Are You Ready to Thrive?

You did it!  You voted Thrive Acupuncture as one of Portland's Top Dog Businesses for the third year in a row!

Portland is definitely the place to be to work with wonderful pets and their truly caring owners.  I'm very lucky to get to work with both people and their pets, helping them to feel their very best!

Thanks for helping to share the word that pets can really thrive with Chinese medicine too!

Until now I haven't accepted credit cards.  The cost of just getting set up to accept them was enough of a deterrent, let alone the transaction fees.

This kept me from being able to accept many Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts payments though!  


I've now found a company that I feel comfortable working with and am accepting all credit and debit payments including HSA and FSA!

Here's to a new year of sharing the health!

Happy Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day, everyone!

Thanks to all of you who entered our contest to celebrate AOM Day!

Here are the winners, chosen randomly from contestants who provided the correct answers :

• Barb C.
• Brittany H.
• Karen L.

Congratulations you guys, and thanks to everyone who entered!

Don't forget that AOM Day is a day to learn more about Chinese medicine and maybe even give it a try!

October 24th is Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day!  In its honor, Thrive Acupuncture is offering one Free Stress Reducing or Sleep Enhancing treatment to three lucky winners!

You may be asking yourself, "How do I get in on this?"

Well, let me tell you:

Search through this blog to get the answers to these questions:

1.  According to  “Tongue Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine” (Apr 6, 2009), what are the three main things your acupuncturist is looking at?

2.  According to “Strengthen Your Spleen at Home” (Sep 21, 2009), what are three things that you can do to strengthen your Spleen without stepping foot in an acupuncturist’s office?

3.  According to “Ear Acupuncture” (May 19, 2011), what part of your body is represented by your ear lobe?

Email your answers to Becca@ThriveAcupuncture.org by midnight on October 23rd.

3 winners will be randomly chosen and notified on October 24th!

It's that simple!  So get over there, help us celebrate AOM Day and win yourself some relaxation!

(Free treatments must be used by December 31st, 2011)

You guys did such a great job helping secure second place for Thrive Acupuncture in the "Holistic Wellness Practitioner" category, and it's that time of year again!

Please go to Spot Magazine and enter "Thrive Acupuncture" under the "Holistic Wellness Practitioner" category to let Portland know who your favorite pet acupuncturist is!

And in case you had any doubts about pets enjoying their treatments, check out this video of Benny getting acupuncture for post-operative knee pain!

Ugh.

I hate mosquitoes.

I know, I know, I try to remind myself that they have their own place and purpose in this world, but I still hate the results of their feasts!

When you get a mosquito bite, rub Tiger Balm on it.  Tiger Balm is a product that is normally used for muscular injuries (too many sit-ups, ran for the first time in 2 years, etc.), but because of its "spicy" herb contents, it takes away the itch of even the worst mosquito bites!

I like to place a band-aid over the bite to keep the greasy balm from getting on everything, but also to keep me from scratching it on accident.

So the next time your arm is looking like my friend Kelly's (that's her munched-on arm above, and if you couldn't tell was the inspiration for this post!), slather on the balm and feel the sweet relief!

Here at Thrive Acupuncture, we want to make it as easy as possible to become your healthiest.  That's why we're now offering online scheduling!

Simply click the "Schedule Now" button below and be whisked away to our calendar.  Click on your desired appointment slot and get ready to thrive!

And, of course, if you're the old fashioned type or have questions to ask, feel free to continue scheduling with us by phone at (971) 285-4825!

Auricular acupuncture, acupuncture that is done in the ear, is a common system for treating almost any health complaints.  It's most known for its use in treating drug addiction, but it can be used for so much more!  Even the military is starting to use it to help ease PTSD and pain.

Auricular acupuncture is considered a microsystem.  Much like reflexology (which is also a micro-system - of the foot), the entire body is reflected in the ear.  Take a look at the picture above.  If you use your imagination, you can see the human figure.  (The picture I chose even has a skeleton superimposed to help with those of us with a little weaker imagination skills ;)  )  The ear lobe represents and treats the head, the middle ridge of the ear treats the spine and the deep part of the ear near the ear canal treats our internal organs.

I've used the ear to treat many conditions, including assisting with weight loss, addiction, quitting smoking, back pain, labor pain reduction, stress reduction, anxiety and depression.  I've even used it to help a cat with cancer who had no appetite and hadn't eaten, except when force-fed, for almost 2 weeks.  I needled his ears and within 10 minutes he was scarfing down a bowl of canned cat food!

In addition to needles, we have what are called "ear seeds."  Ear seeds can be an actual seed (often a mustard seed that has been treated so it won't sprout) or a tiny metallic ball that is placed on the point in the ear and then held in place with a tiny band-aid.  The benefit?  They're a great way to extend your treatment between appointments!  Yep - feeling stressed?  Press on your ear seeds to help even your mood.  Experiencing back pain?  Press those seeds! 

For an over all pick-me-up, feel free to massage your ears!  It may look a little silly, but you'll be having the last laugh when you're feeling reduced stress and increased energy!

Spot Magazine has tallied the votes for their Annual Top Dog Awards!

Thrive Acupuncture was voted Second Best Holistic Practitioner in Portland.  And because first place went to an animal massage practitioner, that makes Thrive Acupuncture the Top Pet Acupuncturist in Portland!

I'm super excited about the exposure this will bring, so that even more people will know that acupuncture is a great therapy for our pets, too!

Here's to happier, healthier pets and their people in 2011!

Here's the List of Spot Magazine's 2011Top Dog Businesses

Did you know that in the state of Oregon, you don't need a referral for acupuncture should you be involved in a motor-vehicle accident?  It doesn't matter who's at fault, either.

If you've been a follower of this blog, you know how helpful acupuncture can be for managing pain, so if you're ever injured in a car accident, don't hesitate to call your acupuncturist.  The sooner you seek treatment, the sooner you'll be back to your normal activities.