Depression – Acupuncture: Beauty, Facial- San Francisco

Top 3 Reasons Why Acupuncture Works for Insomnia

Carine Camara — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 16:41:48 +0000

Top 3 Reasons Why Acupuncture Works for Insomnia

Do you have trouble sleeping? You are not alone. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 50 to 70 million people suffer from sleep disturbances, and 8.5 million adults rely on prescription medication to sleep. One out of three adults will suffer from insomnia at some point in their lives.

Sleep deprivation can result in various health and life problems. Such as:

Accelerating your aging process
Negatively affects your cognitive functions
Lowers your sex drive
Puts you at a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes
Affects your mood, increasing your risk of depression
Increases your risk of being in a car accident

Chinese Medicine offers one of the best alternative methods for treating Insomnia. There are no sides effects, where as prescription drugs can cause addiction, digestive disturbances, daytime drowsiness, changes in your appetite, or mentally slow your cognitive functions.

1. Research has shown that acupuncture increases nocturnal melatonin secretion.

Melatonin is vital for your health, and here is why:

It breaks down the active and energetic hormones in your body, allowing you to sleep and rest.
As one of the most powerful anti-oxidants in your body, melatonin works at night. It goes thru all the cells in the body to clean out free radicals and toxins.
Melatonin also slows down your system, allowing your vital organs to rest.

Since melatonin is dependent on your sleep. It is very important to get a restful night of sleep. By increasing levels of melatonin in the body, acupuncture is key factor for anti-aging and optimal health.

2. Acupuncture increases serotonin levels. This is your feel good chemical. It maintains your mood balance, a decrease amount of serotonin can lead to depression. Acupuncture sessions can uplift your mood leading to more happiness and a sense of peace.

3. Acupuncture treats the underlying conditions such as stress, depression or anxiety. Specifically, chronic and acute pain that can lead to insomnia. Hormones beta-endorphin and adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) release during acupunctures sessions that generate body wide pain relief and carry anti-inflammatory properties.

Acupuncture is a holistic medicine, even if you are getting treatment for other ailments your sleep will improve with regular sessions.

Want some tips specifically on your health condition? Schedule a free 15 min phone consultation or email me at info@carinecamara.com.

With Love,

Carine

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Angry? Frustrated? Have you tried boxing?

Carine Camara — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 04:27:03 +0000

Angry? Frustrated? Have you tried boxing?

I have just discovered the joys of boxing. I’m a relatively non-violent person, expect in times of self-defense. Leading me to stray away from most aggressive type of exercises. But, I decided to give it a try. And I’ll tell you why. I’m looking for ways to move anger, frustration, stress and other negative emotions out of my body without talking and processing them. Most of these emotions are not acute or directed at anyone, but more of an underlying feeling. And I want to swift it!

Hence, boxing. I am a HUGE component of exercise for the physical health benefits. More importantly, for the emotion release that movement can provide for the mind and spirit. I have been taking dance classes and performing since I was 4 years old. And yes, I wore cute little tutus for dance recitals. For me, dancing is one of my biggest joys. It can take me from a dark place to instant happiness. All I need is a good beat and place to move. Though I love getting my groove on, I haven’t found it to be a place were my deep-seated anger can vent.

Moving your body daily opens and moves energy through your channels. Almost all exercise forms will circulate energy throughout your body. So why boxing? Cause you get to punch bags! And you are moving the energy along your neck and shoulders. Tension in this area is the most common place for people to store stress. You are literally carrying the weight of your concerns on your shoulders. The channels that run along the neck and shoulders are the Small Intestine, Large Intestine, and Gallbladder.

Emotionally, the small intestine channel separates what is serving you from what is not. How are you digesting your life? Is it difficult for you to gain perceptive, and find your sense of peace. Are you feeling overwhelmed? The gallbladder is about clarity of thought, making a decision and having great follow thru. Do you have a hard time making a decision? Completing a project? Do you feel angry and stress often? The ability to let go is the large intestine. Being able to release the emotions that are weighing heavy on your heart and resting on your shoulders. During my boxing class, I take all these emotions and everything else that is not a serving me, and with strong intention punch it out. And it feels GOOD. My upper body (and the rest of my body) is sore from working out, and at the same time feels lighter.

I’m encouraging you to find a form of exercise that you can use to release negative emotions. With intention and focus on letting go, you can apply it to any form of exercise. I find boxing and other aggressive forms of movement to more effective, because anger and frustration are on the same energetic level. In other words anger and similar emotions breed aggression. Hitting a bag with all the words I would like to say with a neck roll and side eye to boot, is a freeing experience. I leave my boxing class smiling.

So go out there and release those negative emotions that are stored in your body! Giving you more energy to live your life with more joy and less pain. Acupuncture sessions also move your energy, and by exercising, deep breathing and stretching it heightens your resolve to strengthen your wellbeing and health.

With love and appreciation,

Carine

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Do you suffer from Depression? Acupuncture can help!

Carine Camara — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 21:30:48 +0000

Do you suffer from Depression? Acupuncture can help!

Many of us were sad to hear of Robin William’s suicide. Depression is a very deep issue that is not always seen to the outside world. I myself suffered from depression for years. I didn’t know I was depressed, I thought I was just sad and went through life with blinders on. Since my unhappiness started when I was young, I didn’t understand the signs of depression. Which are: fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, pessimism, excessive sleeping, irritable, loss of interest in life, headaches, digestive problems, feeling sad or empty and thoughts of suicide. I didn’t have the courage to kill myself, but I was constantly wishing I would like to have an accident and die. To the outside world, I was vibrant, funny and looked happy. But when I was alone, my inner demons shank me into a deep pool of uneasiness and grief about my life.

What changed for me? While I was completing my Masters Degree in Chinese Medicine, I had mentors and friends mentioned that I was depressed. At first,I was in denial, it felt like a stigma to be deemed as depressed. Then I went to visit my acupuncturist/teacher who felt my pulse. In particular my lung pulse on my right wrist. After a few moments, he said, “You have a cotton pulse”. A Cotton what? I didn’t learn about that pulse yet. I later found out that a cotton pulse is Qi (energy) stagnation caused by emotional suppression and/or physical trauma. It blew me away. He proceeds to say, “You have been sad for many years, depressed, right.” All I could do was nod my head in agreement. He can tell just by taking my pulse. Really? So impressed, I studied with him for four years.

If he had asked me if I was depressed, I would have said no. But the body gives you information that the mind conceals. It was one of many realizations that I was indeed depressed. And I needed to seek help. I didn’t see a mental health professional (though I recommend it for some people). I booked appointments with my acupuncturist and sought guidance from mentors. Getting my body back into balance, made dealing with my mental issues easier. This included: acupuncture sessions, herbs, supplements, dietary changes and increasing my physical activities. Getting my mind off of negative thought patterns involved me building a practice of gratitude.

For years, I wish to be dead, and it almost happened in 2009 when my car went down a 100 ft cliff. By divine grace, I was unharmed. It was a huge wake-up call for me, to understand that I needed to pay attention to my life. If I was meant to be dead I would be, but I am alive. Why not spend it doing the things you love?

It was a long journey to break out of my depression, it takes a lot of love and time. I was blessed to find people in my life that loved me and taught me to how to love myself. In time, my depression lifted its grip in my life. The biggest aspect for me was becoming conscious of my life, and to understand that my past did not have to define my present. I am an acupuncturist because it has truly shifted my perspective on my mind, body and spirit. And I am inspired to help others do the same.

I wholeheartedly encourage you to try Chinese Medicine, if you or someone you know suffers from depression. Seek some kind of help, it can change your life.

With Love,

Carine