Access Acupuncture

02/23/2026

🌿 Contribuer au bien-être des équipes au travail: une aiguille à la fois 🌿
Avec l'arrivée de l'hiver, j'entends la même chose de la part de nombreuses équipes très occupées:

Tensions au cou et aux épaules, maux de dos, manque d'énergie et stress qui s'accumule insidieusement semaine après semaine. Si cela vous rappelle votre environnement de travail, sachez que vous n'êtes pas seul.

Chez Access Acupuncture, nous proposons des séances de bien-être de « Réinitialisation de la douleur » sur votre site de travail pour les entreprises et les écoles de la région métropolitaine d'Halifax (RMH). C'est une solution simple pour aider vos employés à se sentir mieux pendant leur journée de travail, sans qu'ils aient à quitter les locaux.

Ces courts traitements d'acupuncture ciblés peuvent aider votre équipe à :
✨ Soulager les douleurs au cou, aux épaules et au dos
✨ Réduire le stress et les tensions quotidiennes
✨ Améliorer la concentration, l'humeur et l'énergie au travail

Nous avons reçu d'excellents retours de la part des enseignants, des équipes soignantes et du personnel de bureau. Nombreux sont ceux qui nous disent se sentir plus légers, plus calmes et plus mobiles après une seule séance. Février est le moment idéal pour en profiter. C'est la période hivernale où la fatigue se fait sentir, le sommeil est parfois perturbé et les petites douleurs commencent à s'accumuler.

Si vous pensez que votre équipe pourrait en bénéficier, vous pouvez transmettre ce message à votre directeur, votre responsable ou votre équipe des ressources humaines.
Nous prenons dès maintenant les réservations pour les séances « Réinitialisation de la douleur » de mars et avril, et nous serions ravis d’accompagner quelques équipes supplémentaires cet hiver. Écrivez-nous à info@accessacupuncture.ca

02/21/2026

Here’s our Forecast for the year of the Fire Horse! Enjoy!

As we enter the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Yang Fire Horse, we step into a cycle defined by intensity, speed, and transformation. Within Chinese cosmology and astrology, the Horse represents the peak of Yang energy – the height of activity, expansion, and outward expression. It corresponds to t...

02/17/2026

Acupressure point of the month: The “steady energy” point

We love it because it’s great for energy, DIGESTION 😉, immune resilience, and that heavy winter fatigue feeling.

How to find it: Sit down with your knee bent. Place four fingers below your kneecap, on the outside of your shin bone. ST36 is about one finger width outside the shin bone, in a tender little dip.

How to use it:
Use your thumb and press gradually until it feels comfortably strong, not sharp.
Hold 30 to 60 seconds while breathing slowly.
Repeat on the other leg.
Do 1 to 2 rounds per day, especially mid afternoon.

Pro tip: if you get a dull ache that spreads a bit, you found it.

02/13/2026

Immune resilience and recovery that actually sticks
Cold and flu season is not just about germs. It is also about recovery. Nova Scotia continues to track circulating respiratory illnesses, and national surveillance follows influenza, COVID 19, and RSV patterns week by week. Even when the fever is gone, many people are left with lingering cough, low energy, achy joints, poor sleep, and digestive upset.

In Chinese medicine, we think about protective energy and digestive fire. When you are run down, you catch more, and you bounce back slower. February is the perfect month to rebuild, especially if you are parenting, teaching, travelling for work, or caring for a family member.

Three recovery moves that work in the real world:

Warm hydration: start the day with warm water or ginger tea. If you are prone to reflux, keep it mild.
Protein at breakfast: eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, or leftovers. This steadies energy and reduces afternoon cravings.
Steam and stretch: two minutes of shower steam while you gently stretch your neck, ribs and calves.

A simple winter immune plate to repeat: one protein, one colourful vegetable, one warm starch. Think salmon with roasted carrots and potatoes, or tofu with bok choy and rice. Keep it easy and repeatable.

How acupuncture fits in: we can support immune resilience, help regulate inflammation, and calm the stress response that often follows weeks of being sick or caregiving. Many patients notice better sleep, steadier digestion, and fewer crash days after treatment.

If you have been on and off sick since late fall, consider booking before the next wave hits. A maintenance visit now is often easier than trying to catch up when you are already depleted.

Reminder: if you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or symptoms that are worsening, please seek urgent medical care.

02/10/2026

🌸 The Postpartum Village, February 13th!
✨ We’re getting ready to gather again as a village to support, connect and share this powerful journey of early motherhood💛

One of the biggest gifts in our Postpartum Village is the people who show up again and again for moms. That’s why we’re so grateful for Vanessa Gauthier, who has been supporting our village for over a year through guidedbyconnection.

Vanessa offers postpartum doula care and hands on support that meets you where you are. That can look like emotional support, practical planning, gentle guidance, and even help with babywearing and wraps.

She has a way of making moms feel seen, without pressure and without judgement. If you’re in the thick of it, or you simply want to feel more supported, she’s someone you’ll want to meet.

If you have a friend who needs this kind of care, feel free to forward this invite. Our village is here for them too. 💛

🗓 Date: Friday, February 13th!
🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM
📍 Location: The Perinatal Wellness Centre
🤱 Who it’s for: Birthing parents in the newborn stage and beyond

02/07/2026

February Winter Lift: mood, energy, and sleep

February in Nova Scotia can feel like two seasons at once. Bright snow mornings, then heavy grey afternoons. If you’ve been feeling more tired, more snacky, or less motivated, you’re not alone. Winter blues can show up when the days are darker, and small daily habits really can make a difference when you repeat them.

Think of your nervous system like a dimmer switch. We’re not flipping from stressed to calm overnight. We’re turning the dial, one notch at a time.
And if money stress has been sitting in the background, that matters too. Your body treats uncertainty like a threat. It can show up as tight shoulders, a busy mind, and lighter sleep.

Try these simple Winter Lift routines for the next 14 days:
-Morning light: Get outside within one hour of waking for 10 minutes, even if it’s cloudy.
-Movement snack: Five minutes of brisk walking after lunch to reset energy and focus.
-Warm dinner: Soups, stews, or stir fries. Keep dessert simple most weeknights.
-A real wind down: Screens off 30 minutes before bed, then a hot shower and one page of a book.
+Connection: One quick check in with someone you care about this week. A text counts.

Acupuncture supports this plan by helping regulate sleep, mood, digestion, and stress response. If you haven’t been in since the holidays, consider February your tune up month. Maintenance visits help your results hold through winter and set you up for a stronger spring.

Book online at accessacupuncture.ca
Or just give us a call at 902-999-4325

02/05/2026

Your shoulders are not a storage unit: let’s unload!

Teachers, military families, and busy professionals have something in common: you carry responsibility all day, then your body keeps working long after you get home. We see it as neck and shoulder tension, jaw clenching, headaches, low back fatigue, and that feeling of wired but tired. Teacher burnout is a real topic, and surveys have shown many educators have considered leaving the profession.

Here is the February Pain Reset idea: treat the pattern, not just the spot.

When stress is high, your nervous system often shifts toward protection. Muscles guard. Breathing gets shallower. Circulation to hands and feet can run colder. Your threshold for pain drops, and your recovery slows. Acupuncture can help by downshifting that protective mode, improving circulation, and giving your body a clearer off switch. That is why many people feel lighter, looser, and calmer after a treatment, even when the main complaint was physical pain.

Two simple upgrades you can start this week:

-The backpack rule: if you carry a bag, switch sides every five minutes when walking from car to building.

-The two breath reset: before you open your laptop or step into a classroom, take two slow breaths with a long exhale.

If you are a teacher, a CF One member, or someone supporting a household with a lot on the go, consider booking a short series rather than a one time visit. A common rhythm is three visits close together, then spacing out as your symptoms stabilize. That is how results tend to stick.

If it has been a while since we have seen you, this is your invitation. Come back in for a reset and let us help you keep doing what you do, with less strain.

01/30/2026

🍩💙 Today at Access Acupuncture: supporting inclusion, one donut at a time 💙🍩

Today is the first day of the Special Olympics Donut campaign, and we brought some into the clinic to share with our patients who are coming in today.

Not just because they’re delicious (they are 😄), but because what they represent matters deeply to us.

At Access Acupuncture, we believe health is about more than treating symptoms.
It’s about belonging.
It’s about being seen.
It’s about making space for every body, every ability, every person.

Supporting the Special Olympics is a small but meaningful way to say:
👉 You belong.
👉 We see you.
👉 Inclusion matters here.

Every donut sold helps support athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities and allows them to be part of something bigger, something joyful, something empowering.

If you’re coming into the clinic today, enjoy a donut with us 💙
And if you’re out and about, we encourage you to stop by your local Tim Hortons and grab one too.

Sometimes the sweetest things are also the most meaningful.

01/28/2026

Damp cold season support in Halifax ☃️

Halifax winter hits different. The cold is real, but it’s the damp that gets you. Heavy body. Foggy head. Mucus that won’t move. A cough that lingers even after the worst part is over.

This season isn’t a willpower test. It’s your body asking for support.

In Chinese medicine, winter is linked with Kidney energy: your deep reserves, warmth, and long term resilience. When those reserves are stretched, you can feel more run down and recovery can take longer.

One simple at home reset you can try today: Kidney 7, KI 7 (Fuliu)

We use this point a lot in clinic when people feel depleted, chilled, or dragging through damp winter days.

How to find KI 7?
Sit comfortably and find your inner ankle bone.
From the highest point, measure about three finger widths up.
KI 7 is in a tender groove just behind the shin bone, in the softer muscle area.

How to use it?
Press gently but firmly for 30 to 60 seconds.
Breathe slowly.
Repeat 2 to 3 times per side.
Do this once or twice daily for a few days when you feel run down.

Acupressure supports comfort, but it’s not a substitute for medical care. If symptoms are severe, worsening, or you’re concerned, get checked out.

01/23/2026

Last night was a celebration of Halifax at its best!

Huge congratulations to every finalist and every winner at the Halifax Business Awards. The amount of talent, heart, and work in this city is unreal, and it’s inspiring to see the business community recognized in such a big way.

We’re also honoured to be featured in this month’s Halifax Chamber of Commerce Business Voice magazine. If you spot the issue, take a peek at the Members in the News section.

Confession: I submitted Access Acupuncture for Small Business of the Year. The process was a gift. It made me step back and realize how much we’ve grown, how much we’ve improved, and how many people we’ve had the privilege to support this year.

If you know someone who would love our approach to care, send them our way, or tag them here.

01/21/2026

Halifax winter health: a simple reset ❄️

If it feels like everyone is sick right now, you’re not imagining it. Nova Scotia’s Respiratory Watch and Canada’s respiratory virus surveillance both track winter surges, including influenza activity. 

When symptoms hit fast, the late night question becomes: is this the flu?
Fever or chills, body aches, headache, sore throat, cough, crushing fatigue


How Chinese medicine looks at it?
A lot of flu type presentations start as an external invasion when your defensive energy is taxed. Early support is about helping the body regulate, open the chest, soothe throat and cough, and move through it without getting stuck in a long recovery.

Quick case from this month
A 34 year old Halifax teacher came in on day two with chills, neck and shoulder tightness, sore throat, heavy fatigue, and deep ache behind the eyes. We focused on releasing the exterior, supporting throat and chest, and protecting digestion so energy could rebound. After the first visit she felt clearer and less achy. After the second visit 48 hours later, chills were gone, sleep was deeper, and the cough stayed mild.

Best food as medicine for 48 to 72 hours:
• Warm, brothy, easy meals
• If you feel cold and shivery: congee or chicken soup with ginger and green onion
• If you feel hot with sore throat: pear, steamed apples, honey lemon tea that is not boiling, clear soups
• Skip alcohol, heavy greasy meals, and lots of sugar

Lifestyle that speeds recovery:
Treat rest like treatment: Earlier bedtime. Screens off 60 minutes before sleep
Steam and hydrate: Warm showers, saline rinse, herbal tea, humidifier
Move gently only if fever is gone. Otherwise true rest

Important
Acupuncture is not a substitute for medical care. If symptoms are severe, worsening, or you’re concerned, seek medical care. Flu can become serious for higher risk people. 

If you’re within the first 48 hours of symptoms and want support, call us with the code word “WINTER RESET” and we’ll tell you the fastest way to get in with Christian, James, or Julie.

01/19/2026

For everyone’s safety, Access Acupuncture is closed today. Road conditions are not worth the risk and we want our patients and team to stay safe at home.

If you had an appointment scheduled today, we’ll be reaching out to reschedule and get you back in as soon as possible.

If you need anything, send us a message at info@accessacupuncture.ca or call us at 902-999-4325 and we’ll reply as soon as we can.

Stay warm, stay safe, and we’ll see you soon.
Julie, Christian, and James
Access Acupuncture