Acupuncture tips from Rosie is now being offered for you! Free advice about holistic medicine and how it relates to you and the seasons. Come here to find new ideas about how to live by following the laws of nature. If you would like to try acupuncture and do not know how to find a practitioner, here is a link to look up one in your area. If you live in Maryland, look me up!
What IS Acupuncture? Go here to learn more:
What is Wei Qi?
Acu Tip: Wei Qi is the protective energetic layer that we all naturally have in our bodies. It protects us against external germs, weather, such as wind and cold. Get yourself a loofah or a long handle brush and use one of these great natural, artisan soaps in your daily shower. This will stimulate your Wei Qi and help prevent getting sick during the winter months. It also helps if you are feeling a cold coming on. Be sure to brush downward on the back of your neck. Additionally, remember to wear gloves, hat and most importantly, a scarf every time you go out in the wind-cold! Stay warm and healthy!
SPRING is almost here!
You can already hear the birds chirping outside your window. They are building their nests, getting ready for warmer weather. Spring is all about birth and growth, It is a rising upward movement 
both in nature and in your body. I can already see the first crocuses and tulips pushing their way through the earth towards the sunlight. Spring is about motivation and action. It is about getting your body moving again after winter. And best of all Spring brings new possibilities in life. Now is a good time to plan your summer activities, clean out your closets and make room for new adventures in your life! Do you feel the burst of energy in your body when you walk outside on those first few spring days? For me, everything opens up… my heart, my breathing, my eyes and ears. Tune into the beauty around you and see what happens!
Acu tip: Don’t forget that along with spring, comes the robber winds! Just because it is starting to feel warmer, often there is a wind that comes with springtime. Be sure to still wear a scarf and cover up your neck when it’s windy! Your neck area is very susceptible to picking up a wind-cold or wind-heat invasion which can make you sick. Your grandmother’s advice was actually right! And be careful not to sit on cold rocks while out hiking, that can lead to a cold invasion and cause sudden pain in your body. Get out and move those muscles and get your sinews and tendons going. They need it after winter! And it will make you feel so much better!
Acupuncture tips-Winter:
Acu Tip: It’s cold outside and the wind is sure blowing! Common sense tells me to bundle up and sit by a cozy fire. If you look around to see what the animals are doing, what do you find? Oh wait, you can’t even see the animals this time of year…unless it is a hungry deer here and there looking for food. The bears are already hibernating. The birds have flown south, where it’s warmer. The squirrels have gathered their nuts and are hunkered down. Those little bunnies you see hopping around during Spring, Summer and the beginning of fall, are all under ground, protected from the elements, resting, nesting and staying warm!
Follow the animals lead. Winter calls for us to be quieter and rest more. This is the time to plant the seeds in our brains, hearts and bodies and allow them to sit, germinate and get ready for Spring. So, take care of your body during the calm of winter so that you will be ready to burst into action when Spring arrives.
Fall is on the way…
It’s sweater weather! The nights are beginning to get a little cooler. The sun is setting earlier every day. As hard as it is to say goodbye to summer, the gorgeous days of fall are arriving now. This is a wonderful time of year to walk outside. Be sure to protect your skin (neck especially) as the cold begins to set in. Autumn is the best time of the year to shed what we no longer need. Look outside. What do you see? The leaves are falling off the trees. The are naturally shedding what they no longer need. Those leaves slowly disintegrate into the soil, making it richer for next spring when the flowers and grass will need it to grow. Our bodies need to do this also. What is it that you are holding onto?
Acupuncture tips-FALL
Acu tip # 1: Like the leaves that are falling from the trees, spend a little time this fall thinking about what you may need to let go. Are you harboring anger at someone? Are you feeling resentful about a situation? Have you stuffed the grief you know you need to honor? Fall is about honoring these feelings. Allow yourself to feel. Validate what you are thinking and feeling. Try taking a breath and letting go of these feelings on the exhale. Slow deep breathing is important all year, but especially during the fall. Go outside for a walk and breathe in the fresh, cool air… and then slowly let it out. This will help your lungs expand and contract, allowing for more room to love and be open to new experiences.
Acu tip # 2: Cook with pumpkin. It is in season now and it is so good for you! Go here to see recipes with pumpkin in them. I especially recommend making your chili with pumpkin in it! Try it… it’s delicious!
Acupuncture tips for Late Summer
Late summer is all about harvesting. Everything that has been growing all summer is now ready for harvest. This is my favorite time of year when it comes to eating. There are farmers markets everywhere selling fresh everything! I love to not need to go to the grocery store this time of year! It is all about fresh, fresh, fresh food! Not only are we talking about harvesting food and eating healthy, late summer is also about harvesting what is going on in your life. The energy level is beginning to come down. Summer was the most yang time of the year. Late summer we begin to feel a shift. It is a bit of a lazy time. Often the weather is so hot and humid that we feel like laying in a hammock or sitting on the front porch rocking with a glass of cool lemonade. This is a good time to slow down a bit and take that nap in the afternoon or take a long walk on the beach. It is also a time to think about what you need to digest in your life.
Acu tips for Late Summer:
Acu tip #1: Eat what is fresh right now. With all the vegetables and fruits in season at the end of summer, it it easy to do this! Everything is so plentiful for your taking! Stop at your farmer’s markets and make wonderful meals with all the veggies you can get your hands on. Your body will thank you. I especially love to make sure there is a variety of colors on my plate at every meal. This is simple with so many great choices this time of year!
Acu tip #2: Take a little time to enjoy the fruits of the harvest. Meaning: sit back and digest everything. Take a little longer at meal time to relax and appreciate the beauty around you and the wonderful foods that lay before you. Allow yourself to feel satisfied. Breathe deeply and smile.
Acupuncture tips-Summer is here!
The dog days of hot, hot, hot have arrived! I spent the last two nights planting flowers after work. I was literally drenched with sweat. Now that I am back inside, showered and cooling off, I realize how zapped my body feels. Clearly I have not had enough water. So, I am trying to make up for it by drinking a ton now. Ever notice when you have not had adequate water on a hot day how you feel? Sometimes a little light headed, possibly nauseous, and most often you have a headache! If you simply re-hydrate, you magically feel better! Summer in Chinese medicine is all about maturation, partnership, passion, yang-like behavior. This means parties and get togethers with friends and family. It is the highest energy cycle of the year. It is also time to relax and enjoy the beautiful flowers that are in bloom! Smell the many scents that are out in nature during this time of year. Every day I can see the corn getting taller and taller in the fields as I drive to work. Things are maturing and blossoming all around us. Summer is also for deep, one-on-one conversations with a friend or lover.
Acupuncture tips for Summer:
Acu tip #1: Stay hydrated during the summer months. It is easy to get over-heated when at the beach, working in the garden and golfing on hot days. Be sure to keep water with you at all times. Remember that leaving water in plastic containers in the car tend to get hot. Plastic water bottles exposed to heat can be toxic. Chemicals in plastics, mainly antimony (Sb) and Bisphenol A (BPA) can leach into any liquid in a plastic bottle according to new research. Furthermore, those chemicals can potentially cause diseases (such as cancer) when consumed, based on other research.
Acu tip # 2: Another thing to consider during the summer is wind-heat. Just as wind-cold can be harmful in the wintertime, the same goes for wind-heat in the summertime. Be aware of wind on the beach or when you are on a boat or even just out walking! Protect your neck, as you would in the colder months. As with every season, be sure to get adequate rest, eat a healthy diet full of colorful, whole foods! This is important to keep your Wei Qi strong and able to protect you! And find more joy in your life! Joy is vital especially during the summer months! 
Auricular (ear) Acupuncture helps with:
- addictions
- cravings
- smoking cessation
- inducing labor …just to name a few
What are the advantages of acupuncture ear points?
- Easy access
- Easy to clean
- Quick to use, so useful in pain or for drug dependency
- If semi-permanent needles are inserted, or patches placed, they can be easily pressed or rubbed by the patient
- Different results come from using needles, concentrated laser light and magnetic fields, making ear acupuncture a field full of potential for research and treatment
- Like other reflex systems of diagnosis, the ear can be used to diagnose and treat pathology elsewhere in the body
- Can be used to treat many metabolic, hormonal and functional problems
- Can powerfully complement body acupuncture
What are the disadvantages of using acupuncture points in the ear?
- Acupuncture points are very close together
- People’s ears differ widely so points can be hard to locate
- Some people are very sensitive to acupuncture in their ears
- Strong treatment to anaesthetise pain can delay diagnosis of or even conceal underlying problems
- The underlying complexity makes it hard to learn properly
- Great skill is needed to use its full potential
- Lasers for ear acupuncture can be expensive
- Used for self-diagnosis can lead to hyperchondriacal states.
Acupuncture tips about sleep:
Tip: Healthy sleep habits are essential to getting a good night’s rest.Your daily routines – what you eat and drink, the medications you take, how you schedule your days and how you choose to spend your evenings – can significantly impact your quality of sleep. Even a few slight adjustments can, in some cases, mean the difference between sound sleep and a restless night. Go here for tips about good sleep hygiene. And while you are changing your routine, if you need a little help, try acupuncture or these natural healthy sleep strips until you can sleep on your own peacefully!
Coming next:
What is cupping?
Acupuncture helps alleviate pain and suffering:
Response Magic