You’re probably asking already, “How does acupuncture, herbs, and holistic healing have anything to do with the economy?”  In this month’s newsletter, we’ll be discussing how understanding the benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can play a key role in building abundance; as individuals and as a nation.

The first point to understand is that when it comes to maintaining health and avoiding illness, TCM places a HUGE emphasis on prevention.  The old saying goes, “Going to a physician (acupuncturist) after you become ill is like beginning to dig a well after you have become thirsty.” This isn’t to say acupuncture and herbs won’t help once you’ve come down with a cold, in fact they help to improve recovery time significantly, but why settle for the inevitability of getting sick when there are effective measures that can be taken to prevent it?

When it comes to understanding how the utilization of preventative health care relates to solving economic problems, the keywords to remember are spending, saving, investing, and debt.  One could argue that in America today, we have created a “Culture of Debt”. In a “Culture of Debt”, spending and borrowing are fashionable and instant gratification is the norm.  Thrift and self-discipline are boring and passé. Debt increases and wealth decreases.

In the same manner, when it comes to our health, we don’t get ahead in the long run by continually spending without saving or investing.  Just as one must save and invest money to build material wealth, we must also be very careful to “save” and “invest” in our health.  For example, we “save” for our health by not sacrificing our well-being in order to build a business or work a high-powered job.  Certainly at times, despite our best intentions, it’s not possible to put our work or lives on hold when we’re feeling tired or run down.  During times like these, we should be able to rely on our “health investments”.  “Health investments” include regular exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, supplementing with herbal remedies, and having regular acupuncture treatments to restore and rejuvenate ourselves; body, mind, and spirit.  If we choose not to “save” and “invest” in our health, then we essentially borrow against our health, or put or health “in debt”.  And as anyone who has ever taken out a loan can tell you, all debts must be paid eventually.

Finally, the connection between health and wealth can be made by looking at a few simple definitions. The dictionary defines “Wealth” as, “An abundance of valuable material possessions or resources.” A “Resource” is defined as, “A natural feature or phenomenon that enhances the quality of human life”.  “Health” is defined as, “the condition of being sound in body, mind or spirit.”

I think we’d all agree that being healthy enhances the quality of our lives.  By dedicating ourselves to improving our health, we increase our quality of our lives and thereby increase our resources.  When we increase our resources, we increase our wealth.  Thus by definition, when we increase our health, we increase our wealth!

I am honored to be in the position to provide support for you along your path to building wealth (whether it be material or immaterial).  I look forward to being of service to you and the community as we work together to create abundance in our lives.

Best,

-Joe

Speaking from my own experience, realizing the usefulness of this metaphor has always seemed easiest during Spring time.  Imagining what we would like to “grow” and planning how we will prepare and tend to our “garden” suddenly seems to be much more important now than it was a few months ago.

What is the current state of your garden?  Has it become over grown?  Are there weeds or withered plants from last season that still need to be removed?  Are there any uninvited guests that have taken up residence for the winter who need to be redirected to a new home?  Does the soil need to be overturned and revitalized before planting new seeds?  Is your garden achieving all that you would like it to?  Identifying short and long term goals, “needs”, and “wants” is often the key ingredient necessary to giving our work and actions meaning before taking the first step.

We at L.A. Community Acupuncture are here to help you achieve the most beautiful, efficient, and fruitful “garden” you might desire.  We are dedicated to being a resource to help you to tie up the loose ends of the past, prepare for the future, and direct your best and brightest self toward living in the only moment that really counts: the Present!  To do this we offer you the full range of tools Traditional Chinese Medicine has to offer: acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional advice, therapeutic exercise training (tai chi, qi gong, meditation, breathing), and more!

Are you having difficulty “seeing the forest through the trees”?  Do you know there’s work that needs to be done but aren’t quite sure where to begin?  Or have you identified your starting point but just need a little help to “get the ball rolling”?

If any of this sounds like you, but you’re not sure where to begin, why not start by scheduling a consultation?  Even if you’ve experienced TCM in the past, it never hurts to reevaluate where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’d like to go.  Call us at 323-401-8405 or send an e-mail to info@lacommunityacupuncture.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!

A variety of ailments are effectively treated, including but not limited to the following:

• Pain syndromes (back pain, neck pain, arthritis, headaches, etc.)

• Stress, anxiety, depression, and other emotional disorders

• Women’s health (PMS, irregular menstruation, infertility, etc.)

• Men’s health (impotence, premature ejaculation, etc.)

• Asthma and coughing

• Chemotherapy and radiation side effects

• Skin conditions (acne, eczema, psoriasis, etc.)

• Allergies & Sinus

• Colds & flu

• Endocrine disorders (hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, etc.)

• Autoimmune disorders (Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Sjogren’s, etc.)

• Fibromyalgia

• Fatigue

• Insomnia

• Gastro-intestinal problems (indigestion, constipation, heartburn, etc.)

• High blood pressure

• Diabetes

• and much more…

• The service we seek to provide is supporting the health and wellness of the community.
• We believe in a broader definition of health, “health care”, and “dis-ease”.
• We believe that “health” is not just the absence of physical symptoms.  True health includes cultivating peace of mind, connecting to what inspires us, and being able to put our best foot forward in order to exceed expectations in our daily lives.
• Furthermore, we firmly believe that all members of the community should have access to this service.

The strength of a community depends on the strength of its members.  Transforming the world around us begins from a transformation within.  By committing to improve and maintain our own health, we can together create and maintain the world we’ve always wanted to live in.

• Therefore, we believe in educating and empowering individuals to become masters of their own health.
• We aim to be a resource and gathering place for the community to heal, interact, learn, and grow together over the coming years and decades.
• We invite our community members to be active participants and work with us to expand the reach of the center and ensure that these aims are met.