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  Billions of dollars are spent every year looking for the cure to disease, whether cancer, AIDS, heart disease, or any of the other devastating afflictions that perpetually plague us.
While the noble efforts of these research scientists are certainly appreciated, perhaps our focus has been a bit skewed. It is not suggested that we give up on the quest for effective treatments, but rather that we bolster our understanding of creating and maintaining health.
After all, does it make more sense to continually contract diseases and disorders and then fight an uphill battle to regain some semblance of health and wellness; or to consistently take positive, proactive steps to drastically reduce your chances of getting ill in the first place?
It is understood that there are no guarantees in life. But at the same time you can significantly improve your odds of living your healthiest life possible by adopting the proper set of habits and educating yourself on the steps that lead to longevity.
The unfortunate truth, however, is that many people feel that their efforts would be all for naught. That since their parents and grandparents developed heart disease, and diabetes, and cancer, that they themselves are destined for the same eventuality in the absence of a miracle cure. They feel that their actions are fruitless; that they are helpless in their fight against an already sealed fate.
If you live in the “rust belt” of the United States, the odds are pretty good that your automobile will develop some body damage over its lifetime. Does this mean that you never wash your car because it’s going to rust out anyway? Of course it doesn’t. If you care about your car, it means that you’ll fight extra hard to protect your investment.
The reality is that most of the top killers today are lifestyle related, regardless of your family history. Just because you inherit the genes doesn’t mean that you have to continue the lifestyle.
Cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, auto-immune disorders…all of these conditions are greatly impacted by diet, lifestyle habits, depressed nervous systems, our home environments, etc.
Until we change our focus from the curing of disease to the propagation of health, history is destined to repeat itself.
Remember that the body has the capacity to heal easily, as long as there is the proper balance and flow of energy. The key to staying healthy is not to inject “cures” from the outside, but rather to get the innermost layer (the meridian system) in order first, and then to insulate it with layer upon layer of healthy, productive lifestyle habits.

CURE OR PREVENTION? was last modified: October 20th, 2016 by stacy

Want healthy teeth? Brush a few times daily, floss at least once a day, and visit your dentist for regular check-ups.

Healthy bodily hygiene requires that you shower or bathe daily.

Living at a healthy bodyweight results from consistently eating the right types of foods, and regularly engaging in some form of exercise.

Most importantly, living your life at your absolute healthiest, with 100% energy flow and maximum expression of life requires clearing the body of meridian imbalances and then maintaining those changes through consistent wellness treatments.

These are truths that cannot be denied. When you quit performing any of these proactive habits, its corresponding aspect of health begins to decline.

So let’s say you did give up these habits. What would happen to your state of health as it relates to that activity?

Quit brushing and flossing and you risk losing your teeth. As undesirable as this would be, you can still live without a mouthful of teeth. Sure it’s more difficult, but you would survive.

Give up bathing and, while your circle of friends would quickly diminish, you would be in no imminent threat of losing your life.

Stop exercising or eating well and soon your neglect will be written all over your expanding body.

Start powering down or inhibiting the meridian system, however, and your quality of life plummets right along with it. Shut the meridian system down completely, and you will be very unhealthy.

This is not to imply that if you give up your acupuncture treatments that disease is imminent, but it does speak volumes toward the importance of keeping the power of the meridian system flowing freely at all times.

Life revolves around the meridan system and when there become imbalances, or blockages, the energy that runs the body is diminished.

As important as it is to correct meridian imbalances and restore normal function to the meridian system, it is just as critical to maintain those changes. A lifetime of preventative, wellness acupuncture care is one of the healthiest habits that you can engage in.

ESSENTIAL HEALTHY HABITS was last modified: January 22nd, 2015 by stacy

Let’s get right to the point.  There is no magic bullet, the easy way out is the wrong way, and quick fixes never stand the test of time.  We all know this to be true yet, astoundingly, we have been led to believe the exact opposite when it comes to our health and well-being.  Medicine has become our magic elixir, our get-out-of-jail-free card.  Why exercise your bones and joints when you can pop a pill instead?  Sure you risk abdominal cramping and bone death, but at least you don’t have to get off the couch.  Hair loss, obesity, short temper, shyness, itchy skin, dry eyes…  You can bet that whatever ails you, no matter how trivial, there is a pill marketed for it.

The reason acupuncture continues to thrive for the past 2,500 years, even at times in the face of fierce opposition, is because it is built on solid, lasting, time-tested principles and theories. 

The health of your body is in direct proportion to the health of how your bodies innate healing energies travel throughout your meridian system. Energy flows throughout your body by way of an intricate network of pathways called the meridian system.

Taking migraine medicine for a headache requires that your body not only fight the cause of the migraine, but now also the dangerous chemicals you are dumping into it.  We have essentially been trained to put out a fire by dousing it with gasoline.   We have been led to believe that the work that the body has been accomplishing over thousands of years with amazing efficiency is suddenly no longer possible in the absence of drugs.

As much as we tend to overcomplicate it, staying healthy is really pretty simple.  Getting well requires that we optimize the function and flow of energy within our meridian system and then maintain its integrity to allow the body to do what it was created to do.  The reason that so many of us struggle with our health is because as simple as the concept is, actually following through requires a high level of commitment and necessitates specific action steps on a daily basis.  Everyone knows the formula for losing weight is to cut out the bad calories, watch your portions, and exercise daily, but few people can commit to following through.  It’s easier to look for the pill that requires no work output or the exercise video that promises miracles after 2 weeks, or to simply give into temptation.

Your body is a masterpiece and it requires consistent attention and respect.  If you’re ready to make the commitment to getting well – not just feeling better through artificial means, but truly getting well – then welcome aboard!  We’ll do everything we can to help you get there. 

COMMIT…THEN FOLLOW THROUGH was last modified: July 31st, 2013 by stacy

There’s an old metaphor about a frog in boiling water.  If you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, he will immediately jump out because of the sudden, drastic change in temperature.  If, however, you puta frog in a pot of tepid water and slowly bring it to a boil, the temperature change will be so subtle that the frog will never know what hit him as he boils to death.

People are very similar to the frog when it comes to identifying underlying health problems and seeking help. Based on the perceived severity of the problem, you are either driven to action, or more prone to let the problem continue as a mere annoyance.

 Those who have suffered a major trauma such as an auto accident, work injury, or slip and fall are like a frog dropped in boiling water.  Because they have undergone such sudden and massive physical change they seek immediate action in correcting the damage done and look to professional help without delay.  Bear in mind that these are the same people who would normally overlook more minor aches and pains without a second thought.

 Why does one act so quickly in a situation like this?  The injury happens so suddenly and swings them so far from their comfort zone that they will do whatever it takes to bring things back to normalcy as quickly as possible.  After all, a knock in your engine is something that you would typically let go for awhile, but a sudden cloud of smoke billowing from under the hood would likely spur you to immediate action.

 The majority of people, however, are like a frog in tepid water, on a slow simmer until eventually being brought to a boil.  Most imbalances develop over time, and because they are often very subtle, and many times painless, the danger of their impact on our bodies goes unnoticed. 

 Over time, however, these imbalances are no less devastating to us than boiling water is to the frog.  A slow drip in your attic might not seem like a big deal, but its cumulative effects can eventually send your ceiling crashing down. 

 Until we get into the habit of being proactive when it comes to our health, these “simmering” imbalances will always be a threat.  Neutralizing that threat requires that we shift our thinking away from pain-based, symptom-relief care and more toward a system built around prevention and wellness.

 If you know someone who has not been examined for imbalances yet, regardless of whether or not they are exhibiting any symptoms, send them in for a acupuncture evaluation.  Let’s get them the help they need before their pot comes to a boil!

Are You on a Slow Simmer? was last modified: May 23rd, 2013 by stacy

Would you like to live to be 100? You would be surprised at how many people would answer “no” to that question. Many people are in such poor health that it is a physical and emotional struggle to get through each day, let alone an entire century. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Actually, if we are living properly, enjoying the rich quality of life that we are entitled to, we should all be thrilled to live to 100! In fact, the hard part should be figuring out how to squeeze all of our goals and accomplishments into such a relatively short period of time.

It’s true that we are living longer than our ancestors, but while the medical profession is quick to point out that our lifespan is increasing, what remains hidden in the fine print is the atrocious quality of life that our senior population must endure. Twinkies® have a long shelf life, but it would be a stretch to call them healthy.

A balanced meridian system is the foundation of health and longevity, and it is like a bright light glowing deep within. Dim the light and your quality of life dims along with it. Extinguish the light and you die.

The key to living a long, healthy life is to maximize the function of the meridian system as long as possible. Acupuncture does exactly that.

Understand that longevity is built right now. Today. This very day is part of your 100 years. Your state of health at this moment is a result of your actions yesterday and the days prior. Your state of health tomorrow depends on what you do today.

Health is not black and white. It is a continuum, with death at one end and complete wellness at the other end. We are never stagnant, we are constantly moving back and forth along the scale.

Every action you take either moves you toward health or away from it, and the key to longevity is to habitually engage in those activities that drive you in the right direction. Things like acupuncture treatments, daily exercise, proper nutrition, gratitude, a positive mental outlook, spiritual fulfillment, love, and so on.

It’s been said that success is a journey, not a destination. The same can be said of longevity. If a long, healthy life is a goal of yours, then don’t just let your life play out and hope for the best. Longevity is not about dragging out an existence just to make it to a certain age. Longevity is a byproduct of living the right way every single day until, before you know it, a hundred years have passed.

100 Years…And Counting was last modified: May 9th, 2013 by stacy