Black sesame is one of the many foods that nourish the Kidneys, which are associated with the Water element and have energy that peaks during the winter season. In Chinese Medicine, the Kidneys store vital essence, or jing- one of the five fundamental substances and the source of living organisms. Healthy jing means great energy levels, healthy bones and teeth, and dark, thick hair!  

Acupuncture offers a research-backed, non-drug option that may help many people with the frustrating diagnosis of fibromyalgia feel and function better. Research suggests it can do so by influencing the body’s own pain‑modulating chemicals, including a messenger called neuropeptide Y.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is surprisingly common in pregnancy and can make everyday tasks—like holding a phone, typing, or even sleeping—much more uncomfortable. During this important time, many women prefer to limit medications, which is one reason acupuncture can be a great fit during pregnancy as a gentle, non-drug option for relief.

Around the New Year is when many of our patients start to talk about “detoxing” in order to get their health back on track. It seems like a natural inclination, especially if the holidays encouraged a freer intake of sugars, pastries and alcohol. However, expensive kits, concoctions and "crash cleanses" can be a bit overrated.

Two separate systematic reviews by Cochrane Researchers show that acupuncture is an effective treatment for prevention of headaches and migraines. One study focused on mild to moderate but frequent "tension-type" headaches, while the other focused on more severe but less frequent headaches usually termed migraines. Together the two studies included 33 trials, involving a total of 6,736 patients.

If you’ve ever had jaw pain that makes it hard to chew, talk, or even relax, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with TMJ syndrome (short for temporomandibular joint syndrome). The TMJ is the small but mighty hinge that connects your jawbone to your skull. When it’s irritated or out of balance, it can lead to pain, stiffness, clicking, headaches, or even ear discomfort.

For our patients who get confused about this term I can’t blame you. “Dry needling" refers to a Western style of needling that emerged more or less independently of East Asian acupuncture techniques over the past century. It’s called “dry” because non-acupuncturist clinicians used to think they needed to inject substances into trigger points to get the clinical results they later found they could achieve with a solid needle. 

In my training as a traditional Eastern medicine practitioner I was taught that chewing is important for digestion and assimilation, as well as avoiding overconsumption of raw foods— these can overburden our digestion, causing stagnation, accumulation and coldness. Therefore I previously did not like smoothies that much. However, I learned about a recipe that is a cooked cruciferous vegetable smoothie designed for detoxification.

Back-to-school season is exciting—but let’s be honest, it can also be A LOT. Between shopping for supplies, packing lunches, setting earlier bedtimes, and juggling homework or sports schedules, it’s easy to feel stretched thin. Kids can feel the pressure too, which often shows up as anxious moods, stomachaches, trouble sleeping, or endless energy crashes.

Drugs, injections, surgeries-- sometimes they offer a quick fix, but often they don't. Or they just play whack-a-mole with a fundamental health imbalance that keeps coming back, again and again. It's an everyday occurrence for us acupuncturists to see patients who are at the end of the line with their treatment options. Sick and tired of being sick and tired.