10 Tips to Help You Sleep Better

In his book, "Secrets of Self-Healing" by Dr. Maoshing Ni,  he states that our bodies run best with consistent routines.  Well, I am as boring and consistent as a grandfather clock, but lately I have been waking up every two hours (which would be great if I had a baby in the house) and even though I don't have much trouble going back to sleep, I know I would be sharper during the day if my sleep was deep and uninterrupted.

Adequate and good quality SLEEP is critical to staying in sync with our biological clock. To ensure restful sleep every night, Dr. Ni suggests you form your own routines and rituals that help you go to sleep.

These are some of the tricks I am now trying along with acupuncture:

1. Hot baths
2. Foot massage
3. Journaling
4. Meditation
5. Aromatherapy
6. Relaxing music
7. Reading spiritual books
8. Praying (praying usually manages to get me to sleep!)
9. Taking a quiet evening stroll.
10. At Jade Star Acupuncture we have many Chinese herbal formulas to help encourage sleep, including this Herb Pac called ‘iSleep’.  It’s 100% herbal and you can drink it as a tea or place a small amount of granules on the back of your tongue and swallow with water or juice.

Pick up this herbal formula to help you sleep for just $2.00 

Rituals help calm your mind and allow you to feel peaceful within,  Once you find an activity that works, be sure to practice it consistently and you will begin to get the sleep you need! I'd love to hear your ideas on what works best for you! Please comment with your suggestions to add to the list. And sleep well! 
~Randine

Who Likes to Save Money?!

Over the last few months many of our cash patients have been asking for a package and we have been listening. We took some time to put this together to make sure it was worth your investment and we are proud to announce we now have 2 NEW ACUPUNCTURE PACKAGES that combine treatments, free products, savings on herbal formulas and more! So here they are:

90 Day Jump Start

We know the value of ongoing treatment, and we love those patients who are ready to make ongoing changes to their health.

This package is for you if you.....

• Would like to incorporate acupuncture as part of your ongoing wellness routine
• Are looking for lasting treatment for current ailments
• Would like to be proactive in the prevention of aches, pains, and other health challenges

Here's what you get:

• 2 treatments per month for 3 months (6 treatments total)
• Individualized treatment plan
• Chinese Medicine Seasonal Chart
• 1 FREE bottle of an Alpine Herbs remedy
• 10% discount on herbal formulas

Total cost: $350

Optimum Wellness - 5 months

Being at optimum health is so important.  You need to stay healthy, yes; but it is more than that.  You need to be proactive in order to maintain optimal energy, mental focus, and physical stamina.

This package is for you if you....

• Need to get back in alignment with your most energetic self
• Can no longer tolerate mental fog, non-focus, and on-going aches and pains
• Understand the positive impact of optimum health and wellness

Here's what you get:

• 2 treatments per month for 5 months (10 treatments total)
• Individualized treatment plan
• Chinese Medicine Seasonal chart
• 1 FREE bottle of an Alpine Herbs remedy
• 25% discount on herbal formulas
• Copy of "Secrets of Longevity - Hundreds of Ways to Live to be 100" by Dr. Maoshing Ni   ($14,95 value)

Total cost: $600

If you are interested in these packages or want to know more, just give us a call at 520-881-0827 or email us at info@jadestaracupuncture.com. 

5 Health Benefits of Dry Brushing

Have you heard of dry brushing?

This ancient technique is becoming popular in health circles and is recommended by naturopaths, massage therapists, and other holistic practitioners.

It is a very simple act of brushing your skin with a natural fiber brush. Usually the brush is made from a course but all natural fiber like tampico, which is an agave plant, and a handle of beechwood. Here is the one I use.

How to do it: 

1. Just before you get in the shower or bath, grab your handy dandy brush!
2. Starting at your feet, gently brush your dry skin upwards. I start at the ankle and work up to the knee, and then around the thigh brushing up towards my hips, giving good attention to my butt(you'll find out why later on). 
3. Continue to brush up your stomach towards your chest. Always brushing towards your heart.
4. Then brush from your wrists up to your shoulders. 
5. And then your shoulders and neck area down towards your heart. 
6. Skip your face! The brush is too rough. 

The amount of pressure should not be painful or actually scratching your skin. You want it gentle but not too much so. You will learn a good balance.

Why should you be brushing your body with a dry rough bristle brush? 

5 Health Benefits of Dry Brushing

1. Get rid of that dead skin! Dry brushing will help remove that layer of dead skin before you get in the shower and help you have a closer shave, but also will help clear out pores. Removing that dry skin also helps the appearances, no more dullness! 
2. Get your lymphatic system working! Did you know you have miles and miles of lymphatic tubes running throughout your body? Dry brushing will help to stimulate your lymph glandes to get pumping and dump those toxins out of your body. You lymphs could use a little support! 
3. REDUCE CELLULITE! yes you read that right! I am no scientist so here is a quote from Self Magazine on how it works: "Because dry brushing helps eliminate toxins, many pros claim it can smooth those unsightly lumps and bumps for good. Annet King, director of global education for Dermalogica and the International Dermal Institute, says the procedure helps remove “stagnant toxins” that break down connective tissue, leading to cellulite."
4. Improve your digestion! Our skin is pretty amazing and this simple act of dry brushing will actually go deep enough to move the toxins out of your body faster, which will help to strengthen your kidney function and give you better digestion too. 
5. Wake You up! Tired? Just woke up? This is an amazing way to get your day going the right way! Not only will you feel great knowing you are detoxing you skin, you have glowing skin, and the act of actually dry brushing will stimulate all those nerve endings and wake you up! Then you can get in the shower, wash off that dead skin and toxins and have a fabulous day! 

Here is a great image from Smart Living Network that helps you see which direction to brush. 

If you have any questions you can comment below or on Facebook. I would love to hear your feedback, try it out and let me know your experience is like! 

~Kayla

Happy Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year of the Sheep: February 19th

Was last year a doozy for you? Lots of challenges, struggles and uncomfortable shifting? Well, consider those growing pains - a painful transition toward a more settled and self-aware (and freer!) you. Sometimes it takes some discomfort to change for the better. As the year of the sheep/ram/goat approaches get ready to move away from what may have been a challenging past 12 months (at least for me and most of the people I know, anyway!) to a more peaceful, nurturing and creative year. The Green Wood Sheep symbolizes peace, community, goodwill and the arts. 

The sheep is of a Yin nature, which promises a more tranquil, loving and nurturing year than the previous one. 

This shall be a year to focus on healing - on all levels. Think about including more self-care practices into your weekly routine such as massage, art therapy, acupuncture, yoga and a good internal cleanse. For me I've started to take up a more regular yoga practice. After years of "dappling" here and there, picking up a class on a whim or when a friend asked, I've recently made a commitment to get on the mat with instruction at least 3 times a week. And man! I finally get what this whole yoga craze is all about!


I feel so clear, strong and centered than ever before. I still fall over (a lot) and am waiting for that day when downward dog feels like a "resting pose," but each week I notice an improvement and I'm looking forward to watching how the practice shall continue to shape my world for the better.

The Green color and the Wood element of this year's sheep both symbolize growth and creativity. This is a year of working consistently toward one's goals with joy, embracing the Chinese saying, "Diligence applied to hard work ensures prosperity." It is with gradual and steadfast efforts that our dreams will manifest, for the good of all. This is a year of community, banding together and joining forces with others who believe in making the world a better place. Is there an art class you've been wanting to take or a singing, gardening or political group you want to be a part of? Now is the time to go for it and do that thing that makes your heart sing or the work that feels like your calling.

Now's the time to find your outlet and your people to share that interest and nurture that bliss. Is it an African dance class or getting on that bicycle more or writing a blog for that organization you're passionate about? Join forces with others and work together toward this goal, or find your support team to cheer you on along the way. I recently started painting again, something I used to love as a child, that I put on a shelf as an adult, telling myself I was too busy (learning and practicing Chinese medicine) or that I wasn't good enough to make it worthwhile. But the truth is, when I do make time to play, yes "play" and draw, paint or doodle, it is always fun and worthwhile, and that is the true goal, not the outcome on paper, but how soul-fulfilling it is. So this year, I encourage you to feed your soul and play more!

It is also a time to get back to basics and to use a greater intuition to find solutions to problems. This would be a great year to start a meditation practice or to take an existing one a level deeper. Spend more time in nature, a surefire way to tap into the slower pace of life and its answers. Qi Gong is also a wonderful, effective practice for increasing intuition. (Keep an eye out for our future blog on Qi Gong and its benefits coming up soon).

Are you thinking, "But what about my busy life and demanding job which remain at a hectic pace?" Well, it just may be that they shall seem less so this year, or that coping seems a whole lot easier. Do not be afraid to reach out to others and to seek out those modalities and tools to bring more peace and harmony into your daily life. The year of the sheep supports this.

Once you feel tapped into that calming, nourishing, joyful spirit of the sheep share those vibrations with those around you. Radiate them out into the world around you, touching every soul you meet. That's what the year of the Green Wood Sheep is all about. Enjoy it!

Why I Love Gratitude (And You Should, Too!)

What does being grateful mean to you?

To me it means being present; it means being able to be alive in the moment and honestly count my blessings. Expressing gratitude gives me a feeling that lifts me and I feel that gratefulness has a high vibrational frequency that feeds your soul. 

Many of my patients and friends know about how I was lead to acupuncture and how I found this happiness that I now hold. And for those of you who don’t, let me share. About a decade ago I was in a marriage that was full of disharmony. There was fighting and discontent, and a new baby that came into the world at only 29 weeks. It was a difficult time. And it got more difficult when my son at 15 months old became seriously ill. My ex husband had left us, we lived in a house I couldn't afford, and my small baby was in the ICU. My son recovered fully after 3 months in the ICU and a year of recovery at home; during this time I quit my job, lost my house, and started a new path in life. 

My son Casey at 4 years old

Thankfully I have the most wonderful family; my sister let us live with her rent free and they all helped with my son. I am full of gratitude for the support they offered and because gratitude is reciprocal I truly believe that all their love and support bonded our family in ways I can't express in words.

During those years I found myself lost and honestly angry with God for taking away the "life" I thought I was building. It took many years for me to release that anger and transform it into gratitude. With my families support I finished credits at Pima Community College that I needed to get into acupuncture school and started that journey. While trying to decide what to do with my life to support myself and my son, I threw my hands up in the air and prayed for God to show me what I was supposed to do. I was sitting in front of the computer and hoped that God would guide my search; I was Google'd to the acupuncture school. This time I decided to listen and made my appointment to check the school out. The very second my feet hit the pavement at the school the interview day, I knew with every fiber in me that this was the path for me.

School was half about learning Chinese medicine and half about healing myself in order to best help others to heal. It was grueling and intense, and I often wondered if I would have the strength to get through it. I am so incredibly grateful for the strength that I was granted to survive and graduate. I must confess that the anger I held stayed with me even after school. It wasn't until I was telling my story to a patient who said "you seem very angry about this past, but it all led you here", that I realized it was time to change inside.

I started thinking about all the things that I feel grateful for.... and do you know what? There's so many things!!! 

• My families love and support 

• My precious son and his life

• My freedom from a crappy marriage

• An amazing career that allows me to help others love their lives

• A beautiful clinic

• And so many more things

I can break down my gratitude to things as small as being present for the smell of a fresh pot of coffee brewing in the house I can now afford where there is love and happiness. I can go big and think how much gratitude I have that we have such a beautiful Earth to live on and the vast possibilities for humankind to experience life fully. 

Now into my fourth year of private practice, it brings me to tears when I think how grateful I am for my life. The clinic that I created now employees some of my favorite people and helps so many in the community on several different levels; it has grown past me and now belongs to those that know us. This clinic has created a relationship with my sister (who is our magnificent practice manager) that fills me with joy. It brought Danube into our lives; and she is one of the best people I've ever met. Chinese medicine has allowed me to help my son heal more and carry less baggage with him through life. And to top it all off, this clinic (and some praying) brought a man into my life that makes my heart skip a beat and he has amazing children that I love. The gratitude I hold for this clinic which has helped heal me and so many others is simply magical.

When I found myself in the middle of turmoil and discontentment it was extremely difficult to feel grateful. At one point when my son was ill, I even thought about killing myself if he died. Being low is such a heavy burden, it can be hard to see the light. Through love and prayer I was able to persevere. And now as I look back I am thankful for this past decade, it allows me to be truly grateful for the blessings I hold and wish such happiness upon others.

Casey and I at Disneyland having a blast!

If you find yourself in the middle of a black hole, I hope my story will inspire you that life can be better. It can be amazing! 

Dig deep and think of something small or something big that you can express gratitude for... it'll change your life for the best. 

Try it now... what are you grateful for? Share with us...

You can share this on Facebook or Google+ with your comments about what you are grateful for!