Falling Into a (Pumpkin Flavored) Fall Season

One quick trip through trader Joe’s and you can’t deny that fall is here on the central coast.  Pumpkin Cream Cheese, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, its pumpkin everything in there! No, the leaves haven’t changed yet, but the flavor of our lattes and cream cheese have changed to the ever alluring “pumpkin flavor”….which in SLO town, means Fall is here! Living in our mild San Luis Obispo climate we don’t find ourselves noticing extreme shifts in weather; but our bodies still go through energetic shifts as the seasons change.  The more aware you can get with these seasonal energetic changes in your environment and in your body, the greater the potential for you to harness the wisdom the season can provide.

The energy of the fall season is the Metal Element. The metal element correlates to the Lungs and Large Intestine organs.  At this time of year it’s a season and a time for colds and flus. The kids go back to school and come home with not only a new teacher and new friends, but also a whole new set of pathogens.  After the skin, the Lungs are the first defense system in the body to fight off pathogens in Chinese Medicine. The Large intestine organ in Chinese medicine specifically correlates to the colon.  The shift in weather and climate can also cause digestive disharmony within the body.

The emotional component of the lung is grief.  The lungs store unresolved grief in the body; some physical manifestations of this can include chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, and shortness of breath. I have found when processing  grief it’s important to develop a deep sense of gratitude for what has served us in the past, yet is no longer in our present. Let it be a relationship, a home, a job or even a loved one, the path to transforming grief is through gratitude and appreciation for what and how those things served you. 
Respiratory illnesses are heightened this time of year as the weather shifts and we find ourselves susceptible to upper respiratory infections.  I see an abundance of asthma, bronchitis, and coughs walk through my doors this time of year. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs are excellent at building the body’s immune system to support this seasonal transition with ease. Some great essential oils to treat upper respiratory conditions at home include eucalyptus or rosemary.  Applying a drop these oils in carrier oil to the acupuncture point Lung 1 is very beneficial at opening the lungs while also tonifying the immune system.

The emotional aspect of the Large Intestine captures the active/yang side of grief, the ability to “let it go.” It’s about deciphering what needs to stay and what needs to go in order for you to function at you highest potential.  Just as the Large Intestine releases toxic waste from the body, it’s has an emotional energetic capacity to clear out the negative emotions and patterns which no longer serve the highest version of ourselves. Low vibrational emotions such as shame, guilt, anger and fear can be very powerful to release this time of year.  

If you would like to look further into this concept I would highly recommend the book Letting Go by David R. Hawkins.

This book transformed my life; as it fell into my hands as I was processing my divorce and struggling to create a positive new life for my family.  With this book I was able to release a lot of negative emotions, and habits that were holding me back while creating space for new beliefs and thought patterns. A great read for anyone feeling stuck.   

I hope you find yourself healthy and happy this Fall Season with a pumpkin-flavored-something in your near future. ☺

What’s different about Community Acupuncture?

We are Sliding Scale

All our treatments are sliding scale, $20-40 per visit, YOU decide how much feels right to you, and allows you to afford as many treatments as you need. We adopted the sliding scale because it is important to us that Acupuncture treatments are affordable and accessible to everyone, regardless of financial situation.

You are treated in a Group Setting

Yes, it’s true…You will be treated in a large room with OTHER people in the room. While this can seem odd or invasive to some, (Americans like their privacy) it’s surprisingly a very soothing to experience a healing modality in a community setting. There’s something more powerful about being in a space with others; creating the collective intension to heal. From clinical experience, Michelle has noticed that patients seem to heal faster when they are treated in a room with other people.  Much like meditating or doing yoga in a group vs. alone-it just feels different.

All of our Treatments are Distal-Style

All of our treatments utilize the Balance Acupuncture Method which is a technique created by Dr. Richard Tan. His techniques utilize distal acupuncture points located on the lower arms, lower legs, head and face that can effectively and quickly treat anywhere in the body. Essentially, this means we can treat your neck pain by needling your wrist. This technique has allowed us to administer thousands of treatments, addressing anything from neck pain to menstrual cramps, without asking the patient to do more than roll up their pant legs.

Community Acupuncture is different and it’s important to understand it is not always the best fit for everyone. Some patients have very complicated cases that require lab work and careful monitoring, while some patients just like the privacy of being treated one-on-one. Private treatments can still be booked with Michelle Hamilton at the SLO Wellness Center. The primary goal of Zen Den is to make acupuncture available to anyone in the community and with the sliding scale community acupuncture model, we are able to provide just that.

5 Things You Should Do Before Acupuncture

So you’ve decided to make the plunge and try some acupuncture.  You’ve found a solid acupuncturist, booked an appointment and now you are wondering what to do next.  Acupuncture doesn’t require a whole lot of prep work on the patient’s part, but there are 5 things to consider before your first acupuncture treatment. 

1.    Schedule Well.

Be mindful about when you schedule your appointment.  Allow plenty of time after the treatment so you won’t feel rushed.  Avoid scheduling your appointment before or after something strenuous like a stressful meeting or hard workout.  Some people feel pretty relaxed and groggy after a treatment, so allow plenty of time after your treatment so you don’t feel rushed.

2.    Arrive Nourished.  

Everyone has different metabolisms, but it’s generally a good idea to eat at least 2 hours before your acupuncture visit.  This is an important one; it’s not advised to show up to an acupuncture treatment with light-headedness, low blood sugar or a rumbling stomach.

3. Avoid Coffee 2 Hours Before your Appointment. 

 Coffee is a stimulant, which increases sympathetic nerve activity; kicking the body into fight or flight mode. Meanwhile, acupuncture does the opposite; shifting you away from that sympathetic fight or flight mode more towards parasympathetic mode, which encourages rest and digest. When utilizing natural medicinal modalities, its best to work with the process and not against it, as it may confuse the body.

4.    Avoid Alcohol.

This seems obvious, but is worth mentioning. Acupuncture has a way of getting us more in touch with our physical bodies.  Alcohol on the other hand, does just the opposite; numbing our physical experience down. Best to limit the alcohol before a treatment and really get in touch with your body during this deeply meditative experience.

5.    Make a List.

Before you come into your appointment it’s best to sit down for a minute and make a couple lists.   Sometimes by the time we sit down in front of a practitioner we can tend to get anxious and forget all those little physical details we wanted to share about our bodies. On another list, write down all the medication and supplements as well as dosages of each.  As a primary care provider, Acupuncturists will want a current list of all medications, especially if they are making herbal or supplement recommendations to assure there aren’t any contraindications with their recommendations. 

Acupuncture is amazing healing and relaxing modality and I hope these recommendations increase your ability to maximize the benefits of your treatments.