June is Men’s Health Month!

We want to help bring awareness to the importance of men being proactive in their health all year round. Not addressing minor imbalances and poor habits often later contribute to health concerns and major complications. Why? Because here in the U.S. we are trained to go to the doctor when something is wrong; when we are already feeling as crumby and run down as possible instead of keeping ourselves in optimal health. Acupuncture supports Men’s Health in many ways.

It’s all about maintenance.

If you’re familiar with vehicles, you probably know there is a certain amount of maintenance required in order to keep it running and running efficiently. You can only drive it for so long before refueling, you’ll seize the motor with no oil and a flat tire will really slow you down. Shot sensors, short circuits, leak in the radiator, busted fan...you’re not getting far. Our body is built the same way equipped with tell tale lights and all; they are called symptoms.  It amazes us how many care for their car but not their body. Don’t ignore your tell tale lights! Do your health maintenance and don’t end up in the shop for a major rebuild.

Acupuncture supports Men’s Health.

Stress & Anxiety: We all have it and there is no avoiding it. The important thing is having an outlet and the tools to help your body process it! Acupuncture has been proven in studies to help lower stress hormones and *everydayHealth has a wonderful article about how acupuncture can help keep your stress and anxiety under control.

Cardiovascular Health: Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men. Almost 50% of men don’t know there is an issue until it is too late. Prevention plays a huge role. Acupuncture can help with Heart Rate Variability and Hypertension among other factors by having a an effect on the parasympathetic nervous system. Check out this article on Mind Body Green about why a cardiologist prescribes acupuncture.

Sleep Quality: You need to let your batteries recharge. Sleep is an essential time that your body uses to rest and repair. It is not just about getting your 8 hours but needing quality, deep sleep. Acupuncture has been shown to outperform some sleep drugs by enhancing Slow Wave Sleep. Catch some zzz’s Brooklyn!

Nutrition & Hydration: There’s no question that maintaining a nutritious diet and drinking enough water can help keep your body and mind healthy. What foods are best for you? We can help guide you depending on what your body specifically needs but nature gives us a big clue as to what foods benefit different parts of our body. Take a look at these 10 foods that mirror the body parts they provide nutrition for according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

Chronic Pain: Do you suffer from chronic pain? Have an old injury or maybe were in an accident? Is the pain changing your normal function? Avoiding pain relief or taking lots of medications to deal with pain can put extra stress on the body. Commonly opioids are prescribed and for men that can mean unexpected and unintended side effects like Opioid Induced Constipation and long term use can lower testosterone levels. Why not make yourself more comfortable without drugs? The director of Integrative Pain Management, a Medical Doctor at Mount Sinai Hospital, backs up the effectiveness of acupuncture! You can read the full article here. This is a small excerpt from the yahoo health news article:

The evidence supporting complementary medicine is real and growing, says Houman Danesh, MD, director of Integrative Pain Management at Mount Sinai Hospital. “It’s no longer hokey,” he tells Yahoo Health. “There’s something like 27,000 medical articles on acupuncture alone, so its effects have been widely researched.”

Fertility: Fertility is not just a female concern! Stats show that the percentage of infertility problems are 35-40% female conditions and 35-40% male conditions. The last 20-30% is a combination of the two plus a small percentage of unknown causes. Traditional Chinese Medicine has been used for nearly 3,000 years to treat fertility problems. Studies have shown acupuncture and Chinese herbs to improve sperm quality and the structural integrity of sperm. When addressing male fertility, combining traditional IVF and ICSI with Traditional Chinese Medicine greatly increases success rates. Couples and individuals should understand the true causes of male factor infertility and seek care at a reputable, caring facility when considering IVF or ICSI. New Hope Fertility Center is a wonderful resource located in Manhattan.