Mari Greenly LAc

East Bridge Acupuncture | Portland OR

     
East Bridge Acupuncture
Mari Greenly, LAc
cash, check, credit card
2311 E Burnside St.
Suite 201
Portland, OR 97214

East Bridge Acupuncture ReOpens During COVID-19

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East Bridge Acupuncture is now OPEN for new and return acupuncture visits!

Feel free to contact us to discuss when it is best for you to return to the office for your next appointment.

We are also excited to let you know that we are offering Telehealth visits! Telehealth is a great way to check in, so we can discuss ways to improve your health from the comfort of your home until you are ready to return for an in person visit and it is covered by most insurance plans.

To protect all our patients and providers, many new procedures and guidelines have been implemented in the clinic which can be found in all email appointment reminders.

New clinic policies:

  • Masks are required for patients and providers for the duration of your visit;
  • Kindly wait outside for us to let you in;
  • Please bring your own full water bottle to your appointment

We ask that you do NOT come in if you have been showing any signs of fever or illness or if you have been in contact with a Covid-positive person in the last 14 days.

Please know that we cannot guarantee a virus-free environment, but we are trying to keep everyone safe and healthy by adopting many new sanitizing procedures throughout the clinic.

Chinese Lunar New Year Begins Friday Jan. 24th

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The start of a new 60 year cycle (and a new decade), we welcome the Chinese Lunar New Year beginning this Friday January 24th!

2020 Chinese Lunar New Year of the Rat

This is the year of the white Rat, a configuration of the Yang water year with Yang metal on top. It is predicted to be a good year overall without much tumultuous behavior and hopefully some clarity.

The Rat is also the first sign in the zodiac (as my Ox child reminds me, because the wise Rat convinced the Ox to carry him to the finish line, then the Rat hopped off and finished the race first in front of Ox. But they remain very compatible and good friends, of course). The Rat is also my animal, so I am cautiously optimistic about what 2020 brings to the table for me.

For those of us Rats (see the horoscope below for all Animals and birth years), to protect our health, we are supposed to wear a red string/silk/ribbon around our wrist all year! And as suggested by Lillian Bridges, a Chinese Astrologer/writer/practitioner, wearing an Ox charm can bring better luck to Rats this year in particular. How lucky I am to have my own little 10-year old good luck charm!

To celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, Alison and I put together about 100 bags of some of our favorite wellness items, so we will hand them out over the next few weeks when you come for your appointments starting Friday. We hope you enjoy the goodies!

2020 Chinese Lunar New Year Horoscope by Lilian Pearl Bridges

Rat* – Water Element: 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020

This is a somewhat stressful year, less so for those turning 60. This is a good year for moving, changing jobs and for starting new projects. Rats will have to work hard but try to save money, as you will spend it easily.

Ox – Earth Element: 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 and 2021
This is a lucky year, especially for making a return on previous investments of all kinds.Health problems clear up and there is renewed energy and motivation. Oxes will be feeling much more optimistic.

Tiger – Wood Element: 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
This is a year where there will be financial worries, but it is a very good year for socializing. Tigers have a chance of becoming known for their special talents and this will lead to future rewards.

Rabbit* – Wood Element: 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011,2023
This is not an easy year for Rabbits as they will feel more tired than usual and will need to take good care of their health. There will be more unexpected expenses, but this is a good year for investing.

Dragon – Earth Element: 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
This is an outstanding year with lots of opportunity available. Dragons will feel healthier and more energized. They can accomplish a lot, especially with new ventures in business and there is luck in romance.

Snake – Fire Element: 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
This is a stable and calm year for Snakes. Progress can be made in business and finance and debts can be cleared or lessened. It is a good year for making plans and preparing for the future.

Horse* – Fire Element: 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
This is a somewhat difficult year for Horses, as there will be extra expenses and they will feel less energetic than usual. They will find themselves feeling a bit more shorttempered and need to think before they speak.

Sheep – Earth Element: 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
This is supposed to be a restful year for Sheep and they need to spend time recuperating and recharging. However, there will be steady progress in business and making money and relationships are harmonious.

Monkey – Metal Element:1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 This is an excellent year for Monkeys. They will be more creative and inventive. Business will expand, along with income; relationships are happy; and they will feel healthy and energetic.

Rooster – Metal Element: 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981,1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Roosters will want to retreat this year, as the energies will feel chaotic to them. They will be more reserved emotionally, but they will be more creative. There may be some hidden or surprising expenses.

Dog – Earth Element: 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 This is an exciting year for Dogs and they will need to remember to rest. They will want to expand their business and will talk more about their dreams, but need to take things slower than they want to go.

Pig – Water Element: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 This is a somewhat uncomfortable year for Pigs, as they will experience more change than they like. But it is a good chance for them to re-organize, rediscover and restart things, if they can overcome their resistance.

By Lillian Pearl Bridges –
“A special thank you to Gray Estrada and Kelly Harrington for their contributions to the forecast, based on their knowledge of the Five Elements”.

For a list of lucky foods to eat to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, please check out Lilian Pearl Bridges blog.

*Rats, Rabbits and Horses will find this Chinese Lunar New Year to be more difficult, so they should carry an Ox charm for protection to bring more luck their way. But remember that this only means that they may have to: work harder; move; travel more; change jobs; start a new job; get married; or have a baby – the Chinese call it experiencing “Good Bad Luck.”

Winter Solstice Traditions

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Chinese herbal medicineWinter solstice is upon us in the northern hemisphere, so is the darkest day of the year. This is a spiritual time for so many cultures. It has been believed that on this day, the moon goddess gave birth to the sun, because after today we will see more light, day by, day until Spring.

As the kids and I watched “The last Jedi” last night in preparation for the final Star Wars movie release, I thought beyond the popularity of movie releases around the winter holidays. There is probably a deeper meaning relating to the battle between the Jedi and the dark side and the fluidity between light and dark.

In China, winter solstice is considered the day of ‘extreme yin’. Yin is represented by going inward, darkness, cold and quiet (feminine) only to be followed by the birth of the yang energy. Yang is represented by outward, lightness, warmth and energy (masculine). The yin yang symbol is a perfect example of how as one grows the other diminishes like a wave, but that there is always yin within yang and vice versa, creating a balance in all things.

Winter Solstice & Chinese Herbal Medicine

Pertaining to Chinese medicine, there is a story about Zhang Zhongjing (150-219), the Han Dynasty physician. He is the author of the famous Classical Chinese herbal text the “Shang Han Lun“ from where many of my favorite herbal formulae stem.

One year, when he returned home from his duties as an officer, he saw people in the cold winter weather suffering from cold, red and painful ears (chilblains.) He created a home remedy of lamb soup with hot pepper and Chinese herbs, wrapped into a flour “dumpling” and fed them to the people. So the tradition goes that by eating this ‘ear like’ food, the people in his village got well and now the tradition during winter solstice festival in parts of China is to eat dumplings to avoid getting frozen ears in the winter!

Whatever you celebrate or choose to do this season, I wish you well and hope that it is peaceful and harmonious. Take the time to reflect in the darkness even for just a few minutes during a time when there is a quietness in the energy surrounding us. And may the force be with you!

Pumpkin Facial Recipe

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pumpkin-facial-recipe

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Don’t toss those pumpkin chunks into the compost! Make a nice facial mask for your skin with this Pumpkin Facial Recipe. Using fresh pumpkin in your own homemade mask will contain enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids as well as vitamin A and C, which are all good for your skin.

pumpkin

If you are like me, you have left pumpkin carving until the night before Halloween. I was trying to think of the best way to use some of these pumpkin scraps. Then I remembered all the good face masks I have used with Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture that incorporate pumpkin for great exfoliation. Pumpkin facials also give the skin a good boost in this dry, cold windy weather. If not tonight, try this anytime you have pumpkin on the menu…

The Pumpkin Facial Recipe

Here is the Fresh Pumpkin Mask recipe I tried. Add this all to a blender adding Essential Oil’s at the end:

  • 1C fresh pumpkin pureed (I just chopped a little off the top of the inside of the pumpkin we carved tonight)
  • 4TBSP of raw unpasteurized honey (or I used some high potency Manuka honey which is very anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial
  • 1/2 tsp Avocado Oil ( opt: add 1 dropper of Carrot seed oil)
  • Essential oils that are good for skin (avoid citrus on the face): I chose DoTerra 2 drops frankincense (anti-inflammatory), 2 drops of sandalwood, 1 drop vetiver, 3 drops lavender. All are good for anti-aging, and the combo smells wonderful mixed with pumpkin and honey. Others that would be great are geranium & helichrysum oils.

Chill for 20 minutes or longer, then apply to clean dry face for 20 minutes. Store refrigerated for up to one week.

Happy Halloween!

Acupuncture for Stress Reduction Treatment

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Mari Greenly stress acupuncture PortlandThis is a customized acupuncture for stress session. You will be able to lay on our infrared heated amethyst BioMat, get a relaxing acupuncture treatment, followed by cupping of tight muscles of the shoulders and back.

Most of us have stress in our lives of one kind or another. Unfortunately this has become the status quo of this century despite modern advances in technology and living conditions. Stress becomes an issue when you are living in an activated sympathetic nervous state for extended periods of time. This leaves you fatigued, chronically ill or causes sleep disorders. Finding ways to restore to a healthier state of being will benefit you and acupuncture for stress can help.

Acupuncture for Stress

Not everyone who receives acupuncture may experience this, but often when I come in to close up an acupuncture session, someone will say

  • “I fell asleep, I think”, or
  • “my limbs jerked and it startled me, is that normal?”, or
  • “no, I didn’t sleep but I was in an altered state that helped me work through some stuff or things on my mind”

I too, experience what I have come to call “acu land” but what may be scientifically considered a hypnagogic state.

Our brain waves fluctuate depending on our conscious and unconscious state as we drift into stages of relaxation and sleep. When we start to doze off to sleep, the first stage is Alpha brain wave activity “quiet wakefulness”, which is marked by physical and mental relaxation. Stage 2 is non-REM sleep but is a more sleepy state marked by Theta waves.

Hypnagogia is thought to be between Alpha and Theta waves of the brain. Science shows that when we get into our Alpha state, we “put ourselves in the ideal condition to learn new information, perform elaborate tasks, learn languages, and analyze complex situations.” The hypnagogic state is also said to be when a person is most creative.  I believe Acupuncture for stress sessions put us into Hypnogogia for an extended amount of time.

BioMat

The BioMat is a mat that is on the massage table. It provides warmth and “stimulates ion channels by producing negative ions that deliver energy to the cells of the body”. The BioMat contains a top layer of pure amethyst, which allow the far infrared rays and negative ions to penetrate the body. Far infrared heat raises the body’s surface temperature and helps to promote circulation and warms the muscles and joints that it contacts. Laying on the BioMat is relaxing and soothing.

Cupping

Many people tend to hold stress in their shoulders and upper back. It is so common for us to spend many hours at the computer or when stressed. These muscles tend to be the first to tighten up. Cupping brings blood flow to the muscles by applying negative pressure to tight muscles, which helps them release tension. Massage oil can also be applied, and the cups can be moved along the sore muscles, acting like a deep skin rolling massage, that helps break up adhesions in the fascia, resulting in a “looser” feeling.