Acupuncture of West Michigan

30/07/2025

Scalp acupuncture is often used over the brain's motor area on the scalp. This article also talks about the importance of individualized treatment.

"Emerging evidence demonstrates that acupuncture-mediated post-stroke motor recovery is primarily attributed to its roles in restoring energy metabolism, inhibiting neuroinflammation, preventing neuronal apoptosis, promoting neuronal repair and regeneration, and regulating neuronal excitability. Additionally, individualized acupuncture modality involving syndrome-based selection of acupoints and stimulating methods is crucial for better rehabilitation outcome."

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fncel.2025.1623535/abstract

30/07/2025

Green tea is a powerhouse. Food as medicine.

A new study links drinking green tea with having fewer white matter lesions (WML) in the brains of Japanese seniors, potentially providing a level of protection against dementia. WML are abnormalities in the brain’s white matter (the part of the brain that contains nerve fibres responsible for communication between different brain regions) seen as hyperintense (bright) areas on MRI scans. They generally indicate chronic small vessel (microvascular) disease and are a relatively common finding in an older brain.

Researchers from institutions across Japan teamed up to analyse data on 8,766 volunteers over the age of 65, collected as part of a survey conducted between 2016 and 2018. Self-reported green tea and coffee consumption was cross-referenced against magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans, which measured overall brain volume and features of five different brain regions.

The scientists claimed: “This cross-sectional study found a significant association between lower cerebral white matter lesions and higher green tea consumption, but not coffee consumption, in older adults without dementia, even after adjusting for confounding factors”.

The observed effects were not large. Averaged out, those who had three cups of green tea per day had 3 percent fewer WML compared with those drinking one cup per day. Those who drank seven to eight cups per day had 6 percent fewer lesions, compared to those drinking one cup a day. One cup of tea was equivalent to approximately 200 mL.

WML, indicative of cerebral small vessel disease, are associated with vascular dementia and Alzheimer disease (AD). Larger WML were associated with more severe brain atrophy in patients with AD. Recently, a longitudinal study also identified WML as an independent risk factor for cognitive decline, even after accounting for traditional AD risk factors.

Given previous investigations linking green tea with lower blood pressure, and other studies associating lower blood pressure with a reduced risk of dementia, at least one mechanism responsible for the results could be cardiovascular. Interestingly, the scientists observed a significant relationship between increased green tea intake and decreased white matter lesions in individuals without the ApoE ε4 allele, but not in individuals with the ApoE ε4 allele (p for trend = 0.008 and 0.491, respectively).

I have maintained for some time now that my microcirculation phytonutrient diet will help to protect against brain WML. Now there is clear proof of this for green tea (a key element of the diet). The relatively small protection seen for green tea highlights that, as per the basis of the diet, one single intervention might not be enough on its own.

For more information see: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/green-tea-drinkers-have-fewer-brain-lesions-linked-to-dementia

and

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39774601/

29/07/2025

JaneApp offers improved online scheduling and account access. Find us at wmacupuncture.janeapp.com

28/07/2025

Acupuncture helps with a wide range of male and female fertility challenges.

Acupuncture significantly improves ovulation rates, pregnancy outcomes, and endometrial receptivity in women with polycystic o***y syndrome (PCOS).

28/07/2025

Parents’ health at the time leading up to conception has a lasting impact on their children’s health. This concept has been part of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine for at least 2000 years.

Groundbreaking new research shows that a father's stress may leave more than just emotional marks, it could biologically alter the next generation. Scientists have discovered that environmental stressors, such as trauma or psychological pressure, can cause epigenetic changes in s***m. These are modifications in gene expression, not the DNA code itself, that act like molecular bookmarks, silently carrying stress "memories" into the embryo.

These changes often occur through shifts in DNA methylation patterns or tiny non-coding RNAs. Once passed to the offspring, these molecular imprints may influence stress regulation, behavior, and even vulnerability to mental health conditions. In both animal models and preliminary human studies, paternal stress has been linked to changes in the development of the offspring’s stress response system, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which governs cortisol production.

While the full mechanisms are still being unraveled, the findings underline how deeply lifestyle and emotional well-being can ripple through generations. This research is a powerful reminder that a father's health before conception matters just as much as the mother's. As science advances, so does the responsibility to care for not only ourselves, but also for the biological legacies we may unknowingly pass on.

26/07/2025

If you’ve ever been curious—or even a little hesitant—about acupuncture needles, you’re not alone. Unlike the needles used for injections or blood draws, acupuncture needles are incredibly thin, solid (not hollow), and made of flexible stainless steel. Many are no thicker than a strand of hair, making the experience much gentler than most expect. Historically made from stone, bone, or bamboo, acupuncture needles have evolved, but their purpose remains the same: to stimulate the flow of qi, or vital energy, throughout the body. Modern needles come in various sizes depending on the area being treated—shorter ones for delicate spots like the ears or face, and longer ones for areas with more muscle, like the back or thighs.

When inserted, you might feel a quick tingling, dull pressure, or pulsing sensation that signals the qi is moving. Most patients say that fades quickly, replaced by a deep sense of calm. Acupuncture isn’t about pain—it’s about restoring balance and helping the body heal naturally.

To learn more about acupuncture and if it is the right treatment for you, contact us today.

24/07/2025

Call to find out if acupuncture can help your condition. 616.855.7718

23/07/2025

We've seen great results using acupuncture with conventional care for concussions and for post concussion syndrome.

HomeRadiologyVol. 316, No. 1 PreviousNext Reviews and CommentaryEditorialEfficacy of Acupuncture in Treating Mild Traumatic Brain InjuryPonnada Aswadha Narayana1 Ponnada Aswadha Narayana1 Author Affiliations1Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, McGovern Medical School, University of....

23/07/2025

Acupuncture can have a huge impact pre-conception with conventional fertility care or on its own.

The traditional Chinese practice involves inserting very thin needles through a person’s skin, the aim of which is to promote healing.

23/07/2025

Is your body reacting to more than pollen?

If you’re still sneezing, congested, or fatigued—even after peak allergy season—there may be deeper sensitivities at play.

AAT addresses the underlying triggers behind your symptoms:

• Foods

• Environmental irritants

• Chemical sensitivities

• Even stress responses

✨ No needles. No meds. Just results.

Let’s figure out what your body’s reacting to—so you can breathe, eat, and live freely again.

22/07/2025

PMS? Mood swings? Irritability out of nowhere? It’s not just you—and you’re not overreacting.

Hormonal shifts—whether from perimenopause, PMS, or even stress—can wreak havoc on your mood, sleep, energy, and focus.

Acupuncture and herbal medicine support your endocrine system and calm the inflammation that makes everything worse.

You deserve to feel stable and strong in your body.

22/07/2025

After thyroid hormone replacement therapy, approximately 15% of patients remain symptomatic despite achieving normal serum TSH levels. The pathophysiology of persistent hypothyroid symptoms despite adequate hormone replacement therapy is not well understood. Ginger has long been used in traditional medicines as a hot remedy for the treatment of cold temperament symptoms and signs such as tiredness, constipation, obesity and menstrual irregularities. Since these are quite like hypothyroid symptoms, scientists in Iran aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ginger in relieving such persistent symptoms in treated hypothyroid patients.

In this randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 60 overt hypothyroid patients on hormone replacement therapy aged 20 to 60 years and with normal serum TSH concentrations were randomly allocated to ginger (500 mg twice a day of dried powder) or placebo for 30 days. Hypothyroid symptoms were evaluated as the primary outcome using the Thyroid Symptom Rating Questionnaire (ThySRQ) before and after the intervention. Anthropometric measures and laboratory indices including TSH, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TChol), and fasting blood sugar (FBS) were assessed as secondary outcomes.

A significant lower mean total ThySRQ score (8.63 ± 5.47 vs. 15.76 ± 6.09, P < 0.001) was observed in the ginger group compared to the control group. Ginger led to significant improvements in the mean scores of the weight gain, cold intolerance, constipation, dry skin, appetite, memory loss, concentration disturbance and feeling giddy or dizzy domains (P < 0.001). However, no significant improvements were observed for hair loss, nail fragility, hearing, hoarseness, speech, and depression or feeling down (P > 0.05).

Ginger also led to a significant decreases in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, serum TSH, FBS, TG, and TChol levels compared to the placebo. Generally, these changes were of a magnitude that is clinically relevant. For example, TSH fell by an average of 0.89 in the ginger group versus an increase of 0.95 in the placebo group. Similarly, body weight fell by an average of 2.43 Kg for ginger versus an increase of 1.12 Kg for placebo.

For more information see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35096113/