Looking at the tongue as a means of initial diagnosis to help inform subsequent treatment. ADVANCED HOLISTIC CENTER

From there, Logman and her team ask clients about points of pain they want to address. As per Chinese medicine, the Meridian system informs her acupuncture practice - which is the act of restoring the balance of energy (qi) in the body. Once balance is restored, health can be revived and maintained. " We insert the needles into specific acupuncture points - different channels or meridians that run along the body. These channels connect different parts of the body and to each other - forming a connective web throughout the entire being. And along these channels are specific acupuncture points, each with its own function. A skilled acupuncturist can find these points with a combination of point location and feeling for the points with touch. We then tap into the acupuncture points with the needles. By doing this, we are activating the functions of the different points and also sending messages across the meridian web to promote healing and release tension/pain."


Irina says that "Chinese medicine uses the meridian system to restore the balance of vital energy (qi) in the body. Once balance is restored, health can be maintained" ADVANCED HOLISTIC CENTER

Because the procedure is considered 'invasive' (after-all, needles are being inserted into your body), this kind of treatment requires a lot of tact and thoughtfulness. At Advanced Holistic Center, aid is intuitive and depending on the level of comfort and pain tolerance of the patient, Logman and her team will sometimes couple acupuncture with additional forms of treatment such as e-stim (electric stimulation). "By sending electricity through the needles we can make the muscles contract and then relax. E-stim is administered by first inserting needles via regular acupuncture (points) and then attaching wires to the needles with clips. We then send electrical impulse through the wire; this causes the acupuncture point to be continuously stimulated and sometimes produces a 'jump' or contraction in the muscle." A "tamer" approach that can be an alternative or addition to treatment is the use of heat lamps which 'hover' over the most strained part of the body. Doing this allows for swifter absorption. Irina explains that, "in Chinese medicine, pain is due to stagnation - so where there isn't a sufficient flow of energy and blood - it stagnates and creates pain. While western medicine will use e.g. ice for pain and injury, we opt for heat because it speeds up movement and flow, as opposed to cold - which slows it down."


Electric stimulation (e-stim) applied to a client. E-stim is successful at treating conditions such as: chronic pain, neurological disorders, and muscle spasm and injury. ADVANCED HOLISTIC CENTER

It can often be overlooked, but this holistic maintenance of well-being is directly related to external and internal beauty. Irina explains how it works: "Acupuncture improves blood flow and creates micro-trauma to allow new collagen to form. It also helps restore and balance emotions, therefore preventing wrinkles from forming. In reference to the face, each wrinkle is directly reflective of any emotional imbalance. Frown lines, for instance, are from liver qi stagnation. Once liver energy is balanced, you should feel no need to frown and your face will look more relaxed." Clients can take it a step further and opt for facial acupuncture which addresses such issues/concerns directly. "The face and skin are initial indicators of the state of our internal organs. If there's any imbalance, they will manifest as puffiness, sagging, premature aging, etc. When I treat the face with acupuncture, it offers facial rejuvenation (a treatment within the Chinese medicine wheelhouse). By inserting very thin needles into specific parts of the face, collagen promotion occurs, along with lymphatic drainage and blood circulation - all of which restore vital nutrients and oxygen to the skin cells. Elasticity is improved and can eliminate fine lines and wrinkles."


Facial acupuncture ADVANCED HOLISTIC CENTER

We often live in a world that is reactive to external stimuli and stress. Acupuncture not only heals but is a proactive form of care because it endeavors to identify imbalances and offer preventative work to further stop symptoms and new ones from developing. Irina supports this observation: "I note that the long-term, low grade stress that we are all exposed to on a daily basis can be extremely detrimental to our physical and mental states. 'Fight or flight' modes of being should only be turned on in extreme danger. Acupuncture is able to turn off these overactive and draining stress responses and thereby allows our bodies to not overreact to every little stimuli."
Well played Irina. Got in Forbes.