Happy Chinese New Year !!!

Happy Chinese New Year and a Prosperous “Year of the Dog”.

Chinese New Year is observed today, February 16th this year with large parties and several days of joyous celebration around the world. It is on such an “odd” day of the calendar because the Chinese base their calendar on a 10,000 year and 28 day lunar moon cycle rather than the 365 day sun cycle which we are used to.  This coming year is known as the “Year of the Dog” because of how the years click through a yearly series symbolized by 12 animals; such as goat or monkey or dragon or rat or pig or rooster, etc before the cycle repeats.  Remember those place mats at Chinese restaurants?

The Ancient Chinese say that everything moves in cycles, and if you understand the cycles, you can predict what is going to happen next… sort of like knowing that it might snow in February each year. While most people poo-poo this ancient astrology and fortune telling, some of the most successful business men around the world still depend on “Feng Shui” and “Bazi” experts to help them with things such as picking out the location of their next sky scraper (including Donald Trump is known to do) or pick a launch date for a new business venture.  Heck, supposedly you can even use it to pick out a compatible spouse.

So let me ask you a question…..Do you want to know your Chinese fortune for 2018? Ok. Here it is… According to the expert Joey Yap, “2018 is going to be a year worth celebrating. You will be presented with new opportunities for wealth, career progression, good health and new relationships. Just remember to stay grounded, keep a clear mind and stay focused and you will be able to achieve anything you set out to pursue this year.” Not too shabby, eh? …

But no matter how good or bad your fortune is, just remember what Abraham Lincoln says, “the best way to predict the future is to create it yourself.” What does Abe mean? To me, that means that YOU have the most control of your own destiny (within reason, of course). So if something isn’t going right in your life, go about fixing it, if there is something you want to change or create or add to your life, then go about manifesting it… create your own destiny. Don’t just sit there and accept fate as it comes, or just because someone told you so…

Do something about it.

So if one of your goals for 2018 is better health, seriously consider coming in to visit us for some acupuncture. No matter how big of a health challenge you are facing, acupuncture can likely help in some way. If not, then I will be honest with you and tell you so. Because many of our patients come to us as a last resort… they are told that there is nothing else that can be done for them with modern medicine… and that they will just have to go home and live with it. Well, I’m here to tell you that you don’t necessarily just have to go home and live with it… there is plenty more that you can do if you are willing to actively take command of your own destiny and be a participant.  Acupuncture can help…… tremendously.

Perhaps acupuncture is one of those things that you might consider to help create your new, brighter future. So whether you just want to come in for an occasional “tune-up”, some “recreational acupuncture”, or some serious, full blown therapy, we are here and ready for you. Give us a call today…

Wishing you and your family a wonderful and auspicious 2018 Year of the Dog!

“$8.10 a Pack!”

Are you ready to quit yet?

 Imagine being able to enjoy life once again…Without all the smoke, cost, resentment and guilt associated with continuing to smoke.

With prices of cigarettes continually going up by leaps and bounds, many people have begun thinking about giving it all up once and for all. Would you like to kick that nasty habit? You know; the one that costs you money, shortens your life, and gives you foul breath that turns off your significant other? Most people that smoke actually want to give up the habit. They know deep down inside that they are not doing their bodies any favors by smoking. And their friends and families will be thankful for not having to breathe that second hand smoke. Most Americans (somewhere around 80%) start smoking before they turn 18. Ahhhhh… if you only knew then, what you know now…

For those who have tried to quit, you know how hard it can be to quit. But have hope. Truth be told, there are more ex-smokers in the U.S. than current smokers! So it is possible. Here’s some numbers; While 91% of all successful quitters do it entirely on their own (without patches, gums, pills, counseling, etc,) most of them start back up within the year. In fact only 5% of those quitters remain smoke free long term. Getting help increases your odds significantly. Whether it be a smoking cessation workshop, nicotine patches, gums or inhalers; it helps. The problem with these stop smoking aids is their limited effectiveness. For example, statistically, The nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) approach will indeed double your chances of remaining smoke free…from a 5% chance to a whopping 10% chance.   Not so good. At that rate you will have to go through the (for some) agony of quitting 10 times for it to stick.

  Isn’t quitting once enough?

Luckily you can improve those odds significantly. Based on several medical studies including a major one conducted up at Hennepin Faculty Associates in Minneapolis, Acupuncture is apparently far more effective than all the other forms of help. How much more? Well, at the risk of boring you, I’ll give you some statistics of how many quit and can stay quit a year later;

Nicotine patch

At end of treatment…7%

At 12 months…2%

 

Bupropion (Zyban & Wellbutrin)  therapy

At end of treatment…19%

Still quit at 12 months…10%

 

Acupuncture treatment:

At end of treatment…60%

Still quit at 12 months; 30%

 

Placebo

At end of treatment…7%

At 12 months…1%

Acupunctures effect on all types of addictions is very well documented. There are well over 300 acupuncture based substance abuse programs in the U.S. Many of them government funded. In fact, acupuncture is often a court mandated treatment for drug abusers because of its ability to curb withdrawal symptoms and manage cravings.

If you are serious about quitting, Acupuncture may be just what you need.

Our office is offering a smoking cessation treatment course to help you quit safely, naturally and easily. Acupuncture offers a multifaceted approach to help you quit. First it helps balance your nervous system. With our fast paced lifestyle, our bodies are often keyed up into the “fight or flight” response and we use nicotine to relax. It used to surprise me when I would ask someone why they smoke. Smokers would just about always say that they smoked because it relaxed them. That’s funny because nicotine and cigarettes are actually stimulants. Acupuncture helps your body naturally tune into its “relaxation response”. This is where your heart beats more slowly and evenly, breathing deepens and digestion improves. Obviously this state is much healthier (and more enjoyable) than the fight of flight response we are constantly in where our adrenals are pumping, our breathing more rapid and shallow, our heart beating faster and digestion put on hold. Unlike the nicotine patch, acupuncture is taking nicotine out of your body instead of putting more back in. Acupuncture also eliminates your craving for cigarettes. Some who have gone through our cessation program say that they basically “forgot” to smoke. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Nicotine is poisonous you know; a thimbleful of pure nicotine is enough to drop a horse; A drop of pure nicotine is enough to kill a full grown man! Since we’re on that subject, cigarettes are the Number 1 cause of preventable deaths in the US.  Cigarettes alone are blamed for 440,000 premature deaths each year. Kills off 3000 second hand smokers every year (gee, thanks). Each single cigarette contains 4000 known poisons, any of which would kill you if taken in high enough doses. Research shows that each cigarette we smoke shaves off about 15 minutes off of your total life span; so not only do we lose 15 minutes of our lives standing there smoking, but it takes another 15 minutes off of our lifespan. Incredible! That is 30 minutes of your life given up and lost for each cigarette you smoke.

Acupuncture also eliminates your cravings for tobacco. As an ex-cigar smoker (don’t ask), I can tell you that life is so much better when you feel in control of your own actions; When your body if free of the burden of all that tobacco poison; When your mind is free of all the worries that comes when you look 30 years down the road of a smoker.

Many worry that once they stop smoking, they’ll gain extra weight. Luckily, Acupuncture also solves that problem. Since much of that weight gain is due to the replacing of one nasty nervous habit for another (nervous eating), acupuncture has been clinically shown to aid in weight loss as well. Articles published by doctors in the US Air Force and Navy as well as studies published in leading journals such as the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders show that acupuncture does indeed lead to weight loss and can eliminate weight gain associated with smoking cessation.

So What Does It Take?

The Quit Smoking Today Acupuncture Program is a series of 3-6 treatments over the course of about a week or two’s time. It utilizes special acupuncture points for ADDICTION ELIMINATION and ORGAN DETOXIFICATION & REPAIR. Remember, Acupuncture is Painless! We use single-use acupuncture threads finer than a hair and 99% of patients find it extremely pleasant; better than a massage!

We recommend not going “cold turkey” during that week; simply “practice” quitting… Acupunctures’ effects are accumulative, so it does take a few treatments for best effect. Each session of acupuncture gives you bigger results. That is why we suggest that you take that weeks time to get used to temporarily postponing your next cigarette. Each day making that time between “thinking” about having a cigarette and actually having one longer. It is a “weaning & conditioning” process. Only after you have the three sessions worth of acupuncture is the body and mind ready to quit for good… and it will be so much easier than you believed possible.

In just 3 acupuncture treatments over a 7-10 day period you can quit smoking and transition into a healthier state.

Next time you’re at the store, look at the prices of the nicotine gums and patches. Not cheap. Going to the doctor for a prescription isn’t all that inexpensive either. No, our fees are perhaps the best value in healthcare. Do this now and you’ll be saving 10 fold that amount in the cost of cigarettes very quickly. Call our office today 507-434-8700 to schedule your first treatment.

Be Maternal

Baby, look at you glow.  If making a bundle of joy has been a predicament, acupuncture has been shown to be very successful at aiding fertility… AS successful as the much more expensive IVF. All with none of the side effects of shots and hormones and medical procedures. Three (menstrual) cycles (12 sessions) is often all that is needed to solve this pesky problem and get you quickly to the wonders of poopy diapers and late night feedings. Enjoy.

Check out more here. https://austinacupuncture-mn.com/fertility/

Free Veterans Day Acupuncture

Happy Veterans Day!

This Saturday marks the 98th year our country has taken the occasion to thank and remember the brave men and women who have fought and died to serve our country.

To honor those men and women whom have served our great country, Austin Acupuncture Clinic is extending a personal invitation to all veterans in the area to receive a free treatment of acupuncture at our office. 

Since Veterans Day falls on a weekend this year, we are allowing veterans to come in all week (instead of everyone crammed in on a single day). Space is limited, so please call for a scheduled time.

Offer of this free acupuncture visit ends Monday the 13th, so call soon to reserve your spot. This offer is open for new and current patients too.

If you have any questions about this offer or about what acupuncture can do for you, please feel free to call us today at (507) 434-8700

 

Be Peaceful & Relaxed…

Stressed out and feeling kind of edgy? Join the club. Ours is a fast-paced, demanding world. The good news is acupuncture delivers composure in no time- if only you’ll take a moment to sit and enjoy some time with Jason. The mood-mellowing begins instantly with the calming aromas of lavender and citrus gently waft up as you enter our office. Ahhhh. With each visit, a blissful blend of your brains neurotransmitters laced with nerve-soothing endorphins, along with stress reducing dopamine that helps you chill out, unwind & relax. Simply come and breathe. Deep.

Cosmetic Acupuncture

“Glowing, Radiant, Younger Looking Skin.”

What Is Cosmetic Acupuncture?

Cosmetic acupuncture, also known as facial acupuncture, is an ancient beauty secret and is used by both men and women as a non-toxic way to minimize fine lines and wrinkles from the face. It reduces the signs of aging by renewing the glow of the skin and providing a youthful look to the face. Cosmetic acupuncture needles create stimulation to areas of facial tissue by increasing the circulation of blood flow to the wrinkles and thus producing more collagen production, resulting in less wrinkle formation.

Cosmetic acupuncture is an ancient healing art that has been practiced in China for emperors and empresses as a beauty ritual for at least 5,000 thousand years. The treatment involves inserting tiny, hair-like needles into the face and others into the body in order to increase the blood circulation and collagen production within the skin. This allows the skin to be nourished, oxygenated and moisturized from the inside out. Additionally, the increased production of collagen tightens the skin. Hence, the treatment improves the complexion and elasticity of the skin.

During each treatment, medical acupuncture is used, meaning that body needles are placed to work on stress levels, pain, insomnia or anything else that is currently bothering the patient.  This helps immensely in the outcome of radiant skin as the body is all connected.

Cosmetic acupuncture is currently all the rage among Hollywood’s elite, and its popularity is understandable.  It promises a more youthful appearance with no downtime, no anesthesia, no harmful chemicals or toxins injected and no going under the knife.

 

 What Results Are Seen With Cosmetic Acupuncture?

Cosmetic acupuncture treatments help the youth stay looking youthful and those with wrinkles to look many years younger. It minimizes fine lines and softens the deeper lines making them less noticeable. The treatment can also minimize dark circles and puffiness under the eyes, and aids in the tightening of the jowls, that tend to sag as we age. Most importantly, acupuncture provides overall rejuvenation, allowing the whole body to feel less stressed and more energized.

Wrinkles that are minimized include:

  • Marionette Lines…….the lines framing the mouth.
  • Glabellar Lines………the vertical wrinkles between the eyebrows (the frown lines aka, “the 11’s″).
  • Crow’s Feet………….the wrinkles at the corner of the eyes.
  • Smile lines……………the deep folds between the nose and the mouth (the laugh lines or “nasolabial” folds)
  • Forehead Lines……….the horizontal wrinkles across the forehead
  • Vertical lip lines………the small wrinkles around the mouth
  • Chin lines
  • Neck lines
  • Eyelid Lines
  • Under eye lines

To be more specific, other than the various areas of the face that have wrinkles, this treatment has many other beneficial results for rejuvenating the skin including:

  • Renewing facial glow
  • Oxygenating the skin
  • Regulating acne prone skin
  • Balancing oily/dry skin
  • Firming facial skin
  • Diminishing skin discoloration
  • Brightening dark circles under eyes
  • Tightening pores
  • Brightening sallow complexion
  • Tightening sagging eyelids
  • Temporarily plumping lips

 

Who Benefits From Cosmetic Acupuncture?

Three groupings of women and men between the ages of 20 to 70 benefit from these treatments:

I. Women and men in their 20’s and 30’s who are looking to prevent the early onset of wrinkles.
II. Women and men in their 40’s and 50’s who are looking to minimize the appearance of fine to medium lines and maintain a youthful glow to the skin.
III. Women and men in their 60’s and 70’s who are looking for an overall facial rejuvenation effect that will soften the appearance of deep wrinkles, minimize the dull complexion and bring back the glow that has been lost over the years.

All three groups will gain a dewy and fresh appearance, delay the aging process and look and feel younger.

 

Does It Hurt?

No, it is nothing that you would expect.  The most popular question asked of this treatment is the assumption of discomfort because “needles” are used.   But there is no need to worry since these needles are not anything like the ones you are used to seeing at the doctor’s office. They are so tiny and thin that it’s hard to even refer to them as “needles”.  They are about the width of a thread and feel like a hair or a thin bristle on a brush. Due to their size, they are barely felt by the patient. In fact, 41 acupuncture “needles” can easily fit into the tip of one single needle used by a doctor. Of course, the skill of the acupuncturist is important. Jason Richard has refined his gentle technique by spending many years of training in the field.

 

Are There Any Side Effects?

No, there are no side effects.  This is so because cosmetic acupuncture is natural and uses no fillers or harsh chemicals. Actually, the patient is left feeling relaxed, fresh and wonderful with a strengthened immune system.  There is no downtime, no puffiness, no swelling, no drugs, no allergic skin reactions and no injections. In fact, directly after the treatment, the patient can do just about anything and there are no marks or redness upon leaving the office.  Other treatments used to reduce wrinkles, such as fillers, surgery, chemical peels and laser treatments usually always do have many side effects.  It is suggested to do your research when thinking about various skin treatments.  Our skin is extremely thin and delicate and we should be as gentle as possible with any treatment as well as products used on the skin.  You could end up causing faster aging by not doing your research and finding out what is in the best interest of your delicate skin.  As we get older, our skin begins to thin and side effects from harsh chemical fillers and lasers damage the skin much more quickly.

 

Why Choose Cosmetic Acupuncture Over Other Treatments?

Long-term radiant health of your body is the most important reason to go with cosmetic acupuncture.  With Botox, some of the risks may include allergic reactions, possibly paralysis of surrounding nerves, which impair natural facial expressions.  With fillers, patients commonly experience puffiness, swelling, bruising and extended bed rest and downtime.  The same commonly holds true with chemical peels and laser treatments.  With cosmetic surgery, many risks are involved such as anesthesia complications, a long recovery with days to weeks of discomfort, nerve damage to the face, allergic reactions to the drugs and scarring just to name a few.  Cost is a large factor to consider.  Botox and fillers are usually in the ballpark of $1,000’s over a few years and the same with expensive peels and lasers because they have to be done on a continual basis to keep up the results.  Facial surgical procedures can cost $30,000 or more after all is said and done.  The key point to remember is that cosmetic acupuncture is not a “band-aid” approach to your skin; It is the opposite in that the body is rejuvenating from the inside out.  With fillers and the like, a patient must go in every 6 weeks up to 8 months to keep up the results.  With cosmetic acupuncture your results will last for longer periods, since the collagen built has been produced by your body.  With Cosmetic acupuncture your health is never at risk and the cost is minimal in the long run since you will not have to keep repeating treatments years on end. Lastly, you will never have to worry about the long-term adverse side effects that are not known yet from injecting your face with harsh chemical fillers and toxins.

 

How Many Treatments Do I Need?

A general course of 10 treatments is done for best effect. Usually after a few treatments a patient notices some changes. Around the 7th or 8th treatment, the collagen starts to kick in and wrinkles start diminishing. After this, a maintenance of one treatment a month is done depending on the age of the patient.

 

Can You Explain Why Acupuncture Is Done On Other Parts Of The Body Too?

To explain acupuncture in a nutshell; it looks at every part of your body as a whole.  So when your face is getting acupuncture, your body needs to as well, to enhance the results.  By placing needles into other body points such as your ankles or forearms, that will balance your hormones, stress, digestion, sleep and immune system, your skin will start to glow.  That means that treating the face is part of it and treating the rest of the body completes it.  When your entire body is in balance, so is your skin.  This idea differs when you go to most doctor’s visits in that one part of your body is being treated only and is looked at as separate to everything that is going awry inside of you.

 

Will It Affect My Current Botox Treatments?

Many patients choose to use cosmetic acupuncture to take care of those pesky fine to medium wrinkles and may possibly choose to go the route of Botox or other fillers to take care of those stubborn deep wrinkles. In fact, the cosmetic

acupuncture treatments will help to prolong the life of the Botox.  So this means that a patient will be able to make fewer trips to the doctor a year. The patient will be saving time, money and fewer possible side effects.
Cosmetic Acupuncture Can:

  • Help minimize or eliminate fine lines.
  • Help reduce a double chin.
  • Tightens the pores giving smooth skin.
  • Moisturizes the skin from inside, and gives rosy cheeks to people with dull, tired looking skin.
  • Help reduce frown lines.
  • Help lift sagging skin, puffy or droopy eyelids.
  • Increase collagen production.
  • Brighten the eyes.
  • Improve muscle tone and dermal contraction.
  • Improve hormonal balance to keep acne under control.
  • Even facial color and tone.
  • Increase blood, energy and lymph circulation.
  • Leave you feeling refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated.

 

I welcome you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to make an appointment.

We look forward to serving you.

 (507) 434-8700

Be Immune

Ah-choo! Let’s face it – we live in a world of germs. But instead of letting them get you down, why not get defensive? Build immunity with a healthy diet and exercise, work on banishing stress, and you’ll have a fighting chance. Acupuncture aids your system by strengthening your entire system. I recommend 10 sessions over 4-5 weeks for the absolute best results. But if only a single session is in the budget, this too can provide significant improvements for your immune system. See you soon.

Be Young…

Relax your way into better health & longevity. This ancient medicine is said to help turn back the hands of time. Long used by wise monks and emperors alike, acupuncture helps the body’s natural resistance to stress and improves overall health to make you feel 15 years younger! Some patients come just once and some prefer to come for an entire 12 visit course of therapy. Whichever you choose, its a wise decision.pexels-photo-214574

Stay Sharp & Focused

Brain drain? Feeling fuzzy when it comes to…um, what were we talking about? From names to numbers, we all tend to forget sometimes.  But you can do something about it. In fact – a lot of things. Keep your circulation humming with lots of long walks, try to learn something new every day, and a short course of acupuncture. Think of it as a prickly boost for your noggin. Sit back, relax and enjoy a new found level of focus. 6-12 sessions for best results.pexels-photo-372042