APRIL 2000AcupunctureThis month's article on Acupuncture comes to you from Tina Underwood. Tina created the award winning Arthritis Net to help others deal with life with arthritis. Tina shares with us her Cecil Award winning journalistic style and the unique insights that only a young mother with severe arthritis can have.
In Chinese medicine this life energy is known as qi (pronounced chee) and flows through invisible channels known as meridians. Illness can cause an imbalance in qi, and an out of balance qi can cause pain or illness. The acupuncturist is able to influence health and sickness by stimulating certain areas along these meridians to restore the flow of qi. Most folks think of acupuncture and picture thin needles. But there are several different methods that can be used to stimulate the more than 300 acupuncture points that lie along the meridians. Heat, herbs, magnets, pressure, lasers and even bee stings or any combination may be used.
.........Does it work?
............Is it safe? March 2000We All Need A Good Night's Sleep!As adults, most of us need a minimum of eight hours of good quality sleep each night to feel rested and function effectively. It is an unfortunate fact that insomnia increases for both men and women as we age. Men aged 30 to 60 years have the most difficulty. Take a good look at the quality and length of your average night's rest. A well rested person is a healthier person. Being rested makes you less likely to get sick and more likely to face each day with needed energy. There are many easy things to do to improve your sleep habits. Take a walk. Getting moderate physical exercise helps to induce sleep. Develop a sleep routine. Going to bed at the same time every night and waking at the same time every day develops a healthy sleep pattern. It conditions your body to know when it's supposed to rest. Make your bedroom dark, quiet and cool to make falling asleep easier. Take a warm, relaxing bath or drink a cup of warm milk or herbal tea just before retiring to bed. . Make sure you have a firm, comfortable bed with a quality pillow. A pillow's purpose should be more than just cushioning. It should also help keep your neck and spine in proper position, allowing your airways to open up so you can breathe more freely and quietly. Sleeping with the wrong pillow can cause discomfort and may actually aggravate sleep-related problems. If you are a back or side sleeper who wakes up with a stiff neck, try a contoured, cervical support pillow. It will cradle your neck providing firm support as it helps align your spine. It will improve your sleep position and thus improve your night's sleep. To some people the mere weight of the blanket on their feet can disturb sleep. This can be alleviated with a blanket lifting device. For those of us whose sleep is disturbed by back pain, a leg spacer pillow can often bring comfort and rest! Take care of yourself. You are worth it. Sleep is an important part of feeling better and living better.
See two High quality contoured cervical pillows at: |
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