Acupuncture For Irregular Menstruation

Every 28 days, you’ve been told is the normal cycle of menstruation. Yours might be considered a short cycle(21 days or less), long cycle(35 days or more), or a bit of both (irregular cycle) – making it impossible to predict. Even your app can’t figure it out – so much for AI.  Your period could also be considered heavy or light, and possibly more painful than you think is normal.  Irregularities in your menstrual cycle can be annoying to live with.

You’ve been to the doctor or gynaecologist. Although they acknowledge you have an irregular period, their recommendation may be to take birth control medication to regulate it.

“Is that it?” you might wonder.

You understand this solution makes sense for the time being. In the long run, however, you want to be off of the meds because you are potentially thinking of having children one day, and are just generally concerned about taking any medication for too long.

What if the type of menstruation you were experiencing – irregular cycle, long cycle, short cycle, light bleeding, heavy bleeding, hormonal acne, intense pain before/during menstruation – each could be understood as an internal imbalance, and therefore treated, and corrected for the better!

At AcuSoul, we take a holistic approach in understanding your current state of health. An irregular cycle is definitely an indicator of an imbalance in your health – which DOES have the potential to change.

Hormone imbalances can be a cause of irregular periods. So, how can you regulate hormones such as estrogen and progesterone? In women, these hormones are produced by the ovaries – which are governed by your Kidneys according to Chinese Medicine. If we could somehow regulate ovarian and kidney function, menstrual cycles may become more regular, bleeding normalized, and pain reduced. Well guess what? That’s exactly what acupuncture does – it regulates imbalances within the body.

After doing an in-depth health assessment, we come up with a treatment plan to take care of any imbalances in your menstruation. By stimulating points on the body that regulate the kidneys, ovaries, and uterus for instance, this sends a signal to the brain to focus on and address areas of imbalance in your reproductive health. Over the course of treatments, you should notice your cycle becoming more regular in terms of flow, less painful, and overall more predictable. These are all indicators that your reproductive health is moving in the right direction.

If having a baby is a future goal you have in mind, it’s best to start early. The sooner we regulate your cycle, the sooner your body will be in a better place to start conceiving. Interested in taking the next step?

You can book a session with one of our great practitioners here! All acupuncture needles are sterile and disposable – meaning we never re-use needles. Your practitioner will wear a mask, and disinfect the treatment room surfaces before and after every visit. We are located in downtown Toronto, and provide an e-mailed receipt for insurance purposes. We look forward to starting your journey to better menstrual health!

Acupuncture For Fertility

Your journey to fertility can be filled with challenges - especially, if you’ve been diagnosed as infertile! Whether the infertility is a result of a hormone imbalance or not, you have likely tried every measure possible to achieve conception. From timing intercourse around ovulation, to taking hormone pills, or altering your diet to improve the alkalinity of your body – it seems like you’ve tried everything to get pregnant. However, you still seem to be hitting a wall with achieving conception.

Take a deep breath. You have definitely had a difficult road to travel thus far. In this article, I’m going to share a few tips that can improve your chances of fertility. I’m also going to discuss how acupuncture helps individuals achieve fertility, by getting your body to an improved state of health and well-being – raising your chances of conception even higher.

1.       Stress Affects Fertility

To start, let’s talk about stress. Many of you think stress is just the norm, not realizing how much it really impacts your health. If you find your body feels tense in certain areas by the end of the work day, this is a sign that you are holding stress in the body. The fact that it’s happening more at the end of the day is also a sign of exhaustion, adrenal fatigue, or that your kidneys are weak – a key point to consider on your journey to conception. I’ll explain more in point #2.

If your body is exhausted, it is likely going to reduce your chances of becoming fertile. So breathe, do some yoga, control the amount of stress you take on personally. This is a good place to start.

2.       Kidney Health & Reproductive Health

Your kidneys are responsible for the health of your reproductive organs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. So, if you’re infertile as a result of imbalanced progesterone/estrogen levels, low follicle count, or a uterus that doesn’t seem to holding the embryo to term – there is likely something off with your kidneys. Here’s a list you can check to see how your kidneys are doing:

1.       You experience tight shoulders, or headaches at the end of the day

2.       You have lower back pain, knee pain, or foot pain

3.       You feel exhausted between 3pm-7pm

4.       The embryo is not implanting properly – Your body can’t hold the embryo in place

5.       Your estrogen and progesterone levels are imbalanced

6.       Low follicle count

7.       You experience slight menopausal symptoms (night sweats/hot flashes)

If you experience two or more of the above symptoms, it’s a sign that your kidneys and reproductive system could use a boost. Here are some tips:

1.       Keep your legs warm all the time – the kidney meridian is an energetic pathway that connects to your kidneys, but also runs down the legs and into the bottom of your feet. Keeping this area warm, helps preserve the energy in your kidneys.

2.       Eat more goji berries – Goji berries are used in formulas of Traditional Chinese Medicine, but are also considered a normal day-to-day food safe for consumption. I usually recommend putting a tablespoon of them in a cup of hot water, letting it steep like tea, and then drinking the water and eating the berries. You should try and do this once in the morning, and around 3pm-7pm. This will help your overall energy as well as strengthening the kidneys – and therefore your reproductive organ health. 

3.       Avoid overworking yourself – mentally, and physically. That means don’t do intense workouts that drain you out 5 times a week. Exercise is good for you, but when your body is already exhausted, replenishing your reserves is more important than exertion. This leads me to my last point.

4.       Get plenty of sleep – The average person needs 8 hours of sleep a night. If you’re not hitting this number, and you’re still feeling tired all the time, try getting more sleep.

For those who are looking for a more personalized approach – I would recommend acupuncture for fertility.  Not only do acupuncturists take into consideration results from your obstetrician/gynecologist, but we would also be looking to take a personalized treatment plan according to your body’s imbalances. With acupuncture, we would be gauging your reproductive health and wellbeing by checking your pulse, having a look at your tongue, and checking your abdomen for any signs of organ imbalances. The advantage here is that we would be evaluating all facets of your health and well being that may be creating road blocks in your path to becoming fertile.

That means if your sleep is off, or you have other problems in your health, we would be working on resolving these issues as well. It may not seem important to you, but clearing these issues is critical to achieving fertility. The body can’t be forced to focus on fertility if it’s constantly having to deal with unresolved issues in your health.

Typically we recommend trying acupuncture for 4-6 months. During this timeframe we would constantly support you in achieving conception and evaluating where your body is at on a weekly basis. In terms of areas that Acupuncture is performed, we would typically do acupuncture points on the lower back or abdomen, and legs as these points are great for supporting reproductive health, improving uterine lining, and regulating hormones.

We have two acupuncture clinic locations here in Toronto. Our Downtown location is at (Peter & Adelaide St), and our Forest hill location is at (St. Clair & Warren Road).

So if you’re interested in taking a more personalized approach with your fertility journey, you can book an acupuncture treatment here. We’ll go through your health history, discuss any issues you may be experiencing, and start working on your fertile health from an acupuncture perspective!

What Gluten Intolerance And Stress Have In Common

From bloating, to diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain - gluten intolerance can be a pain to live with. Trying to avoid gluten can be a mission in itself. But did you know that gluten intolerance, and stress have a common link? And that by controlling one you may be able to control the other?

Gluten intolerance is essentially a form of inflammation – the body’s hyperactive response to a protein(gluten) found in wheat[1]. What if I told you that stress also creates an environment in your body, which makes you more prone to inflammatory conditions like gluten intolerance, IBS, and celiac disease[2]? And what if that minor clue, was in itself, the solution and cure.

Here I’m going to discuss how you can get gluten intolerance under control by managing your stress levels and inflammation with acupuncture & food therapy.

Many clients of ACUSOUL who suffer from IBS, celiac disease, or gluten intolerance – have noticed that it gets worse in times of stress. More importantly, the illness itself may have began during a time of high stress.

For example, when you entered the workforce your stress levels may have been more elevated than when you were in school[3]. That may also be the time when you noticed the gluten intolerance began. It may not have been flaring up consistently everyday, but that’s because your stress levels also vary day by day. Paying attention to the environment, your lifestyle, and emotionally how you felt when the illness began is critical to addressing it.

What stress does is increase blood pressure, cortisol levels, and your body’s inflammatory response[4]. This increase in cortisol, and blood pressure has an obvious impact on your heart health. At the same time the inflammation being increased makes the gluten intolerance and IBS more pronounced in the intestinal organs.

Thus, with acupuncture we would target the Heart to bring down stress levels and the intestinal organs to control diarrhea and constipation. As a result you may notice better sleep, feeling more relaxed, and less tension in the upper back and jaw, as well as less bouts of diarrhea or constipation, and less bloating. If you’re not familiar, feel free to read our article on "How acupuncture works”.

From a food standpoint, here are some foods that help reduce inflammation, regulate the heart, and may help with symptoms of gluten intolerance:

1. Turmeric – with high anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, digestive regulating properties, this spice is great for inflammatory conditions like gluten intolerance, IBS, or celiac disease.

2. Beets - Calm the heart, lubricates the intestines to help with constipation.

3. Watermelon – Clears heat from the heart, stomach, and bladder. Alleviates thirst, and induces diuresis. Essentially promoting the body’s ability to clear inflammation, and rehydrate.

 If you’re interested in seeing what acupuncture & food therapy can do for you – book a session here. We’re an acupuncture clinic located in the heart of downtown Toronto, and Vaughan. We’ll discuss your health concerns in detail, come up with a treatment plan, and provide food recommendations customized to your body’s intricate needs.

1. https://nyulangone.org/conditions/celiac-disease-gluten-sensitivity-in-adults/diagnosis

2. https://www.rn.com/featured-stories/stress-inflammation-immunity/

3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/karlynborysenko/2018/11/01/generation-z-is-coming-to-work-and-their-stress-is-already-high/#40e00704273b

4. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/signs-you-are-gluten-intolerant

5. http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/1999/06/04/27924.htm 

3 Tips To Boost Your Immunity This Fall

It can be EXHAUSTING keeping up with yourself sometimes. Your body knows it, but do you?

As we enter fall, temperatures begin to drop, trees begin to lose their leaves, marking a time when things slow down in nature. We too ought to slow down in life. Most of us, however, are still working harder than ever in a competitive workplace, trying to keep up with our demanding lifestyles, and still trying to cram in more into our already busy schedules. 

If you already caught a cold, have a bit of runny nose, or a sore throat, this is your body signalling that you need to SLOW DOWN. 

It's a clear sign you're operating on overdrive as you lack the resources to manage your body's immune system. To prevent things from getting worse HERE ARE SOME TIPS:

1. Hit Pause

Ever feel that "stress-mode" come on, as if you're in a panic, as if you don't have enough time to get through the amount of work that needs to be done? Once we get into this mode, our minds get ahead of ourselves, thinking about the next 10 possible scenarios that could happen. We begin to lose track of what we need - TIME, SPACE, FOOD, and REST.

The next time you catch yourself feeling the pressure of stress, give yourself 1-2 minutes to just sit down, breathe deep and slow, and allow your mind to pause for a moment so your body can catch up with you. You'll feel your energy come back again, and your stress levels drop significantly, which will make you more effective to the people you're trying to serve.

2. Chai Tea

With warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom this tea can help boost the body's immune system, and balance off fall's cooler climate. The next time you feel cold in the office, or at home after a long day, warm up with a nice cup of chai.

3. Let Go Of The Unnecessary

Trees let go of their leaves during fall. Fall is also a time when the large intestine is more active, the main organ for elimination of waste from your body. A problem in this department can be a sign that you have a hard time letting go of things.

Some of you have a tendency to hang on to your busy schedules. Not realising that many of the things you do, you either don't really want, or need to. Let's practice letting them go.

Take a look at your schedule, and ask yourself which things do you actually want to do, or absolutely HAVE to do. Then eliminate everything else. This will clear your schedule, clear your stress, and give yourself the time and rest you need to slow things down in your life. Then you can hopefully schedule in some self-care, like acupuncture.

You can also apply this to "Things" in your home. Clothes, electronics, books, paperwork. If you haven't used or looked at it in the past 3 years, chances are you can let it go now.

Have a wonderful fall season, and enjoy the cooler climates by going for walks in the park, and breathing in the fresh crisp air. Don't forget to wear a scarf.

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If you're interested in booking some self-care acupuncture time, feel free to book online. We focus on creating the change your body needs to heal through pain, chronic conditions, or mental emotional blockages using acupuncture & food therapy. Our acupuncture clinics are located downtown Toronto, and Vaughan. Our practitioners are registered acupuncturists, and we provide a receipt for insurance purposes.

How To Clear Plantar Fascitis With Acupuncture

It’s your New Year’s resolution to get fit this year. You’ve made the decision to hit the gym or train for a marathon so you can get the body you want. There’s only one thing holding you back. That annoying pain in the bottom of your foot that acts up even just during your warm up! Argh! How are you EVER going to achieve your fitness goals this year?! Every time it feels like you’re just getting started, the pain tells you you’ve got to slow down, stop for a moment, and give your foot a rest.

Let’s face it, heel pain sucks. You start to think “Is this what getting old feels like?” and “Am I going to be stuck with this heel pain for the rest of my life?” You may have been told before that you have "plantar fascitis", which worries you because you're not sure if there's a cure for that!

Relax. Take a deep breath. Heel pain ISN’T something you need to live with for the rest of your life. And guess what? It’s NOT a sign that you’re getting old.  It can be corrected, and you can get your active, healthy lifestyle back again!

In Chinese Medicine, pain is usually a result of a blockage in the body. These blockages are often created by stress and tension, or over-exhaustion. Here’s how:

Stress causes your body to tense up and your blood vessels constrict. This leads to decreased circulation and blood flow to various parts of your body, depending on where you hold your stress. Then out-of-nowhere you’re hit with pain.

Over-exhaustion, on the other hand, causes a different type of blockage. This drains the body’s energy. Your body is taking care of a lot of things all day, every day. Your over-used heel is likely last on the list of your body’s priorities. Which means, it never fully heals. (Pun unintended.)  

With many of my clients, after removing such blockages and improving circulation to the bottom of their foot through acupuncture - the pain disappears! The best part of it all is after a few sessions you can finally go ALL-OUT again in your workouts, sports, or other activities you love to experience without heel pain holding you back.

I also recommend a foot soak you can do at home. Simply fill a tub with hot water, pour in some epsom salts (half a cup), and soak your feet for 10-15 minutes. Not only does the warmth improve circulation, but epsom salts have minerals like magnesium that lower blood pressure and help the body to relax.

So, if you’re ready to get your workouts back in gear again, you can book a session at one of our acupuncture clinics in Toronto, where we’ll discuss your health concerns, and get to the bottom of that annoying heel pain.

Say goodbye to your NECK PAIN!

We have important news! Neck pain isn’t normal. Neck pain isn’t something that you have to accept.

Unfortunately, too many people think that mysterious neck pain is just a “normal part of getting older.”

It’s not!

Think of all the inconvenience annoying neck pain has caused you.

You just woke up one day, turned your neck one direction, and all of a sudden it hurt like HELL.

Now you have to skip the gym this week. You flinch in pain if you turn your head too fast.  You feel like you’re trying to walk around a mine field of posture positions just to avoid another stab of pain.

This week I want to help you free yourself from this pain.

Let’s get you back to feeling freedom of movement without any mystery pain!

Let’s get you back into the gym. Let’s get you through the workday without a stab of pain from nowhere. Let’s get you back to feeling comfortable, relaxed, and not having to sit or stand in awkward positions just to avoid pain.  

What is the most common culprit for neck pain?

Stress! And here’s how…

When you’re under stress, your body tenses up. The first part of your body that your system wants to protect is your neck – with good reason. Your neck is one of the most vulnerable parts of your body, and in nature, predators, like lions, always attack at the neck.

So when you’re stressed, or feeling anxious, the tension you create actually reduces the circulation of blood that’s supposed to nourish your tendons and ligaments.

….then all it takes is one quick move in the wrong direction, or sleeping in an uncomfortable position, and WHACK! Your neck is strained.

One trick I want to share with you is one of the best acupressure points on the back of your hand for alleviating neck pain:

It’s about 1 inch above your knuckles between your index and middle finger. Found it? Press on it hard, and take a few deep and slow breaths as you try moving your neck again. Now, I hope that this temporary relief gives you … well, some relief!

And if you would like to finally eliminate this pain (and many others), then might I suggest that you look into an acupuncture session. My clients notice a significant change even in the first session. Why is that? Because acupuncture improves circulation, and pain is either the result of constricted circulation or the pain has caused you to take on poor postures which also hinder your body’s circulation. That’s just one way that acupuncture can free yourself of pain. And there is the BONUS that it also nourishes the tendons and ligaments that are out of whack - also due to poor circulation and poor posture. It’s all connected!

If you’re interested in relieving the pain we are available at both the Toronto and Vaughan acupuncture clinic locations.

We’ll discuss the problem in more detail, provide some food therapy recommendations and do some acupuncture to free you from the pain in your neck. 

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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