digestion Archives - Mend Acupuncture

Stomach 36: Point of Endurance
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Stomach 36: Point of Endurance

acupoint

Stomach 36: Point of Endurance

By JaimeRoslyn|2022-11-16T15:56:17-05:00November 16th, 2022|Categories: acupoint|Tags: acupoint, digestion, endurance, stomach 36, strength|

One of the points we often use in the treatment room is Stomach 36 (ST36, Zu San Li, “Leg Three Mile”). Commonly used for gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea and vomiting, stress and fatigue, ST36 is located four finger widths down from the bottom of your knee cap, along the outer boundary of your shin bone. If you are in the right place, a muscle should pop out as you move your foot up and down. Although this point has a strong association with digestion, in traditional Chinese literature and practice, ST36 is frequently stimulated for [...]

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Counting the Ways Acupuncture Benefits Older Adults
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Counting the Ways Acupuncture Benefits Older Adults

Seniors

Counting the Ways Acupuncture Benefits Older Adults

By JaimeRoslyn|2023-04-26T07:15:50-04:00May 24th, 2022|Categories: Seniors|Tags: arthritis, Chinese medicine, depression, digestion, hypertension, mood, respiration, TCM|

Getting older comes with its share of aches and ailments. It is not uncommon for seniors to have a slew of medications and vitamins to deal with, perhaps in a pill holder with AM and PM slots. Due to the prevalence of using specialists in Western medicine, who are likely not talking to each other, too often seniors are overly medicated, sometimes leading to dangerous results. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a bit different. In its holistic approach, the goal is to bring balance to the body. By treating the patient and not the symptoms, the result is an improvement [...]

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Spleen 21: The Great Embrace
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Spleen 21: The Great Embrace

acupoint, Acupressure, Digestion, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness

Spleen 21: The Great Embrace

By Dana Iscoe|2022-11-15T14:06:41-05:00August 12th, 2020|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, Digestion, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: Chinese medicine, damp, digestion, fatigue, Late Summer, pain, seasonal changes, spleen 21, TCM|

Spleen 21 is the perfect acupuncture/acupressure point for this time of the year. Called dabao 大包 in Chinese, and translated to Great Enveloping or Great Embrace in English, it is the final point on the Spleen meridian. This meridian is responsible for processing food for digestion, promotes thought for wisdom, and turns Late Summer's humidity into a harvest. We think of Spleen 21 particularly when one is feeling weak, notices pain all over the body, and feels fullness in the chest. Locating Spleen 21 You can find this point by reaching your hand over [...]

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Late Summer’s Worry
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Late Summer’s Worry

coronavirus, Digestion, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness

Late Summer’s Worry

By JaimeRoslyn|2022-11-15T14:06:42-05:00August 11th, 2020|Categories: coronavirus, Digestion, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: Chinese medicine, covid, covid-19, damp, digestion, emotion, fatigue, Late Summer, mood, seasonal changes, TCM, worry|

These days, there’s plenty to worry about. Yet here we are, in Traditional Chinese Medicine’s season of Worry. In TCM, it's commonly understood that as natural beings, we're affected by our natural environment including the season we're in. As we sit squarely in Late Summer (late July to mid-September), we recognize the season’s impact not only on our body but on our emotions, as well. Pay close attention to Worry this season. This can look like over-thinking or focusing too much on a particular topic, as well as self-doubt, insecurity, confusion, projection of responsibility and blame, insomnia, martyrdom, resentment, frustration, and [...]

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Chinese Medicine’s Fifth Season: The Second Half of Summer
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Chinese Medicine’s Fifth Season: The Second Half of Summer

Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness

Chinese Medicine’s Fifth Season: The Second Half of Summer

By JaimeRoslyn|2023-08-23T10:32:52-04:00August 4th, 2020|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: brain fog, Chinese medicine, damp, digestion, fatigue, Late Summer, mood, pain, seasonal changes, TCM|

It’s that time of year again when we remind you that there are actually FIVE seasons in Chinese Medicine. And we’re at the beginning of the lesser known one, Late Summer. As you’ve probably noticed, Summer is the time to enjoy long days of rising early, staying up late and filling the time in between with both relaxing and lively activities. Late Summer, though? It has its own flavor and is quite different. When Late Summer arrives, so does a bit of fogginess, laziness and lack of focus. If you’re feeling a bit sluggish or unmotivated, you’re not alone. All [...]

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Late Summer and Digestion: Enjoying the Bounty
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Late Summer and Digestion: Enjoying the Bounty

Digestion, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness

Late Summer and Digestion: Enjoying the Bounty

By bethanydemarco|2022-11-15T14:08:01-05:00July 31st, 2019|Categories: Digestion, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: digestion, Late Summer|

As humidity and heat of the late summer swells, cicadas sing, the summer frenzy yields to a rhythm of activity and rest, many of us experience fatigue and digestive discomfort. Why is that? Let’s take a closer look at the Earth element, strongest in the late summer, and what it means for us from a Chinese Medicine perspective. Earth: The Element of Late Summer Earth represents abundant nourishment, unconditional love, and thoughtfulness. This season asks of us--what are we ingesting, on a body-mind-spirit level, that truly nourishes us? Are we slowing down to savor our meals, are we eating [...]

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Moxibustion and Digestion
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Moxibustion and Digestion

Digestion, FAQ, Moxibustion

Moxibustion and Digestion

By JaimeRoslyn|2022-11-15T14:08:18-05:00May 30th, 2019|Categories: Digestion, FAQ, Moxibustion|Tags: digestion, moxa, moxibustion|

(This post has been adapted from Casa de Karma’s “Ultimate Guide to Moxibustion.”) What is moxibustion? Moxibustion (or “Moxa”) is a term derived from the Japanese word mogusa or mo kusa, meaning, “burning herb.” Moxa can be found as a moxa wool or pressed into moxibustion sticks (imagine a charcoal stick). Ultimately, it is always harvested from the mugwort plant. As a practice, moxibustion is a heating therapy steeped in Traditional Chinese Medicineand used for a wide variety of conditions, one of which is digestion. The benefits of moxibustion. Moxibustion helps to relieve cold or stagnated conditions within the [...]

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“Can Acupuncture Help Me Lose Weight?”
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“Can Acupuncture Help Me Lose Weight?”

Digestion, FAQ, Weight Loss, Wellness

“Can Acupuncture Help Me Lose Weight?”

By JaimeRoslyn|2022-11-15T14:08:19-05:00May 1st, 2019|Categories: Digestion, FAQ, Weight Loss, Wellness|Tags: digestion, weight loss|

This is a question that starts to pop up around this time of year. We will never tell you that a particular selection of points equates to weight loss - this is not how acupuncture works. And while there are certainly points to stave off cravings and keep your hormones in check, acupuncture works best to help regulate your body and find its healthy homeostasis. It is common knowledge that weight gain can be the result of stress, mood-instability, low energy, poor sleep, digestive issues, and/or lack of exercise (pain getting in the way of movement). These are issues [...]

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How Your Thoughts Affect Your Digestion and How Acupuncture Can Help
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How Your Thoughts Affect Your Digestion and How Acupuncture Can Help

Research, Self-Care, Wellness

How Your Thoughts Affect Your Digestion and How Acupuncture Can Help

By mca_sarah|2022-11-15T14:08:41-05:00May 24th, 2016|Categories: Research, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: diet, digestion, FAQ|

Can changing your thoughts and reducing stress really improve your digestion? There's good evidence to suggest that the answer to this question is "yes." According to recent Cochrane Review, stress reduction including acupuncture and meditation, has consistently been shown to be effective in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS is basically a collection of symptoms that arises from impaired digestive function. Acupuncture is more effective than anti-spasmodic drugs in treating IBS. There are many possible mechanisms for acupuncture's effectiveness for treating the symptoms of IBS, but modulation of the vagus nerve - in other words, getting the parasympathetic "rest and [...]

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