Acupuncture Helps People With Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

The days are getting shorter and we are losing the light earlier each evening. Many people are so effected by the loss of the sun that their daily lives suffer. This is called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.

According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of SAD may include:

• Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
• Losing interest in activities 
• Low energy
• Problems with sleeping, such as oversleeping or insomnia
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Feeling sluggish or agitated
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty

Acupuncture offers relief of these symptoms, by helping to balance out the qi (pronounced "chee") of the body.

"Many people think of acupuncture in terms of pain relief, and it is amazing for that," says Birch Center acupuncturist David Sokulski. "But another thing acupuncture excels in treating is mood disorders, like anxiety, depression, and SAD."

According to Scientific American, in the article Can Acupuncture Treat Depression (July1, 2014), research has proven that six weeks of acupuncture treatments were just as effective as six weeks on Prosac in reducing symptoms of depression. In fact, according to the article, acupuncture worked faster in reducing symptoms than the drug did. A higher percentage of acupuncture patients said they received "great improvement."

"Depression is nothing to mess with," says Mr. Sokulski, "and these Pittsburgh winters can be hard. We have seen a lot of great results in treating people with depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder. People enjoy winter - and their lives - again."

Further reading:

• Penn State article on Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Mayo Clinic info on SAD
• Scientific American: Can Acupuncture Treat Depression

David Sokulski, L.Ac.

Winter And Traditional Chinese Medicine

Winter has no doubt arrived in Pittsburgh! With the temperatures below freezing for a week and counting, I think it's time to discuss winter, traditional Chinese medicine, and ways to keep warm!

Winter is the time of year which corresponds the water element. In our bodies, that relates to our Kidneys and Bladder. In five element theory, the color correspondence is black or blue, and the emotion is fear.

Symptoms which may be associated with the Water element include

• bladder and/or kidney infections
• low back pain
• knee pain
• cavities in teeth
• weak or broken bones
• infertility
• premature gray hair or hair loss
• ringing in the ears
• increase of phobias or fears

To strengthen the Water energy and keep the body in balance, it's important to keep yourself warm. Wear scarves around your neck and extra layers or scarves around your mid-section (in Japan, this is called a haramaki, or belly warmer: a tube of material which can be fashionable, which goes around your midsection to keep your abdomen and kidneys warm.)

If you are on a high raw or 100% raw food diet, you can add spices such as ginger to your juices and cinnamon to your foods. You can gently warm soups, and make sure to eat plenty of well blended food, as these meals are easier to digest. Fresh cranberries also make a nice addition to juices or purees this time of year, and help protect the bladder and kidneys from infection as well (especially if you are prone to this type of infection.)

Here is one of my favorite winter juice recipes:

Juice the following:

• 5 carrots
• 3 apples
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 inch knob fresh ginger

I usually add water to the juice, especially because this one is so sweet.

Warm miso soup is also a wonderful meal: heat the water and let it cool back down to ninety or one hundred degrees (warm to the touch.) Add scallions, sliced mushrooms, wakame (a sea vegetable), grated ginger and carrots, and miso, which is best first made into a paste with warm water and then added to the soup. Enjoy this soup warm.

In macrobiotic cooking, aduki beans and black beans are beneficial for the kidneys. Millet and winter squash are also good choices for balancing energy this time of year.

Herbs which benefit the kidneys are nettles, he shou wu (also known as Foti root), and the formula Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, or Rehmannia Six.

Now is a wonderful time of year to get acupuncture, especially if you notice any of the above symptoms. Points such as K3 and K6 on the ankle are helpful to boost the Kidney energy, as well as bladder points along the spine on the back. Moxibustion is wonderful this time of year to help add heat to the body via the acu-points, abdomen and meridians.


Stay cozy and warm!

Detox With Ear Acupuncture And Herbal Tea

In Chinese medicine, ear detox treatment consists of five points, which balance and support detox organs and systems of detox. We needle shen men, which balances the nervous system, sympathetic point, which balances the endocrine system, and then the 3 organs of detoxification; lungs, liver and kidneys.

These points can help when the body is detoxing from anything physical to emotional. These points are used in hospital detox clinics as part of the support for people detoxing from drugs and alcohol. They can also be used when people are detoxing from sugar, caffeine, nicotine, wheat, dairy, or even unhealthy relationships, lifestyle choices, or toxic thoughts and self-talk. Needling these points bring immediate and lasting balance and relief.

Another way to support the body with detox is with herbal tea. We can choose herbs which mirror and support the points and organ systems chosen:

• oatstraw for the nervous system
• cleavers for men and red raspberry leaves for women, to support the endocrine system
• nettles to support the kidneys
• dandelion to support liver
• mullein to support lungs

We can choose one at a time, mix and match, and add things like lemon balm, spearmint and peppermint for flavor.

Many of these plants can be found right outside most people's doors. They can be harvested, dried and stored to have available year round. We have a sister website, Food Under Foot, filled with information, pictures, videos and recipes for identifying and using wild plants. Cleavers, nettles, dandelions and mullein are easy spring weeds to find.

Be well,
~ Melissa and David Sokulski
Acupuncturists

Read these articles by Melissa Sokulski, L.Ac. in Natural News for more information:

• Safe Nutritious Purslane Proves To Be As Powerful As Western Drugs

• Wild Burdock Root Cleanses Blood, Clears Acne and Speeds Weight Loss

• Rejuvenate Your Liver This Spring With Dandelions 

Feel The Qi: Laser Acupuncture Great For Children and Others

In the ancient Chinese texts that both the Chinese and Japanese use as the basis for acupuncture, there is the directive to needle until qi is felt. Interestingly, there is no pronoun as to who is to feel the qi: the practitioner or the patient.

The Chinese have interpreted this text to have the patient feel the qi, and is why the practitioner may manipulate the needle asking the patient to let her or him know when a sensation is felt: a pulling, heaviness, tingling, ache, whatever the sensation may be (qi is felt differently at different points, and differently by different people.) The Japanese have interpreted so that the practitioner feels the qi, which has led to different styles of technique.

In general, Japanese needles tend to be inserted much more shallowly and the patient may not feel them at all. The practitioners develop strong sensitivities in their fingertips, feeling for subtle energy. In fact, a tradition of blind acupuncturists has grown in Japan, where their fingers are so sensitive they often don't even insert the needles into the skin to feel the qi, and changes in the body's energy. An entire style of Japanese acupuncture, Toyahari, has grown from this style.

We are able to see is that as long as the acupuncture point is stimulated with intention, change can be affected in the body. Inserting needles may not be necessary to affect this change. In fact, moxibustion, or burning an herb over specific points, is also enough to cause desired effects in the body.

Laser acupuncture, or stimulating points with lasers, has also proven to be a successful way to affect change and treat disease and conditions. In Germany, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial showed that laser acupuncture was extremely effective in treating children with headaches and migraines. There have been many other studies, too, exploring the use of laser acupuncture on children and adults with all sorts of conditions, including carpal tunnel disease, paralysis after stroke, pain relief and headaches. Laser acupuncture is also useful and effective for treating pets, especially animals like birds and cats, who will not stay still for needles (dogs usually love the needles, and relax right away.)

After taking a pet acupuncture class,  we bought a laser used for these acupuncture treatments, and we use it at the Birch Center today. We use it mostly for young children who are afraid to have needles. Severe fear of needles can be counter-productive to treatments, if fear is strong enough it can cause qi to become scattered. We have also used it on adult clients who are afraid of needles (though every single one of those people have gotten over their needle-phobia once they saw the needles and have gone on to needle treatments), people with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia where needles seemed too fatiguing.

Laser treatments take less time than regular acupuncture treatments., The points are stimulated but obviously no needles are left in while the client relaxes on the table, which is common for regular treatments. After the intake, pulse and tongue examination, the acupuncture points are stimulated with the laser (which the patient does not feel at all), Depending on the reason for the treatment and client, adjunct treatments such as moxa or cupping may be employed just as in a regular acupuncture treatment.

Stay healthy,
~ Melissa and Dave


Read these articles by Melissa Sokulski, L.Ac. in Natural News for more information:

• Traditional Chinese Medicine Eases People Into Spring Without Allergies
  

• Sinus Issues Respond Powerfully to Traditional Chinese Medicine

• Rejuvenate Your Liver This Spring With Dandelions 

• Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine Effectively Treat Insomnia

Turning a Breech Baby with Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Many people may not know this, but acupuncture is quite successful in turning breech babies!

American Studies have shown 60-70% success rate, while Chinese studies put the success rate at 80-90%. And the treatment is comfortable and easy: just heating the outside of the (mother's) little toe with moxabustion.

A moxa pole is a cigar-shaped stick made from the Chinese Herb Ai Ye, commonly known as mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris. A Chinese species of Artemesia - similar to vulgaris - is also commonly used.) The moxa is held over a point at the end of the Bladder meridian, heating and stimulating the point.

Like most acupuncturists who use moxabustion to turn breech babies, at the Birch Center we often combine this treatment with acupuncture (though it can be done alone.) The acupuncture treatment helps relax and balance the energy in the body and is helpful at any stage in pregnancy. Often the mom reports feeling the baby become very active right away or later that day. We send her home with a moxa pole and diagram of just how to do the treatment, and let her spouse or friend continue the treatment until the baby has turned (usually to be checked by midwife or doctor.)

The treatment is most effective done at the end of the pregnancy: after 36 weeks. This is so that once the baby turns it has less chance of turning back around.


Stay Healthy,
~ Melissa and David
Acupuncturists

Read these articles by Melissa Sokulski, L.Ac. in Natural News for more information:

• Breastfeeding Protects The Hearts of Mothers

• Rejuvenate Your Liver This Spring With Dandelions 

• Acupuncture Treats Peripheral Neuropathy

(above photo credit: pexels.com, free stock photos)

It's windy again today

It's windy again today. It's been a windy spring. In Chinese Medicine, wind is associated with spring. It is associated with the wood element, and in our bodies: the liver and gallbladder. This is the season that if our liver is strained or out of balance, we may experience symptoms related to the liver: anger, headaches, dizziness, aches and pains (especially ones which move around), digestive complaints, menstrual complaints, insomnia. Depression and mood swings can also be prevalent when this element is out of balance. Even jaundice and hepatitis can flare up this time of year. Acupuncture at the Birch Center is a wonderful way to balance the liver energy. There are powerful points such as Liver 3 on the foot and Liver 8 near the knee which move and smooth the energy of the body. Gall bladder points on the back of the head and neck can ease headaches and help us sleep more soundly. At the Birch Center we carry Chinese herbal formulas such as Xiao Yao San (Rambling Powder) which help move liver energy, easing menstrual complaints as well as elevating the mood. Western herbs such as dandelion, burdock, milk thistle and motherwort can also work on balancing the liver and often grow wild all around the United States: here in Western Pennsylvania motherwort and burdock are currently in bloom. The spring has a lot of wonderful energy too: growth, green-ness, creativity, movement! There is a lot to enjoy about spring, we hope you are out there enjoying spring (and now heading into summer) to its fullest! In Health, ~ David and Melissa Sokulski, L.Acs. Licensed Acupuncturists 

Traditional Chinese Medicine Eases People Into Spring Without Allergies

by Birch Center Acupuncturist Melissa Sokulski

Spring is full of warmer weather, beautiful flowers and more time outdoors. Many of us enjoy these signs of spring but some find them intolerable due to seasonal allergies. Prescription and over-the-counter medications are widely available but do nothing to help overall health and come with a host of side effects. Natural remedies such as acupuncture and herbal medicine can clear symptoms of allergies and bring the body to balance thus allowing for a higher state of health and well-being.

People with seasonal allergies react to the pollen of flowers in trees, grasses and weeds with symptoms such as itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose, headaches, and fatigue. Medications are widely available, even over the counter, yet come with their own host of side effects including being temporary loss of smell and taste. Other side effects include headache, fatigue, wheezing and abdominal pain. Medications do nothing to improve health and prevent further allergies.

Allergies are a sign of an imbalance in the immune system. Balancing and strengthening the body can decrease or even rid oneself of seasonal allergies altogether. Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture and herbal remedies, does just this. Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine is two-fold: clearing the symptoms and balancing the meridians, thus improving overall health.

Acupuncture is excellent in treating the symptoms of allergies. Many allergy symptoms are located in the head (stuffiness, headache, itchy eyes) which reveals to the acupuncturist that the energy is not flowing smoothly from the head into the rest of the body, and vice versa. All the yang meridians flow from the hands up to the head and from the head down to the feet. Using needles on the head and neck opens the yang channels and allows the energy to flow. The use of traditional herbal formulas such as Bi Yan Pian (which we carry at the Birch Center) opens the sinuses and clears the head and eyes allowing for symptom relief.

Acupuncture also helps balance the body which improves overall health. This is done by taking a complete intake and assessment of every client who comes for treatment. At the Birch Center we treat very specifically and individually, making sure the underlying cause of allergies (or any other symptom) is cleared. When the body is in balance, symptoms disappear and health is restored. Along with needles herbal formulas may be given which are specific to each person to restore balance and health.

While allergies can put a damper on enjoying the best the season holds, there is natural relief for allergy sufferers. The relief need not be temporary: when the body is brought to a higher level of health renewed energy, flexibility and joy of living is restored.

For more information or to schedule and appointment, you can call us at (412) 381-0116 or email to BirchCenter@gmail.com.

Thanks!

In health,

~ David and Melissa Sokulski, L.Acs.

Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

*****

More of Melissa's Natural News Articles Here

Sinus Issues Respond Powerfully to Traditional Chinese Medicine

by Melissa Sokulski, L.Ac. of the Birch Center

Sinus issues and infections are a problem for many people. As the nose becomes congested from cold weather, allergies, a cold or the flu, infection and inflammation often occurs. Acupuncture points, herbs, and lifestyle suggestions can keep the sinuses clear and infection-free.

Sinus issues may be acute or chronic, and are typically considered viral infections which last ten days. Many people suffering from chronic sinus infections go for months with headaches, teeth and jaw pain, low energy, and nasal congestion, among other symptoms.

Acupuncture often offers relief. Using a combination of local and distal points acupuncture can clear the sinuses and boost the immune system making it less likely for sinus infection to return. Points on the arms and legs such as Large Intestine 4 (hand), Large Intestine 11 (outside elbow crease), Lung 7 (wrist), and Stomach 36 (leg, below the knee) can open the meridians which run through the sinuses as well as boost the immune system. Local points on the face such as Large Intestine 20 (side of the nose), Stomach 2 (on the cheek bone under the eye), and GV 23 (start of the hairline) help to physically clear the sinuses.

Bi Yang Pian is an ancient Chinese herbal formula which is available at the Birch Center. It clears the sinuses and relieves headaches and other symptoms such as red itchy eyes, sore throat and sneezing which can be related to sinus issues. Bi Yan Pian contains herbs such as magnolia flower, forsythia flower and chrysanthemum flower which are said to clear heat from the sinuses and help clear infection.

Using a neti pot to clear the sinuses with salt water can also clear the sinuses, improve overall health and increase energy. Using one cup of body-temperature water and mixed with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sea salt, pour gently into one nostril and have it flow through the sinuses and out the other nostril. This can be done throughout the day until the sinuses are clear, and then repeated once or twice a day to keep healthy, especially if prone to sinus issues.

If you have more questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call the Birch Center at (412) 381-0116.

In health,

~ David and Melissa Sokulski, L.Acs.

Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

Stay Healthy this Cold and Flu Season

As with Western medicine, in Chinese Medicine colds and flu are considered to be an external pathogen invading the body. When our body's energy, or qi, is strong, we are able to fight off these pathogens. If our qi is weaker, we come down with symptoms of cold and flu: headache, chills, fever, body aches, cough, sore throat, etc.

To keep our qi strong and prevent colds and flu, it is important to:

• eat a healthy diet full of fresh raw fruits and vegetables
• cut out white and brown sugar, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, all of which lower our immunity
• wash hands frequently with regular soap and water
• get outside in fresh air, take walks and expose yourself to sunshine. It may be wise to supplement with vitamin D3 this time of year
• receive acupuncture treatments which strengthens the qi, balance energy, keeping us healthy and helping restore us to health more quickly
• herbal medicine, supplements and proper food choices keep immunity strong.

To keep the energy flowing smoothly and our immunity strong, it is important to make sure all meridians are balanced, but immunity often relates especially to the earth and metal elements, which show up in your pulse as your spleen and lung meridians.

An acupuncturist will often use points such as St. 36 to keep the energy strong, and Sp. 6 to make sure food is digested properly and nutrients are absorbed and turned into vital energy.

LI 11 is a powerful immune point. LI 4 and TW 5 are often used to help the body push pathogens back out. Lu 7 combined with LI 4 strengthens the body's defense against pathogens.

Often the earth and metal shu points on the back (Bl 13 and Bl 20) are needled to harmonize the body's energy and strengthen immunity.

In terms of herbal medicine:

• Astragalus is an excellent immune tonic
• Medicinal mushrooms such as Reishi and Maitaki can bolster the immune system, especially when the immune system is compromised
• Four Gentlemen Formula - a classic Chinese herb formula to keep the Qi strong
• Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, a combination of ginseng and astragalus, used in specific cases to strengthen the body`s Qi
• Gui Pi Tang is used when both qi and blood need a boost, with signs such as insomnia, irritability and anxiety

Once someone comes down with symptoms of the flu, the treatment focus switches from formulas that tonify the qi to formulas which expel the invading pathogen. There are western herbs and nutritional remedies such as Vitamin C and Echinacea, which are beneficial.

In Chinese medicine, classic herbal formulas are used, including:

• Yin Qiao - This formula contains cooling detoxifying herbs such as forsythia and honeysuckle. It is used when just getting sick, with symptoms which include sore throat, headache, and a yellow tongue coat.
• Gan Mao Ling - if you find yourself in the midst of a bad cold or flu

We carry these Chinese herbs and formulas at the Birch Center, and your acupuncturist can help you choose the formula which is right for you.

Please feel free to call us at the Birch Center if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment: (412) 381-0116.

Here's to your health...stay healthy and strong this season!

~ David and Melissa Sokulski, L.Acs.

Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

Pumpkins Remedy Seasonal Ailments

Happy Autumn!

Here's some information about Five Element Theory, and the most seasonal healing food around this time of year: the pumpkin:

(Originally published in NaturalNews)

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, autumn is represented by the metal element, which corresponds to the Lungs and Large Intestine. Weakness in this element shows up as ailments in the Lung and Intestines: allergies, asthma and constipation. The remedy can be found in this season's most notable food: the pumpkin or squash.

The pumpkin is round, orange and sweet. It corresponds to the earth element in the five element cycle. Earth is the mother of metal. In Chinese medicine there is a saying: ...(Read the rest of the article, including a delicious recipe for nourishing pumpkin soup.)

Hope you enjoy the fall!

In Health,

David and Melissa Sokulski, L.Acs.

Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

Acupuncture and Arthritis

As many clients of the Birch Center already know, acupuncture is extremely effective in the treatment of arthritis. Many kinds of arthritis can be treated with acupuncture: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis pain from chronic disease such as Lyme's disease or lupus.

The reason why so many different kinds of arthritis - pain and swelling of the joints - can all be treated is that acupuncture can help the body move the energy that becomes stagnant in the joints, reducing the swelling and pain. It really doesn't matter what the Western diagnosis is - even if you're not diagnosed with arthritis at all - acupuncture is so effective at restoring balance to the body and moving the energy from the aching joints that people experience relief, usually quite quickly.

Along with needles, we often use moxibustion, which is heating an herb over the area of the arthritis. This feels wonderful to people.

If you have arthritis or know someone who does, or have anything else going on that you'd like to talk about, you are always welcome to come in for a free 20 minute consultation with Birch Center acupuncturist David Sokulski. Just call (412) 381-0116 for an appointment. He is available Monday through Thursday, 9 am through 9 pm.

Live Science recently also published an article about how acupuncture effectively treats arthritis:

This Week’s Question: I have arthritis in my knee. I’m thinking about trying acupuncture, but my friends think I’m nuts. What do you think?

Several recent studies show osteoarthritis symptoms can be relieved with acupuncture. One Scandinavian study reported that 25 percent of patients canceled their plans for knee surgery after acupuncture.

About 15 million Americans have tried this needle therapy. The World Health Organization recommends it for more than 40 conditions as diverse as asthma and nausea from chemotherapy. The Food and Drug Administration regulates acupuncture needles.

So, no, I don’t think you’re nuts.

(You can find the article in full here.)

Thanks for reading, and we hope you have a wonderful day!

Melissa and David Sokulski

Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

Winter and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Winter is the time of year which corresponds to our Kidneys and Bladder. It is the Water element, the color is black (or blue), and the emotion is fear.

Symptoms which may be associated with the Water element include

• bladder and/or kidney infections
  
• low back pain
  
• knee pain
  
• cavities in teeth
  
• weak or broken bones
  
• infertility
  
• premature gray hair or hair loss
  
• ringing in the ears
  
• increase of phobias or fears
  

To strengthen the Water energy and keep the body in balance, it's important to keep yourself warm. Wear scarves around your neck and extra layers or scarves around your mid-section (in Japan, this is called a haramaki, or belly warmer: a tube of material which can be quite fashionable, which goes around your midsection to keep your abdomen and kidneys warm.)

If you are on a high raw or 100% raw food diet, you can add spices such as ginger to your juices and cinnamon to your foods. You can gently warm soups, and make sure to eat plenty of well blended food, as these meals are easier to digest. Fresh cranberries also make a nice addition to juices or purees this time of year, and help protect the bladder and kidneys from infection as well (especially if you are prone to this type of infection.)

Here is one of my favorite winter juice recipes:

Juice the following:

• 5 carrots
  
• 3 apples
  
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
  
• 1 inch knob fresh ginger
  

I usually add water to the juice, especially because this one is so sweet.

Warm miso soup is also a wonderful meal: heat the water and let it cool back down to ninety or one hundred degrees (warm to the touch.) Add scallions, sliced mushrooms, wakame (a sea vegetable), grated ginger and carrots, and miso, which is best first made into a paste with warm water and then added to the soup. Enjoy this soup warm.

In macrobiotic cooking, aduki beans and black beans are beneficial for the kidneys (these would be cooked beans; the macrobiotic tradition cooks the food.) Millet and winter squash are also good choices for balancing energy this time of year.

Herbs which benefit the kidneys are nettles, he shou wu (also known as Foti root), and the formula Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, or Rehmannia Six.

Now is a wonderful time of year to get acupuncture, especially if you notice any of the above symptoms. Points such as K3 and K6 on the ankle are helpful to boost the Kidney energy, as well as bladder points along the spine on the back. Moxibustion is wonderful this time of year to help add heat to the body via the acu-points, abdomen and meridians.

As always, we are happy to answer your questions. Please comment below, email us at BirchCenter@gmail.com or give us a call (412) 381-0116.

Thanks so much!

Love,
Melissa and David Sokulski
Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

Acupuncture Produces Amazing Results In Reversing Infertility

Recently, Mike Adams of Natural News put together interesting research and findings about how acupuncture often successfully treats infertility.

Of course, it may not be a secret to those in the Pittsburgh area...many people diagnosed with infertility find their way to the Birch Center! We can attest that acupuncture treatments have a very high success rate for reversing infertility.

Here is an excerpt from Mike's article in Natural News:

(NaturalNews) Of all the available treatments for infertility, acupuncture isn't one that people usually think of first. But as you'll see here, it's actually one of the safest and most effectiveness treatments for infertility known to modern science.

Why does it work so well? Because infertility isn't usually a physical problem. It's often an issue related to circulation or energy channels that govern the vitality of your body's organs (including reproductive organs). Rebalancing those bioelectric channels can create enormous healing changes in the function of your reproductive organs.

Read the rest of his article here.

To make an acupuncture appointment at The Birch Center, please call us at (412) 381-0116.

If you are wondering what acupuncture can do for you, feel free to take advantage of our no-cost no-obligation 20 minute consultation with Birch Center Acupuncturist David Sokulski. Call (412) 381-0116 to set up and appointment for that as well. You can also send us an email: BirchCenter@gmail.com.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Melissa and David Sokulski
Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

Chinese Herbs Show Promise For Diabetes Prevention

An article by Amy Norton was recently published in Reuters about Diabetes Prevention and Chinese Herbs.

Here is an excerpt:

A number of traditional Chinese herbs may help control blood sugar levels in people at high risk of diabetes, a new research review suggests.

The review, which examined 16 clinical trials of 15 different herbal formulations, found that the herbs generally helped lower blood sugar levels in people with "pre-diabetes" -- those with impaired blood-sugar control that can progress to full-blown type 2 diabetes. (Read the full article here.)

How exciting that studies like this are being published in the mainstream media!

We carry many Traditional Chinese Herbal Formulas at The Birch Center for Health, and are happy to assist you choose the right one for you.

There are many other things that can be done to control one's blood sugar, including:

• Eating a diet high in raw vegetables, especially leafy greens
  
  
• Cutting out white and brown sugar, white flour and white rice from one's diet
  
  
• Reducing (or eliminating) alcohol consumption
  
  
• Drinking Green Vegetable Juices
  
  
• Acupuncture treatments are an excellent way to balance the body's energy and optimize health
  

If you have specific questions about your own health condition or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (412) 381-0116, or send us an email: BirchCenter@gmail.com.

We hope you enjoy the information we provide on our blog and newsletters. If you have other questions, especially specific questions about your own condition or health, or would like an appointment, please contact us online or by calling (412) 381-0116.

To Your Health!

~ Melissa and David Sokulski

Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

Swine Flu and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Part 3

Part 3: Herbs and Supplements to Keep you Healthy and Strong During Flu Season

Welcome to Part 3 of our 4-part series on Swine Flu and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Part 1: we covered Prevention
Part 2: we covered what to do if you find yourself with the flu

Today we will discuss herbal ways to keep yourself healthy and strong during flu season.

One thing we want to stress: receiving acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal supplements for whatever symptoms you have, will only bring you more in balance, and make your immunity stronger.

You may find yourself giving an herbal supplement not mentioned here: that is ok. Chinese medicine is specific and unique to each individual. The herbs mentioned here are general recommendations, if you want to find out the best supplements or herbal medicines for you, please give us a call at (412) 381-0116 to set up and appointment. We would love to see you and take the time to personalize a program for you.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the actions the herbs have on your body is very important. The herbs we mention to strengthen immunity should not be taken if you already have a cold or the flu. Instead, it is important to switch to herbs which will expel the exterior, which means push the invading pathogens out. We will mention herbs for both situations below.

If you are in generally good health and what to stay that way, one supplement we have available at the Birch Center is called Immune Renew. This is a combination of the Chinese herb astragalus, reishi and other medicinal mushrooms. This combination is excellent for the immune system, and is often recommended to people with lowered immunity in general, for example people going through chemotherapy, or have immune deficiency syndromes.

Chinese herbal formulas which are good to tonify qi include:

• Immune Renew: discussed above
  
  
• Four Gentlemen, which is a basic formula to boost the qi
  
  
• Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan, boosts the body qi but also has a "lifting" action, if there are sinking symptoms such as bleeding and prolapses
  
  
• Gui Pi Wan - boosts the qi and blood, when there are also signs of blood deficiency, which may show up as anxiety, irritability and insomnia
  

These all help boost general qi and affect the immune system, but in slightly different ways. Again, there are other formulas which may be more beneficial to you based on your individual symptoms. The one that matches you best is the best one for you to take to make you stronger and boost your own immunity. If you would like to consult with us, we'd be happy to see you. Just call (412) 381-0116 to set up an appointment.

If you find yourself coming down with something, feeling a bit run down but no general symptoms, you can take Echinacea and vitamin C. We love the brand Emergen-C, which has 1000 mg of vitamin C, plus B vitamins, magnesium and a few other things, and mixes into water for a delicious beverage. These products can be found at health food stores, or can be ordered online through www.iherb.com. Use coupon code MEL526 for $5 off your first order with iherb. We order from iherb regularly, their prices are awesome!

Another option is the Chinese herbal formula Yin Qiao Wan. This is especially good to take if you notice signs like sore throat, headache, thirst, or yellow tongue coating.

If you find yourself with a full blown bad cold or flu, Gan Mao Ling, is a wonderful Chinese remedy.

We do carry both Yin Qiao and Gan Mao Ling at the Birch Center.

Nutritionally, we mentioned miso soup yesterday, with scallions, garlic and ginger, all of which have the action of pushing the "invaders" out of your body.

The miso has the added benefit of being a live fermented food: tomorrow we will talk about how beneficial fermented (or cultured) foods like cultured veggies, sauerkraut, natural pickles, yogurts, etc are for your immunity. We'll talk to you then!

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment for Acupuncture or to discuss a program of herbal medicines or supplements, or come by to pick up any of the herbs we mentioned, please call us at (412) 381-0116 or send us an email to BirchCenter@gmail.com.

Thanks!

Melissa and David Sokulski, L.Acs
Birch Center for Health
Pittsburgh, PA
(412) 381-0116

Acupuncture Effectively Treats Insomnia

Acupuncture treats the person, not the disease, therefore there is really no limit to what acupuncture can treat. Acupuncture helps balance the body's energy, strengthening weak areas and moving energy where it's stuck.

That being said, there is a large and growing list of conditions which acupuncture has been proven to help, as published by the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health.

In this series of articles, we'll be addressing these conditions and more, explaining how acupuncture and Chinese medicine, including massage, herbs and lifestyle adjustments, can bring balance and relief safely and effectively.

If you'd like us to address a specific condition, you are welcome to comment below or email BirchCenter@gmail.com.. You are also welcome to take advantage of our 20 minute free health consultation, with no obligation, with Birch Center Acupuncturist David Sokulski. Call today to schedule that appointment: (412) 381-0116.

Acupuncture and Insomnia

Insomnia is a common condition we see at The Birch Center. Sometimes people come in with insomnia as the main complaint, other times it is revealed that they have insomnia (or difficulty falling or staying asleep) during the in-depth questioning we do as part of the intake.

The burning of the herb mugwort on the heel of a person who has difficulty falling asleep.

Insomnia can have many causes; figuring out the cause is an important part of diagnosis and treatment. For instance, pain can cause insomnia because the person is not able to get into a comfortable position for sleeping and the pain wakes them up. In that case we treat the pain (pain management with acupuncture often has excellent results.)

Eating late at night is also a common cause of insomnia. When people stop eating after 7 pm, sleep often comes much more easily and is more peaceful.

Other causes we see are yin deficiency, and imbalance of yin and yang, spleen deficiency and stagnant liver qi.

At the Birch Center for Health, we take a detailed history which includes questioning, pulse and tongue diagnosis, which gives us a more complete picture of that person as a whole. So even if it is determined that two different clients have insomnia as a result of over-thinking/spleen deficiency, their treatments may still be different, depending on each person's constitution (strength and type of overall body and health), and other factors.

This is what makes acupuncture so individualized and effective: there is no one prescription for a condition. Each time you come in, you are re-evaluated, and each treatment is selected specifically for you. This is also why it is so common to see all sorts of symptoms clear up - not just the one someone has come in to treat. We are never just working on a symptom alone; in every treatment, the whole person is being addressed and treated.

We hope you enjoy this series! If there are other conditions you'd like to see addressed, please to comment or email us BirchCenter@gmail.com.
If you'd like to come in, please call (412) 381-0116 to schedule an appointment. If you just want to ask us questions about your condition, you can call or schedule a 20 minute free consultation, which is a more in depth personalized way to really address your issues.

Thanks so much!

Melissa and David Sokulski
Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health

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Acupuncture Treats Depression, Anxiety

One of the most common questions we get these days is if/how acupuncture can treat depression and anxiety.

Acupuncture is often very useful in both these conditions.

Health, in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) depends on the smooth flow of qi (energy) throughout the body. This is important for mental health as well as physical health. In fact, problems in the energy flow often show up first as difficulties in mental health, whether it is feeling stuck in a current situation, not being enthusiastic about life, to experiencing anxiety and clinical depression.

When someone comes in for an acupuncture treatment or consultation, we assess the energy flow in the entire body and see where the cause may be for any symptoms (physical, mental or emotional) they may be experiencing. Often even seemingly unrelated symptoms may have a similar root in Chinese medicine. We find where energy flow may be blocked, weak, or not flowing in the proper direction.

There are many ways to address these imbalances. Of course, acupuncture - placing small, sterile needles in specific points on the body designed to balance energy flow, is one safe effective method we use at The Birch Center.

We can also address the root of the problem with herbs. For example, if smooth flow of energy needs to be restored, we may prescribe a Chinese formula called Xiao Yao Wan. Other formulas, which calm the Heart and settle scattered qi, can often address anxiety and sleeplessness. Depending on each person's specific case, formulas can be given to strengthen digestion, or the overall yin or yang of the body.

We also may discuss lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise, modifications of which can often be extremely helpful to a person's mental and physical well-being.

Finally, we can look at what is available around us. Blooming all around Pittsburgh right now is St. John's wort (pictured above), which is a traditional European herbal treatment for depression. St. John's Wort is used in Germany and other European countries much more often than the prescription medications we use in this country. St. John's wort can be taken as pill, tincture or tea, and is fun to gather yourself, once you learn to identify it.

So if you or someone you love is struggling with depression, anxiety, or other issues, please know that acupuncture can often be a great help.

You can call our office to speak with an acupuncturist directly (412) 381-0116, and can even schedule a free 20 minute consultation with David Sokulski, our head acupuncturist.

For more information about herbs and plants growing locally, please visit Food Under Foot.

Thanks so much!

In Health,

Melissa and David Sokulski, L.Ac
Birch Center for Health

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Thank you!

www.BirchCenter.com

Acupuncture Clears Seasonal Allergies

by David and Melissa Sokulski, Licensed Acupuncturists

While the best thing about spring may be open to debate: the warmer weather, beautiful flowers, picnics; the worst thing is nearly always unanimous: seasonal allergies.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications are widely available, but do nothing to help overall health and prevention of allergies, plus come with a host of side effects.

Natural remedies such as acupuncture, however, not only clear symptoms of allergies, but they also help the body come into balance: clearing the underlying condition causing allergies and improving overall health.

Seasonal allergies occur when someone reacts to the pollen of flowers in trees, grasses and weeds, and causes symptoms such as itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose, headaches, and fatigue.

Although western medications are available, even over the counter, they come with their own host of side effects: one I recently heard was loss of smell and taste (hopefully temporary).

Allergies are a sign of an imbalance in the immune system. Balancing and strengthening the body can be the best thing to decrease or even rid oneself of seasonal allergies altogether.

Some natural tips include:

• Eat local, seasonal foods. This keeps us in tune and in balance with the natural cycles around us.
  
• Eat local honey, and - if you do not have a reaction to it, test by having only a tiny granule at first - local bee pollen. The local honey and bee pollen is made from pollen of local flowers, in a form that is utilized by the body. Thus, when the body is later exposed in the environment, the immune system does not see it as an invader and react against it.
  
• Take a regular multivitamin/mineral supplement year round to ensure that your body is functioning at its best.
  
• Eat more raw foods, especially in the warmer months. This puts us in tune with the seasons, and helps our body function at its best.
  
• Take a homeopathic allergy remedy. Homeopathic medicine works by matching the vibration of your symptoms to a particular remedy. When the vibrations match, they cancel the symptoms out and improve overall health.
  
• Receive acupuncture.
  

How Acupuncture Helps Treat Allergies

Acupuncture is a great way both to treat symptoms of seasonal allergies, and to bring the body into balance so one need not suffer seasonal allergies in the future.

Acupuncture helps the sufferer of allergies in two main ways:

1. Alleviates symptoms such as itchy eyes, stuffiness, headaches and fatigue, and
   
2. Brings the body into balance.
   

Symptom Treatment

Acupuncture is excellent at treating symptoms of allergies. Many allergy symptoms are located above the neck, that is, in the head (stuffiness, headache, itchy eyes, etc.) This means the energy is not flowing smoothly from the head into the rest of the body, and vice versa. All the yang meridians flow from the hands up to the head, or from the head down to the feet. We need to open the channels in the neck and shoulders and allow the energy to flow.

Acupuncture can also treat the symptoms very locally: by placing small, sterile needles right on points of pain or symptoms like the head or side of nose, allowing the stuck energy to dissipate and move more smoothly throughout the body.

Root Treatment

Secondly, though most importantly, acupuncture helps balance the body in general. This is done by taking a complete intake and doing a complete assessment of every client who comes for treatment. At The Birch Center for Health, we treat very specifically and individually, making sure the underlying cause of allergies (and any other symptoms) are cleared. When the body is in balance, symptoms disappear and health is restored. This is the main benefit of acupuncture: bringing a person into balance so that the body may heal itself of any ailment physically, mentally or emotionally.

While allergies can put a damper on enjoying the best the season holds, there is natural relief for allergy sufferers. And the relief need not be temporary. In fact, when the body is brought to a higher level of health, we enjoy renewed energy, flexibility and joy of living.

The original version of this article appeared in Natural News, where Melissa Sokulski writes health related articles that appear weekly or so.

Acupuncturist David Sokulski, of The Birch Center for Health in Pittsburgh, PA, is currently offering free 20 minute health consultations. If you'd like to talk to David about your condition and/or acupuncture, please call today: (412) 381-0116.

Thanks so much!

~ David and Melissa Sokulski

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Yin and Yang, The Basis of Chinese Medicine

Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine - Yin and Yang
by David and Melissa Sokulski, L.Acs.

The concept of yin and yang is fundamental to Chinese Medicine.

The Chinese character for yin can be translated as the shady side of the hill, and so corresponds to dark, night, rest, coolness. Yang is the sunny side of the hill: light, day, activity, warmth.

What makes the idea of yin and yang so unique to Eastern thought, is the idea of relativity. Nothing is purely yin or yang, in fact nothing is yin or yang on it's own, it is only in relation to something else. For example, if heat is considered yang, is Florida considered yin or yang? It's climate is yang compared to New York's, but yin compared to areas on the equator. Nothing can be considered by itself, nothing is either one thing or the other.

Similarly, yin and yang are always transforming into each other. Day changes to night, and back into day. Summer to fall, winter, spring and back to summer. Even high noon is not purely yang, it has a seed of yin that grows and allows day to give way to evening and night.

The concept of yin and yang is extended to the body, health and Chinese Medicine. In fact, at it's most basic, Chinese medicine can be reduced to yin and yang, and treatment techniques can be thought of in these terms:

• strengthening yin
  
• strengthening yang
  
• eliminating excess yin
  
• eliminating excess yang
  

depending on what kind of imbalance is occurring within the patient.

Yet again, it is not as simple as it appears. If a person has a condition of heat: fever in the evening, night sweats, rapid pulse...do we consider this excess yang or insufficient yin, both of which would lead to heat? The distinction is vital in terms of treatment. In this case the heat is likely due to insufficient yin (fluids which cool the body) because the fever and sweats occur only at night, so the treatment principle would be to strengthen the yin rather than clear away yang.

Sometimes it is helpful to pare things down to the basics, to begin to understand the simplicity, yet depth and wisdom of ancient medicine.

Neuropathy and Acupuncture

Neuropathy and Acupuncture
by David and Melissa Sokulski, L.Ac.

Neuropathy, or Peripheral Neuropathy, is defined as having numbness, tingling or lack of sensation in nerves especially of the hands and feet (the periphery.) It is a fairly common symptom, occurring in people with spinal injuries, diabetes, and genetic conditions such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth Syndrome. Acupuncture can be an effective way to treat these symptoms, bringing energy, life and feeling back into the extremities.

Neuropathy is a serious symptom, which often effects people's quality of life. When we don't feel parts of our body, we are more prone to injury and infection, as well as finding difficulty in daily tasks such as walking, fine motor work, or gripping. People who have this symptom as part of a genetic disorder also deal with the fears and hopes that go along with having a rare medical disorder.

Acupuncture is a powerful tool not only to balance qi - or energy - in the body, but to bring peace, hope and alignment into the mind, emotions and spirit as well.

When we have numbness in our peripheries, the way Eastern medicine views this is that not enough qi (energy) is reaching these areas. This can be for a variety of reasons, but mainly either

1. there is too little energy in that organ system/meridian (energy pathway)
   
2. something is blocking the energy from reaching the area.
   

There is also often a combination of the two, and often multiple organ systems/meridians involved. There are also different causes for the condition. Each of these things is considered and address by the acupuncturist, and a treatment plan which best suits the patient is mapped out.

Acupuncture often brings immediate relief, though it will likely take a series of treatments for the feeling to come back completely and for the body to stay in balance, providing lasting effects. How often or how long treatment should proceed will be individual, depending on the cause and the overall constitution and health of the patient.

Acupuncture works by treating the person as a whole, balancing body, mind and spirit, and allowing the body to do what it needs to do to heal itself. Acupuncture helps remove blocks, helps the body focus on increasing energy in areas of deficiency, help the patient be more present and focused, but ultimately it is our own body's and energy that are able to heal.

To schedule an appointment or for more information, please call David Sokulski, PA licensed acupuncturist, at (412) 381-0116, or email him at BirchCenter@gmail.com.


Dave also offers FREE 20 minute consultations, either by phone or in person at the Birch Center for Health. Please call today to schedule your appointment: (412) 381-0116.

****

Dave recently gave a talk to a support group for people living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder.

Some notes on Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disorders (from CMT Facts III, Special Report):

• CMT is the most common inherited neuropathy, affecting about 125,000 Americans
  
• CMT is also known as peroneal muscular atrophy and hereditary motor sensory neuropathy
  
• does not affect life expectancy
  
• can vary greatly in severity, even within a family
  
• is the focus of significant genetic research
  

More information can be found by contacting:

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association
2700 Chestnut Parkway
Chester, PA 19013

People can join the association and receive their newsletter by contacting them through the address above, or by calling Pennsylvania Department of State at: 1-800-732-0999.