When illness comes to visit, try the least harmful options first. Why? Because it makes sense to try the least harmful options before trying what could be considered more ‘harmful’ or invasive interventions and options, such as surgery or pharmaceuticals.

Let’s say I became suddenly sick (I know, shudder the thought), or found out that I had elevated blood pressure or high blood sugar. I would naturally take this news very seriously knowing this diagnosis could pose a very serious health threat. My first step would be adjusting my lifestyle in all of the known ways to combat the diagnosis. I’d up my game at eating better and healthier. I’d introduce additional forms of exercise such as yoga, walking, or riding a bike. I would try Mindful Meditation to combat stress and visualize positive outcomes. I would try herbs, nutraceuticals, flower essences, or homeopathics that are known to help in my condition. In other words, I would never jump into taking a pharmaceutical- first!  Nor would I ever elect to have surgery before I tried every possible least ‘harmful’ option such as exercise, acupuncture, chiropractic, or bodywork, first!

That said, if a bus hit me, I’d be the first to say, “Air lift me to the nearest emergency room toute suite!” Trust me when I say I would not suggest calling anyone to come and lay crystals on me and chant, nor would I refuse medical attention in lieu of a guided meditation to heal a broken limb.  Any trauma should be dealt with immediately and expertly.  Yet we know that high blood pressure could be considered life threatening, and high blood sugar can lead to insulin resistance and a host of other health issues. 

So how do you know what to do when you get sick?

Health Hack: Change the way you perceive sickness

There’s a magical moment in between receiving a diagnosis and “what should I do NOW?” which can be a very empowering one.

It starts with how you perceive sickness. This Health Hack involves a Mind Hack.  Let's look at some common conditioning you might unconsciously be holding which skewed your perception and ultimately, colors your reality.  Here’s just a couple:

*Holy crap! I’d better take the drug my Doctor suggests. After all, she/he deals with this all the time, so they must know what’s best for me.

*Or, ‘I always knew I would get this condition, just like (insert the name of a friend or relative here) and that was just the beginning of the end for them

And here is where the Mind Hack comes into play. Instead of allowing your brain to be hijacked into a negative scenario, change the way you perceive sickness by directing and choosing your thoughts purposefully. Old defeatist or death sentence thinking quickly becomes:

*Wow! This is clearly a warning signal and I’m grateful that I know about it. Now I can make positive changes!

*It’s in my power to change this! I can turn this diagnosis around and come out healthier and stronger! 

*I’m eager to turn this around as quickly and easily as possible and am willing to make all of the necessary changes to achieve my goal of better health!

FEEL the difference between these two mindsets. This latter mindset puts you in the driver's seat, positioning you to see the overall situation from an empowered place. You still may not like knowing or implementing what is required to change a diagnosis, but at least you’ll be making an informed choice from a place of power, with the potential to try the least harmful choices first.  SachiSays, become a Health Ninja and commit to change the way you perceive sickness. Your body will thank you!

Photo by Justin Luebke on Unsplash

Detox, Moisturize & Exfoliate

Get Your Guaranteed Glow

Don't throw out those coffee grinds … Get yourself ‘summer ready’, and make yourself a DIY BODY SCRUB that's EASY, INEXPENSIVE and EFFECTIVE. This "recipe" has a trifecta of benefits: it's Detoxing & Moisturizing & Exfoliating (and did I mention cost efficient?) SachiSays:  Friends don't let friends run around with dry skin or spend a fortune on their beauty routines. Skin care doesn't have to be expensive to be effective or luxurious.

Once your dead skin has been exfoliated, your body’s largest organ can work more efficiently to expel toxins.

Why’s this one so good?

The caffeine found in coffee scrubs increases blood flow, giving your skin a more even tone. It may also reduce the appearance of cellulite. Adding sugar is a win too - Sugar contains glycolic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid that is crucial for maintaining healthy skin. YES PLEASE!

CAVEATS:

• Yes, you can apply this to your face, but avoid delicate areas / skin closest around your eyes.

• Breastfeeding mommas: don’t apply the scrub too closely to your breasts as your babies may not like the smell, affecting feeding.

To make it:

1. Take a 1/2 used bottle of body oil (or purchase a new one) - A 4 oz. bottle is ideal

2. Pour 1/2 into an extra bottle (maybe make another as a gift?)

3. Mix in used coffee grinds - 3/4 cup or whatever you have on hand

4. Add 1/2 cup Brown Sugar if desired (& not just because I am a fan of the Rolling Stones)

Scrub your body, either wet (recommended) or dry will do, with a short rinse off, and Voila! A Guaranteed Glow

SACHISAYS: Make a couple of batches and you've got GREAT homemade holiday, birthday or hostess gifts!

UH OH! 😲 Have you had the realization while in lockdown that your "rushed morning schedule" was simply an excuse to eat breakfast out? As in, 'croissant and latte anyone?' SACHISAYS: You can literally spend LESS than 5 MINUTES to "Pre-Pare" a FAST, EASY, YUMMY & HEALTHY breakfast the night before! Make it a fun, bonding activity for the whole family, and let the kids pick out their fruits. I've had this GEM in my breakfast rotation for years, and it's a hit with overnight guests too. BONUS: It’s adaptable to anyone's taste, and a great way to use those almost beyond ready, bananas & other fruits.

In a glass container (Mason jars are great) Mix Together:

1 1/4 cups of Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 1/2 cups of Ground Oats (not instant)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup nuts
1 tsp of Chia seeds
1 tsp Almond Extract
1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 Banana cut in pieces

POP IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR overnight and you're ready to go! Substitute, add or detract to make it your own, and play away! For example, sprinkle blueberries and mint leaves on top. Grab a spoon and ENJOY cold (or heat it in a pan on low with a little almond milk)

SACHISAYS, You're welcome!

The effect of the outbreak of Coronavirus and all the ways our lives have changed can be stressful. An invisible enemy can cause fear and anxiety, and all of our sudden life changes can cause us to temporarily spiral into unhealthy habits. Coping with stress in a healthy way makes you stronger and helps those around you to be calmer. Taking active steps to ensure you strengthen your immune system and check in with loved ones to ensure they’re following suit is especially important at this time. We are all in this together, and if we look at the positive, it will bring us closer and more connected.

Here are 10 tips to stay balanced and healthy, and reduce stress and anxiety:

1.  MOVE IT or SHAKE IT: Exercise regularly at least three times a week for at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity. If you can, exercise with loved ones - the ones you’re sheltering at home with. Get outside to exercise ONLY if you can, and only if it’s safe to do so.

2.  BREATHE: Practice deep breathing for at least 5 minutes each day. Meditate and practice stillness - in any way that feels good to you - each day. You can use apps if needed for directed meditation and if you’d like some personalized instruction and guidance, call me!

3.  EAT HEALTHY: Sachi ALWAYS says, ‘eat healthy! ‘ Truly, it’s never been more critical to eat healthy, well-balanced meals. Did you know? Refined sugary desserts feed viruses.

4.  REMEMBER SUPPORT SYSTEM: Stay in touch with loving, supportive, trusting family and friends. Technology can be your friend - consider a video call through FaceTime, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype or Zoom. Seeing your family and friends in any way can be a powerful support. Someone having a birthday or special day? Schedule a group video call! Works well for happy hours too. :)

5.  FOCUS ON WHAT BRINGS YOU JOY: Use the time doing those activities that bring you joy and happiness as much as possible, when you’re not working or home schooling children. Now’s the time to learn that language or start your memoirs.

6.  STAY SMART: We’re being advised to stay home as much as possible so listen, wash your hands, keep your hands away from your face, and resist the urge to see others who seem ‘symptom-free.’ Be diligent and practice excellent hygiene and social distancing to protect yourself, your family and others.

7.  BE IN SERVICE: If you are able, and it is safe for you to do so, reach out to those more vulnerable with offers to pick up groceries or to stay in touch with a phone call. Call a friend and see who needs toilet paper.

8.  CULTIVATE GRATITUDE: Make a list of all the things you are grateful for. You’ll quickly see how many blessings you have. Bonus? Studies show Gratitude helps counteract depression and improve sleep and overall health.

9.  HEALTHY HABITS: Maintain a healthy routine and schedule. This includes fresh air, rand adherence to a regular, healthy sleep schedule.

10.  GET SUPPORT: Don’t be a hero. If you experience heightened anxiety, contact a mental-health professional - most are seeing patients over technology and / or doing phone sessions.

2020: A New Year and A New You!

A huge percent of New Year Goals fail simply because we all want huge changes, such as “I will work out one hour a day and lose 50 pounds and…!” But here’s a little secret: It can be far more effective (and easier!) if instead you commit to make a few small goals with steps that are fast and easy to incorporate into your life style. If you do this, by the end of the year you’ll notice that cumulatively those few small achieved goals collectively made a huge positive change in your life, brought your vision for the year into greater focus and that’s a promise!

To make those small goals that add up to serious long-term change, consider adding some built-in support - you don’t have to go at it all alone! Accountability partners can go a long way to help you stay focused, on-track and help to ensure success. Contact me for help if you want to, or need to, but here in this blog I offer some suggestions of practical, little goals to pick and choose from, or choose one of your own, but keep in mind that the real trick is to make them Clear, Specific, and Easy To Do! Far too many people make goals that are huge or too time consuming and then bash themselves for not having kept up with their “good intentions”. My advice is to avoid making huge goals, and instead make a series of small changes with steps that are clear, specific, quick and easy to do! That’s when the real magic happens!

Here are a few of my suggestions and instructions to get your juices flowing and get you started in this “New Year New You!”

1.) Take 5 Super Aware Breaths
Yep, that’s specific, it doesn’t take long so this is do-able…and now let’s get clear on how to do it! Sit up straight (but not rigid) in a chair or cross legged or even lying down. Close your eyes and turn your focus inward. Inhale as long, slow, and deeply as possible. Feel your breath as it opens and expands different parts of the torso. Exhale as long, slow, and deeply as possible. Feel your body contracting as the air is being released. There are no rules about mindful breathing You can do this once a day or as many times as you’re drawn to. You can do 5 breaths or even more.

SACHISAYS: This is a mini-meditation, a break in your day, and a mini-de-stressor- all rolled into one complete package, so take your time and ENJOY the fruits you will certainly feel from this practice.

2.) Start A Gratitude Journal
Each day, find a time that works for you to take a minute to write down 3 things you are grateful for in a private journal or notebook. Whether you do this in the morning or in the evening before sleep, you’ll be immersed in the powerfully delicious and transformational vibration of gratitude. Each entry can be short- (doesn’t even need to be a full sentence). Or you can write as much as you feel like for any of them. But don’t write the same thing twice. For example, you can say, ‘my child’ only once, then focus on specific aspects of that child you’re grateful for - their smile, thoughtfulness etc.

SACHISAYS: This works unconsciously to keep you scouting out new things to notice that you are thankful for, and energetically will help attract more things to keep you in that like-vibration. Plus it really opens you to see, think and look for positives throughout the day to include in your journal.

3.) Schedule A Weekly Treat In Your Planner / Calendar
What’s a treat to you? Ideas are infinite, and this can be something costly or free. The really important part is that it feels like a treat to you, it's doable and that you schedule it! Consider changing it up to keep things fresh and exciting: one week this can be a massage, another week lunch with a friend, another week trying a new coffee shop, or even a walk in a new area you’ve never been, in the woods alone to ponder, or a bike ride with a buddy. 

SACHISAYS: This gives you something to look forward to and helps get you through the lesser times in the week. It’s also a de-stressor, and strengthens your self-care / self-love muscle. The scheduling aspect confirms and cements in visually that YOU are important!

4.) Exercise 10 or 15 Minutes a Day
Anyone can find time to exercise 10 or 15 minutes a day, and especially if it’s fun! This does not have to be anything classically considered exercise. Copy a cat and do stretches, or walk or ride a bike instead of jumping in the car. Turn on some disco and really have a blast moving and shaking! Or, get creative while you’re watching TV and dance during commercials. The important thing is that during your “exercise” time, enjoy yourself and have fun! 

SACHISAYS: Ancient wisdom states that all illness begins with stagnation. You see how water that doesn’t flow and is stagnant becomes an iceberg. So move your body!

5.) Visit a Friend or Invite a Friend to Visit Your Home at Least Every 6 Months
This is not only for short or long distance friends, but why not even if you live in the same town! Hey, we’re never too old for a PJ party! And this works whether with girl friends, guy friends or couples. It also works well as a joint vacation. As the saying goes, “Friends are the family you choose.” Make it easy! Long or short, a full day, overnighter or weekend will be perfect to connect, support one another and have some fun!

SACHISAYS: This is a fun thing to make plans for and look forward to! Plus being with friends is great nourishment for the soul!

6.) Start Every Day with 8 oz (or more) of Pure Water, or better yet, Pure Water with a 1/2 lemon squeezed in it!

When you wake up, your body is thirsty and needs hydration, not coffee or tea, first thing in the morning after those hours of sleep! So start off by hydrating it. It will perform better, and that’s a promise!

SACHISAYS: I don’t like to drink with ‘morning mouth’, so I gargle with hydrogen peroxide first and rinse with water, then drink my hydrating water with a big smile. What a way to start the day!

So there are some Small, Clear, Specific, Quick and Easy ideas that can Create a Big Change for a Healthier, Happier You! Keep up the good work. I am rooting for you!

Love Light Wisdom and Clear Vision in 2020 and Beyond,
Sachi

This is a time of Environmental Transition. What does that mean to us? In harnessing and flowing within the energy field created at this time, we are given a Special Power, a Unique Force, that aids us in creating transitions in our very own life! Pretty fabulous, wouldn’t you say?

Never forget that we humans are a Microcosm of the Macrocosm, which is this interesting world we live in. So what that means it is an excellent time to make small transitions to influence our overall health! Physical, Mental, Spiritual, and even in our Daily Routine, that will have major benefits for our health and well being!

I like to enter this period of transition by first, creating a list of what transitions I would like to make. Then, I consider which I can commit to making at this time, and finally I number them in the order of importance. I usually choose the top 1 to 3 depending on realistically assessing the involvement necessary and the time I can dedicate to each. Then I just go with the flow! Sounds easy…and it is! Because the energy of the season assists you, coddling you like a mama bear. Try it, and, as always, let me know how it works, by leaving me a comment, or better yet join the Late Summer Online Playshop and participate in the Q & A period at the end!

Many Hugs to Each of you,

Sachi

Summer is around the corner! It's a time when we naturally want to feel the grass, the sand, and the water.  In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Summertime is ruled by the Fire Element. And the Fire element is controlled by The Water element, meaning water controls the amount of fire present. During summer, we can maintain harmony and balance by controlling any excess fire with water.  So while grounding in water is great at any time, it's especially true during the Summer!   Here are two quick easy ways to ground - one with water, one without. Give these a try and let me know how it has worked for you, or with any questions!

IN WATER - While floating in an ocean, sea or lake is great, you don't need to be near an actual body of water to ground in water. You can also do this by taking a long soak in a tub, or, if time is limited, a fast shower. Fast, or slow, the importance of holding the INTENTION of the water controlling any excess fire is the key here.

WITHOUT WATER - Mountain pose is an instant strength builder. Try this if you need a hit of soft yet profoundly deep strength:

1) Sit up straight in a cross-legged position with your hands resting on your knees. This creates the outline of a pyramid-shaped mountain.
2) With your eyes closed, take a few long deep breaths, concentrating on the quiet, yet powerful mountain of your being.  

There is a popular quote from William Wordsworth, “Your mind is the garden, your thoughts are the seeds, the harvest can either be flowers or weeds.”

Your mind is the perfect foundation to bring to life to any manifestation you choose. How do you make your garden grow? You plants seeds and nurture them. Whatever seeds you place in the garden of your mind are the creations that will come to be. Seeds planted by our conscious minds into the fertile soil of the subconscious mind will create more of what you want in your life. Use this guided meditation whenever you wish to connect your heart and mind, and visit your garden of life. Take turns reading this with a friend, or record it for ease. After you read it through, you’ll be able to quickly remember this exercise to experience its powerful simplicity time and again.

Take a moment to remove distractions, get into a comfortable position, and take a three deep, relaxing breaths. On the third breath just close your eyes, and continue to breathe deeply and slowly. Now, as you rest here with your eyes closed, bring your focus more deeply inward… And as you do, let yourself relax and let go. Let yourself begin to drift down into a deeper state of relaxation. There is nothing for you to do, nowhere for you to be, just allow yourself to be restful and calm, and continue to let yourself relax as you feel yourself relaxing more deeply, going down, down, down, into a deeper state of relaxation. Every breath you take you feel more and more relaxed. And as you relax, it’s important to understand that your sub-conscious mind is incredibly powerful, and tapping into it gives you access to a powerful source of creative energy. Your subconscious mind knows exactly how to create what you tell it to, and it can help to bring a goal, dream or an idea into reality. So keeping that in mind, I’d like you to imagine now a garden. This is your garden of life, and you are its gardener, empowered to design it any way you want.

Imagine now you are standing in front of the garden, eager and ready to attend to it. You can create anything you wish. Take a moment now and decide what would you like to cultivate more of in your life. What are you ready to let go of? Visualize yourself now entering your garden with this conscious intention. Take a moment now to look around. What do you notice? Is your garden big or small? What does it look like? What does it feel like? Your garden contains within it, every area of your life. You look around and begin to see these areas clearly. You notice all the many areas within this garden.  You can see your health and well-being, dreams, goals, career, relationships, family, abundance and finances, physical environment, creative pursuits and spirituality. Take a moment to see and smell the many flowers already in bloom and be grateful. In a moment, you’re going to begin walking through each area in your garden. As you walk through each area, you are becoming aware of how satisfied you are with each area. And you are noticing that your awareness is bringing you information in the form of subtle sensations, notions, pictures, symbols and insights about each area. Grateful for this awareness, you joyfully set out to act on this information, and use it to attend to your garden. You have access to everything you need to make every part of this garden look and feel exactly the way you want. Just take a moment to notice how easy and joyful it is, to be in charge of your garden. And just notice now how peaceful and comfortable this feels. In this state, in any moment, you can bring your attention wherever it is needed.

You will begin to visit each area one by one. Go to your first are now, noticing which area you visit first. Imagine now that you start by carefully considering all the factors that will affect how your garden will grow — weeding, soil, sunlight, seeds, water, love— and the balance and space between plantings of each life area. And you are now in the first area of your garden and will give it all the attention it requires. If there is something you don’t particularly like, just change it. Take a moment to notice what needs cleaning up. Eliminate any weeds, letting go of anything that you no longer want to see in that area.  Pull any roots and clear away debris. Now, with clean up done, notice the soil. Get down on your hands and knees to run it through your fingers. What color is it? How does it feel? Is it dry? Does it have a smell? Do whatever needs to be done to make this healthy, fertile soil. With this fertile ground, begin to plant new thought seeds of pictures of the future, to create more of what you want in this area of your life. More of what you wish to see. Water those seeds with love. Watch as sun is becoming brighter and the water mixes with your loving energy for the most resilient, beautiful blooms to come. Know that these planted pictures will come to life in vibrant color in perfect time.

Take a moment to walk through each area and continue this process, one by one, until every area of your garden is vibrant, colorful, healthy and full of promise. This is your garden, so take your time to ensure you design it just right. Make the colors even brighter and make the pictures just right. Take another moment and see if there’s anything else you would like to add to make this a beautiful, vibrant place to visit, and add it now. Notice how good your garden looks and feels now. Let those positive feelings fill your whole body and enjoy how inspired and peaceful you feel.

When you are ready, open your eyes and enjoy your feelings of peace, confidence and empowerment, knowing your creative gardening work is done, and allow yourself to release the garden from your mind. And, in moments of relaxation, you know you can bring to mind this garden at any time.

I always get a lot of groans when I talk about enemas. For sure no one is ever excited to learn about them! None the less I continue to tell people about their great benefits. In many other countries, and even in America 50 years ago, enemas where considered a valuable treatment for a vast variety of ailments.

Even if you eat well and are having daily bowel movements, that does not insure that you are effectively eliminating all the waste from your bowels. Considering what we eat, and what toxins we are exposed to in our foods, it is little wonder that incomplete waste elimination in the bowels become encrusted and impacted with fecal matter. This damages the integrity of the bowel walls, creating diverticulitis, which allows the waste to pass through the intestinal wall and circulate in our bodies. Surely not a very clean or healthy picture! But here’s where enemas come to our rescue! They can assist in clearing this build-up of waste. If your still not sold, let me say that combining massage, or ball rolling and enemas, you may just be able to release that stubborn “Belly Bulge” you have not been able to diet away!

Get your enema on, it's easy! Here's how:

• Purchase a rubber enemas bag in the drugstore.

• Use only filtered water (and NO, the ones that come in a refrigerator don’t count as filtered in my book) you can use filtered or distilled water, heated to body temperature. Clip the “Water Flow on the Hose” and fill the bag.

• Hang the bag in the tub or shower about 3 feet above your head.

• Lubricate the rectal tube for easier insertion. I recommend coconut oil. Some prefer a thicker substance like a lube or Vaseline, but beware thicker lubricants often clog the opening of the rectal tube.

• Unclip a second to release any air bubbles, clip and insert into the rectum, then unclip, allowing the water to flow into your body. ATTENTION: During an enema it is normal to feel water-filled bloating and distention and possibly even mild discomfort. You may even need to go to the bathroom, like RIGHT NOW, before emptying the entire enema bag. So it may take a few "refill" times to empty the whole bag.  Remember that you may still be carrying some mental and emotional negatives from your "potty training" years. Be patient with yourself, clip and gently breath in-between flows. Finish the bag, always re-lubricating each time you insert the tube.

• Doing a belly massage or rolling on a ball while you retain fluid in the enema bag (full or even partially filled) really does help to break up and release any encrusted old feces (Yea, gross I know, but true!)

• It is super important to always recolonize your intestines by taking a good quality multi-probiotic (by mouth) after a colonic! I also take daily ones.  

Detoxing with self-enemas strongly supports your body by helping the colon with it's exhausting job of eliminating toxins.  As your body gets used to enemas, it will signify you when it is in need of help, such as in after times of overindulgence. 

For beginners or masters, you simply cannot go wrong by doing an enema during the change of seasons, or when you have the extra time and would like to "flush yourself out". 

You will feel so much lighter, better, cleaner and even mentally clearer after an enema, that they become a beautiful way of showing your love for this "vehicle-body" that sustains and supports you.

Enemas Are The Epitome of Self-Love

FALL

The energy of fall is like a quiet and slow flowing stream that sweeps you effortlessly into it’s cuddling current.

Yet it has the profound energy of gifting you with the ability to review your life and to know what to reap and keep, and what to release. This is the power of Fall!

In the Fall the trees “let go” of their leaves and allow the sap to sink downwards into their roots in preparation for winter. It is that magical transitional time between the most Yang time of year, Summer, and the most Yin time of year, Winter.

The leaves give a huge display of outrageous colors to delight the eyes and yet the sounds begin to quiet, like the soft hush of the FALLing leaves. Just like those tumbling leaves, we are swept into that energy of releasing what no longer serves us, and to begin to search for what does - and what will!

We have this desire to pull on our comfy sweater and take walks, and review, and think. To sit by a window with a cup of tea and quietly daydream. We have been swept into Falls energy stream!

On January, first we often make resolutions for the New Year, but during December and leading into New Year’s Eve, there is little time to ponder what to keep and what to release. Instead we are caught up in the hustle and bustle between the varied holidays, the festivities of gift giving and shopping and parties. The New Year’s resolutions we make are often unsubstantial and unfocused, such as “I will eat better and exercise each day.” Unfortunately, they most often dwindle away. But by harnessing the energy of Fall we actually lay the necessary groundwork for those “New Year’s” resolutions. This is because it is truly during the Fall that we look deeply into our lives and see what works for us, and what does not. To know where we are now, and where we want to go. Who we want to transition into becoming.

Each season has it’s own unique energy, and if you allow it’s energy to assist you, it is as though you are in the flow, rather than fighting against the current to go upstream. Obviously it is a lot easier to go with the seasonal flow than fighting against it.

Learning how to harness the energy of each season, and the ancient concepts that govern each one, is a real game changer!

GO WITH THE FLOW

If you want to learn more about harnessing Fall’s energy please sign up for my Fall play-shop. You will not only learn more about Fall, but also about the Metal Element, which is a part of this Fall Energy, and exercises to benefit the lungs (we breath in air) and the Large Intestine (we release what is no longer needed).

I have a lot to share with you about this amazing FALL season!

With much love, Sachi

Everyone wants to be happy, handsome, beautiful, in good health, oh, and to be rich also! I can’t help you on that last part, but acupuncture CAN help you with everything else! Yep! You read that right. Excluding acupuncture, there is absolutely no other cosmetic procedure that can claim to accomplish all of that!

What’s the secret? In acupuncture we work on the entire complex human being that is on our table! Not just a stomach that we are going to place a machine into to suck out fat! Or just a face that we are going to either inject with toxic substances or cut and scrape and sew. NO! this is a whole person, and will be treated as such. Of course an acupuncture treatment focused on a cosmetic aspect of the face is going to be very different then one focused on a sprained ankle! But we are still working on the whole person. We will not be injecting any toxic substances that will infiltrate the entire body! We most certainly will be re-moving blockages, moving chi (energy) through the channels of the body, balancing the yin and yang, relaxing the body/mind/spirit/soul and working on healing whatever that individual came to us for.

The amazing side effect that everyone remarks on after any acupuncture session is how relaxed they feel after a treatment. That’s because unlike those large filiform needles used by doctors to withdraw our blood or for putting a substance into our bodies, acupuncture needles are small and super, super thin and they begin working immediately to relax our bodies and our minds. They do this by decreasing stress hormones and stimulating endorphin and dopamine release!*1) And let’s face it, with needles in you, you simply have no choice but to lay there! In a really meditative state! Forced chill, if you will!

O.K. So....

1) What does an acupuncture facial actually do?

2) What is the procedure?

3) And does it work?

3) Let’s answer that last question first...... YES! It Does Work!

It does not have the drastic effect of a “cutting, scrapping and sewing” of a surgical face lift however- but neither does it have the damaging short and long term effects either. Nor the scars! Nor the expense! Nor any down time.

But it really does make a noticeable difference for sure. I have NEVER had anyone who did not see that effect and was not happy with the results! Not one single time! The real perk is the more frequently you do it the more it works!

1) The procedure can be done by needling only. In addition to the needling a micro-current machine may be used, or/and guasha or/and cupping. I personally like to do all four in one session!

Needling allows us to directly target the specific areas a person needs. Needling stimulates fibroblasts! These fibroblasts are responsible for making collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), all of which contribute to skin firmness and plumpness. This is done in a gentle way with acupuncture.

Unfortunately however, in the “non-acupuncture’ world this fibroblast stimulation is done in an extremely invasive way by utilizing ablative therapies, such as IPL, chemical peels, fraxels, and lasers. These can actually cause a thinning of the epidermis and loss of both dermal papillae and skin hydration thereby causing repercussions latter on. How? The dermal papillae serves as a cushion between the epidermis and dermis giving those layers increased strength. It also exchanges oxygen, nutrients, and waste. Obviously this is not something you want to weaken! *2). This is not the information you are clearly given when you undergo such ablative treatments- but what do you think is actually happening during such an invasive treatment? And why do you think you need so much recovery time? Acupuncture, on the other (healthier) hand revitalizes the skin and makes it more resilient and stronger as opposed to weakening it.

An Acupuncture Facial treats the whole person. Stimulates blood flow and lymphatic drainage Stimulates the production of fibroblasts, collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans. Retrains the facial muscles. De-stresses the individual. Has absolutely no down time.

For anyone who wants to be healthy, de-stressed, happy and look as good as possible.....ACUPUNCTURE IS YOUR ANSWER!!!!!!

References:

Yang X, uGo Z et al The role of Dopaminergic Synapse Signaling Pathways in Antidepressant Effect of Electroacupuncture Pretreatment in Chronic Restraint Stress Rats. Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 9, 2017

Setterfield L. The concise guide to dermal needling, Expanded Medical Edition. B.C., Canada: rAcacia Dermacare Inc., 2013