Favorite movie

If you read my profile, you will see that one of my favorite movies of all time is Whale Rider. Having just watched it again..... for like the 100th time.... I thought I would recommend it to my readers. It has nothing to do with Chinese medicine. It takes place in New Zealand. It is about a young girl who goes against tradition to become a leader. While many people haven't heard of this movie, it won many awards and by far is one of the best films I ever watched. One day I will get a copy of the book written by Witi Ihimaera.

Keisha Castle-Hughes plays Paikea and has to be the most mesmerizing character. The hardest of hearts will melt watching her on screen.

So rent it or better yet, just buy it. Trust me, you will want to watch it a few times.

Exciting changes coming

This is so exciting to me. I have been practicing massage and asian bodywork therapies for almost 7 years now and have worked in various situations. Sometimes an employee, other times as an Independent contractor. But in all these years, I never actually named my business. It was always just my name. Poo... how boring is that!

But one creative day a business name popped into my head and I LOVE it. I asked a few of my friends for suggestions and tweaked it a bit. Now, I will NOT reveal this until I get it safeguarded with the state but once I get the ok from the state (and by the way, its looking pretty much a sure win) I will tell everyone! I can't wait..... to me, it sort of feels like a new start. Anything can happen now. Watch out world. :)

The second new exciting change is a website. I have had 2 websites that I build for free. One with my DSL account, the other with my MAC account. I am not saying they are totally horrible but they shout out "non professional". So I broke the bank and found someone and he is currently working on some layouts to share with me. I also sent him my likes and dislikes and we will take it from there. Can you imagine designing something for someone you never met and know nothing about? I pity him.... he has no idea what is has gotten himself into. LOL

I have every intention on linking my site to my blog and then my blog will be less anonymous. Yikes.... you will know who I am. But then I can share this awesome new website with you and that makes me happy.

Happy days ahead!

Tui Na vs. Shiatsu

Tui Na defined by the AOBTA states the following:

"Tuina is a method of Chinese bodywork characterized by the smooth gliding or rolling movements of the hands and arms. Through Tui (push) and na (grasp), kneading, pressing, rolling, shaking, and stretching of the body, acupoints are opened and qi flow is realigned in the musculo-tendon meridians. Tuina techniques are used to treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal and internal organ disorders by opening stagnant meridian channels and encouraging the flow of qi into deficient areas. Tuina utilizes TCM theory in assessing energetic and functional disorders. In addition, the use of external herbal medicines and therapeutic exercise is also included."

Shiatsu defined by the AOBTA states:

"The primary emphasis of Five Element Shiatsu is to identify a pattern of disharmony through use of the four pillars of examinations and to harmonize that pattern with an appropriate treatment plan. Hands-on techniques and preferences for assessment varies with the practitioner, depending on their individual background and training. The radial pulse usually provides the most critical and detailed information. Palpation of the back and/or abdomen and a detailed verbal history serve to confirm the assessment. Considerations of the client's lifestyle, emotional, and psychological factors are all considered important. Although this approach uses the paradigm of the five elements to tonify, sedate, or control patterns of disharmony, practitioners of this style also consider hot or cold and internal or external symptoms and signs."

Actually the AOBTA defines a few styles of Shiatsu so I am sharing Five Element with you. My studies included Zen shiatsu, and theories of TCM and 5 Element. Combining all I was taught, I should just call it The Therapist Shiatsu. :)

In my Shiastu training, we did learn many of the same hand techniques that I have learnt in my future studies in Tui Na. So I am finding it hard to define my sessions with clients. Some Shiatsu clients have noticed a slight difference in my work and really enjoy it but all I have done is included some of the protocol I am learning in Tui Na class. They ask me, what are you doing, Shiastu or Tui Na? Well, definitely both. They ask, is one better then the other? Hell no, they are both excellent modalities.

Now I am left wondering what to say the session is and I think Asian Bodywork is ok but still very extensive in possibilities. It has become obvious that it is impossible for me to say..... This session is shiatsu or this session is tui na.

Herbal Aid Kit

I don't often recommend products to my readers but today I make an exception. I was browsing Kamwo Pharmacy's website and found they put together a kit of their most useful Chinese herbal remedies.

Click here to take a look.

The kit is made up of items for cuts, burns, bruising, the common cold, the flu, viral infections, stomach issues and even a remedy for bad breath. It covers most typical illnesses families get yearly.

I actually have a few of these items in my own little kit but plan to add more. Possibly I will just buy the kit so that I can have them all handy and to share. The price is right, at $24.95. There is nothing worse then getting sick and not having something to take when you need it. And if you are like me, you do not live close to a Chinese Pharmacy.

Take a look, read the information. See if its for you. If you are interested, don't wait till its to late. Buy them while healthy, especially if you are prone to that yearly cold or flu. Flu season will be here before we realize it.

Blogging etiquette

Maybe some of you more advanced bloggers can help me here. What sort of rules apply when blogging?

For instance, I just found my blog linked to a questionable website. Actually it was my article on headaches and trust me, this site has nothing to do with health. Maybe this is more a web etiquette issue in general. I was a bit shocked when I saw where I was linked and wonder if I contact that site, will they remove me from their list?

So is it courteous to ask permission before linking or are we all so hard up for more traffic that we don't care?

Personally I have many external links listed but mainly to direct readers in the right direction. The links are relavent to the subject at hand.

Could be I am thinking to into this and should just let it go.

Give me some advice people! :)

Native American Powwow

Today I went to a local powwow to take in some music and good vibes. While there I got to thinking, what exactly does powow mean? One website I came across defines it this way: "powwow is the English spelling of the Algoquian word pauwau. The word pauwau means an elder, faithkeeper, healer, or chief. It has been speculated that to the observer, it appeared to be used to refer to a gathering, since the word was probably heard before such an individual was going to speak. Sometimes with certain speakers or messages, it is possible that an activity, like preparing food or singing, was appropriate. However, the word in the Native Algonquian language is more closely associated with the person rather than a celebration or gathering."

Regardless, it is good to see Native American customs still in practice. So on with some pictures.

Missing in action

I can't believe how much time has passed since I posted. My promised second part article on headaches is in the works but in the mean time, I will share some photo's from my recent trip to NYC. Last Saturday I spend part of the day, first getting acupuncture then exploring. In my totally relaxed (but a bit sore) state, I took the subway to Brooklyn in order to walk back into Manhattan via the Brooklyn Bridge.

Approaching the bridge from Brooklyn

Looking over at the Manhattan Bridge.

View of Downtown Manhattan.

A tower/flag shot.

What a pain in the neck!

Headaches often start out as tension in the neck muscles. There are various kinds of headaches though from sinus headaches, cluster headaches, hormone headaches and migraines. Most of these tips to helping control headaches are geared towards tension headaches.

It is estimated that 45 million Americans suffer from these various headaches, many chronically. Of those, 28 million have migraines. 60% of children suffer occasionally from headaches. The cost on the work force? $50 million in missed work days and doctor visits.

One definition of a headache states "pain in the head". Tension headaches often start out with a stiff neck, achy occiput region (the area right below your skull on the back of the neck) or even tension in the jaw. Everyone has different area's that might get tight and later cause a headache. The best thing we can do is prevent this tension from invading our bodies. Any form of bodywork that we received regularly can help immensely as well as doing yoga, qi gong and/or meditation. In my line of work, I have discovered that people with poor posture seem to be prone to headaches.

Preventing headaches is key. As a sufferer of both tension and migraine headaches, I speak from my own experience. As I mentioned above, getting regular bodywork is essential. Not only does this help your muscles relax, you are retraining your body on how it should move in a healthy way. You are learning to relax our shoulders, not walk about with them at your ears. How often a client has bodywork is up to each individual. I suggest a few sessions as close together as possible. Ex. once a week. After those sessions are complete, an evaluation is done to see the progress. Most clients then find they can space sessions further apart. Personally I like to go for my sessions once a month.

I mention yoga, meditation and qi gong again. Any of these techniques will stretch and relax the body and mind. When we learn to breath properly, our bodies benefit greatly. I have found that doing qi gong every day has made a world of difference in how I feel and the lack of headaches I get.

Often the spine is out of whack and needs a chiropractor. Talk to some local friends and search out a chiropractor in your area.

Chinese medicine can be a great tool also. Part of the treatments I receive involve bodywork (tui na), acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines. Finding a qualified Licensed acupuncturist is getting easier and often is covered by insurance plans. To find a practitioner near you, click on the link to the left for the NCCAOM.

In the second part of this article, I will offer some easy at home things you can do to prevent headaches and to ease them once they have infringed on your life.

Kung Fu

Things have been a bit crazy these past few days, not leaving me much time for writing and responding to blogs so forgive me!

Somehow I came across this video that must have been taken at some martial arts competition. While it may be more artistic in form, it is still good.

Kung Fu

Then after looking some more I found this one.

Shaolin Monk Rain Demo

Enjoy!

~~blushing~~

I was given this award from my good friend Tracy and feel completely blessed by it.

"The Thoughtful Blogger Award is for those who answer blog comments, emails, and make their visitors feel at home on their blogs. For the people who take others’ feelings into consideration before speaking out and who are kind and courteous. This award is for those generous bloggers who think of others." - Tracy at Pink Purl

Thank you again for taking time to read my blog and comment it. I hope you and everyone else continue to receive enjoyment from this blog.

HUGS!

Gua sha update

Two days ago I did gua sha on a willing friend and posted the results here I also included some information on what gua sha is and how it is done.

Today I took an updated photo of my friends back to show how the redness does fade, sometimes rather quickly.

Not so bad looking today. :)

Stepping back in time.....

I came across this photo of me, my brother and sister. Time goes by so quickly and we loss sight of the innocence of our youth. Playing in the grass under a swing set. Running around half naked with not a care in the world. This was taken at my Grandparents home. They are both deceased now but I remember them always. We had such fun at Grandma's house..... like it was a magical place. But oh it was, trust me! Where else could you play with bubbles all day and sleep in a huge bed at night after a meal of Grandma's cooking?

So you want to try Shiatsu.....

or maybe another form of Asian Bodywork Therapy!

Awesome!

But where to find a qualified practitioner?

Let me help you out. American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia The AOBTA has a search engine to locate practitioners in your area.

Another great place to search qualified therapists is the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

Lastly if you looking in the UK I suggest the Shiatsu Society

Gua Sha

Gua sha is an age old healing technique that some think of as 'folk' medicine. While typically preformed by an Acupuncturist or Asian Bodywork Therapist, this technique can be easily done at home with a family member.

Gua means to scrape and Sha is the reddish rash you will see in the pictures. Yes, it looks like torture but I assure you, it does not feel bad.

This technique is used when there is a restricted blood flow in an area. Most gua sha is done to the back, neck, shoulders and glutes. Typically there is pain in the area that has sha present. If you press your fingers into an area, quickly releasing them and white marks remain, sha is present. It can also be used to treat colds, flu and other internal conditions.

To do gua sha you will need a few tools. A lubricant (ex. Vick's vapor rub or a thick oil like peanut oil), a round edged tool (ex. coin, metal jar lid, spoon or a tool sold specifically for gua sha) and a towel.

Have your 'client' sit or lie comfortably. All muscles that will be scraped should be relaxed. Rub your lubricant on the skin and with the tool at a 30 degree's angle, make downward strokes. Use a comfortable pressure. Communication between both persons is essential. Stop if any pain arises. Continue with one area until the sha appears then move to the next area. If no rash appears, sha is not present.

When finished, wipe off access oil with towel and tell 'client' to keep the area covered. Many people feel immediate results so then need to be warned to still take it easy for the next day or so. Gua sha also should not be done to open skin, burns or serious injuries where there could be a bone break. For those interested in learning more, I will provide a link to a very good book on the subject at the end of the post.

The redness will fade sometimes within 24 hours but at the most 2-3 days. The longer it sticks around is an indication of poor blood circulation in the area.


It is hard to see properly but you will notice white finger marks near the left scapula, showing signs of sha being present.

This pictures shows the first line of scraping, bring sha to the surface then moving on.

Continuing to gua sha the back.


The back is complete. This client came for treatment related to chronic pain in the neck, shoulders and upper back.


Click here for information on Gua Sha. Arya Nielsen wrote a great book called "Gua Sha - a Traditional Technique for Modern Practice"

To purchase tools for gua sha, Lhasa OMS Medical Supplies has many varieties for sale.

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is always best to seek a qualified medical professional. :)

Shiatsu..... dog or bodywork?

Shiatsu is becoming more and more common place in the United States but still when people hear it, I often get asked, “Isn’t that a dog?”

What is shiatsu then? Briefly put:

Shiatsu is based on principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Similar to Acupressure and using the same theories, Shiatsu can bring balance to the flow of Qi or energy. Over the centuries, Chinese health practitioners developed a system based on the premise that good health is dependent on the balanced flow of vitality in the body and in particular on the energy that flows through a specific system of channels or meridians.

Shiatsu can be very helpful for postural and muscular-skeletal problems and stress related conditions. Recipients report Shiatsu has helped with headaches, PMS, chronic pain and injuries. It has also been shown to promote improved sleep, relief of anxiety, and reduced muscle tension.

So what exactly happens during a Shiatsu session? To start, the client arrives in the office dressed in comfortable, stretchy clothes. No undressing necessary for this bodywork. A health screen will be filled out and we will begin by asking some questions. The client may be confused as to the reasoning behind the questions but that all comes to light soon enough. The pulse will be assessed, the tongue will be analyzed. All this leads to setting up a session for each specific individual. The assessment process is similar to being treated by an acupuncturist, as the principles are the same. But in Shiatsu, no needles are used, only finger pressure.

The session starts with the client on a padded mat, lying on the floor. Stretching the limbs, doing acupressure, mobilizing the body and increasing range of motion. All these things are done to improve the flow of Qi in the meridans. The therapist will use finger pressure, elbows, arms and even feet to get the desired effect. The work is done in a rhythmic way to induce relaxation, the setting very calming.

Adjunct therapies in Asian Bodywork are often used during a session, such as cupping, gua sha and moxibustion. Dietary advice may be offered in help in the healing process. Qi gong exercises are also a vital part of Asian Bodywork.

My next article will explore the how’s and why’s concerning cupping, gua sha and moxibustion.

Beauty everywhere - April 21, 2007

Even in NYC! I had a treatment with the acupuncturist again. Needless to say, I feel great!

So more on NYC, if you can bare it!



First time to Central Park! The picture above is one everyone has seen at one point in their life. It is the LARGE grassy, open area of the park where people will lay around to soak up the sun. Do you think it was a bit crowded today?

Here are some Spring time photo's I took at the Park:





And last but not least, this needs no explanation.....

Rainy day

Yesterday I spend the day in NYC. We had appointments with the acupuncturist..... ahhh! But what a contrast from the previous day. Sunday it was sunny and the sky was an amazing shade of blue. Monday it was nothing but rain.



We took the train up so the only photo's I have are from the train window. Once we were in the city, it was nothing but downpours. No photo ops there.



There are many pretty country sides that we pass through via the train between Lancaster and Philadelphia.



After a while though..... the train just goes on and on.



I will return to the City in about 4 weeks so many prayers for better weather.

All and all, it was worth it. My appointment was fabulous, as always. I can conquer the world for a few more weeks.

Great morning

What a great Sunday morning I had today. I went hiking around a bit at Pinchot Park with a friend and was able to get a few photo opportunities.

The sky was absolutely beautiful today.



Pinchot Park has countless walking trails, some nice and easy, other's very rocky.




All in all, it was a great break from the normal routine. Touching base with nature, breathing in clean air..... getting stagnant chi out of the lungs.

I hope everyone has a chance to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.

Liniments

Last week I begun to make another batch of Chinese liniments. I had to order more herbs from Kamwo and they arrived while I was gone. I was aware of what I ordered to some extent. I know what tu bie chong is. I know to look for it in case its ever in a herbal formula I have to take internally. But when I opened the little brown bag with the herbs in it and stuck my hand down to 'sift' through the herbs, imagine my disgust at touching a dead wingless cockroach! Not just one, might I add. 12 grams worth of the little buggers. Now they float around in a jar of vodka, surrounded by roots, branches, leaves, hunks of unknown things, ect.

I wish I could have had to stomach to take pictures before I dumped everything into the jar. Is is some sort of weirdness that makes me think a dead bug will come alive and crawl on me? I have seen to many horror movies and sci-fi specials in my life for sure.

Here you will see a picture of what is in the jars. Many of the herbs have settled to the bottom or are ground into a powder. I have started 2 separate liniments. The first is a trauma liniment or die da jui.



The second is a tendon relaxing liniment.




These liniments can be purchased ready for use from Kamwo in NYC. I personally find it fun to make them myself. In an earlier post I explained that the liniments soak for 6 months or longer for a better stronger liniment. These will go off into the closet to emerge at a later date.

Peace and love all!

Herbal Soaks

Here are a bunch of herbs that are added to a soak used to relieve muscle spasms, tightness, and restricted movement. It will decrease pain and help move stasis. Some of the herbs in this soak as dang gui, su mu, hong hua, bai zhi and ru xiang.

The herbs are either thrown into a pot of water OR for easy clean up, put into big tea bags.



This bag will be sewn up so that it can easily go into the trash when complete.

So what do you do with these 'soaks'??? Well, fill up your largest cooking pot with 3 gallons of water and throw in the herbs. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes. You may add vinegar or alcohol after taking the pot off the stove. When it has cooled down enough to handle, throw an old, thick hand towel into the water, wring it out and place it on the area that needs attention. If its a foot/ankle/hand/wrist, you can just submerge those into the pot. Again, make sure its not to hot! You want to do this 15-20 minutes, 2-3 times a day for 5-7 days. This pot of cooked herbs can be covered and reused for up to 7 days. It doesn't need to be re-boiled again, just heat it to a comfortable temperature.

A little warning: this herbal concoction creates a dark water that can stain white material. I always use an old dark colored towel. If you are placing the towel on your neck or back or shoulder, make sure you either have an old shirt on or no shirt at all. When doing the back it is always very handy to have a partner assist you.

A second warning: don't use a hot soak on an area with inflammation or open sores. Anytime you wouldn't normally apply heat, these soaks may not be the best thing for you. There are soaks that are used with the water at a cooler temperature but for now lets stick with this to not confuse. :)

So while not everyone has a supply of Chinese herbs handy, I recommend going to Kamwo (see link on right side of blog) and ordering pre-made soaks.