At Acupuncture Atlanta, we believe that chinese herbal formulas and supplements can promote optimal health, boost energy and restore harmony to people experiencing physical imbalances from the everyday rigors of modern life.
Chinese medicine is the oldest continuously recorded medical system. More than three hundred Chinese Herbs, which are commonly used today, have a history of use that goes back at least 2,000 years. Over that time, a vast amount of experience has gone towards perfecting their clinical applications so that Chinese Herbal Formula still play an important role in medicine today. Chinese Herbs can help you to achieve and maintain optimum health and energy throughout your life.
We look forward to sharing the wonders of Chinese herbs and, like a good fruit, may it spread its seeds far and wide to the benefit of humanity.
My best to you,
Warren L. Cargal, L. Ac., Dipl. Ac.
Our Most Popular Health Resource Articles
Health Conditions
Bone & Joint Health
Healthy joints and strong bones lie at the heart of every
physical act, from arranging a bouquet of flowers to bending down to pick up a
child. And if you think joint pain and brittle bones are an inevitable result
of aging, think again. It’s never too early to start thinking about your bone
and joint health.
Simple ways to
improve your bone and joint health:
Good posture. Stand
and sit up straight, this helps to avoid stress on your bones and joints.
Exercise.
Exercising, especially stretching keep your joints healthy because the more you
move the less stiffness will occur. Strengthening your core muscles and moving
your joints in their full range of motion can also be beneficial. It is important not to over-stress your joints
during exercise.
Weight management and
healthy diet. Extra weight can put strain on your bones and joints. Losing even a few pounds can help, every
pound lost takes four pounds of pressure off your knees.
Eating food rich in
calcium. Calcium is necessary for bone formation, like milk, sardines, and dark
leafy greens, soybeans. Supplements can also provide calcium if needed.
Vitamin D. Vitamin
D is also essential as it provides amino acids for ligaments and joints and
supports the development, maintenance, and function of the musculoskeletal
system. Getting enough sunshine provides
vitamin D, otherwise a supplement is needed.
Eat fish. Omega-3 fatty acids can help support joint
health and may reduce joint inflammation as well. Not a fan of fish? Try fish oil capsules.
Protect your bones. Protect your joints with protective gear is
also important while taking part in sports such as skating. Be careful when lifting and carrying.
TCM Approach
Bone and joint issues, according to TCM, states that blood
stasis and the stagnancy of Qi is at the core of most issues. Bone health is connected to the kidneys which
store Qi. When Qi is strong, it can
stimulate the growth of marrow and nourish the skeleton.
Acupuncture can also be beneficial to bone and joint
health.
Here are some of the
products we use in the Clinic to help our patients stay active.
For many Americans working toward better heart health, is an important first step is getting cholesterol to a healthy level. Diet and exercise are important steps to reduce high cholesterol.
What you eat affects your health, by raising or lowering the blood fats (cholesterol, triglycerides) that circulate through your body. Some foods increase your levels of total cholesterol, LDL or "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides. Over the years, excess cholesterol and fat are deposited in the inner walls of the arteries that supply blood to your heart. Eventually, these deposits can make your arteries narrower and less flexible, a condition known as atherosclerosis. Left unchecked, this buildup can lead to heart attack, stroke and death.
In the Clinic we use many different bioflavonoids (a class of phytochemicals that are potent antioxidants) along with good quality fish oils to support heart healthy levels of cholesterol.
Cognitive function is the term used to describe a person’s state of consciousness (alertness and orientation), memory, attention span, and insight. The most common symptom of decreased cognitive function is a loss of memory. While some memory loss occurs in the normal aging process, it is a gradual process and generally involves things like forgetting phone numbers, people’s names, or where objects have been placed. In dementia causing illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, the process continually worsens until the patient is unable to perform normal activities of daily living.
There are many Herbs and Supplements we use in the Clinic to support and improve cognitive function.
There are a whole range of different sports and nutrition supplements currently available, claiming to help give athletes that competitive edge, through boosting both energy and endurance levels.
Sensible use of nutritional supplements, along with proper nutrition, adequate rest and stress management, can help to increase your energy and vitality. Supplements like B-vitamins support energy metabolism, while adaptogens such as Rhodiola rosea, Cordyceps increase the body's resistance to stress and fatigue. Green drinks also provide concentrated nutritional support for the body's metabolic processes.
In the Clinic we work with many professional athletes, as well as people competively competing. We routinely use the following supplements to support a competive edge.
Inflammation is the body's natural response to outside invaders it perceives as threats. Specifically, it's a process in which white blood cells protect the body from foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses.
However, when the body is in a chronic state of inflammation, the inflammation can lodge in muscles, joints and tissues. In fact, chronic inflammation is a leading cause of many diseases, both physical and neurological, including heart disease.
There are a number of wellness ingredients known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Two of the oldest ingredients are Boswellia serrata (frankincense) and turmeric root (containing curcumins), Both ingredients are believed to act at the later stages of the inflammatory cascade by inhibiting eicosanoid biosynthesis of prostaglandins-mediators of pain and inflammation that are the end products of cyclooxygenases, specifically COX-2.
Along with turmeric, other well researched ingredients include ginger, fish oils, quercetin, bromelain and other systemic enzymes, N-acetyl cysteine, glutathione, as well as many well-known building block nutrients such as vitamin E, selenium and vitamin C,
Insomnia is a chronic inability to obtain or sustain sleep. While everyone occasionally experiences sleeplessness, chronic insomnia is an ongoing, often debilitating condition. After a night of inadequate sleep, those with insomnia report impaired mental and physical abilities, diminished memory, reduced alertness, and impaired reaction time. Chronic lack of sleep threatens the well being, productivity, and safety of millions of Americans including teenagers. Insomnia is not a disease but a condition associated with a number of physical and emotional disorders even including depression.
Based on our experience in the Clinic, the following products have been shown to be helpful in getting a good nights sleep.
Studies have shown a significant association between stress and the development of illnesses such as depression, cardiovascular and immune suppression. Science has also established an important relationship between being chronically stressed and reduced immune response resulting in increased risk of getting sick. Nevertheless, stress is required to deal with the environment to which we expose ourselves every day.
From a physiological point of view, these are just a few negative effects one can expect from chronic exposure to stress:
Cardiovascular changes: increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure as a consequence of released stress hormones
Elevated blood pressure, anxiety, inflammation and increased body fat from the release of adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol from the adrenal glands leading to adrenal exhaustion
Reduced or poor immune response, leading to increased risk of colds, flu, infections and ultimately certain disease conditions
Poor digestion, as the digestive system stops metabolizing food efficiently
Obesity is defined as weight that exceeds 15 percent of normal weight for height and body type. Obesity is considered a disease state. Life expectancy may be decreased in overweight and obese individuals.
Losing just 5% to 10% of your total weight can lower blood pressure, improve cholestrol profile, prevent diabetes, improve blood sugar control if you already have diabetes, and reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.
A combination of improved diet and regular exercise is be the best way to lose weight and keep it off.
Based on our experience in the Clinic, the following products have been shown to be helpful in supporting normal body weight.
Overview of the Herbal formulas we use in the Clinic to improve Blood Pressure and Cholesterol. Time: 4:50 minutes
Infertility and Acupuncture
Learn how we treat Infertility in the Clinic with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs. Time: 5:00 minutes
Massage Therapy at Acupuncture Atlanta
Meet Ofelia, one of the Staff at Acupuncture Atlanta, as she discusses massage and some of the products she uses for an "aching back". Time: 4:00 minutes
