Beat the Heat

Beat the Heat With Acupuncture

BY KLINT NOEL, LAC, MSAC, CLINICAL DIRECTOR OF MODERN ACUPUNCTURE AT DANA PARK & SANTAN PAVILIONS

AArizona summer heat can be brutal, something Valley residents know all too well. To stay cool, many people partake in common strategies such as simply staying inside, drinking plenty of water, and enjoying water activities.

While these activities help to prevent overheating, they don’t address the concern of heat affecting one’s overall health; therefore, it’s important people seek out alternatives to help. One that many are unaware of the benefits when it comes to the summer heat is acupuncture. Acupuncture is an ancient practice that is used today for the modern individual. It’s commonly known to assist a variety of ailments such as chronic pain, high stress, lack of sleep, and much more, but as Arizona temperatures continue to climb, many are seeking benefits that involve beating the summer heat. These include improving skin health and wellness, alleviating allergy symptoms, increasing hydration, and promoting a natural glow from the inside out. GENERAL ACUPUNCTURE Naturally, the heat can injure specific organs, one of them being the largest organ of the human body: the skin. It’s vital for regulating body temperature and protecting muscles, bones, and other internal organs from outside infection and disease, something the sun is known for causing. According

to Cancer.org, the most common cancer is skin cancer, and with Arizona averaging over 250 days of sunshine every year, it’s imperative people take the proper proactive steps to protect their skin. Summer also typically means more activities, and this increased movement can leave the body’s muscles and joints sore. Acupuncture helps alleviate the pain, while reducing any inflammation and promoting re-oxygenation of the tissues. The tiny needles inserted simultaneously heals surrounding tissues including fascia, nerves, and connective tissue. They also help increase the blood supply to the area and release the feel-good endorphins. In addition, acupuncture is a highly effective treatment when it comes to cooling off the body during the summer months. Oftentimes, heat causes people to experience symptoms such as irritability, increased mental stress, dream-disturbed sleep, increased thirst, dizziness, headaches, heart palpatations, and profuse sweating, to name a few, and acupuncture can help regulate body temperature and alleviate these ailments. And finally, the summer months can also conjure up allergies. While the beautiful greenery and botanical flowers the warmer weather creates, it also causes people to experience allergic reactions. It’s common for the pollen and other irritants to cause headaches; itchy, watery eyes; sneezing and wheezing; however, this season can be different with some help from acupuncture. The alternative treatment helps increase the body’s immune response and, in turn, reduces the allergic reaction so all the symptoms aren’t so intense. Many studies have found that acupuncture is a drug-free alternative for allergy relief and has even found it to be more effective than popular antihistamines when it comes to reducing nasal issues associated with allergies. People typically get relief after one session, but follow-up appointments tend to enhance the benefits. FACIAL ACUPUNCTURE Along with the extreme temperatures, Arizonans experience an extremely dry climate compared to other states. The combination of the dry atmosphere and high temperatures can irritate the skin, causing people to experience acne, heat rashes, and other skin conditions.

Facial acupuncture is known for hydrating and restoring dry, dull skin—helping the various problems at hand. The hair-thin needles help improve the skin’s blood circulation and hydration from the inside and in tandem, it regulates the body’s immune response and kickstarts the natural healing process. It also wakes up the body’s natural collagen production, which naturally aids one’s complexion and promotes the youthful glow everyone is in search of. Facial control points, where the acupuncture needles are placed, are typically the ears and areas around the face including the forehead, cheeks, and chin. Within these areas of application, people can also experience natural cosmetic benefits such as facial tightening, a reduction of fine lines, and a balance of muscle tones. These benefits are often experienced after multiple facial acupuncture sessions. MODERN ACUPUNCTURE Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and founded in 2016, Modern Acupuncture™ is revitalizing the ancient practice of acupuncture for the modern individual by making allnatural health and beauty benefits available to the public in Zen-inspired clinics across the country. Arizona has a total of five locations including North Scottsdale, Village At Arrowhead, Dana Park, SanTan Pavilions, and 16th & Camelback. In total, there are 43 clinics in the U.S., with plans to open more in 2021. Visit www.modernacupuncture.com for more information.

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