WHAT IS GUA SHA?
Gua sha is a massage technique that uses a thick edged handheld spoon that scrapes and massages the muscles with the intention of releasing stagnation and improving blood flow. This motion raises small, red, rash-like dots that show under your skin called petechiae (pronounced puh-tee-kee-uh). This is a good sign that the tissue is detoxing and improving the circulation. We refer to this as ‘sha’. We know that Gua Sha has become very popular recently as a facial rejuvination tool. This is NOT the way we are practicing gua sha here. The gua sha therapy here at Open Circle is a therapeutic application for some of the physical ailments listed below. HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED GUA SHA? Conditions such as tight neck, shoulders, upper back, and arms tend to respond very well to gua sha. Migraine headaches, colds & flus, chronic tension headaches, tennis elbow & carpal tunnel also see excellent results. Like cupping, the color of the sha produced tells the practitioner a lot about the patient's condition. The darker the color of the blood rising to the surface, the more stagnation there is in that area. This tells us that there isn’t proper blood flow through the area. WHAT DOES GUA SHA FEEL LIKE? DOES IT HURT? Gua sha should not hurt. Scraping begins with light pressure and your practitioner should slowly increase the pressure of the scraping to achieve results without hurting the patient. It is a different sensation than you feel with massage, but significant relief can often be felt after treatments. HOW MANY GUA SHA SESSIONS DO I NEED? The number of gua sha sessions depends on the reaction that your body shows during the first treatment. If the marks are very light, you may only need between 1-3 sessions, whereas darker reactions can require more visits- perhaps between 5-10 sessions. We recommend spacing out treatments between 7-10 days apart. HOW DOES GUA SHA WORK? Research has shown that gua sha dramatically increases the circulation of blood through soft tissues under the skin. A Harvard study found that gua sha encourages cells to produce heme oxygenase -1 (HO-1), which is an antioxidant that fights to reduce inflammation in the body. The benefits of gua sha occur when the blood is brought to the surface of the skin. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, many diseases and health complaints can be traced back to stagnant “qi” and blood in the body. By stimulating petechiae at specific points, gua sha is believed to encourage a healthy flow of energy and blood. HOW IS GUA SHA DIFFERENT FROM CUPPING? Cupping & gua sha are similar in many ways, but cupping can cover a large area quickly. Cupping creates a suction on the surface of the skin, which can assist with detoxification and creating more of a myofacial release of the tissues. Gua Sha allows the practitioner to get into more specific or hard to reach areas that the cups would have a harder time reaching or staying on - areas like the neck, subocciptial muscles, forearms and sternum. Both achieve similar end results in that they are breaking up stagnation and allowing for more nutritious blood to circulate in the muscles and soft tissues. WHAT DOES GUA SHA LOOK LIKE? We thought you’d never ask! Here are a few examples….
HOW MUCH DOES A GUA SHA THERAPY SESSION COST?
Gua sha is a 15 minute stand-alone treatment and costs $40. You can book these sessions with any of our therapists online or call us to set up an appointment. Hope to see you in the clinic soon! Herbal Adaptogens
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MAGNESIUM CITRAMATE by THORNE
A well absorbed, high quality magnesium supplement in easy to take capsule form. Mag Citrate has the added benefit of supporting kidney health and Mag Malate is especially helpful for muscle relaxation and relieving fibromyalgia type pain. Both are great for all of the above benefits as well! This magnesium works wonders for constipation, without being overly strong or intense. A much healthier choice that over the counter medications. EASE MAGNESIUM SPRAY by ACTIVATION PRODUCTS Ease magnesium spray enters the bloodstream through the skin making it extremely bioavailable and absorbable without affecting the digestive system. For those that have digestive issues with a tendency towards diarrhea or loose bowels, this is the better choice for you. With patients we have seen great results with restless leg syndrome and calf cramping, as well as all of the same benefits listed above. Magnesium does not need to be ingested to help with sleep, calming, headaches and heart health. |
Both of the above products are available in the clinic, so feel free to swing by anytime to pick some up! Hope you are all enjoying your summer!
.Happy 2023 Everyone! Is anyone else out there trying to stay healthy?!
With so many cold and flu viruses out there, not to mention Covid, I think everyone right now is incredibly focused on getting healthy and staying that way. One thing that we've noticed over the course of this past fall, is that once someone is getting knocked down with something, the next thing is right there to swoop in and get them before they are fully back up on their feet. It's been tough for many, but we are here to help!
Between regular acupuncture, some supplements, herbs and a little extra self-care, you CAN stay healthy and enjoy the winter season.
With so many cold and flu viruses out there, not to mention Covid, I think everyone right now is incredibly focused on getting healthy and staying that way. One thing that we've noticed over the course of this past fall, is that once someone is getting knocked down with something, the next thing is right there to swoop in and get them before they are fully back up on their feet. It's been tough for many, but we are here to help!
Between regular acupuncture, some supplements, herbs and a little extra self-care, you CAN stay healthy and enjoy the winter season.
How Acupuncture Supports the Immune System!
Firstly, acupuncture reduces stress which is one of the main factors in our body's ability to fight off infections. So, just by coming for the calming effects of acupuncture, you will help to boost your immune system. But besides the stress relieving effects, research has demonstrated very direct benefits for immunity including increasing your body's production of white blood cells and specifically T-Cells which improve your body's ability to fight illness. Acupuncture is also not only treating symptoms but addressing the underlying root causes of why your body may be susceptible to getting sick. By strengthening your overall resistance, you not only get well, but stay that way!
Herbs & Supplements for Immune Boosting
(THINK PREVENTION!!)
Support System by Herbalogics is the traditional Chinese herbal formula Yu Ping Fang San, which is classically used to strengthen the immune system, prevent illness and improve overall energy. Very similar to Immune + but in an easy to take tincture.
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Immune + is a powerful and effective blend for building resistance to colds and viruses. It can be very helpful for individuals who are having recurrent illness as well as those who are healthy and wanting to help with prevention during cold & flu season.
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Herbs & Supplements for Treating Colds, Flus & Covid Virus
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Magnolia Clear Sinus is a Chinese herbal blend, with anti-histamine properties used to clear the nasal passages, reduce inflammation and treat symptoms associated with seasonal allergies.
Wellness Herbal Resistance Liquid contains a powerful combination of herbs that both support the immune system and treat the symptoms once they arrive. Echinacea & Coptis boost immunity, while Yin Chao is great for clearing viral infections!
Supports nasal relief, decreasing congestion and allergies symptoms by stabilizing the body's cells that release histamine. Also a powerful anti-inflammatory, this one is a must-have for overall symptoms of congestion!
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We hope you all are taking good care of yourselves and prioritizing your self-care, now that the holidays are over! Call us anytime to book an appointment for yourself or a loved one.
Also, just a reminder that all of our products are available to not only our patients, but also to the general community. If you have any friends or family who are in need of wellness supplements, please send them our way and they are also welcome to call with any questions! (508) 393-1212
Also, just a reminder that all of our products are available to not only our patients, but also to the general community. If you have any friends or family who are in need of wellness supplements, please send them our way and they are also welcome to call with any questions! (508) 393-1212
“You can’t wait for healing to feel wholeness. You have to feel wholeness for that healing to occur.” — Joe Dispenza.
Ok, it's time for some real talk here. People in this late stage pandemic life are more stressed than ever. In the clinic on a day to day basis I'm seeing more anxiety, depression and trouble sleeping than ever before! Yesterday, I treated about 30 patients, and I'm pretty sure half of them are barely sleeping at night. This of course has many different causes, but the outcome is the same; it disrupts the body's ability to heal and restore itself.
Recently, I've started reading Joe Dispenza's amazing book called, "Becoming Supernatural." I HIGHLY recommend reading it if you are interested in how healing can occur in the body through our own efforts to shift our brain waves into a healing and receptive state. This was new information for me, and I was very intrigued!
Below is a chart with the main electrical brain wave patterns that happen in different states of consciousness. As you can see, Beta waves are our waking state, active thinking brain, where Alpha brain waves are when we are awake and relaxed. What really interested me, was when we go into a deeper relaxation state of Theta Brain waves, which are also known as "the healing wave." In theta brain waves, it's a state of relaxation where you aren't quite asleep, but also not quite awake. It is a calm and creative state that is conducive to healing the body. What jumped out at me was that this is how I feel when I get into a deeply relaxed state during acupuncture!
Recently, I've started reading Joe Dispenza's amazing book called, "Becoming Supernatural." I HIGHLY recommend reading it if you are interested in how healing can occur in the body through our own efforts to shift our brain waves into a healing and receptive state. This was new information for me, and I was very intrigued!
Below is a chart with the main electrical brain wave patterns that happen in different states of consciousness. As you can see, Beta waves are our waking state, active thinking brain, where Alpha brain waves are when we are awake and relaxed. What really interested me, was when we go into a deeper relaxation state of Theta Brain waves, which are also known as "the healing wave." In theta brain waves, it's a state of relaxation where you aren't quite asleep, but also not quite awake. It is a calm and creative state that is conducive to healing the body. What jumped out at me was that this is how I feel when I get into a deeply relaxed state during acupuncture!
So I got very interested to find out if acupuncture helps shift our brainwaves into a relaxed state for healing. I intuitively knew it did, but was happy to see that science backed me up. Acupuncture points help to take the autonomic nervous system from a state of 'fight or flight' to a more relaxed parasympathetic state of 'rest and relaxation'. During research studies, acupuncture shifted patient's brain waves from Beta, to Alpha and then to Theta brain waves even without any guided mediation or additional relaxation practices! This is so important in understanding how and why acupuncture treatments can help absolutely EVERYONE. By slowing the brainwaves into more coherent theta brainwaves, acupuncture can put the body and brain under the proper condition for healing, and this is seperate and in addition to all of the other ways that acupuncture can bring pain relief, improved blood flow and decreased inflammation to the body. Moral of the story....acupuncture works!!
So acupuncture supports healing, but it's our own brainwaves that are doing the healing! So in addition to acupuncture, anything we do to help our body's mentally and physically relax, will support healing. This includes, mediation, deep breathing, walking in nature, quiet time where we aren't busy, and deep restorative sleep! Sleep takes us even deeper into Delta brainwaves which are very healing since it also stimulates the release of human growth hormone. Delta brain waves have anti-aging properties and support healing and pain relief.
So, if you are feeling stressed and also not sleeping well, remember you are NOT alone, not even close! But what I also want you to understand is that you must prioritize working on improving in both of these categories. Of course acupuncture is an amazing way to help, but we also have some excellent herbs and supplements in the clinic that can support a calmer mind and more restful night!
More than anything, take some time for yourself to relax. Try not to over-book your life and give meditation a try. The benefits are immense! Ask us in the clinic for resources that can support you in getting started!
So acupuncture supports healing, but it's our own brainwaves that are doing the healing! So in addition to acupuncture, anything we do to help our body's mentally and physically relax, will support healing. This includes, mediation, deep breathing, walking in nature, quiet time where we aren't busy, and deep restorative sleep! Sleep takes us even deeper into Delta brainwaves which are very healing since it also stimulates the release of human growth hormone. Delta brain waves have anti-aging properties and support healing and pain relief.
So, if you are feeling stressed and also not sleeping well, remember you are NOT alone, not even close! But what I also want you to understand is that you must prioritize working on improving in both of these categories. Of course acupuncture is an amazing way to help, but we also have some excellent herbs and supplements in the clinic that can support a calmer mind and more restful night!
More than anything, take some time for yourself to relax. Try not to over-book your life and give meditation a try. The benefits are immense! Ask us in the clinic for resources that can support you in getting started!
Some of our popular sleep & stress supplements!
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