Setting Healthy Boundaries Both Postpartum and in Life.

In my previous blog post I touched on setting boundaries when discussing emotional health, but I wanted to dive into it deeper because it is important for your health, your partner's health and babies health. The amount of change that is coming to your world is huge and one of the best ways to ease into that is setting up some boundaries. This will allow for bonding with baby, self care for momma and direction for papa or partner on how to be helpful and involved. Boundaries will also help your friends and loved ones understand where they can help and when it may be too much. You may be wondering how will I know what my limits are?

Emotional Health & Postpartum Changes

Over the next few posts we will be talking about emotional health and strategies to keep in touch with our mental health. Todays topic is emotional health and changes postpartum.

This is a big topic and one that I want to spend some time with. Pregnancy and birth require so much of us physically and mentally and both aspects require attention and both are equally important. I want to emphasize how valid and important it is to meet your emotional needs during this postpartum period.

Traditional Chinese Medicine View On Foods For Fall

Most of us are already aware that the types of foods that we eat directly affect our health and the better we eat generally speaking the better we feel and the healthier we are able to stay. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM for short) food is also considered medicine, as it should be in all forms of medicine. Just like mentioned above food can not only harm our health, but it can also heal our bodies and support our health. So lets talk about how TCM views foods for the seasons and in this case fall, and what foods may be the most helpful for us now.

Unlocking the Healing Power of Moxibustion in Acupuncture

Moxa is really wonderful to use in the treatment of sprains, strains, joint and muscle pains, traumas, arthritis, menstrual pain and can even help to support the immune system. It also may seem contradictory but despite it being a type of heat therapy it can be very helpful and even reduce inflammation in these injuries. By stimulating the flow of blood and fluids through the area and by bringing in fresh repairing cells the inflammation is often reduced and healing is sped up

What your tongue is saying when you aren't even talking

You head into your acupuncture appointment, you are excited, optimistic, a little nervous and wondering what to expect. Your acupuncturist has you sit down and asks you a bunch of questions, explains a few things and then has you get comfortable on the table. They check you pulse and then they as you to stick your tongue out at them! You want me to do what?! That is right.....stick out your tongue please! Why would they want to do that?

The Pelvic Floor and Its Connection to the Jaw

Would you believe me when I tell you that your jaw and your pelvis are indeed connected and that your pelvic floor health and your TMJ could be contributing to one another or even the reason why one or the other may have developed.

Concussion Recovery

Did you know acupuncture can help you with your concussion recovery?
Merriam Webster defines concussion as: a stunning, damaging, or shattering effect from a hard blow; especially: a jarring injury of the brain resulting in disturbance of cerebral function.

Acupuncture is wonderful for improving circulation on a micro and macro level and with the improved blood flow comes oxygen, nutrients, and healing. Acupuncture can also help reduce inflammation and calm the nervous system.

Why I Chose Acupuncture

One of the most common questions I get asked is what got me into acupuncture. The short answer is that it helped me with my own health and I want to do the same for others and the long answer is below.

Liver, Laugh, Love

Do you have a case of the grumpies? Do you have trouble with irritability and frustration? For all you men out there do you struggle with erectile dysfunction or libido problems? Ladies do you have menstrual problems or are struggling with menopause?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions or even a few of these questions it may be the result of what I like to call a grumpy liver. In traditional Chinese medicine these all can be signs of an imbalance in the energetics of your liver system.

What spring means for your health!

I don’t know about you but I have been long awaiting its arrival. Back in January I began my garden dreaming pretty hardcore and haven’t let up since. What am I going to plant? Where am I going to plant it this year? How will I keep the dog out of the plants? How will I amend the soil this year? Do I need a new shovel? I could keep you here forever, but along with those daydreams of the spring to come also came thoughts of what spring means to Traditional Chinese Medicine and what that may mean for my clients and their health.

Acupressure for ADD/ADHD Management

I wanted to ask if you or someone you know struggles with ADD or ADHD? In my work with veterans I have found that many of them struggle with one of these conditions but, they also struggle with the idea that they are bound to medications to manage their symptoms. So while working with them using acupuncture I made a little take home sheet of acupressure points that c

Yuck! Why Does My Acupuncturist Keep Asking Me to Drink Warm Water?

Have you ever found yourself sitting in front of your acupuncturist and they look at you and say, “You need to stop drinking ice cold drinks and go move toward drinking room temperature or hot drinks.” Did you reply, “Yuck, why would I do that. Drinking warm water is gross. What if its 90 degrees outside?”

Holistic health, Acupuncture blogSerena ShawJanuary 7, 2021Nourishing Energy Acupuncture digestive healthComment

Magnesium- Why it is important

Let’s start by talking about some of the things that magnesium helps with in the body. First off magnesium is a mineral and it is used in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Some of the top functions that Magnesium supports are normal nerve and muscle function, immune support, steady heartbeat, and bone strength.It helps to adjust blood glucose levels and it can even help with PMS symptoms.

Recipes for Dry Cough and Throat

I don't know about you but this winter has been super dry and causing me some grief. Not only have I had skin so dry and itchy that you could sand wood with it but also with a dry cough that sorta weasels its way into our house and meanders in and out in and out at all hours.

So to battle the dryness I decided to dig out one of my cook books. Cook book? How is a cookbook going to fight the dryness? Because my dears food is medicine!

Info Graphic on How Acupuncture Works

Info graphic explaining in a short and sweet way how acupuncture works.

What do those codes on stickers of fruits & veggies mean?

My friend and colleague Katherine Altneu, owner of The Point Acupuncture & Holistic Medicine, wrote a really nice little bog about the codes and sticker on fruits and veggies. I wanted to share it with you guys.

Free Infant Tuina Protocol

Free Infant Tuina (massage) Protocol

Let It Grow, Let It Grow, Let It Grow!

Last year was our first season in the community garden, which is literally right beside our apartment. Up to that point, I will admit that I never really felt like I was home in our apartment and we have been in it for a few years now. As soon as my daughter and I started working in our garden plot, pardon my cheesiness, but something more than plants began to grow. A new sense of home began to develop for me.