The Power of Nutrition

Upstate New York is abundant with fresh fruits and vegetables in the summertime. These enlivening foods are readily available at local farmer’s markets, grocery stores and in personal gardens. Many foods that are recommended to enhance overall health are also recommended to support fertility.

According to Chinese medical nutrition, foods that one needs to support fertility will foremost be based on your Chinese medical diagnosis. One needs to eat foods that help support the individual system-we can get very specific with dietary choices depending on what our diagnosis is. To support fertility in general, one should eat foods that are considered kidney tonics and blood tonics. Additionally, there are foods that are categorized as qi movers, qi tonics, blood movers, damp resolvers, etc. which are determined individually. Each of these categories points to a different set of symptoms, for example, amenorrhea versus heavy menstruation or endometriosis versus PCOS. For the sake of simplicity I will highlight a few of these nutrient rich foods that are considered blood and kidney tonics which all individuals can benefit from to support a healthy body and reproductive system.

Beets

Beets are known as a ‘blood tonic’ in Chinese medicine. A blood tonic ‘builds the blood’ and is typically high in fiber, minerals, possibly iron as well as other nutrients essential for the oxygenation of blood. Raw beets can be grated on salads and sandwiches, cooked in soups, sauteed, steamed or roasted. Beets contain significant amounts of potassium, fiber, and folate.

Dark Leafy Greens

The dark leafy greens include: spinach, swiss chard, arugula, mesclun greens, collard, kale, and red/green lettuce. These vegetables have significant amounts of vitamins, A, C and K. Spinach is high in folate while swiss chard is a great source of iron and, like kale, fiber. Kale is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Dark leafy greens are best consumed after they have been lightly steamed, sauteed or cooked in soups.

Berries

Raspberries, blackberries and blueberries can be found in your own back yard, nature trails and even along the side of the road. These fruits flourish during the summer. According to Chinese medicine berries are kidney tonics. They nourish the fundamental source of our reproductive components: egg, sperm, and overall vitality. They contain significant levels of flavonoids whose antioxidant natures are known for anti-tumor and cardiovascular benefits.

To determine your Chinese medical diagnosis and which additional foods may benefit you, please consult with one of our Licensed Acupuncturists below.

ALBANY
Phone 518-724-5750
Rebecca Rice M.S., L.Ac. email rrice@cnyhealingarts.com
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SYRACUSE
Phone 315.671.5755
Donald Clarke, L.Ac. email dclarke@cnyhealingarts.com

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ROCHESTER
Phone 585.244.1280
Shelley Szymko-Carroll, L.Ac. email sszymko-carroll@cnyhealingarts.com

Acupuncture: Calm, De-stress, Lighten the Load

While I was visiting a friend today I noticed a picture she had on her wall by Diego Rivera. In it a man was hunched down, what was seen of his face looked like he was strained by the normalcy of work; he was carrying a large basket of beautiful white lilies on his back.  From this painting I gathered a metaphor of life having that same sense of burden.  At times something so inherently beautiful can seem like a heavy load.  This is a perfectly normal and human experience. Fortunately there are many tools available to ease the burdens, some of which are created by our stagnant thoughts and emotions and some through illness.

One of the tools available at CNY Healing Arts is acupuncture.  One of the benefits of acupuncture is its ability to create space for the client.  When life is overwhelming acupuncture can be a valuable treatment option.  It calms the mind and eases the stress we feel in the body.  The treatments allow you to release the sense of angst, fear and despair.

Along with easing the discomforts generated by stress and difficulty, acupuncture provides many physiological benefits.  The stimulation of acupuncture points has been shown to regulate blood circulation, which aids in the recovery from injury, chronic pain, surgery, and provides more efficient blood flow to the ovaries and uterus.

Supported by studies, acupuncture has been shown to regulate the hormones including FSH, LH, estrogen and testosterone.  A review of research from 1970 to 2009 advocated the use of acupuncture for PCOS on the grounds that it can increase blood flow to the reproductive organs, reduce ovarian cysts, increase insulin sensitivity, decrease blood glucose and insulin levels, and reduce cortisol and assist in weight loss.

Science is demonstrating that acupuncture, like life, is full of possibility.

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Rebecca Rice M.S., L.Ac.
Acupuncturist at CNY Healing Arts Center, Latham, NY
Email me at rrice@cnyhealingarts.com
518.724.5750

We’re Here to Assist You on Your Path to Better Health

In Latham, New York, members of the community are taking advantage of the services offered at CNY Healing Arts, a center for healing and wellness.  Patients appreciate the variety of services available which include acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, skin care and nail care.

CNY Healing Arts was added to the CNY Fertility building in the fall of 2008 to serve our patients, giving them the opportunity to explore options for advanced fertility support and relaxation.  The space has since grown to extend its services to non-fertility patients in the Capital Region.

As a practitioner of Chinese medicine I have enjoyed treating patients in this truly peaceful facility.  There is ample space for pause and rejuvenation at CNY Healing Arts-which provides the perfect opportunity for the rest and recovery needed in the midst of healing, rehabilitation, or relaxation.

It’s a pleasure treating the different types of patients that utilize the services.  Patients use acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of infertility, menstrual irregularities and pain, musculoskeletal pain, stress, digestive discomfort, and overall wellness.  Our Licensed Acupuncturists are established practitioners in their field, each providing his or her own depth of knowledge and clinical experience for our patient’s individual health goals.
Our Massage Therapists offer pre and post natal massage, Swedish massage, reflexology, neuromuscular, myofascial, deep tissue and sports massage.  Our Licensed Massage Therapists are both thorough and sensitive to the needs of each client, receiving excellent reviews.

The spa services include pedicures and manicures, skin care and facials, which are given by the hands of very talented and knowledgeable practitioners.

CNY Healing Arts was established with the intention of providing high quality services to CNY Fertility patients.  It has proven to be a valuable resource to the community as well, reaching beyond to include a wide range of services meeting a wide range of client needs.  It’s our pleasure to assist you on your path to better health, stop in for a visit or tour anytime.

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Rebecca Rice M.S., L.Ac.
Acupuncturist at CNY Healing Arts Center, Latham, NY
Email me at rrice@cnyhealingarts.com
518.724.5750

Chinese Medicine Treats the Root

Chinese medicine is often viewed as a novel field of medicine.  Naturally, people often have questions, the most common one being, “how does it work?”  This question always brings to attention one of the fundamental goals of Chinese medicine, that is, to treat the root.  By treating the root, the reason why there is disease or imbalance is defined.

In Chinese medicine we are looking for the root cause of the imbalance through methods that are new to the conventional perspective of diagnosis.  We are accustomed to diagnosing through blood tests, MRI, CT scan, EEG, ECG, etc.  In Chinese medicine tongue and pulse evaluation are the prime diagnostic methods.  These diagnostic tools have been utilized and expanded over the past few thousand years of clinical practice.  We look at the tongue to examine its shape, color, size, geography, edges, coat, and blood vessels underneath.  We also examine the radial pulses to determine which organs and meridians need to be addressed in treatment using acupuncture, herbs, and acupressure.

There is a resonance of each organ on the pulse.  There is also a resonance of the patient’s constitution, or general state of health, on the pulse.  This resonance is felt by the Acupuncturist who describes it with terms like choppy, tense, slippery, inflated, soft, etc.  By understanding the nature of the imbalances occurring in the body, and with respect to the patient’s health goals, the corresponding acupuncture and herbal formulas are applied to the patients’ treatment protocol.

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Rebecca Rice M.S., L.Ac.
Acupuncturist at CNY Healing Arts Center, Latham, NY
Email me at rrice@cnyhealingarts.com