Slowly but surely acupuncture is being recognized for its therapeutic effects. A growing number of people around the world are using acupuncture to combat current health problems and to decrease future health risk. A recent study from Italy displayed the potential of using acupuncture to improve psychological and pain symptoms coming from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a natural disaster. I found this study to be very interesting because when most of us think of PTSD we don't associate it with natural disasters.

One of the most frequent questions I hear is, “How long will it take for me to get better?” If you know me, one thing you know is, I’m not a liar. Probably to a fault, I am going to tell it just like it is, whether you like it or not. When asked this question, I never give a prognosis (a guess of how long treatment will take) until I see how someone did with acupuncture or functional medicine first. After I get a small sense of whether someone is a “high responder” or “low responder,” I give them a prognosis with a caveat; that they participate in their own health and do their honest best on their homework (I always give homework!). Most importantly, I tell people to track their symptoms. Now, not everyone wants to do all the heavy lifting in their own health. And truly, I’m okay with that because some people are so fatigued, they need someone to do it for them until they regain enough motivation to help themselves again. I sympathize with this. I’m here for what you need, not to dominate or scold you for how you live your own life.

Buying a new home or putting your house on the market can be an exciting process, but it can also cause an unhealthy level of stress and anxiety. Acupuncture is a natural way to treat the symptoms associated with stress, it works faster than therapy, and is a drug free solution. Here are five ways acupuncture can help reduce stress when home buying or selling:

Have you ever received conflicting advice from two or three different medical professionals? One of the most common conflicts I find in the medical world today is wheather an injured paitent should ice or heat? Previously the common thought was that ice is critical for helping an acute injury or a chronic one. Inflammation causes swelling and ice helps with that hot inflammation, right?? Not always. Think of heat like lava, it moves blood, vasodilates your blood vessels, meaning it makes them bigger. Ice, on the other hand, decreases blood circulation, it vasoconstricts, meaning it keeps blood vessels small and it decreases the amount of blood that gets through. Both Ice and heat stimulate tiny receptors in our skin which sends a signal to our brains to help stimulate more endorphins and pain-relieving substrates.

Detoxing is all the rave nowadays. But what exactly is a detox? Often times detoxes are marketed as diets where you drink some nasty concoction that magically cleans out your system like draino down your sink. Well, I have some bad news for you, our system isn’t like a simple drain that gets clogged with hair and debris. Toxins don't build up in your liver, kidneys, or any other part of your body, and you're not going to get rid of them with the latest detox wonder. The only type of detox diet that is worthwhile is one that limits processed, high-fat, and sugary foods, and replaces them with more whole foods like fruits and vegetables.

One of Acupuncture's greatest theraputic gifts that I tend to overlook is stress relief. I am so focused on treating a long list of my paitents ailments that I have kinda disregarded the one thing that all of us suffer from, stress and anxiety! According to the American Psychological Association, 75% of adults reported moderate to high levels of stress. Approximately 1 out of 75 people experience panic disorder. Stress is a top health concern for U.S. teens between 9th and 12th grade. This is an epidemic that has been normalized by our way of life.

Do you know how an ecosystem operates? Without ALL the working parts NONE of the animals or plants survive. The big predators feed on smaller prey. It's not pretty but if we didn’t have the large predators, there would be an overpopulation of small animals that would obliterate vegetation. If we didn’t have any trees there would be no home for many small insects or oxygen for every living organism to breathe. Without the plants, animals, and insects we would have no food. Without the bees and insects to pollinate the flowers the trees couldn’t exist. On and on the cycle continues!

 Good blood flow to your brain is vital for so many functions and there might not be an obvious side effect or symptom of it. Some of the most common symptoms, potentially, of low blood circulation to the brain include, fogginess, difficulty concentrating, headaches, sleep issues, memory problems, low motivation, low energy level, cold hands a...

In the Functional Medicine world, we commonly use a scale to rate how severe someone's digestive complaints are. Minor symptoms are classified as "asymptomatic." Asymptomatic doesn't mean you're free from symptoms. It means symptoms are being perceived as normal. Most of us think bloating, acid reflux, stomach pains, constipation, and diarrhea is n...

Electrical Acupuncture (EA) is the usage of an electrical pulse generator (called an electrical stimulation machine) connected to acupuncture needles for therapeutic or analgesic purposes. EA was invented in China in the late 1950's mostly for convenience. Many acupuncture doctors were using manual stimulation of the needles (twisting and manipulat...

 Your immune system is made up of many different blood cells and specialty components. For the most part, when we refer to your immune system, we are referring to your white blood cells that roam around your body attacking foreign invaders. Sometimes these invaders are too strong and your immune system is too weak so you come down with a nasty...

 There are numerous reasons why acupuncture works wonders for some, and others feel no improvement. There's a very small percentage of the population who have a genetic deficiency in Glutamate and Gaba. These people are deemed "nonresponders." Truly, acupuncture will not have an effect on them, ever. But these people are estimated to be less t...

 Sports and acupuncture have long been involved. I feel like when most people think of acupuncture and sports, they think of karate kid or yoga. But since acupuncture has evolved and we know more and more about the ability to treat various conditions, especially relating to sports, the more it is being applied. Acupuncture has become mainstrea...

 Myofascial Trigger Points (MTrPs) Almost all of us suffer from trigger points. MTrPs are clinically diagnosed as palpable taut bands in the muscle that are tender when pressed. Often, these trigger points refer lightning pain in distant areas and pain with stretching. A local twitch response with acupuncture confirms active MTrPs. MTrPs have ...

 In 2017 U.S. fertility rates reached a record low, at 62.0 births per 1,000 women of childbearing age, according to the most recent government figures. For every 1,000 women of childbearing age – typically defined as ages 15 to 44 – there were 62.0 births. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, men are either the sole or...

 For over seven years now, I've been doing acupuncture in downtown Evergreen, Colorado. As a native of Evergreen, I wanted to provide my services to my friends, family and to all the good people of the foothills. It was just me, my dog and one treatment room for several years. In 2013, I expanded my clinic from 75 square feet to almost 2,000 s...

 Cosmetic acupuncture is a cutting edge, centuries-old procedure. The craze over cosmetic acupuncture reemerged in Hollywood last year. Stars such as; Kim Kardashian, Gwyenth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Sean Connery, Madonna, Angelina Jolie, and many more swear by cosmetic acupuncture. There is no mystery why. It is a safe alternative to popula...

 Hormonal imbalances affect millions of men and women world-wide for a multitude of reasons. "Hormones" refers to all signalling molecules that can be reproductive hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone), stress/sleep hormones (adrenaline, cortisol, melatonin), and thyroid hormones (th...

kin Cosmetic Acupuncture and Facial Rejuvenation Cosmetic acupuncture is an alternative to popular facial rejuvenation techniques like botox injections, laser therapy, and aesthetic services. It is a safe alternative that can produce natural-looking results in as little as 8 sessions. Acupuncture has unique advantages compared to other therapi...

 Your immune system is made up of many different blood cells and specialty components. For the most part, when we refer to your immune system, we are referring to your white blood cells that roam around your body attacking foreign invaders. Sometimes these invaders are too strong and your immune system is too weak so you come down with a nasty...

 Have you ever been told that you have a lot of inflammation? Or that a particular complaint you have is "just inflammation?" What exactly is inflammation in the first place, and how can acupuncture help? Inflammation is a broad term used because, well, it's a broad and complicated process. Inflammation in general is when the immune system is ...

 I highly doubt you have encountered the term Neuropuncture before, mostly because it is a new term to distinguish between acupuncture specialties. I challenge you to look at any acupuncturists' websites or to Google the definition of acupuncture and surely you'll find an explanation of "Qi and Meridians," or that magical energy flows througho...

 Let's be honest, no one really likes needles. I've never had a patient walk in my door and say they love needles...not even people covered in tattoos! Even if they say they don't mind, most folks have a healthy fear of needles. Unfortunately, to get the best benefit from acupuncture, you must have needles! There are numerous alternatives-to-a...

 Today's world is all about choices. There are now so many choices we have to make everyday that separating them can be tedious. Day after day we all make decisions that determine the overall state of our health. Something you may not know is that you have as many choices regarding your healthcare as you do when deciding what kind of chips to ...

 Have you been feeling unusually cold lately? Feeling like the change of season is getting you down? Acupuncture and Chinese medicine is great for that! They can not only help you feel less cold, but also help you have less symptoms from the ailments that coldness exacerbates. I'd like to share a few jewels of information with you. In Chinese ...

The death of Robin Williams three years ago was a loud reminder of the severe state of mental health in the United States. There has been a lot of talk about whether suicide is a choice or a disease. Regardless of what you believe, I am here to fight for a cause. The cause that we all talk about but rarely act upon, which is the topic of mental hea...

 In today's world we have diseases such as cancer, heart disease and autoimmune conditions that were not as prevalent 100 years ago. There also seems to be a lot of fear around these diseases, as if someone is coming to snatch random people off the streets and—bam!—you are plagued with cancer. Well, it doesn't work like that. Disease happens w...

Acupuncture is a mysterious thing. We're finding out more and more about it through science, successful cases and history. It seems that everyone now-a-days is giving it a stab (no pun intended). Did you know that many professional athletes use acupuncture to keep their edge? Some even have their own personal acupuncturists who travel with them! Ma...

 In my doctoral program I received specialized training in acupuncture, oriental medicine, alternative therapies and specialized techniques, along with western allopathic and biological studies. Starting this program, which was kind of a fluke for me, was the best journey I ever decided to endure. Each module (month) I traveled to Portland, I ...

For the average person acupuncture is confusing. Most people don't have a clue what it is. And truthfully, many acupuncturists don't even fully understand what it is! My goal in life, and what I've been tirelessly studying for the last 12 years, is to really understand what in the world is acupuncture and how in the world it works. One frustration ...

 Recently, I stumbled across an article on Facebook posted by Richard Dawkins who is a renowned and outspoken atheist and scientist. This article, titled "Acupuncture no better for menopause than 'fake' method, says researchers" is obviously an eye catcher. Richard Dawkins comment on the article post was simply "duh". Not to mention the over a...

 Qi (pronounced 'chee')... I really don't like this word! Not its spelling per se, but the elusiveness of its meaning. In acupuncture school, we were tested over and over again to know the 'correct' definition of this phantom word. Scholars will say: "Qi is the vital energy or life force in the body." I don't know about you, but that sounds li...

 Do you ever feel like you have some nagging health complaints but don't know where to start? Maybe you've tried a few different supplements; you've worked with your doctor and tried some medications; you've changed your diet and exercise routine but you still don't feel 100 percent. Look no further—there is a way to stop guessing! Have you ev...

What is the scope of practice for acupuncturists and physical therapists? You might be surprised to find that although physical therapists around the country are performing dry needling, they may be doing so illegally. Each profession has a scope of practice that is determined by each state. State by state the SOP (scope of practice) changes. There...

 Believe it or not, acupuncture is much more than just poking people with needles! Acupuncture is part of an ancient holistic medical system. Part of what I practice is traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. TCM views the human body as one connected system. There is no such thing as 'idiopathic' (coming from an unknown cause) in Chinese medicine...

 In case you haven't tried dry needling, here is what it looks like... OUCH!? I would say that dry needling is usually painful and effective. I incorporate both dry needling and traditional acupuncture into my practice. In recent studies it has been suggested that the combination of the two is more effective than dry needling alone. It's been ...

 Acupuncturist VS Physical Therapist April 18th, 2017 The Denver Post published an article about the new lawsuit the Acupuncture Association of Colorado served APTA (American Physical Therapy Association) of Colorado for Dry Needling. Let's take a look at the ambiguity in the debate over training hours spent needling. In the Denver Post articl...

 Earlier this year, the Acupuncture Association of Colorado (AAC) filed a lawsuit against the Colorado branch of American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) for the "unsafe use of Dry Needling." Why? Because less than 200 acupuncturists in the state of Colorado who are members of the AAC have determined that dry needling done by physical ther...

 A modality is a therapeutic method that involves the physical treatment of a disorder. How is this different from acupuncture? Acupuncture can also be defined as a modality. Technically it physically treats disorders, but I like to think of these modalities as subcategories of Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine is an umbrella term that sums u...

 Pain and the Brain: It's all in your head! The most common condition people seek an acupuncturist for is pain. Pain is such a subjective topic that most doctor's or healthcare providers cringe at the idea of treating pain because they feel it's so mundane or it's just in people's heads! Well, it is! Acupuncture excels at treating all kinds of...

 I'm often asked when inserting needles, 'what is that point for?' You would think it would be a one word answer! However, acupuncture is a synergistic medicine. Points work in combination together like a machine, much like our muscles work together to perform a certain action. Have you ever injured a muscle? Let's say you pulled your quadrice...

Have you ever gone into a doctor's office, waited for 30 minutes, spent 10 minutes with the doctor, then came out with no solutions? There are many, many reasons why this happens—mostly time restraints, cost and politics of the entire medical system. What I hate hearing, and I hear it often, is: "My doctor doesn't know anything!" I am here today to...

In 1971, President Richard Nixon and James Reston, a journalist for the New York Times, visited China when Reston came down with a severe case of appendicitis. It required emergency surgery and Reston was treated at the Anti-Imperialist Hospital in Peking. The surgery was routine and successful. However, the following day after surgery, Reston was ...

 Death from prescription painkillers (specifically opioids such as Methadone, Oxycontin, and Vicodin) have quadrupled since 1999 and is the leading cause of accidental death. (1) The CDC came out with these alarming statistics that estimated 165,000 people (with a majority ages 24-54) have died between 1999 and 2014 from opioids; that comes ou...