General Archives - Page 6 of 7 - Marilyn Yohe - Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine

Acupuncture for Smoking Cessation

Acupuncture treatment can be a great support for the process of stopping smoking. People report that it helps decrease cravings, and soothes the physical and emotional tension associated with withdrawal. Evidence also indicates that it significantly increases the chances of kicking the habit.

One study assigned 46 smokers to two groups. One group was treated at points recognized for their anti-smoking effect, while the other was given acupuncture at points assumed to have no effect for smoking cessation.

At the end of treatment, 31% of the subjects in the active treatment group had quit smoking completely, compared with none in the control group.

Acupuncture for Sports Injuries

As we become more active in the warm weather, we may also encounter some injuries. These may be acute, such as an ankle sprain, broken bone, or dislocated joint; or they may be repetitive injuries, like tennis elbow or shin splints.

To prevent injury, it’s helpful to ease into new activities gradually, stretch before and after exercise, and be mindful of how your body is feeling. Keeping an eye on those milder aches and pains, and caring for them early, can help you avoid a full-blown injury later.

If you do get injured, acupuncture can help speed the healing process by increasing the flow of qi and blood to the injured area, bringing down swelling and inflammation, relieving pain, and helping to restore a normal range of motion. Continue reading

Herbs and Acupuncture for Poison Ivy

One of the hazards of summer is poison ivy. Poison ivy loves to grow at the border between open space and trees; it is found in this area along wooded paths, around lakes, and at the edges of yards and highways.

Poison ivy rash is caused by an allergic reaction to the oils on its leaves. The rash often appears on legs or hands, where it is easy to brush up against the plant. The oils can be spread by touch until they are washed away.

Symptoms include intense itching, red bumps, and fluid-filled, weeping blisters. Some individuals with severe allergy may experience a systemic reaction with itching and rash over much of the body. Continue reading

Acupuncture for Allergies

OOOPs! Here’s the real link to the Haiti Acupuncture training video:

Although many of us are happy to see signs of spring, for some it’s also the dreaded approach of pollen season. Many people suffer from allergies in the springtime, with symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, congestion, headaches, fogginess, and itchy, watery eyes.

Allergies are basically an overactive, or misplaced, immune response: the body reacts as though the pollen, or other allergen, is a terribly dangerous substance that must be flushed out at all costs. For unknown reasons, the immune system releases large amounts of antibodies in response to an essentially harmless substance. Continue reading

Self-Care for Allergies

Here are some suggestions for taking care of yourself during allergy season!

Reduce exposure to allergens: This is an important first step, because it is difficult to calm the body’s immune response when it is being constantly irritated. If you don’t know what you’re allergic to, visit an allergist and find out (this is especially useful for year-round allergy sufferers, who may find it hard to isolate the cause of symptoms). If seasonal pollen is the problem, you can protect yourself by closing windows and using air conditioning, which filters out many allergens. Pollen counts are highest in the morning and on windy days, so plan your outdoor time accordingly.

Chinese Medicine for Stress

Whatever your lifestyle or personal challenges, stress is something all of us experience! And, as we all know, it is something that affects our health and happiness in many different ways.

Chinese medicine excels in understanding and relieving stress and its effects on the body. We may think of stress as a modern issue; but classical Chinese medical texts frequently list emotional strain or upset as a cause of disease. Optimum health depends on the smooth flow of energy, or qi, through the body’s systems. And stress, tension, and unhappiness of all kinds can block that flow. If you’ve ever noticed what your body feels like at the end of a busy, lonely, or high-pressured day, you know what I’m talking about. Continue reading

Acupressure for Stress

Liver 3

Liver 3 is on the top of the foot, about two finger widths above the web between the big toe and second toe. Find the soft area between the two bones where they come together to form a “V”. Gently massaging this point with the tip of your finger for 30-60 seconds (or longer) can help relieve stress and improve energy flow.This point is also helpful for headaches, irritability, insomnia, depression, and eye problems.