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Zion Acupuncture CBD Information
Zion CBD salve was created in small batches with love and care by a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, to offer you a helpful product at a fair price. There are eleven ingredients used in the production of your Zion Acupuncture CBD Salve. Outlined here are the keys to these herbs and why Zion CBD chose them specifically for the salve you have purchased. These herbs listed below, combined with the shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax create the perfect muscle relaxing salve with no pesticides, preservatives, or additives. All ingredients are either organic or pesticide free and independently lab tested for potency, microbial contaminants, pesticides, and residual solvents.
The salve’s base components consist of the following.
- Shea Butter = High concentrations of fatty acids and vitamins make shea butter an ideal cosmetic ingredient for softening skin. Shea butter also has anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Using shea butter on your body can condition, tone, and soothe your skin. It is also non-comedogenic, which means it does not clog pores.
- Beeswax = Locks in moisture and can help keep the skin firm and plump. The anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory properties soothe easily irritated skin, making it useful for soothing rosacea and eczema. Beeswax can also act as a layer of protection when applied to the skin.
- Coconut Oil = Contains a high concentration of monolaurin, a fatty acid renowned for its antimicrobial effects. Coconut oil is excellent for reducing inflammation and keeping skin moisturized.
All Chinese herbs used in the Zion Acupuncture CBD Salve are selected from Spring Wind and Mayway herb companies. They are reputable sources and do extensive testing for quality and are pesticide free. Each of these herbs below, while having many uses, were selected for this formula primarily for their tension reducing, blood moving, and anti-inflammatory qualities. They assist with movement of blood, strengthening bones, healing of cracked skin, and inflammation. We focus on the Chinese herb aspects and indications. All the information is from a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) prospective.
- Ru Xiang (Frankincense) Relieves tension and relaxes the sinews (ligaments, tendons, etc.) by invigorating the blood and promoting movement of Qi. Commonly combined with Mo Yao for wide variety of conditions including, trauma, carbuncles, sores, and swellings.
- Mo Yao (Myrrh) Invigorates the blood and dispels blood stasis, reduces swelling, and alleviates swelling from trauma, sores, and carbuncles. Use topically to promote the healing of chronic nonhealing sores.*
- Hong Hua (Safflower) Invigorates the blood and dispels stasis. Traditionally used for a wide variety of problems due to blood stasis including menstrual cramps.
- Niu Xi (Achyranthes Root) Invigorates the blood and dispels stasis. Traditionally used for trauma and menstrual cramps. Strengthens sinews, bones, and benefits the joints.
- Xu Duan (Japanese Teasel Root; Dipsacus) Gently promotes the movement of blood alleviates tension, reconnects the sinews and bones, and helps with aches and swelling due to trauma
- Sheng Di Huang = (Chinese foxglove herb, Radix rehmanniae) Clears heat and cools the blood making it useful for clearing inflammation and beneficial for skin conditions.
NOTE: A 2013 study from the General Hospital of Beijing reported that an R. rehmanniae extract used in mice increased the production of skin glutathione when used with ultraviolet (UV) light therapy. Glutathione is an antioxidant used in many health supplements that is believed to have anti-aging properties.
- CBD Isolate With 5,000mg this product has 5x more CBD than most other brands. Topically CBD can be helpful for muscle and joint aches and tension, inflammation, and skin irritations. It is an antioxidant and has antibacterial and antifungal properties. CBD can help soothe skin and reduce the appearance of irritation; it may be useful for people with sensitive skin.
- Eucalyptus Oil* This component of the formula is used for sent and helps reduce sore muscles and inflammation. It may also be antibacterial and anti-fungal.
- Lavender Oil* This component of the formula is used for scent and helps reduce sore muscles and inflammation. It may also also antibacterial and anti-fungal, and can be helpful for burns.
* Note that one of these is used in the salve depending on the scent selected.
Directions for use: Apply liberally to skin and massage area. For best results use at least 2x a day to reduce muscle aches and tension. Just like dosage of internal medicine is important, it is important topically as well.
Warnings: For topical use only, do NOT put in eyes or use internally. For best storage results keep away from direct sunlight and store in room temperature or below as product may separate at high temperatures. If you leave it in a high temp (like a hot car) and it does seperate, simply remove the lid and double boil in less than an inch of water, stir the salve (do not get water in the salve) and remove to let cool. It should not interfere with the efficacy of the product.
We hope you enjoy your salve!!!!
For Zion CBD FAQ go to the link in the menu bar above or click this link Zion Acupuncture CBD FAQ.
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About Virginia
Virginia Eichorn holds a M.S. of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Texas Health and Science University, Austin TX. This program includes over 3000 hours and 3 ½ years of studying traditional Chinese medicine, including Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, courses in biomedicine and over 1000 hours of clinical internship, which include Chinese herbal prescriptions. She is also a nationally certified massage therapist with over 1000 hours of training, and has been practicing massage therapy for over 15 years, Acupuncture, and Chinese Herbs for over 4 years.
She uses a unique blend of Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and massage therapy skills to treat chronic and acute pain, including headaches. She has also has successful clinical experience in the treatment of sleep, mood, respiratory, gynecological, and gastro-intestinal disorders.
Virginia wholeheartedly believes in the Traditional Chinese Medicine principal that everyone is treated as a unique individual. She addresses patients’ concerns from both the manifestation and the root of the problem. Many people notice that during the course of treatment for one specific problem, other problems remedy themselves as well. This is because Traditional Chinese Medicine treats the whole person, not just the symptom.
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The importance of treating concussion
Concussion is a brain injury caused by a blow to the head, or forceful shaking of the body and unfortunately, is more common then we may realize. It can be the result of a sports injury, motor vehicle accident or any other fall or accident. You do not have to lose consciousness to get a concussion and may even have a concussion without realizing it. Symptoms can include headache, confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, slurred speech, insomnia and fatigue. These symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe and can occur immediately or as a delayed response. These symptoms can be more prolonged and severe with multiple concussions.
The current medical approach to treatment is rest both physical and mental and over the counter pain relief such as Acetaminophen. Rest is important, as well as a thorough examination by an MD that may include a CT scan or an MRI. Many of these symptoms may disappear on their own or may become sub-clinical, meaning there may be no recognizable signs and symptoms now, but may show up later in life as mental clarity and thought processing issues, mood disorders, migraines, and a multitude of other problems involving cognitive functioning. They are currently linking exposure to concussive force (such as a grenade, or other head trauma) to PTSD in veterans of war.
In my clinic I have observed, with both adults and children, problems with concentration and mood, both immediately and years after the incident. I also have had many patients report to me that they “just don’t feel like themselves”, or have anxiety. Though important, I really don’t think rest and over the counter pain relief is enough. Clinically, I have observed the difference that Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal medicine, massage, and Chiropractic work can make with these cases. These modalities can rectify the flow of blood in the brain after trauma. With any traumatic injury there is an inflammatory response that occurs. This is normally a good thing, sending nutrients to the area to help it heal. In many cases of traumatic injury, however, after the inflammatory response is over there is a lot of “debris” (old blood cells, and sometimes lymph) left behind. In Chinese Medicine we call this blood stagnation. It is literally stagnant, de-oxygenated, nutrient void blood, and inflammation. It is not nourishing the area (in this case the brain), and is preventing fresh, nutrient rich blood from getting to the area to help the tissue heal. This is also why an old injury can cause problems later on in life if not properly treated. The lack of circulation degrades the area over time.
There are many excellent Chinese herbs for improving circulation. We usually use several different herbs at a time in a formula. Xue Fu Zhu Yu tang and Tong xiao huo xue tang are two of my favorite formulas for improving circulation in the upper body and head. They can be combined with other formulas, or single herbs to address additional concerns that may go along with concussion such as anxiety, PTSD, fear etc…These formulas are chosen based on pattern differentiation after a thorough assessment of each patient and therefore may be different for each patient.
Acupuncture is extremely helpful also. The insertion of local and distal, (away from the area), needles are important for circulation as well and work synergistically with herbal medicine creating the best possible outcome when used together. Acupuncture also has an analgesic (“anlˈjēzik” pain relieving) effect that is welcomed with lingering pain and headaches. Acupuncture has also been shown through fMRI (Functional magnetic resonance imaging or functional MRI (fMRI) measures brain activity) to have an effect on the brain via the nerves/acupuncture channels. For example, when a needle is inserted into GB 37 (an acupuncture point used for vision problems) it modulates activity in the vision related cortex of the brain. The same can be said for other acupuncture points involving mood and memory.
Massage therapy, like Acupuncture, not only feels great but manually gets in there and gets the blood moving to release trigger points and other myofascial restrictions. I have seen chiropractic work be helpful as well. With the force needed to cause concussion it is almost certain that some vertebrae will be out of alignment. Putting these vertebrae back in alignment is important for proper nerve function and releasing muscle tension. When everything is in the proper place our blood flows better.
While it is important to seek medical attention after injuries that would cause a concussion Chinese herbal medicine, Acupuncture, Massage, and Chiropractic treatments can not only help with relief of symptoms such as pain, headaches, confusion, and mood issues but can also prevent these from being a recurring problem in the future. I think it is also nice to know that we have other options for treatment other than rest and pills.
For more important information on this topic please check out the following site.
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Chinese Medicine, Pain and the Opiate Epidemic
Last year the department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency to address the “opiate crisis”. According to HHS opiate overdoses accounted for more than 42,000 deaths in 2016, more than any previous year on record. An estimated 40% of opiate overdose deaths involved a prescription opiate. The statistics show that this problem is not limited to drug addicts. Many of these people are Veterans, the elderly, and people with chronic pain from traumatic injury. The FDA is currently taking steps to make it harder for doctors to prescribe these pharmaceuticals. While this seems like a reasonable measure to protect the health and welfare of patients, it is leaving many with chronic pain wondering how they are going manage.
Back in May, 2017 the FDA endorsed Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, Chiropractic and Yoga as a non-pharmacological way of treating pain. These are all excellent ways to manage pain. As an Acupuncturist, about 50% of my practice consists of pain management. In my clinic I see varied types of pain, from the “normal” neck/shoulder/low back pain, to chronic headaches/migraines, pain from injury (both acute and chronic), recovery from surgery, herniated disk pain, sciatica, arthritis, etc… Most of these people see either a full recovery or reduction in symptoms. In many cases they are able to discontinue their pain medicine, with their doctors direction.
Acupuncture helps by improving circulation, releasing trigger points, and triggering our body’s natural pain relieving and “happy” neurotransmitters. Acupuncture points are located near bundles of nerves and blood vessels. When the acupuncture needles are stimulated it creates a local perfusion of blood flow to the area. This extra blood flow to the area works to deliver nutrients to the affected area helping to heal the injury and reduce pain. It also triggers the circulatory and lymphatic system to take the cellular waste products away, to make way for the fresh, oxygenated blood to freely access the area. Systemically, an acupuncture treatment sends feedback to the brain via the peripheral nervous system. Some signals that acupuncture can send to the brain can trigger the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, these are the bodies natural painkillers. Certain combinations of points can also tell the brain to bring the body back to the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the calming part of the nervous system often characterized as “rest and digest”. It is the opposite of the stress response (sympathetic nervous system), and tells the body to relax, including the muscles. Sometimes just being able to mentally relax is half the battle. This is often seen in neck and shoulder tension. It seems that the more stressed that we are the more our shoulders creep up to our ears, therefore relaxing the mind and body are extremely helpful with this type of pain and tension.
Trigger points must also be addressed when treating pain. A trigger point is essentially a “knot”. Due to many different reasons the nerves are firing at the junction where the nerve meets the muscle and telling it to contract in a local area. Directly releasing this with an acupuncture needle is one method that is used to break that signal that the nerve is sending to the muscle. Interrupting this signal causes the muscle to relax, which ultimately relieves pain and improves circulation.
Acupuncture is multifaceted and can help with much more than just pain. With opiate use in particular, it can also alleviate the withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing the drug such as irritability, restlessness, and alternating hot and cold sensations. It does this by encouraging the lymph and circulatory system to flush out toxins that were created by the opiate use. The acupuncture points that are chosen also send feedback to the brain via the nervous system, and as discussed above, bring the body out of the sympathetic nervous system, to the parasympathetic system. Once you are out of the acute stage of withdrawal, acupuncture is also helpful for adapting to the stresses and anxieties of life, and moderating any damage that may have been done to the digestive system or liver. Acupuncture is able to regulate the endocrine system via feedback from the nervous system. This can regulate neurotransmitters like serotonin, which is considered our “happiness hormone”. I think everybody in today’s fast paced could use a little more of this.
Another tool that we have to use is Chinese Herbal Medicine. I have seen many profound changes in my patients from using Chinese herbs along with Acupuncture. They work as internal medicine, regulating many different systems of the body including the circulatory system, endocrine system and nervous system. They work from both the root and manifestations of the issue, bringing the body back to homeostasis (aka balance). The goal of the herbs is to fix the function of these systems so that the body can do their job on their own, without needing the herbs for the rest of your life.
Cupping is also a great tool. It involves the placement of cups on the skin to create suction. This improves blood flow and creates a myofascial release. Fascia is a thin layer of connective tissue that is pervasive throughout the body and can get stuck between the skin and muscle layers. Releasing this restriction can significantly improve blood flow. Michael Phelps brought a lot of attention to cupping during the 2016 Olympics. Those purple marks are considered blood stagnation. It is literally stagnant, de-oxygenated, nutrient void blood and inflammation. This presses on nerves and gets in the way of fresh blood getting to the damaged area, causing pain. This builds up over time due to trauma and “life”. The darker the marks and the longer they last, the more blood stagnation there is in that area. Cupping moves this blood along so that the body may process it and get fresh, healing blood to the area.
In short, it is all about balancing the multiple systems in the body along with the mind. Chinese medicine (acupuncture, herbs, cupping) excels at this. We do not just mask the pain or other issues that you may have, we work to fix them at their root cause. This system of medicine has been around for over 3,000 years because it is extremely effective at balancing the body and mind, and treating you as a whole person, not just “shoulder pain”, or “anxiety”.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3388479/
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/depression/role-acupuncture-treatment-depression
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Virginia’s Tips For Staying Healthy This Winter
School has started and the weather is starting to change. Cold and flu season is approaching fast. Now is a really good time to take good care of yourself so that you may stay healthy this winter. Here are a few good Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tips on staying healthy this season, and what to do if you get sick.
- Cover your neck, shoulders and head from the wind and cold. In TCM wind is the “carrier of 100 pathogens” and it likes to invade at the area of C7 (where your neck meets your shoulders). Keeping this area covered is a great first line defense in preventing wind invasion aka common cold. This also applies to fans in the room (especially above the bed) and air conditioning vents that blow directly on you (this goes for the summer also). This is especially relevant if you have a tight neck and shoulders, or get frequent headaches.
- Get plenty of rest. In the winter the natural flow of energy is to go within and rest. You can observe nature doing this. The leaves are falling from the trees, plants are retreating underground and animals are preparing to hibernate. We should do the same (as best as we can in our busy society).
- Stay warm. This is just general good advice from all cultures. I have heard many people say that it is the pathogen that gets you sick, not the cold. While this may be true, keeping warm and getting plenty of rest is great support for your immune system, and helps keep our defenses up.
- Eat appropriately for the season. Nature knows what is best, and it is advisable to eat what is in season. Root veggies will be harvested soon, and most are high in vitamin C, as well as vitamin A, vitamin B, and many antioxidants. These are all very appropriate for soups and stews. It is good to make your own bone broth as well. From a TCM perspective soups and stews are very nourishing and warming, which can be beneficial for most people going into the winter season. In general, cooked food is best and is recommended all year for people with digestive problems. This also includes drinking room temperature water. Adding cold/ice water to your body can make the body work harder by slowing the digestive process.
- Acupuncture has been shown to regulate numerous systems in the body. It can improve digestive and respiratory function, regulate hormones and reduce stress. It helps the parasympathetic nervous system regain control of our bodies. This is the “rest and digest” side of the nervous system associated with relaxation and recovery. When everything is functioning correctly your immune system is stronger and your body is more resilient to illness.
- Chinese Herbal Medicine can offer assistance as well. There are many herbal formulas directed at regulating the immune system. Huang Qi (Astragalus) is a well known immune tonic. It is usually combined with Bai Zhu (Atraclyodes), and Fang Feng (siler) to make up Yu Ping Feng San, a popular formula for preventing illness. A trained Chinese medicinal herbalist may use this formula as a base formula to address frequent illness. These herbs can be combined with other herbs that are specific to the individual needs of the patient based on TCM diagnosis. A great point to stimulate/rub is Stomach 36 (ST36). It is located on the front side of the leg, about 4 finger widths from the bottom of the kneecap and 1 finger width (to the outside) of the tibia (shin bone)
- Avoid Sugar. Much of our immune system is dependent on a healthy gut. Eating too much sugar will disrupt the bacteria balance in the gut by feeding the bad bacteria. This can make it harder for the immune system to do its job.
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Meet and Greet
Shimer Chiropractic will also be hosting a meet and greet BBQ on Saturday July 28th from 11am-2pm. There will be food, fun and a raffle for prizes and services!
It will be a great time to come talk to us and see how we can help you.
The BBQ will be located at the office. 2330 N. Main St. Longmont, CO
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Outdoors Tip #2
With camping and hiking season well on its way, now is a good time to update your first aid kit. Chinese herbal medicine can offer some great additions to the traditional survival pack.
Yunnan Baiyao is a traditional hemostatic (stop bleeding) powder in the Chinese herbal pharmacy. It is used by lightly dusting the cut/wound with the powder and has been shown to shorten bleeding and clotting time. The product usually comes with a red pill that can be swallowed in case of emergency (internal or serious bleeding). As well as keeping this powder in my first aid kit I also carry it in each car. As a mother of a 7 year old boy I like to be prepared.
(Please seek medical help immediately if injury is severe)
More info on this product can be found at www.activeherb.com.
Ching wan hung is an amazing Chinese herbal burn cream. Frankincense and myrrh are 2 of the active ingredients in this product. I like to mix this product with colloidal silver, another product used for burns. In my personal experience they work even better together.
Fun Fact: Frankincense and Myrrh are called Ru Xiang and Mo Yao, respectively in Chinese. They are used to invigorate the blood, promote movement of Qi, alleviate pain, reduce swelling and generate flesh. 0-99900
This product can be easily found online. My trusted source is LhasaOMS.com
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Outdoors Tip #1
It’s getting hot out. A really delicious way to prevent overheating is to eat watermelon. The green part in between the peel and the fruit is especially effective. It is also a tasty treat for kids at sports events where overheating will be more likely.
Coconut water is a great way to rehydrate. It has the same electrolyte balance as our blood plasma, and is nature’s pedialyte and Gatorade (without the artificial colors and extra additives).
Fun fact: The Chinese name for watermelon is Xi Gua (xi gua pi-watermelon peel/rind) and is indicated in Chinese Medicine for clearing summer heat and relieving thirst:)
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Welcome to a fresh new start
Hello everyone! First let me welcome you to my new site. This is a fresh new start to focus on healing full time. There will be more to come in the next few weeks. Please see below for contact information and check back here in a week to see the new changes and posts.
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Welcome to the new Zion Acupuncture site
This is Virginia Eichorn LAc, I have spent my whole life as a professional healer helping my patients from a holistic prospective with a focus on Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, and many different modalities of Massage.
Give me a call @ 703-939-0207 to book your appointment today.