This Thursday, I will be giving a presentation on Chinese medicine for weight loss at the YMCA Greendale Family Branch in Worcester. They are sponsoring a group weight loss contest based on the Biggest Loser television show.

The timing of the talk coincides with the many inquiries I’ve been getting from patients (and potential patients), asking me if acupuncture can help with weight loss. The short answer is yes. However, the full answer is much more complicated. You can read more about it in my September blog post (As an aside, Spring is a much better time than Fall or Winter to start a weight-loss program, since your body naturally tries to store up extra calories in the cool weather).

Once thing you can do to improve your experience when you go to an acupuncturist for weight loss is to make sure you have realistic expectations. I have seen several patients who try acupuncture once or twice and the quit when they don’t see results. Would you go to the gym twice and expect to have lost weight? Would you take a vitamin twice and think you should immediately have more energy?

Acupuncture is a process. The acupuncture needles are merely messengers, trying to stimulate your body into getting back on track. It is subtle, which is part of why it is safe. Be wary of anything that promises overnight results.

My friend Tracy, an acupuncturist at Manchester Acupuncture Studio in New Hampshire, has a great philosophy. She tells her patients that acupuncture can help them to get healthier in general, and that weight loss can be a positive “side effect” of this improved health. I have started to tell this to my patients as well, steering them away from the weight-loss mindset and toward a more holistic approach to overall health.

That being said, here are some results my patients have reported as a result of regular acupuncture treatments: fewer cravings, reduced appetite, desire to eat healthier foods, improved bowel regularity, less bloating and water retention.

Next week, I will post some of the self-help techniques for improving digestion that I am sharing with the Biggest Loser group.

Tomorrow is our Free Friday from 3-6pm. Thanks to word of mouth from our wonderful patients, the schedule is 3/4 full, but we still have a few treatment slots available. Please call the office as soon as possible if you would like one of the remaining treatment times.

As promised, here is the link to the Worcester Magazine article about Brian Burris, the artist who is displaying his work at River Valley Acupuncture.  Enjoy!

On Friday, March 27, River Valley Acupuncture is having a Free Friends and Family day from 3-6pm.

The idea of this event is to allow the friends and family members of my patients to come in and experience an acupuncture treatment.  Why would someone want to get stuck with needles?  You just have to try it to understand!

Since there are still some appointment times available, I am opening the event up to any new patient who would like to try acupuncture in our office (you don’t have to know a current patient to qualfy).  These are full-length treatments in a community setting, just like during regular office hours.

There is limited availability, so please call in advance to schedule an appointment.  Please feel to pass the information on to anyone who might be interested.

To schedule, call: (508) 890-8899

For the next three months, River Valley Acupuncture has the honor of displaying 5 paintings done by local Worcester artist, Brian Burris.

The paintings are beautiful abstract pieces of different sizes and colors, and they hang in the waiting room and both treatment rooms. You can see photographs of the paintings hanging in the office here, but the photos don’t do justice to the artwork– you’ll have to come get a treatment to experience the full effect!

Brian has been an artist for over 20 years and shows his art in exhibits several times a year. He was featured in the book and exhibition 20 Artists of Worcester, by Scott Erb and Julie Grady. In addition to the art at River Valley, you can see Brian’s work on display at the Dzian Gallery in Worcester. He is also hosting an open studio on April 3.

Brian is also the author of ‘Codex: Fragments & Schemata’and will soon be the focus of an article in the Worcester Magazine (I will post it when it comes out).

Many thanks to Brian for generously lending his work, and thanks to Malissa of ArtsWorcester for her expert eye in hanging the pieces.

As the result of my wonderful, loyal patients and the friends and family they have referred to me (Thank You!), I am able to offer even more office hours. I have added another 1.5 hours to my schedule– that’s 7 additional treatment slots per week– so that I can accommodate more patients. 

The new office hours are:

Monday         3:30pm – 7:30pm
Tuesday         3:30pm – 6:30pm
Wednesday 10:00am – 2:00pm
Thursday       1:30pm – 7:30pm

The last treatment is scheduled one hour before closing.

As the office gets busier, I will continue to add more office hours. Stay tuned!

River Valley Acupuncture received our first mainstream news article! It appeared in the DBA, a business insert of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

That’s me in the picture– modeling one of our treatment recliners.

Many thanks to Rod Lee of the Worcester T&G, for taking the time to learn about my business and for writing such a great article.

Please feel free to pass along the article to your friends and family. And if you know any local media looking for a good story, I am always happy to chat about the office!

Acupressure is based on the same theoretical foundations as acupuncture, but is done without needles. It is a good treatment choice for young children or for anyone who is extremely afraid of needles.

A study done last year showed that an acupressure treatment with acupressure beads was effective in helping calm children before they went into surgery. Compared to anti-anxiety medication, acupressure treatments are less costly and have no side effects.