Drink More Tea

As if overnight, Autumn has arrived! Ease your body through this month of transition with our herbal tea bundle. Choose any three of our all organic, fresh hand-crafted herbal teas and you'll receive a gift that makes those mugs filled with deliciousness all the more satisfying.

An Introduction to the Essentials

Nature provides us with a vast array of medicinal plants that humans have relied upon since the beginning of humankind.

Today, those same medicinal plants are still used in a distilled and concentrated form we call essential oils. Safe, effective, and affordable, essential oils do far more than just smell good: they heal!

This weekend, I attended a seminar to further my training (and feed my interest!) in the use of essential oils with Chinese medicine. We at Health On Pint Acupuncture use only pure and certified organic essential oils, guaranteed to be as safe and effective as nature intended. 

Essential oils combined with acupuncture often provide far greater results than either treatment alone. The effects extend beyond relaxation or calming the mind and spirit (though they are excellent at those). The scientific body of research is growing constantly with proven uses for essential oils including killing many types of harmful bacteria and providing pain relief!

Health On Point Acupuncture is dedicated to providing healing with and education of essential oils to anyone interested in at-home, holistic health care. We are in the process of putting together essential oil and self care packages for the season, please let us know if you are interested! For more information, e-mail or call us.

Seasonal Allergies: Acupuncture & Herbal Treatments

Q: My allergies kick into high gear in the fall. Antihistamines and over-the-counter medications make me drowsy. What can I try that is more natural to stop my seasonal allergy symptoms? 

A: It’s early fall. Harvest is starting, the sun is shining and the an extra dry summer breeze is scattering seeds … and pollen, and dust. Allergy season begins again! 

While many over-the-counter medications offer temporary relief, an increasing number of allergy sufferers are exploring natural allergy remedies that have longer lasting results and none of the troubling side effects associated with Western drugs. 

Natural medicine, herbs, and diet can alleviate or prevent allergies and asthma in four ways: 

• Controlling inflammation of air passages

• Dilating air passages

• Thinning mucus in the lungs

• Preventing food-allergy reactions that can trigger respiratory allergies and asthma 

How can you incorporate these benefits into your life? 

Try acupuncture and herbal medicine! TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) has been used to treat allergies for hundreds of years. Several studies confirm that acupuncture and herbal medicine are helpful for allergic conditions such as asthma, eczema, and food allergies. 

In a study published in Allergy, 52 people with allergic rhinitis were randomly assigned acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbal tea or sham acupuncture and herbs for six weeks. Nearly 85 percent of those people receiving real acupuncture and herbs had 100 percent or significant improvement of their symptoms, versus 40 percent of those getting the placebo treatment. 

Spice it up: Spicy dishes can thin mucus secretions and clear nasal passages. Try adding cayenne pepper or ginger to your foods. Ginger is a natural antihistamine and decongestant. It may provide some relief from allergy symptoms by dilating constricted bronchial tubes.

Eat the right fat: Omega-3 essential fatty acids can counter the formation of chemicals that cause inflammation of the air passages. Good natural sources include flaxseed oil and salmon. Our clinic also offers high quality fish oil capsules that provide these very benefits.

Increase fiber and 'good' bacteria: Food intolerances seem to be connected with seasonal allergies. A healthy and active colon can decrease food sensitivity, which can, in turn, lighten the burden on your immune system and may reduce the impact of seasonal allergies. For maximum colon health, increase the fiber in your diet and consider probiotics. The active cultures in probiotics restores the balance between good and bad bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract. At Health On Point, we special order probiotics for our patients. If making the purchase on your own, be sure that your product offers not only high dose but a variety of bacteria, is stored in a dark jar, and must be refrigerated.

An apple a day: Some foods, including apples, contain the flavanoid, quersetin that can cross-react with tree pollen. Quercetin can reduce allergic reactions by having an antihistamine effect. It also decreases inflammation. Quercetin is found naturally in certain foods, such as apples (with the skin on), berries, red grapes, red onions, capers, and black tea. Our clinic all sells an incredible herbal formula that contains quercetin - MANY of our patients swear by it!

Go orange: Carotenoids are a family of plant pigments, the most popular being beta-carotene. Although no randomized controlled trials show that carotenoids are effective treatments for hay fever, a lack of carotenoids in the diet is thought to promote inflammation in your airways. Good sources of carotenoids include foods easily found in our yards or local markets - carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach, kale, butternut squash, and collard greens. If you feel you are lacking in orange foods, I'm happy to suggest some wonderful recipes!

As always, if you are interested in preventing or managing your seasonal allergies, please call or email Rachel. At Health on Point, we work with a protocol and variety of formulas to meet our individual patient's needs. Call to schedule your appointment today (319) 331 9312. Mention this article and receive 5% discount on your allergy treatment now through October 12!

Acupuncture Treats Seasonal Allergies

Springtime is arriving early here in Iowa City. While most of us are thrilled, the change of seasons is bittersweet for others. Running nose, sneezing, and itchy watery eyes causes much suffering. Millions of dollars are spent on medications and the allergy shots to treatment seasonal allergies in the US alone.

Western medicine views seasonal allergies as a form of immediate hypersensitivity reaction which occurs when anti-bodies interact with airborne particles such as pollen. The Chinese medical interpretation also recognizes a close relationship between diet and nutrition, as well as season.

I find it satisfying to treat seasonal allergies with acupuncture. There is often a quick response - patients even get relief during the first visit while lying on the exam table with needles in place! After an initial series of treatments (3-4 sessions), patients return for further treatments on an as needed basis. Some come back in once or twice a year for a booster while others may come more often.

When combined with nutritional support, allergy relief is longer lasting. For example, patients do better if they avoid sugar and milk in their diets. We also carry some herbs and immune boosting teas in our growing pharmacy to help with your spring allergies.

For those new to acupuncture but with a lifetime of allergies, it's important to note that many patients who fail medication and allergy shots do respond to acupuncture. Patients may continue with their current allergy regimen/treatments while getting acupuncture treatments. Most patients are thrilled to find they end up significantly reducing or eliminating their dependence on allergy medications.

Call Health On Point to schedule your treatment for allergy support, or stop by for a complimentary consult  and to learn about herbal remedies.