Qigong: Lifting the sky

by Debbie Yu, MS, L.Ac   Qigong translates to “cultivating the life-force” It serves as a self-empowering tool to move energy, disperse stagnation and to increase energy. In Chinese medicine, fall is the season of the Lungs. The Lungs breathe in “fresh inhaling clear qi,” oxygen, and energy that support our immune system. Those with compromised Lung qi may … Continued

Fat As Medicine

By Dr. Liat Engel   As we left off in our discussion from last month about good and bad fat – you are what you eat… what is the meaning behind this message? 20 years ago fat was considered the first thing to eliminate for better health or weight loss and would have been the … Continued

The Yin, Yang, and Fa Wu of Fats

by Erin Alberda, LAc We can’t get very far in talking about Traditional Chinese Medicine without delving into the theory of Yin and Yang.  It provides not only the foundation of our medicine as acupuncturists, but also a beautiful insight into Taoist philosophies and Chinese cultural history. So how do I summarize and distill millennia … Continued

Good Fat v. Bad Fat: not all fats created equal

by Dr. Liat Engel   Too Fat, or not Too Fat? That is the question.  Well, not really.  The question is more likely: “what is the nature of your fats?”  In this article we will be reviewing both the bad fats, including what risks they pose, and how to avoid them, right alongside the good … Continued

Demystifying Detoxifications and Cleanses: What You Need To Know This Fall!

Detox. The understanding of what detoxification is and why you need to detox is not as easy as it seems.  First we need to go over some definitions.  1. Depuration; obsolete to promote the elimination of waste products from the body.  2. Detoxification; the metabolic process by which the toxic qualities of a poison or … Continued

Case Study on Post-Herpetic Neuralgia and Shingles using Chinese Medicine

By Debbie Yu, LAc *In our work with natural healing, we often come across interesting case studies that serve as evidence of our success or lessons for future care.  In this case study, AIM Acupuncturist Debbie Yu shares a successful treatment and her reasoning behind the treatment.* A 50-something year old male came to me … Continued

From the Vault: Going Beyond Estrogen in Hormone Therapy

By Dr. Brooke Azie-Rentz If you have been to AIM and are a woman, chances are you have discussed hormones with one of our docs.  This is because hormones are a huge force in our bodies, driving everything from appetite, to metabolism, to sex drive, to mood… the list is long!  Here at AIM we … Continued

Cervicalgia (neck pain) – an Eastern Approach

By Erin Alberda, LAc One of the most common ailments I treat as an acupuncturist is neck pain.  Some days the sheer volume of patients coming through my office with very similar complaints has my intakes sounding like a Dr. Seuss rhyme – does it hurt you when you move your head?  Does it hurt … Continued

AIM Acupuncturist Erin “David Letterman” Alberda’s Top 5 (sometimes unexpected) Reasons to get Acupuncture”!

  by Erin Alberda, LAc In the spirit of David Letterman’s retirement, we thought this was fitting!  Here are the top 5 reasons to get Acupuncture at Alpine Integrated Medicine:   Digestive Issues/Food Allergies.  While acupuncture will not fix food allergies, IBS, chrohns or colitis, acupuncture is extremely beneficial in treating some of the sequelae: … Continued

What’s stress got to do, got to do with it?!

by Dr. Brooke Azie-Rentz, ND Stress-noun- a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.   As I sit here writing this article that is 2 weeks late, dealing with new hires, family in town, ailing family out of town, young children and where to send them to … Continued