I offer cosmetic acupuncture, cosmetic facial cupping therapy and cosmetic cellulite treatments in my acupuncture clinic. (And yes, if you want me to work on your cellulite, I must touch your bum!)

There are many added health benefits to using the cosmetic methods I offer as opposed to other, more invasive methods, but putting that aside for the moment, there are some other issues that tend to raise their “ugly” heads.

When I first began learning cosmetic therapies in my training, I didn’t know if I would be particularly interested in using them in my practice. They weren’t’ the reason I got into the field. I was interested in helping people with pain. I wanted to help them to regain balance and health. I wanted to help people to be well and happy.

I have realized that I was missing some very valid points about cosmetic therapies. Being well and happy can be very connected to looking well.

There is a perception that those who come in for my cosmetic therapies must be vain and self-absorbed. They are imagined as people with too much money and too much focus on their appearance.

I would like to offer some other perspectives.

First off, all of us, and I mean all of us participate in cosmetic enhancements. Do you comb your hair in the morning? Do you wash your face? Do you shave? Do you put on make-up? Do you try to wear clothes that match and are attractive? “Why do you do any of these things if it is not to look more presentable to the rest of the population? ‘nuff said!

Next off, we all know that our society favours the attractive people. Attractive people have more friends; they get better jobs and are generally more successful. Do your own research – it shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes to come up with a bunch of studies to agree with the above statements. Or you could just have a look at this video of Susan Boyle.

Take a look at the faces of the judges and of those in the audience before Susan Boyle sang her heart out on that stage. She was completely and totally judged by her appearance before she had a chance to show her amazing talent. Appearance plays a very important role in how we are treated by others.

That brings me to my next point. If appearance is so much a part of how we are treated by others, it stands to reason that it can play an important role in our success or failure in work and social situations. Think about those who work in sales, fashion, beauty, fitness and health. Their appearance has a very direct role in how successful they can be in their particular industries, but they are not the only ones who can be impacted by their appearance in their workplaces.

On top of workplace issues there are also confidence issues that can affect social happiness. Think about the overweight person who is too shy to go to the beach or to the gym. Or, how about the person with acne who tries to hide their face under their hair?

Are wrinkles, double chins, sagging cheeks and lumpy bumpy skin so very different from other socially challenging problems?

If you put on makeup to cover a blemish, or do a comb-over to hide your bald spot, aren’t you just as “vain” as someone who tries a cosmetic therapy to improve something they are unhappy with?

And, speaking about being unhappy- we are a society overdosed on stress. Yes, we should be finding ways to reduce stress, but let’s face it – most of us really can’t quit our jobs and move to Fiji. So we have no choice but to find other ways to cope.

Acupuncture and cupping therapy are both extremely effective stress reducers. I can’t tell you how many clients get so relaxed they actually snore on my treatment table. When they get embarrassed about it, I tell them I consider it a complement! If they can be so relaxed that they actually snore while in my office, I know I have done my job!

Many days I think I get almost as much out of my work as my clients do. It is very rewarding to help someone to look and feel better.

So the next time you hear about someone who wants to look a little more attractive or a little younger, give them a break. They may be required to look a certain way for their job. They may be trying to compete with younger more energetic looking co-workers. They may be stressed out about looking attractive to their mate, or they may just be looking for a little reward or a little stress buster after their hard days work! Give them a break, and ask yourself if there is really anything wrong with wanting to look good.

And, if you know someone who you would like to give a wonderfully relaxing gift to, buy them a gift certificate for a facial cupping therapy session. We don’t realize how much tension we hold in our faces, and how great it feels to have it released.

Feeling tired and run down? Don’t fight it! It is natural to want a few extra minutes of sleep at this time of year. Our bodies are very attuned to the weather patterns and the movements of nature. So go to bed early, hit that snooze button or take the cat nap your body is craving.

There are things you can do to improve your sleep. Acupuncture can help to resolve insomnia and give you a better quality of sleep and below is an excerpt from an article with some more great tips on sleep:

“During winter, our energy slows along with the rest of our environment. We do not hibernate like bears or lose our leaves like the trees, but we do require more rest at this time of year. For many, it might be just 30 minutes more sleep. For some, it could be another hour or two of regenerative rest each day.” read more…

At this time of year, we are trying to clear away the old and ring in the new and improved. We are hopeful for a fresh start and looking to make the most of the short amount of daylight we get each day!

Sometimes our greatest ambitions are stopped cold by minor health complaints. Colds, flu’s, digestive problems, and good old fashioned fatigue take their toll on our good intentions.

Did you know you can boost your energy and you immune function with acupuncture or cupping therapy?

Acupuncture balances the body systems and helps get the energy flowing. Cupping therapy draws out toxins and can really help you if you are already sick. Cupping therapy is a great way to help move out those unproductive coughs that are going around! The suction of the cups can actually loosen up the muscles around the rib cage that have been tightened up by all of that coughing. When the muscles loosen up, there is a little more expansion in your chest and you can get enough air in there to cough up the phlegm that is settling your lungs. Better out than in, as the saying goes, and once the phlegm is out of the way, you lungs can begin to heal. And you might even get a better nights sleep as well!

The cupping therapy can be combined with acupuncture, but if you are nervous about needles, you can have the cupping therapy all on its own. There are all kinds of conditions that cupping therapy can help with, check it out!

So, even though there are great ways to help you if you are sick, it is better to try to prevent those illnesses by boosting your energy ahead of time. Many practitioners recommend a brief course of treatment in the winter and in the summer as a preventative health measure, especially for those who find themselves coming down with every little bug.

In the book, “Magic Needles: Feel Younger and Live Longer with Acupuncture” by Jun Xu, MD and LAc, and Frank Murray explain how a series of treatments in both the winter and in the summer, can help prevent old issues from cropping back up.

These seasonal treatments are especially helpful for allergy sufferers, people with depressed immune function, and for those with chronic health issues, like digestive issues and hormonal problems.

Treating the body and keeping it balance with 4 to 6 session twice per year can be much more efficient than waiting for health issues to take hold and then trying to correct them all over again.

Why not head ‘em off at the pass and keep enjoying your good health?

Who doesn’t love a bowl of good hot soup in the winter months? I recently ran across this article with a few good recipes and ideas about how to make soups specific to your health needs.

Soup Therapy: Detoxify, Lose Weight, and Boost Immunity

By Maoshing Ni, Ph.D., D.O.M., ABAAHp, L.Ac.

The healing power of soup: something that both scientists and grandmothers can agree on. From helping you lose weight to warming you up from the inside out to boosting your immunity, soup is a winter staple that you shouldn’t be without. Maybe that is one reason that it is celebrated this month with its very own National Soup Month. Here’s a closer look at what you can do to benefit from soup’s amazing healing powers. Read more…

This morning’s Globe and Mail has an article on how NHL players are using acupuncture to keep themselves on the ice.

“This one was in a tricky spot as muscle injuries go, so they called in the guy with the needles.

It’s true NHLers are given access to all the surgeons and therapists they could ever need, but in many cases players are looking outside the field of traditional medicine for help.

The Montreal Canadiens’ Michael Cammalleri is merely one of many. A month ago he suffered a charley horse in an awkward place on his thigh that didn’t respond especially well to physiotherapy and stretching.

So the sniping winger turned to acupuncture.” read more

I am having lots of fun with cosmetic acupuncture lately. But, here in good old Guelph we don’t quite get away with charging $200 a session!

New scientific studies show that Reiki is an effective treatment for pain and stress! Of course, we Reiki practitioners have known this for decades! Read the article below:

“After decades of often disputed validity, the effectiveness of Reiki, a holistic energy treatment is gaining new respect within the medical community. Not only are highly reputable medical facilities throughout the U.S. offering patients alternative healing programs such as Reiki, those facilities are analyzing the benefits of their programs and are submitting them for review and compilation. The results are nothing short of remarkable.” Read More here…

Are you doing all you can to survive the flu season?

If you could do one thing to help keep you from getting sick this winter would you want to give it a try?

Who wants to feel achy and sore, shivering with fever, coughing, hacking and dripping with cold? Uck!

Yes, you should eat well, take your vitamins, drink lots of fluids and get your rest, but there are other natural and virtually side-effect free ways to boost your immune system and help you to avoid colds and flus.

Acupuncture and cupping therapy can help keep you healthier and help you to get rid of toxins.

Acupuncture releases stagnant energy and gets blood and oxygen flowing through your body. These life-giving elements are the natural enemies of viruses in the body.

Cupping therapy can actually help to pull toxins right out of your body to the skin and lymphatic system, where they are naturally eliminated. It is totally painless and feels like a gentle massage. When someone has a lot of toxins or is about to come down with the flu, there are often darkish sludgy looking fluids oozing right out through the skin during cupping treatment. Gross! I know! But, wouldn’t you rather have those nasties coming out rather than sitting in your body, taxing your system and making it easier for you to get sick?

We pick up toxins on a daily basis through pollution and through additives and chemicals in our food and in personal care products. Cupping therapy acts like a vacuum to suck out dead cells, toxins and stagnation. This opens the pores and gets the lymphatic system working more efficiently. It is one of the easiest means of detoxification on the market.

In my practice, I can combine acupuncture and cupping therapy, or do them individually, depending on the preferences of the client. I recommend 3 sessions about one week apart to begin the process, and then one session per month for the remainder of the cold and flu season.

Your health is worth it!

Spread the word!

I still have spaces available for community acupuncture for next week. I am doing this every Wednesday, and if Wednesdays fill up I may be opening up time more slots during my week for community clinics.

Acupuncture helps out with soooo many conditions, you really ought to give it a try. Increase energy, up your immunity for the flu season, reduce pain, or just use it as a stress management treatment.

It’s only about 30 minutes out of your week and you will feel great. Book a private session, or an appointment for the community clinic day. It’s up to you.

I know I am really pushing my services, but I do this stuff for a reason. I started the community acupuncture days because I want to see everyone who needs help, get it!

The most exciting and rewarding part of my job is when I am able to make a difference for people who come to me in pain and distress. They leave with less pain, less fatigue, and feeling great! I am passionate about what I do because I can see the difference in people almost immediately. There’s no greater feeling than when you help someone improve their life!

Learn more on about private acupuncture sessions and about community acupuncture.

Busy, busy, busy!

I have a few things on the go!

First, Community Acupuncture is gaining popularity fast!
I will be offering this sliding fee scale service every Wed. from 12 to 2 and 4 to 6. You do need an appointment. Just contact me and I will set you up.

Next, this Sat. Nov. 5th I will be presenting on Acupressure and on Aura Reading for the Community and Volunteer Educational Series. This is a volunteer appreciation event for the Volunteer Centre of Guelph and Wellington.
FREE for all volunteers, but you must pre-register for the workshops.

Next week, we have a Reiki share at 44 Cardigan St. I will be co-hosting with my colleague Lisa Loder.
It will run on Wed. Nov. 16th from 7 to 9 pm. Please let us know if you are coming!

Check back often, things are always changing around here!