The Little Pin Acupuncture

05/06/2026

🌿 Fresh from the farmer’s market: Amaranthus Green (莧菜) 🌿

Today I picked up a bundle of vibrant amaranthus — one of those humble leafy greens that quietly carries powerful nourishment.

Often overlooked, amaranthus is actually a seasonal treasure, especially as we move into late spring and early summer.

🌱 From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective:

Amaranthus is considered cooling in nature. During this time of year, when the weather becomes warmer and the body tends to accumulate internal heat, it helps to:

Clear heat
Cool the blood
Support digestion
Promote gentle detoxification
It’s especially helpful if you’re feeling heaty — think sore throat, irritability, acne, or dry mouth.

🥬 From a Western nutrition perspective:

Amaranthus leaves are packed with:

Iron – supports energy and healthy blood
Calcium & magnesium – for bones and muscle function
Vitamin C – immune support and antioxidant protection
Fiber – supports gut health
Plant-based protein – for steady nourishment
It’s light, mineral-rich, and deeply replenishing — exactly what the body craves as temperatures rise.

Simple. Seasonal. Healing.
Sometimes the best medicine is just fresh greens from the earth. 🌞

04/21/2026

What is AB 2497?

As of April 2026, California Assembly Bill 2497 proposes updating the Physical Therapy Practice Act. One part of the bill would allow physical therapists to perform “dry needling,” which involves inserting thin needles into muscle tissue to treat trigger points.

So what does that mean?

Dry needling uses an acupuncture needle to release a trigger point, a small, tight knot in the muscle that can be painful.

But a needle is not limited to treating just one type of muscle knot.

The same needle can also be used to:

• Stimulate motor points, think of these like a muscle’s light switch. If a muscle is weak or not activating properly, stimulation can help “turn it on.”
• Increase blood flow to reduce inflammation
• Regulate the nervous system
• Support overall balance in the body

Once tissue pe*******on is authorized, it goes beyond one labeled technique. A needle does not know what it is called, it interacts with muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and deeper structures.

Because of that, patients deserve clear information about:
• Who is inserting needles
• What specific training they have completed
• What regulatory standards apply

When legislation uses a narrow term like “dry needling,” it’s important for the public to understand the broader implications of authorizing tissue pe*******on.

This conversation is about clarity, transparency, and thoughtful oversight, so patients can make informed decisions about their care.

04/15/2026

Before the needle there is a prep! Getting these hand ready for you 🙌

04/06/2026

The light through the stained glass fell softly on the wall. It felt gentle, and changed by color before it reached the surface.

April is Qing Ming — Bright and Clear. A time to remember those who have passed. Every year this month feels emotional for me. There are people closest to my heart who are no longer here. Their absence is felt more clearly in the spring light.

And yet, April also holds birthdays — my younger one, my best friend. Life growing. Another year added. Another candle lit.

As a Chinese medicine practitioner, I think about spring as the Wood element — rising energy, movement, renewal. After the stillness of winter, everything begins to move again. Sometimes that movement includes grief. Sometimes it includes joy. Often, it is both at the same time.

I’m learning that hope is not about being free from sadness. Hope is allowing the light to pass through all of it — memory, love, loss — and still shine.

Spring doesn’t erase what was. It grows from it.

03/25/2026

Spring, the Bay Area way 🌸

03/04/2026

New season, new flow.
Let your body awaken with the rhythm of spring. 🌸🍃

02/27/2026

02/18/2026

Happy Lunar New Year 🧧!
所念皆如願! 🍊

02/11/2026

For this Valentine’s Day 💕
She might say flowers are nice…but what she really wants is her acupuncture treatment paid for. 💗

This Valentine’s Day, gift deep relaxation, a calm nervous system, and a body that feels cared for—no vase required.

✨✨✨

Acupressure is generally safe when done gently, but it’s not a replacement for professional care. If you’re pregnant, dealing with chronic pain, or have a medical condition, consult a licensed acupuncturist or healthcare provider before trying new techniques.

Curious about other acupuncture points that support posture, stress relief, or sleep? Let me know what you’d like to learn about next.

02/04/2026

☀️ Feeling the Shift of Yang Qi

Even though the weather may still feel cold and winter has not fully released its grip, you may notice something subtle:

✨The sun feels slightly warmer
✨The light looks clearer
✨There is a gentle sense of movement returning

This is the moment when yang qi transitions from storing inward (冬藏) to ascending and expanding (春生).

Li Chūn is the signal — not that spring has fully arrived, but that life has begun to turn upward again. The body feels this before the mind fully recognizes it.

✨ So while we may celebrate the Lunar New Year on February 17, today, Li Chūn (February 4, 2026), marks the true energetic beginning of the Fire Horse year.

Spring has whispered its first message — and the body is already listening.

01/14/2026

Chinese philosophy teaches us to live in rhythm -
to honor emptiness, move without force,
and trust what unfolds in its own time.

Leaving white space · 留白
What is left open lets the heart breathe.

Non‑doing · 無為
Nothing forced, nothing out of place.

Fate · 緣份
What comes finds us quietly.

Slow · 慢
Life softens when we stop running.

Stillness · 靜
In quiet, truth stays.

Harmony · 和
Everything moves together.

Respect · 敬
Walk gently through the world.

Home · 家
Where the heart returns without asking.

Some things cannot be hurried.
Some wisdom lives in the pause.