The Healing Alternative
News & Updates
Don’t Miss a Thing
10 Ways to Stay Healthy This Winter
1. Consume foods like soups and stews to nourish your body and improve circulation.
2 Stay hydrated with herbal teas, which can also support your immune system.
3. Incorporate seasonal vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes added nutrients.
4. Practice gentle exercises like Tai Chi or Qi Gong to energy flow.
5. Prioritize sleep to support your body's natural healing processes
6. Keep your lower back warm, as it is considered vital for overall health in TCM
7. Use acupuncture to balance your body's energy and alleviate winter ailments.
8. Engage in deep breathing exercises to promote relaxation and reduce stress.
9. Limit raw and cold foods, which can weaken digestion during colder months.
10. Stay connected with nature, even in winter, to maintain mental and emotional balance
🌙 5 Tips for a Restful Night’s Sleep
A gentle guide to help your body unwind and reset.
1. Create a Calming Evening Ritual
A peaceful mind helps the Shen (spirit) settle. Try dimming lights, stretching, soft music, or a warm shower 60–90 minutes before bed. A consistent routine signals your body that it’s safe to relax.
2. Warm Your Feet to Support Kidney Yin
Warmth draws energy downward and quiets a busy mind. A simple warm foot soak with Epsom salt for 10–15 minutes can help your whole system settle.
3. Keep Dinner Early & Light
When digestion is working hard at night, the mind often stays active. Finishing dinner earlier and avoiding heavy, greasy, or very cold foods supports smoother sleep.
4. Make Your Bedroom a Yin‑Friendly Space
Yin energy is cool, quiet, and still — exactly what supports deep rest. Keep your room slightly cool, reduce light, and remove electronics to create a sleep‑friendly environment.
5. Use Gentle Acupressure to Calm the Mind
A few minutes of acupressure can help regulate Qi and ease tension. Helpful points include:
-
Yin Tang – calms worry
-
HT7 (Shenmen) – settles the mind
-
KD1 (Yongquan) – grounds energy
-
SP6 (Sanyinjiao) – nourishes Yin
Hold each point for 60–90 seconds with slow, steady pressure.
When to Seek Support
If you’re struggling with falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking unrefreshed, acupuncture can help restore balance so your nights feel more peaceful and your days feel more energized.
Acupuncture & Fertility
How Acupuncture Supports Fertility
Acupuncture has been used for centuries to support reproductive health and is now widely integrated with modern fertility care.
Benefits
-
Improves blood flow to the uterus & ovaries
-
Enhances ovulation & hormone balance
-
Regulates menstrual cycles
-
Supports diminished ovarian reserve / AMH
-
Reduces inflammation & pelvic congestion
-
Supports endometriosis, PCOS & thyroid-related fertility
-
Reduces stress & improves resilience
Fertility/Acupuncture Appointment Information Call 508-202-0752
Recommended Readings
Books
-
The Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis, Ph.D., MSOM
A groundbreaking alternative approach to treating infertility using traditional Chinese medicine - on its own or to optimize the latest Western- based reproductive technology. The author offers you a natural way to support your efforts to get pregnant. Dr. Lewis outlines her simple guidelines involving diet, herbs, and acupuncture so that you can make use of her experience and expertise to create a nurturing, welcoming environment for a healthy baby.
-
Between Heaven and Earth, A Guide to Chinese Medicine
Harriet Beinfield, LAc and Efrem Korngold, Lac, OMD
The promise and mystery of Chinese medicine has intrigued and fascinated Westerners ever since the “Bamboo Curtain” was lifted in the early 1970s. Now, in Between Heaven and Earth, two of the foremost American educators and healers in the Chinese medical profession demystify this centuries-old approach to health. Harriet Beinfeld and Efrem Korngold, pioneers in the practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine in the United States for over eighteen years, explain the philosophy behind Chinese medicine, how it works and what it can do.
-
Acupuncture, A Viable Medical Alternative
Marie Cargill
-
Acupuncture: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask
Gary Fleishman and Charles Stein
-
The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine
Ted Kaptchuk, OMD
-
The Tao of Healthy Eating: Dietary Wisdom According to Chinese Medicine
Bob Flaws
-
Four Paws Five Directions: A Guide to Chinese Medicine for Cats and Dogs
Cheryl Schwartz, DVM
-
Fire Child, Water Child: How Understanding the Five Types of ADHD Can Help You Improve Your Child's Self-Esteem and Attention
Stephen Cowan MD FAAP
Fire Child, Water Child is a revolutionary guide to parenting a child with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that does not rely on medication or pathologizing your child’s challenges. This method, created by pediatrician and ADHD specialist Stephen Scott Cowan, helps you identify your child’s unique focusing style―wood, fire, earth, metal, or water―and calm the stress that can contribute to your child’s ADHD symptoms.