IMS, or “intramuscular stimulation”, is a relatively new and promising technique which was introduced by Dr. Gunn about 30 years ago. Originally it was called “dry needling of motor points” , which refers to using a non-hypodermic needle without the injection of a liquid, but rather a dry filamentous needle (indeed, an acupuncture needle). Dr. Gunn demonstrated this technique could significantly reduce chronic muscular pain associated with neuropathies…
Read more »
Turning Points: The introduction of community acupuncture clinics to The Acupuncture Turning Point reflects not only a change for us, but also a significant transformation in this era of technological and material wealth, and personal choices. Last year (2012) was a “turning point”; not only for us in how we practice, but also in how we have come to better understand the relevance in the shift occurring in knowledge, power…
Read more »
As a massage therapist, many people come to me and ask, “Do you do deep tissue massage?”. I say “yes”, but I explain what I mean to them further, since we usually have a different idea of what a deep tissue massage is. From experience, people wanting a deep tissue massage are usually meaning this: “I have a high pain tolerance and want a really good massage. Can you…
Read more »
“It’s all in the fascia”. How many times have I heard this from healthcare workers who have spent a lifetime working with injuries or researching mechanisms of health and healing? Loosely speaking, fascia is connective tissue. It surrounds all our body parts, from big to small. Fascia can be the ligaments that support and hold a joint together, or it can be the intricate wrappings around muscles at every level,…
Read more »
Article by Gord Grant PhD, RAc Some people who are losing weight, healing from a sickness, or just trying to be healthier swear their success is due to restricting or even eliminating wheat from their diet. This is not to be confused with people who have celiac disease, the autoimmune disorder in which eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, triggers an inflammatory immune response that damages…
Read more »
A recent and fascinating Ted Talk featured dermatologist Richard Weller who talks about the science of UV light and how it affects our health. With humour and eloquence and simplicity, his talk demonstrates why people do not trust the media’s representation of medical discoveries sometimes. Although our skin creates Vitamin D from cholesterol when exposed to UV light from the sun, sunlight may give us another unexpected benefit too. New…
Read more »
Not long ago, there was the age of being close to our food. We were farmers. We grew, prepared, and ate our traditional foods. The food we ate looked like food. It was “organic”, “local” and “healthful”; and it would have been absurd and irrelevant to describe food these ways then! Then there came the age of convenience and science and security for many, which created canned food and processed…
Read more »
I listened to a great TED talk the other day by Carl Honore entitled, ”In Praise of Slowness”after his best selling book. As stated by TED, “Honore believes the western world’s emphasis on speed erodes health, productivity, and quality of life.” I also recently heard him interviewed on CBC radio by broadcaster Alan Maitland, where Honore offers us a challenge to slow things down or at least find our “right” speed. The default…
Read more »
Coleman Smith is a herbalist and acupuncturist with the Acupuncture Turning Point on a practicum. He is excited to be completing his final year of studies as a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Nelson, BC, at the Academy of Classical Oriental Sciences. TCM is a multi-dimensional medicine that utilizes: acupuncture, herbal medicine and nutrition therapy, as well as: moxibustion, cupping, mental-emotional therapy, counseling and acupressure massage. Come and meet…
Read more »
These are the last two habits in the series of 10 holistic tips on creating a healthier skin by Jennifer Kotowick. Habit 9: Balanced sun exposure and sunscreen. You want to get some but not too much not only for the creation of natural vitamin D, but because sun affects our mood and our hormones. UV light therapy is sometimes prescribed for certain skin problems(psoriasis, acne), in moderation, and…
Read more »
