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By Erin, December 14, 2009 9:01 AM

Going in for a facial can not only be an expensive endeavor, but depending on the place also involve harsh products that can be irritating to sensitive skin.  Here is a simple and effective facial you can do at home – using most of what already is in your fridge (plus a couple of extras you can pick up on your next trip to Chinatown).  This facial is great for normalizing skin color, reducing blemishes and the appearance of fine lines.

If you are looking for a facial to remove deep facial lines, wrinkles, or to lift sagging skin, Acupuncture paired with this facial can be of tremendous benefit. Without surgery or botox or collagen, an acupuncture facial gives lasting results for a natural radiance. Special training is necessary to perform cosmetic acupuncture. Please seek out professionals with such certifications or email me and I will help you find someone in your area (I do not have this certification myself, my area of expertise lies more in internal medicine).

Here is the secret, easy, at-home facial straight from my facial acupuncturist to you. Enjoy!

Continue reading 'Easy At-Home Facial & Natural Acne Care'»

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By Erin, November 24, 2009 10:35 AM

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the menstrual cycle is regarded as a major foundation for health and diagnosis in female patients.  Pathology in the body – be it emotional or physical imbalance – will often reflect itself in a woman’s cycle.  With this concept, a woman’s cycle plays a pivotal role in her health care, allowing practitioners to accurately diagnose and treat their patients, and empowering women to understand their body’s signals. Although all of the energetic organ systems play a role in a woman’s cycle, the liver qi is said to have the most specific role (and can therefore most often be the culprit when discomforts arise).

A balanced menstrual cycle is a harmonious flow of energy between yin and yang, at the most fundamental level.  Imbalances of this cycle can manifest as symptoms like: fatigue, pain, breast tenderness, excessive or diminished appetite, nausea, bloating, mood swings, irritability , and water retention. For tips on how to naturally alleviate some common PMS complaints, check here.   Other gynecological manifestations that can occur include endometriosis, PCOS, amenorrhea, infertility, uterine fibroid, adenomyosis, and irregular menstruation.

Although menstrual discomforts often arise a few days prior to or during a woman’s period, the root imbalance can be occurring anywhere in the cycle.  The nature of the complaint and a detailed understanding of a woman’s cycle are the best ways to get a clear idea of the “first domino” causing the problem. Once a woman understands her cycle, she simultaneously understands her fertility and can therefore easily prevent or promote pregnancy. The following is a brief guideline of what is physiologically happening during the various phases of the menstrual cycle, from both western and eastern medicine perspectives. Continue reading 'Your Menstrual Cycle – Broken Down'»

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By Erin, November 20, 2009 10:25 AM

As women we are often taught that the menstrual cycle is just one of those annoying things about being female.  It comes at the worst times, can plague a vacation and often is accompanied with a slue of uncomfortable symptoms. Some women experience PMS so bad that it lasts for two weeks before their period begins, leaving only one true week of discomfort-free days. It is no wonder that many women jump at the idea of birth control that reduces the number of times she menstruates per year, or even stops her cycle completely. Although this ‘treatment’ per say takes away many of the uncomfortable symptoms, it can often lead to a whole gamut of other side-effects like low libido, vaginal dryness, weight gain, breast distention, high blood pressure, increased appetite and depression.  And to boot, it is not actually treating the cause of the discomfort, it is simply band-aiding it.

From breast pain to nausea to mood swings and back aches, such discomforts are more than just a nuisance, but signals from your body that something is out of balance and needs to be addressed. The only physiological components to a menstrual cycle should be moderate blood flow with the same number of days between cycles. Taking the time to address these symptoms now won’t only improve a woman’s quality of life, but also may prevent future reproductive problems. If you would like to take control of your menstrual cycle, understand it (and your fertility – to either prevent or promote pregnancy), Chinese Medicine has a variety of ways to alleviate common discomforts associated with menstruation.

Continue reading 'Alleviate PMS Naturally'»