As an acupuncture patient, I sometimes encounter practitioners who are eager to tell me everything about my condition and the why.
Once I heard “You don’t need to understand how the electricity works. You can simply enjoy the benefits.”
That resonates with me. I don’t need to understand qi or meridian. At the same time, I can still enjoy the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.
If simplifying your message resonates, reply to this email and share your thought.
Let’s help more people enjoy the benefits of TCM by simplifying the conversations.
Rita
Hosted by Kamala Ingrid
#26 Dr. Juli Kramer | Chinese Medical Nutritional Therapy
Dr. Juli Kramer, Ph D. In Curriculum & Counseling Psychology, holds a diploma in Chinese Medicine Nutritional Therapy and multiple certificates in Chinese Medicine. She is also certified as Qigong Instructor. She understands the important role of movement and meditation in developing a healthy body and mind.
Hosted by Dr. Richard Hazel, Doctor of Acupuncture, Licensed Acupuncturist
Do Acupuncture Patients Need Physical Therapy?
Sometimes patients have not done well even after trying Physical Therapy for their pain.
Once we have gotten them out of pain and restored their mobility, do they really need Physical Therapy? Are we a replacement for Physical Therapy?
#Episode 7: Discussing the evidence-base: Ian Appleyard
Ian Appleyard PhD is the Research & Policy Manager for the British Acupuncture Council. His PhD, Acupuncture and moxibustion for osteoarthritis of the knee: a component analysis approach, was completed in 2018. He has a particular interest in the methodological challenges of researching acupuncture and placebo.
The Business of Practice
Conference for Acupuncturists and TCM Practitioners
The Business of Practice is presented by Acupuncturists Biz Hub.
The founder of ABH, Mandy Gratzer, has been a practicing Acupuncturist, successful practice owner and mentor to other practitioners for almost two decades.
Ten of Australia’s most successful Acupuncturists and Practice Owners will be sharing their stories and best tips on how to build and run a heart-centred successful practice!
]]>When I practiced meditation with Headspace a while ago, the guide said,” For the first couple of minutes, simply appreciate the opportunity to sit down and meditate. Treat meditation as a treat.”
That resonates with me. Also makes me think of why we don't treat acupuncture as a treat.
Acupuncture is more than a cure for our illness. It is also for boosting our health. We can talk about acupuncture from the perspective of prevention. It is genuinely a treat.
To more conversations about Acupuncture,
Rita
Hosted by Richard Lai, L.Ac.. at Study Acupuncture with Me
Dr. Lai is passionate about helping students and acupuncturists thrive. If you know someone who is preparing for the board exam, his podcast can not be missed!
Hosted by Clare Pyers and Navva Carman at Heavenly Qi
Heavenly Qi is a conversation about all things Yin and Yang. This episode focuses on growing and scaling clinics.
Hosted by Dr. Wang Ju-yi’s official apprentices. at Dialogues on Applied Channel Theory
Applied Channel Theory (經絡醫學 jīng luò yī xué) is an approach to acupuncture rooted in the dual research threads of classical texts and modern clinical application. Developed by Dr. Wang Ju–yi over 50 years in Beijing clinics, hospitals, and research institutes, it involves the rigorous combination of theory and diagnostic techniques.
In this episode, Jonathan Chang talks to Dr. Meng Xiaonan about his experiences becoming a doctor at a TCM hospital in Beijing.
This month I’d like to feature Jing Fang Classical Institute, which has online courses, webinars, and conferences focused on understanding the classical formulas of Shang Han Lun (傷寒 論) and mastering the art of prescribing Chinese materia medica.
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These days I am trying AI tools to do practical things, such as bouncing ideas around.
Here are a few ideas I got from Bing AI on how to find joy from within. It makes a lot of sense, actually!
- Enjoy the sunshine
- Drink plenty of water
- Meditate and relax
- Appreciate the little things
- Smile and laugh often
Hope you have some time to step outside, take a deep breath, and enjoy summer.
Hosted by Brodie Welch, L.AC. at A Healthy Curiosity
A Healthy Curiosity is hosted by Brodie Welch, who invites guests to talk about Eastern medicine. She invited Ali Damron, L.AC. to talk about how hormone balancing helps with our health.
Hosted by Leroy Lott, L.Ac.at Acupuncture is my Life Podcast
If you are looking for short podcasts providing Eastern health tips, Leryo Lott’s daily podcast will bring you fresh ideas every day. This episode of lemon water comes at just the right time.
Hosted by Katie Altnew, L.Ac. at Acuprosper
If you want to know more about how different acupuncturists run their practices and clinics, you can’t miss Katie’s podcast. She invites acupuncturists to chat about different focuses and ways to get a prosperous practice.
I found a lot of acupuncturists who run other businesses outside their clinics. I want to spread the word and let’s support each other. This month I want to highlight
Taming Paper Tigers: Acupuncture Documentation for Insurance Billing From Assessment to Outcomes by Katherine Binder, L. AC.
Is insurance billing challenging? If so, why not learn from Katherine’s course and textbook?
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You have more questions. This blog will answer most of your questions.
]]>You have more questions. This blog will answer most of your questions.
For humans, acupuncture is commonly used for relieving pain and chronicle conditions. It is similar to our pets. Most pet owners seek acupuncture if their pet has arthritis, nerve, or metabolic disorders.
Dogs, cats, and horses are commonly treated with acupuncture. There are documents showing good results with cattle, rabbits, and elephants.
So, if you have an uncommon pet and wondering if your pet can be treated with acupuncture, the best way is to seek a certified vet acupuncturist’s advice.
You can find a certified vet acupuncturist on the website of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society(IVAS).
Acupuncture might not be the best option for acute conditions. If unfortunately, your pet has acute injuries, it might be your best choice to see a vet first. If your pet needs long-term rehabilitation, add acupuncture to the regimen.
For most humans who get acupuncture, it is rare for humans to experience side effects. It is similar to animals who get acupuncture treatment.
For dogs and cats, your vet will encourage them to lie down. Before putting the needles in, the vet will soothe and calm your pet.
The acupuncture needle is not an injection needle and is fine as human hair. Thus, it is unlikely your pets will feel a hurtful prick.
Like some humans fall asleep during an acupuncture session, some pets also nap during an acupuncture treatment.
It depends on how serious the conditions are and how long your pet suffers from the illness. If the condition is severe and hasn’t been treated for a long time, you might need two or three treatments a week. Once the condition goes well, you might need it once a week.
Generally speaking, you will see your pet become more energetic and less painful in less than five treatments. A month should be enough time to observe how effective acupuncture is on your pet.
Your location might affect how much it costs. One acupuncture session might cost between $60 to $100.
If you are interested in watching a video, here is a three-minute clip from National Geography.
Lastly, if you want to show the world that pets can benefit from acupuncture and herbs, we have a collection of pet acupuncture designs. Check it out here.
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Here are five ways you can know more about the practice in real life. I will start with those activities that require the most effort but at the same time give you more hands-on experience.
If you have never heard of a community acupuncture clinic, it is high volume, low cost, and all patients are treated in a shared space type of clinic.
It is not the only type of clinic acupuncturists can work for. At the same time, most community acupuncture clinics open its door to volunteers. You will not put needles in the patients, but you can be at the front desk. You will be able to see how a community-style of clinic operates.
Also, you will meet patients from all walks of life and come to the clinics for all different needs.
Volunteering at a community acupuncture clinic will give you one type of front line experience.
You can visit People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture's website to learn more about community acupuncture. The website is a good starting point.
Talking to an acupuncturist is a great way to know what practice is like in real life. You do not know any acupuncturists. Not a problem. Head to National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine to find one board-certified acupuncturist.
Once you find someone either in your area or has a specialty you are interested in, write an email or handwritten note to introduce yourself and politely ask for 20 minutes of their time to chat with you.
If the other person is willing to, you can build a long-term mentorship with them.
If you love podcasts, there are plenty of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncturist-hosted podcasts.
As an acupuncture student to be, I would highly recommend AcuSprout.
Stacy Whitcomb, the host, is a licensed acupuncturist and created the podcast to help new acupuncturists transition from school to practice. Going to school is to have practice. Why not know what it is like first?
The other podcast I would highly recommend is Studying Acupuncture with Me.
It is hosted by Dr. Richard Lai. This podcast focuses more on preparing for the NCCAOM board exam. It will give you a sneak peek of what preparing for an exam is like.
Feel like listening to more TCM-related podcasts? We have a few more recommendations on this blog.
If you want a message board or discussion type of information, try Reddit's traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture group.
Since it is a discussion board, you will have all sorts of opinions and questions. The viewer’s discretion is highly required.
At the same time, it is a place for you to see different options and thoughts. Not a bad place to ask questions either.
https://www.reddit.com/r/acupuncture/
https://www.reddit.com/r/ChineseMedicine/
Last not but least, reading books about traditional medicine and acupuncture is a good way to gain knowledge. Reddit has multiple discussions on what books to read for starters.
The web that has no weaver and Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine are two common recommendations.
Before making a big decision to attend acupuncture school, you can volunteer at a community acupuncture clinic, talk to a practicing acupuncturist, and listen to related podcasts.
If you find practicing traditional Chinese medicine is exactly what you want to do, that’s great. If you find out you don’t want to be an acupuncturist, that’s not a problem either. You can be a traditional Chinese medicine supporter and advocate.
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But acupuncture is more than pain and needles. This blog will shed the light from a fun and interesting angle. Hope more people will fall in love with acupuncture.
]]>But acupuncture is more than pain and needles. This blog will shed the light from a fun and interesting angle. Hope more people will fall in love with acupuncture.
Preventive medicine means you don’t need to be sick or ill to see your acupuncturist. Acupuncture boosts your immunity and helps your body restore its natural balance. Also, acupuncture can help you calm your stress.
In short, you see acupuncture helps in both physical and mental health. It is real “healthcare,” instead of mere “sick care.”
Check in with your acupuncturist and find your balance.
If you dabble in eastern medicine, you might find people talk about many different modalities. As a layman myself, I view modalities as different siblings and cousins in a big family.
Acupuncture is one well-known child of the Chinese Medicine family. Other “siblings” are cupping, gua-sha, tui-na, moxa, and of course, Chinese herbal medicine.
Also, food is medicine is a general practice among Asians. Qi Gong or Tai Chi is a movement that helps to boost our health.
You can see Chinese Medicine includes diet, exercise, and many ways to keep us healthy. Don’t limit yourself to only acupuncture.
You might be curious about how many acupuncture points are on our bodies. It is commonly believed our body has more than 300 acupuncture points. Our body has points from the top of our head to our toe.
Your acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Doctor most likely will take your pulse from both of your wrists and look at your tongue.
That is similar to a Western Doctor who uses a stethoscope to listen to your heart and lung.
By checking your pulse and tongue, your Chinese Medicine Doctor collect information that your body tells them directly.
There are many different styles of acupuncture, Japanese, Korean, and Five Element, to name a few. Some acupuncturists use electricity to stimulate further and increase the effectiveness. It is called electro-acupuncture.
Yes, you read it correctly. Your dog and cat can benefit from acupuncture. Just google pet acupuncture or more formally veterinary acupuncture. You will find practitioners who focus on animal holistic health. Your equine friend can also be treated by acupuncture.
When people think of needles, the first that comes to mind is the injection needle. But the needles acupuncturists use are thin as human hair. So most of the time the patient will not feel pain when the needle is inserted.
After reading so much about acupuncture, feel like giving it a try? Please find a licensed acupuncturist! Read more here.
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A picture worth a thousand words. These fun graphics will encourage your patients and yourself.
Thinking of acupuncture, people tend to think of the injection needles and immediately don’t like the idea of pain.
But an acupuncture needle is fine as human hair. Most patients will not feel a thing when a needle is inserted.
When I first saw Mark Wood’s balloon dogs talking about acupuncture, I couldn’t help to contact Mark to license his cartoon.
Most acupuncture patients feel relaxed, like how the red balloon dog feels.
A picture worth a thousand words. Get a chuckle and start a conversation more easily with your patients.
Does your patient have commitment issues? Their condition improves but they can’t stick with the treatments.
Let the cute cacti do the talking.
Since acupuncture is working, stick with the treatment. Get another appointment.
Do you like simple graphic which tells a story? This design does exactly that.
A few simple lines show the humor of acupuncture. Get this design to your vet acupuncturists and dog lovers.
There are many great healing quotes. We select a few that have a hint of humor. After all, what sticks better than a fun pun?
We are used to instant gratification with the internet. You might even get 2-hour groceries delivered to your house, depending on where you live.
How can anything take longer than 2 days, which Amazon Prime promises to deliver?
The human body is not Amazon Prime.
Almost everything we long for requires patience, especially health.
Don’t preach. Let humor does the magic for you.
Some children are eager to grow up. Are you one of them?
Now, you are a grown-up. Do you still like being an adult? With all the adult responsibilities?
I guess sometimes we wish to skip a day or two for being adults.
We know that’s not possible. How about getting acupuncture instead?
An acu nap will make adulting a bit easier!
This simple design is a fun pun that shows the world your passion for acupuncture. Humor is the best communication.
Bring a smile to patients, acupuncturists, and acupuncture students.
I am an introvert, so my energy gets low when in a large group. At the same time, when it comes to acupuncture, I can talk to anyone about my own magic experience.
I sincerely want everyone to try acupuncture.
Are you an introvert and passionate about acupuncture?
This is the design for you!
We all know life is full of surprises. Luckily, we have acupuncture. This simple design can put a smile on your face, no matter what happens.
Do you prefer a little pinch of humor? Some subtle hints to promote acupuncture. We got you. The following two designs are subtle humor. You can promote acupuncture without the iky feeling.
Don’t you feel great after you get acupuncture? Even after one or two days of the treatment.
Yes, this design capture that great feeling. Let more people enjoy the happy feeling after acupuncture
I got the inspiration from more coffee, please.
Since acupuncture helps people get better, why not have a proud statement?
Other than subtle humor, we have assertive humor too!
Show the world the superpower of acupuncture. It helps everyone’s health issues.
Do you need your patients and friends to listen to you more? This design is for you. And it hit the right points!
Do you want a design that can show your acupuncture pride during Christmas? We got you. This design will get your point across.
If you like a design and do not see the design printed on a product you want, please reach out. We’d love to make it work for you.
]]>I heard a lot of counter-arguments and this blog is dedicated to debunking myths and busting excuses. Hope you will find it useful to convenience your friends and family to try out this wonderful way of healing.
]]>I heard a lot of counter-arguments and this blog is dedicated to debunking myths and busting excuses. Hope you will find it useful to convenience your friends and family to try out this wonderful way of healing.
I am afraid of needles, so no acupuncture for me. Thanks!
Ah, this is the number one excuse we heard over and over.
An acupuncture needle is about 0.25 mm and some are even smaller. When people think about needles for injection, the syringe needle is about 2.5 mm. If that does not mean anything, a sewing needle is about 1mm.
Thus, acupuncture is using a needle finer than a sewing needle. It does not hurt in most cases.
You might feel a bit of sensation when the needles are inserted but the feeling usually fades away fast.
Also, if you feel uncomfortable at certain points, communicate with your acupuncturists. They will remove the needles and find other points which are still effective but you don’t feel much pain.
I have x symptoms and I don’t know if acupuncture works for that.
This is very common. Since acupuncture is very powerful in pain relief and commonly used in pain management. A lot of people believe that’s the only use for acupuncture.
The truth is …
Acupuncture can treat almost everything.
A few common areas you can see acupuncturists treat are fertility, digestive, repository, and even your pets can get acupuncture.
So don’t limit acupuncture to pain relief. Acupuncture treats almost everything.
If you are in the USA, a licensed acupuncturist is required to pass the board exam run by the National Certification Committee For Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine(NCCAOM).
Before the board exam, most acupuncture school is three years of rigorous training in Asian medicine theory and western medicine theory.
The students learn more than theory. They need to have hands-on practice in a supervised environment. Many schools have student clinics so the students can get real-world experience.
Also, if a licensed acupuncturist wishes to keep their certification, they would need to attend continuous training.
It is not a trivial effort to become and keep being a licensed acupuncturist.
If you wonder how to find a licensed acupuncturist, please check out this blog.
If you are the research type, you googled how effective acupuncture is or how acupuncture works.
You might find some research papers that point out acupuncture is a placebo or fake.
If you like to read tons of research, I will point you to the National Institute of Health to find it out yourself.
I would simply point out that if a treatment does not work, will it pass on for thousands of years?
Do you need to know how a generator works to use electricity? No.
Then, why do you need to know the entire oriental medicine theory and put it under a microscopic exam?
A lot of insurance policies in the USA cover acupuncture treatments. Also, many licensed acupuncturists accept insurance. Most clinics' websites provide clear information on whether they accept insurance and what you need to do for using insurance coverage.
So, insurance covers it.
Also, NFL and NBA players use acupuncture to get better sooner. If treatment can’t help professional athletes get better, would their team doctors point them the way and allow the treatment happens?
I will say it depends on you for this statement to be true or not. How effective one acupuncture treatment can do to you depends on how acute your situation is and how fast you seek help.
Also, how often you go to an acupuncture treatment makes a difference too.
The general rule of thumbs is you will see improvement in 2-3 sessions.
For more details, please see this blog.
Any other common excuses you heard and feel like debunking? Send it my way! Let's make more people falling in love with Acupuncture.
The podcast is hosted by Sherri Davidson, a licensed acupuncturist and wellness coach. This podcast started in October 2021. The podcast is a mix of interviews and solo shows. Sherri covers a wide variety of topics on well-being.
Sherri’s engaging, informative, and relaxing way of presenting a wide variety of topics, makes her show one of my favorite well-being podcasts to listen to.
The Wellness Inspired Podcast by Sherri Davidson.
If you are interested in well-being, there are many podcasts you can choose from. Why Wellness Inspired?
Because it is informative but not pushy.
Because it includes a wide variety of topics, from traveling to financial wellbeing.
Because it helps you to think about wellbeing from different perspectives.
Because the host Sherri is encouraging and supportive.
These are the current stats for the podcast, as of April 2022
I enjoy Sherri’s podcast because she is very encouraging but not pushy in how she leads the conversation and presents the information.
Some of the podcast hosts will hammer hard on their way of thoughts and beliefs. It feels like their way is the only way.
That’s NOT what Wellness Inspired is.
I feel like listening to a great friend sharing useful information and personal stories.
Nothing like the “ follow this and you will get that” type of talking.
The podcast is refreshing and encouraging! I feel naturally want to know more and take action.
Do you like sports? You got this in Well Inspired.
Do you love traveling? It is a topic covered.
Do you like many topics and the podcast host can lead back to wellness? This is the show for you.
Although I love a podcast with a wide variety of topics and guests under one main topic, I believe some listeners only want a laser focus on a topic.
If you are those type of listener, Wellness Inspired might have a bit more variety.
Maybe you can start and focus on a certain area. Skip the episode that does not pique your interests. So you can still enjoy Sherri’s wealth of knowledge on well-being.
If you are a listener who has a strong preference for the length of podcasts, Wellness Inspired also varies a lot in episodes. Some can be as short as 20 minutes. Some conversions might run as long as 80 minutes.
Below are two podcasts that are hosted by licensed acupuncturists and focus on wellbeing.
If you want to listen to a wide variety of topics on well-being from a licensed acupuncturist, Sherri Davidson’s encouraging and informative podcast, The Wellness Inspired, is your top choice.
I have no affiliate relationship with The Wellness Inspired Podcast or Sherri Davidson.
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I first found Remedies on Point from Instagram and browsed Sara’s creation. Before Remedies on Point, I found some other tinctures but never dug deeper.
One of the major reasons is I don’t use supplements. Also, as a layman, I don’t understand most of the herbs listed. I have no clue what it will do to my body.
Not in a way that I am afraid it will harm. Just don’t feel the need to give it a try.
I made the first move because I found Sara’s product video. She explained the results very clearly.
A good rest and a calm mind are what I want, so I gave it a try.
First of all, the unboxing experience is very pleasant. What I love the most is Sara chose kraft paper cushion wrap, instead of plastic bubble wrap.
The honeycomb paper wrap protects the glass tincture bottle well and is eco-friendly. I felt positive the moment I opened the box.
Next, Sara provided a simple pamphlet to introduce her products. The pamphlet includes how to use the tincture and the ingredients. As a user, I don’t need to look up online again.
As for the product itself, it tasted good. No kidding.
Before I opened the bottle, I was a bit concerned about what it would be tasted like. I had many bittered Chinese powder medicine in the past. Thus, I was a bit concerned.
That’s not the case at all.
When I opened the bottle, the herb smelled great. No earthy smell. I liked it.
When I tasted the first drop, It is a tiny bit sweet. Licorice root was one of the ingredients, so I can expect some sweetness.
But I did not expect it to be tasting good. It is just natural and smooth. It does not taste like the artificial caught syrup.
So for those who are concerned about taste and smell, please do not worry. This tincture smells and tastes great.
Although this product can be used at any time you need a calming mind, I only used it in the evening around one hour before bedtime.
I don’t have an immediate sleepy feeling after taking the tincture and will do some average evening activities, such as reading a bit and watching a bit of TV.
I don’t take this tincture every night, maybe 1-2 times a week.
What I felt different is I felt I had a deeper sleep and was more energetic the second morning.
I had a true test for this product when one night I quarreled with my husband and I slept in the guest bedroom.
I took the tincture before the quarrel and sat in the guest bedroom for a long while to finally fall asleep.
What the tincture helped me was giving me a sound sleep. Although I only had about 4-5 hours of sleep that night, I still woke up at my normal time and did not feel drained.
If you want to have a calming mind and a good night's sleep, give Remedies on Point R&R tincture a try. It smells and tastes great. It helps me have deep sleep and feel energetic in the morning.
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Why have you not yet taken action? Maybe you don’t know where to start.
Worries about nothing. This ultimate guide for giving gifts to patients will help you nail your budget and give you plenty of ideas on what gifts you can give.
]]>Why have you not yet taken action? Maybe you don’t know where to start.
Worries about nothing. This ultimate guide for giving gifts to patients will help you nail your budget and give you plenty of ideas on what gifts you can give.
Let’s get started.
Finding your why is something that gets thrown out a lot these days. Yet, it is really important to anchor your actions.
Here are a few reasons why you should give gifts (maybe just pamphlets) to your patients.
As a Chinese medicine practitioner, you understand Chinese medicine requires patients’ commitment. No matter if it is acupuncture treatment or herbal medicine, none will be a one-time effort.
Your patients need to commit to a few treatments and maybe lifestyle changes to see changes.
Thus, you need to build your patients’ commitment. A meaningful gift can serve as a reminder of their promise to themselves and the treatment.
The knowledge system of Oriental medicine is different from Western medicine. When a patient first comes to your clinic, they might not know much about it.
A gift to fight traditional Chinese medicine ignorance will gather your tribe and make it easier for you to communicate changes needed for your patients to take action.
Trust and relationships are earned; it does not come naturally. How do you strengthen relationships? By giving meaningful gifts.
What are meaningful gifts? They are gifts that show you care and you want the best for them. They are gifts that help your patients understand your practice. They are gifts that build alliances.
Do you have a magnet on your refrigerator? If you do, you understand what a constant reminder works in daily life.
I have a magnetic calendar from my accountant on my refrigerator. She has intentionally put important tax deadlines on the calendar. Also, the calendar reminds me to make a reservation with my accountant as early as possible to avoid a last-minute scramble.
You know your patients just need a little nudge. Why not give them a nudge?
They will make the appointment, come for the treatment, and get better.
That’s because you give them a little reminder.
Before we get into the fun part of picking gifts, let’s talk about something crucial, budgeting.
Generally speaking client gifts (here are patients' gifts) fall into the marketing budget. The marketing budget could include advertising and promotional products. If you hire a freelancer to generate a blog for you, that’s also part of your marketing budget.
Entrepreneur Magazine suggests 12-20% of annual gross revenue as a marketing budget for companies less than 5 years old. For companies that operate more than 5 years, the suggested budget will be 6-12%.
If the above range is too much, you should adjust to a level you are comfortable with.
My only thought on budgeting is to have one and find products that fit your budget. It is not necessary to stretch yourself thin on marketing.
Also, if anyone knows a suggested marketing budget for an acupuncture clinic, please let me know. I’d love to update my blog with the most relevant data.
You might wonder when it is the best time to give gifts. One popular choice is right after your patient’s first visit.
Another popular choice is when your patient reaches a milestone, such as finishing 10 treatments or seeing you for a month.
If you focus on fertility, it will be a great time to give a gift when your patients get pregnant.
After the treatment will be a good time for you to chat with your patients about how they feel and give them a gift or a pamphlet.
If you feel uneasy doing so, your receptionist might be a great candidate as well. It can be when the new patient writes their intake from. Or it can be when the patient is about to book the next appointment.
Find a time that works with your current process. Let giving gifts be a small add-on. For example, new patients need to fill out an intake form. Give them a gift right after they return the intake form to your receptionist.
Incorporating gift-giving into your current practice will ensure you or your assistant remember giving out gifts.
I want to use this section for brainstorming, so I will provide ideas for 5 categories. The categories serve as a prompt in journaling. Hope it can help you find your ideal gifts to your patients.
Since we are in wellness practice, what makes more sense for wellness gifts?
The more common ones are pillboxes, hand sanitizer, and hot/cold packs, to simply name a few.
Although a lot of places are winding down on mask requirements, wearing a mask is a good hygiene practice. Thus, a good design mask can still be a great wellness gift.
Office supplies might not be the most novel gifts. At the same time, it is very commonly used. Your patients might hold on to it just because it's great quality and easy to use.
Pen, notepad, magnet calendar can be easily printed with your company name, contact, and logo. It can serve well as a reminder for your patients.
If you want to try something different, as journaling is great for mental health and physical health, you can consider printing your journal with traditional Chinese medicine prompts or seasonal health tips.
Your patient might keep the journal and healthy habits for a very long time.
Chinese medicine encourages drinking warm water and keeping warm. How about giving some gifts that make good practice easy?
How about a tumbler? An insulated mug with a lid that helps hot beverages warm.
If you are a fertility clinic, maybe warm socks can help your patients’ feet and womb warm.
If it is in the wintertime, how about a blanket? It says it out loud keeping warm!
Some of the acupuncture clinics have a specialty or focus. If you do, it might make sense to think about gifts that will make your patients smile.
For example, if you focus on children, how about a sheet of stickers? That will keep them entertained at a low cost.
If you are a fertility clinic, how about a baby bib after your patient successfully gets pregnant.
If you run a cosmetic acupuncture clinic, you can consider a gua sha stone or a jade roller.
When you plan your gift, maybe you do not feel like allocating any gift budget. That’s ok. We all know it is the thoughts that count.
If you do not want to spend big, how about writing them a thank you note. Thanking them for choosing you and encouraging them to keep going.
Also, you might consider writing down your best tips in staying healthy or your best recipe for a certain illness or symptoms.
Print those tips or recipes out. Give your patients a copy as a gift.
If your patients like to receive emails, send them a digital copy.
Let them know you care and think of their health.
The simple act of kindness build trust and commitment.
Wish you get many happy returning patients and also plenty of great word of mouth from them.
]]>You finally decide to give acupuncture a try. Now you have a new problem to solve.
How to find an acupuncturist who suits your needs?
We will share 6 tips to find your acupuncturists in this blog.
If you are in the mood for more research, we also have 4 bonus tips to help you navigate deeper.
]]>How to find an acupuncturist who suits your needs?
We will share 6 tips to find your acupuncturists in this blog.
If you are in the mood for more research, we also have 4 bonus tips to help you navigate deeper.
As a patient myself, I believe the first 6 tips are essential to decide whether you want to book an appointment with an acupuncturist.
When you see a western doctor, you want to see a doctor who has passed the board exam and keeps a good standing with their certification.
It is the same for acupuncturists. If you are in the USA, a licensed acupuncturist should pass a national or state board exam.
Before passing the exam, most acupuncturists study for 3-4 years full time and have hands-on and supervised clinical training. After passing the exam, they need to take ongoing training to keep their certification. With such requirements, you will be in good hands.
Where to find a practitioner who passes the exam? You can go to the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine website. They have a section to help you find practitioners by location or by name.
As you might be aware, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine treat the roots of your condition. Most practitioners will also suggest lifestyle changes, such as diet to improve your health.
That translates to multiple treatments for a while. Your situation might need you to get acupuncture treatment a few times a week.
So the location and the clinic hours become critical. Is the location convenient for you? Do they have appointments for weekends or evenings?
It is almost like choosing a gym or yoga studio. A convenient location will make it much easier for you to stick to your acupuncture treatment, instead of having more excuses not going.
Let’s be honest. Not all acupuncture clinics accept insurance. Then, it is on your shoulder to find out whether you will need insurance to cover your acupuncture bills.
If you need insurance coverage, call your insurance company to find out whether they cover acupuncture. Later, give a call to the clinic directly. They should be able to tell you whether they accept your insurance coverage.
If your insurance does cover insurance and you want to have a small bill, you might consider giving the community acupuncture clinic a try. For more details, please check out this blog.
As you might think trust and likeness are intangible, how do I judge before I meet the acupuncturist?
Most acupuncturists and Chinese medicine practitioners have a website or social media these days. Check out their social media. Read their blogs.
Do you agree with what they say? Do you feel like following their advice?
Also, if you are seeking fertility issues, would you feel comfortable sharing a lot of health condition details with a practitioner who is not the same sex as you?
Finding someone you like and trust will make it much easier for you to follow their suggestions and improve your health, lifestyle.
A board-certified acupuncturist should be able to treat general conditions. At the same time, some acupuncturists have a specialty, such as fertility, digestive, or children. It makes sense for you to check what the acupuncturist focuses on.
No matter if you are going to private practice or a community-style clinic, the treatment area should be clean, quiet, and have high hygiene standards.
It might be difficult to know whether the environment is clean or not before you set your foot in the door. If you find the environment is untidy, leave the clinic.
Below are 4 bonus points for people who would like to do more research
There are many different styles of acupuncture. Chinese, Korean, Japanese, five elements to name a few.
Some traditional Chinese medicine practitioners will also bring in, cupping, and moxa into your treatment.
Also, acupuncture is just one pillar of traditional Chinese medicine. A lot of practitioners will bring herbal medicine into the treatment.
You will find out the practitioners' modality and styles on their websites. Also, they should be able to explain their practice in layman’s terms to help you understand why you are getting these treatments and what the benefits are.
As a lot of practitioners have a website, many provide testimonials and reviews from previous patients.
If you like, you can also try Google reviews and Yelp. Take all reviews with a grain of salt. At the same time, public reviews provide a glimpse into the clinic and the practice. If that’s your cup of tea, read a few reviews and see whether you like it or not.
If you have a primary health doctor, you might find it valuable to seek their advice. As more insurance covers acupuncture. Your primary health doctor might give you some good advice on acupuncture and oriental medicine.
Your own friends and family will always be a good way to start collecting information. Ask around your friends and family, or even on your Facebook page. Maybe to your surprise, you find some of your trusted friends and family have already visited an acupuncturist and get healthier.
You might also be able to get a first-hand insight into how it actually feels and the progress. Just ask away!
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The founders created the 5 chocolate bars to wish your consumption with intention and to support you on a journey to focus, be calm, energized, resilient, and glowing.
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If you love chocolate and are a fan of adaptogenic herb-infused products, you are in luck. Non Verbal creates 5 chocolate bars with different Chinese and Ayurvedic adaptogenic herbs.
The founders created the 5 chocolate bars to wish your consumption with intention and to support you on a journey to focus, be calm, energized, resilient, and glowing.
The full collection of 5 chocolate bars comes within a minimal design box. The package on each bar is also minimally designed.
At the same time, the front of the package tells you what herbs are contained in each bar. The label at the back spells out how much mg of each herb is used in the chocolate.
If you love modern and minimal design, chocolate, and adaptogenic herbs, THIS is the chocolate for you.
Non Verbal is the brainchild of two human beings with deep care of humanity, intention, and well-being. Their creation is a modern minimal design infused with Chinese and Ayurvedic herbs.
On the back of each bar has a clear label to tell you how much each adaptogenic herb is contained in the chocolate bar.
Also, it is handwritten with the batched number and suggested enjoy by date.
If you doubt whether you will taste the herb and whether herbs will overpower the chocolate, my take is no.
The bar has a light hint of herb taste but just a little bit to me. If I were not told there are herbs, as a layman, I might not even notice.
As a person who loves dark chocolate, I enjoy the bar as it has a high-quality chocolate taste and the herb does not bother me at all. I enjoy the bar very much.
Since this box comes with a note of “Please recycle,” I believe the intention is to use a more environmentally friendly choice of packaging.
Before I opened each bar, I liked the simple packaging. When I open the paper package on the bar, each chocolate bar is wrapped in a plastic bag. Maybe there are reasons for this choice. It is just a bit of a surprise for me to see plastic bags.
Non Verbal team did a fantastic job combining herbs and chocolate. But, just reading the ingredients is difficult to comprehend how it tastes.
You can easily pick a bar based on the feature, such as focus, resilience, etc. It is difficult to tell what it tastes like from what you see on the package.
Based on a single chocolate bar, the price is $15 per bar. Each bar is 2.12oz. That’s $7.07 per oz.
To do a not apple to apple comparison, craft a single origin chocolate bar by Ritual Chocolate is $10 per bar (2.12oz). That’s $4.17 per oz.
I might say Chi Chi Chocolate is an alternative to Non Verbal. They are similar in one way of combining Chinese herbs to their chocolate. But that’s where the similarity stops.
Chi Chi incorporates Taoism and acupressure in their package. Non Verbal is very modern minimalism
I would highly recommend Non Verbal to any chocolate lovers and Chinese and Ayurvedic herb medicine supporters.
With its carefully crafted formula, modern design, and clear labeling, I believe Non Verbal is great for yourself and your wellness-minded friends.
I have no affiliate relationship with Non Verbal.
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Katie shared her mindset and experience on AcuPropser’s earlier episodes in 2019 and 2020. If you want to explore different ideas of how to run your acupuncture business. It is worth your time to listen to.
]]>AcuProsper by Katie Altneu
No matter if you are still in acupuncture school or you start practicing already, Kate’s AcuProsper podcasts will inspire you for better practice. A way fits you and makes you thrive.
If you look for straightforward practice suggestions, episodes in 2019 and 2020 covered marketing, mindset, and how to set up a better practice.
If you want to know more about other acupuncturists’ journeys and practices, episodes in 2021 are where you should start.
If you think acupuncture practice comes with only one way, seeing patients. You are about to be surprised.
Katie’s interviews with 9 acupuncturists all have different ways to run the practice. Some of them run businesses outside the realm of acupuncture.
It is inspiring to listen to different acupuncturists' journeys and how they run their practice which makes them thrive.
Katie is an acupuncturist and she coaches acupuncturists to unstuck in their practice. She also has an online course to show acupuncturists how to create passive income.
She showcases how to practice acupuncture and has other passion projects at the same time.
If you want to seek different ways to set up your practice, her interviews with other acupuncturists will spark some ideas.
If you are those listeners who expect a regular update, you might need to be more patient about the new episodes. Season 1 is more on a weekly update. Season 2 is roughly every month.
If you are those listeners who just want one type of content, you will find seasons 1 and 2 are very different. Season 1 is Katie sharing her practice advice. Season 2 is Katie interviewing other practitioners.
If you want more content about an acupuncturist interviewing acupuncturists and Chinese medicine practitioners, you will like Qilogical by Michael Max.
Currently, Qilogical has one free episode every month. The rest of the month is restricted to paid members.
If you love season 1 about acupuncture marketing, Acupuncture Marketing School by Michelle Grasek is a weekly podcast focused on acupuncture marketing.
If you like to read more about this podcast, you can see the review here.
No matter if you want to better your practice and see what other acupuncturists shape their practice, AcuProsper will spark your ideas. Download all episodes and start to explore different possibilities.
I have no affiliate relationship with AcuProsper.
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You are at the right place. All gift ideas in this guide do not require shipping. Hop on, cross the gift checklist, and get ready to relax for this holiday season.
Why would acupuncturists want to read about entrepreneurship? Because acupuncturists and entrepreneurs are very much alike. Problem solvers, solution finders, world changer!
Also, who does not love to hear great stories? Great stories are full of twisted and turns. You will definitely find plenty of ups and downs in How I Build This by Guy Raz.
Pick up a digital copy or audio book version. Refresh your mind.
When it comes to gift giving, what would be better than giving them a sense of community and belonging? Meet TCM lovers and practitioners. Join our friend at Radiant Shenti!
Juli prepares tons of live classes and video libraries, which have Qi Gong, Gua Sha, yoga and much more.
Juli generously gives our followers a free one month trail with code: Acupunturist30Days. Check it out today.
Want to warm up your acupuncturists in winter? Try out this very simple recipe. Goji Berry and Red Dates Herbal Tea.
You need to stop by your local Asian grocery store. Grab a bag of goji berry and a bag of red dates. Put into mason jars. Write down this super simple recipe. You and your acupuncturists can enjoy this Qi boosting drink anytime.
What you need
How to make the tea
Who says a gift needs to have a price tag? You and your acupuncturists probably use a lot of eyes these days. Why not give eyes a break? Let ears get entertained!
Block Buster Podcast won the award of Creative Podcast of the Year. It tells stories about film makers, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and James Cameron. The podcast series has a theater like sound effect, which brings you right into the scene.
If you and your acupuncturists need to spice up their visual feast, I would recommend this funny quote. Here is the digital download version. All you need is a printer and a frame. Your wall or desk will thank you for this nice touch!
Are you a fan of homemade lotion? If so, you are in luck. Here is a 3 ingredients recipe. Prep time is only 20 minutes. Make it for yourself and your acupuncturists.
If you don’t have time for making anything or shopping anything. How about a hand-written card? Just grab any card that you like, take a pen, write down your thoughts, gratitude, and warm wishes.
Just simply doing so, your acupuncturists’ hearts would be warmed for the entire winter.
Still thinking about traditional gift giving? How about an eGift Card from Finding Joy Gift Shop. All our apparel, stationery, and accessories are acupuncture themed designs. Give them joy!
If you want to take things up to the next level, layer up the 8 options above. Get your acupuncturists a few of them.
Happy Holidays to all acupuncturists, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners, and advocates!
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You have acupuncturists in your life and we are here for you. Here are a few gifts we believe will wow you acupuncturists and bring a smile to them and you!
Need a statement piece for your clinic? We got you. Check out our Acupuncture Activist Collection. It is easy for you to find something that speaks your acupucnturist' heart. Need to give a gift to yourself? Grab this home today.
Hand sanitizer usually has a bad name for the stickiness it left. Not this one. It has a refreshing citrus and woody scent. It will keep acupuncturists’ hands clean and hydrated at the same time. Getting ready to treat the next patients or just to call it a day.
Want to bring something green to an acupuncturist’s place? Give succulents a try. Succulents come in so many different colors and shapes. It creates a rich visual treat everyday. (Try Lula's Garden. Starting at $28)
Not certain whether your acupuncturists want to spend time to take care of succulents? How about artificial ones? No maintenance needed. ($18.99)
Healing patients takes a lot of thoughts, energy, and qi. Help the acupuncturists in your life to generate mojo from within. Give them some quality meditation time.
I’ve been using Headspace for more than one year and it still inspires me everyday with new content, bed time winding down, focus music, gentle movement and much more. It will be the last app I delete from my phone. ($12.99/month; $69.99/year)
Once I heard a saying referring tea bags to tea dusts. To give a gift, maybe this is the best opportunity to level up the tea game? Loose leaf tea’s aroma is unparalleled. The ritual to take out the teaware, boil hot water, and wait for tea to brew is a beautiful process to boost up Qi!
Not sure what to choose from in the tea universe? How about this white/green tea sampler. ($19)
This simple and elegant poster provides humor and encouragement. What better way to encourage patients’ commitment and connection!
“Your body is not Amazon Prime. It takes more than two days to heal” ($28)
Who does not love a mug? Especially those speak who you are? Check out the accessory section to see all our mugs.
From time to time, we all need a gentle reminder on taking care of our health. Healing is not a linear process. These colorful affirmation cards will provide a perfect visual cue to keep working on health and healing! ($4.99)
This is my favorite fiction from Ursula Le Guin. The story is about a young, reckless village boy, Ged, transformed to be the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea. How Ged learned mastery by facing his own challenges really resonates with me.
Not the least is … Ursula is the master of telling a story. I got lost in time reading this little book many times. I believe the acupuncturists in your life will enjoy a great story like this as well! ($8.99 paperback)
I have no affiliate relationship with any vendors mentioned in this article.
Acupuncture Points Handbook
A Patient’s Guide to the Locations and Functions of Over 400 Acupuncture Points by Deborah Bleechker, L.Ac.
If you are a patient like me, who wants a handbook which systematically introduces you to acupuncture points, this is the book for you.
Deborah covers how acupuncture works, how to locate acupuncture points, and how to do acupuncture effectively. Later, she goes through each meridian and its points.
Each meridian has an overview graphic to show most of the points and smaller graphic to show specific points.
The book has four introduction chapters
Then it covers 14 meridians and more points
As the name of the book implies, it is a complete handbook cover over 400 acupuncture points. If you want a complete handbook for beginners, this is it!
Since this book is for patients and beginners, Deborah did an excellent job in using simple language to explain meridians and points. She “translates” jargon well into daily language. This helps beginners tremendously to locate the points, if they want to.
The index section is not just glossary. It provides a quick look for ailments and points to treat it. If you want to find a few points for acupressure, the index section is great resource for you to get to where you need to be fast.
Since this is a handbook that covers points on 14 meridians, it might be difficult to read from the first point to next. Although some readers might want to read all points in sequence, it is difficult for me to remember too much in detail after reading one meridian and moving on to the next.
It is easier for me to see an ailment and go back to check out the points that treat the ailment.
I wrote another book review. A Patient’s Guide to Acupuncture. I don’t think these two are competing alternatives. A Patient’s Guide to Acupuncture covers more about what acupuncture is and how to find a practitioner etc.
This book is very focused on meridians and locations of points. I believe these two books are more complementary to each other.
If you are looking for a beginner’s guide to meridians and acupuncture points, look no further. Deborah’s handbook uses simple language and clear graphics. It is a comprehensive book for points and what these points can treat.
I have no affiliate relationship with the author and the publisher.
]]>Breakfast Cure Gourmet Slow Cooker Meals
Traditional Chinese wisdom told us to have warm and hot food to boost our health. Yet, our typical breakfast food is not exactly warm and hot. Think of milk, cereal, yogurt, toast?
Karen Taylor fell in love with congee and created Breakfast Cure to bring easy to prepare, modern flavor congee packets into our daily life.
Here are 13 flavors
The founder of Breakfast Cure is Karen Talor. She is a licensed acupuncturist and the congee packet she puts together is full of nutritious, and high quality ingredients.
One thing stands out the most to me is the fantastic smell the moment you open up a packet. I ordered three different flavors. They are Pineapple Paradise, Tangled up in Blueberry, and Karen’s Kitchen(Savor, not able to be found on the website). All three are full of nice aroma when opening up the packets.
Afte I put the packet into slower cooker, I woke up to a heart warming, fantastic smell in the kitchen. The nice smell really woke me up in a great mood.
The packet comes with everything you need. You only need to add water. That’s it. Super simple. You need to prepare nothing but take your slow cooker out to make this gourmet breakfast.
I had a question about why I needed to use a slow cooker to prepare Breakfast Cure and sent an online chat. I heard back from Karen herself within a couple hours.She explained why a slow cooker is needed and recommended a very economical choice. It is a speedy and super friendly pre-purchase customer service experience.
One packet is priced at $14.95 and it will cook into 21 ounces. That’s about one cup. Unless you put in some other add-on or toppings, one adult would most likely finish one packet for one meal.
The packet comes with everything. You don’t need to do anywork but prepare ahead. Each packet would need 7-12 hour cooking time. This is NOT a last minute meal you can prepare quickly.
You can find some instant noodle type of congee choices, but nothing is like Breakfast Cure’s packet which is full of high quality ingredients. If you find a good alternative, please let me know.
If you want to bring high quality, yummy, and hot congee to your family, you also don’t want to spend time and money to purchase different ingredients and put a recipe together by yourself. Breakfast Cure is the choice for you.
I have no affiliate relationship with Breakfast Cure.
It is easy to read and covers all the basics a curious beginner needs to know!
]]>A Patient’s Guide to Acupuncture
Everything You Need to Know
By Sarah Swanberg
As an acupuncturist or traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, you probably heard these following questions very often.
You definitely have your own way of answering those frequently asked questions. At the same time, wouldn’t it be great to have a guidebook to explain all the basics for people who are curious about acupuncture?
Look no further.
A Patient’s Guide to Acupuncture by Sarah Swanberg is a book introducing acupuncture’s fundamental principles and what to expect during treatment.
The book is written in easy to understand language. No excessive terminology requires extra Googling to understand.
The book has four chapters
This chapter includes basic concepts of what acupuncture is, a brief history, other related Chinese medicine treatment, and how to find a practitioner.
This chapter includes Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, the Vital Substances, the Organs and Meridians, the Seven Emotions, and extneral factors.
This chapter includes methods for diagnosing and how acupuncturist creating a treatment plan
This chapter includes 20 common ailments and its simple diagnosis and possible treatment. Some ailments include DIY acupressure points. 0
Sarah Swanberg put into good thoughts on what to cover and how deep she goes in this beginner’s guidebook. She gives enough information to answer commonly asked questions but not too much to overwhelm beginners.
The book is well organized so the readers can easily go through all chapters or jump to the section they are most interested in.
As Sarah is a practicing acupuncturist, she definitely knows what the most frequently asked questions are. She did excellent in answering these questions in a simple way and does not burden readers with unnecessary terminology.
More than answering FAQs, Sarah also knows what laymen should know about acupuncture and basic Chinese medicine concepts. She explains those concepts and makes it possible for laymen to have a vocabulary to dig deeper if they want.
Sarah uses a good amount of graphics. Yet as a beginner, I would like to see more graphics, especially in Chapter Four whether acupressure points are introduced in some common alignments.
That will help me better in locating the acupressure points and try it out on myself.
I have not yet read this book. It has 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon based on 50 global ratings. It seems to be solid for a beginner’s guide. I will report back when I complete the book.
If you are looking for a simple and modern beginner’s guide to acupuncture, this book covers all the basics. It is easy to read. It can be a great gift to patients and anyone who is curious about acupuncture.
I have no affiliate relationship with the author nor the publisher.
]]>The Qi Organic Whole Flower Teas
Acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are no strangers to herbal teas. As there are so many different choices, the Qi stands out when it provides a whole flower as its offering.
You will receive a whole flower in the bag. When pouring hot water over the flower in a cup, you will be able to see the whole flower opening up and dancing in the hot water.
When you taste the tea, you know it is all natural from the taste and smell. Nothing is added to the flower. You will taste the natural sweetness in the teas.
I need to be honest I am a sucker for one of a kind. When I first heard the Qi, I really couldn't stop myself from wanting to try it.
Their website does an awesome job to show you how you can see the flower opening up in hot water. That makes brewing tea a visual enjoyment.
The moment you open the packet, you will smell the natural scent from the flower. When you brew the tea, the natural scent grows richer.
When you taste the tea, it is subtle and natural. You will be able to tell there is nothing else added into the flower. It is that simple.
The Qi’s standard is sourced from small family farms, sustainable sourced, 100% traceable.
If you are people who care about where the product is produced, this is a product that checks all your boxes.
The package is wrapped in tissue printed with instructions on how to make origami rose and paper rose garland.
The box comes with beautiful paintings of the flower tea you are receiving. A peek through cut out allows you to see the flower before you open the box
It also comes with step by step instructions on how to brew the tea.
Price per packet starts from $3.1 to $4. Although each packet (flower) can refill 2 more times, (Total yield of 3 cups of tea at 0.4 oz each.) the price is definitely on the high end of herbal teas.
As each tea packet comes with one single origin flower, it provides a full taste of one flower. If you are those people who want more layers of tastes, this is not the tea for you.
If we are only to find alternatives as a whole flower tea, I really can’t find any. If you happen to know any other choices, I would love to hear from you.
As a person who loves the purity of tea, I highly recommend the Qi to someone who looks for subtlety and beauty.
When you pour hot water into the cup, you will see the flower opens up and scent raises. It is indeed a great enjoyment.
I have no affiliate relationship with the Qi.
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The product is created by Mike Arsenault, an acupuncturist and herbalist. Mike created this skin soother for his daughter Emily. It works really well for babies and adults too!
]]>Mike Arsenault, acupuncturist and herbalist became a dad in 2006. His daughter Emily had baby eczema. She had red bumps on her cheeks, neck and sometimes limbs.
As a concerned father, Mike started to create a skin soother for Emily. With Emily’s baby skin in mind, Mike wants to use bare minimal, all natural, and high quality herbs.
Emily Skin Soother was created. It has no sulfur, no preservative. The original soother has only five ingredients, including olive oil, beeswax, angelica sinensis (Dang Gui), Potentillae Chinensis Herb (Bei Zi Cao) and Mentha Haplocalyx Herb (Bo He / Mint).
The original soother has no colors, fragrances or chemicals added.
Although it was created to soothe eczema, Mike’s family, friends, and patients found out the soother works for many other dry, chapped, and flaking skin.
I advocate for acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Thus, I love products made by an acupuncturist.
There are only 5 ingredients for its original product and it is all natural. Simple but effectively. What you can ask more for.
I test out the original product on my dry nose. Where I live is very smokey due to wildfires. I need to blow my nose multiple times a day. The skin around my nostrils are red and dry.
Just one thin layer at night, my dryness and redness disappear the next morning. It is really a very effective skin soother.
If you are those who want to try things out before a big commitment, Emily Skin Soother provides a 3 sample size package for $10.80. You can pick any 3 from 5 soothers. The shopping cart is also very flexible. It allows you to choose 2 or even 3 for a specific soother.
I purchased a sample size of lavender scent. Maybe because it is small(0.4oz), the scent is very light. Thus, if you prefer a strong scent, a travel size might not give you what you want.
Each product page does not show a lot of reviews. Those 5 soothers respectively have less than 10 reviews and some of the reviews are more than 5 years old.
I have not yet found another skin soother made by all natural ingredients. If you know any product out there, please do let me know.
I highly recommend Emily Skin Soother to anyone who has dry skin conditions and wants to use all natural ingredients.
Emily Skin Soother uses only 5 all natural ingredients and the original one no fragrance. It suits baby and adult skin!
I have no affiliate relationship with Emily Skin Soother.
]]>This product is also the brainchild of Chinese herbalist and acupuncturist. It is the best product for people who love and support traditional Chinese medicine!
]]>LipIntervention Lip Balm by Zi Zai Dermatology
If you are looking for a lip balm which is nourishing and cures your habit of using lip balms a few times a day(or even a few times in an hour), LipIntervention is what you are looking for. It will help you break your habit of constantly looking for your lip balm.
LipIntervention is made 100% with natural ingredients and Chinese herbs.
The product is created by Diana Hermann. She is an acupuncturist and herbalist. She created this product to help her to deal with dry weather in Colorado and broke her addition to hourly application of lip balms.
Most of the mass produced lip balms use petroleum, which is commonly used in many skin products. Yet, it is not natural.
If you are the hardcore fan for natural ingredients, LipIntervention will tick this box for you.
I am one of those who will use lip balm almost every hour to keep my lips moistened. When I use LipInvention, I can apply it once after meals and I don’t feel the need to apply it again between meals.
This is the biggest pros for this product as LipInvention delivers what it promised!
As a keen supporter to Chinese medicine and acupuncture, I definitely support a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner with such a great invention. I sincerely hope more people find this little treasure and break their addiction to lip balm with non natural ingredients.
When I open the cap of LipIntervention, I smell the familiar Chinese herb. It smells natural to me.
Yet, if you can’t bear any smell of herb, this might not be the product for me.
Disclaimer: after applying the balm to my lip, I can’t smell the herb. I only smell the herb when I put the balm closer to my nose.
If you are looking for all natural ingredient lip balm, I can only think of Burt’s Bees’ Beeswax Lip Balm. It is 4.25g (0.15iz) at $3.59.
Yet, if you are looking for other lip products with Chinese herbs and help you break the addiction to lip balm, I have not yet found one.
If you do, please reach out to me. I am very keen to try out new products.
If you want to stop applying lip balm several times a day, LipInvention lip balm is your choice! It is nourishing and helps fight dryness with 100% natural ingredients!
I have no affiliate relationship with Zi Zai Dermatology.
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Are you chocolate lovers? Do you love herbs? You are in luck! ChiChi Chocolate brings traditional Chinese herbal formula to chocolate.
Huge bonus point: The package is beautifully designed and packed with related acupressure and traditional Chinese medicine knowledge.
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If you are a chocolate lover and also want to follow traditional Chinese health regimen, ChiChi Chocolate is THE chocolate for you.
Dr. Kerry Boyle, DAc, LAc, brings a team of herbalists, Chinese medicine practitioners, and chef to craft seven chocolates with different blends of herbs for sleep, energy, immune function, longevity, stress, meditation and movement.
Each of the seven chocolates come with a beautiful design. The cover is a traditional Chinese painting with different animals. When turning to the back, the opposite side of nutrition is the nature of the bar.
After opening the package and removing the bar, you will see a beautiful painting on the left, acupressure points for its purpose, and the right is the element and symbolized animal.
Chichi Chocolate is the brainchild of two acupuncturists and one chef. The creation is packed with fine chocolate and herbs. You can satisfy your sweet tooth and get the benefit of traditional Chinese herbal formulas. How awesome is that!
I can’t express how impressed I am with their beautiful packages. Each package comes with a symbolized animal from Taoism cosmology on the front, related acupressure points and story of the animal inside the package.
You enjoy the chocolate, learn Chinese medicine and Taoism cosmology at the same time.
The herb tastes natural. It does not overpower chocolate. The chocolate leads the taste. You do taste the herb once the chocolate starts to melt or you chew on the chocolate.
Chichi Chocolate team does a great job to balance the sweetness and herbal tastes.
If you do not like any herb taste in any scale, Chichi is not for you. I believe the team does great to balance the chocolate and herb taste. You do taste the herb.
Chichi chocolate team did a fantastic job combining five elements, taoism cosmology, and traditional Chinese herbal formulas.
But, just reading the ingredients is difficult to comprehend how it tastes. Of course, you can easily pick a bar based on the herbal formulate, such as for stress or for sleep. It is difficult to tell what it tastes like from what you see on the package.
If you restrict the alternatives to chocolate with Chinese herbal formulas, I really can’t find other alternatives.
Of course, there are chocolate bars blended with herbs, such as lavender etc.
If you happen to know any other chocolate bars with Chinese herbal formulas, please let me know. I appreciate the information!
I would highly recommend ChiChi Chocolate to any chocolate lovers and Chinese medicine supporters. With its carefully craft formula, beautiful design, and packed of knowledge, I believe Chichi Chocolate is great for yourself and your acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.
I have no affiliate relationship with Chichi Chocolate.
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You are considering joining someone else’ practice. This podcast also shares insights on the pros and cons too.
]]>Acu Sprout Podcast by Stacey Whitcomb
If you are still an acupuncture school student or just start your practice, you can’t miss Stacey’s Acu Sprout podcast.
She shares many crucial aspects of how to run a success business, accounting, website, insurance, and much more.
If you are practicing for a while, you will still find her podcasts insightful. While listening to her podcasts, you can review your current practice. Is there some area you overlooked in the past? It is never too late to have a makeover.
She has been through acupuncture school, board exam, building an acupuncture practice.
She is in the same trench as you do. So she understands the business and the challenges.
Stacey completed a triathlon and she was a massage therapist. She brings those life experiences and wisdom into her acupuncture clinic management.
You can hear her sharing how her experience guides her with different choices. I found those fascinating and could spark some new thoughts for listeners.
To have a successful practice, you need clarity on your mindset. Stacey has a series Mindset Monday podcasts to help you think through big picture questions, such as vision, perfect patients, annual goal settings.
These are important questions you need to think through to define you own success. It might take some time, but it is worth it.
At the same time, you have Stacey as your guide!
I’ve encountered some experts who focus on building fully booked and a certain dollar amount practice. Money is very important. You need to make a profit to keep practicing.
At the same time, what is your true north? Helping patients you enjoy helping and making good profit to support your practice, your life and your family. That’s what Stacey’s products focus on.
That’s the reason I enjoy her podcast very much.
If you are the type of listener who expects a podcaster to publish a new episode on the clock, Acu Sprout might disappoint you on that front.
Stacy mostly has at least one new episode every month.
Since what she shares is mindset and big picture thinking, maybe you should re-listen to her old episodes and nail down all the planning and execution while waiting for the new one?
There are many aspects to be taken care of to run a successful acupuncture practice. You might have no clue at all that your website needs to be ADA compliant. You might just learn how complicated it is to accept insurance. Also, the pros and cons of doing so.
If you feel overwhelmed, don’t do everything she covered in every episode. Focus on one thing first. The move on.
If you wonder which one to pick and you’ve been analysis paralysis, just choose whichever your heart desires.
Get going. Momentum brings velocity.
If you are looking for highly specialized podcasts for new acupuncturists or traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, I did not have any other alternative to suggest.
If you are open to other media such as youtube, below are two acupuncturists’ brainchild.
Alyssa is an acupuncturist and has a Youtube channel to share her insights on how to build a 6 figure acupuncture practice.
If you are a visual learner, check out her youtube channel.
Her website has free info for you to take a deep look as well.
If you want to podcast, Youtube, and blog, Katie has a great library of everything.
If you want acupuncture practice coaching and providing digital offering, Katie’s website has plenty of information for you to go over.
I would highly recommend any new acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners listen to Acu Sprout. That podcast makes you feel you are not alone.
Your struggle is real and makes senses. And Stacey provides her own insights to guide you through the big picture questions.
Even if you are not ready to tackle everything, start listening and thinking about what you want for your practice.
If you already practice for a while, this is still a good podcast with solid information to review your practice and bring it to the level you want it to be.
As an avid podcast listener, I listen to 20+ shows in a week. The recommendation above is based on personal experience and preference. I am not affiliated with any of the podcasts, websites and Youtube channels mentioned above.
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Michelle Grasek is an acupuncturist, knows marketing inside out, and most importantly, she provides many marketing frameworks, templates and encourages you to find your own way to marketing your services in a not sleazy way.
]]>Acupuncture Marketing School Podcast by Michelle Grasek
If you want to learn acupuncture marketing from an acupuncturist, you are at the right place. Michelle Grasek is an acupuncturist who has successful practice and teaches her fellow acupuncturist on marketing.
If you hesitate about marketing, this will be a podcast for you to dip your toe in. Michelle’s way is not pushy, not sleazy. She guides you to find what you are comfortable and consistently doing.
There are many digital marketing experts who will share and teach digital marketing. What makes Michelle’s show unique is that she is an acupuncturist.
She has been through acupuncture school, board exam, building an acupuncture practice.
She is in the same trench as you do. So she understands the business and the challenges.
If you want tried and true marketing advice, Michelle is the go to person. For all the marketing or acupuncture business advice she shares in the podcast, she tried them before.
Therefore, she knows what works and what to avoid, especially for fellow acupuncturists.
This is almost as important as she is an acupuncturist herself. Many digital marketing experts might have excellent track records in running digital marketing. Their podcasts or blog would focus on more of the how. Less of the why.
Michelle’s podcast stands out because she emphasizes on the correct mindset of marketing in almost every episode.
If you have concerns about marketing, her podcasts will share why marketing is great for your business.
Marketing is not bothering people. Marketing is simply letting people understand your practice. Further it will lead to more appointments and successful practice.
Michelle does not stop at the right marketing mindset. She encourages you to find your own rhythm to have consistency.
There are many “best practices” in digital marketing, such as you need to post at a certain frequency etc.
Those are valid pieces of advice. But most importantly, will you be able to keep up with one post a day on Instagram?
Michelle encourages you to find the right social media and at a frequency you can consistently show up.
Some social media experts would tell you to jump on the newest platform or tools. Which might be valid.
If you are comfortable doing so, great.
If not, find your own pace and consistently show up. That’s the key to success and that’s what Michelle always emphasizes on her podcast.
Michelle goes deep in most of the episodes. If you are completely new to the idea she is sharing, you might feel a bit overwhelmed as it might seem a lot to get started.
Given she is very gentle and very understanding in acupuncture practice, this is really a very small con if you want to learn marketing.
There are many aspects to be taken care of to run a successful acupuncture practice. If you are already overwhelmed, marketing might not be on the top of your list to tackle.
My advice on this is just listen to her podcast. Let this concept sink in. When you are ready, choose one social media, or just one area, such as email marketing or your own website, to get started.
Don’t do everything at the beginning. It will be easier to get results.
If you are looking for highly specialized digital marketing podcasts for acupuncturists or traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, I would say I really did not know any other alternatives.
If you are open to advice on specific social media or platforms, the following two alternatives are for people who are looking for more general advice.
It is a weekly podcast hosted by Kate Ahl. Kate runs a digital marketing agency focused on Pinterest traffic. Kate would invite other Pinterst experts or some of her clients to share their experience.
She also has an evergreen content calendar for you to plan out your pins. If you want to deep dive into Pinterst, she would be a great resource for you.
If you want to focus on Instagram, I would recommend Daniel Hill’s podcasts. He has two podcasts. One is a 3-5 minute daily show to provide the update on Instagram. The other is a 30-60 minute biweekly show.
Daniel will invite experts in Instagram marketing or some influencers to share how they build their audience on Instagram.
I would highly recommend any acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners listen to Acupuncture Marketing School by Michelle Grasek, no matter if you are ready to take on marketing or not.
If you are new to digital marketing, Michelle’s emphasis on mindset will help you think about marketing in a healthy way.
If you are ready to deep dive into a certain aspect of marketing, Michell’s hands-on experience in both running acupuncture practice and marketing will give you the tried and true best practice. You will save a lot of time by trying things out yourself.
As an avid podcast listener, I listen to 20+ shows in a week. The recommendation above is based on personal experience and preference. I am not affiliated with any of the podcasts mentioned above.
]]>Finding Joy is established to serve acupuncturists, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and supporters. We will definitely have a few suggestions for our beloved TCM families.
Before you go shopping, you need to do two things first.
No matter if you have 10 people or one person to shop for, make a list of names and when they would need to receive the gifts.
Doing this will help you have an overview of the “scope” of your shopping and also set a budget beforehand.
One general rule of thumb of the gift budget is 1%-2% of your annual income. If your annual income is $50,000, you will have $500 to shop for gifts.
Also, when doing the budget, don’t forget about shipping cost. Will you be the person who sends out the gift or a website might provide free shipping?
When you have a list in handy, you start to look for Christmas gifts in March. You will have plenty of time to go to all brick and mortar stores to browse, feel, and pick.
If the person’s birthday is 3 days away and they live thousands of miles away, you might need to consider a gift which can be delivered digitally. (ebook?)
Now is where you can go shopping. We will divide into online shopping and physical locations.
Since everyone knows where the big box stores are, we will save space for unique and designers’ marketplaces.
Etsy is the marketplace for unique gifts. A lot of shops are run by designers. Because each shop is owned by different designers, Etsy provides a lot of varieties.
If you just search for Acupuncture, you might find something you like.
Uncommon Goods is similar to Etsy in a way to feature unique and designer’s gifts. In my personal opinion, I like Uncommon Good’s interface as it is cleaner to navigate through.
If you are looking for a fun and economical choice, Kikkerland would surprise you with tons of creative yet practical choices.
If you want to find modern and contemporary gifts with a touch of art, Moma Design Store is where you should shop.
If contemporary art is not your friends’ favorite, try the shop for Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met has a large fine art collection which could give you a lot of inspiration.
I will highly recommend the National Palace Museum Shop. If your acupuncturist friends really like Chinese culture, you will find plenty of choices of fine Chinese art. If you prefer a modern take, this shop will not disappoint you.
Is there a small gift shop in your town? Maybe this is your chance to give them a visit. A small shop might surprise you with their local gift choices.
Also, why not support your local business and surprise your friend with your local designs?
Is there a farmer’s market near where you stay? A local farmer’s market might have some local treats or artists which solve your gift needs!
Flea market? What? Why?
Why not?
You might be surprised by the variety of goods they have at a flea market. You might find some inspiration to layer it up with some other gifts.
A thrifty store is similar to a flea market. Most of the time it is not the first place when people think about buying a gift.
If you are sending your friend a nice flower arrangement, why not stop by a thrifty store to find a vase.
If you are repurposing a piece of art and make it your own, a thrifty store could be a great starting point.
Other than big box retails, there are plenty of places you can be inspired. No matter if you are shopping from your laptop or heading into your local market, I hope you have a great time finding the gift for your acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner friends.
]]>This blog can be viewed as the sequel to the first one and has different ideas than the first.
It is usually small things that matter the most in life. When you think about your acupuncturists or traditional Chinese medicine practitioner friends, when was the last time you did something simple to just let them know you care about them and you are thinking about them?
You don’t need any grand gestures or any special occasion. Just because you are thinking about them is good enough.
Here are a few no-fail small gift ideas.
Mugs are one of the most common gifts because they are practical and full of designs. That’s why one of the first gifts we have in the shop is mugs. It never goes old.
Also, when your acupuncturist friend has his/her favorite tea or coffee, they can think about you!
A tote bag provides all the convenience for your traditional Chinese medicine practitioner friends. Do they need a bag for groceries? Check. Do they need a bag to haul herbs? Check. Friendship? Check!
In this digital age, a notebook and journal seem nostalgic. An acupuncturist has a lot of reasons to write things down. As they are running a practice, seeing patients, a good notebook and journal will come in handy.
A DIY gift will definitely show your sincerity. Below three ideas are in sequence of no skill to some skills.
Do you remember how you felt when you received a handwritten card last time? How warm and fuzzy you felt?
You only need a pen and a stamp to make this happen!
Don’t know what to write. Google will give you plenty of great examples to start with.
How about sending them a photo collage or a photo book? Think of a theme, such as graduation or the change of their practice. Or a trip you two took together.
With a free online tool like Canva.com, it might be very easy to put together something very personal and well cherished.
If you are great at the kitchen, you might consider making some cookies, pies, or cakes.
If it is winter, why not consider some warming soup?
If you are a chef who can put together a meal, you will definitely be savior for acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners when they have a hectic day at practice.
If you want to have a perfect looking box full of goodies, you are willing to spend some money to get it delivered nicely to their house. You might consider the following curated gift box services.
Full disclosure: I am not affiliated with these three services.
If your acupuncturist friend is going through difficult times, Laurelbox will be your best bet. Laurelbox started with gifts to bereaved mothers and expanded to many occasions when people experience loss.
If you find it difficult to find a gift to express your sympathy, Laurelbox might be a very good choice.
Want to send some soup to show you care but cooking is not your thing? Spoonful of Comfort gets you. They have many classic choices of soups to send to your beloved acupuncturists.
Do you need a more general purpose gift box? Knack gets you covered. They have plenty of choices, and an easy process to guide you through those.
In case you don’t know what to give, a gift card will let your acupuncture friend have the power to choose his/her own gifts!
Your gift does not need to be one time only. There are plenty of subscription services that could extend the shelf life and freshness of your gift.
What does your traditional Chinese medicine practitioner friend love? You would probably find a magazine that covers his/her interest. Make a subscription to make it a recurring delight!
There are plenty of music streaming services out there. A subscription will allow your acupuncturist friend to take his/her favorite music everywhere. You will also support the musicians at the same time.
As a healer, your acupuncturist and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner friend needs to be recharged and decompressed. What works better than meditation?
A meditation app will help them decompress anytime, anywhere.
As most acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are life long learners, they would appreciate knowledge sharing.
This blog covered 8 acupuncture and TCM podcasts. Why not share this information with your friend? Maybe both of you can listen to the same podcasts, chat about the episodes and deepen your friendship?
I found this TV series provides in-depth knowledge about Chinese food culture and it is so easy to follow! It is fascinating to know so many different types of Chinese food.
This is the show to recommend to your foodie TCM friends!
Chinese government put into great effort to let its ancient and rich culture be known by the world. This Youtube channel provides high quality and English sub videos about Chinese medicine. Practitioners will not want to miss!
This idea is essentially to arrange some time for you and your acupuncturist friend to do something together.
Both of you love tea? Awesome. Find a tea shop, sit down and update each other’s life.
Both of you love yoga? Try a new yoga studio close to both of you.
Want to do something meaningful? How about volunteering together?
Two of you are not in the same city? Not a problem. You can find a sort of different online activities at Airbnb experience. You two can find all sorts of activities, artsy, baking, dancing, etc. You will be surprised how much fun you two can have together even if you two are miles away.
Who says you can only send one gift? For all these ideas, you can pick a few and put them together into your unique gift experiences.
For example, you can send a handwritten card and home baked cookies. After your acupuncturist friend receives your goodies, schedule a time to watch Confucius was a foodie together!
Happy gift giving!!
]]>We will share 4 Dos and 4 Don’ts on how to come up with a gift that the receiver will love.
]]>We will share 4 Dos and 4 Don’ts on how to come up with a gift that the receiver will love. These principles apply to our beloved acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners as well!
Let’s start with the dos.
Think over the conversations you two have in the past few months. Did they mention something they need or want?
Or they mentioned something about their future plan? Their life stage will change because they will graduate, move, or they just get a promotion?
All these might give you some clues about what they might need. You can give gifts based on what they have told you.
Some of you might want to give a surprise gift. If that’s the case, this Do does not apply to you.
If you want to give gifts the receiver really wants, maybe ask them directly. It is like asking for a dream list and helping your friend and family realize their dream.
Another way to look at asking directly is like to ask for a private gift registry. Asking receivers directly might be the easiest way to give them what they want and love!
If you want to keep the gift as a surprise, you might ask the receiver’s friends and family.
Did they know or hear anything the receiver might want or need? Or from their perspective, something the receiver might need or like?
If you prefer friends and family don’t tell the receiver, please let them know your intention. Also, if this friend or family member has a history of not being able to keep a secret, you might need to have second thoughts on asking them.
This is getting into your gift receiver’s shoes. If you were them, what would you like to have as a gift?
A few different ways to think like them.
First, what is their life stage? Are they 20 something who just graduated from college with student loans? Something that could boost their career might be a good gift.
Are they new parents who seriously lack sleep? Maybe some prepared meals, house cleaning services will be deeply appreciated.
Another way to think like them is to think of their hobbies or interests. Do they play golf or practice qigong? Are they pet lovers? Do they love to cook, or travel?
Answering these questions might give you some clues of what they might need.
Also taking into consideration is where they live. Do they live in an apartment or a house with a backyard?
If you want to give a houseplant, a person who lives in a tiny apartment would appreciate a small, low maintenance, limited sunshine plant.
A person who lives in a house with a big backyard might want something that can grow in the open space.
Again, think about their life stages, their interests and hobbies, and where they live. You will find a lot of inspiration.
Physical goods usually come to the gift giver’s mind first. It is natural to think of a gift as something nice that we can wrap up beautifully with ribbon in a box.
Experience can be valuable and unforgettable gifts. For acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, maybe they are interested in Eastern Asian culture, language, food, martial arts etc.
Maybe a stroll at an Asian art museum and lunch at an authentic Asian food eatery will be the most unforgettable gift you can give to your acupuncturists and TCM practitioners.
Does a high price tag equal to your sincerity? Not necessarily. First, your gift receiver might not know about the price tag. Also, a high price tag might bring pressure to some gift receivers because they will think about giving you something in a similar price range.
Secondly, if you would expect more appreciation from your gift receiver simply because it is pricier. Maybe that thought itself is a no no to high price tag.
When you think about giving gifts, it is normal that you think of something unique for the receiver. Tailor made sounds wonderful and so right for gift giving.
At the same time, you should also remember that part of human nature wants to join the crow. Remember keeping up with the Jones?
I am going back to houseplant as an example. Succulent is a popular choice nowadays. Why not go with the flow? A popular choice means there is tons of information out there for your gift receiver, quick and easy tips on how to take care of the succulent.
Your gift receiver might already see a lot of succulents as houseplants and really want to jump on the wagon.
Do you remember a truly bad gift? Chances are, you don’t. You might receive some gifts that make you scratch your head, but you definitely appreciate the gift giver who put in effort, time, and money into a gift.
Thus, you should have confidence that after you put into all the research, your gift receivers will appreciate your thoughts.
After all, it is the thought it counts!
]]>Acupuncture is rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. Thus, the concept of healing or being healthy might not be exactly the same as what you have known for your entire life.
I am not asking you to ditch everything you know. Just give another perspective an opportunity.
After all, this is your body. You will be the one to feel the difference. You should be in control.
It is a frequently asked question on what to wear for acupuncture treatment. The general rule of thumb is to wear loose fitting clothing, which is easy to roll up to your elbows and knees.
For detailed discussion on clothing, please check out this blog.
One way for a traditional Chinese doctor to know your health is to check your tongue and pulse from both wrists.
You don’t need to do anything for pulse checking. It is fine to brush your teeth as usual. You don't need to do anything special to clean your tongue. Leave it at its normal status for your acupuncturist to collect health information.
This is also a rule of thumb. Don’t be too full or too hungry for your acupuncture treatment. Since you know your body the best, plan your meal strategically. Too hungry, you might be prone to feel lightheaded. Too full, your blood is in the digestive system and not the best timing for acupuncture treatment.
If this is your first treatment, you would need to fill out an intake form which asks about your health history.
If this is not your first treatment, it is still a good idea to arrive a bit early to settle in, take a deep breath, and relax for your treatment.
We will go a bit deeper on intake form here. Answer questions based on your own condition. No need to provide what you believe as the “right” answers.
It is your body and your health. There is no right answer or one size fits all solution. Share your condition and it will help your acupuncturist or Chinese doctor find the best fit solution to you.
If you are female, be prepared to share your menstruation cycle information. Female’s menstruation cycle provides information about your health. Make sure you have this information handy.
Try to avoid stimulants, such as alcohol or caffeine two hours ahead of your treatment. These simulants might decrease the effectiveness of your acupuncture treatment.
If you want more details, please check out this article published by NIH.
This is the time for you to focus on health and relax. We have plenty of time to spend on our devices. Turn off your devices so it will not disturb your acupuncturist and yourself!
Relaxing is the most important thing you can do to help you get the most out of your treatment.
Once the needles are inserted, you will have a period of time to just sit back or lay back and relax.
As previously mentioned, you should turn off your devices already. Try not to overthink.
If you practice meditation, this is some time for you to do some meditation. Or simply take a nap. Relax.
On very rare occasions, you might feel uncomfortable at certain acupuncture points. Please do not hesitate to tell your acupuncturist immediately. Tell him/her how you feel. Depending on how serious and how long it last, they might just take the needle out or make any adjustment.
Don’t bear with your uncomfortableness till the end of the session. Ask for help or change when you start to feel unwell.
If you have anything you want to know, please ask your acupuncturist or Chinese medicine practitioner.
If you have any questions about acupuncture or Chinese medicine’s way of thinking, don't’ be shy. Only you know more about the practice, the easier for you to follow the regimen and get better.
Avoiding stimulants is a tip before treatment. The same logic applies to after treatment. Give your body more room to heal. Less stimulants.
If you are new to acupuncture, try to avoid strenuous activities after the treatment. You are the judge to what strenuous means to you.
If you run 10 miles a day, maybe you can keep doing so. If you did not even walk a mile for the past decade, it is not smart to do so right after your treatment.
Your acupuncturist might give you some suggestions on what to eat and what to avoid. To get the most out of your treatment, do you best to follow their recommendation.
Also, if you have questions, ask them directly. Ask why.
Once you understand, it is easier for you to follow the suggestions.
There is plenty of information on how sleep affects our health. If you are unwell, good quality of sleep will help you get recovery soon. The same applies to acupuncture.
Follow the same note as being realistic, you would most likely need a few treatments to get well. Thus, before leaving the clinic, schedule your next appointment. So you can get the best out of your treatment.
Acupuncture works. At the same time, it depends on how long you have been unwell and how fast you seek for help.
Acupuncture is not a silver bullet and solves all problems within one treatment. Having a conversation with your acupuncturist will help you have realistic expectations on how fast you will recover.
Let’s start the healing journey together.
]]>You are really thankful to your traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, who makes your life so much better with natural and herbal treatment.
You want to give them a gift.
But, when? You can think of the obvious, such as birthdays, Christmas, etc. Here are some less obvious and meaningful occasions for you to give gifts to the acupuncturist and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in your life.
It can be graduation from an advanced degree or a training program. Your future acupuncturist passes their certification exams.
Your Chinese medicine practitioners move to a new location or they decide to retire from practice.
Your acupuncturist welcomes a new member in the family or a close friend or family passes away.
When their life changes, it is the best timing for you to show your support in their transition. A bouquet of flowers or a simple handwritten card would mean a lot.
You can take it to the next level to think of something they might not yet think of. Such as some decorations when they have a new location. Or simply sending them a hot meal when they are too busy dealing with everything else.
(AOM) Day falls on 10/24. National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) dedicates this day to increase public awareness of acupuncture and oriental medicine.It would be a perfect occasion to show your appreciation and support.
https://www.actcm.edu/blog/acupuncture/acupuncture-and-oriental-medicine-day-october-24th
National Doctor’s Day falls on 3/30. Your acupuncturists and TCM practitioners are doctors and would love to have your support.
5 / 6 is Nurse Day. If someone supports your acupuncturists and TCM practitioners, it might be a good time to express your gratitude.
Since your practitioners study and practice Chinese medicine, why not show them your support on Chinese related holidays? Here are a few for you to consider.
Chinese in ancient times used the lunar calendar. Thus, the Chinese New Year will fall on different days each year. It is most likely to be in mid January to mid February.
It is a time for celebrating a new beginning. Red is the color Chinese related to celebration and prosperity.
Ancient Chinese divided a year into 24 segments. These terms reflect season changes and different agricultural activities. The common ones are vernal equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox, and winter solstice.
Since it is based on the lunar calendar, the actual day every year might not be the same.
No need to worry about where to find the most updated day each year. Just Google Chinese solar terms. You will find the time period for a specific year.
If you are familiar with Chinese e-commerce, November 11th is an unofficial holiday created for the online shopping spree.
The number 1 looks like a bare branch, which refers to not being able to add “branches to the family tree.” Hence, it is single.
Major Chinese online retailers will have good discounts around Singles’ Day. It is time to shop! If your acupuncturist and TCM practitioners are on your gift list, this might be the best timing to do so.
Acupuncturists and TCM practitioners are part of the healthcare industry. Also, herbal treatment is crucial in the TCM healing journey.
Below are some healthy and earthy related days. You might find some inspiration for a great occasion.
A good night's sleep helps people get better. It’s needless to say how important sleep impacts people’s health. So why not celebrate World Sleep Day with your acupuncturist?
World Sleep Day falls on the Friday before the vernal equinox.
Earth Day is held on 4/22 to support environmental protection. It is a movement to take actions on caring for our environment.
Herb Day is an unofficial holiday created to encourage people to learn more about herb and use herb more extensively in daily lives.
Since traditional Chinese medicine uses many herbs, it is the best time to celebrate with your acupuncturist and TCM practitioners.
In TCM’s perspective, emotions and physical health are highly connected. Five basic feelings are related to inner organs.
Your understanding and support of mental health will resonate well with your acupuncturists and TCM practitioners. Get a calming and soothing gift to them to help release stress.
It’s another unofficial holiday that celebrates the earthly nature! Give your acupuncturists and TCM practitioners a house plant. A touch of green will light up their day.
It is a day for us to recreate and restore our environment. A great timing to do something environmentally friendly with your acupuncturist and TCM practitioners.
We mention a lot of holidays and occasions above. If you don’t find anything you like, no worries. Who says giving gifts must have a reason. Random kindness works perfectly to light up one’s day.
Pick a gift or write a card to your acupuncturists and TCM practitioners today!
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