With the standardized practice of social distancing due to the pandemic, it has become normal to wear your facemask whenever you are out in public. Whether the facemask is made out of paper, cloth, or a specialized filter substance, breathing has become much more difficult when the mask covers your mouth. While the masks do not completely suffocate the person wearing it, it has become a hindrance to normal breathing function. The reason for this is because we are not used to having anything covering our mouths for an extended time normally and our breathing/ lung capacity is very limited. Also, as we age, our lung functions and their overall capacity diminish. When this occurs, people tend to take shorter breaths where not enough oxygen is inhaled and more carbon dioxide is released from our body. This is phenomena is commonly seen in people who have panic attacks, for example, and can result in someone becoming lightheaded or mentally disoriented which can lead them to passing out.

Can we increase our breathing/ lung capacity? This should certainly help us breathe easier and increase our oxygen intake while wearing a mask, right? The answer to that question is YES! By increasing the our lung capacity, we not only increase oxygen intake into our body’s system to help us function at an optimal level but it can make our breathing and help us participate in rigorous activities and sports much easier. Here are some benefits to having increased lung functions”

• Stronger respiratory muscles
• Optimization of breathing
• Improved lung functions
• Increased oxygen to the brain, hence a clearer and more focused mind
• Increased oxygen to your muscles, hence positive effect on physical shape and performance
• Improved stamina and endurance

So, what are some of the activities that can be done to increase our lung capacity and help us breathe easier with our facemasks on? Here are some of the things that YOU can do today to help you breathe better.

• Acupuncture: There are many acupuncture points on the body that help restore and increase the function of the lung organ. The points are located throughout the body which can help the lung expand more efficiently and increase the overall intake into the body. There are treatment options that can also help body develop a better posture for the back and the neck, clear the nasal passages, and increase the respiratory functions of the body. Acupuncture is very proven, simple, effective, and safe treatment that can help heal the body naturally.
• Diaphragmatic Breathing: This type of breathing techniques optimizes the ‘belly’ to do the heavy lifting of the breathing allowing the lungs to do less. This technique is usually done in a calm, relaxed state and is commonly used in meditation exercises. For more information, click here for part 1 and here for part 2.
  

With any exercises or stretches, they should be done slowly and be done up to your capacity to prevent any injuries. There is no need to push your self or your body. Like anything else, consistent practice will strengthen your lungs and their capacity!

John Kim at Fast Relief Acupuncture is a licensed acupuncturist with a unique approach of combining modern sports medicine techniques with acupuncture to relieve pain, improve performance, and get you back in the game! Book an appointment today!

Today, more than ever, Americans are dedicating copious amounts of hours to work. Normal, typical working hours during the week are a thing of the past as professionals take on extra over-time gigs to grab promotions, finish work and provide for their families. Stressful work environments have caused our generation to bring jobs home with us, push through our sick days, and ignore the ability to take a paid vacation. Although this new generation has earned the right to be called, "hardworking and dedicated", the extra work is wreaking havoc on our bodies.

There may not be a solution to ease your workload, but there is a natural, effective way to relief the stress that you accumulate during the week (and even on the weekends for the overachievers out there). Acupuncture can help to relax your mind and rest your busy body. Here are ten ways that acupuncture can be beneficial if you work in a stressful environment:

1) Minimizes stress and relieves tension- Acupuncture appointments take place in a relaxing, stress-free environment (there will be no bosses lurking over your shoulder!). As you escape the outside world, an acupuncturist will begin opening up blocked channels throughout your body that will enable proper energy to flow freely once again. This will revive your body, ultimately releasing stress hormones and reducing anxiety by providing an outlet for finding inner happiness.

2) Creates a relaxed posture which ultimately reduces muscle and joint pain- When your body is constantly tense, especially if you sit at a computer most of the day, your muscles and joints will stiffen up, causing aches and pains. Acupuncture can help your body relax. When your body relaxes, the mind relaxes, reducing the physical pressures on the rest of your body.

3) Allows for frequent headache relief- Demands of the job including over-time hours, heavy workloads, multiple daily meetings or stressful managers can cause an unwanted string of headaches. Studies have shown that acupuncture can actually suppress the body's "migraine center" by releasing neurotransmitters in the brain that stop the feelings of pain.

4) You could gain better sight- Although acupuncture cannot fix your 20/60 vision, it can help relieve neck tension which is directly correlated with vision issues such as fuzziness or fogginess. Staring at a computer screen for 8+ hours a day can take a toll on your vision by causing your eyes to become tired. Adding an acupuncture session to your week can reset your sights on a stress-free day of typing. It is also believed to help cure diseases such as cataract disease and glaucoma!

5) Provides more vacation days and less sick days- Yes, even YOU need a vacation day! We know that you love to work but enabling yourself to take a break occasionally is important for your health. Acupuncture can fight off bad pathogens by promoting your bodily systems to work more effectively while boosting your immune system! Instead of taking a sick day, feel well enough to fly somewhere tropical!

6) Zaps a fuzzy mind and channels increased energy- There are some days when it seems impossible to complete the pile of work in front of you. Whether you believe it is a lack of caffeine or a deprivation of sleep, it is probably your overall health that has suffered from your constant and demanding schedule. Acupuncture can be used to relieve the blocked channels in your body, which will then rid of stress and release "feel good" hormones called endorphins and relaxins which aid in increased energy and better sleep.

7) No more running to the bathroom! - Acupuncture regulates digestive issues by enabling the body's systems to work together in unison. When our body is in homeostasis, our organs work properly. Regular acupuncture appointments mean no more embarrassing sprints to the bathroom.

8) Provides relief from allergies- Acupuncture treatments have greatly advanced over the last decade. In fact, researchers have implemented a specific treatment that is 80-90% effective at improving, and in some cases curing, allergies! Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment is a quick and simple acupuncture treatment. After a period of three weeks, the patient can not only be free from seasonal allergies, but even allergies to medications and foods. Say goodbye to Claritan filled days of work and hello to being medication free!

9) Curbs the snacker- Do you spend your workday snacking away at your desk? Have you spent all your spare quarters on the overpriced packages of chips and pretzels in your company's vending machine? Snacking can cause unwanted weight gain and unhealthy eating habits, which in turn causes stress from a self-love point of view. Acupuncture can help curb your junk cravings by detoxing your body! Acupuncture treatments release hormones that enable the body to refocus on what's most important, being healthy!

10) You will have fewer bodily injuries- Workers today are missing days because of injuries on-the-job, often due to overworked bodies and exhausted minds. Although we cannot totally avoid on-the-job injuries, acupuncture can prevent the need for surgery or even medications if an injury does occur. Acupuncture releases natural morphine-like substances. By quickly and naturally healing your body, you will be less stressed about missing important days of work.

The benefits of acupuncture's ability to fight stress are limitless. Working may always cause certain levels of stress, but regular acupuncture appointments can decrease the affects that stress will have on your body short-term and long-term. Put your health first and you will be able to give more to your job, your family and yourself.

Breathing Properly to Fix the Lower Back Problem

In a previous post, we have discussed the importance of a relaxed diaphragm and how it helps to regulate all of the major internal organs of the body. Often the diaphragm can be constricted due to the forward flexion of the human body, causing problems especially within the digestive and cardiovascular systems. Now we are going to discuss how the diaphragm can help the musculo-skeletal aspect of the body especially when it pertains to maintaining a proper posture.

Iliopsoas muscles can become tight and restricted under many circumstances. The most common cause is that due to being seated for a long period of time. Due to sedentary lifestyles of working in front of a desk or commuting for many hours within a day in a seated position, the body is constantly in a seated position. It is during these long hours that causes these muscles to contract and eventually get ‘stuck’. When the iliopsoas becomes shortened and tightened, a primary pain symptom in the lower back develops especially when a person rises from a seated position or complains when they have to ‘bend forward’ to pick up something. A person would typically walk in ‘bent over’ posture to get any relief from the pain in the lower back.

There are many treatment options for this condition ranging from doing stretches to getting acupuncture, to properly release any tension of this muscle. One of the simplest things to do is to breathe through the diaphragm or the stomach. This is a simple exercise that can relax and increase the function of both the diaphragm and the iliopsoas muscles. Ideally, the person should be laying on their back have them breathe slowly and rhythmically. The key is when the person is inhaling, they shoulder fully expand the stomach (the stomach should be expanded at its fullest), causing the iliopsoas muscle to be stretched. Once stretched, the person then should exhale slowly (approximately twice as long it took them to inhale). This action should be done at minimum 20- 30 times per day. It is important to remember that if the diaphragm is expanded to its fullest, the lower portion of it also stretches the iliopsoas muscles.

Fast Relief Acupuncture has a very safe and effective treatment protocol in assisting/ guiding the body to naturally fix its posture along with the functional improvement of the diaphragm. The treatment consists of properly aligning the patient’s body along by releasing/ relieving any restricted muscles that can hinder a patient from standing upright. It is gentle, effective, and importantly can have long lasting results without the use of chemical substances or invasive surgeries. Call today and get back into the game fast  with Fast Relief Acupuncture!