Promoting the Free Flow of Energy through Acupuncture

There are many different ways that we can help ourselves naturally. For some people, they do a lot with their diets and perhaps meditation but for others, they may need a bit more of a natural boost. One way that we can help ourselves to heal and to rejuvenate is through the process that is known as acupuncture. Although this method of healing is thousands of years old, it is still revered as one of the basic ways to take care of ourselves and to balance the life force that is within all of us. What exactly can acupuncture do for you?

According to traditional Chinese medicine, we all have an energy within ourselves that is known as Chi. This energy flows freely through us and is the essence of what we actually are on the inside. Chinese medicine identified roughly 14 channels through which this life force flowed. From time to time, however, we may experience a blockage of the free flow of this life force which causes problems in us that range from minor aches and pains to serious illness.

Whenever we experience an imbalance in our Chi, acupuncture is able to bring our body back into a balanced state again. By stimulating various acupuncture points on our body, it can send energy and increased blood flow to other areas of our body. For example, the palm of the hand and the web of the thumb can be used to help with headaches. There are over 2000 of these acupuncture points that are found throughout the body that can help in numerous ways in order to promote good health and to aid in healing the body of the problems that it experiences.

Whenever our body is in balance and flowing properly, it does not hold disease in easily. This is also seen in the pH balance that is in our body and just goes to show exactly how important it is for us to stay within the lines of physical balance.

So, if you are experiencing pain or sickness, acupuncture may be up to bring you back to a state in which your body can remove it from itself. By using acupuncture as a basis for a natural, healthy life, you are giving yourself the opportunity to be free of disease and the problems that imbalance creates.

Can Acupuncture Help Me Lose Weight?

One of the most difficult things that we have to deal with on a regular basis is problems with our weight. For many of us, this is been a problem that we have been dealing with for most of our lives. It may have been that we were even heavy when we were children and because of habits that we have had since we were young, it may be difficult for us not to overeat. Add to that the general lifestyle that most of us lead which is busy and full of sugary snacks and fast food and it's little wonder that we have a problem with our weight.

One thing that can help with weight loss and suppressing our appetite is the ancient Chinese art of acupuncture. Although most people think of acupuncture as being something that helps with general health and the relief of pain, it can also do a lot to help us with our weight loss efforts. It is true that acupuncture is a great method of working with our health naturally but, isn't taking care of our weight also a part of our natural health? Let's take a look at acupuncture and weight loss and see what it can do for you.

Acupuncture is a way of bringing our body back into balance, a natural balance that our body needs. According to traditional Chinese medicine, all of us have channels in our body which funnel energy from one part of our body into another. If our body is in balance, we are able to enjoy a natural flow of this energy, otherwise known as Chi. Acupuncture is able to manipulate the flow of energy that is within our body through the insertion of hair thin needles. If this energy is disrupted in some cases, it can help us by suppressing the energy as well. It does this through acupuncture and also helps by suppressing our appetite.

Many people who go in for acupuncture for pain or general healing may also be able to enjoy the benefits of a suppressed appetite through acupuncture as well. Your acupuncturist will be able to give you assistance and advice as far as this is concerned. What you will probably find, however, is that by reducing your appetite through acupuncture, you are able to eat less on a regular basis and maintain a healthier weight.

Can Acupuncture Remove My Wrinkles?

All of us are fighting against a common foe, that of aging and all of the problems that it brings along with it. For some of us, it brings along problems that we need to fight on a continuous basis in the form of disease or decreased energy. For others, it may be a matter of the effects of aging showing on our face and other areas of our body. People will spend an unusual amount of money in order to make themselves look young again. Not only do they spend a lot of money, they may also take risks with their health in order to remove wrinkles.

Some of the most popular forms of face lifts include chemical peels, surgery and micro-dermabrasion. All of these are invasive and can damage our skin in order to make it look better. This has sparked an interest in natural health as a way to remove some of the wrinkles from our face, specifically through the use of acupuncture as a facelift. Is acupuncture actually able to help remove wrinkles from our face and to make us look young again? The answer may surprise you.

First of all, it's important for us to explain that acupuncture is not and never will be the same as a facelift. This is because treatment through acupuncture is natural and not invasive in any way. The only thing that is invasive about acupuncture are the needles that are used and they hardly even damage your skin at all. Regardless of the actual term, however, many people have experienced great benefits with their skin through the use of acupuncture. This is for several different reasons.

Some doctors will use acupuncture directly on the wrinkles in order to stimulate the skin to grow and to heal. Going deeper than that, however, acupuncture actually promotes the free flow of energy throughout the body which can make you feel and look better from the inside out. Whenever you are glowing and youthful as a result of your acupuncture treatments, the effects will be plain to see on the outside as well.

Although acupuncture cannot remove all of the wrinkles from your face, it is one step toward a more natural, healthy you. By keeping your body in balance and maintaining that balance, you will take a chunk out of the aging process that will show to everyone that looks.

Treating Infertility through Acupuncture

One of the biggest disappointments that we can experience as a married couple is the inability to conceive a child. Even though we may try month after month, for some of us it is just a difficult thing to accomplish. If you are having a difficult time with conception and you don't necessarily want to go through in vitro fertilization, acupuncture may be able to offer you a natural treatment that has helped many. How can acupuncture help you to have a baby?

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical procedure in which the body's energy is brought back into balance. Through the stimulation of acupuncture points with the use of very fine needles, this life energy is sent throughout the body through various channels. Whenever we experience an imbalance in our body as a result of this energy leaning towards the positive or the negative, it can display itself in a number of different ways. For some, it displays as pain or disease but for others, it may show up as an inability to conceive a child.

Studies that have been done on acupuncture have shown that whenever certain areas of the body are stimulated through treatment, it does increase the amount of energy and blood flow to the targeted area. This can have a great impact on us in many different ways. If we are having a difficult time in producing the sperm and eggs that are necessary in order to conceive a child, giving these areas of our body additional blood flow may be exactly what is needed in order to produce an adequate supply. It may also be that by increasing the balance within our body and bringing ourselves into a more natural state, we give our bodies the ability to heal any problems that we may be experiencing in these areas.

Of course, many individuals also try in vitro fertilization in order to produce children and this can be stimulated by acupuncture as well. As a matter of fact, in several tests that were conducted, those people who were going through in vitro fertilization and using acupuncture increased their odds of conception by 10% or more when compared with those who were only going through IVF alone.

Acupuncture can certainly help you to bring your body into a balanced condition. It may also be a double to assist your body in healing itself and producing what is necessary in order for you to conceive a child.

Acupuncture for Sinus Headaches

The human body is an amazing thing, and whenever it is working properly it has a wonderful ability to take care of itself. Whenever our body gets out of balance, however, problems can occur and show up in the form of pain and various diseases. In order to naturally remove these various maladies from ourselves, it is often necessary for us to seek out the natural balance that we may have lost. If you are having a difficult time with your sinuses and sinus headaches, it may be a sign of the balance missing from your body. You can bring this balance back through the use of acupuncture.

Many people are not aware of exactly how large the sinuses are. They are cavities which reach out into the cheek bones and above the eyes. Our sinuses are there for a specific reason much the same as everything on our body. Not only do they filter out the air before it enters into our lungs but they also reduce the risk of brain injury from blunt force trauma to the face and give our faces their unique shape. For those that suffer from sinus headaches, however, the benefits of their sinuses are outweighed by the trouble that they are causing.

By using acupuncture, you may be able to relieve some of the problems that you are experiencing from sinus headaches. If you are able to get your body back into alignment with itself through acupuncture and natural healing methods, you may be able to remove the headaches altogether.
By producing various chemicals in the bloodstream through acupuncture along with some of the pain relief that acupuncture is able to bring, you may experience an immediate relief from the headaches that you are having. With several treatments and a good regimen of natural health, you may be a ball to get rid of the headaches once and for all.

Of course, you will want to speak to your doctor and to your acupuncturist about the treatments in order to make sure that they don't conflict with one another. More than likely, however, you will be able to experience the relief that is typically found through acupuncture treatments. Many people experience immediate relief and if you are one of those, you may be wondering why it took you so long to try acupuncture in the first place.

Acupuncture for Weight Loss

It's hard to meet anyone that is not at least a little bit concerned about their weight. The society that we live in as well as the type of lifestyle that many of us keep has led to an epidemic of weight gain that all of us are suffering from. Even those of us who are able to maintain a fairly lean lifestyle still struggle because of the difficulty of eating a healthy diet and maintaining our weight. There are some things that can be done, however, in order to help curb your appetite and to lose the extra pounds. Acupuncture is one of these.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical treatment that has been done for thousands of years. Even though it spread throughout many areas of Asia, it really has only become popular in the Western world in the past several decades. Since that time, many tests have revealed that there is a lot of truth in what acupuncture is able to do for us as individuals. In recent years, it has also been discovered that a natural balance in the body is one way for you to be able to combat weight gain and problems with overeating. Acupuncture is a natural way to maintain balance in the body so they work hand-in-hand.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, we all have an energy about us that is typically known as Chi. This energy has two basic parts that are opposite to each other but when they work in balance they give us the life force that we need. By manipulating certain parts of our body with acupuncture needles we are able to maintain the flow of energy and to find that balance that our body needs. This can do everything for us from removing pain and depression to helping us to maintain a healthy weight.

So, if you have been struggling with weight gain or have a difficulty with overeating, acupuncture can help you in several different ways. Not only can it bring you back into a balanced state where your body will work better as a unit, it can also help by suppressing our appetite and making it easier for us to maintain a healthy weight. Although it will still take willpower on our part to a certain extent, by using acupuncture to maintain healthy weight, you will be giving your self some help along the way.

Acupuncture - an Old Cure with a New Twist

There are so many different ways that you can take care of your health and many of them can be taken care of naturally. One method that has been used for thousands of years and originally came from China is that of acupuncture. Although acupuncture is gaining in popularity in Western cultures, it is still basically misunderstood by many people who have never been through the process. If you are considering having some treatments done, here are some things that you may want to know before your first visit and what you can expect from your treatment by an acupuncturist.

More than likely, you will have to go through a series of visits whenever you visit the acupuncturist. The first visit may not actually have any treatments involved at all unless the problem that you are trying to deal with is fairly routine. The doctor will take a lot of time to ask you questions about your personal circumstances, what it is that you're trying to have healed and just generally trying to find out about your overall health. This will give him an idea of the type of treatment that he will give to you as well as any problems that may need to be taken into consideration.

Many people that are not familiar with acupuncture are very nervous about problems that may come up during the treatment. Let me put your mind at ease. Acupuncture is one natural treatment that rarely ever causes any problems for the individual undergoing the treatment. In fact, the only real problems that occur as a result of acupuncture, typically occur because of the acupuncturist not taking care with the needles that he uses. As long as they use clean, prepackaged needles and are careful to clean the area where they are inserted, there is little for you to worry about at all.

Acupuncture has been proven to work on a number of different problems that you may be dealing with that range from a wide variety of pain problems to a difficulty in getting pregnant. Some people even use acupuncture in order to lose weight! Although it is still not accepted as widely as modern medical practices, it still has a place as far as natural medicine is concerned. It has also proven to work in many cases by studies done in the scientific community.

Does Acupuncture Really Work?

Things don't always necessarily need to be new in order to be helpful. This is true in a lot of areas in life and is also true when it comes to certain types of medical treatments. As a matter of fact, there were treatments that were being performed thousands of years ago in Asia that still have some medical benefits, even today. One of those is the practice of acupuncture, something that is becoming more popular in Western society today. What exactly is acupuncture and how can it help you with your health?

Acupuncture is a part of traditional Chinese medicine in which small, hair sized needles are inserted into the body at specific locations in order to alter the flow of energy. These channels which, according to Chinese medicine, run through the body keep everything in line and balanced. If one of these should happen to get out of balance, however, it could cause a problem in the entire body and depending on where the imbalance occurred, it could affect a specific area of the body. This is really the essence of yin and yang, the two forces which regulate almost everything within the human body.

Many people are nervous about going to the acupuncturist but, as a matter of fact, it is actually one of the safest forms of medical treatment that there is. In fact, there are very few problems that can occur as long as a few safety guidelines are followed by a doctor. This would include such things as only using prepackaged, sterile needles and, of course, understanding what they are doing so that the needles are inserted in the proper areas.

Although it has not been totally embraced by all areas of the medical community, acupuncture is actually a relatively safe way for you to enhance your health through the use of natural medicine. Some of the studies that have been done on acupuncture actually show that it does contain some benefit and that it causes certain changes in a person's physiology that may help them in the healing process.

So, if you're having a difficult time with any number of things physically, acupuncture may be able to help you to get back on the road to better health. Even though it is not a total replacement for traditional medicine, it can still enhance your ability to live a healthy life.

Linda explains how many sessions you may need when visiting an acupuncturist.

Linda talks about whether or not you can eat or exercise before an acupuncture session.

Linda Lloyd explains what Qi is and why it is important?

Linda explains what types of conditions can be treated with acupuncture?

Linda Lloyd explains why you can remain clothed during an acupuncture session.

Linda Lloyd explains what to expect during an acupuncture session

Linda Lloyd talks about- How to choose an acupuncturist

Linda talks about how big or rather SMALL the needles are in acupuncture.

What is acupuncture and why would I choose it?

Menopause is not a disease!

Have you noticed lately that since Suzanne Sommers and Oprah have started talking about menopause that suddenly women are up in arms about a natural physiological cycle? Why is it that doctors are now treating menopause like a disease? It's not.

Traditional medical treatments seem to only address the symptoms of menopause. However, acupuncture realizes that the signs and symptoms of menopause are just the tip of the iceberg.

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine understand that the symptoms are indication of an imbalance. Acupuncture is a 3,000 year old healing art that focuses on the correcting underlying imbalances that have occurred over years. If these imbalances remain unchecked, a variety of signs and symptoms will appear and result in the Western diagnosis of menopause.

Menopause is a change of shifting in a woman's body Chinese medicine recognizes that the changes are a natural chemical change in the body. The estrogen in a woman's body is very similar to what acupuncturists call Jing Qi. At birth we have an abundant supply of Jing Qi. It provides us with energy and the ability to adapt to disease, illness and stress. However, as we age, the Jing Qi slowly decreases. As it declines our organ systems become imbalanced and it leads to various signs and symptoms such as low libido, graying of hair, urinary difficulty, poor memory backache and fatigue.

Another cause of menopause is when there is a slowing of Yin. Yin is like a cooling system in the body and when it declines women experience hot flashes, night sweats and restlessness, mood swings and insomnia. At the same time Yang begins to decline as well and it represents the warming and the metabolizing of functions in the body. When Yang is unbalanced, women experience cold hands and feet, weight gain and water retention.

At Acupuncture Center of Northern Virginia, I will conduct a thorough evaluation and complete health history. When treating menopausal symptoms I will need to determine where energy has shifted and which organ systems have become imbalanced. Once this is known then a I will know how to proceed to correct the imbalance.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine is a safe, natural, drug- free and effective way to address menopause. If you are a woman suffering from the signs and symptoms of menopause and you do not want to take drugs call me today at Acupuncture Center of Northern Virginia to set up your appointment

The Eyes Have it


This is the second in a series of blogs I will do on face reading. This information comes from Lillian Bridges’ book about Chinese face reading.


Eyes are the most expressive feature on the face and are the most easily marked with the passage of time. One has to look at eye size, shape, set, and corners. The size of someone’s eyes is determined by the vertical height of the eye in proportion to the rest of the face. Large eyes are associated with the openness of the heart and people born with large eyes have abundant fire energy. People with large eyes are more prone to be emotional and expressive. They react to their feelings before thinking. The genetic structure of the eye is not as important as how open people hold their eyes. How much the iris shows is what counts. If someone born with large eyes narrows their eyes, they are suppressing their emotions which may be a wise thing to do as these individuals tend to be more naïve and vulnerable and are therefore more easily disappointed.

By contrast, small-eyed people are better able to control their emotions and when they hold their eyes open they are trying to be more receptive and expressive. Small eyes mean that the fire energy is pushed into the brain so these individuals are more apt to have an active mental life and logically plan and calculate their reactions. They naturally have a more difficult time in expressing their emotions and are introspective. These individuals watch people carefully and have a tendency to be skeptical and wary of others.

There are five basic eye shapes. The round eye is nearly as wide as it is long. Round-eyed people have highly curved upper and lower lids and almost all of their irises show. These individuals are usually gregarious, emotional, and speak their minds easily. They tend to be dramatic and can have intense mood swings. These people are usually bold and possess abundant charm that can easily soothe ruffled feathers that they may cause. A variation of round eyes is large eyes. Large eyes are longer and the lower lid is straighter. These individuals live by their emotions and tend to be impulsive. They are usually quite attractive to the opposite sex and are sociable and charming. These individuals tend to be artistic and need to be creative to be happy. They do not like strict rules or confinement and enjoy living in their fantasy world.

Little eyes are the third type of eye shape. These eyes are much narrower and shorter. Individuals with little eyes are introverted, cautious and have a great need for privacy. These individuals hide their emotions from others and sometimes from themselves. They scrutinize people and situations and can be suspicious. People with little eyes are much more comfortable with thinking than with feeling. They are very good with details and are usually quite trustworthy and good at keeping secrets.

Almond shaped eyes are the fourth eye shape. Almond eyes have a slight curve on the top and bottom eyelids with most of the iris showing. This eye shape is longer than it is high. This shape is considered exotic because it conveys a sense of mystery. Individuals with almond eyes are sensitive, warm and yet exhibit caution and control over how best to express their emotions. They are considered to have more common sense than larger eyed people. These individuals are balanced in that they are open enough to receive and cautious enough to evaluate what they have gotten.

Rectangular eyes are the last eye shape. Rectangular eyes have eyelids that go straight across the iris. These eyes are much longer than they are high. Rectangular-eyed people are usually good at business because they rely more on logic and thinking than emotions and feeling. These individuals are difficult to get to know but are capable of great passion. These individuals have difficulty in expressing emotions, but are loyal to friends, which they normally keep for the long term. They are conscious of money and social status and are prone to envy. They can be very perceptive about other people’s motives.

The distance between the two eyes determines eye set. The average distance between the two eyes is one eye length. Anything over that distance is considered to be wide-set eyes and by contrast, narrow-set eyes are shorter than one eye length between the eyes. People with wide-set eyes are usually adaptable, flexible and tolerant. They tend to see life from a broad perspective and may have trouble concentrating on details. They are usually innovating thinkers and can appreciate alternative views of life.

By contrast, close-set eyes belong to individuals who are generally less tolerant of views other than their own. They do have the ability to concentrate and focus on details; they possess strong analytical skills and have keen powers of observation.

The slant of the eye is determined by whether one corner of the eye is higher than the other. When the outer corner is higher than the inner corner, this is an upturned eye and may be referred to as cat’s eyes. These individuals are generally optimistic, curious and ambitious. They can quickly spot an opportunity and are often entertaining and clever. A down-turned eye is just the opposite in that the outer corner of the eye is lower than the inner corner. These individuals are more prone to pessimism and discouragement and are often softhearted and kind.

The inner canthus is the corner of the eye closest to the nose. In face reading, it corresponds to the ability to use words, especially when used in anger. It’s a very simple correlation, the sharper the corner, the sharper the tongue. The more rounded the corner, the more words are chosen tactfully and carefully. When the inner canthus comes to a point, words are used with great accuracy. If the inner canthus is pointed and curved downwards, these individuals can use words as weapons when angry.

As long as we are discussing the set of eyes, we may as well mention eye depth. The depth of the eye indicates whether someone is an extrovert or an introvert. Deep-set eyes belong to introvert and thinkers and protruding eyes belong to extroverts who are usually bold and impulsive.

Eyelashes are the last feature. Long, thick and full lashes generally belong to emotional, romantic people. More pragmatic and realistic individuals tend to have straighter and thinner eyelashes.

So, there you have it. The next time you meet a stranger, you now have several tools you can use to evaluate what sort of an individual is standing in front of you as you look into their eyes.

Chinese Face Reading

Reading faces in order to determine illness has a long history in Chinese medicine. Unfortunately, my school devoted only one three-hour lecture to the subject that I found inadequate to put the information to any good use. Fortunately, though, I recently finished a book by Lillian Bridges entitled “Face Reading in Chinese Medicine” that has sufficiently filled in the gaps. The information she offers in her book about analyzing faces is something that we may know innately, but she has broken it down by the various face components and has used the information that she has compiled over the past twenty something years to teach businessmen in areas of hiring and marketing, lawyers in facial characteristics to look for in picking juries, singles in choosing a mate, and physicians, nurses and oriental medicine practitioners on how to diagnose illness.

Face reading was a predominant means of diagnosis for illness in oriental medicine thousands of years ago when it was considered inappropriate for oriental doctors to palpate and examine female patients. Female patients would point to female nude statues to indicate where they were feeling discomfort and the doctor would assimilate this information with the facial diagnosis as well as tongue and pulse diagnosis. The Chinese still use face reading today but more as a fortune-telling tool. They believe that the face tells what has happened to the individual as well as where they will probably end up if they stay on the same path.

Face reading is not only the domain of the Chinese. Both Aristotle and Plato wrote about faces. Their writings introduced face reading to Europe. It was not a novel idea to our country either. Abraham Lincoln chose his cabinet members based on their faces and an out-of-print Maytag Sales Manual from the early 1900s taught how to read faces to sell appliances.

The Chinese believe that the face records traumatic events that occur during life. They have a saying that from birth to the age of 25 you have the face that your mother gave you; from 25 to 50 you have the face that you create and from 50 on you have the face that you deserve. Remember when your mother would tell you not to make that face because it would freeze that way? Well, she was right. Your make an expression over and over again, it will mark your face. If you don’t like a particular wrinkle that you have, put a piece of tape over the wrinkle and every time that you feel the tape pull, stop and ask yourself what emotion you are feeling at that moment. See if you can find insight into why you are feeling that particular emotion and ask yourself if it is something you need to feel or if it is an emotion you can release.