Break Free From Stress Are you looking at the pile of papers on your desk? Have you made your To Do list, but have not jumped into action? Can you feel the anxiety building up with your responsibilities? Are you over-tired thinking of the 101 errands you need to run? Are the kids tugging at your jacket and instead of laughing about it, one minute you feel depressed, and the next you want to yell? Are you overwhelmed? If this is you, you are not alone, and there is help! You can feel so much better, and very fast! Here at the Acupuncture Clinic of Boulder, we work to harmonize, regulate, and smooth out those ups and downs.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is a concept called, “Stagnation.” This can be both an emotional and physical sensation. There is a saying, any time you have physical pain, it means something is not moving freely in the body. This can be seen as muscle tightness and tension. It can also be seen in women as painful, clotty, crampy menstruation. Stagnation is the equivalent of a log jam in a river. If you take one small stick out of the river, there is movement or flow. With acupuncture, instead of taking a small stick out, we insert small needles to create movement and affect change. Emotional signs of stagnation are: Excessive sighing or yawning, irritability or anger, depression, insomnia, an inability to make or execute decisions, or feeling stuck.
You’ll often hear practitioners of Chinese medicine call this, “Liver Qi Stagnation.” Every organ in TCM is assigned functions and the Liver is said to harmonize digestion, emotions, menstruation, and the production of bile. TCM has a paradigm of Five Elements: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood. Springtime is the element of Wood, and the high time of Liver energy. Some attributes of Liver energy are:
Liver Attributes: Green (growth and rebirth)- Out of Balance Sight- Floaters, Dry Itchy Eyes, Eye Strain Connective Tissue- Muscle Tension and Tightness Nails- Ridges and Cracks Anger- Depression Planning- Stagnant and Stuck Likes Sour- Too much sour can toughen the flesh Wind- Too much aggravates, irritates, and annoys
A consultation and treatment with our acupuncturists will work on regulating and harmonizing the Qi (or energy), reducing pain, and regulating menses.
Springtime is the perfect time for acupuncture treatments. Women and men are gearing up for athletic Spring training. As the Liver, “Houses the Tendons,” we can help relax muscles and aid in recovery from sports workouts. This helps athletes obtain maximum range of motion and increase their endurance. We also address the body from a musculo-skeletal standpoint to make sure you are in good biomechanics to prevent injury and reach your maximum potential.
For women with a goal of conception, your menstrual cycle and actual menses is a telltale sign of what is going on internally. The length of your cycle, how much you bleed (or don’t), if you have pain, cramps, or clots, or PMS let us know your fertility health. Spring, when Liver energy is high, is the perfect time to conceive. We work to regulate your cycle and reduce stagnation. As your period regulates, it is a sign of optimal health and fertile ground for conception.
It takes two to create a life. We work with both men and women to address their fertility challenges and get you feeling great.
Schedule an appointment today with Erin Pass, L.Ac., Dipl. C.H. or David Moats, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M. We work in conjunction to help you reach your goals. We look forward to meeting you!
