What is Seasonal Acupuncture in Portland?

Seasonal Acupuncture

Simply put, Seasonal Acupuncture is tuning your body to the environment so it flows with nature. Think of it like tuning a violin to the rest of the orchestra. If every instrument is tuned to the same scale the music sounds great.  However, if one instrument is out of tune it will change the experience and not sound quite right. The human body can be looked at in a similar fashion.

When Chinese Medicine was created it was based on something called the I Ching. The medicine was similar to an almanac and people were treated according to the season.  They ate specific foods during each season, did particular exercises each season, and had a lifestyle that fit that season. For instance, winter is a time of going inward, a zeroing of the seasons and human spirit. People are best acclimated when they eat warm soups, reserve their energy, reflect, and meditate.

Our society has changed quite a bit.  As a result, we have become very go-go-go not stopping system not always in tune with the seasons.  It is always possible to get in tune and to get in balance.  It is especially important because this winter has been particularly stressful.  There have been a lot of changes in health care causing significant stress for some, holiday eating can throw off the digestive and immune systems, there has been a string of flu epidemics, and it has been particularly dry winter in the Northwest so we have seen more cases of coughs, asthma attacks, and eczema breakouts. For people prone to seasonal allergies, this next spring has a potential to be intense. If we tune the body and have it ready for the next season we can prevent illnesses in the future.

You may know someone that has Spring allergies with chest congestion, shortness of breath, sneezing and itchy eyes every year.  Or someone that comes down with bronchitis in early March or August.  Allergies are a result of a deficiency in the ability to protect the body from the outside environment. When the defensive qi is weak the body is more susceptible to external wind invasions. Chinese Medicine treats this case by smoothing the Liver, strengthening the Spleen and diffusing the Lung.

There is a fantastic classic herbal formula called Yu Ping Feng San (Jade Windscreen).  This herb strengthens the lungs and immune system and is very helpful to people prone to allergies and wind invasions. It is great for people with low immune systems, children, elderly, and pregnant and nursing women. It takes a couple of months for the formula to build a strong defense system in the body.  Thus it is best to begin the herbs two months before spring comes, which means from February to March.

Acupuncture treatments work right alongside this formula to strengthen the immune system. For instance, did you know that one point on the leg called Zusanli (leg three mile, Stomach 36) actually increases white blood cells. In China they say needling this point often will give you one extra mile in life.