Acupuncture & Massage in Elk Grove Village IL

I tell my massage students on their first day of Swedish Massage that the skin is our largest organ. Anything that goes on the skin, eventually makes its way to the rest of the body. This is why I teach Swedish massage using olive oil. My teacher once told me use anything on the skin that you would feel comfortable using in a salad.



I personally have sensitive skin. I break out pretty easily. When I get massages I'm very careful about what oils or creams the therapist uses, if I'm not, I'll break out pretty immediately. Coconut oil is my favorite. Its solid at room temperature and melts in my hands. It works great as a massage oil and even better as a body lotion. The scent reminds me of the beach which is helpful on cold windy Chicago winter days. A little goes a long, long way and keeps my skin feeling smooth all day. I've even read it can help with stretch marks. The upside? Its not expensive and it doesn't go rancid as quickly as other oils. Its one of the few that is just fine not refrigerated. Its also a great cooking oil since all the hype about not cooking with olive oil. Tropical Traditions is dedicated to coconut oil where you can order great quality coconut oil and learn more about its benefits and uses. When I can't wait for an order I head over to Fruitful Yields they have several brands that are great as well.



My sensitive skin carries over into another sensitive topic: Deodorant. For as long as I can remember I haven't been able to use one stick of deodorant every day. My body is no match for its chemicals I suppose and within 3 days it no longer works. I've tried just about every brand, I've tried switching on and off between 3 different sticks so my body couldn't keep up. I've done deodorant on one day and off the next. Nothing has helped. I started poking around the Internet to see what other people have done and found some really great remedies. Baking Soda works like a charm. There is a reason why we leave a box in the fridge. It does the same great job for the under arms. I keep a box in the bathroom and use half a teaspoon and pat on like baby powder until all the white is absorbed. It can be a little messy as you find your groove but it works great. The upside? Baking Soda runs under $1 for a box and its package is cardboard which is better for the environment than those plastic sticks. I've also read in several places corn starch helps with sweating. I haven't given that one a try yet because that doesn't seem to be an issue for me.

The energy of the heart is responsible for circulating the blood. When the heart qi is strong the complexion is rosy. The heart also houses the mind which means controlling both the outward appearance of vital activities of the entire body as well as consciousness in terms of spirit and mental activities. Because of this, the heart governs the memory as well as sleep. It is also said that the heart opens to the tongue. When the heart qi becomes imbalanced or depleted one might experience trouble finding words or becoming tongue-tied due to this connection.

The Heart/Small Intestine System also relates to:

Emotion: Joy

Taste: Bitter

Pathogen: Heat

Color: Red

Season: Summer

A few weeks ago we talked about the spleen and worry. The heart system is damaged with over stimulation. This can be easy to do in our high tech, fast paced world. There is the old adage, "all work and no play...." All play and no work can be just as damaging. Even if you enjoy the work you are doing, if all you are doing 24/7 is work this will eventually catch up with your heart and manifest in ways of insomnia, memory loss, restlessness, and other abnormal mental activities. Balance is key so that you can be the best at your job when you're working and the best at play with you're playing. Think about the guy at the office always working that finally "cracks." The heart can also be easily affected by heat and you might see this manifested on someone who has a bright red face, dry mouth or mouth sores.

Nourish your Heart:

Eat red foods especially watermelon that has a cooling affect on the body. Think strawberries, red peppers, radishes, and beets.

Bitter greens like dandelion greens, kohlrabi and collard greens are great additions to your diet to help the heart and cleanse the blood.

Laughter is the best medicine! Laugh and learn to be playful if you tend to be too serious.

To learn more about the heart and building your heart energy check back next week to learn about the heart, summer time and seasonal depression.

Taking a time out on stress this week to talk about last week's Community Acupuncture May Day Celebration.

Whole Health Acupuncture participated in the 8th annual May Day event alongside community acupuncture clinics across the country. On Saturday May 1st from 9a-4p patients received free acupuncture sessions. Over 55 people received the benefits of acupuncture that day in our clinic alone.

I'd like to clarify a few points about what makes community acupuncture different as well as address some common concerns patients have before starting treatment.

We offer community acupuncture to make acupuncture more accessable for everyone.

We don't determine what patients pay because we don't know individuals circumstances. Our experience has shown us that acupuncture is most effective when done over a period of time consistently. A major road block to many patients' success with acupuncture is stopping treatment due to financial strain. Only you know your budget. The scale is there for your benefit so that completing a course of treatment is reasonable. You can not underpay for your session. It does not offend us if you pay $15 or $27 or $41 for your session. Anywhere between $15-50 is just right, make sure its right for you. It doesn't hurt our feelings if your circumstances change and you choose to pay less for treatment then when you started, or more for that matter. First and foremost, we want you to get better and stay better. We don't want you to stay at home because your worried about how much to pay.

Patients are concerned with our ability to earn a living while offering such low cost treatment. We make up for this by offering acupuncture in a community setting. This means that 2-3 people rest in a room at the same time. This isn't a compromise for us. Instead we find that we are able to treat friends and family and they can share the space together. As a family or as friends they have support to make healthy choices or reassure one another if someone is nervous on their first visit. Patients that come alone also have the chance to make new friends in the environment. The big bonus for us is that we are able to treat more people. That's why we studied acupuncture, we wanted to help people feel better.

People ask why they get so relaxed during an acupuncture treatment. Your body heals each night when you sleep. Acupuncture brings the body into a relaxed state so that it can repair any imbalances. This is also why we let people rest for as long as they need to. Most people find that their body settles into a place of resting or relaxing and then at some point they feel more alert, refreshed or energized. This is a signal that their treatment is over. Some patients rest for 20-30 minutes, other rest longer. Occasionally a patient will rest for a few hours. We check in before a treatment starts to make sure you don't have anywhere you need to be. If you do we make sure to watch the clock so that you're out on time.

Often times patients will tell us they feel better as soon as they walk in the door. There are many reasons for this. We diffuse therapeutic grade essential oils, keep the lighting low and music soft to create a calmer atmosphere. The biggest reason we feel is the amount of people that have received acupuncture in the office that has helped build a calmer space. We all have times in our lives where we need a safe place to go. That is the biggest intention of Whole Health Acupuncture is that it is a place to go when there is no where else to go, a place to take a deep breath, to be quiet for a moment, to take a nap, to get recharged.

If you do not live in the Chicagoland area visit Community Acupuncture Network to find community acupuncture clinics close by you.

According to the AMTA there is nothing that ages our organs faster (your skin is your largest organ) then stress. We talk about being "stressed out" just about everyday in our culture but what exactly does this mean?

For starters, stress isn't always a bad thing; it can keep us motivated. Stress becomes an issue when we don't manage it correctly.

Think of a time in your life that was difficult or stressful. As you are thinking about this memory notice your body. Has your breathing or heart rate changed? How about your posture? Have you slumped forward or noticed clenching in your jaw or fists? Perhaps you feel a ball of tension growing in your shoulders.

Now, think back to a time when all was right in your world. As you bring this memory to the forefront of you mind you might notice a softening in your body and perhaps a light smile on your face. You might feel your breath slow down as well.

The truth is, is that we live stress filled lives and not every moment can be as peace-filled as the last. The problem is that most of us don't utilize the necessary tools to manage this stress.


THe Mayo Clinic lists several effects of stress on the physcial body, thoughts, and behaviors including: pain, high blood pressure, decreased immunity, anxiety, lack of focus, forgetfullness, anger, crying spells and relationship conflict. These effects are the body's way of giving signals that there is disharmony.

How can acupuncture help?

Most people are pleasantly surprised when they find that acupuncture makes the body feel relaxed. Your body heals itself each night when you sleep. Receiving acupuncture on a regular basis is like taking a time out in the middle of a stress filled time aka "life" to harmonize.

Patients at Whole Health Acupuncture report feeling lighter in their bodies and clearer in their minds after an acupuncture session. We often hear, "I feel relaxed and energize at the same time." or "Things that used to really bother me no longer do."

There is an old saying, "if you want to live a long life, do nothing." It sounds counterproductive to the values we place on instant gratification but it might be the very thing missing.

Check back next week as we go through the organ systems of Chinese Medicine and how stress causes disharmony from an eastern perspective.