Why is my acupuncturist asking about my period when I came in for a frozen shoulder?

I practice acupuncture in Park Slope, Brooklyn which is on the outskirts of New York City. I have a busy practice because I work in one of the busiest places on the planet and also because I work with a chiropractor. A good majority of my clients have never tried acupuncture before coming to me. What I have realized over the years is that a lot of people have absolutely no clue how acupuncture works, how I choose the points, what I am feeling in the pulse and why I am talking about things like Liver and Spleen all the time. I decided to try and shed light on some of the ways my mind is working when I get someone on the treatment table. It is an interesting process and I feel there is no reason why my clients can’t understand exactly how my mind is working when I go about my acupuncture treatments.

Most people who visit an acupuncturist have what we would call a chief complaint. They have one particular reason why they are seeking treatment. Unlike Western medical practitioners, an acupuncturist is considering the whole picture of the person, not just the symptom in question. Thus begins the mystery.

The topic of this article will be the importance of the history of the body and the emotions. This is where my mind begins when meeting a client for the first time. Everyone’s body has a story to tell. The way the energy flows or does not flow in the body has much to do with the physical and emotional traumas the body has endured over the years.

Some examples of physical traumas are car accidents, broken bones, sprains, surgeries, scars, diseases. I also am interested in what diseases manifested during childhood, family history of disease, athleticism in childhood and teen years. Since I have additional training in Myofascial Release Therapy, which is a physical therapy that involves treatment of the fascia, I want to know about every instance where the fascia was torn or cut. This will have an impact on the way the meridians of energy are flowing or not flowing.

Examples of emotional traumas would include death of a parent or spouse, divorce, history of addiction in self or family, abuse, violence, muggings. All of these disrupt the natural flow of life and the natural flow of energy in the body. They will all contribute to the manifestation of illness or imbalance which leads to symptoms and are what I keep in mind when choosing points and methods to use for treatment. Many times emotional traumas haven’t been fully experienced and released and are therefore still taking up energy that the body may need for other functions.

These are all examples of how individual life paths contribute to the story our illness is trying to tell. In order for me to understand how the body ended up imbalanced, I must understand the story the body tells. There is tremendous power that is unleashed when we begin to listen to a patients story.

Join Mary Hart and Rebecca Curtis on April 14th for a free class at the Park Slope Food Coop.

Anyone diagnosed with PMS, Fibroids or PCOS knows how frustrating it can be to try to get solutions from Western Medical Practitioners that don’t involve surgery, biopsies or birth control pills.  To lose a week out of every month due to physical pain and emotional discomfort is like living your life on a bad rollercoaster!

There are alternative answers and viewpoints to what Western Medicine has to say and Saturday, February 4^th, I’m teaming up with Holistic Health Coach Extraordinaire Rebecca Curtis to give you this priceless insider information.

• Participants will learn five effective, natural ways to eliminate fibroids, cysts, and PMS.
• We will explain the underlying causes of these conditions and how to resolve them using holistic and eastern medicine.
• We will show how to boost energy and clarity through beneficial diet, appropriate exercise, and the use of natural supplements
• This class will provide the supportive environment participants need to identify and implement the changes that will improve their health.

Send me an email if you or someone you know may be interested in attending.  There is limited availabilty so reserve your spot now.

For more Information Click here http://healingheartacupuncture.com/presenting-mary-hart-february-4-2012/

Allergies are seen as a hyper-activity of the immune system.  So its solution always comes in the form of aiding the body in becoming more harmonious with its environment so the protective mechanism, the immune system, isn’t working so hard.  One way we do this is by calming the central nervous system and the second way we do this is by making sure the body’s detoxification systems are moving and working well.

When someone is constantly stressed, the stress hormones of the body have been working overtime.  This has tremendous costs to the body’s systems as whole.  Everyone knows that when you are anxious and nervous – all sensations in your environment seem more intense – car horns, voices, crowds, perfumes, reaction to food, reaction to people.  This includes environmental allergens like pollen and mold.  The calmer your system is, the less you are going to react to all of these things.  Acupuncture is one of the most effectives ways to calm your system as a whole down.

Your body’s three main detoxification filters are your kidneys, your liver, and your large intestine.  When those filters fill up and stop moving – they become toxic.  This toxicity leaches into the bloodstream causing even more strain on the detox system.  This wreaks havoc on the immune system.  One sign that your detoxification systems are strained and need help is acne or skin disturbances.  When these three main filters are not functioning optimally, your body will excrete toxins through the skin.

If this is you, call the office today and let’s get you started back on the road to health.

I have learned that aging has a lot to do with how we digest food which from a western perspective makes so much sense.  We get most of our nutrients from food and water and those nutrients supply our tissues with the energy they need to stay supple and moist.  If we have poor or sluggish digestion, the proper nutrients are not reaching the tissues of our face because the body has to send them elsewhere to keep the organs functioning and healthy.

In the Chinese Meridian system, the major channel of the face is the Stomach channel.  The stomach channel supplies most of the sense organs with energy  – the mouth, the nose and the eyes.  If the digestion is poor, the channel will be empty in some places and blocked off in other places.  It will be difficult for the energy of the channel to fill the facial section with the nourishing energy it needs to keep the musculature and soft tissues toned and tight.

Acupuncture facials are a popular option at my park slope acupuncture practice due to women’s interest in natural alternatives to anti-aging.  Facial rejuvenation acupuncture is so great because along with the facial you will be experiencing a rejuvenating acupuncture treatment as well.  The treatment focuses on the stomach channel of the body – making sure it is moving and flowing with balance and ease.  You will see a difference in your body’s ability to turn food into energy as well as a renewed vibrancy and youthfulness to the tissues of the face.

The facial rejuvenation acupuncture is applied twice a week for 6 weeks and most women report significant changes after the seventh treatment.  Women report an increase in elasticity, improvement to the tone and texture of the skin, a youthful glow and a decrease in stress lines and wrinkles.

Acupuncture is a time tested, natural and safe solution to the problem of aging skin.  It is also a great way to nourish your digestive system and treat yourself to some serious self-care.  Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is a great way to effectively fight the signs of aging without compromising the health of your body as a whole.