Eczema is a skin condition that affects an estimated 1 in 18 people in the US.   It consists of redness, dryness or weepiness and extremely itchy patches of skin.  The itching can be so intense that some people find themselves scratching at the sores in their sleep!  Because of all of this scratching, many people experience skin thickening and scarring, which can be a source of embarrassment.

Unfortunately, biomedicine doesn't always have a good answer for treating eczema, and many people find that treatments don't work for very long.

A skilled acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist will be able to create a personalized treatment plan that will lead you on the path to stopping the itching and healing your skin from the inside out.  This process can take some time, but it is possible to have clear, healthy skin!

Here are some things you can do at home, in addition to working with an acupuncturist who specializes in dermatology, to help heal your skin:

• Take a probiotic - an unhealthy balance of gut bacteria can contribute to eczema.
• Take omega 3 fatty acids - omega 3 fatty acids help break the inflammation cycle
• Do an elimination diet to learn what (if any) foods you may be sensitive to.  If you're constantly eating something that is irritating to your gut, it'll show up in your skin.

If you're in the Portland area, feel free to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me to discuss the possibility of Chinese medicine working to treat your eczema!

Woohoo!  Thrive Acupuncture has been voted one of Portland's Top Dog Businesses again!  That makes the third year in a row, you guys!

Thanks to everyone who helped let Spot Magazine know that Portland loves Thrive Acupuncture and Thrive loves working with pets!

I'm super excited to announce that I am now a member of the Supportland Network!

Supportland is a network of Portland-area businesses that offers rewards for shopping locally.

The benefits are two-fold:

First - Every time you visit Thrive Acupuncture for a treatment you'll receive a "punch" (it's really just stored in the computer). When you get to 7 punches, you get one treatment free!  

Second - Whenever you make a purchase from a business in the Supportland network, you get points added to your account.  You get 20 points when you visit a business the first time and 5 points whenever you re-visit them.  You can then use these points to "purchase" awesome rewards!  You can get a free massage! Or a skein of yarn! Or a free cup of tea!  

The more you shop locally, the more points you gain and the more fun you can have!

Go check out supportland.com and see what kinds of goodies are waiting for you!

Children (and their parents!) love Chinese medicine! 

In children, we use a massage technique called Pediatric Tuina (pronounced twee-NAH). Different areas of the baby's hands, feet, back, tummy or face are massaged to help ease the symptoms they are experiencing and to treat the underlying cause of the disease.

While needles CAN be used in children, I find that these simple massages are as effective (and less invasive - I always go for the least invasive treatment!).  In addition, parents can be taught the massage routines to be done at home!

We can also use Chinese herbal formulas to help our babies and children feel better soon!

So, what sorts of health problems in children can be treated with Chinese medicine? 

• Colds and Flus
• Colic
• Digestive upsets
• Teething
• Eczema
• Asthma
• ADD/ADHD

Tuina Massage and Chinese herbs can usually be used in conjunction with biomedical treatments, but always discuss with your acupuncturist and doctor as to the appropriateness of these treatments for your child and their health problem.

When my girls (ages 3 and 5) start feeling like they're getting colds, they ask me for their herbs.  Yep, both girls are able to take teapills, though tinctures could work just as well for children who are unable to swallow pills.

When my sister's newest arrival suffered from extreme colic, we found that some simple massage techniques combined with herbs (in tincture form this time) made all the difference in the world for her!

Children respond very easily to Chinese medicine.  They don't have the years of imbalance that we adults do that is behind their illnesses.  There's less to sort out!

If your children suffer from some of the symptoms above, consider Chinese medicine  - as any parent knows, the whole family will rest easier when everyone's feeling their best!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and in western ideology, the heart is king of love.  But in Chinese medicine, the Kidney plays a huge role in addition to the heart!  I've seen a LOT of great articles around the last few days on just this topic, here are a few :

• Jennifer Dubowsky of Acupuncture Blog Chicago - How to Boost Your Kidney Qi for Valentine's Day
• If you want to boost your Kidney Qi using nutritional therapy, this recipe from Healing With Whole Foods looks AMAZING!
• If a massage is right up your alley, then this article by Sara Calabro of AcuTake will be a perfect match!

Regardless of whether you have a valentine in your life, it's important to keep your Kidney Qi strong and healthy!  

Happy Valentine's Day!

February 10th will be the beginning of the Chinese New Year of the Water Snake!  I'm not well-versed in Chinese astrology, but according to Stephanie Dempsey on Tarot.com,


February 10, 2013 marks the Chinese New Year, kicking off the Year of the Black Water Snake in Chinese Astrology. Snake years tend to bring unexpected transformations to our lives. Yet while there may not be many outward manifestations of change, there will be plenty of activity beneath the surface. Behind-the-scenes talks, secret negotiations, and clandestine activity will characterize this Chinese year ... things are not what they seem in a Snake year.

There's much more to read about the coming year in general, but you can also get a horoscope specific to the sign you were born under!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Thanksgiving is a time of gathering with friends and family to celebrate all the things we're grateful for over good food.  

Sometimes too much food.

Curing Pills is a traditional herbal formula used for just such days!

If you're worried that your eyes might be bigger than your stomach, pick up a bottle (or two, if you have a lot of guests coming!) to relieve the symptoms of overindulging!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe (and fun!) Halloween!

You're down for the count with whatever it is that's going around.  You're miserable and wondering how it is you're supposed to get restful sleep when you're so stuffed up and feverish.

If this sounds familiar, try this old therapy that really works!

Make sure you have a pair of cotton socks and a pair of wool socks (they need to be at least 90% cotton/90% wool).

Dip the foot part of the cotton socks in cold water and wring them out thoroughly.

Next, get your feet warmed up.  (If they're already nice and toasty, you can skip this part)  Soak your feet in a tub of hot water until they are nice and warm and the skin is pink.

Remove your feet from the hot water, dry them off quickly and put on the cold, wet cotton socks. 

Immediately put dry wool socks on over the wet cotton ones.

Go straight to bed, keeping your feet covered, for the night.

After about 30 minutes, if all of the steps were followed (it won't work if you don't go to bed! Sorry, lounging on the couch where you get up and down to do stuff around the house doesn't count!), you'll notice that your congestion will be relieved (often better than with medications!)!  Sick children who do this will have a MUCH easier time falling to sleep.  Some people will notice that this calms sore throats, eases earaches and relieves sinus infections as well!

Your feet should be warm and dry within about 4 hours.  If the congestion returns at that point, feel free to repeat the process to get that relief back!

Caution: This is only meant to ease symptoms associated with colds and flus.  If it's possible your illness is something else, call your doctor!

It's time once again to vote for Portland's Top Dog Businesses!  You guys have helped me stay in the top 3 the last 2 years - can we make it a third?