An estimated 36 million people in the US suffer from migraines—that's a lot of headaches. But migraines are much more than a bad headache. They're a collection of debilitating neurological symptoms that can last from 4–72 hours. The most common symptoms experienced by...
The Transformational Acupuncture Blog
We’re in the process here of creating a library—a wellness library of sorts. Please take a chance to browse through a variety of articles on acupuncture for migraines, acupuncture for allergies and sinus issues, acupuncture for sciatica, acupuncture for… everything! We also have a ton of articles on herbal medicine, cupping, meditation, diet, and other aspects of lifestyle and personal transformation. Enjoy!
Inside the mind of an acupuncturist—how do we choose acupuncture points?
Our Washington DC acupuncture patients are a cerebral bunch. They get pain relief on the acupuncture table, but their minds want more: they want to know how we choose acupuncture points. Not an easy task, but we sum up our methodology for physical pain here. This...
How acupuncture works for neck pain
For those you suffering from acute or chronic neck pain, you understand why someone coined the expression “a pain in the neck.” Neck pain is also one of the most common areas of physical pain that we treat at our acupuncture clinic in Washington DC. Whether due to bad...
How does acupuncture work for pain?
One of the most common reasons patients come to see us is for pain relief. Acupuncture is extremely effective for many patients in both relieving physical pain, sometimes immediately after insertion of the needles, and also at helping patients remain pain-free on an...
Herbal medicine consults & how herbal medicine has helped me
I've been reaping the benefits of Chinese herbal medicine for two years now, and I get the impression that it's Traditional Chinese Medicine's best-kept secret. Given its effectiveness, lack of side effects, holistic, gentle, no-dependence, root-cause approach, I'm...
You can do better than antihistamines—try shrooming (reishi) for springtime allergies
I spent nearly 15 years as an anti-histamine junkie. I developed severe allergies in the spring of my 17th year, which initially manifested as laryngitis-type symptoms and got progressively worse. My doctor prescribed allergy medication, which worked for a while......
The basics & benefits of mindfulness
Do you like to feel good? Me too. But the vast majority of us are conditioned to extract "feel-goodness" from something out there. We rely on external circumstances and internal thoughts/emotions/sensations to "make us" happy. For those of you interested in...
The bitters truth (for digestive health)
Digestive bitters are typically plant-based tinctures famed for aiding digestion. They are the basis of both cocktails and medicinal concoctions, and many traditional cuisines will have bitters folded into their recipes. What are digestive bitters? Digestive bitters...
Does your sitting sit well with your body?
We do it 8 hours a day, and we're probably not doing it well... I like to think of myself as a sprightly 30-something, but I’m definitely no stranger to back, neck and shoulder pain. I notice it all the more that it comes up all the time at the clinic: an incredible...
Getting things done—an art worth mastering
Here’s another one for the “why-don’t-they-teach-this-in-grade-school” list—rock-solid organizational skills. Life as we now know it has so many of us feeling like we’re jugglers who never learned how to juggle. And while some of us have an innate (or even learned)...
The perfect warm up for Washingtonians
Here we’re using the word “Washingtonian” as a synonym for “insanely busy.” So part of this warm-up’s perfection is that it’s QUICK while still being thorough. Plus, it has a great dramatic name: The ***SPARTAN DYNAMIC WARM-UP***(followed by the DYNAMIC STRETCH, both...
Essential Breathing Techniques
Many patients in my Washington DC acupuncture practice have two goals in common—to experience fundamental emotional peace and greater physical well-being. And they want to find ways to sustain this peace and well-being in their daily lives. They may not call it...
Acupuncture & Psychotherapy—Healing Mind and Body
As holistic medical systems such as acupuncture and Chinese medicine have emphasized for more than 2000 years, the state of the mind and emotion is intimately connected with the health and wellness of the body. This approach to healing the whole person—the mind,...
Natural Healing for Allergies & Sinus Issues: The 8-Step Protocol
With the growing popularity of holistic medicine, many people are becoming interested in natural, gentle treatments for their allergies and sinus issues. At our Washington DC acupuncture clinic, we've developed an 8-step protocol for addressing these symptoms...
All about probiotics—what they do & how to use them
Probiotics are the “friendly” bacteria found in the small and large intestine that work to create a healthy digestive system. When the ratio of “friendly” bacteria and “bad” bacteria tip in favor of the bad guys, this is called intestinal dysbiosis. These symptoms may...
Taking Time for Spiritual Retreat
It’s been a while since I’ve written a post—I hope the holidays went well for everyone, and happy new year. And a big welcome to those of you who are new to the Transformational Acupuncture blog. I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a weeklong spiritual retreat...
ChiWalking and ChiRunning—low impact and injury-reducing techniques, based on Tai Chi
A patient of mine came in to my Washington DC acupuncture office a few months ago with chronic and severe ankle pain. One of her great loves is walking through the city daily with her husband, and also walking and hiking on her many travels. In addition, as she...
Cholesterol is good for you? Venturing outside the mainstream medical hypothesis
Ah, cholesterol. And its good friend, saturated fat. Invariably, when the topic of healthy eating comes up, one of the first things many people bring up is how they eat a healthy low-fat diet, and try their best to stay away from those bad, evil, high-fat foods....
Acupuncture for insomnia—a case study
I'm very pleased to publish the first case study from my Washington DC acupuncture practice. "Jennifer" is a 28-year-old patient who came to my office in April with lifelong insomnia, which had been getting worse in the past 6 months. Read her case study to see how...
Meditation—learning to welcome difficult emotions
Why do many people turn to meditation? They are interested in relieving their suffering. Suffering comes in many forms—physical, emotional, and mental. As I mentioned in a previous article about finding a meditation style that is right for you, there are many...
Meditation styles—which one is right for you?
When I first started meditating and studying spiritual philosophy in earnest, about 12 years ago, my goal was spiritual enlightenment. I clearly remember, in 2000, participating in a group meeting at the Heartwood Institute, a holistic healing training center where I...