, you know that insomnia affects a lot more than just your sleep. It affects your energy, your stress level, your emotions and can contribute to chronic illnesses over time. In Chinese medicine there are many different causes for insomnia, and the specific symptoms such as more trouble falling asleep versus staying asleep, or having a running mind keeping you up, point to the specific cause for each individual. In general, however, the Heart and the Kidney are almost always involved in one way or another. The Kidney is the root of your Qi, it is also the water element associated with Winter. The Heart houses the Shen or Spirit and determines your presence of mind at any given moment. Dominated by Fire it is associated with Summer. Kidney water and Heart fire dynamically balance each other to create Yin Yang harmony and this is a major factor in the quality of your sleep.
Another common contributor to insomnia is stress which negatively affects the nervous system over time. Furthermore, in Chinese medicine stress affects the Liver which in turn governs the nervous system. Acupuncture in particular has a calming affect on your nerves. It can fast track your body to a parasympathetic or "rest and digest" state which reduces Liver Qi stagnation and stress, increases the calm quiet energy needed to nourish the Kidneys which will balance the fire of the heart to promote sleep, increase energy and decrease anxiousness.
Combined (as necessary) with lifestyle changes, Chinese herbs and general supplementation, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can be very effective in increasing energy, decreasing stress and anxiety and improving the quality of your sleep.
Thanks for Tuning In!
As usual thanks again for tuning in! If you are interested in more information please don't hesitate to call or book on-line. Free 15 minute consultations in person or over the phone are always available which you can book via phone at (503)445-8888 or on-line as well if you have more specific questions.
Looking forward to seeing you! ~Rebecca
Thursday, November 3, 2011
November 2011 All Ways Well Newsletter - Cold Weather Colds & Flus
In This Issue:
**Cold Weather Colds & Flus
*Strenghten Qi with Acupuncture, Cupping & Gua Sha
**Thanks for Tuning In! Book On-line Anytime!
---------------------
Cold Weather Colds & Flus
I don't know about you, but I'm already getting reports of colds and flus sweeping through local communities from patients and friends alike. With the holidays coming fast and school in full swing, it is an especially difficult time to be sick. In Chinese medicine, colds and flus are due to a combination of external factors that "invade" the body. When your energy or Qi is weakened or depleted, these "external (or evil) pathogenic invaders" can make their way inside and get you sick. The solution? Herbs, acupuncture, rest, cupping and gua sha!
Strengthen Qi with Acupuncture, Cupping & Gua Sha
A constant addition to Fall and Winter treatments, therefore, is strengthening your Qi to keep your immunity boosted during entry to the cold and flu season. In addition to syndrome differentiation related points (i.e. acupuncture points for your specific and individual needs), this means Lung, Spleen and Stomach channel points to tonify Qi. Energetically, the Spleen and Stomach are responsible for creating Qi and this Qi is disseminated throughout the body to perform various functions.
Energetically the Lungs not only govern the Lung organs themselves, but also create Wei Qi or Protective Qi. This Qi circulates on the outside of the body during the day to fend off those nasty invaders and keep you well. If your Spleen, Stomach or Lungs are suffering, your immunity will too. Sometimes when you are at that first onset of a cold, the invaders are trapped in the external energetic layers, perhaps embroiled in an epic battle with your Wei Qi. At this stage, we can give your Wei Qi a helping hand through the addition of Cupping or Gua Sha. Cupping is the placement of warmed glass cups on the back while Gua Sha is also called spooning (don't laugh!) or scraping. It sounds strange, but it is very effective - by creating suction with the cups or scraping the skin with a ceramic spoon or specific Gua Sha tool, you release what is called "sha" or stagnation from the body. This opens the upper layers energetically or the "wind gates" where colds and flus enter the body. This helps you vent out the pathogen directly - thus giving your Qi a helping hand to expel said evil and help you heal. Discoloration of the skin is common, but no bruising bleeding or pain - the more color you see, the more sha or stagnation you have to release.
Haven't been in for a while? Seeing people get sick around you? Now is the time for a tune up. Don't hesitate to call, email, or go online to book today. If you're interested in cupping or gua sha, let me know. If you don't feel up to needles but want to try these therapies, we can do that too! Book a cupping or gua sha only treatment online anytime.
Thanks for Tuning In!
As usual thanks again for tuning in! If you are interested in more information please don't hesitate to call or book on-line. Free 15 minute consultations in person or over the phone are always available which you can book via phone at (503)445-8888 or on-line as well if you have more specific questions. Looking forward to seeing you!
~Rebecca
Friday, October 28, 2011
Review Me on Thumbtack!
 | |||
| All Ways Well Acupuncture - Gentle and Effective! I just posted my service All Ways Well Acupuncture - Gentle and Effective! on Thumbtack. Now my clients can learn more about my service and even book me without picking up the phone. Would you mind leaving a short testimonial about your experience with me? Your testimonial will make my posts appear higher in search results which helps me find more customers. Leave a testimonial now! Thanks! All Ways Well, LLC | |||
| |||
|
Thursday, October 13, 2011
October 2011 - IBS
In This Issue:
**Irritable Bowel Syndrome
*The Spleen-Stress Connection
*Allergy Related IBS
**Thanks for Tuning In! Book On-line Anytime!
---------------------
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable Bowel Syndrome has become an epidemic in our country. In the US alone it is estimated that 10-15% of people suffer from IBS making it the most common gastrointestinal disorder. It was a battle with IBS that brought me to acupuncture. It is an illness I feel especially strong about treating and one that is close to my heart.
The causes of IBS can be varied, and not always clearly understood by western medicine. Stress related IBS and food allergy related IBS are the most common recognized triggers though IBS can "hit" with no noticeable trigger at all. IBS itself is a functional problem - the large intestine will spasm and tighten which disrupts peristalsis (the normal motility of the intestines) causing pain, bloating, discomfort, bowel irregularities and even malnutrition in extreme cases.
There are western medicines available, but if you can identify and treat the cause - such as stress or allergies - you can go a long way to alleviating or even eliminating symptoms. In some cases, Chinese medicine can be completely curative using a combination of herbs and acupuncture. After suffering daily for 5 years with no help from western medicine myelf (pharmaceuticals had not yet been developed for IBS at that time), I went to see an acupuncturist and after 3 months of weekly acupuncture and daily bulk herbal treatments, my symptoms completely abated.
In Chinese medicine there can be many different causes for IBS - internal dampness, damp heat in the large intestine, a spleen qi deficiency or weakness, liver qi stagnation - the list goes on and on, but there is always an identifiable energetic cause. The energetic cause determines your course of treatment
The Spleen-Stress Connection
The most common energetic cause for IBS in the US is a very straighforward syndrome called Liver Overacting Spleen. The Liver is energetically responsible for smoothing the digestion, smoothing the emotions and moving or coursing Qi through the body. As the Wood element, it thrives on constant movement, change and growth. The Spleen governs digestion and is responsible for taking the water that you drink and the food that you eat and turning it into energy for your body to use. It represents the Earth element. The Liver is especially sensitive to stress - when you become stressed out your Qi can't move and course as well, the Liver becomes constrained or congested by the "traffic jam" and it begins to back up and generate heat. Due to a specific relationship between the Spleen and the Liver, when the Liver gets backed up, it dumps the excess on the Spleen - attacking or overacting upon it - which impairs the Spleen's function and can cause IBS symptoms. Ever get really stressed and have bowel changes before a test or big event? THAT is the classic Liver Overacting Spleen scenario.
Coursing the Liver Qi and tonifying the Spleen with acupuncture and Chinese herbs is highly effective for this type of IBS syndrome.
Allergy Related IBS
Food allergies are the other major identified cause of irritable bowel syndrome. Most common allergenic offenders are Wheat (gluten), Soy, Eggs, Dairy and Corn. These can cause much more than just IBS type symptoms including everything from general malaise and fatigue to body aches and pains, congestion and seasonal allergy type symptoms and more. The best way to identify if one of these foods is a trigger is to pursue an Elimination Diet which is a two month course of eating simple foods and then testing yourself by eating the possible offenders one by one and seeing what happens. If and or when you identify an allergen, you cut it out of your diet for at least 6 months to give your body time to recover and then you can try it again and see how you do. Food allergies and sensitivities can change over time if you give your body enough of a break so even thought it is tough, it is worth it to try.
In Chinese medicine food allergies are most commonly caused by a Spleen Qi Deficiency. Sometimes we can tonify the Spleen Qi enough to eliminate the allergy, though you still need to avoid the allergen during tonification to give your Spleen a chance to heal. There are also a number of accessory Acupuncture treatments such as AAT and NAET that are said to completely cure allergies with acupuncture or acupressure alone. While I am not certified in these therapies, I can tell you more and direct you to practitioners who are.
Thanks for Tuning In!
As usual thanks again for tuning in! If you are interested in more information please don't hesitate to call or book on-line. Free 15 minute consultations in person or over the phone are always available which you can book via phone at (503)445-8888 or on-line as well if you have more specific questions.
Looking forward to seeing you!
~Rebecca
**Irritable Bowel Syndrome
*The Spleen-Stress Connection
*Allergy Related IBS
**Thanks for Tuning In! Book On-line Anytime!
---------------------
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable Bowel Syndrome has become an epidemic in our country. In the US alone it is estimated that 10-15% of people suffer from IBS making it the most common gastrointestinal disorder. It was a battle with IBS that brought me to acupuncture. It is an illness I feel especially strong about treating and one that is close to my heart.
The causes of IBS can be varied, and not always clearly understood by western medicine. Stress related IBS and food allergy related IBS are the most common recognized triggers though IBS can "hit" with no noticeable trigger at all. IBS itself is a functional problem - the large intestine will spasm and tighten which disrupts peristalsis (the normal motility of the intestines) causing pain, bloating, discomfort, bowel irregularities and even malnutrition in extreme cases.
There are western medicines available, but if you can identify and treat the cause - such as stress or allergies - you can go a long way to alleviating or even eliminating symptoms. In some cases, Chinese medicine can be completely curative using a combination of herbs and acupuncture. After suffering daily for 5 years with no help from western medicine myelf (pharmaceuticals had not yet been developed for IBS at that time), I went to see an acupuncturist and after 3 months of weekly acupuncture and daily bulk herbal treatments, my symptoms completely abated.
In Chinese medicine there can be many different causes for IBS - internal dampness, damp heat in the large intestine, a spleen qi deficiency or weakness, liver qi stagnation - the list goes on and on, but there is always an identifiable energetic cause. The energetic cause determines your course of treatment
The Spleen-Stress Connection
The most common energetic cause for IBS in the US is a very straighforward syndrome called Liver Overacting Spleen. The Liver is energetically responsible for smoothing the digestion, smoothing the emotions and moving or coursing Qi through the body. As the Wood element, it thrives on constant movement, change and growth. The Spleen governs digestion and is responsible for taking the water that you drink and the food that you eat and turning it into energy for your body to use. It represents the Earth element. The Liver is especially sensitive to stress - when you become stressed out your Qi can't move and course as well, the Liver becomes constrained or congested by the "traffic jam" and it begins to back up and generate heat. Due to a specific relationship between the Spleen and the Liver, when the Liver gets backed up, it dumps the excess on the Spleen - attacking or overacting upon it - which impairs the Spleen's function and can cause IBS symptoms. Ever get really stressed and have bowel changes before a test or big event? THAT is the classic Liver Overacting Spleen scenario.
Coursing the Liver Qi and tonifying the Spleen with acupuncture and Chinese herbs is highly effective for this type of IBS syndrome.
Allergy Related IBS
Food allergies are the other major identified cause of irritable bowel syndrome. Most common allergenic offenders are Wheat (gluten), Soy, Eggs, Dairy and Corn. These can cause much more than just IBS type symptoms including everything from general malaise and fatigue to body aches and pains, congestion and seasonal allergy type symptoms and more. The best way to identify if one of these foods is a trigger is to pursue an Elimination Diet which is a two month course of eating simple foods and then testing yourself by eating the possible offenders one by one and seeing what happens. If and or when you identify an allergen, you cut it out of your diet for at least 6 months to give your body time to recover and then you can try it again and see how you do. Food allergies and sensitivities can change over time if you give your body enough of a break so even thought it is tough, it is worth it to try.
In Chinese medicine food allergies are most commonly caused by a Spleen Qi Deficiency. Sometimes we can tonify the Spleen Qi enough to eliminate the allergy, though you still need to avoid the allergen during tonification to give your Spleen a chance to heal. There are also a number of accessory Acupuncture treatments such as AAT and NAET that are said to completely cure allergies with acupuncture or acupressure alone. While I am not certified in these therapies, I can tell you more and direct you to practitioners who are.
Thanks for Tuning In!
As usual thanks again for tuning in! If you are interested in more information please don't hesitate to call or book on-line. Free 15 minute consultations in person or over the phone are always available which you can book via phone at (503)445-8888 or on-line as well if you have more specific questions.
Looking forward to seeing you!
~Rebecca
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)