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jean Donati Acupuncture

2024 Year of the Dragon

Happy Chinese New Year– The year of the Dragon.

The Year of the Dragon primarily symbolizes power, strength, and good fortune in Chinese culture.   Its significance can be interpreted within the realms of health, beauty, and wellness as well.

  1. Strength and Vitality: In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the dragon’s attributes of strength and vitality can be associated with robust health and well-being. This can inspire individuals to focus on strengthening their physical health through activities like exercise, proper nutrition, and mindfulness practices.
  2. Renewal and Rejuvenation: The Year of the Dragon, with its themes of renewal and transformation, can serve as a reminder to prioritize self-care and rejuvenation. This may involve practices such as meditation, spa treatments, and skincare routines that promote relaxation and inner balance.
  3. Balance and Harmony: The dragon’s symbolic significance underscores the importance of balance and harmony in life. Practicing holistic wellness approaches, such as acupuncture, yoga, and tai chi, can help align the body, mind, and spirit, fostering overall well-being.
  4. Beauty Rituals: Traditional Chinese beauty rituals often emphasize natural ingredients and holistic approaches to skincare. Inspired by the dragon’s auspicious qualities, individuals may incorporate practices like facial gua sha, microneedling, nano-needling, facial rejuvenation, herbal baths, and acupressure massage to enhance their natural beauty and promote radiant skin.
  5. Mind-Body Connection: The Year of the Dragon encourages individuals to cultivate a strong mind-body connection. Engaging in mindfulness practices, such as qigong or mindful breathing exercises, can help reduce stress, improve mental clarity, and enhance overall resilience.
  6. Nourishing Foods: Traditional Chinese cuisine places a strong emphasis on nourishing foods that support health and vitality. During the Year of the Dragon, incorporating nutrient-rich foods like leafy greens, whole grains, and herbal teas can help promote inner balance and vitality.

In summary, while the Year of the Dragon is deeply rooted in cultural symbolism and tradition, its themes of strength, renewal, and harmony can offer valuable insights into fostering health, beauty, and wellness. By embracing these principles and incorporating mindful practices into daily life, individuals can cultivate a holistic approach to well-being that nurtures the body, mind, and spirit.

Let Jean Donati Acupuncture in Towson help you navigate your beauty, health and wellness journey.  Call for an acupuncture or Facial rejuvenation session today!

Are you Comfortable in Your Skin?

illustrationWhat is Facial Rejuvenation?

Facial Rejuvenation with microneedling and nano needling, as part of an acupuncture treatment, is an innovative approach to enhance the appearance and overall well-being. These techniques aim to improve skin texture, reduce signs of aging, and promote a radiant complexion while incorporating the principles of traditional acupuncture.

Microneedling: This cosmetic procedure involves using a device with fine needles to create thousands of tiny, controlled micro-injuries in the skin. These micro-injuries stimulate the body’s natural healing process, which includes the production of collagen and elastin, key components of youthful-looking skin. Microneedling can help with issues like fine lines, wrinkles, acne scars, and overall skin texture. When integrated into acupuncture treatments, it enhances the holistic approach to well-being.

Nano Needling:  Is a newer technique that uses even finer needles to create micro-channels in the uppermost layer of the skin, the epidermis. Nano needling is less invasive and typically does not cause visible micro-injuries. It focuses on delivering specific skincare serums, vitamins, or other rejuvenating substances directly into the skin’s surface. Nano needling can help improve skin tone, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and boost overall skin health.

Facial rejuvenation can offer several benefits:

Holistic Approach: Combining these cosmetic techniques with acupuncture aligns with the traditional Chinese medicine philosophy, which emphasizes balance and overall well-being. By addressing both the body’s internal energy flow (Chi) through acupuncture and external skin health, it creates a comprehensive approach to health and beauty.

Natural Collagen Production: Both microneedling and nano needling stimulate collagen production, helping to firm the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Enhanced Skin Health: These treatments can improve skin tone, reduce the appearance of acne scars, and promote a more youthful, radiant complexion.

Customized Skincare: Nano needling allows for the delivery of specialized skincare serums and nutrients to target specific skin concerns, offering a personalized approach to skincare.

Minimal Downtime: Compared to more invasive cosmetic procedures, microneedling and nano needling typically involve minimal downtime and discomfort, making them accessible for those with busy schedules.

It’s essential to consult with a licensed acupuncturist who specializes in facial rejuvenation using these techniques. They can create a personalized treatment plan that combines traditional acupuncture principles with microneedling and nano needling to help you achieve your health and beauty goals.

Image: FacialAcupunctureClasses.com

Treatment of Neurological Disorders with Acupuncture

Treatment of Neurological Disorders with Acupuncture

A neurological disorder refers to a problem with the nervous system, a complex, sophisticated system that regulates and coordinates the body’s activities. Nerve pain can arise from trauma, inflammation, stroke, disease, infection, nerve degeneration, exposure to toxic chemicals, and nutrient deficiencies.

Nerve pain is usually a sharp, shooting pain or a constant burning sensation. Typically occurring in the same location with each episode, it can often be traced along the nerve pathway. Sometimes weakness or impaired function in the affected area occurs, and the skin may be either overly sensitive or numb.

Acupuncture can provide symptom relief from some neurological disorders, including:

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) — ALS is an irreversible neurological disease that destroys the nerve cells that invigorate the muscles.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome — Also known as median nerve entrapment, it occurs when swelling or irritation of the nerve or tendons in the carpal tunnel results in pressure on the median nerve.

Headaches — Headaches that can be treated with acupuncture include migraines, tension headaches, headaches occurring around the menstrual cycle, sinus headaches and stress-related headaches.

Myasthenia Gravis — This is a neuromuscular disorder causing muscles under voluntary control to tire and become easily fatigued.

Peripheral Neuropathy — This presents as damage to the peripheral nervous system, which transmits information from the brain and spinal cord to every other part of the body. This kind of neuropathy can be caused by diabetes and often affects the feet.

Trigeminal Neuralgia — This presents as facial pain and is sometimes called Tic Douloureux. It affects the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for impulses of touch, pain, pressure, and temperature sent to the brain from the face, jaw, and gums.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been found effective as conjunctive therapy for several neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and in treating pain and inflammation.

If you or someone you know is suffering from a neurological disorder or nerve pain, contact us today for more information or to schedule an appointment!

The Joy Of Healing: How Summer Fun Heals the Heart

What comes to mind when you think of summer? For me, it stirs up nostalgia of childhood feelings of freedom, knowing that those endless days were all mine to fill with family and friends as we shared the sunshine. While “adulting” doesn’t always leave room for that kind of freedom, the promise of summer still gives us so much to celebrate.

In TCM, summer belongs to the Fire element. It is about expansion, outward expression, activity and joy. The heart is the ruler of this time. It houses the shen, or spirit, and this is the time to let the spirit dance and frolic and feel as free as possible. With the fire element in balance, the heart is happy, the mind is clear and the body maintains health with a blend of movement and stillness, excitement and peace. Summer is nature’s way of healing the heart by providing the ideal setting for all things heart-related!

So get pumped up for summer and all the healing it brings via:

Sunshine

What better way to bask in the healing power of summer than by soaking up the healing rays of sunshine. Obviously stop before you get burned, but don’t be afraid to feel that shine and let it in. When UVB rays hit human skin, they help to produce Vitamin D3, which reduces risk of heart disease, stroke, and hypertension . Those same UVB rays cause the skin to release beta-endorphins which promote natural pain-relief and a sense of well-being. Sunlight also helps the body to release nitrogen oxides, which opens up arterial flow and have anti-inflammatory effects. The exposure to sunlight is also required to set our natural circadian rhythms which regulate our sleep and wake cycles. For those of us who experience cold winters, the warmth of sunshine is one of the most welcome feelings and one of the best ways to support our fire element.

Activity

The energy of summer in Chinese medicine is considered very yang in nature. Fire is the element of extreme yang, and has a radiating, dispersing power. Think of the lively dance of fire burning. This is the time to move, get our heart pumping, and blood circulating. This is time for focusing on cardiovascular health! Summer makes this a much more inviting task with outdoor sports, swimming, hiking, or simply a walk on a warm summer night. And don’t forget to dance…never forget to dance.

Beauty of the Season

Taking care of the heart in Chinese Medicine includes making the spirit feel at home in the heart and the spirit craves beauty. Look at how the earth changes in summer. Flowers bloom, colors come alive, birds sing; there is art and music everywhere. This is a time for aesthetics and we all have our own taste. Get out and enjoy whatever stimulates your mind and heals your heart. Admire nature’s sunset paintings, smell the sweet perfume of the flowers, and let your spirit sing with the sounds of the season. Celebrate your own creative expression along with the energy of the season.

Community

The sound that belongs to the heart according to TCM is laughter and the emotion is joy. It’s no wonder that joy feels best when shared. It’s also no wonder that researchers have found that the quality of family relationships and social connection is a strong factor in heart disease prevention.  So, as summer provides the warm inviting opportunities to get together, treasure your family and friends (and pets!) and find ways to connect, laugh and share your joy!

So, what are you doing this Summer? We’d like to know.

One thing that I may suggest, would be to get yourself back in here for an acupuncture summer-time tune-up! That’s one of the easiest ways that we can help manage your health and well-being. Give us a call today to schedule up your tune-up.

 

2023 Year of the Yin Water Rabbit


 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit

The Rabbit year is yin: meditative and internal.  The contemplative (Yin) year of the Rabbit follows active (Yang) year of the Tiger.  This is the time to create peace, calm and rest after the Yang Tiger year of 2022.  The rabbit ‘s personality traits are friendliness, diplomacy, sensitivity and adaptability.  The rabbit excels in the healing arts and is drawn to creativity.  The focus is on adaptability—creating health and maintaining balance.  This is the year to focus on your creativity and focus on transforming your health while offering assistance to others.  This year of the rabbit represents longevity, hope and prosperity.2023 is also a Water year. 

In Chinese Medicine, the Water Element corresponds to the Kidney and Bladder meridians or pathways of energy.  It is the Winter season.  The Winter season is cool and dark.  The Water element represents your deep reserves of energy.   Consider how you are using, building or preserving your energy for the upcoming seasons.   This is the time to see an acupuncturist about Water and Kidney balance. This is especially important if you have issues corresponding to the Water pathway such as urinary concerns, sleep issues, dreams or concerns with hearing, and back, neck or knee pain.

There is a connection between the Water element and the color black or blue in Five Element Acupuncture.  Foods associated with this Water season include black foods such as black beans, black rice, and mushrooms.  These are recommended to balance the Water element. The Rabbit and Water both symbolize prosperity.  So you can anticipate this year to bring financial prosperity and professional success.  It is a year to both work hard to peruse your desires as well as to learn to create health and relaxation.

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