10 Thing You May Not Know About The Birch Center...But Really Should

10 Things You May Not Know About Birch Center...But Really Should

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1.  Birch Center provides some of the best acupuncture the city has to offer! Birch Center Acupuncturist David Sokulski has been practicing acupuncture over 15 years and has been in the same location on the south side for nearly 9 years.

2. All acupuncturists at The Birch Center are licensed by Pennsylvania's Board of Medicine.

3. If your condition/treatment calls for extra techniques such as moxabustion, cupping, or gwa sha (a type of massage treatment) it is provided to you at NO EXTRA CHARGE.

4. Birch Center Acupuncturist David Sokulski regularly treats professional athletes, professional actors, dancers and musicians with excellent results.

5. We love to celebrate our Birch Center Babies: healthy happy babies born to moms who had come to the Birch Center and were successfully treated for infertility. Read about one mom's experience here.

6. We carry the absolute best Reishi - the mushroom of immortality - found anywhere in Pittsburgh or beyond. It has been legally and sustainably harvested (by us!) in Pennsylvania's old growth forests and thus contains no sprays, sulfites, or chemicals of any kind as the imported Reishi does. It is extremely fresh and powerful. AND, if you haven't tried it but would like to, Dave will give you a FREE SAMPLE of this Reishi at your next appointment, just ask.

7. We regularly use moxabustion to turn breech babies, which according to studies is 73% effective! This treatment requires NO NEEDLES and is relaxing, non-invasive and entirely pain-free.

8. On-street parking outside the office is EASY during the day, and is FREE after 6pm.

9. We were recently featured in NextPittsburgh's article Healthy South Side. You can also read about us in the Post-Gazette, Trib PM and City Paper.

10. Acupuncture treats mental/emotional conditions as well as physical conditions. People with anxiety, depression, insomnia, ADD/ADHD, autistic spectrum disorders, addictions, OCD and other disorders find much relief with acupuncture.

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Acupuncturist David Sokulski's Theatrical Debut

Acupuncturist David Sokulski's Theatrical Debut

This month Birch Center Acupuncturist David Sokulski will make his musical theater debut in Robert Morris's production of Damn Yankees! Come see your acupuncturist sing, dance and act as The Commissioner of baseball!

The show runs Thursday July 24 through Sunday July 27. Sunday show will be a matinee and Thursday, Friday and Saturday are evening shows. Tickets are available at the door of Massey Theater (Colonial Theater) on Robert Morris's campus in Moon.

Hope to see you there! 

 

Dave Is Speaking At Our Clubhouse Tonight

Acupuncture Talk at Our Clubhouse

Tonight, Wednesday, July 9, Birch Center Acupuncturist David Sokulski is giving a talk about acupuncture at Our Clubhouse, formerly Gilda's Club, in the Strip District.

Our Clubhouse provides comfort, care and hope to people who are touched by cancer. It is for those diagnosed with cancer and friends and family members of those diagnosed.

Dinner is at 6:00 pm and Dave's talk begins at 6:30. There are still some spots left. If you are a member of Our Clubhouse call to register at  412-338-1919.

If you are interested in membership check out their website or give them a call at the number above. Membership is free as are all activities offered there, including talks, support groups, arts and crafts and yoga.

17 Fantastic Clutter Free Gift Ideas

The holiday season is upon us and for some last minute shopping we compiled a list of clutter-free gifts that is sure to please.

• Memberships - In Pittsburgh we have:
•  the amazing Carnegie museum system which includes four museums for one membership - Art Museum, National History, Warhol and Science (five if you count Sports Works as separate from the Science Museum!) 
• the Children's museum,
•  Heinz History museum (which also includes Meadowcroft and Fort Pitt),  
• Phipps
• The Frick
• the Pittsburgh Zoo 
• the Aviary

• Groupon - check out the deals on groupon and gift someone with an art class (take it along side them), a massage, a meal out, a day of sledding or skiing, yoga classes there are tons of deals to choose from.

• A gift certificate to their favorite restaurant.

• A massage from their (or your) favorite massage practitioner.

• A gym membership.

• A year (or a few months) of netflix or hulu plus.

• A series of yoga classes from your favorite yoga studio

• A play, opera, musical or the symphony. There are tons of great shows in Pittsburgh all year. Pick out your favorite and get tickets to give as gifts.

• Tickets to hear live music. From smaller venues to hear local and up and coming artists to big ticket items playing at Heinz Hall, Carnegie Music Hall and Consol Center, you can find great musicians playing in Pittsburgh year round. 

• A gift certificate from Trader Joe's, The Food Coop, Whole Foods or other specialty grocery store.

 What other ideas do you have for clutter free holiday gifts? Comment below to share your idea with everyone!

Happy Holidays,

David and Melissa Sokulski
acupuncturists

Heading Into Winter

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and if you celebrated Chanukah that it was warm and joyful!

As the autumn gives way to winter, the energy moves from the metal element into the water element. In our bodies that relates to the meridians of Kidney and Bladder.

5 elements chart from Wiki Commons

This fall at the Birch Center we were able to help lots of people manifesting weakness in the Metal element: asthma, pneumonia, allergies, colds and flu. As we move to the next element in the cycle – water, which relates to the Kidney, we still may see some of that, as the two elements are closely connected and the Kidneys have the specific function of “grasping the qi” after the lungs take the breath. People may continue to see flare ups in asthma and other lung issues as the energy moves deeper into our bodies to connect with the water element.

The kidneys govern growth and development, any developmental issues can be supported by supporting the kidney energy. This goes for children as well as adults and elderly: issues we often associate with age: memory loss, dizziness, hot flashes, weakened bones/osteoporosis, insomnia, ringing in ears/tinnitus can all be helped by supporting the kidney energy with acupuncture, food choices and herbal medicine.

Other issues associated with the kidneys include

• back and knee pain
• teeth weakness (cavities) 
• bone weakness (osteoporosis)
• diabetes especially Type 1 (Type 2 is associated with the Earth energy as well as Water)
• hair loss and premature graying of hair
• endocrine imbalance including thyroid 
• reproductive and fertility issues
• all issues relating to the brain such as development and memory.
  

At the Birch Center we can treat these conditions, support and strengthen the water element/kidneys with acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietary suggestions. 

The water element follows the Bladder meridian from the eye up over the head, down the back in two lines touching on all the organ systems: the inner line accesses physical aspects of that organ system the outer the mental and spiritual, down the back of knee and legs, outside the ankle then connecting to the Kidney at the bottom of the foot, running back up the kidney meridian on the inside of the ankle and leg, up the front of the abdomen to the collar bone, where it enters the body more deeply as well as connects to the next meridian organ system, the Pericardium.

During acupuncture treatments we commonly needle points on the back and ankle to access and strengthen the water element. This powerful element is said to be the root of all yin and yang in the body.

Now is a great time to come in for an acupuncture tune-up to bring the body back into balance and alignment as the seasons shift and the energy moves from one element to the other. A balancing acupuncture treatment helps the transition flow smoothly and any subtle weaknesses in the organ systems can often be overcome by a simple relaxing acupuncture session.

In blog entries throughout December and into the winter, we'll discuss 

• Chinese herbal and Western botanical treatments for the water element to strengthen the kidneys
• Sea vegetables and other foods like black beans which benefit and strengthen the kidneys 
• Other ways to strengthen the kidneys and support the all important water element of our bodies

Stay tuned to the blog and enjoy the holiday season! You can follow our blog by getting each post sent directly to your inbox by subscribing to the box on the top of the right margin. And don't forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter!

If you are interested in foraging for wild foods, check out Birch Center acupuncturist Melissa Sokulski's new ebook: Winter Foraging Holiday Feasting, for great ideas, color photos and fantastic healthy vegan recipes. This book identifies over 25 common edible plants easily found in winter with information on how to harvest and prepare them

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Happy Holidays!

~ David and Melissa Sokulski