Why your Thyroid Test could be Wrong

When one of our patients comes in needing help with fatigue one of the first things we look at is the tongue.  Scalloped edges indicate what we, in Chinese medicine would call “spleen chi deficiency” or a lack of energy in the body. 

Interestingly enough, a scalloped edged tongue is also a mark of an underactive thyroid.  Fatigue is one of the hallmarks of hypothyroidism, so is “foggy brain”, constipation, feeling cold often, dry hair and skin, heavy periods, etc.  If some of those symptoms seem all too familiar, but you’ve gotten a thyroid test and it came back normal, you were probably confused by the results.

What your doctor may not have told you is that thyroid hormone blood testing is often inaccurate.  The reason that is, is because several factors can throw off the results, obesity, aging, stress, chronic fatigue, diabetes, etc. 

And even if you have the right amount of thyroid hormones circulating in your blood your body might not be responding to them.  So even though your thyroid hormones look great on paper, you could still be functionally deficient. 

Looking at thyroid diseases from an Eastern medical perspective, our patient’s signs and symptoms determine diagnosis.  Or in other words, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck.  We say it’s a duck, and treat it as such!

Because Chinese medicine is the original functional medicine, we understand that the hormones in the body are most delicately balanced.  They can be thrown off by stress, environmental chemicals, aging, diet, and other factors. One hormone imbalance, such as cortisol deficiency can quickly become another one, like hypothyroidism. Chameleon like, hormones even turn into one another, progesterone becomes cortisol, DHEA becomes testosterone, etc.  So treating hormones is never as simple as replacing deficient ones.  The whole picture of how each hormone is functioning and affecting the others must be examined. 

If you’re feeling like “something just isn’t right” and you need some help getting back on track give us a call at Blue Jean Acupuncture.  We will start you off with an extensive hormone health questionnaire, look at your tongue, pulse, and health history and we will go from there.  Acupuncture and medical herbs restore natural balance to your hormones so that you can start feeling like you again.

Men, Not feeling like Yourself Lately? This may be why.

If you’re experiencing the following symptoms, you might have low testosterone.

1.     Low libido

2.    Difficulty getting erections

3.    Fatigue

4.    Muscle loss

5.    Gaining body fat

6.    Loss of body and head hair

7.    Depression

None of that sounds like much fun. But the good news is that these are not just “normal” symptoms of aging.  When your body is in balance you can feel, and perform the way you did when you were younger. 

In Chinese medical theory testosterone production falls under the “Kidney” system.  And just as a side note, the names of the systems in Chinese medicine are not to be taken literally.  They are named after organs, but actually describe a series of functions.  

Sexuality, and hormone function fall under the Kidney system, and as such there are generally there are 2 basic types of testosterone deficiency.  One is a “hot” type called Kidney Yin deficiency.  If you have this type of deficiency you might feel “tired but wired.”  You’re anxious and a bit restless, but tired at the same time.  You might have hot hands and feet, and have trouble sleeping. 

The second type of deficiency is a “cold type” called Kidney Yang deficiency.  If this is you, you will generally feel very tired, get cold easily, may have a sore back or poor appetite.  This is a more serious type of deficiency than Kidney Yin deficiency.  It means the problem is more chronic and you’ve had it for longer.

But whichever type of testosterone deficiency you have, acupuncture and Chinese medical herbs have a long history of helping men increase their testosterone. So if you want to feel as good as you used to give us a call at Blue Jean Acupuncture.  We can help you get there. 

Acupuncture for Weight Loss, Yes Really.

If you are like most people in America trying to lose weight, you’ve tried every diet, exercise program, and supplement on the market.  But the likelihood is that you are still struggling with the weight.

The question you have in your mind is, I’ve tried everything else, can acupuncture work?  The answer is yes, but it is important to understand that it is not a magic bullet.  You still have to make lifestyle changes, and dietary changes to lose that weight and keep it off.  But once you make that decision to step forward and really dedicate yourself to being the best version of you that you know you can be, then come see us.  This is the turning point, the point at which dynamic change can happen.  We will work with you on building a customized plan for a new healthy lifestyle.  We will help you choose exercise, and a diet that works with your life, and your tastes.

How can acupuncture help?  Consider it like the training wheels on your bicycle when you were first learning how to ride.  Acupuncture will regulate your metabolism, and hormone activity to make it easier for your body to shed that weight once you have the momentum going.  Acupuncture will also help calm your appetite, and stress levels as you adjust to changes in your diet, so that you don’t get “thrown off your bicycle.” 

In the paradigm of Eastern medicine we work off of the idea that there are usually multiple causes for the same imbalance or disease.  For some, psychological stress could be the source of overeating.  For others weight gain could be due to menopause.  Still others could be struggling with metabolic fatigue.  The strength of acupuncture and Eastern medicine is that it recognizes and targets the root cause of the problem for YOU.    Acupuncture is the original "functional medicine" so your acupuncture treatment will always be customized to be the most effective for you and your specific condition.   If you would like to know more please give us a call and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.

Sciatica, an Unnerving Problem

If you’ve ever had sciatica you know it can be quite an “unnerving” problem.  The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in your body.  It’s approximately as thick around as your thumb, running from your lower back down to your feet.  So when something is pinching or blocking that nerve, that can cause a whole lot of pain.

Disc herniations, arthritis, bone spurs, pulled muscles, spinal stenosis, and pregnancy are just some of the ways that sciatica can start.  At Blue Jean Acupuncture we have treated every version of sciatica in hundreds of different patients.  It is one of our most commonly treated symptoms. Most of our sciatica patients have treatments with us, and leave feeling noticeably better after even their first session.

Even the World Health Organization recognizes and lists acupuncture as one of the best treatments for this condition. How does it help?  Acupuncture significantly boosts circulation to the injured area, increases endorphin production, reduces swelling, and relaxes muscle tissue, all contributing to reduction of pain.  And unlike pain killers, acupuncture treatment actually heals as it reduces your pain vs. just covering up the pain. 

Another strength of the Chinese medical system is that we look beyond just treating the point of pain itself and also investigate any underlying factors which may be contributing to the pain, or are inhibiting healing.  If your body is energy deficient, or has weak blood, has poor circulation, or poor energy, internalized dampness or mucous from eating the wrong foods, internalized coldness or heat, constitutional weakness, those are all issues that can cause pain or keep you from healing.  We practice a holistic medicine and therefore recognize that many different factors influence the outcome of treatments for pain.  We treat your body as a whole system to help you get naturally sustained pain relief.

Will Insurance Cover Acupuncture?

One of the questions we get most frequently at Blue Jean Acupuncture, is “Does insurance cover acupuncture?”  Back in the dark ages, when acupuncture was considered some kind of exotic voo-doo, acupuncture was not covered.  However, in the past few decades people in the west have discovered its amazing benefits. 

Insurance companies have realized that acupuncture is able to treat injuries and diseases as effectively as western medicine. But acupuncture treatments can be had at a fraction of the cost of western medicine.  So it’s no wonder insurance companies are covering eastern medicine.

You can even use your FSA card to pay for acupuncture.  That’s a further savings for you because you can use pre-tax dollars to pay for your health care.  It’s like getting 20-30% off the cost of care.

In most cases, even car insurance will pay for acupuncture.  At Blue Jean Acupuncture, we often treat people who have been in car accidents.  They get better faster with acupuncture care, and they don’t have to pay out of pocket for their visits! 

In our experience, the majority of health and car insurance plans do offer acupuncture coverage.  So if you’re unsure if you get coverage for treatment just give us a call and we would be happy to help you find out what your plan will cover. 626 441-1888

Do Emotions Affect the Body?

In a word, YES.  Your emotions can and do have a hugely significant effect on your body.  It’s not difficult to grasp the concept of the mind/body connection if you can imagine yourself in some type of scenario where you might be very nervous. 

Take for instance, speaking in public.  Imagine that you have a phobia of public speaking and you are about to make a speech in front of thousands of people.  So there you are, ready to step out onto the stage.  What types of changes would you expect in your body?

You would expect to feel your heart racing, hands sweating, throat closing, shortness of breath, etc.  Now it’s important to note that none of these changes in your body are “in your head.”  If you happened to have a doctor next to you, they could objectively measure those differences in your heart beat, perspiration, etc.   Interesting isn’t it?  Your body will make real world changes to itself based solely on an emotion.

The ancient Chinese recognized that different emotions will specifically damage certain organ systems in the body.  Anger/stress will damage the liver system.  Sadness will damage the lung system.  Fear will damage the kidney system.  Worry will damage the stomach/spleen system.  And overexcitement will damage the heart system. 

Although some of the effects of these emotions may not be as obvious or pronounced as what would happen to your body if you were about to make a speech in front of thousands of people, they are still happening.  Unlike clouds that pass overhead and once gone are gone, emotions leave an imprint on your body, especially any sustained damaging emotion.  That is why it is extremely important to take care of your emotional body as well as your physical body.

Acupuncture was one of the first systems of medicine in the world to recognize the mind/body connection.  It’s extremely effective in balancing the emotions, treating and preventing the negative effects of emotional distress.  It is even used today for military vets to mitigate PTSD.  And acupuncturists volunteer with disaster relief organizations to help people deal with trauma. 

In turbulent times it’s more important than ever to practice self care.  In support of that, at Blue Jean Acupuncture we are offering a la carte treatments where we focus exclusively on emotional balance.  These are shorter, less expensive treatments than our regular treatments.  To find out more please give us a call at 626 441 1888.