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Arkansas Acupuncture in Bentonville, AR 

Woman puts eye drops in her eye
By Master Account 21 Mar, 2023
CNN article describing the connection between eye drops and vision loss.
By Lizbeth Ryan 19 Sep, 2022
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines, (TCM or traditional Chinese medicine is a combination of using traditional Chinese herbs, acupuncture, body work, diet and exercise) when coupled with healthy eating choices, can be a tremendously helpful tool for meeting your body weight goals. Healthy weight loss takes time, no matter what method you use. And nothing will make you lose weight. But TCM and dietary changes can help you lose weight. Changes in thinking, diet, and lifestyle are also necessary. DIETARY CHANGES: You will never lose weight if you don’t consider necessary dietary changes. Cutting down on the amount you eat comes first. Makes sense, right? But often patients tell me they eat very little, but still hold those unwanted pounds. This indicates internal imbalances that need to be corrected so the metabolism can function properly. When our system is weak we produce Phlegm and fat from our foods instead of good nutrition, qi* and blood. Adipose tissue, fatty tumors, plaque, bone spurs, kidney stones, are examples of what is included in the Chinese concept of Damp and Phlegm**. Making healthy food choices such as limiting carbs, eating clean unadulterated foods, avoiding additives especially hormones, steroids, and antibiotics, and preservatives, avoiding icy cold drinks and cold, raw foods, eliminating all aspartame or other artificial sweeteners, together can be an effective treatment for weight loss. When we ingest unwanted chemical additives, preservatives, antibiotics, hormones and such, our body will build fat to protect itself against these unwanted invaders. Energy is required to process and rid the body of the toxins. If you want to lose weight you will have to read labels. If you don’t recognize ingredients and can’t pronounce them, don’t buy it. Commercial meats, dairy and eggs contain steroids, antibiotics and growth hormones. All of these will make you fat! And never eat anything that claims to be low fat or sugar free. Fat is good, sugar is bad. Only eat fats that are healthy – coconut oil, butter, extra virgin olive oil. Try to avoid all sugar. Stevia is a great alternative, but don’t use too much. It is 100 times sweeter than sugar so be careful. How does acupuncture help with weight loss? It helps to restore balance, and supplies the energy to transform food to good stuff, instead of bad stuff (fat). It is especially helpful for those who try to lose weight but nothing seems to help. When you are young and healthy it’s easy to lose those 10 extra pounds. As we age, and the imbalances build and multiply, we end up not being able to budge the scale. I advise avoiding extreme diets, for several reasons. As humans, we can survive in a variety of climates and difficult environmental situations. Until recently we didn’t have trucking, large scale farming, greenhouse gardens. We ate what was available and were strong and healthy in spite of being seriously limited in our food choices. During difficult times, humans depended on animal protein and fat. Vegetables, fruits, seeds, roots and such were available in limited supply. Grains were not eaten. Think Paleo diet. Low carb diets can be a great way to lose weight, but should only be used until you reach your weight goals and then start to introduce healthy carbs a little at a time. The keto diet which is a high fat, high protein diet is the only diet that has possible side effects. This certainly makes me wonder. It can be hard on the kidneys. Finally, snacking between meals will make it almost impossible to lose weight. This is another example of a habit. When you find yourself going for that snack cabinet, have a glass of room temperature water and give it a few minutes. You’ll probably forget you wanted a snack. LIFESTYLE CHANGES: We are all victims of our habits. The biggest challenge for helping people lose weight is to convince them that they are acting habitually. Anything that is bad for the body will become addictive. The way we think about our food is a good example. If you think that eating will make you fat, it will. When you eat think of it as nourishing, no matter what it is. Ice water is another good example of a common addition that contributes to weight gain. Using ice to cool water is a fairly recent practice. So is obesity. Most people are under the misconception that ice water is good for you. Your body is about 100 degrees, water is zero degrees. When you ingest icy cold water, it causes your body to generate heat, and depletes your energy in the process. The unnatural, unwanted heat causes stagnation so that we feel cold, but we are, in fact, hot. So instead of metabolizing your food, all your energy goes to adjusting, readjusting and then readjusting again. Taking medications often contributes to weight gain. One should take as little pharmaceuticals as possible since no one knows how more than any two medications will interact. I see many patients who are on many medications, sometimes as many as twenty different prescriptions. And the astounding thing is that they don’t have any diagnosable disease or condition. All their symptoms are due to side effects. You gotta let go of our need to medicate. Over medicating makes us sick, tired, depressed and fat! Exercise is vital to losing weight. You don’t have to be extreme, just start by taking walks, ten minutes at a time, simple stretches, and learning how to take an occasional deep breath. Meditation is also helpful since it helps reduce stress and makes you feel happier. Stress, depression and anxiety cause an increase in the stress hormone cortisol. This causes an increase in insulin levels causing blood sugar to drop so you will crave sugar and carbs. Drinking water is important. People drink water to hydrate, and often to flush out toxins. Keep in mind that over drinking water can flush out the good nutrients we are trying to absorb through our digestive tract. When you feel thirst drink a big glass of water. This will hydrate you whereas if you sip water you will get over the feeling of thirst but you may not be hydrating. When you feel tired, a glass of water can help you feel better as well. Helping people lose weight takes effort and patience. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine carry thousands of years of experience in keeping people fit. I start by asking lots of questions to determine what Pattern this particular patient exhibits. Patterns are the presenting signs and symptoms the person has experienced over the last several months. There are over 200 patterns in TCM practice. Once we determine the pattern, we know what acupuncture treatment and herbs to use. Finally, I use an auricular acupuncture treatment that helps with weight loss. Nutritional and lifestyle counseling are part of the treatment course. *Qi is the term used for the energy that warms us, propels us, transform food into nutrients. It is the spark of lifeforce that gives us life. ** Capital letters are used to designate when words such as Damp, Phlegm and Heat are used within the context of Chinese medicine theory and practice.
09 Jun, 2022
By PaleoLeap.com
By Lizbeth Ryan 27 May, 2022
Drinking icy cold water is probably one of the most unnatural things we do. Even though it is profoundly damaging to our health, Americans fill their drinks to the brim with ice. It’s everywhere, restaurants, hospitals, and most homes. So why is it damaging to our health, and why is it so difficult to stop? And why is hot water better for you? From a western standpoint drinking icy drinks and food causes blood vessels to constrict, hindering our ability to absorb nutrients. And we don’t get sufficiently hydrated when the blood vessels constrict. We waste tremendous energy regulating our core temperature. Icy water wears away teeth enamel and tiny cracks form in our teeth. Drinking cold water after a meal creates excess mucus in your body. Cold water can exacerbate asthma symptoms in children, according to a study by the European Society of Pediatrics. Another study found that often people experience a headache after drinking ice water. The Chinese believe that all food and drinks should be taken at normal body temperature, or 100 degrees or greater, because cold foods weaken the Spleen and Stomach. In TCM (traditional Chinese medicine), the Spleen needs a moderate temperature in order to function properly. One major function of the Spleen is transformation of food and nutrients to allow for the formation of Qi and Blood which is distributed it to all organs and tissue of the body. A healthy Spleen is essential for fighting infection. Holding blood in the vessels, holding the organs in place, and keeping the tissue strong is the ‘holding function.’ Bruising or other chronic bleeding, such as wet macular degeneration, bulging or herniated discs, and prolapse of organs are examples of what can happen when the Spleens holding function doesn’t hold up. Like the Spleen, your stomach is comfortable at 98.6 degrees or warmer. After we ingest ice water, the Stomach attempts to warm up by drawing heat from the lower body, causing poor circulation and cold below the waist. The acupuncture meridian associated with the Stomach starts in the bottom of the eye, traverses the face, sinuses and teeth. The heat in the Stomach rises up, causing esophageal reflux, chronic sinusitis, headaches, eye disorders and problems with the teeth. Furthermore, ingesting cold water creates moisture or “dampness.” Bacteria, candida, and parasites thrive in damp areas, especially in your stomach and uterus. A TCM concept, Dampness occurs when the body is too weak to produce nutrients, and instead produces moisture and phlegm. Phlegm is a broad concept in TCM and includes the formation of substances such as adipose tissue, fatty tumors, bone spurs, kidney and gallbladder stones, plaques in the arteries, eyes, brain and other tissues. Drinking cold water becomes a habit. We cool down the Stomach, and heat is generated in an attempt to obtain equilibrium, leaving the Stomach too hot which causes a desire for more cold drinks. A vicious cycle develops. Consuming cold drinks is not the norm in most countries around the world. While we often receive a glass of ice cold water alongside our meals at a restaurant, in China you would get a cup of steaming hot tea instead. Even when the weather is hot and humid, many Chinese carry thermoses filled with hot water. Even soft drinks are taken at room temperature. Hot Drinks Can Cool You Down Better Than Cold Ones If you’re feeling reluctant to give up ice cold drinks, consider that warm beverages have been proven to help you cool down more effectively than cold ones. According to a report from NPR, “The hot drink somehow has an effect on your systemic cooling mechanisms.” Drinking a glass of warm water in the morning helps kick-start the digestive system and aids blood circulation. Even when suffering from heat stroke, drinking hot tea or water helps the body relax, calm down, and cool itself down. Cold water will create more heat, not allowing the body to cool down sufficiently. Cold water slows down organ function and causes muscles to contract. Warm water helps to increase blood circulation, helping to reduce painful contractions of muscles and relieves sore joints. Sore throat? Drink some warm water. Menstrual cramps? Stop drinking cold stuff and switch to some hot water. The organs of young children are delicate. After consuming too much cold food (cold milk, ice cream, sandwiches, salads) and cold water/juices, they develop all kinds of digestion problems, sinus problem, allergies, hay fever and asthma. Excessive drinking of cold water also affects the development and physiological functions of the reproductive system. For young women, it can cause menstrual cramps, menstrual disorders & excessive discharge. Overaccumulation of cold creates a “chilled palace” which is an extremely cold uterus, ovaries, ovarian tube & leads to overgrowth of dampness (CANDIDA, PARASITES), fibroids, ovarian cysts, tumors, dysmenorrhea, infertility. Benefits to Drinking Warm or Room Temperature Water Faster, increased hydration Natural digestive enzymes are stimulated and therefore your digestion is enhanced Food breaks down more easily Your bowels move better How do we stop? We slowly wean ourselves of this addiction, using less and less ice, then no ice, then getting used to warm water, maybe with a little lemon.
By Lizabeth Ryan 07 Apr, 2022
The world abounds with myths, everywhere you look, even when it comes to things that defy common sense. The idea that when sweating releases toxins from the body is a myth. Sweat contains 99% water and 1% salts, minerals and other substances. It does not contain toxins. Toxins leave the body through the intestines, not sweat. Therefore, when we force ourselves to sweat during exercise, especially hot yoga or saunas, we are essentially wasting our energy and vital substances, including blood. (Capital letters are used for words whose meanings are specific to Chinese medicine theory) Body Fluids originate from our food and drink. These are transformed and separated by the Spleen. The good “clean” part is transformed into Qi, Blood and essential Body Fluids and the “unclean” goes out of the body via the Large Intestine. The pure part nourishes, then descends and leaves through the Kidney and Bladder. The process of formation of Body Fluids is the result of an intricate series of purification processes, each stage further separating the fluids into pure and impure parts. It is the Qi of the body that causes the separation and formation of all body fluids; blood, sweat, spinal fluid, tears and synovial fluid. The concept of Qi has preoccupied Chinese philosophy and science since the beginning of Chinese civilization. Both material and immaterial, Qi is thought of as energy, life force, matter. It warms and nourishes us, propels us. It is our life force in its many manifestations. Relationship between Qi and Body Fluids Qi transforms and transports fluids. It also holds the Body Fluids in. Weak Qi can lead to bleeding, excess urination and spontaneous sweating (sweating for no reason). While Qi produces Body Fluids, these, in turn nourish the Qi. After significant loss of fluids, such as with profuse sweating, Qi becomes deficient and may cause people to easily catch colds, have weak limbs, pallor, weak digestion and anemia (since blood has its source in other body fluids.) On the other hand, if Qi is deficient, fluids may leak out in the form of sweat since Qi helps hold fluids in the body. Qi deficiency causes sweating. Sweating causes Qi deficiency. The Spiritual Axis in chapter 30 says: “The body fluids that are dispersed in the space between skin and muscles come out as sweat. Sweat functions to moisten and nourish skin and muscles, and primarily is part of the body’s cooling system.” When the body is overheated, we sweat to cool us down. Sweat is essential to survival; without sweat, when overheated we could die. Sweat being one of the essential Body Fluids, works interchangeably with other Body Fluids. One important function of Body Fluids is to become a component of the fluid part of Blood, thinning the blood and preventing stasis. Dehydration can therefore lead to thicker blood and clotting. Body Fluids constantly replenish Blood and make it thinner so that it does not coagulate and stagnate. According to UAMS Health, your body has its own air conditioning system when it becomes too hot. It’s called sweating. This is why it is important to drink warm fluids in hot weather; it allows your body to cool down (cold liquids cause the body to heat up). Your body releases water on your skin, which then evaporates in order to cool down to the normal temperature of 98.6 degrees. “Sweat is 99% water combined with a small amount of salt, proteins, carbohydrates and urea,” says UAMS family medicine physician Dr. Charles Smith. Therefore, sweat is not made up of toxins from your body, and the belief that sweat can cleanse the body is a myth. “You cannot sweat toxins out of the body,” Dr. Smith says. “Toxins such as mercury, alcohol and most drugs are eliminated by your liver, intestines or kidneys.” “By forcing your body to perspire through heat exposure or heavy exercise, you can cause your kidneys to save water and actually hang on to any toxins that may be circulating in your system,” he says. So, don’t sweat it.
By Lizabeth Ryan 30 Mar, 2022
I practice Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Northwest Arkansas where my focus is treating patients with macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa and other degenerative retinal and optic nerve diseases. Although microacupuncture* is the method by which I treat these diseases, it is essential that patients follow certain principles and practices to help maintain the vision they often gain by treatment, and to help stabilize their condition. The microacupuncture treatment helps heal the damage caused by the disease, it is not a cure. Last year I wrote an article on my blog (macupuncture.com), “The Hazards of Drinking Ice Water,” looking at the various health problems associated with habitual drinking of iced cold water. I would now like to take a look at the potential adverse effects this habit can have on the eyes; on both existing eye disorders and eyes that are healthy. In my search for existing information on this topic, I came up empty; nothing that specifically discusses the relationship between the effects of Ice water in the diet and the impact on the eyes. I will do my best to explain what I believe to be potential harm using my knowledge of Chinese medicine, and my general understanding of the health effects ice water has on the body. Chinese medical practitioners advise that we should never put anything into our bodies under 100 degrees (close enough to 98.6). Since our bodies need this temperature to function properly, ingesting zero degree water will cause our bodies to do everything possible to get back to its desired temperature. Homeostasis. The body will generate heat to bring the stomach back to 100 degrees, drawing heat from other essential parts of the body. Consequently, the stomach becomes over heated, causing a desire for more cold. Addiction. The acupuncture channel of the Stomach (think of the Stomach as a system of functions, not just an organ) starts in the base of the eye, moves downward traversing the face and sinuses and upper teeth, down into the chest/esophagus, continues down through the stomach and into the foot. The excess Heat the Stomach generates from ingesting cold will rise upward, causing inflammation in the chest, esophagus, teeth, sinuses, eyes and brain. Many eye diseases have an inflammatory component: Retinitis pigmentosa and optic neuritis to name a few. When the Stomach heats up, the heat will cause a worsening of inflammation in the tissue of the sinus passages, eyes and brain. This perspective is unique to Oriental Medicine. Other inflammatory conditions resulting from chronic ice water consumption include chronic sinusitis, periodontal disease and conjunctivitis. The Spleen (also a system of functions) plays a role since it is the system that brings nourishment to all the organs, and also maintains integrity of all the tissue of the body; when the Spleen is weak, our tissue tends to weaken. In regards to the eyes, strong blood vessels and a healthy retina are essential to avoid neovascularization and leakage that occurs with Wet Macular Degeneration, tears in the retina, detached retina, and other conditions related to weak tissue. Ice water, cold foods, sugar and greasy foods will weaken the Spleen, and therefore all the tissue of the body. Bruising easily, aneurisms and bulging discs are other examples of conditions related to a loss of integrity due to a weak Spleen. For patients suffering from macular degeneration (AMD) this is a serious issue because for many with AMD the retina, the lining in the back of the eye, can become thin and weak which allows abnormal blood vessels to grow though the retina. These abnormal vessels are weak and can leak fluid into the back of the eye, causing further blindness. Wet AMD, as it is referred to, is a progression of (dry) AMD. * Microacupuncture is a specialized form of acupuncture that is not within the Oriental medicine system of acupuncture
eye vision loss
By Lizbeth Ryan 02 Apr, 2018
MicroAcupuncture is one of the most effective methods to treat vision loss from degenerative eye diseases. This unique form of acupuncture, MicroAcupuncture is an intensive treatment course that helps the eye heal. It works by encouraging increased blood flow to the deeper tissue of the body.
cupping
By Lizbeth Ryan 28 Mar, 2018
When circulation is sluggish or compromised in an injured or diseased area of the body, insufficient oxygen gets to the cells, and therer will be a local build-up of waste products. These debilitating agents are then more easily expelled from the body. When getting cuppings performed patients will have round discolorations on the spots that were treated. The more discoloration that surfaces – the greater level of stagnation and toxicity needing to be purged from the body.
By Lizbeth Ryan 13 Mar, 2018
This is a great article outlining all the reasons to make sure you take sufficient Vitamin D.  See below some of the important reasons why: Improved Vision Reductions in retinal inflammation and levels of amyloid beta accumulation.
By Lizbeth Ryan 28 Aug, 2017
Vitamin D is essential for eye health.  The four basic things our bodies need for survival are food, water, air and sunshine. Yes, sunshine. It isn’t toxic, will not hurt you, but is necessary for good health. Avoiding the sun “at all costs” may be costing us our vision.
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