Amity Acupuncture Wellness PLLC

05/17/2025

01/10/2024

I'm going to share something that is near and dear to me. In May of 1st year I joined Wildlife Protection in TCM as both secretary and a founding member. Its mission is to enhance awareness of the need for wildlife protection among Chinese medicine practitioners, educators, herbal manufacturers and distributors, researchers and the public. We envision a world in which Chinese Medicine is a sustainable, green, non-wildlife, and environmentally friendly medicine for the health of human beings and the earth.

On April 14th we will be hosting our second conference in Mineola, NY. The aim of the conference is to provide successful experiences in the Chinese Medical Practice without use of endangered wildlife (animal) products by worldwide experts.  The diversity of international speakers  at this year’ s conference includes educators, researchers, practitioners, and herbal manufacturers from around the world.  Topics covered include cancer treatment, herbal applications in hospital settings, cardiovascular treatments, herbal  substitutes for endangered species and Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage).  Attendees will be eligible for 7 CEU credits (NCCAOM and CAB).    The conference will be held both in person and virtually simultaneously. For those not interested in CEU credits, the cost will be free. I hope you will attend.

For more information regarding the organization and registering for the conference. Please visit

www.wildlifeinTCM.org

08/12/2022

Rose buds - 玫瑰花 - Mei Gui Hua

Yesterday I was shopping for new favorite tea and had an interesting conversation about roses.

Roses have always been prized for both their beauty and skin benefits. It is said that rose hips are rich in vitamin C.  It also contains potassium, calcium and magnesium. 

In traditional Chinese medicine rose buds belong to the category of herbs that help regulate q and used to treat qi stagnation. Qi stagnation means that the qi in your body is blocked or stuck in the body’s organs and meridians. Qi stagnation can often manifest itself as depression, irritability, menstrual cramps, acute mastitis and mood swings and is often associated with PMS, menopausal symptoms, and various digestive disorders.  We use this herb to help treat  gastric disorders due to liver qi stagnation, irregular menstruation and pain due to blood stasis.  You can also combine rose bud tea with yi tang (飴糖- maltose) or brown sugar for menstrual cramps due to qi stagnation.

I always keep it close by for when my days are too stressed or I have a lot on my plate to deal with.

  #玫瑰花  #

08/12/2022

Mint has been historically enjoyed as a tea and food flavoring. It is a well known cooling herb that can promote sweating, ease colds and flus, and aide headaches, menstrual cramps and other aches and pains.

It's pharmacological properties include antibacterial, antihypertensive, antiviral, cholagogic,
expectorant, smooth muscle relaxant, uterine stimulant
(Source: Chen and Chen)

In Traditional Chinese medicine the herb is cool and acrud enters the Lung and Liver. It Releases to the exterior, disperses wind heat, vents rashes, frees constrained liver qi. It's medicinal Uses include olds due to wind heat patterns with fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and red itchy eyes, used in the early stages of rashes (i.e. measles) to induce the rash to the surface and speed recovery, pressure in chest or flanks, emotional instability anxiety, gynecological problems, promotes sweating, lowers fever, soothes an upset stomach, asthma.

My favorite way to enjoy is the mint lemonade recipe from tcmworld.org. I hope you enjoy.

04/14/2022

Ju Hua - 菊花 - Chrysanthemum flower

Tasting chrysanthemum tea of old - this flower of longevity!
A man of 80 years pics and sips, assiduous
Teaching his Frosty beard to turn raven black

- Zheng Ban-Qiao (Chinese Painter and one of the eight eccentrics of 18th century Yang Zhou)

Do you have questions? DM me or visit your local acupuncturist.

#菊花

10/13/2021

Why your face always so flush?

This was a question I often got asked while I was finishing my herbal degree. People often joked that I was either easily embarrassed or just had to be in love but little did they realize that it was just yin deficiency.

Classic signs of yin deficiency are dryness, night sweats, tidal (afternoon) fever, heat in palms, soles or the center of the chest, a tongue with little to no coat, a rapid and sometimes floating pulse and of course a flush face. Depending on which major organs are affected we can see additional signs and symptoms. Often yin deficiency is a long standing condition but it can often be resolved with a combination of acupuncture, herbs and lifestyle changes.

09/17/2021

Shakespeare said the eyes are the window to your soul. I say the eyes are the window to your health.  

Many patients always ask my why I am so observant in my practice.  I do it because it helps me diagnose my patients. 

In TCM diagnosis involves a lot of observation and palpation. We palate by feeling the patients'  pulses and will often palate along a particular channel   We observe everything about the patient from their posture, body movements, shape, color and coating of the tongue, skin condition, and facial features.  

We can glean information about the patients current state of health by observing different parts of the body.  This it's especially true when we observe the eyes. Different parts of the eyes represent the body organs.  The inner and outer canthus of the eye represent the heart, the upper eyelid represents the spleen, the lower eyelid represents the stomach, the sclera represents the lungs the Irish represents the liver, and the pupil represents the kidneys.  My observing the eyes we can also learn about different conditions in the body affecting the organs, qi, shen and blood.  

Images taken from A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman et al, Diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine by Ping Chen, and Handbook of Oriental Medicine by H.B. Kim

09/16/2021

favorite acupuncture point ......
DU20 - 百會 - Hundred meetings

My patients often aske if out of all the points I have a favorite. Hands down it's always an resounding DU20. Is located on the vertex of the head on the midline 5 cun posterior to the anterior hairline and 7 cun anterior to the posterior hairline.

It's classical actions are to pacify wind and subdue yang, raise yang and prolapse, benefit the head and sense organs, nourish the sea of marrow and benefit the brain and calm the spirit. It's a meeting point of the Governing vessel with the Bladder, Gallbladder, San Jiao and Liver channels. Maybe this can help explain it's versatility. It is used to treat Head wind, heaviness of the head, visual dizziness, tinnitis, hypo and hypertension, wind stroke hemiplegia, tetany, lockjaw, loss of consciousness, wind epilepsy, prolapse of organs such as the re**um or uterus, agitation and oppression, fright palpitations poor memory, lack of mental vigor, sadness and crying with no desire to live, mania,nasal obstruction , nasal discharge, nosebleed, inability to taste food or drink, redness in the face after consuming alcohol and malaria.

When I was in school we always used the point on ourselves to help us focus during exam time. This point has ability to
regulate the yang. It can both ascend and descend it making it so
versatile. Lately my most used applications are disorders of the spirit and heart. This is a great point to treat palpitations, poor memory, disorientation, and depression.

What's your favorite point?

Pictures courtesy of a manual of acupuncture by et al and Atlas of Acupuncture by Claudia Focks.

01/26/2021

11/06/2020

Chinese red dates (Da Zao, 大棗) have been used and cultivated in China for 4,000 years.  This treat has many health benefits.  From a western perspective they are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, calcium and magnesium.  From the traditional Chinese medical standpoint they help tonify the Spleen and augment qi, they nourish the blood and help calm the spirit.  Jujubes can help harmonize  nutritive and protective disharmonies and when used in herbal formulas can help moderate the harsh effects of other herbs.  They have been used to treat anxiety and insomnia, as an appetite stimulant or digestive aid and in cases of blood deficiency or anemia.  

Goji  berries (Wolfberries, Gou JI Zi, 枸杞子) are another popular fruit from China.  They are loaded with antioxidants and vitamin A.  They also contain iron and vitamin C.  In traditional Chinese Medicine they are used to help nourish the blood and essence and improve vision.  They can help tonify the Kidneys and Liver, moisten the Lungs and relieve cough.  

Ginger (Sheng Jiang, 生薑) has been known to be a digestive aid, to reduce nausea and help fight the common cold. In traditional chinese medicine it can help release the exterior to dispel colds, warm the middle and help alleviate vomiting, it can warm the Lungs to help alleviate cough and can also resolve toxicity.  

Many people use these foods in soups, porridges and teas.   They have been boiled into a tonic  tea along with brown sugar to help females during their menses.  I like to take them as a pick me up when I am feeling a little run down.  I steep them in hot water for about 5 minutes and enjoy.   

Want more tips on how to improve your diet and health? Send me a DM or come visit me. 

#大棗 #枸杞子 #生薑

10/14/2020

Yin and Yang is the basic principle of the entire universe.

“Yin and yang are not absolute, but their principle never changes. The law that governs does not falter, although everything around it changes according to the point of reference. For example, before the birth of all things and creatures above ground, the living potential resided in the place of yin. This is called yin within yin. Once it was born and appeared above ground, this phenomenon was called yang within yin. It was after birth or post-heaven that the yang qi enabled everything to grow. “Yin provides form. Yang enables growth. Warmth of the spring gives rise to birth, the fire of the summer fuels rapid growth and development, the coolness of autumn matures all and provides harvest, and the coldness of winter forces inactivity and storing. This is the rhythmic change of nature. If the four seasons become disrupted, the weather becomes unpredictable and the energies of the universe will lose their normalcy. This principle also applies to the body.” Qi Bo