When I was young, my mom always made sure I was bundled up before going outside during those cold New England winters.  Her reasoning was that I’d get sick if I got cold, and sending me outdoors looking like a large ball of yarn was the sure antidote.  While scientists haven’t been able to prove that getting chilled will make you get sick, the stress on your body of being cold can lower your resistance to getting the colds and flu that are going around. The Chinese have a different take on the cold, however, in that cold can actually make you sick and cause pain.  One of the foundations of...

What do inner ear infections, head trauma, Meniere’s disease, anemia, high or low blood pressure, and having too many cocktails have in common?  All of these things have the potential to make you dizzy. While a number of conditions may be the cause of dizziness, not all dizziness is the same.  The severity of symptoms can run the whole gamut from disabling to mildly annoying.  People who suffer from vestibular (inner ear) problems may describe their dizziness as the sensation of the whole room spinning, or vertigo, with severe balance problems.  In contrast, someone who has low blood pressure...

Mindy is an athletic woman who has been coming to me for wellness acupuncture for years.  In her mid-fifties, Mindy is concerned about eating well and getting enough exercise to maintain her health.  Unfortunately, Mindy’s diet could use some help.  Despite my repeated urgings, Mindy has the notion that all fats are bad and should be avoided at all costs.  This black and white idea that a food is all good or all bad has its consequences, and for Mindy, the result is readily apparent in her skin.  Without the moisturizing effects of dietary oils and fats, Mindy’s skin is so dried out, that she...

Vanessa was an athletic woman in her early 30’s who came to my clinic with a history of frequent miscarriages.  She was able to get pregnant, and had done so three or four times, but each pregnancy ended with a miscarriage sometime during the first trimester. Vanessa was soft spoken and committed to doing whatever it took to have a baby.  She had a history of an eating disorder, mild depression, and low energy.  Vanessa assured me, however, that she was eating well, and was trying unsuccessfully to gain weight.  Vanessa had a Chinese medical diagnosis of sinking Spleen Qi (energy). In Western...

As an acupuncturist, I am frequently asked questions about what acupuncture can treat, how it works, and if the acupuncture needles hurt.  Occasionally someone will ask me if I have any really amazing acupuncture stories.  My gut response is to tell them that I have dozens of amazing stories about the effectiveness of acupuncture to heal.  But I realize that what they’re asking is if I have any Wow stories about acupuncture.  I have a few. My most amazing story occured many years ago while I was still in school studying acupuncture.  As part of my masters program, I was required to spend...