What can I expect in an acupuncture session?

What to expect on your first acupuncture session

If you've never had acupuncture before, I know it can be nerve wracking and exciting because it is so different from visiting your medical doctor. 

If you come see me, you'll come in, fill out some paperwork and then we'll have a thorough discussion about why you came in.  You'll choose 1 or 2 things you'd like to treat and you'll tell me how and when it started and I'll ask you some basic overall wellness questions that I ask everyone. 

If you're here for what I consider an "internal" issue, like insomnia, PMS, PCOS, irregular menstruation, a cold, digestion problems, anxiety, low energy, poor focus, quit smoking, etc then I will check your tongue and feel your pulse. In eastern medicine, we ask lots of questions and make observations that we use as parts of puzzle to come up with your unique pattern. Based on the pattern your presenting with, I will then choose the appropriate acupuncture points for you. 

If you are in pain, I will palpate (feel) your body to find tender areas that may need to be treated. At the end, I might do some cupping, gua sha (gentle scraping with a tool to relieve pain and stagnation), or mild massage.  Aromatherapy and soft music are always on to help you relax. 

Depending on the severity of your condition, treatments will be scheduled 1-3 times a week for several weeks.  As you get better, the treatments may be spaced a week or two apart.  All pain patients, who have recovered fully, schedule maintenance visits once every 4 weeks to keep their bodies flexible and pain free. 

For rates click here. 

5 Tips for Insomnia without meds

Rule #1 for insomniacs, STAY AWAY from caffeine. Try Yerba Mate tea until the insomnia passes.

Holistic Insomnia Cures

Insomnia is so frustrating. 

New Yorkers in general, seem to have it pretty often thanks to out fast paced lifestyle.  Getting a good night's rest is important if you want to have any energy at all when you wake up the next day. 

What to do when insomnia happens

1.  Essential Oils. 

It seems to good to be true, but essential oils do work. They are highly concentrated oils pressed from different flowers and plants with medicinal properties.  I carry Peaceful Sleep, $22. which is a lovely essential oil blend based on Eastern Medicine herbs made specifically to help you sleep. 

Essential Oil diffuser

2.  Have a bedtime ritual. 

Whether you have insomnia or not, everyone should have a bedtime ritual, especially if you're in full blown insomnia.  This signals your brain that it's time to "chill out" and get ready to sleep. 

Place a drop of Peaceful Sleep essential oil blend on your finger tip and apply it to your temples, your "third eye", the back on your hairline-including the area behind the ear and on your wrists.  These are acupuncture points and applying oils there will help you fall asleep. A quick swipe on the soles of your feet and you're ready for bed. 

3.  Get a sound machine. 

Ocean waves, a babbling brook, light rain, birds chirping, or anything else you think you'd like to fall asleep to. If you don't want a machine, there are plenty of Apps available that you can play. I like Tao Mix, NatureSpace and ThunderGod because I'm a weirdo that finds thunder relaxing. 😏

4.  You're awake and it's well past midnight. What do you do?

First, prepare ahead of time.  Download a podcast, some ted Talks, a guided meditation, binaural beats (sound waves that help your brain relax) or anything that's not exciting and leave it on your phone ready to listen to, for when the moment strikes.  Rather than getting up and waking yourself up further, put an ear bud in ONE ear and stay in bed listening to it. The hope is that you will just fall asleep. DON'T read on your phone or iPad, the light coming from it will fully wake you up. 

5.  Get Acupuncture.  

I've treated many people for it and it really does get you to sleep pretty soon if you're going through a rough patch.

I had a client in her early 30's that had been on sleeping medication for years and wanted to get off of it permanently. A combination of everything on this list got her off the medication and back to her own natural sleep rhythm. 

To schedule your healing session, click below. 

How to fix plantar fasciitis fast

Do you have heel pain in the morning? 

When you take that first step out of bed, do you stumble around a bit? 

When you go for long walks, do your feet hurt?  If you answered yes to all the above, its quite possible that you have plantar fasciitis.  A condition that can give you intense heel pain and if it goes unchecked, you can develop Achilles Tendonitis or heel spurs. 

What is Plantar Fasciitis? 

Plantar Fasciitis is heel pain associated with the thick band of tissue that runs under your foot, from the heel to the toes. Not being able to be comfortable taking a simple walk is debilitating and can lead to other problems such as weight gain, from lack of exercise and depression from halting all your social activities.  

What treats plantar fasciitis best?

My own plantar fasciitis was my introduction to acupuncture, because of this, plantar fasciitis patients are very dear to me.  During high school and college, long distance running was my favorite way to stay in shape. One day, I woke up and stumbled out of bed because I couldn't put my foot down flat on the floor to start walking, I almost fell.  

After being diagnosed by an orthopedist, I was put on powerful anti-inflammatories and given a script for Physical Therapy. Years went by and I never got better. I was working for a public relations firm at the time and a big part of my job was to be on my feet at red carpet events several nights a week.  It was unbearable. 

One day, a friend recommended I try acupuncture. I had tried everything else, stretching, weird socks, ice (which I now know is a big no no) and medications, so I figured why not try the acupuncture? 

It worked. I finally wasn't in severe pain anymore.

I can honestly say from experience, Acupuncture is the best treatment for heel pain because it treats what is causing it and not just treating the symptoms. 

Why plantar fasciitis occurs

Plantar fasciitis happens when your calf muscles start to get tight and you either ignore it or don't really feel it so you don't really think to do anything about it.  People with heel pain may or may not also have lower back pain. When the musculature on the back of the body starts to get tight, it can start to pull on the tendon of the foot and over time, that inflammation gets tough to ignore.  

Can I treat plantar fasciitis myself?

No.  A Trigger point, which is a pathogenic knot causing trouble in a muscle, lies deep within the Soleus Muscle- the muscle responsible for all that heel pain. It's not that cut and dry though, treating Plantar fasciitis often involves treating areas on the lower back and front of the shins for complete relief. 

X marks the troublesome trigger point causing all that pain.

You can however, use this ball by FootRubz, to roll your feet on daily. In the morning and night. it's my favorite and goes everywhere with me. NEVER use ice.  My own plantar fasciitis is in remission and I thank acupuncture for that. The massage ball is great, but the most important component in treating plantar fasciitis, is acupuncture.

Here's what a client had to say:

If you're ready to say goodbye to all that foot pain, or any other pain click below:

Have questions before scheduling your acupuncture appointment? Contact me here or below

Lorraine Lavenita L. Ac

13-15 W 28th St, NYC

Office Hours: Monday 2-8 Wednesday 2-8

Wellness abounds

                                 Ah yes, the obligatory smoothie bowl shot. 

What is wellness? 

This is a great question that came up when I listening to @fatmascara latest Podcast, Episode 28: Stick to Red, check it out if you love Christian Louboutin as much as I do. 

I think of wellness as a state of balance in which you feel best.  You sleep well, therefore you wake up with energy, you get hungry at appropriate times and aren't too hungry or without an appetite, your poops are healthy -according to Dr oz, stools should be long and in one piece like a snake. Healthy stool is a sign of a healthy digestion.

The path to "Wellness" is going to be different for everyone. 

Wellness seems to always be associated with some fancy yoga poses and pics of smoothie bowls on Instagram. Frankly, we all know those pics are set up and the yoga poses take several takes to do.  That may not be your version of "wellness" and that's more than ok.

As an acupuncturist,  I have to decipher what "pattern" a patient fits.  There are patterns where salads, green juices and smoothies are literally the worst foods you can eat so that's not wellness either. 

If you're curious which pattern shouldn't have salads, smoothies, dairy and other "cold" foods (like smoothie bowls and yogurt) --a person who gets bloated after eating, has loose stools, tends to go right after eating raw veggies , has a tendency towards feeling cold and has this low level tiredness all the time. They take a while to wake up in the morning and may even feel the need to take a nap after eating. 

In this example, this person should stick to eating clean proteins (nothing fried) and cooked veggies (not raw).  Some light exercise would be great as well.

So what is wellness to you? 

For me, it's doing my best to stay away from sugar, gluten and dairy, eating real food (which means it doesn't have any ingredients, doesn't come in a box or is pre-packaged) Because cooking for yourself really is best. Taking the right supplements my body needs and doing a combo of #HIIT workouts and yoga. Using essential oils, ridding my home of toxic chemicals and going to bed roughly around the same time every night. Of course daily meditation, acupuncture and skincare factor in. Plus the occasional margarita and pizza, I did say balance.

I don't beat myself up if I don't achieve perfection. Trying to be perfect just creates stress and that's not what wellness is about. It's not a competition, it's a lifelong journey that's unique and different for all of us. A journey in which you switch out a bottle of kombucha instead of Diet Coke because you know Diet Coke is crap and probably gives you migraines. If your "wellness" also happens to include reading the September issue of Vogue and listening to podcasts with Christian Louboutin then by all means, be well. 

7 Tips for Depression

Depression. I work with this quite a bit in my practice as an acupuncturist. Depression is exhausting, draining, and un-motivating. Like there's a dark cloud following you around everywhere you go so all you want to do is lie down and do nothing. 

Patients come see me because they either want to get off anti-depressant medication, or don't want to start it to begin with. If you are on medication and want to get off, please make sure you do it with the help of your doctor to gently wean you off it over time. Acupuncture can really help with that transition and works great for those who aren't on any medications. 

Here are 7 tips you can do on your own that will help with depression:

◈ First, accept it. You're human, it's ok to feel like this from time to time, but at some point the pity party that your ego has conjured up, has to stop. Even if some very serious stuff has happened in your life, you owe it to yourself to be happy. 

◈ Workout: Depression is a Qi (pronounced Chee) deficiency, Qi is our life/energy force. Qi likes to move, if it doesn't, then we don't feel so great and all the energy is down bearing. It doesn't have to be CrossFit or anything too hard (or hey, Cross Fit is awesome so maybe give it a try!) But, commit to something, anything at least once a week to start. It can be a Martial Arts class (tai chi is great especially if you're limited because of physical pain),  yoga,  a dance class, anything, just get moving.

◈ Cultivate an interest: Write, paint, learn a new language, volunteer, join a book club, etc. Give your brain a break from overthinking and get to doing something instead 

◈ Nourish: Life has so many simple pleasures! I'm also an esthetician and had given a sample of this really lovely nourishing oil to a client for her skin and the next time she came in for a facial, I asked how she liked it and she admitted she was "saving it". Saving it for what I wonder? Take baths, use the samples, actually use the nice soap and the nice towels in the bathroom, take a spa day, book a massage or an acupuncture appointment, get that tattoo you've been thinking about. There are so many little gifts you can give yourself every day, so get creative about it. Anything that makes you feel good is what you're aiming for. 

◈Express gratitude: it's not easy coming up with things to be grateful for when you're going through a rough patch, but it's important to train your brain to find the happy in everyday. Pick 2 things every single day to be grateful for. It can be something super simple like, 'I'm grateful for not having to wait for my train', or 'I'm grateful I have a job and roof over my head'.

◈Set an intention for your day as soon as you wake up: Again, keep it simple. "I want to feel happy today.", "I want to take that new yoga class", "I want to be a good son/daughter/husband/wife today" These are just some examples of setting the pace for your day. It's your daily goal and it's personal. Do whatever feels right for you. 

◈ Meditate: There are many forms of mediation, try them all until you find one that works for you. The goal here isn't to control your thoughts, it's the opposite. Let go of your thoughts.  

Bonus tip:

☯ At the very tippy top of your head is an acupressure point to lift your Qi. You can find this point by putting your thumbs at the top of your ears, where your middle fingers meet at the top of your scalp is the Lift Qi point. This point is great for depression. Gently tap at this point for about a minute and you should feel more alert, alive and ready to shake off the blues. 

Microcurrent

As we age, our muscles tend to lose their tone, so what do we do? We go to the gym and lift weights and do body weight exercises to build and maintain our muscle tone. But,  I bet you've never thought of a "workout" for your face.  In comes, microcurrent.

Microcurrent uses a low level of electrical current to dramatically increase muscle's cellular energy (called  ATP) by 500%, leading to increased muscle tone.  In other words, we are "re-educating" or "reminding" facial muscles of where they used to be with microcurrent.  It's also a way to build collagen & elastin, it can help smooth out wrinkles and fine lines and it improves blood circulation.

Because we're "re-educating" muscle tissue, it's important to do a series of microcurrent treatments or your results won't last.  Once you've done a series, maintenance can be done by coming in once every 4-6 weeks.

Microcurrent is a celebrity favorite because of it's ability to lift and contour the face. Jennifer Lopez is such a devoted fan, she bought a machine for each of her homes!

I like to think of microcurrent as a pilates workout for the face.  My clients LOVE this treatment, it's relaxing, doesn't hurt at all and most importantly, can really help turn back the clock.  It's a great alternative for anyone who has already done Botox and wants to try something new, doesn't want to have a face full of chemical fillers or isn't ready for a facelift. 

Microcurrent along with acupuncture facial rejuvenation is the best formula for looking younger naturally.  I was listening to a podcast the other day where a top plastic surgeon, in Beverly Hills, was talking about how his own practice has changed over the past few years.  While he still does Botox, he has moved completely away from fillers for his patients because he has seen how when the fillers dissipate, the patient is left with a "hole" where the filler used to be.  In Eastern medicine, we would consider this a "stagnation".  We never want a "stagnation" on our face.  Proper blood, oxygen and nutrients circulation are necessary for maintaining a youthful glow. Microcurrent and acupuncture do an excellent job at bringing blood to the face.  It's why I created the "Glow AcuFacial" treatment, I'll talk more about that on my next blog post.

Ready to start your microcurrent sessions? Book The Microcurrent Facelift now.

What is Retinol?

Retinol is Vitamin A which works by producing new layers of collagen in the skin. It does this by increasing the hyaluronic acid in your skin.  They are wrinkle reducers and can create smooth skin. 

The best way to fight a wrinkle is for your skin to produce collagen which is what retinoid creams do.  I'm not a dermatologist, but I have been an esthetician for over ten years which has given me the opportunity to see my clients age for a decade.  I've noticed younger and younger women being prescribed Retinol and Retinoids to stop wrinkles before it happens and I don't love it. Not to mention more and more over the counter creams, serums and cosmetics have retin-A in them. It's overkill. 

I'm not totally against using a retinoid or retinol, but truly believe there is a certain client these creams are for.  They're great for someone with mature skin and for anyone treating acne without the help of LED light therapy. Acne is a big subject, I'm not going to get into it now but I know Retinols can help smooth out the skin during a breakout. 

I'll tell you why I'm not a huge fan of retinoids. In all my years of being an esthetician, I have seen so many women come in with what I call "porkchop face syndrome" (aka Retin-A junkie) One particular client comes to mind,  a 30year old female that I did laser hair removal for.  She did several body parts at different times so I got to see her for about two years. From the day I met her, she had this glossy shine to her skin. She always looked like she just rubbed a pork chop all over her face. She was really really shiny and was red on her cheeks and across her nose. Because of her laser appointments, I did a thorough consultation and found out she was on prescription Retin A.  

Over the course of treatments, we got to know each other and so finally I asked her why she was using Retin A (she had no blemishes or pigmentation and no wrinkles, it was just lots of shine which Retinol marketers will call "dewy") She said "My dermatologist prescribed it to me for acne two years ago."  I thought to myself, if you were using it for acne, and your acne is gone, why are you still using it? Her skin looked raw! She said "I don't know, my dermatologist keeps refilling it for me" 

I recommended she stop the Retin-A for one month and if the acne came roaring back then she should use it again. I also recommended hyaluronic acid and an enzyme exfoliation once a week at home. I had an accident after that and didn't work for a month so it was almost two months later when I saw her again.  This time, she looked amazing! Normal, plump, smooth, gorgeous skin.  I'm not saying never use retinols, but they are chemicals and should be used with some common sense.  Weaving a retinol into your skincare routine isn't a terrible idea but being on it 365 days a year for years? I've seen what 30 years of using Retin A looks like (I'll leave that story for another day) it wasn't cute. 

We all produce our own collagen-it's a protein found in all of our connective tissue. It breaks down as we age but using a chemically produced Vitamin A, like a retinol, isn't the only solution to rebuilding our own collagen. There are natural ways to do it and I'll tell you how in the near future.

To be continued .....In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please click on this blog title and leave your comment below.