Have you ever sprained your ankle(s)? Throughout my lifetime I have sprained both ankles several times. Usually the sprains were not too severe so it would take about four weeks to heal each time, give or take a little. The most severe sprain was my last and only took three days to heal. Hmmmmm, what was the difference, you ask?

To highlight how severe this particular sprain was please allow me to give you a picture. I started running down a 100 yard hill in order to catch a car. The driver had left an item behind and I was attempting to deliver it. Unfortunately, about ten feet down said hill I tripped and sprained my ankle. Stubbornness and a bit of stupidity propelled me down the rest of the hill. Did I catch the car? Yes, but WOW did I pay! I had to turn into a snake to get back up the hill; sliding and dragging myself the whole way.

Upon finally reaching my car again my friend kindly took over driving duty. I got busy applying acupuncture needles and moxibustion. I repeated the treatment again that evening and the next morning. Frankly, I was amazed by the results. I was at that time, back in 1995, a recent graduate of Tai Hsuan Foundation Acupuncture school in Honolulu, Hawaii.  I knew from my training how effective acupuncture was for sprains, but I was pretty sure it would take more than three days to heal such a significant sprain!

The keys in this particular happy ending are that I utilized acupuncture before swelling set in and thereby bypassed it altogether. I also used moxibustion which has the effect of increasing circulation. And…………….I didn’t use ice. Why no ice? From a Traditional Chinese Medicine standpoint ice, by itself, congeals the blood in the area that it is applied. Ice basically produces the opposite effect of circulation.

The moral of this story is: if you injure yourself, get some acupuncture and moxibustion as quickly as you can. Unlike chiropractic, massage, and physical therapy which require at least 48 hours before utilizing, acupuncture works best to use immediately. Injuries include sprains of all kinds, contusions, whiplash, and etc. Anytime you think anti-inflammatory, think acupuncture for quicker results with no side effects.

Leslie Shanai

Do-It-Yourself Chinese Medicine?  You Bet!  It’s called Tai Chi or Qi Gong.  Of the varying branches of Chinese Medicine, it is probably the most valuable.  Why?  Because it puts each one of us squarely in the driver’s seat with regard to our own health and well being.

My tai chi instructor, Michael Vasquez will be in Ashland, Feb 24-26 to teach a Wu Tai Chi short form workshop. I will be there and highly recommend the workshop for everyone – from the just curious to the devoted tai chi/ qi gong practitioner.  Michael will also be sharing some phenomenal teas from Taiwan.

I will also be presenting a short talk on Friday night during the free introduction called,  “living in harmony with the seasons according to Chinese medicine 5 element theory”.  It should be fun and informative.  Hope to see you all there!

Please register now by clicking here.

Tips for cold and flu prevention

We are in the middle of cold and flu season so here are a few tips that can help you avoid catching any unfriendly germs. These tips are for the early onset stage and if utilized can stop a cold/flu in its tracks.

1. Drink 4 cups fresh ginger root tea (recipe as follows).
2. Avoid sugar (lowers immune system within 30 minutes of consumption).
3. Get enough rest.
4. Receive acupuncture to boost immune system.

Fresh ginger is classified in the release the exterior category of Traditional Chinese Medicine. What this means is that herbs in this category help assist the body in flushing out pathogens that have entered the body from an external source. Dried ginger has a different property than fresh and is more useful in aiding weak digestion. Hence, using ginger tea bags in the following recipe will be ineffective in the releasing of cold or flu.

Ginger Tea recipe:
1. Slice approximately 2 inches of ginger root into thin slices (skin okay).
2. Place ginger into 4 cups boiling water.
3. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
4. Strain into cup and add honey, if desired, to mitigate spiciness.
5. Drink all tea in one sitting, one cup after the other until all gone.

It should be noted that this recipe is only applicable at the first signs of a cold or flu; usually the first day only. Once the disease has gotten a good foothold ginger tea will no longer be effective. It may even have a detrimental effect of adding unnecessary heat if the disease has fully manifested.

If you are feeling “off” or know you’re about to catch cold, come in right away for acupuncture. Do not worry about exposing the germs to us, the practitioners. Acupuncture stimulates and strengthens the immune system, and you can take advantage of “Sifu’s Immortality Treatment” which only costs $25, is a great treatment for prevention and is also good for an energy boost.

Do you have other tips for preventing colds? Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions. Thanks.

Leslie Shanai

Happy Chinese New Year and Welcome to our blog!

Today marks the one (lunar) year anniversary of our opening in our current center at 1640 Siskiyou Blvd. We LOVE it here and hope that you also find our setting nourishing, relaxing and healing!

At People’s Choice, we are always looking for ways to serve you and we are excited by the addition of the blog. It is a wonderful venue for us to interact and share information.

We plan on making this blog entertaining as well as useful. Check back to learn about eating in harmony with the seasons – including tasty recipes, tips for keeping yourself healthy, DIY Chinese medicine practices such as qigong and moxabustion and more. We want your comments and feedback! Let us know how we’re doing, how You’re doing and please share any stories or info you think we and the others here would appreciate.

To your health and happiness this Year of the Dragon, and beyond,

Leslie Shanai &Chadwick Moyer, Licensed Acupuncturists