Join SOHMA Integrative Health Center this December and get a head start on your New Year’s Resolution. Dr. Hoover and special guests will discuss the health benefits of detoxification and go over your options for shedding Holiday pounds and getting healthy in the new year.
Guests will learn about different cleansing options, including juice cleansing, the Master cleanse, and a super food cleanse (which features non-GMO, gluten-free supplements; comes from 100% real food; and has zero additives, preservatives, thickeners, or sweeteners). Additionally, the super food cleanse is easy to follow and the average person loses 11.2 pounds in 10 days. Together with Dr. Hoover’s tips for a healthy lifestyle, you’ll have all the tools you’ll need to start the new year off right.
This event is free to the public and refreshments will be provided. To RSVP, please visit our Facebook Event page or our MeetUp Event page.
Acupuncture & Eastern Medicine
Unveiling Acupuncture: Traditional Chinese Practices in the Modern Day
Acupuncture is an often ill-understood, yet very important component of traditional Chinese medicine. It has been in practice, in one form or another, for roughly 2,500 years. The traditional thought process of acupuncture holds that a body’s life force or energy – called qi – is distributed via lines in the body called meridians. Disruptions in the flow of this energy result in pain, soreness, imbalance, or illness. The insertion of a very slim needle opens and loosens the meridians, bringing relief and allowing a normal flow of energy to resume. Almost all modern needles are single-use, stainless steel, and carefully sterilized to prevent any risk of infection.
Acupuncture has recently been undergoing a huge resurgence in popularity as people discover its potential for healing. It is most commonly sought to help relieve lower back pain, but can be used to address nausea, vomiting, and pain in other areas – particularly the knees. Acupuncture’s effectiveness at combating certain types of pain is detailed by some Cochrane reports, and a 2012 meta-analysis details the four types of chronic pain that it is most helpful against. Currently, every woman undergoing childbirth at the University College London Hospital is offered acupuncture to assist with the pains of the birthing process. The procedure has proven very popular in China, the US, Australia, and all of Europe – Germany alone boasts 45,000+ registered acupuncture professionals.
Acupuncture is an ancient practice that the modern day helps us to better understand, implement, and appreciate. We know now that, for instance, the insertion of the tiny needle likely stimulates a release of endorphins, which counteract the pain of the person being treated. In the hands of a skilled and licensed practitioner, this ages-old procedure becomes a potent tool to improve one’s personal health and happiness. Acupuncture perfectly fits SOHMA’s model of combining ancient wisdom with modern, enlightened practice. If you feel that acupuncture may be able to enrich your life and provide some relief, call us. SOHMA is dedicated to helping you improve your life at the crossroads between the old practices and the new.
Cosmetic Acupuncture
Cosmetic Acupuncture now being offered at SOHMA. The great thing about this natural approach to cosmetic enhancement, is that you also receive treatment for your other health concerns at the same time at no extra cost. We use holistic methods that work with your physiology to enhance collagen production which decreases fine lines. Feel great and look great without expensive injections or surgery.
SOHMA Health Tip
What do stomach cramps and nausea have in common? They can often be relieved by pressing the Acupuncture point CV-12 (Zhong Wan). The translation of the point means “Central Venter.” It is the front mu point of the stomach meridian which helps to sedate or “vent” the overactive stomach. This point is located four cun (proportional measurements) or four inches above the navel (midway between the navel and the bottom of the xyphoid process/sternum). See the picture above to help you find the point. Press and hold the tender point firmly for 10 to 30 seconds to reduce the symptoms. I often like to pair points with herbs.
What is the herbal equivalent of the Acupuncture point CV-12? I’d say Gan Jiang commonly known as dried Ginger. Drink a strong tea of ginger, ginger ale, eat a ginger candy, or simply chew on ginger root to relieve symptoms. Ginger may also be used to reduce menstrual cramps depending, of course, on the cause of the menstrual cramps. Let us know how the CV-12 point and Ginger work for you!