Maximizing Recovery: Moxibustion The Game Changer

Having the same post-workout tightness or old injury flareups? Do you find yourself going through the same recovery process everytime only to find yourself right back where you started with an old injury? Dealing with chronic pain that never goes away is definitely not normal. Whether you’re into sports, martial arts, strength training - whatever gets your body to its limits - there’s a powerful recovery method you may not have considered yet. It's called moxibustion.

Moxibustion is a time-tested therapy from Chinese medicine that's been used for thousands of years. Despite its long-standing roots, it's still relatively unknown in most sports medicine circles.

Moxibustion applied to the back (burning of rolled mugwort leaf)

Most athletes are familiar with massage, cupping, taping, ice or heat as part of their recovery process. If all you experience is some light muscle soreness, then your body is still relatively healthy and experiencing normal recovery, thus there’s no need to change things up. But if you're dealing with recurring abnormal pain or lingering injuries—like nerve discomfort, an old ACL tear, or a tendon that keeps flaring up—you might need a deeper, more targeted form of healing.

Let’s consider a ligament/tendon strain for example. Sometimes these injuries never fully heal and become weak points that flare up with heavy use. Massage can help, but often requires working through multiple tissue layers—compressing blood vessels, fascia, and surrounding muscles—just to reach the injury. That can cause additional trauma in otherwise healthy areas, making recovery slower and less efficient.

Now imagine a treatment that directly targets the injured tendon or ligament without disturbing the surrounding tissue. That’s where acupuncture and moxibustion come in—offering a smarter, more efficient path to healing.

THE LIMITS OF HEAT AND ICE

Ice and heat can feel good, but they have limitations. For one, they struggle to reach deeper tissues. And in the case of cold therapy, you're often muting the inflammatory response that’s actually necessary for healing. Think of it like banging your thumb—it swells for a reason. That inflammation brings blood to the area, supporting tissue repair. Suppress that process too soon, and you may be cutting healing short.

HOW MOXIBUSTION WORKS

Moxibustion involves applying therapeutic heat to acupuncture points using a specialized herb (commonly mugwort) that’s burned in a controlled way to warm the body without damaging the skin. This targeted heat helps stimulate circulation, improve energy flow, and activate internal organs associated with tissue healing:

Tendons and ligaments = Liver

Muscles = Spleen

Bones and nerves = Kidneys

By activating these systems, we help the body heal the problem area from within, instead of causing trauma to the surrounding tissue. This leads to a more efficient form of healing. You feel better, with less side effects.

Acupuncture vs. Moxibustion

Acupuncture includes both traditional methods and dry needling. Dry needling is effective for directly targeting specific muscles or tendons, especially in acute injuries. But with chronic issues that resist healing, traditional acupuncture often works better by stimulating organ functions that drive circulation and regeneration—even from points distant from the pain site.

If your recovery is being held back by stress, poor sleep, or a demanding schedule, traditional acupuncture may be just what you need to slow down your nervous system and allow proper healing to begin.

When acupuncture alone doesn’t seem to deliver long-term results—meaning symptoms return once treatment ends—that’s when moxibustion may be more effective. By delivering deep-penetrating heat, moxibustion helps kickstart healing in stubborn, stagnant areas where other treatments fall short.

EFFICIENT HEALING MATTERS

Efficiency is everything when it comes to recovery. Many of my athletic clients are surprised at how fast and gentle these treatments are—and even more impressed with how quickly they feel relief. Compared to massage, there’s less post-treatment swelling and inflammation, because we’re not overworking the body. Instead, we use fewer resources and deliver more targeted healing.

SO WHICH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Acupuncture and moxibustion aren’t one-size-fits-all. During your session, our practiitoners can assess how your body responds to acupuncture, and if necessary, pivot to moxibustion for better results. Whether you're dealing with a stubborn shoulder injury, chronic knee pain, or recurring nerve discomfort, we can find the approach that unlocks your body’s natural healing potential.

If you're ready to take your recovery to the next level, consider incorporating moxibustion into your routine. Click below to book a session—we’re here to help you heal smarter, faster, and more completely.

Facial Acupuncture

Various factors such as stress, caffeine and alcohol consumption are determinants of your skin’s overall health. Although we cannot reverse the process of natural aging, there are things we can do to show your skin a little TLC. Facial acupuncture happens to be one of them.

Facial acupuncture or cosmetic acupuncture is a type of acupuncture that focuses on improving the appearance of the skin. It involves the insertion of thin needles into specific points on the face to stimulate blood flow, collagen production, and muscle tone, which can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin.

When compared with botox, or other forms of treatment, here’s why you might want to consider facial acupuncture as an alternative:

Although botox will demonstrate immediate results, the chemical in Botox injections is actually a toxin that the body will need to work harder (age you faster) to detox. Facial acupuncture is chemical free, poison free, therefore no toxins need to be detoxed from the body post-treatment. The aim of botox treatment is to cause a disruption in the nerves, which prevents the muscles from contracting - almost like a mild form of paralysis. Although facial acupuncture will also relax the muscles beneath the surface of the skin, the treatment is more focused on improving microcirculation in the skin and stimulating the body’s own natural collagen production.

The needles are inserted shallowly beneath the surface of the skin, which stimulates the body to send more blood flow to the facial area, and as the healing process takes place the body will naturally be producing more collagen in order to heal the skin where the needles were inserted. The main benefit here is that facial acupuncture stimulates your own body’s collagen production as opposed to using collagen supplements which may be extracted from beef, pigs or fish.

WHAT A TREATMENT LOOKS LIKE:
During a facial acupuncture session, the acupuncturist will insert thin, sterile needles into specific points on your face. The depth of needling is typically 2-5mm, which is ideal for stimulating collagen production. The needles are usually left in place for 15-30 minutes while you relax. Some people may experience a slight tingling sensation or mild discomfort during the treatment, but it's generally not painful.

After the treatment, you may notice some immediate improvements in your skin, such as increased brightness and a more even tone. However, the full effects of facial acupuncture usually become apparent after a series of sessions. Most people undergo weekly treatments for 2-3 months to achieve the best results.

CONSULT WITH A PROFESSIONAL:
Before undergoing facial acupuncture, it's important to consult with a qualified acupuncturist to ensure that it's the right treatment for you. They will assess your skin condition and overall health to create a personalized treatment plan.

Facial acupuncture is generally considered safe when performed by a qualified practitioner. However, like all forms of acupuncture, there can be some risks, such as bruising, soreness, or infection at the needle insertion sites. At AcuSoul, our acupuncturists apply serums, and creams with herbal ingredients to reduce your chances of bruising, and finish with facial gua sha to calm the skin after treatment.

Practitioner performing facial gua sha.

Overall, facial acupuncture is a natural and non-invasive way to improve the appearance of your skin and promote overall skin health. If you're looking for a holistic approach to skincare, book a session below with one of our qualified practitioners. We offer direct billing for select insurance providers.

Michelle Schuster, Registered TCM Practitioner & Acupuncturist

Aly Jensen, Registered Acupuncturist

Heart Health: Nutritional Tips For Improved Circulation, Energy, and Stress

Heart disease is prevalent in North America being one of the top 2 leading causes of death in Canada and the USA. Whether you are in Toronto, or the surrounding GTA, there is a general hustle mentality, or this need to prove your value to the world. As a result, you might have decided to increase caffeine intake, work extra long hours, all on top of your 6 day workout routine.  By being in a constant state of fight-or-flight, this can raise your blood pressure, exhaust your heart, and cause circulation issues which lead to heart disease. “So, what do I do?” you wonder… Here I’m going to share my top health tips on how to improve your heart health naturally.

One of the first tell-tale signs I notice with my patients that are experiencing poor heart health, is chronic fatigue. Feeling like, no matter how little they do, or how many breaks they take they still feel exhausted. Slowing down is a great place to start, in addition to including relaxation exercises like yoga, tai chi, or going for a walk. However, sometimes you might find that your body still feels tired regardless of how little you do. This could be due to your circulation being poor.

So, you decide to work out instead. However, everytime you workout, you feel like you can’t catch your breath. These symptoms result from the heart becoming overheated due to high blood pressure, chronic stress, and not eating a balanced diet. Speaking of diet, here is my first tip:

1. Cut Down Coffee

Coffee can significantly increase your blood pressure temporarily. During this time, you feel good, with more mental clarity, but your heart is also having to work harder. If this goes on all day, without a time for rest, it can exhaust the heart. So my first tip is take a break from coffee for at least 3 days.

2. Green tea, Watermelon, Strawberries & Tomatoes

Basically all the foods you think of when it’s summer - Caprese salad to start, and watermelon and strawberries for dessert. Let’s find out why.  

Watermelon and tomatoes are cooling and refreshing on the heart, while strawberries help nourish fluids in the heart. These fruits/vegetables help keep your system cooled down and functioning optimally. This can help with trouble staying asleep at night (insomnia), night sweats, heart palpitations, plus the fatigue/shortness of breath.

Although green tea has caffeine, it’s also cooling, and can help cool your body down when you feel overheated/overwhelmed. Coffee is much more acidic, which can cause a lot of heat in the body to build up. So if you find you still need a bump of caffeine in the mornings, try green tea instead. Its cooling properties can help balance you out when you’ve been having coffee for too long.

3. Vasodillators: Spinach & Bacon

There is much out there about nitrates being bad for you. However, did you know that your saliva converts nitrates into nitric oxide? This chemical is a natural vasodillator. In other words, it helps open your vessels to improve your circulation. What a great idea for those who suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, or chronic stress. Two foods I would recommend for increasing your nitric oxide is spinach and bacon. Careful not to have too much bacon as it can lead to heart burn. You should instantly notice that your breathing is lighter and easier. Try this before your next workout.

4. Light Exercise

Switch from the heavy weights to something a little lighter. If you have difficulty catching your breath while doing cardio, start with something even lighter like tai chi, yoga, or going for a brisk walk. If you feel your fatigue lifting, you can start to include things like jogging, biking, or swimming.

You sometimes can’t feel it when you’re under immense stress, as some people just begin to normalize it. If you notice you feel lighter after trying these tips, this is a sign that you likely needed these foods/tips in order to feel more balanced. Another thing that can help greatly is coming in for acupuncture. Acupuncture is known for regulating stress hormones, improving circulation, and working on specific issues in your health - insomnia, heart palpitations, chronic fatigue, or shortness of breath. Book your tune up today with one of our practitioners:

3 Foods That Will Warm You Up

Do you feel cold easily? Or find that your hands and feet get cold after sitting at the desk all day? Here, I’ll be sharing 3 unconventional foods that will warm you right up.

Most Canadians feel the guilt of having had a “cheat meal” anytime they eat fried food. But guess what? You could be doing something healthy.

Fried Food

Your body craves different inputs depending on what it’s going through; seasonal, or emotional. If you're feeling cold, and you seem to gravitate towards fried food, that could be your body telling you it needs warmth and heat. Your body absorbs not just the food you’re eating, but the qualities of how it’s cooked. So, in order to stay warm and energized, the occasional fried chicken might actually be helpful. With that being said, I always recommend - everything in moderation.

BBQ

Another unconventional way to warm up is having a barbecue. This goes back to how things are cooked. When you grill a steak until it is slightly charred, this can add an intense heating effect to the food. Compare that to if that same steak was boiled, or steamed, your body wouldn’t feel the same warmth from eating it. I notice for myself personally, after eating barbecue on a cold day, I feel warm from head to toe, and my circulation feels great. Of course, you may have a concern around carcinogens, and I’m not downplaying that in anyway. However, this is to address the concern of feeling COLD.

CURRY

Lastly, if you have the time, making curry is another great way to warm the body. The pungent spices that go into curry help your circulation improve. Curries tend to also be in the form of a sauce, which is digested slowly, allowing the heat to be absorbed over a longer period of time. This will have a longer lasting effect on keeping the body warm.

I hope these tips help to keep your body balanced. If you’re interested in coming in for an acupuncture session in the Toronto or Vaughan area, you can book online below.

5 Ways to Warm Up!

As the cold winter approaches, it's important we understand how to stay balanced during this season. Winter is the time our energy hides in the deeper layers of our body, making us more susceptible to catching colds. For those who have poor circulation, cold temperatures can slows things down even more, reducing blood flow to your extremities. You may experience cold hands and feet, or become more prone to pain in your body as blood stagnation occurs. Here's what you can do to offset these imbalances.

1. Add Some Spice

Star anise, fennel, and cloves not only spice up your meals, but have very strong warming properties that can tonify your Yang (warming) energy according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Add them to soup, or marinate meat with these warming spices. 

2. Eat Venison/Lamb

This brings me to my next point. Meat can have a negative connotation in our modern society especially with factory farming practices. Sometimes we forget the beneficial properties of meat. I always recommend eating organic when possible, and consuming meat in moderation. Lamb and venison can warm the body up, relieving your from cold extremities, feeling cold all the time, or even low libido as these meats strengthen the Kidneys as well. They are often marinated with rosemary - another warming herb that can help you stay balanced during the cold, frigid winter months.

3. Drink Alcohol

You're probably are starting to question this article - but believe it or not, moderate alcohol consumption was recommended during the Ming Dynasty to help regulate blood flow, improve circulation, and warm the body. All good things in moderation.

4. Acupuncture

Acupuncture

TCM is all about balancing Yin and Yang. For those with a deficiency in Yang, they tend to feel cold more often, lack energy, and may even experience low libido, or loose stools. Yang represents warmth, and along the back of your spine lies the Du Channel "Sea of Yang". By choosing points along this channel, acupuncture can boost the body's warming energy to relieve the sensation of cold. If you haven't tried it yet, book your session today at www.acusoul.com.

5. Sit By The Fire

This time of year it is quite difficult to get more sun, but there are other options. Layer up at the office, plug in a portable heater, or sit by a fire if you get the chance. External heat is just as important as warming the body up from the inside out. As you plan your holiday season, try to spend some time near a fire, whether that's at home as you cozy up next to the fireplace, at a cabin resort, or the inside of a chalet.

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What's The Right Tea For You?

In Chinese Medicine, the goal is to bring harmony and balance to the body, mind, and soul. We can accomplish this through acupuncture, food therapy, or even choosing the right teas. Your body's imbalances speak loudly in many ways, and if we are attuned to how we feel we can choose the right tea to re-balance ourselves. Green tea has become quite popular nowadays with all the research indicating green tea has high antioxidant qualities. However, green tea is considered cooling in Chinese Medicine and may not be right for everyone.

1. Peppermint Tea

If you feel cold all the time, or generally low in energy, green tea may not be the healthiest choice for you. If, however, you tend to feel hot easily, get nose bleeds, mouth sores, or are suffering from a sore throat, peppermint tea could make you feel better.Peppermint has cooling qualities that clear heat and soothe the liver, an organ which can get quite heated in a high stress environment. This makes peppermint a perfect way to rebalance after a heated discussing, or a stressful day at the office. 

2. Black Tea

On the other hand, black tea's high caffeine content, and energizing properties might be the right choice if you feel sluggish, tired, or just need a boost of energy. In fact, a common tradition which is still carried out today is to drink black tea at Dim Sum. This is because alot of food served at Dim Sum can be quite greasy, and cause some of us to feel tired, and heavy after the meal. Pu-Erh tea, served at Dim Sum, is used to help cut the grease, boost energy, and wake you up again. This tea gets its name from Pu'Er, a city in Yunnan province, China where the tea is fermented, and aged. 

3. Rose Tea & Chai Tea

Feeling cold at the office? this may be due to a lack of circulation, or a lack of warmth in the body. I have two options for you - rose tea and chai tea. More than just a romantic gesture, roses, when consumed as tea are good for gently warming the body, while promoting circulation. Its invigorating qualities help to remove stagnation, which builds up when we're constantly doing something we don't want to do. It also has medicinal properties which nourish the skin, and promote digestion. In Chinese medicine, it is occasionally used for people that have irregular menstruation, blood clots, or painful periods. Chai tea on the other hand, has its origins in India, and blends black tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian  spices and herbs. With strong invigorating, and warming properties, this makes it a great choice in the winter time if you're feeling a runny nose, or the beginning stages of a cold. It will not only warm your body up from the inside out, but could potentially cause you to break a sweat, preventing exterior pathogens from invading your body. 

4. Matcha Tea

Feeling anxious, panicky or just not well grounded? Matcha tea is known as an anticancer tea, having 137 times more antioxidants compared to regular green tea. It's interesting to note Matcha tea's cultivation, and production are closely related to the effects it has on the body. Grown in a shaded environment for up to 3 weeks, this makes Matcha tea a more cooling, and calming tea. Once picked, it is stone-ground into a fine powder - having the ability to ground your mind at times of anxiety and fear. In fact, traditionally at Japanese and Chinese ceremonies, matcha tea was prepared and served as a way of embodying a meditative spirit. A great tea to have at the end of a long work week, when you are looking to wind down, quiet the thoughts of the mind, and focus on yourself. 

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5 Reasons To Try Acupuncture

1. Reconnect With Yourself

Acupuncture is a way for you to take time out of your busy life, and tend to your body's needs, which may or may not have been neglected for weeks, months, or years. By taking an hour out of your day to re-balance the body through acupuncture, this allows you to leave your anxiety, stress, and tension behind and really focus on you. Bringing you back into the present moment and reconnecting your mind and body.

2. Get To The Root Cause

Acupuncture gets right down to the root of your health imbalances. By inspecting the tongue, and palpating the wrist pulse, your practitioner can see and feel any imbalances in your life, whether chronic or acute. The tongue's qualities such as colour, moisture, and size reveal the overall health of each organ. Using a system of points which are mapped out throughout your body, acupuncturists are able to promote healing from the root.

3. Experience Positive Side Effects

The side effects of acupuncture are many, yet all positive. After an acupuncture treatment you may notice an overall improvement in your sleep, digestion, and stress levels.

4. Find Out Your Imbalances

Many of us visit the doctor only to find that there's "nothing wrong". We may not be dieing of a chronic disease, however, many of us still feel something is "off". These are the types of problems you want to bring to your acupuncturist. They specialize in taking into consideration all aspects of your health history, including current signs and symptoms you may be experiencing, and are able to explain to you what they all mean from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective.

5. Tried, Tested & True

Acupuncture has been around for over 2000 years. It is one of the oldest forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine and in fact predates the use of herbal medicine. If it were not an effective form of treatment, why has it continued to survive throughout the ages? The clinical experience of patients and practitioners over thousands of years offers clear evidence that acupuncture works.

For a list of illnesses acupuncture has been proven to treat according to the World Health Organization(WHO) click here.

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Soup For Preventive Health

Soup is one of the traditions that have survived throughout Chinese culture as a way of maintaining good health, and is probably one of the ways that Asians remain looking so young even as they age. In fact, many homemade soups share similar herbal ingredients to those used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). I recall growing up as a child, and my mother would make soup once a week. In our family, this was a form of preventive medicine we used to keep our bodies nourished and healthy. My mother would always tell me to drink the soup, and she placed such a high importance on it, I think this is one of the reasons I find it easy to accept Chinese Medicine as a lifestyle.

The ingredients would be different depending on the season, but in general there is usually meat with bone as a base. Pork bone, or chicken bone is commonly combined with herbs, and vegetables. The bone is very nourishing according to TCM and should not be omitted in making soup. As you boil bone, it releases vital nutrients and minerals our bodies can use to build blood, bone, and connective tissue. This can be beneficial for people suffering from blood deficiency anemia, osteoporosis, and arthritis - or even as a way to prevent these illnesses altogether. In addition to this, the bone marrow within bone is said to be produced by the kidneys in TCM, which are the root of our bodies. Consuming soup containing bone marrow can supplement our bodies and nourish our kidneys - an organ that may need boosting in infertility cases.

There was always a noticeable difference in how I felt after drinking soup. When your body has everything it needs, your energy level goes up, you become less irritable, more calm, and yet focused. In making soup, all the nutrients from the ingredients are extracted into the broth and the hot temperature of soup makes it easier for your digestive system to absorb everything. Soup is a great way to nourish our bodies, moisten dryness, and stay in harmony with the seasons.

In the winter, it makes sense to consume soups with warming properties as this keeps our immune system strong, ensuring we are able to ward off colds during the frigid winter months. Examples of foods with warming qualities include ginger, cinnamon, chicken, lamb, onions, and coconut meat.

As for the summer months, we spend a lot of time in the sun, either working on the garden, sitting on the beach, or BBQ'ing which adds an element of fire to the food we eat. This can cause us to lose our body fluids through sweating, while creating excess heat in the body leading to irritability, thirst which cannot be quenched by water, restlessness, fever, mouth sores, and constipation. A good soup to balance the body during the summer is watercress soup. A simple recipe involves boiling watercress, and adding salt. Watercress contains heat clearing and fluid nourishing qualities to replenish our bodies. If you want to take it a step further try adding pork bone, and herbs like barley, lotus root, dried shiitake mushrooms, and lotus seeds.

Feel free to search through the "Food As Medicine" page for more summer cooling foods.

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