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Recently I have had the opportunity to work on one of my husband's friends the day after finishing his second Iron Man. Mark is one of those people you look at and just know that they are an athlete, and completing one Iron Man would have proved that, completing two… now that’s just showing off!
But this post isn’t about how jealous I am of Mark, especially since I am tired after a one mile run, this is about what happens to your body after a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bicycle ride, and a marathon 26.22 mile run, and how acupuncture can help. While most of us won’t complete and Iron Man in our life time, many of us run marathons or push our bodies to extremes, even though it is all in the name of fitness it can take a toll on our bodies. After a triathlon such as the Iron Man the body needs recovery, the muscles and ligaments are severely traumatized, and are filled with swelling and inflammation. Inflammation and swelling are a normal response to trauma, and it isn’t always a bad thing, after all inflammation is what protects our bodies, but after a race this the inflammation and swelling makes it harder for the body to start its recovery process. This is where acupuncture comes in! On it’s own this fluid build up takes about 3 days to move into the blood stream where it can then be excreted out of the body. This means that after a race slight weight gain and increase urination is very common for the days following. With all that being said it is important for the acupuncture treatments or other body work following a race to be gentle. The focus of the treatment should be on increasing blood flow and helping to decrease any muscle spasms. Acupuncture immediately after a race as Mark did it, helps to decrease the healing period and reduce the swelling and inflammation quicker. In the weeks following, the treatments can start to change from the gentle restorative type into correcting any mechanical issues that can come with putting that much stress and strain on the muscles and ligaments of the body. For more information on what Acupuncture can do for your bodies specific needs please feel free to contact me at DenverMindBodyEssence@gmail.com!
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History- two decades ago, when during economic changes Calvin and Jeanna Kim bought a jade mine for its jewelry value. The Kim’s then learned of a medical device company called Rich Way Korea which was using jade powder in the manufacturing of their medical mats. Calvin Kim who was struggling with health challenges of his own tried one of the jade mats and experienced the healing benefits first hand.
Who Originated it: In 1997 the Kim’s took full ownership of the company and named it RichWay International. After three years of research on the infrared, negative ion, and crystal technologies the BioMat utilizes it was discovered that the main benefit was not from heat from the infrared technology but rather from the “vibrational energy” that the infrared rays provided, they went on to further research the healthiest and most natural frequencies for Infrared Rays and Negative Ions. How did it develop: From this the BioMat technologies were updates to include two types of infrared waves: “photon” and “phermo.” The research also involved the studying of the exact content of negative ions in our natural atmosphere, which led to the discovery of the healthiest source for the human body, the amethyst crystal. The energetic spectrum of Amethyst showed how similar the frequency was to the human body. In 2001 the single and queen sized Amethyst BioMats were released to the marketplace. The Amethyst crystals used are hand-mined and hand fed into each BioMat. Where was it developed: In Korea by the RichWay International company How to use in Practice: Lie down on the Biomat in a tranquil place, maybe play some calming music, but make sure there is nothing that will disturb you while you relax. Hydrate with water before and after each session. Use a all-organic (cotton) sheet or blanket to cover yourself. Start slowly. Begin with low-heat, the green setting, in short 15-30 minute sessions. Green or lowest gold settings are best for starting out, sleeping and for longer time periods of time. Allow your body to become accustomed to the changes it may undergo. You might want to cover up with a few towels or heavier blankets to allow your body to absorb more infared rays and induce a healthy false fever which can have healthy benefits for your immune system. The higher gold settings create deep, penetrating warmth and are great in 10 to 90 min sessions for joint relief and can truly relax you. The red settings create deep heat for maximum therapy in 30 min to 1 hour sessions for sauna-level cleansing and metabolic waste removal. Some of the numerous healing benefits from far infrared and negative ion technology, including: Improved immune system function Improved circulation and cardiovascular function Pain Relief Increased metabolism and weight control Easing of joint pain and stiffness Stress and fatigue reduction Improved skin health The removal of bodily toxins and detoxification Overall feeling of balance The word Reiki is represented by two kanji, Rei and Ki. Rei is Spiritual Wisdom. The general definition is universal or present everywhere. Ki is Life Energy. It means the same thing as Qi in Chinese or Prana in Sanskrit, but science calls it biofield energy. It is the non-physical energy that animates all living things.
When your life energy is low, or if there is restriction in its flow, you will be more vulnerable to illness. But when it is high and flowing freely, you are less likely to get sick. Ki is also the primary energy of our emotions, thoughts, and spiritual life. Ki or Qi is the non-physical energy used by all healers. It is present all around us and can be guided by the mind. It is guided by spiritual consciousness. All healers can use Ki or life energy, but not all healers use Reiki. Reiki can only be channeled by someone who has been attuned to it. Reiki is not taught in the way other healing techniques are taught. It is transfered to the student from a Reiki Master during the attunement process. During the attunement, the Rei or spiritual consciousness makes adjustments in the studen't chakras and energy pathways, and links the student to the Reiki source. Because Reiki is guided by spiritual consciousness, it can never do harm. Ki can become stuck in the body for a variety of reasons, on of them being negative thoughts or feelings. The Reiki energy works with the negative thoughts and feelings that have created a block on one's flow of healthy Ki and replaces them with healthy thoughts and feelings. Reiki raises the vibratory level in and around the physical body where the negative thoughts and feelings are attached. This causes the negative energy to break and fall away. When a block is released sometimes a person will feel a cold sensation. Or when it is melted or burned up a hot sensation. Once healthy Ki is flowing naturally the physical irgans and tissues are able to complete their healing process. Reiki is both powerful and gentle. It can treat pretty much everything and is always beneficial. It also can work to improve the effectiveness of all other types of therapy. A session feels like a wonderful, glowing radiance. Resource: Reiki: The Healing Touch By: William Lee Rand 1. The Interview Process: Including questions you may have not been asked before!
The initial interview is a time for me to get to know your chief complaint, the reason that brought you in! But it is also the time for me to get to know your health history, as well as a chance for me to ask some questions that seem to not be important to your chief complaint, but I promise they are all relevant! There will be questions about your sleeping patterns, many questions on your digestive function, and your emotional quality and stress level. None of these questions are meant to make you feel uncomfortable, and you have the right to skip over any question you don't want to answer, but these questions are only asked to best help you and give you the best treatment! And trust me I have heard it all so none of your answers can make me feel uncomfortable! TCM looks at you and your body as a whole so all functions and processes of it play a big role in helping it find a healthy balance. 2. Taking the pulse and observing the tongue: These techniques are at the cornerstone of of Chinese medicine diagnosis. The pulse is felt at three postitions on the radial side of each wrist. With this type of pulse taking the practitioner can get to know your body and can feel for any imbalances in it. More questions may be asked at this time based on what is felt in the pulses. The tongue is another great way to diagnosis the body. Each section of the tongue relates to a different organ in traditional chinese medicine. We look at the overall tongure, coat, color, shape, and quality to further examin imbalances in the body. Another quick note: before your appointment please do not brush or scrape your tongue, or eat highly colored foods or drink that chould change the color! 3. The Treatment: The treatment will vary for each person and for each treatment. There are many ways to look at one issue in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and thus many ways to treat it. The treatment may be done while laying on your back or face down. There may be anywhere from 5-20 needles used during a treatment. Additional modalities such as Reiki, Cupping, Gua Sha, or Moxibustion may also be used. During the treatment you may have an emotional or a physical release. All of this is normal. Or you may fall into a deep meditative like sleep. But no matter what happens I will be near by if anything feel uncomfortable! 4. After the treatment: People report many different experiences after acupuncture. Often it is something that I have termed an "acu-high." You may feel extremly relaxed, a bit spacey, and you should give yourself time to relax before driving or heading back to work. Make sure to drink alot of water after your treatment as well. The work of acupuncture can continue for several days after, but if you ever have any questions please feel free to call! Acupuncture uses thin filiform needles which are inserted through the skin into strategic points on your body. It is most comonly used to treat pain, but can be used for so much more! In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) each point is chosen base on the local location, the meridian pathway, or the organ channel. In TCM it is sain that by using specific points on the body, the energy or life force can flow throughout your body to help your body find balance. Western practitioners describe the way acupuncture works in a more anatomical way. The western view is that when the needle is inserted there is a stimulation to the nerves, muscles, and connective tissues, and this stimulation can boost your bodies natural painkillers and increase blood flow.
Does it hurt? This is one of the most common questions that as an acupuncture practitioner I get asked. And the answer is not a simple yes or no. No, it probably doesn't hurt in the way you think inserting a needle into your skin would feel. Do to the needles very thin size it does not feel like it does when you get a shot or give blood. But ofter there is a sensation that you get after a needle is inserted. This is a sensation in TCM we call "da qi," it can range from a burning, aching, dull, heavy, or cool sensation. But some patients may experience slight pain other than the "da qi" sensation. Certain points on the body may be more sensitive than other, but there should never be unbearable pain during an acupuncture treatment. What can it treat? Some general issues acupuncture can treat are: allergies, asthma, sinusitis, headaches, TMJ, back pain, sciatica, musculoskeletal problems, insomnia, anxiety, dizziness, depression, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, addictions, indigestion, constipation and more. It is also great for many women's and men's health issues. But, acupuncture is not just for when you have a problem, acupuncture is great for preventitive health, such as stress management, wellness or just a seasonal attunement. |
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