These supplements mentioned can be found at any grocery or drug store. Nettie pots are available at your nearest drug store. For acupuncture appointments in Cincinnati, Ohio go to online booking.
Recent post to Facebook:
I just had a patient ask about insurance coverage for acupuncture. We need more demand for policies to cover our services!
Some patients do in fact have coverage:
- nationwide companies tend to the ones likely to carry coverage: Fidelity Investments, Procter & Gamble…
- a few supplemental policies to Medicare cover (e.g.: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield)
- Medicare NEVER covers acupuncture. Supplemental coverages may cover anything that is not covered by Medicare though!
- a couple of the federal health insurance options cover acupuncture
Traditional acupuncture “Blooming Lotus Acupuncture” is the way to go if you have insurance coverage. We do require prepayment, but will put together a superbill that will break down all services rendered and the fees that you have paid. (Alternatively, the community acupuncture model is geared to those who do not have acupuncture insurance coverage. Making acupuncture affordable.)
To submit the superbill for reimbursement, the patient needs to enter their information: insurance company, member ID, and policy number. Then a signature is needed on the form as permission to release this personal information to the insurance company.
Why do we go about it this way with prepayment and superbills?
- Insurance is a monumental waste of time for a provider.
- An additional full time employee would be needed to cover all the work involved
- In my experience, insurance declines coverage as often as it can.
- they claim not to have the member
- they claim not to have received the claim
- they deny services for a particular issue
- they say the claim form isn’t “legible”
- you name it! They’ll deny it.
- Due to these issues listed above, it is often necessary for the provider to submit claims many times over for just a single visit.
- Insurance has a relationship with the patient. They will respond more quickly and in better correspondence with you, their member.
- There have been occurrences where providers, years later, are being billed by the insurance companies for thousands of dollars because their payments are claimed to be made in “error”. I have never heard of such a claim made to the patient. (Thank goodness!)
We can provide treatment notes as well. If when the superbill is submitted, the insurance company requests treatment notes to support the claim, please let us know.
Happy covered health and wellness!
-Kristin Gundrum L.Ac. NCCAOM
Your acupuncturist may detect inflammation or precursors to inflammation in the tongue and pulse diagnosis. Inflammation is most apparent and pronounced with “heat” signs. (A red tongue body, a yellow tongue coating, “rolling” rapid pulse, etc.) “Dampness” is another pathogen that involves inflammation directly or the precursor to inflammation. Signs of dampness include: teethmarks, “soggy pulse” weight gain, some cases of foggy thinking, aching joints, etc. There are other pathogens as well. I always make the disclaimer that: ‘Traditional Chinese Medicine would be found limited in its understanding to try to translate it in terms of our conventional medicine.”
Since Americans were brought up in the world of conventional medicine, this article is written in a language that can be understood and utilized in your daily living.
Inflammation can be valuable to us when our body becomes injured or invaded. White blood cells collect in a damaged area securing it off from the rest of your system and clean out the threat and the damaged tissue. It is meant to be a system of protect, clean up, and repair.
Many times though the well intentioned inflammatory train goes off track. This is where too much of a good thing does considerable damage. The origin is likely too many inflammatory foods in our systems.
Diseases that refer directly to inflammation are given a name ending in the suffix “itis”. For example: bursitis, cystitis, dermatitis, phlebitis, hepatitis, tendonitis, appendicitis, etc. But it’s the source of so much more!
Inflammation is now understood to be the cornerstone of premature aging and not just autoimmune illness, but doctors now think perhaps the source of other illnesses like: Alzheimer’s, depression, epilepsy, asthma, stomach ulcers, tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diseases of inflamed intestines, heart attack, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, gall bladder disease, eczema, kidney failure, scleroderma, stroke, chronic sinusitis, and more.
Science tells us…
Inflammatory agents reside in our blood and lymphatic system, many are manufactured in the liver. A high fasting insulin level indicates insulin resistant diabetic stress which coincides with high blood sugar. High blood sugar feeds inflammation and reduces the body’s immune system to work as it should.
Signs of inflammation:
Swelling
Redness
Itchiness
Illness
Autoimmune issues
Disease
The origin of inflammation begins by:
Introduction of bacteria or virus or other invader into the system
Injury
Stress
Genetic disposition to certain disease
The abundance and duration of the inflammatory response increases with:
Carbohydrates and sugars in the diet
Eating foods that your body has developed an intolerance to
The inability to distinguish self cells from non-self cells (“auto-immunity”)
Ways that you can curb the inflammatory response in your system:
Reduce your caloric intake long term by up to 40%
Cut out carbohydrates and sugars
Significant exercise: cleansing the blood of inflammatory agents
Drink plenty of water to aid filtration of inflammatory agents
Eat organic
Consume fermented foods and probiotics daily
Healthy Eating:
A variety of foods
Fresh foods
Lots of fruits and vegetables
Omega 3 fatty acid containing foods
Key known anti-inflammatory foods:
foods like: wild Alaskan salmon, kelp, extra virgin olive oil, cruciferous vegetables, blueberries, turmeric or other curcumin containing foods, ginger, garlic, green tea, and sweet potato.
Suppliments:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
Here’s another example where Traditional Chinese Medicine and Conventional knowledge do not meet. (TCM is a lot more particular and individualistic.) If you have “heat” signs in TCM, garlic and ginger are inappropriate for your wellness because they also have heat properties in their quality of dietary therapy. Rather, in this circumstance, you should adhere to cooling dietary therapies.
Ahh… how indispensible your acupuncturist is 😉 I will gladly warn you against these when taking your tongue and pulse.
Thanks for reading! Hope you have enjoyed learning a little bit about how to think about your health. To share your experience, please email me at: tinyneedleacu@gmail.com
-Kristin Gundrum L.Ac.
Acupuncturist
Tiny Needle Community Acupuncture Blooming Lotus Acupuncture
Cincinnati, Ohio
References:
Aguirre, Lauren “An Inflammatory Theory of Brain Disease.” Nova Next Storyline: Mind Over Matter, 25 Feb. 2015. Web. 26 July 2015.
Frey, Rea “Best and Worst: Top 10 Most Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Foods!” Clean Convenient Cuisine. Chicago Now. 18 Sep. 2010 Web. 26 July 2015.
Marquis, David M. “How Inflammation Affects Every Aspect of Your Health.” Mercola: Revolutionizing Health Through Your Support., 7 March 2013. Web. 26 July 2015.
Saul PhD., Andrew “D,L-Phenylalanine and Vitamin C: Two Drug=Free Approaches to Chronic Pain.” DoctorYourself.Com.. Andrew Saul,2007. Web. 26 July 2015
Unknown Author. “Caloric Restriction.” Life Extension., n.p., n.d. Web. 26 July 2015
Weil M.D., Andrew “Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet.” Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging., n.p., n.d., Web. 26 July 2015.
What Defines Health:
reflections on the soapbox; by acupuncturist: Kristin Gundrum
Healthy perspective
Healthy body
Healthy drive
Healthy diet
Healthy sleep
Balance of activity and inactivity
Love in Love out
Giving and Receiving
Thriving and Striving
Creation and Realization
Discipline and Reflection
4 Seasons… Turn Turn Turn
Forgiveness, Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Reflect on an item at a time. What comes to your attention? What is your breathing pattern as you reflect? Compare this breathing pattern to a relaxed you. Does it fit? Where does it need to change? Where are the issues?
Once you become aware, you can grow. Awareness gives you the opportunity to understand yourself, get to know yourself, and grow yourself into a more enlightened you. If we do not know ourselves, how can we change?
“You must be the change that you want to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi
It is a common tendency to misinterpret spiritual hunger or relationship hunger for physical hunger. This unconscious patterning finds us reacting to feelings of loneliness, unworthiness, or anger in a self-defeating fashion. Gulping and swallowing our way to an even greater hunger for self esteem and fulfillment.
When you are physically hungry, eat food slowly, consciously and appreciatively. When you are emotionally hungry fill your plate with friends, hugs and good thoughts all prepared with forgiveness and love.
Increasing our awareness will provide us with a more complete menu from which to fill our needs.
As we change the game from one of judgement based on beliefs to one of discovery, we naturally begin to let go of these mindsets that do not work in our lives.
The power of discovery enables us to achieve excellence without having to be “perfect”.
Excerpt taken from Magic of Conflict by: Thomas Crum
Acupuncture can help to balance out your emotions and curb food cravings. We encourage healthy eating, moderation and exercise for a healthy lifestyle. We are available as one of your smartest resources for self care. Are you ready to take the self care initiative?
Emotions are significant in energetic balance and spiritual growth.
Emotions are part of our inner, human experience. If you read my previous blog: Acupuncture “Holistic Medicine”, you’ll remember that there are acupuncture points to address and balance: manic joy, grief, sorrow, worry/pensiveness, shock, fear, stress, frustration, anger, etc.
Emotions affect the energetic flow within the body. If you quiet yourself, you’ll be able to sense where an emotion is manifesting in your body. Guess what? This area will have an impact on your energetic flow and if significant, will create an imbalance. Imbalances manifest physically if not corrected within a period of time.
Emotions are incredibly important in our spiritual growth. They have their purpose!
- Sometimes we’re pre-disposed genetically to feel certain emotions. Have you been able at times to discern between which emotions are yours and which are inherited as an emotional tendency?
- Genevieve Lewis Paulson states in her book Energy Focused Meditation: “Emotions are the beginning basis for spiritual development since spirit arises from feelings.”
- Become aware of your emotions without judgement:
- recognize what you’re feeling
- validate these feelings as part of being human
- send love and forgiveness to:
- yourself
- the situation
- others
- Can you transform the emotion to love? Can you transform the emotion to love, acceptance, and forgiveness?
This is a rich opportunity for inner peace, health, and spiritual growth!
Tiny Needle Acupuncture, LLC. 