by angieng67 | Dec 8, 2021 | Acupuncture, Wellness and Nutrition
At Acupuncture for Balanced Wellness in Chicago, we believe that health is about achieving and maintaining balance.
We all become out of balance at some point in our lives. This can be due to overwork, stress, trauma, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, etc. Over time, this takes a toll on our health and can lead to issues such as pain problems, insomnia, anxiety, depression, digestive problems, fatigue, hormonal problems, infertility, weight gain, low immunity, and just overall not feeling like your best self. Whatever your health concerns may be, we look at each individual holistically rather than just as a series of symptoms or diseases. By looking at the whole person and utilizing acupuncture and holistic medicine, we strive to help our patients achieve lasting vitality and wellness.
In the video below, our licensed acupuncturist, Angie Ng, talks about how we help our patients attain wellness through acupuncture, lifestyle and nutritional coaching, herbal supplements, and other natural therapies.
At Acupuncture for Balanced Wellness, we believe health is about balance.
Restoring a Health Balance with Acupuncture video on Youtube
by angieng67 | Jan 19, 2021 | Acupuncture, Stress and Anxiety
Go, Go, Go, and did I mention Go. Does this feel like your life – a constant bombardment of job stress, family stress, and environmental stress? And then you lie down at night, and that deep restful sleep you long for struggles to come. (Boo!) Well you are most certainly not alone. According to a survey from the Better Sleep Council, half of Americans (48%) say they don’t get enough sleep, and less than half of them take any one specific action to help them get better sleep.(1)
Sleep, like the whole of the human body, is complex, and many things may be involved in your inability to get a good night sleep, but for the overworked and stressed out, there is a good chance cortisol is part of the problem. Cortisol is the hormone that governs your hunger cravings, digestion, blood pressure, sleep/wake patterns, a capacity to cope with stress. It is produced in the adrenal glands and helps manage glucose levels in the body.(2) It responds when the fight or flight part of our brain is triggered by stress. This is an ideal response if you are being chased by a bear, but not when our phone pings at us that we have a message waiting or when we see that escalating pile of laundry in the corner. But this is what is happening without us even realizing it and it is affecting our sleep and our health.
I started struggling with sleep when I went back to school for acupuncture (oops ;-p) These are some recommendations that I find work for me:
The Sleep Supplement Regimen
Ashwagandha
The powerful Ayurvedic herb- Ashwagandha, often referred to as “indian ginseng” because of its many restorative benefits, has been shown to boost the immune system, modulate blood sugar, and lower cortisol levels, helping you stay stable through the day. Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb. Adaptogens not only increase the resistance to the adverse effects of long-term stress yet the majority are also a tonic, immune-stimulating and increase general sense of well-being.
Tart Cherry Juice
Multiple clinical studies have shown tart montmorency cherry juice to have a positive effect on sleep, helping you fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer. (3)(4) Tart cherry juice increases melatonin, which can help improve sleep quality immediately, and also improve how your body uses tryptophan, which has been shown to help people fall asleep and stay asleep.
I recommend starting out with 1 tablespoon and ramping up to 2 if needed. Tart Cherry Juice might not be the easiest to find on the grocery store shelves, but many stores do carry it and it is well worth asking the store clerk about. My sleeping life changed when I found tart cherry juice.
Magnesium and Calcium
Magnesium is a critical mineral responsible for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body. You must have it for your cells to make energy, for many different chemical pumps to work, to stabilize membranes, and to help muscles relax. Magnesium is a relaxing mineral, helping all forms of tension- Tense nerves, tense bowels, and tense muscles.
Calcium plays an important role in cell signaling, helping to induce normal muscle contraction and conduct of nerve impulses. Magnesium and calcium are both sleep boosters, and when taken together they become even more effective. (5)
What Else Can you Try?
Ditch the alcohol
It may help you fall asleep, but doesn’t assure a quality rest. As alcohol metabolizes during the night, sleep becomes fragmented and deep sleep decreases. Try having your nightcap at happy hour at least 3 hours before hitting the pillow. (6)
Acupuncture
Acupuncture modulates the hormone system through its effect on the hypothalamus, and stimulates the ‘rest and digest’ part of the brain. A pilot study of acupuncture, three times a week for twelve weeks, showed a decrease in urinary cortisol levels, improved sleep and quality of life for menopausal women. (7)
by Sarah Edwards, L.Ac.
Resources:
(1)https://bettersleep.org/research/sleep-surveys/survey-americans-ignoring-better-sleep-advice
(2)Gottfried, Sara, MD. The Hormone Cure. Chapter 4.
(3) Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study. Pigeon WR, Carr M, Gorman C, Perlis ML. J Med Food. 2010 Jun;13(3):579-83.
(4) Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. Howatson G, Bell PG, Tallent J, Middleton B, McHugh MP, Ellis J. Eur J Nutr. 2012 Dec;51(8):909-16
(5) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/01/06/8-natural-remedies-that-may-help-you-sleep.aspx
(6) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/12/why-you-should-limit-alcohol-before-bed-for-better-sleep/
(7)A pilot randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial of traditional acupuncture for vasomotor symptoms and mechanistic pathways of menopause. Painovich JM, Shufelt CL, Azziz R, Yang Y, Goodarzi MO, Braunstein GD, Karlan BY, Stewart PM, Merz CN. Menopause. 2012 Jan;19(1):54-61. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31821f9171.
by angieng67 | Dec 19, 2020 | Acupuncture, Fertility, Herbal Medicine, Wellness and Nutrition
Fertility concerns are increasingly becoming some of the most common reasons people are seeking acupuncture treatment. The reason for this is quite clear – both anecdotally and through studies, acupuncture has been shown to help boost fertility naturally. The reasons why fertility acupuncture works, however, is unclear to most people, and it is a question that I get asked quite frequently as an acupuncturist who specializes in fertility. This blog entry will attempt to explain how and why acupuncture helps to naturally promote fertility as well as give some helpful fertility boosting tips.
Fertility Acupuncture Increases Blood Flow to the Reproductive Organs
One main reason why acupuncture can help boost fertility is that it helps increase blood flow to the reproductive organs. By bringing more oxygenated blood to the ovaries and uterus, acupuncture can help bring more nutrients to the follicles and improve the quality of the endometrium, or uterine lining. More nutrients to the follicles means healthier and better quality eggs, which in turns means increased chances of conception and a successful pregnancy. More blood flow to the uterine lining also helps to increase the quality and thickness of the lining, making it more receptive to a fertilized egg for implantation.
In addition to acupuncture, there are other natural ways to increase blood flow to the reproductive organs. Exercise, femoral artery massage, refraining from smoking, drinking adequate amounts of water, and managing stress are other healthy ways to increase blood flow to the reproductive system.
Click here for a Youtube video demonstrating femoral artery massage.
Acupuncture Helps Decrease Stress
Stress can be a big contributor to infertility. Recent studies have shown that women with a high level of a major stress marker took 29% longer to conceive compared to those women who had lower levels. When you experience stress, your body responds in such a way that can be detrimental to fertility. Stress can trigger the sympathetic nervous system, or the “fight or flight” response, setting off a chain reaction that takes resources away from your reproductive system. This can cause your blood vessels to constrict, limiting blood flow and nutrients to your reproductive organs. Stress also can adversely affect the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis (HPA), which regulates the release and timing of sex hormones. This can disrupt ovulation, causing late ovulation or lack of ovulation altogether. If that wasn’t enough, stress causes the release of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol can inhibit sexual mood and arousal. Therefore, being stressed out is not conducive to being in the mood for sex, and this limits opportunities for conception to happen. In men, this can even lead to erectile dysfunction.
Acupuncture is a great way to combat stress and help boost fertility. It causes the body to release natural “feel good hormones”, like endorphin and serotonin, and can decrease the presence of the stress hormone cortisol. This can bring about a sense of relaxation and well-being, even just after one treatment. By relaxing the mind and body, acupuncture turns on the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which is the opposing system to the “fight of flight” response generated by the sympathetic nervous system. The PNS helps the body to relax, slows down heart rate and respiration, and restores resources to the digestion and reproductive systems. Your acupuncturist may use points like Yin Tang and Shen Men, which are considered spirit calming points, help patients relax. These effects of these relaxation points can often be experienced immediately upon insertion.
Besides acupuncture, there are other natural ways to combat stress. Physical activity like moderate exercise, yoga, and walking are great stress reducers and help keep the blood flowing. Meditation and deep abdominal breathing are also great ways to calm the mind and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous response.
Click here for a Youtube video demonstrating deep abdominal,or diaphragmatic, breathing.
Click here to check out Circle & Bloom, a fertility focused guided meditation program.
Acupuncture Can Help Balance Reproductive Hormones
Several studies have shown that acupuncture and electro-acupuncture can have a normalizing effect on reproductive hormones, thereby increasing fertility. One such hormone is estrogen. Estrogen is a key hormone when it comes to fertility as it plays a critical role in ovulation and the proliferation, or rebuilding, of the uterine lining. Additionally, it helps to make the vaginal canal more receptive to sperm by increasing fertile mucus and opening up the cervix to allow sperm to enter the cervix. It also contributes to female libido. During menopause, estrogen wanes, causing diminished ovulation, vaginal dryness, and lower libido, resulting in diminished fertility or complete infertility. By helping to normalize estrogen levels, acupuncture can help improve the very important fertility functions of this key sex hormone.
Another important reproductive hormone is FSH, or follicle stimulating hormone. FSH controls the menstrual cycle and stimulates the growth of the eggs in the ovaries. Too much or too little FSH can be a problem. Not enough FSH can mean that the ovaries do not get the message to ripen and release an egg for ovulation. More commonly in women with fertility issues, FSH levels are high, indicating that the ovaries are not responding to the hormone and therefore may not be ripening and releasing eggs. The pituitary gland in turn produces more FSH to try to force the ovaries to respond. This can be a sign of diminishing ovarian reserve. By stimulating more blood flow to the ovaries, acupuncture increases the response of the ovaries to FSH, therefore signaling to the pituitary gland to produce less FSH. Acupuncture has a normalizing effect on FSH and many women with high FSH see their FSH levels drop after getting regular acupuncture. This is particularly important when it comes to women going through IVF. Fertility doctors will often cancel IVF cycles if FSH levels are too high as this can be an indication that the ovaries will respond poorly to IVF drugs. Getting acupuncture before and during an IVF cycle can increase ovarian responsiveness to the follicle stimulating drugs given, potentially increasing the quantity and quality of the eggs retrieved. I have personally seen many cases of women who’s baseline FSH levels dropped dramatically as well as number of eggs retrieved increase significantly after receiving regular fertility acupuncture treatments.
Besides acupuncture, eating a whole foods diet rich in antioxidants, fiber, good fats, and healthy proteins can not only lead to better health, but also enhanced fertility. Antioxidant rich foods like colorful fruits and vegetables can help combat the aging process as well as improve egg and sperm quality. Foods like wild caught salmon, walnuts, avocado, and olive oil are high in good fats like omega-3s, which can improve ovulation and implantation. Eating fiber and protein rich foods while avoiding processed and sugary foods help maintain a healthy BMI, healthy blood glucose levels, and decrease insulin resistance. Being overweight and having insulin resistance are key factors in PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), one of the leading causes of infertility and anovulation.
Click here for Acubalance Wellness Centre’s (not affiliated with Acupuncture for Balanced Wellness) Fertility diet.
An Acupuncturist’s Perspective on Infertility
From an acupuncturist’s perspective, infertility can be caused by blocked energy, or qi, stagnated blood flow, and energetic imbalances in the organ systems. We evaluate each patient individually and determine what systems may be out of balance or blocked and choose points accordingly. For example, the Kidney and the Liver systems play very important roles in fertility from a Chinese Medicine perspective and often become imbalanced due to constitution, lifestyle, diet, and stress. If these systems are found to be out of balance, an acupuncturist will choose points to support the Kidney and Liver systems, such as KD3, CV4, UB23, UB18, LV8, and LV3. By harmonizing specific organ systems in the body and freeing up the flow of blood and energy, we try to restore health and reproductive function to the body. Many patients notice improvements in the regularity of their menstrual cycles, a decrease in premenstrual and menstrual symptoms, changes in the quality of menstrual blood, improvements in mood, energy, and sleep in just a few sessions. In addition to acupuncture, we often use dietary and herbal supplements to naturally correct imbalances and promote fertility.
Our acupuncturists are well trained and highly experienced in treating patients experiencing infertility. We have helped many patients who are trying to conceive naturally as well as patients who are going through fertility treatments, such as IUI and IVF, improve their chances of success. Through fertility acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, heat therapy, herbal therapy, and dietary/lifestyle counseling, we customize each individual’s treatments to optimize fertility naturally and improve responses to fertility medications. Fertility acupuncture has also been shown to increase embryo implantation after IVF transfer by as much as 65% according to some studies. Many of our patients achieve pregnancy within 3 menstrual cycles or less. We also work with male patients to improve sperm quality and quantity.
By Angie Ng, L.Ac.
by angieng67 | Jan 26, 2018 | Acupuncture, Clinic News
We are excited to share that Acupuncture for Balanced Wellness has been featured as an inspiring story in VoyageChicago Magazine. The article from VoyageChicago Magazine has been copied below. The original article can be viewed here http://voyagechicago.com/interview/meet-angie-ng-acupuncture-balanced-wellness-loop/.
Meet Angie Ng of Acupuncture for Balanced Wellness
Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Ng.
Angie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I didn’t realize it, but my interest in Chinese Medicine began as a child growing up in a traditional Chinese household, where food and herbs were commonly used to address everyday ailments. My family members were always talking about the energetic properties of food, and how certain foods could be useful in alleviating discomforts like belly aches, toothaches, fever, and sniffles.
Despite having an early fascination with natural healing methods, the practical side of me decided that I should study business as an undergraduate and eventually join the corporate world, first working in banking and then in IT. While this provided a stable income, I never really felt fulfilled in my work, and I knew I had to make a change – I just didn’t know what. I spent over a decade sitting in cubicles and performing at mediocre levels at jobs I didn’t really enjoy. It wasn’t until I had my first acupuncture treatment that something clicked and I realized my calling.
I had always been a proponent of healthy living and a believer in the body’s innate ability to heal itself if given the right resources. I just never realized I could make a career out of this belief until I witnessed the power of acupuncture first hand. I started seeing an amazing acupuncturist for some chronic pain and stress I was experiencing.
My acupuncturist helped reduce my pain and calm my emotional stresses by painlessly and strategically inserting tiny needles to help stimulate the natural healing processes in my body. The treatments were relaxing, rejuvenating, effective, and had no side effects. I was hooked! Within months, I had enrolled myself in acupuncture school and began the long and arduous journey to becoming a Licensed Acupuncturist.
13 years later, I can say that I feel more fulfilled in my career than I have ever been. I recently moved my acupuncture office to a beautiful space in the Chicago Loop, where we help people with pain problems, fertility issues, stress, anxiety, and much more. We use not only acupuncture, but also adjunctive therapies like cupping, tuina, guasha, and herbal supplements, as well as dietary and lifestyle advice to naturally assist the body’s healing processes and restore balance back to the body.
Having come from a corporate background, I know all too well the struggles and stresses of balancing work and life that many of my patients experience. It brings me so much satisfaction to be able to help them in any way I can to feel better physically and emotionally.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road to becoming an acupuncturist was long and not always easy. Having a mortgage and other bills to pay, I continued to work full time while going to acupuncture school on nights and weekends. It was a very tiring 3 years. Additionally, while in acupuncture school, they focus on teaching you how to do acupuncture. What they don’t teach you is how to start and run a successful acupuncture practice.
My background in business and IT definitely came in handy here, but it was still a struggle nonetheless. Marketing, finding a good location and office space, negotiating a lease, hiring help, billing, budgeting – these are all things essential to running an acupuncture business but were barely mentioned in acupuncture school. Making the transition from full-time computer programmer to full-time business owner and acupuncturist was one of the most challenging things I have ever done, but also one of the most gratifying.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Acupuncture for Balanced Wellness story. Tell us more about the business.
Acupuncture for Balanced Wellness is an acupuncture and wellness practice in the Chicago Loop. We treat a wide range of health concerns, but we most commonly provide treatments for pain problems, fertility issues, stress/anxiety, weight loss, and facial rejuvenation.
We truly understand the struggles and stresses of work/life balance, and we pride ourselves on providing safe, natural, holistic, and highly individualized treatments to our patients. Our office space provides a relaxing oasis, where people can receive acupuncture and other natural therapies to help restore health and balance back to their bodies, amidst the hustle and bustle of Downtown Chicago.
In addition to offering acupuncture services, we also offer other natural healing therapies at our wellness practice, like massage therapy, chiropractic services, and Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT).
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
It’s difficult to say what aspects of my life and business can be attributed to luck. You can say I was lucky to have a background in business and IT (specifically web development), and that those skills may have given me an advantage in starting a successful acupuncture practice. Many highly skilled acupuncturist have little or no business skills and subsequently have a very hard time starting and staying in business.
You could also say that I was lucky to be born ethnically Chinese so that I had exposure to the healing powers of Chinese Medicine from a very early age. Additionally, I was lucky to find a very good acupuncturist (Dr. Leon Chen) to give me my very first acupuncture treatment and inspire me to pursue a career in acupuncture. Whether these factors can be attributed fully to luck is questionable, but I do know they played a big role in leading me to a lifelong and rewarding career in acupuncture and holistic medicine. I do feel very lucky to be where I am today.
Contact Info:
by angieng67 | Dec 3, 2017 | Acupuncture, Massage and Body Work, Muscle Activation Techniques, Wellness and Nutrition
As we approach the holidays and the end of 2017, consider taking some time to take care of your own health and wellness. At our wellness center, we offer acupuncture as well as complementary natural therapies like therapeutic massage, Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT), and chiropractic care to help address many health concerns ranging from stress and anxiety, to aches and pains, to many chronic conditions.
With deductibles resetting in the new year, now is a good time to come in for that health tune up you’ve been meaning to come in for. Depending on your insurance plan, any of the services we offer could be covered by your insurance with little or no cost to you. For those whose insurance may not cover our services, take advantage of our affordable out of pocket rates. Also, consider giving the gift of wellness by purchasing a gift certificate for any of our services. To inquire about your insurance, book an appointment, or purchase a gift certificate, just give our office a call at 312-890-5553 or email ang@acubalancechicago.com.
Below is a brief summary of the services we offer at our Loop wellness center.
Acupuncture
We offer acupuncture services by our highly skilled and licensed acupuncturists, Angie Ng and Michael Jamlang. Our acupuncturists take time to understand each individual’s health concerns and tailor each treatment to effectively and naturally treat these issues using the time tested wisdom of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. In additional to acupuncture, treatments may include electro-acupuncture, cupping, herbal therapy, and more. To read more about our acupuncture services, please visit www.acubalancechicago.com/services.html.
Our acupuncturists are experienced in treating a wide range of health conditions, including, pain problems, fertility issues, facial rejuvenation, digestive disorders, anxiety, addictions, and much more. To read more about what types of conditions we treat, please visit www.acubalancechicago.com/conditions.html.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is a great way to ease muscle tension and promote relaxation. Through the strategic manual manipulation of soft tissues, massage can help increase blood circulation, bring more nutrients to problem areas, and effectively treat pain problems. It can be a great adjunct to acupuncture treatments, or can be very beneficial on its own. Our licensed massage therapists are experienced with treating a wide range of issues using a variety of massage techniques including deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, sports massage, Thai massage, and prenatal massage. Each session is individually tailored to a person’s specific needs and comfort levels.
Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT)
MAT is a unique manual therapy aimed at restoring muscle and joint balance. Unlike most therapeutic methods, Muscle Activation Techniques™ (MAT) looks at muscle tightness as a form of protection in the body. Weak or inhibited muscles can create the need for other muscles to tighten up in order to help stabilize the joints. MAT gets to the root of the pain or injury by addressing muscle weakness rather than muscle tightness. This helps to restore normal body alignment, thereby decreasing pain and reducing the risk of injury. MAT can give you a new lease on your active lifestyle, whether you are a pro athlete or weekend warrior. MAT can help you return to the golf course, tennis court, ski slopes, or athletic field with renewed strength and without pain. With MAT, athletes and active people of all ages can perform at a higher level without injury, allowing them to “stay in the game”.
Our MAT specialist is Ralph Klisiewicz, a certified personal trainer who has over 15 years of experience working with clients of all ages and fitness levels. He is certified through the National Academy of Sports and Medicine as a personal trainer and has completed the MAT Specialist Training Program. He is a certified MAT Specialist and has 10 years of experience in treating muscle and joint imbalances using this innovative therapy. He is passionate about fitness and helping people live a healthy pain free lifestyle.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic is a natural form of health care that uses spinal adjustments to correct misalignments and restore proper function to the spine and nervous system. Chiropractic doesn’t use drugs or surgery. Rather, a chiropractic spinal adjustment is the application of a precise force to a specific part of the spinal segment to help correct misalignments, permitting normal nerve transmission and assisting the body to recuperate on its own.
At our wellness center, we work side by side with Chicago Pain & Wellness, a highly rated provider of chiropractic services in the Chicago Loop. To find out more about chiropractic care, please visit www.chicagopainwell.com.
As always, we are very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of your journey to balanced wellness and wish you and your loved ones Happy Holidays.
