- Five Element and 8 principle acupuncture and Acunova style acupuncture
- Chinese herbal patent and granulated pharmacy
- Nutritional counseling and supplementation
- Guided stress reduction techniques involving meditation
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been employed as a health care modality for over 3000 years. It is based on a diagnostic system designed to both prevent and treat disease. It is well documented that preventing disease is the most cost-effective way to address health issues. Currently, Oriental medicine (inclusive of acupuncture and herbal medicine) serves over a billion people globally.
Acupuncture is a method of addressing the system of points and meridians (pathways) that regulate the body’s physiology through the insertion of extremely fine needles at specific sites. There are twelve main meridians that provide pathways for the flow of Qi (pronounced “chee”). Qi can be defined as the “force” or “vital substance” that animates and controls the observable functions of living beings. When these channels are blocked, we experience pain or perhaps unbalanced emotions. When they are under-nourished, we often feel fatigued and deficient.
These signs and symptoms are early warning signs of what may become a disease or syndrome. Addressing them as early as possible is the best way to preserve your health, improve body function, and prevent illness.
Sandy uses a combination of 5 element and 8 principle acupuncture to provide the maximum effective treatment for you. Five element acupuncture is one of the most powerful treatment options for working on the level of the mind and spirit. You can learn more about 5 element acupuncture by downloading the free ebook, How to Thrive in the Modern World.
Sandy combines 5 element and 8 principle acupuncture to offer you a truly comprehensive treatment approach. Add to this combination the possibilities of nutritional counseling and guided stress reduction exercises, and you have a very potent and synergistic blend of therapies that can get you back on track in your life. This multi-layered approach is often what it takes to make real change, as there are so many forces that can prevent us from optimal health and wellness.
Herbal Medicine
Chinese Herbal Medicine is a unique and powerful healing method that has been studied, developed and practiced for more than 3000 years. There are approximately 6000 substances in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, with around 600 commonly used today. Chinese herbs are typically prescribed as formulations of 2 to 20 herbs, which are balanced to increase strength and stability while powerfully affecting change in the body without adverse side effects.
Chinese herbal medicine is a safe, effective and affordable option for a wide range of health and medical conditions. While they are not required or necessary in every case, Chinese herbs can be very helpful in treating a variety of conditions. Chinese herbal medicine is a wonderful complement to acupuncture treatment, as it works on different substrates in the body and maintains continuity in therapeutic intervention. Sandy has an herbal pharmacy of patent formulas, tinctures, and granulars. She uses mostly Chinese herbs but also uses a number of Western and Amazon herbs as well.
Nutrition
I encourage all of my patients to choose a whole foods diet that has minimal amounts of sugars, white flour products, synthetic additives, or various ingredients that are difficult to pronounce. This is universally beneficial to all people.
Nutritional guidelines need to be specific to each individual. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to the best way to eat because each of us has different constitutional requirements. The goal is to find a balanced and authentic way to eat for the long-term.
Our relationship with food is directly related to how well we are managing stress, expressing our emotions, and maintaining awareness of our core beliefs. We turn to food for immediate gratification and comfort, which too often points to a deeper imbalance that is taking place in the mind. The goal is to help you work on the deepest level so you can make lasting changes.
Meditation
Meditation is an ancient practice that has been used throughout many cultures to promote spiritual growth, mindfulness, and general health and balance.
If you suffer from any of the following conditions, meditation is an excellent discipline to restore health, balance, and awareness to your life:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Excessive stress
- Disconnection from life purpose
- Low self-esteem
- Chronic Pain
- Mental fogginess
- Low energy
- Chronic worry
A recent study published in Scientific American, Meditation Correlated with Structural Changes in the Brain, found that after eight weeks of meditation, there was an increase in gray-matter density of the hippocampus, an area of the brain associated with learning and memory, and a decrease in density of the amygdala, an area of the brain associated with anxiety and stress responses. In another study, researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center showed that Even Beginners Can Curb Pain with Meditation. Meditation can change your life by offering you the direct experience of a part of yourself that is deeper than your thoughts and feelings and free from problem. I offer instruction on the basics of meditation as part of a comprehensive treatment plan designed specifically for you.
