Tis the Season...

The holiday season can be a crazy time of year. A time for family and cheer but also a time of increased stress and anxiety levels, financial demands,  over eating of rich foods and alcohol over-consumption. 

It's no wonder that the body becomes unbalanced and resolutions are made to try and right the havoc!

Acupuncture treatments prior to holiday madness significantly diminish effects of stress and excess making it easier to bounce into a healthy New Year. Acupuncture not only helps to reduce anxiety, but also helps one stay grounded during a busy season, resulting in more energy and less feelings of panic to get things done. Acupuncture can help to detoxify the system and help regulate metabolism.

Can't get to your Registered Acupuncturist before the madness begins? Remember to; breathe, drink lots of water and regulate your daily routine as much as possible and check in, in the New Year.

Give the Gift of Health this Holiday!

Looking for a gift idea?
Want to give something that doesn't end up in a landfill?
Klinik has Gift Certificates!
Give the gift of Health to those you care about!
We have gift certificates for all Klinik practitioners and services!

604.876.8764 or jennifer@klinikvancouver.com for more details!

Acupuncture for Cyclists!

Whether you're a die-hard downhill rider who prefers the gnarly North shore single-track or training religiously on a road bike for one of BC's Grand Fondo races; acupuncture can benefit any cyclist  looking to train harder, recover faster and stay in optimal shape.
Acupuncture helps to strengthen the body,  improve function, which can help boost athletic performance by restoring internal balance to the body.
Acupuncture can help ease pain from repetitive-use injuries,  and speed recovery time from trauma by decreasing swelling and improving blood flow to the area.
Acupuncture also works to help prevent injury by focusing on the underlying cause that may predispose someone to certain injuries.
Along with a good stretching regime, healthy diet, and proper equipment; acupuncture will help keep you healthy and peddling faster.

www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Acupuncture+for+Athletes

Klinik turns 2!

Klinik celebrated it's second anniversary on Saturday!

Here are a few shots of us getting ready and Harris preparing herbal tea mixes and gluten free cookies!

The sun was shining and we couldn't have asked for a better day.

Chlorella! The Super Food!

Chlorella is a single-celled, green micro-algae that has been around for nearly 2 billion years! It is a super food containing; chlorophyll, protein, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins, nucleic acids, beta-carotene, thiamin, riboflavin, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iodine. A perfect supplement for vegetarians who may struggle with getting enough protein and vitamin B12 from their diets.

Chlorella is gentle, yet effective for detoxification as it helps stop bacteria, yeast and fungal growth and can improve liver function. Chlorella is safe for seniors, and can help promote healthy growth patterns in children.

It helps to; regulate blood sugar, improve the immune system, increase white blood cell counts, support cancer treatment (both radiation and chemotherapy), aid in tissue repair, promote mental health, and can relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia. Chlorella can reduce high blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, decrease PMS and help to diminish the occurrence of asthma attacks. One study suggests that Chlorella contains a substance that appears to increase production of interferon- a chemical in the body that protects against harmful viruses.

Chlorella is a gentle and effective food source to help promote overall health and benefit any acupuncture treatment.

Feeling Good? -- Keep that feeling going with Acupuncture!

Allergies diminished? Back pain feeling better? PMS under control ...at the moment?
There is no better time, even when one is feeling great, to come in for a treatment to help keep that good feeling going!

Quite often I hear the words "I'll come in when the pain returns..." or "I'll come in when I NEED to...". With initial acupuncture treatments, it may take a few sessions to help build or balance the body's energy. Once this has occured, quite often it only takes one treatment down the road to bring everything into check again, to provide a "tune-up" to keep things moving properly. It makes sense to have a maintenance treatment to keep the body balanced and the energy harmonized rather than more treatments when a crisis occurs.

Acupuncture can work very well as a form of preventative medicine, which can mean a boost in the immune system, faster recovery time, and less intense pain with pre-existing, chronic injuries. Feel good all the time with regular monthly or seasonal treatments, or schedule a session before a stressful time-- this combined with moderate exercise and a healthy diet can help you take control of your health and allow you to enjoy life!

Acupuncture Treatment for Chronic Sinusitis

Chronic Sinusitis is a condition that affects millions of Canadians each year. It is a condition that involves inflammation of the paranasal sinuses due to; infection (bacterial, viral or fungal), allergies, or autoimmune disorders. Symptoms may include; nasal congestion, facial pain or pressure, headaches, tightness or fullness of the sinuses, pain when bending foward, and dizziness lasting longer than three months.
Chronic Sinusitis is typically treated with antibiotics, cortico-steroids or even surgery, but natural alternatives like acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine have proven to be very effective.
Regular acupuncture treatments can help ease the symptoms snd clear the root cause. Points located near and around the nasal cavity, aided with supplemental points are well known to dispel congestion and get the energy flowing more freely. Another technique known as 'Guasha' is also effective in helping ease and prevent chronic sinusitis.
Ruling out dietary sensitivities/allergies such as dairy or wheat may prove to be useful, as well as environmental factors such as temperature variations (damp cold) and mold.
With the use of a 'neti pot' , a small teapot helps to flush out the nasal cavity with a saline solution, by clearing congestion and aiding in breathing. The use of essential oils can be beneficial when doing a steam inhalation. Eucalyptus and Japanese Mint oil are well-known to improve sinus congestion, Thyme oil is excellent as an anti-sinusitis oil and is known for having anti-bacterial properties as well. Place five drops in a bowl of hot water. Place a towel over the head, inhale the steam and allow the sinuses to clear for approximately five minutes.
Natural alternatives can provide lasting relief from chronic sinus pain, which doesn't result in harmful side-effects. Contact your Registered Acupuncturist for more information.

2011: A New Year and New Resolutions

As 2010 comes to an abrupt halt, and a brand New Year is about to begin-- a time for new resolutions, promises for positive change usually happen right around this time.

What is your New Year's Resolution? Incorporating more exercise into a daily routine, eating less, eating better, less stress, and enjoying life more? Typically, resolutions are made to alter how we will treat our minds and bodies in the up-coming year. What better way to approach (and stick to) a New Year's resolution than with the help of a natural alternative? Let acupuncture help you to bring balance into your life by; aiding digestion, improving energy, regulating hormones and reducing stress. Acupuncture treatments also have a long term effect of boosting the immune system, relaxing the mind, and by helping improve will-power and motivation-- to help keep resolutions all year! Start 2011 on a healthy note, make this year an incredible one by exercising regularly, eating more organic fruit and vegetables, and adding acupuncture to your health routine.

Acupuncture-- A Natural Choice for Seasonal Affective Disorder

Do you find that as the days get shorter in the Fall months, lack of sunshine, colder temperatures, bring you down? Experience symptoms such as; anxiety, palpitations, insomnia, high blood pressure, decreased libido and excessive sweating? You may suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D, but acupuncture can help!

S.A.D. effects approximately 2-3% of Canadians, and people with S.A.D make up 10% of all depression cases. Women are 8 times more likely to be effected than men, and typically those who are under 50.

Your family Doctor can provide a diagnosis to rule out thyroid dysfunction or other forms of depression. Light therapy and antidepressants are often prescribed, but often with dangerous side-effects.

Acupuncture is one natural treatment option that works by releasing noradrenaline and serotonin in the body with a series of treatments. Acupuncture is also safe enough to use in conjunction with medications to help decrease side-effects. It works by stimulating specific points along the meridians to help balance energy, regulate hormones, and to help address the underlying problem with no side-effects! It is also important to factor in proper dietary measures, ensure that you are getting a minimum of 20 minutes of outdoor activity daily, and to try going to bed and awaking early to maximize time spent in natural day light.

If you or someone you know is feeling depressed there are many types of treatment and many resources for natural treatment options. If you looking for a natural alternative, try acupuncture and start enjoying winter again!

Acupuncture can Ease Shoulder & Neck Tension

It seems like this is the time of year when muscles are more prone to contract, pain in the upper back and neck region sets in. Whether it's due to colder temperatures causing us to bring our shoulders up around our ears, or forgetting to close windows at night allowing muscles to contract when the body temperature lowers as we sleep, or stress that compounds in that area-- neck and shoulder tension sets in!

Acupuncture is a great tool along with a lot of different modalities for easing musculo-skeletal pain in the upper body.

*Acupuncture itself helps to release local Qi (energy) and blood stagnation which can manifest as neck rigidity and tension, compromising movement.

*Cupping techniques allow for more oxygen to flow through the area and improve circulation of the tissues to release tension.

*Moxabustion aids by warming the needle and bringing more energy into the tissues to also help release tight muscles.

*"Tuina" is a form of massage that manipulates soft tissue in the area, increasing blood flow, easing tension and allowing for more movement.

All of these techniques help ease pain and also work as a preventative measure, especially when used in combination with regular stretching, breathing techniques and exercise.

Contact your Registered Acupuncturist to help ease neck soreness and muscle tension.

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Are you ready for Cold & Flu Season?

Fall is a great time of year, the leaves change color, the sun sets earlier and the air gets a little cooler. Fall is a time when our bodies become more introverted or 'Yin' in nature--as we tend to spend more time indoors, making soups and stews, preparing for a cold (or wet!) winter. It is typically in Fall, that are bodies may be more susceptible to illness and our immune systems weaken as we adapt to colder temperatures. In chinese medicine, external pathogenic factors are responsible for invading the body when the immune system is down and make us more susceptible to viruses and influenza.

This is a perfect time to come in for an acupuncture treatment. A treatment can help build up the body's natural defense mechanisms, expel pathogens and help relieve that 'run-down' feeling. In chinese medicine, the Common cold is often seen as 'Wind- Cold invasion'. Symptoms of fever and/or chills, sneezing, white sputum, aches and pains usually arise. When this developes further to influenza -- this is often catagorized as 'Wind-Heat invasion' accompanied by symptoms of fever, sweating, flu, yellow sputum, sore throat and cough. Not only is it beneficial to come in prior to illness setting in but by coming in as soon as symptoms set in can also help expel it out of your system, alot faster.

Acupuncture, moxabustion, guasha and cupping are all techniques used to make one feel healthier, as well as Chinese herbs like; Yin Chiao (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Clean Toxin Pill) or Blue Poppy's 'Cold Quell' both are well-known cold formulas to help people get back on their feet. For more questions, ask your Registered Acupuncturist.

Klinik's (first ever) Open House!

Everyone Welcome!
To: Klinik, A Health Collective's Open House

Sunday, October 3rd 1-4 pm
#101 225 East 17th Avenue (Main St. & 17th)
604.876.8764


Please visit the website for details.
http://www.klinikvancouver.com/
Refreshments will be served!