Category: Acupuncture

Introducing Morgan Costley to the Clinic!!

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Morgan Costley, LAc LMT graduated from Oregon College of Oriental Medicine with a master’s degree in Chinese Medicine, having previous completed massage training at East West College of Healing Arts in 2011. The past twelve years, she has spent her time honing her skills as a practitioner and expanding her knowledge of the body.

Morgan has developed a strong connection with her hands and to their ability to access sources of pain and injury. She is able to precisely locate acupuncture points at various depths that are necessary for release and relief. She is aware of the levels of sensation and her needling style is tailored to be deeper and stronger, or more superficial and gentler, based on the patient’s condition and constitution. Morgan is experienced in working with allergies, Women’s health, chronic and acute musculoskeletal injuries and pain, digestive issues, stress management, and insomnia. She has studied 5 element acupuncture, Japanese acupuncture including trainings in Kiiko Matsumoto style as well as Tsuyoshi Shimamura style acupuncture. She also has extensive training in Chinese herbal medicine, cupping, guasha, shiatsu, myofascial release, reiki, and craniosacral.

Creating a safe space, helping people to find their center, and be at ease in their bodies is important to her practice. She strives to help people reclaim the parts of their bodies and systems that have struggled with illness, disharmony, and pain. Her treatments are based in acknowledging the body’s innate ability to heal itself and enabling it to do so in the most effective way.

Morgan is a native Oregonian who enjoys spending time in nature. She is often seen exploring the many trails and mountains this area has to offer. Morgan believes in taking the time to incorporate daily practices that nourish her. She has a strong meditation and Taiji practice. She also has a great love of the arts, including music, painting, dancing, and cooking.

To Schedule with Morgan contact morgan@sundialacupuncture.com (503)560-0843

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Time for Spring Cleaning

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dandelion

I really love to clean… no seriously, it is weird, but true. Okay yes I get super sick of cleaning my house all the time. But nothing feels better to me when I am super stressed… to just do some crazy cleaning. Spring cleaning is great for aesthetics and how the feng shui in the house appears, but it is also great for internal work too. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the Spring is associated with the Wood element, and the Liver organ system. The Liver is paired with the Gall Bladder. The Liver governs the tendons and ligaments in the body and is considered the “general organ.” You know the one that tells everyone else what to do, how to do it and go, go, go!!! The Liver is associated with a SOUR flavor and the color GREEN. The Liver is something we tax in our society in so many ways, physically, emotionally and energetically.

So this Spring lets do some Spring Cleaning and really help support that Liver!!!

Herbs to Support the Liver

  • Best Liver Formula: Xiao Yao Wan (Free and Easy Wanderer) Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach and moves Liver Qi. And come on… the name kind of says it all; I love to be a free and easy wanderer in life.
  • Single Herbs that are great in Tea: Dandelion Root, Burdock Root, Chicory Root, Turmeric, Artichoke Leaf and my local favorite… Oregon Grape.
  • Foods that Support the Liver: Leafy greens, sour foods like lemon, green smoothies, fermented foods, beets and beet greens and seasonal foods.

Movement to Support the Liver

  • ANY movement!!! Remember the Liver governs the tendons and ligaments in the body… so just getting up and getting moving is going to help make the Liver happy. Taking a nice brisk walk to enjoy the emerging flowers around town; oh this is really embracing the Spring energy of the Liver…. ah…

green

Benefits of a Healthy Liver

  • Hormone Balance
  • Improved Digestion
  • Increased Energy
  • Efficient Detox
  • Less Allergies

Ways to do a Gentle Spring Clean on the Liver

  • Up the amount of fresh plants and veggies in the diet
  • Drink a Liver supportive tea daily for two weeks
  • Add some lemon juice to your water (please drink room temperature or warm, not iced water)
  • Try to eat healthier: limit oils, limit processed foods and heavy, hard to digest foods like animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
  • Foods to focus on: salad greens, vegetables, dark leafy greens, green smoothies, green juices… see the GREEN theme here

Green Juice Recipe to Support the Liver

  • 1 green apple
  • 6 leaves of romaine lettuce (or other salad green)
  • 1 chard leaf
  • 2 kale leaves (or sub 1 collard green)
  • 1/4 bunch parsely
  • slice of lemon (if you like more sour add more lemon)
  • Ginger (optional, but I love the warming balance)

Green-Juice

Cupping is AMAZING!!!

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Cupping Therapy

When I first learned how to do cupping… almost 15 years ago; I decided to promptly teach my partner at the time (now husband) and family members how to do it. I absolutely loved how it felt and it really was the most effective therapy for chronic neck and back tension. Throughout the years I have seen many more applications for cupping and a couple weeks ago was reminded of the amazing way cupping can vent a cold or flu right out of the body! My coworker Dori White, LMT also does cupping and I came in with the super sniffles, achey body and chills. Next day… gone! No lingering cold or upper respiratory infection for me. Yeah for cupping!!!

Cupping Can Help Treat:

  • Chronic Pain
  • Migraines
  • Detoxing
  • Myofascial Stagnation
  • Immune Support
  • Asthma
  • Back Pain
  • Neck Pain
  • Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries
  • Whiplash

Cupping can be even more effective when combined with acupuncture. Acupuncture works to balance the body and create homeostasis, cupping only furthers that process. I offer cupping or another form of body work with every acupuncture treatment I do. My favorite way to do cupping is “moving cups.” This is a style of cupping that uses oil or salve on the body first and then the cups are applied… super relaxing and nourishing. I actually use Rescue Rub salve first since it has many healing and anti-inflammatory properties for a more effective treatment.

Eating Seasonally in the Fall

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Some Delicious Fermented Veggies

Fall is a time that I feel inspired with food… making good food, going to potlucks and remembering to slow down when I eat. The hustle of summer is over and now is a time for introspection and connection. In Chinese Medicine Fall is associated with the Metal Element and the organ system: Lung and Large Intestine. The flavor of Fall is pungent or expansive and the complimentary flavor is astringent. To help preserve and nourish our Lungs and Large Intestine we need both expansion and contraction. My favorite foods to make this time of year are fermented foods. I recently got a couple really amazing birthday gifts that have super inspired me on my fermented journey. 1) Fermented Vegetables book by Christopher and Kirsten Shockey and 2) Easy Fermentor Kit by Nourished Essentials (a local Portland company). I cannot recommend the Easy Fermentor enough… it makes fermenting so much easier and I love that the end result is already in a mason jar, perfect for storage! So far I have made a few different sauerkrauts and fermented veggie combos that are not only super tasty, but also really beautiful to look at on my plate as well. Fermented foods are a perfect food for Fall, because they really preserve and enhance the flavors of this time of year, extending these flavors through the cold winter months. Fermented foods are both expansive and contractive which is in harmony with the nature of this season and supportive of our lovely Lungs and Large Intestine. Our Large Intestine appreciates all the lovely probiotics and restorative function of fermented foods to give us healthy gut flora and our Lungs really appreciate when we put some pungent foods into our fermentation like ginger and garlic.

One of my favorite fermented combinations I have really enjoyed is: cauliflower, beets, daikon, cabbage and ginger. The flavors are balanced from a TCM perspective because they have all five flavors: sweet, sour/astringent, salty, pungent and bitter. I also made a Kimchi inspired blend that is super spicy and I feel like it really keeps my Lungs clear to boost my immune system.

Dinner with Delicious Fermented Vegetables… Yum!!!

 

Fall Into Health with TCM

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leaves

Autumn in Traditional Chinese Medicine is associated with the Metal element. The Metal element correlates to the Lungs and Large Intestine. Their primary function is to take in new things and let go of the old. The Lungs control inhalation-exhalation and also control the opening and closing of our pores. Our skin is governed by the Lungs and one way to renew and give new life to our Lungs is through our skin. Our skin protects us from any external evils also known as pathogens like bacteria or viruses. Here are some steps for supporting the Lungs during the fall.

  1. Practice meditation that involves focus on breathwork. For instance the mantra by Thich Nhat Han, “breathing in I relax breathing out I smile”
  2. Take care of our skin and help it let go of what is not wanted. Exfoliate your whole body with a sugar or salt scrub. See recipe below.
  3. Use a detoxifying massage oil to nourish your skin and perform lymph massage while applying the oil. See this site for making calendula oil, a detoxifying oil you can make at home. You can also just use some extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil. Or spice it up by adding a couple drops of your favorite essential oils.
  4. Nourish your Lungs with food. Pears are a great food to moisten the Lungs if you have a dry cough or tend towards dryness in your body. You can also make stewed pears (add walnuts to tonify the yang) that nourishes the yin and yang and is aromatic to help open the Lungs.
  5. Take an herbal formula to support our Wei qi or protective qi. Like Jade Windscreen Yu Ping Fang San. This supports the Lungs and prevents us from catching a cold or flu. Come in to see Genevieve to help you get the right formula for your constitution.

Have a beautiful Fall and stay healthy and happy!

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Lovely Calendula Blooming in the Garden

 

Spicy and Sweet Body Scrub 6oz.

  • ½ cup brown sugar or turbinado sugar or sea salt*
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • (can use almond or sesame oil as well)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (powdered)
  • ½ teaspoon ginger (powdered)
  • ½ teaspoon clove (powdered)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ground rice
  • (or 20 drops vanilla essential oil)
  • *optional* add 10 drops cinnamon EO

Mix all ingredients in a glass or metal bowl, using a whisk to uniformly mix. Scoop into storage container. Use on moistened skin to exfoliate, then rinse. Not intended for using more than 1 x per week. *Can also use sea salt for this recipe, especially Epsom salt to penetrate tight muscles. Use caution since salt is more abrasive and can sting on freshly shaven or sensitive skin.

Acupuncture for Allergies

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Bees Pollinating Sunflower

Now that the cherry blossoms are blooming and we have all these beautiful bulbs coming up out of the ground with many amazing colors and smells… ALLERGIES!!!  Not to fear, Acupuncture is here!

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine have successfully been used to treat allergies for thousands of years.  I myself had horrible allergies, asthma, and eczema for many years and the only successful treatment was Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, herbs, diet therapy, breathing exercises).

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Acupuncture works to reduce allergies by regulating the immune system.  When our immune system is overly sensitive our body will react negatively to things we are commonly exposed to:  such as pollens, dust, mold, plants, animals, even food that we eat.  Acupuncture combined with herbs helps to reduce the histamine response in our body that triggers the inflammatory cascade leading to extra mucus, red itchy eyes, digestive or GI upset, rashes, hives, feeling foggy headed, etc.

Acupuncture sessions are relaxing and can address other issues even when you are coming in just for allergies.  Things like sleep, energy level, metabolism, mood elevation, any aches or pains, the list goes on and on…

Offering Pediatric Massage and Acupuncture

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Pediatric Massage

Pediatric Massage

We treat children of all ages: from infants to toddlers and school aged children. When a small child or infant comes in we use pediatric tui-na and shonishin techniques to address any concerns for the little one. Children are especially receptive to bodywork so usually acupuncture is not indicated. Instead we use massage and shonishin, which is Japanese Pediatric Acupuncture. It involves tapping on specific acupressure points and massaging the extremities. Sometimes even moxa is used, which is compressed mugwort that is lit in a device and applied over the skin. This is a very gentle warming and soothing therapy that can help with boosting the immune system, alleviating pain, reducing anxiety, promoting sleep, and improving digestion. We also carry a line of herbs specific for infants and children called Gentle Warriors from Kan Herb Company and even carry some formulas from The Herbalist that are made especially for children.

Tiger Warmer Moxa for Children

Tiger Warmer Moxa for Children

Specializing in Motor Vehicle Accidents

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In the state of Oregon you are able to get acupuncture services for a motor vehicle accident without a referral.  Any driver, passenger, pedestrian, cyclist  involved in an auto accident are covered by Personal Injury Protection (PIP) of at least $15,000.00. Any medical bills related to an auto accident are covered by PIP and most claims are covered for up to two years.

Acupuncture can treat many of the muscoloskeletal issues resulting from a motor vehicle accident such as: whiplash, back pain, neck pain, pain or numbness in the extremities and general muscle pain/fatigue.

Acupuncture can also help with the emotional and psychological components surrounding the trauma of an auto accident. Fear of driving, anxiety, sleeplessness and depression.

We have a great support team of therapists, counselors, massage therapists, chiropractors, and acupuncture to help with all avenues of your healing.

Acupuncture for Back Pain

Acupuncture for Back Pain