Spring

According to the philosophy of Chinese medicine, the Liver is responsible for the smooth  flow of Qi (energy) throughout the body.  When this energy is blocked, a person can feel anger,  resentment, frustration or stress—and become not very flexible!

Spring is the perfect time for cleansing and getting Qi moving.  Just as people are naturally  drawn to “spring cleaning” to get rid of unnecessary stuff and junk around us in our homes and offices, cleansing our bodies  helps move out junk, or unwanted toxins, internally, invigorating our spirit as well.

Try some Acupuncture – Even if you don’t receive acupuncture treatments regularly, getting a “tune up” at the beginning of spring is a great way to keep yourself healthy, free of unwanted stress and make the transition between seasons without getting sick.

Call us at Fort Collins Family Acupuncture today to schedule an appointment – 970-472-0955.

I took this photo in Shanghai while traveling in China.  The art they have throughout the city always amazed me.

Are you a dragon? (click here to find out).   The dragon enjoys a very high reputation in Chinese culture. It is the token of authority, dignity, honor, success, luck, and capacity. In ancient China, a dragon was thought to speed across the sky with divine power. Emperors entitled themselves exclusively as ‘dragon’; their thrones were called ‘dragon thrones’, their clothes ‘dragon gowns’.

As we enter into the Year of the Dragon Fort Collins Family Acupuncture wishes you a prosperous and healthy year. We look forward to helping you stay healthy utilizing Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Shonishin Pediatric Acupuncture treatments

Loosely translated, Shonishin means: (sho) “little” – (ni) “children” – (shin) “needle.”

The focus of this needless Acupuncture treatment is to provide children and babies with gentle treatments so that the treatments are comfortable and even enjoyable. It is amazing how this light touch technique can produce dramatic results.

Q: Why is this method so effective for children?

A: Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, children and babies are very receptive to this type of treatment because their bio-energetic systems, though not full mature, is very superficial and moves very quickly. As a result, they systems are/can be easily stimulated. This theory also explains why they can get sick or develop health issues at the drop of a dime.

With our Fort Collins Family Acupuncture Licensed Acupuncturist your child’s Shonishin treatments will be made specific to their individual need(s). Through these treatments, your child’s vital energy and constitution will be strengthened.

Click Here to make an appointment for you child TODAY.

For more information please feel free to contact us at info@fcfacu.com.

In 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, a health insurance reform law intended to ensure access to quality and affordable health insurance for all Americans. Starting in 2014, most health plans will be required to offer a comprehensive package of items and services to patients, known as “essential health benefits” (EHB). Under the new law, EHB must cover certain specific services including emergency services, maternity and newborn care, prescription drugs as well as preventive and wellness services, among others.

Help make sure that Acupuncture is considered as an Essential Health Benefit – and become a health service that is covered by insurances.  

Public Input is Needed:
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is currently accepting input regarding their approach to establishing Essential Health Benefits (EHBs). (Note – this is a comprehensive 15 page PDF file on this topic — plan to set aside some time if you plan to read it completely.)

A strong public show of support for acupuncture as an essential health benefit should become noticed by policymakers and will hopefully lay a solid foundation for future federal acupuncture initiatives.

Take action now:
Send an email to the address(s) below to show your support for Essential Health Benefits.

Emails should request that acupuncture be designated as an essential benefit service and should share the benefits of acupuncture and its cost effectiveness.

A sample letter is included below.

To send a message to the Department of Health Human Services, simply visit the website for the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine which will easily send your information on.  You may also email directly to: EssentialHealthBenefits@cms.hhs.gov,  please carbon copy EHB@aaaomonline.org so that the AAAOM can track the responses sent. 

Important - The deadline for is January 31, 2012.

Sample Essential Health Benefit letter:

If sending by e-mail

EssentialHealthBenefits@cms.hhs.gov
EHB@aaaomonline.org

If sending by snail mail- sample letter below

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

To Whom It May Concern:
In response to The Department of Health and Human Services 12/16/11 bulletin outlining proposed policies that will give states more flexibility to implement the Affordable Care Act, please accept my comments contained in this letter and include same as part of the Public Comment period due by 1/31/12:

1. I [have been or am currently] a patient of acupuncture and consider it an essential part of my health care. [Describe your success story here.]

2. Acupuncture should be included as an Essential Health Benefit by HHS under the Affordable Care Act.

3. States should be specifically directed by HHS to include acupuncture in their Essential Health Benefits Package.

Respectfully submitted,
Name:     ____________________
E-mail:    ____________________
Address: ____________________
______________________________

—– Thank you for your support of Acupuncture  —–

Fort Collins Family Acupuncture is ringing in the new year by joining a new insurance network!

We are pleased to announce that as of February 2012, our Acupuncturist [Jennifer Bao] will be accepting Blue Cross Blue Shield Anthem Health Insurance* as an in-network provider.

In the state of Colorado, Anthem BCBS is contracted with provider Landmark Healthcare and all Landmark providers (Chiropractic & Acupuncturists included), can be found on their “provider directory”.

*If you have Anthem BCBS and would like to find out if your insurance policy covers acupuncture treatments, please feel free to email us the following information so that we may check for you -

• Your Name (or the name of the patient inquiring)
• Member ID
• Group Number
• Your Date of Birth
• Your Home Address

You can email us at info@fortcollinsfamilyacupuncture.com.

This is the year to achieve
YOUR Health Goals!!

Call us at 970-472-0955 to schedule your appointment today.

Quitting smoking can be hard. Among current U.S. adult smokers, 70% report that they want to quit smoking. Millions attempt to quit every year- some successfully, and some not. Yet despite the difficulty, millions of Americans have successfully been able to stop. One option is auricular acupuncture, which treats points on the outer ear that have therapeutic effects elsewhere in the body.

Auricular acupuncture can help those trying to quit smoking. Side effects are usually minimal and decrease along with the withdrawal symptoms during the period following a person discontinuing smoking.

Patients who have undergone acupuncture treatment have reported a reduction in liking the taste of tobacco along with a decreased desire to smoke. Also studies have demonstrated long-term success rates of up to 50 percent.

So if you, or a loved one, is thinking about making a resolution to be healthier by quitting smoking, consider acupuncture as a way to help you stop.

Most people continue to smoke not because they want to, but because of the addictive nature of nicotine. However as with any other treatment for an addiction, acupuncture is only helpful when the patient is motivated to quit smoking.

If you decide to try Acupuncture to help you stop smoking,
plan that a series of treatments
that will need to be scheduled over several weeks.

Give us a call at Fort Collins Family Acupuncture. We look forward to helping you to better health.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your health care program. We look forward to helping you stay healthy during the coming new year.

According to Chinese Medicine we should try to go to bed earlier, get up later, stay home instead of going out, perhaps even gain a little weight (Say what? gain a little weight?)

Winter is a time to slow down and turn inward.  But it’s also a time to be close to family and home.

This entire philosophy of staying close to home and being close to family ties right into our holiday seasons, when it feels natural to want to be near loved ones and family.

In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, take care of your health, get as much rest as possible and eat healthy.

It’s a good time to consider a seasonal acupuncture treatment also. Get all your energies moving in a positive direction. Call us to schedule.

Are the holidays making your digestive issues worse?

During the ancient Zhou Dynasty, which lasted for almost a millennium (from the 10th to the 2nd century B.C.), there existed “food doctors” who used food to help people stay healthy or cure illnesses.

To shed some light on the age-old pursuit of well-being, CommonHealth Magazine sought wisdom from five veteran doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine – Chiang Ton, 101, Ma Kuang-ya, 92, Yi Chuan-heng, 88, Tong Yen-ling, 76, Wu Shui-sheng, 76, — each of whom brings rich clinical experience from nearly half a century of practice in Taiwan.

Chinese medicine generally defines the nature of a food as hot, warm, neutral, cool or cold, similar to body constitutions. Food that is hot by nature may be used to stimulate the body, while food that is cold by nature may sedate the organs. Many of the therapeutic uses of the foods below are evaluated based on this concept.

Click here to read the full article and the Top Nine Foods chosen by the Chinese Medicine Masters.

*This fascinating read is brought to you by Fort Collins Family Acupuncture* Call us to schedule your appointment.