Spice up with Ginger!

Let's beat the winter cold & flu with a warm, fiery cup of ginger tea.  Better yet, add a zest of Vitamin C-rich lemon juice and sweeten it with some soothing honey.  Savour it after you've been out in the cold or when you're feeling stiff on the neck and shoulders (early signs of a cold).  This homemade recipe is simple and effective.  The concentration makes it work!  Yes, it's intensely hot!!

Ginger Tea with honey & lemon

For convenience, prepare a pot of ginger solution for multiple servings.

Ginger Solution:

1.       Wash 1lb of ginger (keep the peel) thoroughly and cut into pieces.  Use a blender to grind the ginger into fine pieces, and place into a pot of 3.5L of water.  Boil for 10-15 minutes. 

2.       Remove from heat and let it cool down. 

3.       Scoop out the ginger.  Keep the ginger solution in the refrigerator for future use.

Ginger Tea (per serving):

1.       Heat up a cup of ginger solution (stovetop or microwave).

2.       Add ½ a lemon/lime juice and honey at your preference.  Stir well and enjoy.

Note:  Must be taken hot.  Good for preventing colds, and helps lower down neck/shoulder pain caused by the winter cold.  Can be taken daily or as needed.

Happy Holidays!

頸痛、緊、僵硬 、頸痛連背

頸痛，頸緊，僵硬，不能自由轉動，頸梗膊痛連背痛，大部份人都有這種問題存在，這是最常見的病。

未說治療之前，一定要強調一點，希望大家緊記。頸項部位一定要記得保溫，不要著涼。在泠氣的辦公室，帶条頸巾保護頸部，冬天出外更加需要保持頸部和頭部的溫暖。就不會發生以上的問題了。

這種病態的形成，九成以上都是頸項兩側的淋巴腺受到寒泠空氣的侵襲。它雖然沒有影響到呼吸系統，做成傷風咳嗽的情況。但頸項的淋巴，肌肉，筋腱都被泠傷了。這泠傷的情況如果不能改善康復，而又繼續受到寒冷空氣的吹襲，情況會變得嚴重。

頸會開始痛，這是因為兩旁的淋巴線開始腫脹，血管受到阻塞，形成血流不暢。肌肉筋腱失去充足的血液供應，在沒有足夠血液營養的供應下，肌肉和筋腱慢慢僵硬起來。隨著時間的增長，僵硬的筋腱肌肉會後漫延，形成頸項後的筋腱肌肉也硬化起來，一路伸延到背後，這就形成頸梗膊痛及背心痛的情況。更嚴重的就會發展到頭也不能頭移動的情況了！

針灸治療的方法是從頸部兩旁淋巴腺做起，針刺淋巴發炎腫脹的部位，加強該部位自身抗菌的免疫功能，修補受感染損傷的部位，強化血管內血液的循環，加速自身康復的能力。

然後在頸項僵硬的筋腱，肌肉進行針刺治理，暢通通往該部位的血管，加強血液循環，增加該部位的血液供應，營養筋腱肌肉，讓其恢復柔軟和彈性，同時刺激免疫系統，起即時消炎止痛功用，加強自身修補的康復能力，停止病情再惡化下去。

所有僵硬，疼痛的筋腱，肌肉，膊頭，和背心的部位全部一次過做齊。針刺完畢，連多年頭部不能轉動的病人都可以用頸轉動頭部了！起即時治療效果。直至經針灸治療達到活動自如，筋腱肌肉完全回復柔軟彈性，一點痛都沒有就算完整康復了。

TCM Holism

Holistic Health, as defined by Wikipedia, is "a concept in medical practice upholding that all aspects of people's needs, psychological, physical and social, and mentally should be taken into account and seen as a whole."  This defiinition holds true only partially in TCM.  The holistic viewpoint in TCM states that not only the human body is seen as a whole, but all aspects in the universe is seen as a whole.  We as humans are simply miniscule in this big environment.

In the ancient times when people didn't have the luxury of electricity, the sun was the only source of light and life could only happen before nightfall.  Nature dictated what we do, how we dress, what we eat, when we sleep.  Our body was more aligned with nature's cycles when life was that simple.  

It is known that the moon controls the tides in the ocean; as the moon rotates around the earth, it pulls the water toward it creating high tides.  Female menstruation have been tied to the moon and the lunar cycle for thousands of years, even before modern science came along with the explanation of changing levels of hormones.  The lunar cycle around the earth takes approximately 29 days, which is the same amount of time for an average menstrual cycle.  Just like the moon's journey around the earth, a woman's menstrual cycle and her mood and emotions can be divided up into distinct experienced phases.

 

The moon is just one part of the environment that has effects on our body.  TCM Holism talks about how everything is interconnected; it is a macroscopic view of the big picture.  The same goes for finding solutions for health problems; no ailment emerges without a good reason.  Understanding internally how the organs are interconnected, and externally what kind of environment you live in, the habits, the emotions you're experiencing may often help to reveal the underlying cause of many health conditions.  And thus, only treatment plans that target the whole, not just the localized part, shall give the most satisfactory results.

The Domino Effect

More often than not, people suffer from varyign health issues that happen with no precise reason or cause.  Although there may not be a fancy scientific explanation to what's happening in your body, if you believe the fundamental principle that "everything happens for a reason" holds true, and with a little guidance from theories of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), you might just discover the very reason all by yourself.  When you've opened up your mind to this holistic concept, previously absurd claims like "the imbalance in the multiple organs can cause pathological emotions like depression" or "premature white hair is caused by poor kidney functions" may begin to have a stance. 

The interconnection in the body is far beyond any theory can fully interpret.  Only a slight change in the body is needed to start the chain reaction which causes the health problem to manifest.  So is the linear sequence that the domino effect takes place in the same for everyone?  Apparently not.  For instance, missed meals or irregular eating habits are so common that people don't take it seriously anymore.  There will not be immediate consequence if it were a young adult who misses a meal; however, for an elderly, a missed meal could be enough for hospitalization. 

Now, does it mean that the young adult isn't bearing any consequence?  No.  In fact, he or she's already putting the body into a state of malnutrition and more.  The only difference is that he or she still has a chance to count-act the negative effect, or even slow down the pathologic process, while the elderly is all fueled out that every bite in the day counts.

It might be hard to trace every crumb from way back when to find out why the body is in the current heatlh condition.  But it is not too late nor difficult to acknowledge the fact that every stress the body undertakes has its consequences.  Think of the nights when you stay up late, the busy schedule that renders you to skip meals, the emotional stir you experience after being upset or angry with someone.  The answers have always been there. The slightest, most trivial things mark the fall of the dominoes of health.  

觸感療法

我做針的手法是不留針，不用電針的，用的是觸感療法，全快針，身體有病的部位一次過做齊，視乎病人的接受能力。每次治療必盡全力，盡量加速病人的康復能力。

初期我也是用電針、留針的。最初的十年，每年都會到中國跟不同的老師學習新的針灸技巧，充實自已的不足。這都是從每月訂閱的針灸月刊找出我不懂而又想學的技術，然後去尋找不同老師的指導和學習。

很多病人身體都有多處病變和疼痛的部位，為了加速治療效果，慢慢棄用電針，改為逐針逐針，針刺每一個所能感覺到的病變部位，再配合健康針改善整體機能，病人的康復過程顯得非常快，同時都是整體康複，變得非常健康。

經過多年臨床研究和技術的組合改進，手指的感覺變得非常靈活、敏銳，手就像X光機一樣，手指輕輕掃過皮膚就能清楚感覺身體內的病變部位，非常細微的變化都可以擦覺得到。針就直接刺到那病變的部位上，加速身體的復原能力。最後演變成觸感療法，我自已獨特的針刺技巧。

這種治療方法，能夠輕易及準確地找到病人身體病變部位，並能夠在該部位作直接的針刺。起直接治療病變的作用，加強身體的康復能力。我能在身體任何部位做針灸治療，從頭到腳。

做針灸治療前，我會替病人作全身檢查一次，找出所有病變部位，然後一次過做齊。再配上健康針，加速康復能力，改善整體健康。

Awareness Month

Acupuncture is still a mystery to many people.  The fact that acupuncture (and TCM) is an ancient method of treatment, having thousands of years of history just makes it even more perplexed.  No doubt, today's internet savvy world can readily provide anwers to everything by a simple click.  The ironic fact, however, is that no matter how elaborate or indepth any article or even text describes acupuncture, it's nothing like experiencing an actual treatment. 

Acupuncture isn't just about poking you with a needle.  It requires accuracy in every way.  For the acupuncturist, it is a fine skill trained to have perfect coordination from the brain to the hands; and for the patient, it is the self-realization of how your innnate healing army is working for you.  The healing process is not something you need to visualize, with our treatment, you will clearly know.

Too much said or read can be wasted.  This November is our acupuncture awareness month, so bring your knowledge to action, and come see for youreslf!

頭髮疾患Part II：鬼剃頭

頭髮突然脫落一大片，脫落的部位非常光滑，俗稱鬼剃頭、這種脫髮是因為情緒的影響，抑鬱，突然感受巨大的壓力，引至免疫系統繚亂而造成脫髮。

 

針灸治療能有效舒緩情緒，解除抑鬱的負面影響，將繚亂的免疫系統回復正常化。脫落的頭髮部位很快恢復生長，完美回復脫髮前的情況。

頭髮疾患Part I：稀疏、脫髮、禿頂

頭髮稀疏、脫髮、禿頂、引至頭髮脫落，稀疏的原因衆多，壓力，情緒，睡眠不足，遺傳等。但全都有一個共通點，就是頭皮的供血不足，導致脫髮的主要因素。

在頸項頭和頭皮上作針灸治療，刺激通往頭部的血管，改善供血不足的情況，再配合健康針改善整體機能，先制止頭髮的脫落，然後促進生長功能，頭髮就回復慢慢增長，回復正常。

舉個例：

我太太也是家族遺傳性的脫髮，中年就脫髮了！頭髮一下子變得稀疏，我替她做了十多次的針灸，頭髮又回復正常。幾年後又出現同一情況，針治幾次又回復正常。總之有脫髮不正常的情況出現，即時做針灸治療，頭髮就會回復正常生長，起保養作用。由於經常做針灸保健，身體會年輕化，皮膚會變得光滑，減少縐紋的形成，她看上去比實際年齡年輕十年，這是針灸保健的其中一個回報。

另一個例子是一個年輕的男士，三十左右，頭已經微禿，他是來醫肝病，附帶做脫髮的。經治療三個星期，整個頭長滿小髮，好像小地毯一樣，大家都好開心。當時正在打世界杯，我病人是足球發燒友，我已經勸他不要捱更抵夜看足球。他不聽，看了一星期足球賽，生長出來的頭髮全脫光，可見休息睡眠的重要性。其後我把他的肝病治好，頭髮就不再做了。

針刺對這些因遺傳，壓力，情緒和供血不足的血管和頭皮起疏通和修補作用，情緒得到舒緩，供血系統得到改善，脫髮就會停止，然後刺激其生長功能，頭髮就會慢慢回復正常，達到停止脫髮和生髮的效果。

Life's Burning Essence

Remember the good old days when you could maximize the hours in the day, work and play into the wee hours of the night, and still be able to wake up nice and shine the next day?  So why doesn't it happen anymore when you need it the most??  Well, nothing's without cost. 

Our body is built to sustain our life demands, but only conditionally.  Imagine you have a full tank of gas - the fixed index - and depending on the engine you run on - the variable index, the two determines the car's life expectancy, assuming all other factors relatively equal.  Now, the equation is fairly self-explanatory.  If you run on a Beemer, you're for sure going to use up the entire tank of gas faster than running on, say, a Toyota Camry. 

Life works pretty much the same.  It is everyone's choice whether to live life on a Beemer or Camry.  Either one, the gas is bound to be used up, sooner or later.  Busy schedules, stress, illness, commuting, family needs and work all participate in eating up the essence in our body.  Inevitably, life ends when the essence burns out. 

The good news:  unlike a car, our body is programmed to refill the essence so we can run for a much longer period of time.  Water and nutrients are our obvious refill, and to no one's surprise, sleep is the number one healer programmed to repair our daily wear and tear.  The bad news however:  the refill mechanism does not always work at a 1:1 ratio, depending on 1) how much is used up, and 2) the repair time allowed before the body steps on the gas pedal again. 

So the math is simple, we're all born with a full tank of essence, and to a great extent, we do have control over how long the essence lasts.  The bottom line is:  wise and careful maneuveur of what your body gives you will definitely make life's journey longer and healthier.