Chinese New Year celebrates the Year of the Water Dragon beginning Monday, January 23rd, 2012. According to Chinese culture the Dragon is a symbol of power, superiority and rule.

Chinese New Year symbolizes new beginnings and a fresh start. Socially, it is a family affair, a time of thanksgiving, reunion, forgiveness and sharing. Traditionally people . . . → Read More: Happy Chinese New Year – Year of the Dragon 2012]]>

Chinese New Year celebrates the Year of the Water Dragon beginning Monday, January 23rd, 2012. According to Chinese culture the Dragon is a symbol of power, superiority and rule.

Chinese New Year symbolizes new beginnings and a fresh start. Socially, it is a family affair, a time of thanksgiving, reunion, forgiveness and sharing. Traditionally people clean their houses from top to bottom to get rid of old stagnant energy and make room for positive energy of the New Year.

As we usher out the mercurial year of the Metal Rabbit, we can anticipate a much more positive year of the Water Dragon. Good sources say not to worry; it’s not the ‘end of the world’ next year. The Year of the Dragon offers much more opportunities than meets the eye. In 1964, another Year of the Dragon, we saw many advances with regards to racial discrimination. This was the year the 1964 civil rights act came into being which was the start of change the world over.

You can hardly imagine a Chinese New Year without a brightly decorated dragon winding its way through the glittering parade route. The Dragon is in the center of the action. The Year of the Dragon offers opportunity to those who are flexible to adapt to change and can creatively approach new possibilities. The Dragon represents passion and self-confidence, bravery and generosity. Dragons are known for being gifted, intelligent, and tenacious. The Dragon leads with energy and determination, bringing with it prosperity and abundance. Famous Dragons include Al Pacino, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Marlene Dietrich and Matt Dillon.

Health Problems During the Year of the Dragon

Water in Chinese medicine represents kidneys. Water related illnesses could include kidney stones, sexual organ problems or urinary tract maladies. This could also mean back problems.

The absence of the Fire element for this year is also unfavorable for people who have health problems related to the heart. So please just be careful and remember to maintain a good diet and try to get enough exercise. This will be a fast paced year, so you must not let yourself work too hard so it adversely affects your health. Spend some time traveling this year for pleasure if possible.

If you suffer from a weak immune system or back pain it is time to seek professional help. Try to avoid stress. You will need to take care of your health and diet this year because this will be a fast paced year. You might want to think about giving up smoking, starting a better diet and getting more exercise to strengthen your immune system to prevent from getting sick.

Health Solutions for the New Year

To celebrate Chinese New Year we are offering new patients and patients who have not been in our Minneapolis Acupuncture clinic for 3 months or longer a FR** exam. We don’t to this very often, so hurry! This offer expires February 17th. If you would like to become a new patient just call 612-866-4000 and ask for the “Welcome New Patient Consultation” and you will receive your first consultation for free. But remember…you have to do this by February 15th. That’s the last day for this offer for you and your friend or loved one.

May you and your family be blessed with abundant health and happiness this Year of the Dragon,
Steven Sonmore, L.Ac.
Complete Oriental Medical Care, LLC
Minneapolis, MN
612-866-4000
http://www.orientalmedcare.com“There are no riches above a sound body.” – The Apocrypha

What happens when you’re really stressed out? Your body is keyed into your sympathetic nervous system or the “fight or flight syndrome.” Your adrenals are pumping, your breathing is shallow, heart beat is rapid, and digestion is incomplete. On a psychological level it can manifest as:

• Poor memory • Irritability • Difficulty relaxing • . . . → Read More: Conquering Stress With Acupuncture]]>

What happens when you’re really stressed out? Your body is keyed into your sympathetic nervous system or the “fight or flight syndrome.” Your adrenals are pumping, your breathing is shallow, heart beat is rapid, and digestion is incomplete. On a psychological level it can manifest as:

• Poor memory
• Irritability
• Difficulty relaxing
• Feeling overwhelmed

Imagine being able to relieve your stress easily and naturally. Acupuncture therapy helps your body to tune into your parasympathetic nervous system or relaxation response. After a treatment your heart beat is more regular, breathing is deeper, you’re bringing more oxygen into your blood stream, smooth muscles are relaxed and digestion is more complete. And on the psychological level it can help you to feel clear headed and refreshed.

Western medicine attributes only one organ to our emotions…the brain. But Chinese medicine figured out early on that emotional problems are attributed to the whole organ system. And that the quality of our thoughts are determined by the status of our organs.

Chinese medicine discovered thousands of years ago that there is a link between the organs and emotions. So specific emotions relate to certain organs. For example, joy (or lack of joy) relates to the heart. Anger and frustration relates to the liver. Fear and procrastination relates to the kidneys. Grief or “letting go” is associated with the lungs. Worry relates to the stomach and spleen. Remember that saying: “My stomach is tied up in knots?” Well, there’s a perfect illustration.

Acupuncture Balances Emotions

Acupuncture reinstates balance to the organ so then the corresponding emotion balances, too. Just like when a plant is welted, you give it water and miracle grow. Acupuncture sends nutrition to the organ.

Emotional disorders can be the result of a number of different organs that are imbalanced. Licensed acupuncturists use Chinese pulse diagnosis to determine which organ is involved in a malady.

Anger, irritability, and frustration are all signs that the liver is imbalanced. The liver is responsible for the smooth flow of energy throughout your body and for the smooth flow of your emotions.

Liver imbalance is one of the most common health problems seen at our Minneapolis acupuncture clinic today. Symptoms can include irritability, pain in the area below the ribs, stuffiness of the chest, abdominal bloating, nausea, acid regurgitation, belching, diarrhea or constipation, feeling of a lump in the throat. And for women: irregular periods, painful periods and distention of the breasts prior to periods. Liver stagnation is commonly associated with PMS. Ideally in a health body the liver should be spreading energy to all the other organs evenly in a 360 degree pattern. If it is dysfunctional, it can shoot energy straight upwards and cause neck and shoulder tension, headaches, migraines, even high blood pressure.

When you get upset the muscles around the liver get tight. Then the blood flow through the liver becomes restricted, especially through the portal vein. Then the function of the liver is impeded. Restriction of the bile duct results in bile not getting properly distributed in the duodenum. Then there are digestive problems. If there is poor circulation in the liver there will be emotional ups and downs. If the liver is fatty there will be depression, anxiety and/or frustration. With acupuncture treatment we can get the musculature around the liver to relax. This will increase blood flow to this organ, help the liver to detoxify and then the patient will begin to feel better.

In Chinese medicine we are obsessed with improving the circulation of blood. We are the plumbers of medicine. All the anti inflammatory agents, nutrients, antibiotics are in the blood.

The function of blood circulation is what heals us. That function is at 100% when you are a baby. Remember the saying “in the pink?” As a person ages, the vascular system declines. There isn’t enough blood circulating to heal the problem areas. Now, the beautiful thing about acupuncture is that when it is done correctly, it pushes the blood into the sick area to heal it. In western medicine they run tests to see if the patient is sick. But often, patients feel terrible, but the tests come out normal. So they are sick, but not sick enough to show up on their tests.

If there is an obstruction in the blood, the corresponding body part will be affected. If it’s not fixed, it could turn into a malfunction. If it’s not addressed, it could become a disease that won’t go away. That’s why people come to our Minneapolis clinic. With acupuncture we can fix their plumbing to get their blood circulating again. Very frequently, patients come to us as a last resort. They’ve tried prescription drugs, they’ve been to their MD, or their physical therapist. And let’s make it clear that these other practitioners may be doing some good work but for whatever reason it’s not doing the job with the people that come to see us at our acupuncture clinic.

Traditional Chinese medicine was developed for your everyday citizen; to make him/her healthy, to increase energy and vitality. With acupuncture, we are actually improving the functioning of your internal organs. We can make the stress and pain go away. And we create a situation so the stress and pain does not come back.

If you suffer from stress and live in the Minneapolis/ St. Paul / Twin Cities area you are invited to download our free e-book Acupuncture For Cynics . In it you will find explanations on how acupuncture works along with research studies on the effectiveness of treatments. Click here –> http://www.orientalmedcare.com/ebook.htm

About the author: For more than 24 years Steven Sonmore helped people transform health problems into solutions for attaining better health. Steven is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist and a certified instructor by Health Preservation Association. He is owner of Complete Oriental Medical Care in Minneapolis. For more information call 612-866-4000 or visit www.orientalmedcare.com

Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year (according to lunar calendar) starts on the 3rd of February 2011 on the New Moon after Winter Solstice and is celebrated all over the world. It heralds new beginnings and a fresh start. Socially, it is a family affair, a time of thanksgiving, reunion, forgiveness and sharing. Traditionally . . . → Read More: Welcome The Year Of The Rabbit / Chinese New Year at Minneapolis Holistic Clinic]]>

Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year (according to lunar calendar) starts on the 3rd of February 2011 on the New Moon after Winter Solstice and is celebrated all over the world. It heralds new beginnings and a fresh start. Socially, it is a family affair, a time of thanksgiving, reunion, forgiveness and sharing. Traditionally people clean their houses from top to bottom to get rid of old stagnant energy and make room for positive energy of the New Year.

The Year of the Golden Rabbit should bring peaceful cooperation and teamwork. Like any year, you can expect fluctuations in industry and in some markets but don’t worry! You can plow through the ups and downs as this year encourages people to work together for a common goal that can benefit all. This is a blessing after the turbulent, unpredictable year of the Tiger. The Year of the Rabbit is set to deliver economic leaps and bounds that like the lovable animal itself. Rapid financial movements require a rabbit’s ability and speed to react. The Rabbit sees the world from a view point of abundance; he is aware that there is plenty for everyone. This year is a great time to set aside differences and work together to make a difference.

This is a great year to gain new skills and knowledge. If you are an employee, it is a good year to pursue a promotion.

Rabbit people evoke calm and peacefulness, avoiding aggressive behavior or unnecessary confrontation. Rabbits are calm and gentle, but persistent. Paying attention to their surroundings, rabbits effortlessly sidestep developing situations that might otherwise cause upset or disruption. The Rabbit person is virtuous, articulate, ambitious and is often financially prosperous.

The rabbit is gracious, amiable, and they make good friends. They are known to be sensitive, kind, and even tender. The rabbit is the embodiment of graciousness, good manners, and sensitivity to beauty. Rabbits are dependable for counsel and make excellent diplomats. Rabbits have a tendency to be elegant, soft-spoken, and enjoy peaceful environments. Rabbits are known to be gifted artists, excel in scholarly works, and prosper in the fields of law, government, and research. Many rabbits are lucky in business and finance because they are clever and seek compromises rather than confrontations that lead to fights. Paradoxically, rabbits may be both self-assured and shy. Most of all, rabbits are compassionate and dislike hostility.

Famous rabbits:
Albert Einstein, Frank Sinatra, Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Pope Benedict XVI, Brad Pitt, Whitney Houston

Health Problems During the Year of the Rabbit

This is the Year of the Metal Rabbit. The Five Elements (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood) in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) represent different parts of your body. The Metal element governs your lungs, large intestine, the immune system and skin. Health problems to watch out for in 2011 are respiratory problems, contagious illnesses and the flu. If you have suffered from a weak immune system, lung problems or have a tendency to catch colds and/or the flu easily it is time to seek professional help. Try to avoid stress. Some of the ways that stress affects your body include decreases in the contractions of the small intestine and increases in the contractions of the large intestine (not good). This is also a good year to stop smoking.

To celebrate Chinese New Year we are offering new patients and patients who have not been in our Minneapolis Acupuncture clinic for 3 months or longer a FR** exam. We don’t to this very often, so hurry! This offer expires February 28th. If you would like to become a new patient just call 612-866-4000 and ask for the “Welcome New Patient Consultation” and you will receive your first consultation for free. But remember…you have to do this by February 28th. That’s the last day for this offer for you and your friend or loved one.

Happy Year of the Rabbit,
Steven Sonmore, L.Ac.
Complete Oriental Medical Care, LLC
Minneapolis, MN
http://www.orientalmedcare.com
612-866-4000
“There are no riches above a sound body.” – The Apocrypha

Would you like to look younger by only spending minutes a day using a simple acupressure facial massage? All you need are your fingertips and it costs you nothing to perform daily.

Join us to learn a wealth of information about how acupressure points stimulate energy, blood circulation and improve internal organ functioning.

Here’s a . . . → Read More: Acupressure Facelift Class in Burnsville, MN Jan. 26th]]>

Would you like to look younger by only spending minutes a day using a simple acupressure facial massage? All you need are your fingertips and it costs you nothing to perform daily.

Join us to learn a wealth of information about how acupressure points stimulate energy, blood circulation and improve internal organ functioning.

Here’s a brief sample of the tools you’ll get:

• Special points that rejuvenate your face and body.
• How to relieve stress, sinus pressure, headaches, jaw tension and tired eyes.
• Powerful breathing techniques that intensify the effects of Acupressure.
• Flush out toxins and improve facial tone.
• Discover a natural, professional treatment that will magnify the anti-aging effects by 300%.

Attend this class to acquire the power of looking younger naturally without surgery.

Dates and Times: Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 7-9 pm.
Price $19
Location: Diamondhead Education Center
200 W. Burnsville Parkway, lower level
Burnsville, MN 55337
To register call: 952-707-4110
Or visit http://www.orientalmedcare.com/acupressure_facelift_class.html

Steven Sonmore is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist and maintains an active holistic practice in Minneapolis. He was recently interviewed on KMSP Fox 9 The Buzz TV about his Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture program.

Here is an article on yawning I posted last year. Laugh if you want (though you’ll benefit your brain more if you smile), but in my professional opinion, yawning is one of the best-kept secrets in neuroscience. Even my colleagues who are researching meditation, relaxation, and stress reduction at other universities have overlooked this powerful . . . → Read More: The 5th Best Way To Exercise Your Brain…Yawning!]]>

Here is an article on yawning I posted last year. Laugh if you want (though you’ll benefit your brain more if you smile), but in my professional opinion, yawning is one of the best-kept secrets in neuroscience. Even my colleagues who are researching meditation, relaxation, and stress reduction at other universities have overlooked this powerful neural-enhancing tool. However, yawning has been used for many decades in voice therapy as an effective means for reducing performance anxiety and hypertension in the throat.

Several recent brain-scan studies have shown that yawning evokes a unique neural activity in the areas of the brain that are directly involved in generating social awareness and creating feelings of empathy. One of those areas is the precuneus, a tiny structure hidden within the folds of the parietal lobe. According to researchers at the Institute of Neurology in London, the precuneus appears to play a central role in consciousness, self-reflection, and memory retrieval. The precuneus is also stimulated by yogic breathing, which helps explain why different forms of meditation contribute to an increased sense of self-awareness. It is also one of thought possible that deliberate yawning may actually strengthen this important part of the brain.

For these reasons I believe that yawning should be integrated into exercise and stress reduction programs, cognitive and memory enhancement training, psychotherapy, and contemplative spiritual practice. And, because the precuneus has recently been associated with the mirror-neuron system in the brain (which allows us to resonate to the feelings and behaviors of others), yawning may even help us to enhance social awareness, compassion, and effective communication with others.

Why am I so insistent? Because if I were to ask you to put this magazine down right now and yawn 10 times to experience this fabulous technique, you probably won’t do it. Even at seminars, after presenting the overwhelmingly positive evidence, when I ask people to yawn, half of the audience will hesitate. I have to coax them so they can feel the immediate relaxing effects. There’s an unexplained stigma in our society implying that it’s rude to yawn, and most of us were taught this when we were young.

As a young medical student, I was once “caught” yawning and actually scolded by my professor. He said that it was inappropriate to appear tired in front of patients, even though I was actually standing in a hallway outside of the patient’s room. Indeed, yawning does increase when you’re tired, and it may be the brain’s way of gently telling you that a little rejuvenating sleep is needed. On the other hand, exposure to light will also make you yawn, suggesting that it is part of the process of waking up.

But yawning doesn’t just relax you—it quickly brings you into a heightened state of cognitive awareness. Students yawn in class, not because the teacher is boring (although that will make you yawn as well, as you try to stay focused on the monotonous speech), but because it rids the brain of sleepiness, thus helping you stay focused on important concepts and ideas. It regulates consciousness and our sense of self, and helps us become more introspective and self-aware. Of course, if you happen to find yourself trapped in a room with a dull, boring, monotonous teacher, yawning will help keep you awake.

Yawning will relax you and bring you into a state of alertness faster than any other meditation technique I know of, and because it is neurologically contagious, it’s particularly easy to teach in a group setting. One of my former students used yawning to bring her argumentative board of directors back to order in less than 60 seconds. Why? Because it helps people synchronize their behavior with others.

Yawning, as a mechanism for alertness, begins within the first 20 weeks after conception. It helps regulate the circadian rhythms of newborns, and this adds to the evidence that yawning is involved in the regulation of wakefulness and sleep. Since circadian rhythms become asynchronous when a person’s normal sleep cycle is disturbed, yawning should help the late-night partygoer reset the brain’s internal clock. Yawning may also ward off the effects of jet lag and ease the discomfort caused by high altitudes.

So what is the underlying mechanism that makes yawning such an essential tool? Besides activating the precuneus, it regulates the temperature and metabolism of your brain. It takes a lot of neural energy to stay consciously alert, and as you work your way up the evolutionary ladder, brains become less energy efficient. Yawning probably evolved as a way to cool down the overly active mammalian brain, especially in the areas of the frontal lobe. Some have even argued that it is a primitive form of empathy. Most vertebrates yawn, but it is only contagious among humans, great apes, macaque monkeys, and chimpanzees. In fact, it’s so contagious for humans that even reading about it will cause a person to yawn.

Dogs yawn before attacking, Olympic athletes yawn before performing, and fish yawn before they change activities. Evidence even exists that yawning helps individuals on military assignment perform their tasks with greater accuracy and ease. Indeed, yawning may be one of the most important mechanisms for regulating the survival-related behaviors in mammals. So if you want to maintain an optimally healthy brain, it is essential that you yawn. It is true that excessive yawning can be a sign that an underlying neurological disorder (such as migraine, multiple sclerosis, stroke, or drug reaction) is occurring. However, I and other researchers suspect that yawning may be the brain’s attempt to eliminate symptoms by readjusting neural functioning.

Numerous neurochemicals are involved in the yawning experience, including dopamine, which activates oxytocin production in your hypothalamus and hippocampus, areas essential for memory recall, voluntary control, and temperature regulation. These neurotransmitters regulate pleasure, sensuality, and relationship bonding between individuals, so if you want to enhance your intimacy and stay together, then yawn together. Other neurochemicals and molecules involved with yawning include acetylcholine, nitric oxide, glutamate, GABA, serotonin, ACTH, MSH, sexual hormones, and opium derivate peptides. In fact, it’s hard to find another activity that positively influences so many functions of the brain.

My advice is simple. Yawn as many times a day as possible: when you wake up, when you’re confronting a difficult problem at work, when you prepare to go to sleep, and whenever you feel anger, anxiety, or stress. Yawn before giving an important talk, yawn before you take a test, and yawn while you meditate or pray because it will intensify your spiritual experience.

Conscious yawning takes a little practice and discipline to get over the unconscious social inhibitions, but people often come up with three other excuses not to yawn: “I don’t feel like it,” “I’m not tired,” and my favorite, “I can’t.” Of course you can. All you have to do to trigger a deep yawn is to fake it six or seven times. Try it right now, and you should discover by the fifth false yawn, a real one will begin to emerge. But don’t stop there, because by the tenth or twelfth yawn, you’ll feel the power of this seductive little trick. Your eyes may start watering and your nose may begin to run, but you’ll also feel utterly present, incredibly relaxed, and highly alert. Not bad for something that takes less than a minute to do. And if you find that you can’t stop yawning—I’ve seen some people yawn for thirty minutes—you’ll know that you’ve been depriving yourself of an important neurological treat.

Andrew Newburg is director of Penn’s Center for Spirituality and the Mind.

According to OK! Magazine Jennifer Aniston decided to get acupuncture after her friend Sheryl Crow advised her to do so. Apparently Jen sees Sheryl as some sort of a health guru and has been getting the singer’s advice on Chinese medicine.

“Jen sees Sheryl as her health guru, so when she suggested acupuncture, Jen went . . . → Read More: Jennifer Aniston Gets Acupuncture Upon Sheryl Crow’s Advice]]>

According to OK! Magazine Jennifer Aniston decided to get acupuncture after her friend Sheryl Crow advised her to do so. Apparently Jen sees Sheryl as some sort of a health guru and has been getting the singer’s advice on Chinese medicine.

“Jen sees Sheryl as her health guru, so when she suggested acupuncture, Jen went with it straight away,” said one insider. Jen wants to get pregnant so she’s convinced acupuncture will give her a helping hand.

“It’s reduced her stress, made her skin glow, helped her with weight loss and made her happier,” said one insider.

If you are a woman seeking better, pain-free health and live in the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul, Twin Cities area be sure to click this link and sign up for our newsletter to learn more. Minneapolis Acupuncture Health and Wellness

source: Showbizspy.com

Maybe you didn’t know that April 16th is National Stress Awareness Day. It’s no coincidence that it falls the day after taxes are due. One of the biggest reasons people come to our clinic to receive acupuncture is to relax and reduce stress. Signs that you might be caving in from stress include tight neck . . . → Read More: April 16 is National Stress Awareness Day]]>

Maybe you didn’t know that April 16th is National Stress Awareness Day. It’s no coincidence that it falls the day after taxes are due. One of the biggest reasons people come to our clinic to receive acupuncture is to relax and reduce stress. Signs that you might be caving in from stress include tight neck and shoulders, digestive problems, anxiety, depression, headaches and insomnia.

Have you sometimes gone to bed, be unable to sleep and then wake up in the morning just as tired as the night before?

Are you irritable to your loved one(s), maybe a little “down” too often? Do you experience mood swings? If you do, these are signs that you may be suffering from stress.

Read these facts about stress:

• 1/3 of Americans are living with extreme stress, and nearly half believe their stress has increased during the past five years. (American Psychological Association)

• Acupuncture can lower your blood pressure. Throughout time, lowered blood pressure can add six years to your life.

• By 2020, the top five diseases will all have the underlying contributing factor of stress. (World Health Organization)

Dealing with your stress today can help prevent stress-related illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke and depression tomorrow. “There’s quite a bit you can learn …to help reduce stress,” says Brent Bauer, MD, director of the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “Things like meditation, acupuncture and guided imagery–the right answer is to find what fits for you and incorporate it on a regular basis.”

Acupuncture treatments are not about luxury, they are about boosting your body to optimal health. Complete Oriental Medical Care, LLC is a place where people can get tangible results and work on overall well-being. Our clinic is offering great ways to help you manage your stress that’s easy and fits into your budget.

In our attempt to keep you feeling healthy, we are offering some wonderful incentives to keep you coming in this spring. We’ve put together two great offers to choose from. The first is a short 3-session package and the second choice is a 12-session package deal.

Now remember, acupuncture makes your entire body work better. It’s like going to the gym; but for your insides as well as your outsides. Just as going to the gym once isn’t quite enough, one acupuncture treatment just isn’t enough. A short series is needed to make the changes stick. So that’s why were offering this:

Pre-Pay Option A
3 Acupuncture sessions for only $191.25

That’s only $63.75 each session, if you’re wondering (instead of the regular $89 for intake & $70 for follow-ups). If you were thinking about coming in anyway, or are currently in care, you can still take the $37.75 savings … just pre-pay for the next 3 visits. There’s no better time to do it. That’s like getting an entire session at half price! To put it in perspective, remember that hospitals charge as much as $180 a session!

We’re doing this because we want you to be healthy this season and we want you to make sure you get enough acupuncture for it to be effective. That’s why we want you to come in for the 3 sessions. Be honest; you remember how great you felt when you were coming in regularly. Why not extend that feeling?

Pre-Pay Option B
12 sessions for the price of 10

At $725 that’s a $134 savings for free! For some of you, you’ll prefer to use all of your sessions at once and others may want to use them on a monthly basis. Many in America have found acupuncture a cost-effective addition to their healthy lifestyle in building a strong immune system, strengthening vital internal organ function and increasing overall health, longevity and sense of well-being.

The only catch is that you have to act fast. April 30th is the deadline.

This offer ends at the end of the month. We’re doing that because we want you to act quickly and prepare your body before you go out and do something relatively stupid, like lifting an air conditioner by yourself!

For thousands and thousands of people, Acupuncture has been the “secret” that solved their back pain, migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, allergies, auto/work injury and arthritis pain, and given them a much healthier, happier, pain-free life.

Regular Acupuncture Care Is The
Key That Unlocks The Vault That Contains
The “Secret” To A Healthy, Pain-Free Life.

Remember, Call 612-866-4000 quickly. At the stroke of midnight, April 30th, the “Spring Time Booster Acu-Pack” offer is gone forever. And don’t forget, knowing how to stay healthy is not a luxury. It is a basic skill for the millennium.

In Better Health,
Steven Sonmore, L.Ac.
Complete Oriental Medical Care, LLC
612-866-4000
www.orientalmedcare.com

Did you know that 80% of people in hospitals are there because their stress has manifested as a chronic health problem that now has to be treated more drastically? Your body’s stress mechanisms were designed to support you during stressful times, like in an emergency. But not during the constant stress to which we are . . . → Read More: Can Acupuncture Manage Your Stress?]]>

Did you know that 80% of people in hospitals are there because their stress has manifested as a chronic health problem that now has to be treated more drastically? Your body’s stress mechanisms were designed to support you during stressful times, like in an emergency. But not during the constant stress to which we are often exposed. Stress can be externally produced by an unfulfilling job, a difficult supervisor, a stressful home life, caring for an aging parent, or by uncertainty about the circumstances around you, either about work, or world issues. And stress can be internally produced…for example, constant worrying, driving yourself too hard, being a perfectionist, or carrying grudges.

In ancient times our natural “fight or flight” response provided us with instant energy to preserve ourselves during an attack or threat. The stress of our current time is markedly higher, more consistent, more frequent and more consistent than what our predecessors experienced. Today we are bombarded by stress via computer screens, road rage, daily news, cell phones and potential terrorism. All these factors combine to put the calmest person into a frazzled frenzy. Internally stress can deplete your nervous system, lymphatic system, kidneys and adrenal glands. This sets the stage for a wider array of more serious ills. Studies have shown that increased and constant stress can decrease the number of white blood cells, which defend us against viruses. This leads to a wreaked immune system and emotional instability. 

It is true we are living in stressful times. But don’t let stress take its toll on you. Here is the solution. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been shown to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the devastation of stress and activate the relaxation response. Acupuncture causes your body to release pleasant, happy chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins are natural opiates, which relieve pain and increase a person’s sense of relaxation and well being. They can give a person a “natural high” similar to the feeling we have at peak experiences in our lives. This is one of the reasons that acupuncture is so useful in the treatment of depression and anxiety.

Acupuncture also encourages relaxation by loosening tight muscles. You can leave a session feeling as if you had a good, deep massage. Many of my patients walk into their first session dreading needles and walk out of their first session feeling as relaxed and happy as a purring cat.

Signs of an Overactive Response to Stress:
• Anger/frustration
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Digestive problems
• Headaches
• Heart disease
• High Blood Pressure
• Insomnia
• Joint pain
• Tight neck and shoulders
• Weakened immune system
• Weight gain

When you “put up” with symptoms like irritability, insomnia, anxiety, depression, fatigue, headaches or tight neck & shoulders, the problem will only get worse. This ultimately opens up the door for more extreme and chronic health issues to spring up later. Here, at Complete Oriental Medical Care, LLC, we can make an immense difference in how you deal with stress. This is our specialty…come see why our patients return again and again for our acupuncture treatments. It is what will make the difference for you to be in peak form for your life.

Set up your appointment today for stress free, optimal health. Call us at 612-866-4000. And visit us at www.orientalmedcare.com .

For more than 20 years Steven Sonmore helped people transform health problems into solutions for attaining better health. Steven is a licensed acupuncturist, Oriental herbalist, bodywork therapist, and Qigong instructor. He offers complete health care with acupuncture, Chinese herbs, nutritional counseling, and Oriental massage. He is licensed by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice and certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.