Featured Tonic of the Month for September: Sweet Blood

Sweet Blood is a tonic used for PCOS, fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, borderline or Type 2 diabetes, low appetite and fatigue. Research has been conducted on this bark at Kew Gardens in London, England with positive results with Type 2 diabetes.  Many anti-diabetic medications are used with PCOS clients as well.

In rare cases, individuals with diabetes feel upset for a period of 24 hours while taking this tonic.  Experience has shown that those with this side effect benefit the most from this tonic and should be encouraged to continue.  Sweet Blood is ineffective for Type 1 diabetes.  Blood sugar testing is mandatory and should be used in conjunction with
your health care provider’s recommendations.

This tonic is contraindicated for pregnancy and breast feeding.

There are other specific instructions on the dosage of this tonic so please speak to a Maya Abdominal Therapy practitioner before using this tonic.

Sweet Blood Tonic is 10% off for the month of September. Please contact a Maya Abdominal Therapy practitioner at any of our CNY Healing Arts locations for further information.

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Erika Lutwin, LMT
CNY Healing Arts Center, Syracuse
191 Intrepid Lane, Syracuse, NY 13205
315.671.5755
elutwin@cnyhealingarts.com

Video: Herbal Formula for Male Vitality-Support Male Formula

Hi!  I’m Donald Clarke, and I’m an acupuncturist here at CNY Healing Arts.  I wanted to speak a little bit about an herb formula that’s called Support Male Formula.  This formula is designed to keep the sexual energy alive and keep your momentum and stamina going.  The formula that helps create more fluid and gives you the strength to keep you a stronger arc, and also gives you the strength that you need to continue to perform sexually.  As every man knows, trying to have children or trying to give samples can be exhausting.  As we go into it further and further, sometimes there’s less and less sample to work with.  This formula really, really, really increases the amount of sperm, the quality of sperm, the amount of fluid or the amount of ejaculate.  One of the wonderful side effects to the formula itself is that it helps slow or prevent premature ejaculation.  It will strengthen a person’s core vitality and give them the sexual vital essence that they need to continue forth.  Thank you.

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Donald Clarke, L.Ac.
CNY Healing Arts – Syracuse
315.671.5755
dclarke@cnyhealingarts.com

 

Video: Herbal Formula for Building Sperm Cells-Male Vital Care

Hi!  I’m Donald Clarke, and I’m an acupuncturist here at CNY Healing Arts.  I wanted to speak a little bit about a male herbal formula called Male Vital Care. This is a really important formula in that it helps build sperm cells.  The male factor that involves abnormal sperm cells, such as abnormal motility, morphology, quality, or quantity.  This formula is truth designed for those aspects specifically.  The formula should be taken 3-6 months prior to trying to conceive, if this is the obstacle that you’re facing.  It’s a safe formula; there really are no restrictions with the formula.  It’s really based in trying to increase quality, increase the morphology, and the motility of the sperm cells.  It’s a great formula.  I encourage anyone that may be struggling with the male factor to please contact us so that we can go over the formula with you.  Thank you.

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Donald Clarke, L.Ac.
CNY Healing Arts – Syracuse
315.671.5755
dclarke@cnyhealingarts.com

 

The Health Benefits of Dolphin Pose

We at CNY Healing Arts invite you to try this invigorating shoulder-opener. Dolphin Pose is a mild inversion and a great alternative for those who cannot perform Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) because of pain or discomfort in their wrists.

To perform this pose with a licensed yoga practitioner, check out our yoga class schedules for each branch of CNY Healing Arts (Syracuse, Rochester, Albany).

Getting Into Dolphin Pose:

Begin on your hands and knees. Place your forearms on the floor parallel to each other, palms down. Your elbows should be directly beneath your shoulders, knees right under your hips. Actively press your hands and forearms into the floor.

Curl your toes under then straighten your legs as if coming into Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose). If fully straightening your legs causes your back to round, keep the legs at least slightly bent. Lift your sitting bones up toward the sky as you lengthen your spine through the tailbone. Extend down through your heels and keep your shoulder blades firmed against your back.

Don’t rest your head on the floor, which will tempt you to use it as support, or allow it to hang freely. Instead, hold your head between your upper arms in direction with the V-shape of the pose. Breathe deep and slow in Dolphin Pose for 3-8 breaths, then release your knees back to the floor.

Benefits of Dolphin Pose:

• · Stretches your hamstrings, calves, and arches
• · Opens your shoulders, chest, and inner armpits
• · Strengthens your arms and legs
• · Helps regulate digestion
• · Tones your core muscles
• · Therapeutic for menopause, asthma, high blood pressure, flat feet, and sciatica
• · Relieves back ache, fatigue, stress, and mild depression
• · Helps prevent osteoporosis

Video: Herbal Forumula for Diminishing Sperm Antibodies-Male Harmony

Good afternoon, I’m Donald Clarke; I’m an acupuncturist here at CNY Healing Arts.  I wanted to talk to you a little bit about our Male Harmony Formula.  This formula is truly designed to take away the genetic male factor.  The herbs are set up specifically to prove to slow or diminish the possibilities of sperm antibodies.  The antibodies effect the sperm.  It’s a very safe formula; there are some conditions or some restrictions in which you need to follow when taking this formula.  Specifically, you need to avoid a lot of stimulants, caffeine, and too much sugar.  It’s a very safe formula, it’s very effective.  It should be taken 2-6 months ahead of time in order to get the really, truly get the desired effect on the sperm cells themselves.  It’s very safe formula—it’s called Male Harmony.

Donald Clarke, L.Ac.
CNY Healing Arts – Syracuse
315.671.5755
dclarke@cnyhealingarts.com

Video: Acupuncture for Fertility Demonstration

Hi!  My name is Lisa Stack, and I’m the CNY Fertility Support Coordinator.  Today, Donald is going to walk us through an example of acupuncture for fertility session.  Now, we will show you exactly what you can expect, so you can take a look and see what you’re in for.  If you have any questions after this, please feel free to email Donald himself or you can post a comment, and we’ll get back to you.

Donald: Good afternoon everybody.  I’m just going to take this time to give you a nice example how acupuncture would go for your first appointment or for follow-up for people who have had acupuncture, you understand how it goes and what’s involved.  For people that have yet to have it, this will be a nice introduction as to what to expect.  What I’m going to do is treat the client here for fertility issues; mainly stress reduction, as well as to build lining and increase blood flow to the ovaries.  All that is beneficial for follicular development, lining issues, and general health.  So, how are you feeling today?  Is there anything that’s troubling you?

Client:  I’m a little tense.

Donald:  You’re a little tense?  OK.  From what I remembered from the last time that we spoke, you were having some constipation issues.  That is really common with a lot of medications.  If it’s OK with you, I’d like to continue with you treating moving bowels.

Client:  Yes, sure.

Donald: Oh, that’s wonderful.  So you’ll notice that we’re going to do some points in the abdomen.  These points are geared towards moving bowels and increasing blood flow to the ovaries and to the uterus.  We’re also going to move to the brow, and to the ears.  These points help relax clients, they also slow the brain wavelengths so that your brain is functioning a little bit calmer, and the body tends to settle as well.  We’re going to do a couple points on the wrists, points here on the wrists help to open and dilate blood vessels; they also help to calm the mind, which is very good.  We’re also going to do some points down on the lower leg.  These are the points that help strengthen blood and they help strengthen and process the developing blood, OK?  Do you have any questions?

Client:  No.

Donald:  All of the needles that we use are pre-packaged and disposable.  Nothing is reused, they’re all very safe.  We use a very high quality Japanese needle.  It’s very common for people to often say that they haven’t even felt the needles go in, which is a nice aspect.  Once we start the needle manipulation that kind of determines how much you feel and how much you don’t feel.  Today, we’re going to take it easy on you—you’re very healthy.

Client:  OK.

Donald:  I’m going to step around.  Needle insertion and angle are very important in the process when treating with acupuncture.  You can stimulate a point or you can take the energy away from a point.  It truly depends on the condition.  How are you feeling?

Client:  Good.

Donald:  Good.  Now, we’re going to move to the head.  Sometimes the points up by the brow area can be used for sinuses and sinus pressure which also results in a lot of headaches.  So, often times we’ll treat patients and they’ll find that conditions that they have other than their chief complaint ease as well which is a wonderful thing, a wonderful side effect of acupuncture is stress reduction and the treatment of secondary conditions.  Are you comfortable?

Client:  Yes.

Donald:  Is there anything that I can do to make you more comfortable?

Client:  No.

Donald:  Does anything hurt?

Client:  No.

Donald:  You’re OK?  The last thing that we’re going to do is we’re going to add some heat method/heat treatment.  We use simple heat lamps.  It helps circulate blood so it’ll help keep you a little bit warmer, OK?  Now, this whole treatment will last about 30-40 minutes depending on your comfort and your time schedule.  Is there anything that I can do to make you more comfortable?

Client:  No, it’s really good.

Donald:  What I’m going to do now is I’m going to add some music.  OK?

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Donald Clarke, L.Ac.
CNY Healing Arts – Syracuse
315.671.5755
dclarke@cnyhealingarts.com

 

Maya Abdominal Massage for Tilted Uterus

Dr. Rosita Arvigo, developer of the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Massage, learned her healing methods from the great Maya Shaman of Belize, Don Elijio Panti. He believed that the center of a woman is her uterus, and if it is out of balance, so is she.

Maya Abdominal Massage aims to improve the position and vitality of your pelvic and abdominal organs. Among other benefits, the technique is renowned for correction of the prolapsed, fallen, or tilted uterus.

In normal position, a woman’s uterus is held in the center of her pelvis (leaning slightly over her bladder) by muscles, the vaginal wall, and ligaments that secure it to all sides of her pelvis. When a woman undergoes pregnancy, her uterine ligaments stretch to accommodate the growing fetus.

If these ligaments and muscles become weakened or loosened, it could cause a woman’s uterus to shift out of place – downward, forward, backward, or to either side. A uterus in any of these positions is commonly called tilted or prolapsed.

When the uterus shifts place, it can cut off the regular flow of blood and lymph fluids, as well as disrupt functioning of the nervous system. These constrictions can wreak havoc on a woman’s body, affecting her digestive and urinary tracts, reproduction, circulatory system, lymph nodes, muscular and skeletal systems, and more.

Modern medicine has little to nothing to offer these women. Options may include a birth control pill, muscle relaxants, or surgery, but there are always potential side effects to these treatments. Maya Abdominal Massage is an entirely non-invasive therapy that works to shift the uterus back into place, thereby restoring balance and health to a woman’s body and life.

This unique method of massage helps to flush out toxins and to restore the balance of nutrients that are essential for healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. It also addresses past scarring due to invasive practices like cesarean delivery and the treatment of fibroid tumors and endometriosis.

Women who have a prolapsed uterus may suffer from any of these physical or emotional effects, these being just a few:

• Depression
• Fertility complications
• Painful sexual intercourse
• Lower back or pelvic pain
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Gastritis, or Chrohn’s Disease
• Chronic constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, or heartburn
• Painful or irregular periods or ovulation
• Chronic miscarriages
• Premature deliveries
• Bladder infections or frequent urination
• Numbness in the legs and feet, especially when standing still for a while
• Endometriosis
• Uterine Polyps, Fibroids, or infections
• Vaginitis

If you are interested in learning more about Maya Massage please feel free to call our CNY Healing Arts location nearest you. We have spaces in Rochester, Syracuse and Albany, NY. Phone numbers, addresses and hours of operation can be seen here. http://www.cnyhealingarts.com/about-us/contactus/

Reiki for Athletes

Last year was my first time attending a local race. I attended as part of the CNY Healing Arts massage therapy team offering post-event massage to assist in the recovery process for the athletes. It was so rewarding for me to share my services at such an amazing community event! What surprised me was how much education I provided in addition to actual massage therapy work. So, this year, I’m excited to offer you some ideas and thoughts BEFORE your event so you have the tools you need to keep yourself healthy and performing at your best! Today I would like to introduce you to the health benefits of incorporating Reiki into your routine.

What is Reiki?

For those of you who are not familiar with Reiki, it is a natural method of healing that brings alignment, balance, health and well-being to the recipient’s body. Due to the supportive nature of Reiki, it is a wonderful complement to anything you are already choosing as part of your self-care or medical care. Reiki practice releases energetic blockages, tension, and toxins from the body and is deeply restorative. It looks a lot like massage but is not the same. Instead of manipulating the muscles, it fosters healing that encompasses the mind, body and soul. Reiki is completely safe and has no known negative side-effects. From a scientific point of view, Reiki produces results on an electromagnetic level. From recent research, it appears Reiki acts to electromagnetically ‘jump-start’ the body’s own healing process by producing changes in vibrational frequency that, in turn, stimulate physical changes in the body.

How does Reiki Support Athletic Performance?

The health benefits of Reiki are becoming more recognized every day, and its popularity is growing, due successful integration into hospitals and other health care organizations, due to people sharing word of mouth success stories and because of recognition in the media, such as being featured on “The Dr. Oz” show.

For athletes, Reiki is supportive as a training aid, as a way to heal from new or old injuries, and as a way to improve the time for post-workout/event recovery. It is also a great tool to help boost the level of your overall performance! Here is a detailed list of ways Reiki may support you:

• Reiki can help prevent severe injury
• Reiki improves concentration and focus, creating a centered mind
• Reiki relieves muscle soreness and stiffness
• Reiki improves post-workout recovery, speeding up the healing of old and new injuries
• Reiki can reduce the healing time of injury and makes the healing process more comfortable
• Reiki supports athletes to be calm, secure & focused in the face of stress
• Reiki supports a positive mental outlook, creating a winning mind
• Reiki supports “refueling your gas tank” to relieve fatigue and to re-energize

 

Treatment – What to Expect

During the session, the person being treated is fully clothed and lies comfortably on a massage table with a pillow or bolster under his/her knees to protect the low back from undue stress. Blankets and extra pillows are always available to increase comfort and warmth if need be. The session begins with the recipient lying face up while the practitioner places his/her hands over strategic body positions designed to direct the flow of energy to the chakras and associated organ and endocrine systems of the body. Halfway through the hour, the person receiving Reiki turns face down, and the session continues.

A Reiki session lasts from one hour to one and a half hours in length. The area in which the session is offered is arranged to promote a feeling of relaxation and peace. It is normally quiet with only the addition of soft music. The person receiving can focus on themselves, going deep within, and take a break from daily stress and tension.

Falling asleep or entering a deep meditative state of mind is a normal response to receiving Reiki. This can be an indicator of a number of different factors. Most of us do not get enough rest, and the act of lying down–even for short periods of time–can prompt a state of deep relaxation. Add to that a constant flow of healing energy, and the stage is set for the body to go into a restorative mode.

Once the session is complete, the person receiving is invited to take a few minutes to integrate and absorb the work before beginning to sit up. It is common to experience a deep sense of peace and relaxation followed by a feeling of being energized. At least an hour of free time is recommended following the appointment to allow for a gradual reentry to the world. Eating a healthy meal, taking a leisurely walk, or sitting quietly are activities which often serve as a good transition to resuming whatever is planned for the rest of the day.

If you would like to explore reiki and the healing that it can offer, we welcome you to visit our website to learn more: http://cnyhealingarts.com, we have locations in Syracuse, Albany and Rochester, NY.

By Erin McCollough, LMT, RYT, Reiki Practitioner
2244 East Ave, Rochester, NY
585.244.1280
emccollough@cnyhealingarts.com

The Health Benefits of The Health Benefits of Tolasana (Scale Pose)

This pose is not recommended for yogis who are not able to comfortably perform Padmasana (Lotus Pose). If you have a shoulder, wrist, ankle, or knee injury, be cautious before entering into this asana.

If you are a beginning yogi and find Tolasana difficult to perform, try starting in Ardha Padmasana (Half Lotus Pose) before raising yourself. In this way, your bottom foot will rest under the top thigh while the top leg is in regular Lotus.

To try this pose with a licensed yoga practitioner, check out our yoga class schedules for each branch of CNY Healing Arts (Syracuse, Rochester, Albany).

Getting Into Scale Pose:

Begin in Padmasana (Lotus Pose). Place your palms on the floor beside your hips. Press your hands against the floor, slowly activating your arms and abdomen as you lift your legs and buttocks upward and off the floor.

Your legs should still be positioned in Padmasana. Your torso should be vertical with your head and neck relaxed, softly gazing forward. If you want to raise yourself higher, you can place each hand on a yoga block before lifting.

Hold yourself in suspension for 2-5 deep, slow breaths. Then, lower your legs and buttocks back to the floor, uncross your legs, perform Padmasana with the opposite leg on top, and repeat Tolasana for the same number of breaths.

Benefits of Scale Pose:

• · Strengthens your arms and wrists
• · Tones your abdominal muscles
• · Stimulates your abdominal organs
• · Improves your sense of balance
• · Calms your mind

The Health Benefits of Krounchasana (Heron Pose)

We encourage you to further your knowledge and understanding of yoga by educating yourself right here! This is a great pose for stiff hamstrings, but, as with most asanas, it should be practiced with caution to avoid straining any muscles.

If you are not able to completely straighten the raised leg when in Krounchasana, place a strap or belt around the sole of the foot before you try to raise the leg. Hold the strap on both sides as close to the foot as possible when extending the leg. Be sure to keep your pelvis aligned with your sit bones throughout this pose.

Getting Into Heron Pose:

Begin in Dandasana (Staff Pose). Position your left leg in Virasana (Hero Pose) – your left foot should point in line with your same side shin, placed slightly outside the hip with the top of the foot flat on the floor. Keep your knees together with your weight distributed evenly on your sit bones.

Bend your right knee and place the foot flat on the floor, just in front of your right sit bone. Now, reach your right arm around the inside of your right leg, cross the hand in front of the ankle, and hold on to the outside of the foot. Then, grasp the inside of that same foot (the right one) with your left hand.

Lean back slightly, keeping your spine straight, torso long, shoulder blades activated, and chest up and open. Lift and straighten your right leg by bringing the foot up. When straight, your right foot should reach as high or slightly higher than your head, but you can bring it as close to your torso as is comfortable.

Hold Krounchasana for at least 30 seconds, breathing slow and deep. Keep your weight evenly balanced on your sit bones. Release and repeat with legs reversed for the same number of breaths.

Benefits of Heron Pose:

• · Stretches your back, hips, and hamstrings
• · Stimulates your heart and abdominal organs
• · Therapeutic for flat feet and persistent gas (flatulence)