Reason #3 It is too expensive

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine are still in the process of being incorporated into health care system in this country. The latest studies indicate that 65 to 80 percent of the world’s population and approximately 38 percent of all Americans use complementary medicine. In too expensiveresponse to their client’s use of complementary medicine and the realization that those who do use such therapies tend to cost the insurance companies less overall, many insurance companies do cover all or a portion of the cost of acupuncture.

Even if your insurance does not cover acupuncture, there are affordable places to find treatment. Community acupuncture clinics are becoming increasingly popular and easy to find. These clinics charge anywhere between $15 and $50 per treatment, some based on a sliding scale or donation.

The next time you find yourself frustrated by conventional treatment methods, consider acupuncture as a possible alternative. In just a few sessions, you could experience relief from any one of dozens of stubborn, hard-to-treat health conditions while stimulating the body’s own healing resources – something no prescription drug can ever do for you.

Prepare for the Lunar New Year: The Year of the Red Fire Monkey

The Year of the Monkey begins on February 8, 2016. 
 
Rather than being a Monkey on your back, the Red Fire Monkey of 2016 is just what you need to take a leap in your life.  According to Chinese tradition, the Year of the red fire monkeyenthusiastic energy of the Monkey combined with the Fire element provide the fuel to make changes you may have been considering for some time.  Take some time during this New Year celebration to let the fire monkey on your shoulder lead you to making some positive changes in your life.
 
Below are some simple things you can do to usher in the Year of the Monkey:
  1. Clean your house from top to bottom to rid it of any bad luck from last year. Sweep it out towards the door.
  2. Clean your internal house as well, paying off debts and resolving any quarrels with friends.
  3. Get some new clothes and a haircut before the big day (scissors are to be avoided so you don’t snip off any good luck).
  4. Prepare food ahead of time for family and to give away. Knives also must be put away so you don’t accidentally cut off any incoming good luck.
  5. Decorate the house with red and gold banners. Red signifies happiness and gold represents prosperity.

Reason #2 Does it Really Work?

During my 15 years working in the field of acupuncture, I have repeatedly seen acupuncture work and I can answer with a most definite “Yes!!” But don’t take my word for it. Continue reading to find out the opinions of some of our leading medical organizations.

 In 2003, The World Health Organization released an 87-page document titled Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials. This review specifically listed 28 diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proven through controlled trials to be an effective treatment. Nearly 100 more conditions were reported by controlled trials to have some therapeutic benefits. Additionally, The American Medical Association Journal of Internal Medicine (JAMA) concluded that acupuncture is effective for reducing chronic pain with few side effects.

Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proved – through controlled trials—to be an effective treatment:

1.   Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy 15.  Low back pain
 
2.     Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever) 16.  Malposition of fetus, correction of
3.     Biliary colic 17.  Morning sickness
4.     Depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke) 18.  Nausea and vomiting
5.     Dysentery, acute bacillary 19.  Neck pain
6.     Dysmenorrhoea, (painful menstruation) 20.  Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction)
7.     Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm) 21.  Periarthritis of shoulder
8.     Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders) 22.  Postoperative pain
9.     Headache 23.  Renal colic
10.  Hypertension, essential 24.  Rheumatoid arthritis
11.  Hypotension, primary 25.  Sciatica
12.  Induction of labour 26.  Sprain
13.  Knee pain 27.  Stroke
14.  Leukopenia

28.  Tennis elbow

The Top Three Reasons People Don’t Try Acupuncture- and Why They Should!

You may know a little bit about acupuncture or you may have never heard of it. Perhaps you know all about it and have decided, “No way, I’m never doing that!”. Take a moment to read my next three posts. Consider if any of these are reasons that are holding you back from giving acupuncture a chance. After reading the following posts you may even want to reevaluate your decision!

Reason #1 Fear of Needles

The first question I hear when discussing my profession as an acupuncturist is, “Does it hurt?, quickly followed by a look of disbelief and doubt when I reply “No.” I completely understand the doubt I see.  Who doesn’t vividly remember visiting the doctor’s office as a child and hearing those dreaded words, “You’ll need a shot today.”?  And if my memory serves me correctly, those shots definitely hurt.  But once I explain how acupuncture needles are vastly different than those feared childhood needles, you’ll understand why acupuncture does not cause pain.

The acupuncture needles I use in my practice are thinner than a strand of human hair, which is significantly smaller than a hypodermic needle. In fact, 40 acupuncture needles can easily fit inside the opening at the tip of an 18-gauge hypodermic needle (the type commonly used for blood tests).Acupuncture-needles- in syring

Acupuncture needles are solid, not hollow, like a hypodermic needle.  Needles that you encounter at the doctor’s office or when giving blood must have an opening for the medicine to pass though (or in the case of a blood draw, the blood to flow out).  “Why does this matter?”, you may be thinking.  Well, believe it or not, the tiny hole that is punched in the skin with a hypodermic needle is one of the reasons you experience pain.  The solid nature of an acupuncture needle, as well as its miniscule size, allows it to gently glide into the skin.

 Photo Credit: www,acupuncture-treatment.com

Twelfth Day of Gratitude

I am grateful for my acupuncture clients and yoga students.20151218_140724[1]20151211_140228[1]

Often my acupuncture clients and yoga students thank me after a treatment or a class. And I always reply “Thank you” in return. I am so very grateful for their trust to lead them through a class or a health promoting acupuncture treatment. I am grateful for their questions and challenges. I am grateful to them for sharing their incredible stories with me. I am grateful for the way that each and every client and student has touched my life.

Eleventh Day of Gratitude

Eleventh Day of GratitudeI am grateful for my sense of humor.

Luckily, I was born with the ability to laugh at myself and have had many, many, oh so many! times to hone this ability over the years.

Tenth Day of Gratitude

I am grateful for my brother, Ryan Fulkoski.Tenth Day of Gratitude (2)

My partner in crime throughout our childhood who, no matter how many times I knocked down his masterpieces made of blocks, never got angry. I am grateful for my brother who taught me to always, no matter what, be myself.

Ninth Day of Gratitude

me and holiday lights FBI am grateful for Holiday lights!

During the shortest days of the year, these lights keep my spirit bright during my very dark drive home from work.

Eighth Day of Gratitude

I am grateful for Wade Johnstone.Eighth Day of Gratitude

My husband who loves me, quirks and flaws included. He happily and unconditionally walks next to me through the challenges and joys of this life. And, as if that wasn’t enough, he always encourages me to fly and sometimes even launches me (figuratively and literally!) into flight himself.

 

Seventh Day of Gratitude

I am grateful for my laugh lines.Seventh Day of Gratitude

It’s true! I love them because they are the physical evidence of all the joy and laughter I have been so fortunate to experience so far in this lifetime.

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