Chiropractic

5 Tips to Stay Healthy Seasonal changes affect the body's environment. With wind, rain, and snow come the cold and flu viruses, which are often accompanied with aches and pains. Guard yourself this season with these five tips: 1. Boost your Wei Qi If you catch colds easily, have low energy and require a long time recuperating from an illness, your Wei Qi may be deficient. Once the nature of an imbalance has been determined, a customized program can be created for you. 2. Schedule a Seasonal Tune-Up Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can prevent colds and flu by building up the immune system. Just a few needles inserted into key points strengthen the circulation of energy and consolidate the outer defense layers of skin and muscle along energy pathways so germs and viruses cannot enter through them. 3. Wash Your Hands Good lifestyle and hygiene habits are also proven to reduce your risk of getting sick. Protect yourself from picking up germs by washing your hands regularly and remembering not to touch your…

Protect Your Lung Qi Lung 7, or LU 7, is one of the most powerful points on the lung meridian points. It is a popular acupuncture point to use for stopping a persistent cough and relieving a sore throat. Besides treating those symptoms, LU 7 is often used to treat conditions related to the head and neck, such as headaches, migraines, stiff neck, facial paralysis, and toothache. LU 7 is considered to be the "command point" of the head and neck and is also used to improve circulation in the brain and stimulate memory. This acupuncture point is located above the wrist on the inside of the arm. To find this point, interlock your thumb and index finger of one hand with those of the other, the point lies on the edge of the index finger, in a depression between the sinew and the bone. Stimulate this point on both hands with the tip of your index finger for approximately 30 seconds or until your cough subsides.

Challenge Your Brain Keep your mind active and challenged. Brain function decreases with age. Studies show that cognitive exercise can improve blood flow to the brain. Spend at least 15 minutes each day on a mental exercise such as a crossword puzzle, journaling or learning a new language in order to slow memory loss. However you choose to exercise your brain, acupuncture can help. Numerous studies suggest that acupuncture can help improve memory, mental clarity, concentration and cognitive function. One recently published study showed how acupuncture can be used to help patients with vascular dementia. Cerebral functional imaging before and after acupuncture treatments showed a significant increase in the cerebral glucose metabolism of the brain, which is associated with improved cognitive function. Other studies have looked at how acupuncture affects the performance of students taking an exam or those with Alzheimer's disease and memory impairment induced by diabetes and cerebral ischemia. All results, thus far, have been positive.

The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels, and is responsible for carrying nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and removing carbon dioxide and other waste from them. Diseases affecting the cardiovascular system include arteriosclerosis, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, hypertension, orthostatic hypotension, shock, endocarditis, diseases of the aorta and its branches, disorders of the peripheral vascular system and congenital heart disease. Symptoms women are more likely to experience include shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, back or jaw pain, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen and extreme fatigue. By integrating acupuncture and Oriental medicine into a heart-healthy lifestyle, you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 80 percent. Steps to prevention include managing high blood pressure and cholesterol, eating healthy, maintaining a healthy weight, physical activity, reducing stress, improving sleep quality and smoking cessation--all of which can be helped with acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Five Steps to a Healthy Heart with Acupuncture 1. Manage High Blood Pressure High…

A class of plant chemicals known as bioflavonoids has been found to dramatically reduce inflammation and improve symptoms associated with autoimmune disorders. Tea Both green and black tea contain the flavonoids catechin and theaflavin, which are beneficial in treating autoimmune disease. Apples Apples (with the skin on) contain the flavonoid quercetin, which can reduce allergic reactions and decrease inflammation. Quercetin also occurs naturally in other foods, such as berries, red grapes, red onions, capers and black tea. Carrots Carotenoids are a family of plant pigments that include beta-carotene. A lack of carotenoids in the diet is can cause inflammation. Good sources of carotenoids include apricots, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach, kale, butternut squash and collard greens. Garlic Garlic contains a compound called allicin which supports the immune system and has both antimicrobial and antioxidant qualities. Research suggests that components of garlic may reduce the incidence of cancer cell formation in the body in much the same way vitamin C does. Ginger Ginger contains compounds called gingerols that reduce inflammation in the body by…