Clinical Information (3)
8 Things to Consider in the Pursuit of Health and Quality of Life
Written by John BlaskaThe pursuit of more refined personal health and quality of life requires that we shift our paradigm to a proactive partnership with the natural course of our lives. We must understand our own tendencies and the tendencies of the natural cycles of which we are often aware of but all too often ignore. By changing the way we enter into our day and our journey for better quality of life the process becomes more personalized and far more realistic. When entering into a personal commitment towards greater quality of life if we keep in mind the thoughts below it is likely that we find that they help contribute to the effectiveness of our efforts.
Be positive – In this modern world we are far too often told or too often decide for ourselves that life is a downhill experience. The truth is no one has a corner on the market for predicting your reality. Enter into your day as if the whole world is available as a resource to create the experience of peace and prosperity you desire. The benefit of pursuing quality of life is that there is always something we can do to make our day a little better and in many cases we can continue to refine that experience for as long we would wish.
Be realistic – As human’s we have a great talent to visualize the “ideal” reality in our minds. Too often, however, our vision is slightly skewed from the natural reality. It is certainly appropriate to have a vision of what we wish to accomplish but we must also be flexible in how that reality ultimately manifests in our daily lives. We must acknowledge that the governing force within our lives comes from nature and it is our responsibility to harness that force in the pursuit of greater balance. So when we decide improved quality of life is something that is important to us we need to be realistic about our expectations
Be responsible – Engage in the process. A good support system for health and quality of life will work with us to empower ourselves to make decisions and take actions that pay off. However, no matter how talented our support staff may be they cannot do it for us.
Be observant – Truly knowing what one wishes to accomplish requires observation. We need to know where we are now and where we would wish to be for any program to be successful. Improving our ability to be observant is a skill that will pay off manyfold and throughout most any area of our lives.
Be patient – When working to refine our daily living we need to keep in mind that it is daily living not a procedure it is a process. We have trillions of cells in our body so we should not assume that one workout, one meal or one treatment will solve our challenges. It takes time for our body to read the signals that we want it to change and then to have our cells turn over. The rule of thumb is that any commitment we make to change our bodies is 90 days and then to add one year on the end of that date to where our body will adjust to the “new you”. So if we lose a pound of fat it will take at least one year from the last day of burning up that pound for the body to adjust. Be patient!
Be disciplined – We need to set ourselves up for success. We need to be disciplined in our efforts to not only show up to our visits with our practitioners but to create an environment at home and work where we can succeed. Being disciplined in the beginning leads to practical lifestyle integration within a reasonably short period of time where the investment compounds thus providing substantially more effective and more permanent results.
Be persistent - Each day, every day is a new day, a new opportunity but also a new commitment we must make. What we accomplished yesterday was great because it got us to today but what we wish to experience tomorrow must come from how we live our life today. As Einstein said "Nothing happens until something moves" meaning that the actions we take lead us to results that we experience. A peaceful and productive life is an action not a destination. If we want peace, we must be peaceful. If we want productivity, we must be productive.
Be present – Enjoy the day. Live each day as if it was our only measure of our life because that is exactly what it is. Our lives are the aggregating experience of the each moment stored in the memory held in our bodies. The only opportunity we have to shift this experience in a direction we prefer is to focus on how we are living in this very moment. When we choose to embrace our true nature and to share that experience with those around us the only result can peace and prosperity.
Everspring Health’s service portfolio is designed to focus on personalized results for each client. When you stop in to visit you will find our approach to be comforting balanced by a distinct interest in understanding your experience. Our responsibility is to be an advocate for your health which requires finding a balance between understanding your goals and advocating for opportunities you might not yet be aware of with regards to your health. You will find that to gain a holistic viewpoint we ask a diverse series of questions to help us gain an effective perspective from which to begin your customized program. We will care about your everyday lifestyle because that is likely the most significant factor in what you are experiencing.
When considering preventive, rehabilitative and quality of life healing protocols the focus is less on which therapy or practice is “mandatory” and more on which therapy or practice is optimal given the needs of the client. Not everything is a nail needed to be pounded back into place; there are many therapies or practices that achieve similar results. What is important, and a significant factor in seeking long-term results, is the strategy that is used to effectively integrate therapies and practices into your daily life. Understanding this truth Everspring practitioners focus on achieving optimal results in balance with the most effective investment of time, money and effort.
Everspring clients benefit from service programs that focus on three key benchmarks within an individual’s life – stress, diet and sleep. These three observation points provide a distinct feedback system to both our practitioners as well as to the client. By observing stress, diet and sleep clients have something from which to gauge their daily experience while from a clinic standpoint these three factors will reflect the client’s current condition and will reflect progress as these experiences are refined. By rooting our programs in real life factors Everspring practitioners can build a more effective program that is less invasive, more affordable and the results end up being more empowering to the client because they improve daily life. The Everspring approach is similar to trying to untie a knot versus pulling or cutting to address key intentions.
Once we have established a dialog acknowledging the roll of stress, diet and sleep your practitioner will then seek to integrate more detailed or specific therapies that further support or sometimes take lead within an individual’s program. By taking this approach Everspring programs can fit within anyone’s lifestyle as well as working alongside, or in support of, any current medical program the client may be utilizing. Our service objective is to optimize one’s experience, namely their quality of life, rather than trying to fit one’s lifestyle or medical program into a mold that may not be entirely appropriate.
This focus on appropriateness and customization is what allows us to truly engage each client in their own experience and help them to become empowered in their own health and their lives as a whole. Health does just happen and it cannot be imposed even by the best practitioners. The pursuit of health is a partnership between clients and practitioners and this is the service you can expect when you come to visit with us. We seek to understand your experience, your perspective of that experience and then we develop a program with the resources you specifically need, explain why these resources are beneficial and what to expect as your program continues.
Gain more insight 8 Things to Consider...
First Session
Your first acupuncture visit will involve an in-depth assessment of your condition and usually includes a same day initial treatment. The intake and treatment usually take an hour or so but we ask that you show up about 20 min early to your first visit to help us complete the paperwork. Typically follow-up acupuncture treatments require approximately 30-50 minutes.
During the assessment, you may be asked about things that you might not think are connected to your chief complaint, such as your emotions, sleeping patterns, and eating habits. Our focus is on holistic health and healing not just one isolated symptom. As the signs and symptoms being experienced become better understood they reveal patterns of disharmony. These patterns are crucial to long-term personalized results and for the development of an effective treatment protocol. Although the acupuncture treatment will focus on your chief complaint, your life as a whole must be considered in order to develop the most appropriate course of a treatment program which include diet and exercise among other lifestyle practices. Our focus on a holistic approach includes an appreciation of common universal patterns or symptoms, but each individual will express these patterns of disharmony in a way that is unique to their constitution.
Acupuncture Treatment
Acupuncture treatment will vary depending on the individual or the condition and may include a combination of acupuncture, herbal therapy, tuina massage and/or cupping. Acupuncture needles are typically retained for about 15-30 minutes. Our goal is to offer a healthy and comfortable treatment environment which may include soothing music or aromatherapy to help you relax during this time. Some people may find themselves falling asleep during their acupuncture treatment.
What to expect after your acupuncture treatment
After your acupuncture treatment is complete some find their relief to be immediate, for others it may be delayed for a few hours or even become noticeable after a few days. Relief may last for a few hours on the first visit and then last longer with each successive treatment, or relief may last from the first treatment until your next visit. Individual responses to acupuncture varies. One should keep in mind that for any therapy we must work with the body's natural cycles and the body tends to show substantial physiological changes after about 90 days. As mentioned results often occur much sooner but when considering long-term planning we should look beyond instant success so that we begin creating a lifestyle that is more peaceful and productive.
Acupuncture Side Effects
Side effects to acupuncture are rare, but may include the following: feeling lightheaded, dizziness, sleepiness, euphoria, nausea, slight bruising around insertion point, residual muscle aches. Most side effects should only last a short time and should be reported to your practitioner at your next visit. Being comfortable and relaxing during treatment will help reduce potential side effects. Staying hydrated after your treatment will help to minimize these side effects, as will resting after your treatment. Any side effects should be reported at your next visit so we can further reduce the opportunity for them to occur.
Flare-Ups
On rare occasions, one’s original symptoms may briefly get worse, or “flare-up,” after a treatment. A flare-up typically occurs later on the day of your treatment and should only last for a few hours. After a flare-up, your symptoms should begin to improve. In the long run, acupuncture does not make symptoms worse and again any therapy requires the investment of time.
In some conditions, the body must fully expel a pathogen in order for healing to occur. For example, if you have a cold or flu, acupuncture will not get rid of the condition, but it can often reduce symptoms while accelerating the cold/flu cycle so your body recovers faster. If you are fatigued and beginning to get a cold or the flu, acupuncture can often help your body fight it off.
In cases of chronic pain, the origi nal pain may improve and then unmask less obvious pain in the surrounding areas or sometime opposite sides/areas of the body which have been compensating for the current condition.
Course of Acupuncture Treatments
As part of your program, you will receive a customized treatment plan detailing an appropriate course of treatment for your specific condition. In general, acute conditions of recent onset may only require two or three treatments. Chronic conditions usually require more treatments to achieve sustained results. A course of treatment may also involve a more sustaining long term course, depending on your personal goals.
The ideal approach to illness is to begin treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to treat. For longstanding illnesses, weekly ac upuncture treatments may be required for several months in order to have a substantial curative effect.
Once we initiate a healing process it is important for us to follow through on treatments. The more consistent we are, the better the likelihood of results. Again as any therapy the effects of acupuncture tend to be cumulative. After we begin feeling better, additional treatments may be recommended beyond the absence of symptoms. Once the symptoms have been addressed our focus is on a reinforcing the constitution which is the body's "normal" healthy state. Our goal should be to further strengthen your body to prevent recurrence of the illness.
Our bodies can vulnerable following recovery from illness because it has expended much of its energy and internal resources in order to get rid of the previous illness. It is therefore important to have acupuncture treatment to help prevent repeated or new illnesses. In general, when an illness recurs it is often more difficult to treat so we should not sit and wait to see how thing progress before seeking support. Remember our goal is to help make Everspring Health an vested resource for us to pursue the goals we have set for a better life.
One of the most under-appreciated benefits of any therapy, including acupuncture, is the ability to improve life beyond just getting rid of disease. We can brush our teeth to help fight cavities but we can also brush our teeth to help develop a nice healthy smile we love to share with those around us. The same is true for the resources Everspring Health provides. Acupuncture can help get rid of conditions but it can also help us prevent them from coming back or even more so help us perform above and beyond our expectations.
Preparing for your Session
The following suggestions are provided to help you have a safe and relaxing experience with acupuncture. Please read this section carefully. If you have any questions, feel free to email us prior to your first visit.
- Please bring a list of current medications you are taking, including any prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, herbal supplements, and vitamins.
- Please bring any lab or medical reports relevant to your condition.
- Eat a light meal a few hours prior to your visit. Acupuncture is not performed on individuals who are fasting. Being over-hungry increases the risk of nausea or dizziness. At the same time, please do not overeat or eat any foods that cause your stomach to be upset (for example, rich, greasy, fried, or extremely spicy foods).
- Avoid alcohol on the day of your treatment. Acupuncture is not performed on intoxicated individuals due to the increased risk of shock. It is also not advisable to become intoxicated shortly after treatment.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Acupuncture points are located all over the body. Many of the acupuncture points that are commonly used are located between the wrists and elbows and the ankles and knees. You will be more comfortable if your clothing can be easily rolled up to your elbows and knees.
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