Blossom Wellness

Achy from the recent Winter weather or snow shoveling? Feel revived and refreshed at Blossom Wellness Centre.

The recent snow storm and colder (but normal) weather in Chicago can leave you feeling less than stellar. The cold and wind can bring out many diseases. I've been seeing a lot more cases of migraines(from the barometric pressure changes), lingering colds and coughs, and arthritis flares, just to mention a few. In addition, the cold causes the muscles to contract, bringing out more aches and pains. Top that off with some heavy snow shoveling, and you might feel like you've been plowed with snow.

Acupuncture and massage can relieve those aches and pains, increase endorphins to get you back to feeling like your own self, and combined with Chinese herbs, reduce your winter cough while boosting your immune system.

Come enjoy Spring with us. We are offering a Special Initial Acupuncture treatment for $65 and One Hour Massage for $60. Book online today at www.blossomwellnesscentre.com.

It's about a month into the New Year. Do you already wish you had a do-over for your New Year's Resolutions?

If so, you're in luck. You do.

February 10th is the Chinese lunar New Year. The celebration of the New Year, the Spring Festival, is China's longest and most important holiday. Because it is based on a different calendar, it falls on a different date between January 21 and February 20 every year.

You can think of Spring Festival as Christmas and New Year all rolled into one. Just like our holiday season, it's a time of celebration, visiting family and friends, giving gifts and preparing for the next year.

Chinese Lunar New Year: Spring Festival

In China, there are many New Year's traditions during the 15-day Spring Festival. Many people clean their homes to sweep away the past year and usher in the next. Oftentimes family members travel home for a visit.

Children receive red envelopes, called hóngbo in Mandarin, filled with money from their relatives. 

People hang red lanterns outside their homes to bring happiness and good luck. On Chinese New Year's Eve families gather for a huge meal and enjoy "lucky" foods together. And, of course, there are fireworks.

The Chinese zodiac has 12 years in its cycle, each one represented by an animal; 2013 is the Year of the Snake. Astrologers say that people born in the Year of the Snake are wise but enigmatic. They are very intuitive and size up situations well, but say little. 

Snakes are refined; they like to dress well and are usually financially secure. They are intense and passionate in relationships, but can become jealous and suspicious. Snakes prefer a calm, stress-free environment.

Recommit to Your New Year's Resolutions

The Chinese do not traditionally make New Year's Resolutions like we do in the west, however this is a good time to reflect on the goals you set a month ago. Are you keeping your New Year's resolutions?

If you're having trouble, maybe it's time to take a lesson from the Snakes. Take a quiet moment and reflect on what is stopping you. Do you need to get serious? Do you need additional support? Are your goals genuine - do you want to do them or do you think you should do them? Why haven't you kept your New Year's Resolutions?

If your resolutions include improving your health in 2013, I can help you with that. Give me a call and we can arrange an appointment for anything from a tune-up to weight control to mood balancing.

If you need to make a deeper commitment to your resolutions, take a moment and think about what you need to do to keep them. Write down 3 easy action steps.

...and do them. Now.

Use the Chinese lunar New Year as a do-over. Commit to your New Year's resolutions.

Gong Xi Fa Cái. Happy New Year. 

Acupuncture can help you get better sooner if you have a cold or flu. Acupuncture naturally boosts your immune system. In addition, natural remedies and herbal formulas can help you without the stuffy head floaty feeling, we carry a wide variety of herbal products suited for your specific cold and flu symptoms.

In a recent study, Chinese herbal medicine was as good, or slightly better than Antiviral pharmaceutical in treating the H1N1 virus.

http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=747070

In another study, the traditional Chinese Herbal Formula, Jing Fang Bai Du San, inhibited influenza release from infected cells.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23041224

Amazing stuff!

One of the most common questions I have from patients is “Does acupuncture hurt?” For some people, the mention of a needle sends them running to the hills. Surprisingly for Chinese medicine newbies, once acupuncture is tried, their fears are abandoned, and they can finally relax and say “Wow, I wonder why I have waited so long to try acupuncture.”

Acupuncture needles are as thin as one strand of hair. According to another source:

Acupuncture needles are 25-50 times thinner than a hypodermic needle. They are so thin that several acupuncture needles can go into the middle of a hypodermic needle. There is little sensitivity to the insertion of acupuncture needles.

So does it hurt? Some people feel nothing when the needle is inserted. Some people feel a slight pinch, like that of a mosquito bite, and sometimes, if inflammation is present, a stronger sensation that usually subsides within seconds. I think we do many other things that are more painful: eyebrow waxes, flossing our teeth, or standing in the quick checkout line at the grocery store that is neither short nor quick. I'd much rather get acupuncture!

While lying on the table, people may feel a heaviness or even a floating sensation in their body. That is their energy working. It is not uncommon to take a short nap while getting acupuncture.

If you've never tried acupuncture, don't let the common misconception of needles keep you away! Contact us today to make your appointment.

Reference: https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Does+acupuncture+hurt+

The CDC is reporting widespread flu outbreak in most of the US. You can check the progress here http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm. I know that I have talked about staying healthy in the Winter before, but just as a reminder, here are a few things you can do to prevent illness.

1. Get a good night's rest. There is nothing better to boost your immune system than regenerating your body with some solid Zzz's.

2. Wash your hands. Yes, continue to sing “Row, Row, Row your Boat,” and wash frequently.

3. Eat your fruits and veggies. Did you know according to the USDA you should be eating 7 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day? That's hard to do. So I recommend supplementing your fruits and veggies with Juice Plus. Find out more here:https://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/content/Home.soa?site=ks27806

4. Keep your medicine cabinet filled with natural remedies. At the first inkling of a cold or flu, I recommend Elderberry Extract. Elderberry can be found at your local health food store. I also recommend keeping some Chinese herbal formulas on hand. You can contact the office for an herbal consultation.

5. If you normally get sick in the Winter, get acupuncture! Acupuncture can boost your immune system. It can also lessen the length and severity of your illness.