Increase your metabolism with Qi Gong Breathing Exercise

Breathing exercises are a powerful tool used in Chinese medicine. Try this ....

Prior to each meal: 2 minutes before you eat, do this metabolic boosting breathing exercise: For the first minute of this exercise, place both of your hands below your belly button and take a few long slow deep breaths. Feel your hands rising on the inhale and descending on the exhale-this is focused deep breathing. Do this for the first minute.

It is important to note, a primary function of digestion is to break food into microscopic bits that can be sent to your cells and combusted with oxygen to release energy into the body. Over 90% of our energy comes from oxygen + food. That is why focused breathing is so important prior to each meal.

For the second minute of this exercise, squeeze all the air out on your exhale by bringing the abdomen toward the spine. Now do not worry about inhaling; just focus on bringing your belly toward your spine. Do it as quickly and as comfortably as you can. Imagine you are fanning a fire with bellows of air to make the fire grow.

After your meal, do the following for digestive health and to increase longevity: Bring both hands over the left side of your rib cage, below the heart. This is where the stomach is located. Circle your hands over the stomach area about 50-100 times moving from the right (liver) side of your body toward the left (heart) side of your body.

Congratulations! You just increased your metabolism! This is also a very simple yet powerful practice you can do each and every day.

School is in session! Your Acupuncture Primer

A recent article published on acupuncture in the Huffington Post* stated, "Some folks, including older Western M.D.s, still talk about whether or not they "believe" in acupuncture. Such thinking is ill-informed and outdated. One might as well speculate about whether to believe in aspirin, morphine, insulin, surgery or an MRI."

The question is not whether acupuncture works, but how it works, and whether it is the appropriate therapy for a particular syndrome, problem, symptom, disease or patient.

In a clinical setting, and performed by a licensed professional, acupuncture is effective for a variety of complaints.*"

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a safe, low-risk form of treatment for all age ranges offering a comprehensive natural health care system that can effectively prevent and treat illness, enhance health by effectively strengthen weakened immune systems, and balance hormones to bring the mind and body back into balance.

Many people don't know that in California, Acupuncturists are primary healthcare providers and recognized by mainstream medicine, the World Health Organization, the NIH, and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) to effectively treat illnesses and support preventative healthcare. The National Institute of Health has stated, "there is sufficient evidence of acupuncture's value to expand its use into conventional medicine and encourage further studies of its physiology and clinical value" and the NCCAM has sponsored countless studies that verify the efficacy of acupuncture for pain, fibromyalgia, post traumatic stress disorder, and arthritis, to name a few.

How Does It Work? Through balancing the meridians of the body through the use of acupuncture needles (made from ultra-fine stainless steel which are pre-sterilized, single-use & non-toxic) and targeted application of customized herbal formulations, acupuncturists can promote wellness by tapping into a complex network of charted meridians that exist within the human body. The practitioner will assess the signs and symptoms, conduct a thorough medical history, observe the tongue, and feel the pulses in order to assess and properly diagnose the root cause of the chief complaint. A comprehensive, customized treatment approach will be discussed with each patient.

Here's a list of some of the common health conditions that can be safely and effectively treated by acupuncture: gastrointestinal and digestive problems, headaches and migraines, fatigue, insomnia, allergies, anxiety, depression, sinusitis, skin disorders, colds and influenza, high blood pressure, musculoskeletal injuries and joint pain. Women's health, menstrual irregularities, menopausal issues, and infertility can also be approached from a holistic perspective, using Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

New Client Acupuncture Special!

$35 initial visit*

(includes consultation & treatment)

We will also verify your insurance coverage to find out if your plan covers Acupuncture!

A special one-time follow-up visit at discounted rate

of $50**

TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENTS, PLEASE CALL OUR ACUPUNCTURISTS:

Dorothy Low 323-363-9785

Veronica Sanchez 818-480-8227

*offer valid for new clients only. expires 09/30/10

**$50 follow-up visit is available to new clients that take advantage of this special offer and is a one-time offer. non-transferable. expires 10/15/10

'Schooling' you on Acupuncture

Hi Everyone!

This month we are 'schooling' you on the benefits of Acupuncture.

Acupuncture is a safe and effective alternative medicine therapy that has been practiced in China for thousands of years. Just like Chiropractic, Nutrition and Massage, Acupuncture treats the underlying causes of diseases rather than simply targeting symptoms.

At InnerMovement, we offer you a team approach to your health, utilizing the most effective alternative medicine therapies available. Our Acupuncturists are key to this wellness approach. On a daily basis I refer patients to our Acupuncture team to treat insomnia, hormonal imbalances, chronic inflammation, bowel disorders, migraines and much more. After witnessing our patient success stories I have become a regular patient of Acupuncture myself.

So, whether you are a person trying to learn more about ways to stay healthy or if you are suffering from a chronic condition, I hope you find this wellness news informative and helpful.

Until our next adjustment...

Yours in health,

Dr. Heidi & The InnerMovement Wellness Team