by Mark Xu | Jan 8, 2015 | Sauna
Before reading, open your mind to the thought that we are all beings of energy. Every molecule and atom humans consist of vibrate with a measurable frequency just as light and heat are forms of energy that travel in quantifiable waves.
What is FAR-Infrared light?
A band of light perceived as heat is what people are referring to when speaking about Infrared rays. Infrared waves are classified based on how quickly the energy they emit travels as Near, Middle, and Far.
FAR-Infrared rays vibrational frequency is very close to that of our own which is what makes it such an ideal therapy for relaxing particular systems within the human body.
This being partially because all organic living organisms emit this radiant heat.
Organisms that emit this radiant heat also possess the ability to obtain it from an outside source; such as the sun or specialized equipment. Most of the Infrared rays people absorb come from 80% of the suns rays. These rays are opposite from UV rays in the sense the light / heat they produce have no harmful effects on the skin.
Infrared and traditional sauna compared
The FAR-Infrared sauna operates at 110-140 °F. Whereas traditional saunas use temperatures ranging from 150-180 °F. While traditional saunas still have their place as a healing and relaxation tool, the defining factors of how the heat transfer takes place is what makes the infrared therapy better suited for relief of chronic conditions.
Wet and dry saunas work by heating the air around you first, warming your skin then warming the superficial cells and tissues. Though this creates a warming sensation for the body, often this method can only be tolerated in short sessions as temperatures of greater heat than FAR-infrared saunas must be achieved for this affect to take place. The goal of infrared saunas is to have a steady heat source for long periods of time. They still have the same detoxifying, perspiring effect as the traditional sauna method, just with less severity in temperature and at a rate that harmonizes with our internal systems.
How does FAR-Infrared radiant heat work?
The nature of FAR-Infrared heat is what enables it to heal deep within the body without affecting the air around you through a means of heat transfer called conversion.
Due to the similar vibrational rate of our radiant heat and infrared waves, the heat moves directly into the skin causing the water molecules within the body to resonate and move, creating friction, and producing heat internally promoting circulation, ionization, and natural healing.
It also disengages the sympathetic nervous system which actually inhibits toxin elimination.
In short, every body can benefit from absorption of this radiant energy.
If you would like to read more about this please click for our Infrared Sauna services
by Mark Xu | Jan 8, 2015 | Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, TCM
Menopause is usually confirmed when a woman misses her period naturally for 12 consecutive months. Some may think, “Yay! Freedom!” but unfortunately, menopause can come with a whole set of problems that one isn’t prepared for.
What age can you start menopause?
The average age for menopause is around fifty-one, though it can even occur around forty. Sometimes it can happen sooner if a woman’s had her ovaries removed.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Symptoms of menopause can be very uncomfortable and sometimes painful. They can include flushing, sweating, changes in sexual drive, dryness, poor concentration and ‘mental fog,’ anxiety, sleepless nights, frequent urination, incontinence, urinary tract infections, skin and hair changes, and mood swings.
While each of these symptoms is uncomfortable, one of the most difficult ones to deal with can be depression. Women are most susceptible to depression during and around menopause due to hormone imbalances.
If you’re feeling an intense sadness, loss of interest in the things you normally love, or you withdraw from people that you usually enjoy being around, and symptoms like these have lasted more than two weeks, you could be suffering from major depression.
Estrogen levels play a large part in regulating brain functions, especially with the chemicals that influence the mood, such as serotonin and cortisol. Among the many unhealthy symptoms of too much cortisol is your tummy getting rounder and sleeping habits changing.
What can too much cortisol do? Check out this interesting blog post by Lissa Rankin that explains it quite thoroughly.
What can you do for menopause and menopausal related depression?
Well, taking medication is always an option, but not exactly one of the healthiest ones. Medications can make you develop symptoms that aggravate the issues you are already going through. Even regular painkillers have the potential to be hazardous to your health.
So, is there a way to reduce these distressing symptoms without resorting to something that’s going to harm you?
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine do not have the numerous complications that medications can provide, and fortunately you won’t overdose on it.
Working by boosting the production of endorphins, acupuncture and Chinese medicine have the happy talent of helping your body to manage all your symptoms to give you the relief you need.
Traditional Chinese beliefs consider depression a circulation problem. Qi (healing fluids and energy) isn’t moving around freely like it should.
Acupuncture addresses the mind, body, and spirit. If any of these three are out of order, the others can easily slip out of place making recovery quite difficult. Since acupuncture doesn’t just work as a Band-Aid to cover up a symptom of a deeper issue, it can have a lasting effect.
If you have any questions or are unsure if acupuncture could help you with what you are going through, please give us a call!
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by Mark Xu | Jan 8, 2015 | Mental Health
What Is Depression?
The dictionary describes depression as “a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, and unimportant and often is unable to live in a normal way.”
There are many different labels for depression. It isn’t a one size fits all kind of condition. If you feel you might be suffering from depression, but are unsure of what kind click this link to check.
Knowledge is power
The sooner you know more about what you’re dealing with, the faster you can work on recovery and reclaim an easier, more peaceful state of mind.
It’s difficult to open up and talk to people, especially ones that are complete strangers, but think of it as talking with a medical professional about the health of your body. You would do it because you needed to know what was wrong and how you could fix the ailment you were suffering from. This is no different. The health of your mind is just as important as your body, because they are linked. Often when your thoughts and mind are unwell, your body suffers too! Chronic fatigue, decreased appetite, insomnia, and a number of other things can go along with depression. It also increases your risk for a number of diseases.
Taking charge of your emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing gives you the power to make healthy choices that will help you to heal. It could mean the difference between you staying in an unhealthy, crippling relationship and getting even more unwell, or you being free to explore who you are and live the life you’ve always imagined.
While not everyone can take himself or herself out of a situation that requires them to be there for their family members or friends, there are ways to cope and to live life more freely.
An interesting list of natural ways to reduce depression, written by Stephanie, can be found at this link.
Cognitive therapy
Cognitive therapy has been studied in reducing depression, with good results. Cognitive Therapy involves changing negative thought patterns and how you talk to yourself inwardly.
So many times your thoughts can be blown out of proportion and the picture that is painted or that you see for the future or even the present has little to do with the truth. You can learn how to think more realistically about any situation.
Your inner voice has a lot to do with how you feel. Imagine your best friend always talking down at you, or reminding you of your past mistakes, or always saying how worthless you are (even when it isn’t true.). Why would you want to be around a friend like that? Having someone beat you mentally and emotionally is not something you want in your life. So why do it to yourself? Becoming your own best friend and learning to love your self is not egotistical. It’s can be one of the best things you do for your health.
Check out these 3 steps, by Maddison from MindBodyGreen, to help you along on becoming a friend to yourself.
Can diet cause or contribute to depression?
Some research suggests that this is possible. If you’re not getting the proper amount of nutrients from your diet, this can cause imbalances and difficulties. There is also some research that says depression could be linked to processed foods.
It can be difficult to determine and pinpoint everything that causes depression, but rest assured that you aren’t alone. According to the Centers For Disease Control an estimated 1 in 10 adults in the United States report depression. No matter what problems you may face or what you’re feeling at the moment, you need to know that you have a right to feel better. Even if you don’t think it’s worth the effort or that you don’t want to bother disturbing people with your problems. Because if it’s causing such emotional trauma inside of you, then it is a very large problem indeed! Find someone who you can talk to about the best way to go about getting you to feel well again.
If you suffer, or know someone who suffers from depression, please don’t try to push it aside like it’s an embarrassment or a defective trait. You’re important and deserve to live a fulfilled life. Click this link for more information and help.
“I don’t think anyone, until their soul leaves their body, is past the point of no return.” ~ Tom Hiddleston
by Mark Xu | Jan 8, 2015 | Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine
One of the most common things to do when you’re in pain is to pop an over the counter medicine. In all reality, these medicines aren’t very safe.
Acetaminophen even has an antidote for if you end up overdosing on the stuff. Scary. . .
Even at the doctor’s office, it’s a hit or miss when taking the medication. There are almost always some kind of side effect you are exposed to and that could lead to major discomfort. Chronic pain makes it necessary to get relief all the time. This makes your exposure to the side effects even more possible. Is there a way to get out of taking medications that might make you even sicker than before?
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has very little side effects and the benefits can be massive.
It’s been reported that over a period of time with regular acupuncture, chronic pain subsides. No long-term side effects that could ruin other parts of your body or your mind.
How is this even possible and can it really help chronic pain?
As I wrote in this blog post “What is Acupuncture?” acupuncture has three main healing benefits.
- Pain relief
- Inflammation reduction
- Restoration of homeostasis
Inflammation
Inflammation is a big part of the body’s natural defense system and it works to protect our body. Unfortunately, inflammation can also be deadly to our bodies if they are left in that state for too long. That leads to chronic inflammation, which can be difficult to treat, since most inflammatory medications are targeted at a general level. Not to mention, as stated above, these medications can cause even more problems on top of the illness you might already be experiencing. Chronic inflammation can also lead to serious illness. Almost all chronic conditions have been linked to inflammation.
Here’s an interesting article about acupuncture’s anti-inflammatory effect. Check it out!
What does homeostasis have to do with staying healthy?
Homeostasis is the Greek word for “staying the same.” Our bodies are always working to stay regulated. Our heartbeat, respirations, blood glucose, blood pressure, and body temperature are some of the things that need regulating. But a lot of things can throw these different functions out of whack. Stress, alcohol, starvation, overeating, loss of sleep, are only a few. Personally, I can admit to being stressed, or occasionally going without food when I need it.
Some diseases that are a result from an imbalance are diabetes, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, gout, and most any other disease that is caused by toxins in the blood.
Acupuncture, for overall pain relief, works by unclogging a person’s qi (chee). Qi is really a person’s energy and all bodily fluids. So, if your energy, your hormones, blood, and any other healing fluids in your body are clogged up or you’re unable to produce the right amount, you slowly start to feel unwell. Over time it becomes worse and that’s when people develop painful conditions.
Sometimes you can even have too much qi (bodily fluids that you don’t need) and sometimes it’s the exact opposite and you have too little. Either one isn’t ideal.
Acupuncture helps to get your qi flowing properly. The needles are like guideposts that qi follows in your body, to heal or maintain your health.
Pain and inflammation is a big sign of your qi not functioning properly. The key is to get it back on track.
If you would like to learn more about pain relief and inflammation please contact our Memphis Acupuncture Clinic
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by Mark Xu | Jan 7, 2015 | Skincare
Cocoa butter is that interesting product of the Cacao Tree that never gets as much fame as its yummy, highly praised, chocolate cousin.
In 1735, Carolus Linnaeus (also known as Carl), a Swedish naturalist and explorer, officially named the Cacao tree Theobroma Cacao which roughly translated is “foods of the gods.” How appropriate is that? I mean, very few people I know of would disagree with Carl on that one. He was a chocolate lover, so he knew exactly what he was talking about.
Why is cocoa butter so interesting?
First off, everything has to be right for this tree. Not too much sun, wind, or rain. It lives in hot, rainy tropical forests and uses taller trees to shelter them from the above stated annoyances of life. If this tree were human, I think it would resemble a person at the beach covered in sunblock, wearing an encompassing hat, and huddled under an umbrella.
These trees are susceptible to a number of diseases because of the warm, moist climate they live in. Bugs stress them out so much that they can die from it. Can you hardly blame them about that though? I know when I see a spider running across the floor I’m immediately stressed in more ways than one.
Of course from the Cacao tree comes chocolate, but when cocoa beans are fermented, roasted and separated from their hulls, over half of the residue is cocoa butter. In its raw state, this extracted cacao seed fat is a cream color.
So, what does cocoa butter have that makes it good for you?
Calcium: Which is essential for building strong bones. Calcium also helps our blood to clot, nerves to send messages, and even muscles to contract.
Potassium: It regulates water and the mineral balance in your body.
Magnesium: It helps to regulate muscle and nerve function. Not only that, it also helps to do the same with blood sugar levels and blood pressure.
Zinc: It’s needed to make proteins and DNA, not to mention it’s very helpful in fighting off bacteria and viruses.
Manganese: Is used for weak bones.
Copper: Which is a very fun, interesting mineral that’s essential in building strong tissue. It is marked as one of the world’s healthiest foods. Check it out!
Not only is cocoa butter filled with minerals, it contains vitamins such as A, which helps skin in repairing itself and staying moist. It also has vitamin C, which helps to protect cells from damage by free radicals.
Cocoa butter for healthy skin
Cocoa butter acts as a barrier to prevent moisture loss and to keep skin soft. It melts when it touches skin since its melting point is just below body temperature, making it easy to put on. It is also used in treating stretch marks, eczema, and restoring pH balance to your skin.
If you’re crafty and enjoy working on projects, you can even make your own cocoa butter lotion! Check out this blog post on how to do just that by Amber from The Tasty Alternative!
Cocoa butter for hair
Cocoa butter can help repair damage done to your hair from colorings, perms, and even other styling aids. If your hair seems to have lost its shiny, sleek, healthy look, giving it cocoa butter could be just what it needs. You can use cocoa butter as a pre-wash treatment or conditioner. Easy instructions on how to do either of these can be found here!
If you’re feeling like you really want to pamper yourself, you can even add some raw cocoa butter to your bath. It melts quickly and helps to moisturize your skin while you relax. Be careful stepping out, though. It might be slippery!
What kind of cocoa butter should I use?
When using cocoa butter, it’s better to go for the raw kind. If you use lotions that say they have cocoa butter, you have to contend with added chemicals. Since your skin readily absorbs things, it’s best to make certain what you put on it is safe for your insides also.
Have you ever used cocoa butter before? Leave a comment below!
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