Coline Amée-Cochand, Acupuncture
B210 5855 Spring Garden Rd B3H 4S2 Halifax, NS, Canada

Beautiful and important talk by Brené Brown on TED .

Do you get tired easily? Do you have difficulty breathing or suffer from shortness of breath? Do you sometimes get palpitations? Do you often feel dizzy or become giddy when standing up? Do you easily catch colds?... Do you prefer quietness and find it tiring to talk? Do you sometimes feel weak when talking? Do you sweat easily when having a slightly increased physical activity? If you answered Yes to most of these questions, you may have a '' QI deficiency '' constitution. This means that your Qi, which represents the vital energy, the ''power'' of your body, is low. Qi deficiency is associated to heart disease, anxiety, autoimmune disorders, allergies and much more. Acupuncture treatments will help you restore and maintain balance. But, in your everyday life, what can you do to nourish the Qi energy of your body ? Rest. Make space for relaxing, quiet activities (reading, meditation...) Sleep. Nap, go to bed early. Eat 3 complete meals a day: add a good quantity of healthy fats such as avocado, salmon, seeds, animal foods and diminish sugar and processed food. Go regularly for a walk in nature, take deep breaths Do mild exercise each day Source : Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ) Photo: Aubrey Beardsley, Frederick H. Evans

Usually, do the palms of your hands or soles of your feet feel hot? Does your body and face often feel hot? Does your skin or lips feel dry? Are your lips redder than others? Do you get constipated easily or have dry stools?... Do you get hot flashes? Do your eyes feel dry, do you use eye drops? Do you sweat easily when having a slightly increased physical activity? If you answered Yes to most of these questions, you may have a '' YIN deficiency '' constitution. This means that your Yin, which represents calming, slow, cooling energy is low. Your body has difficulty cooling down and begins to overheat. Dryness occurs : dry skin, throat, hair... Yin deficiency is associated to hyperthyroidism, hypertension, diabetes, amenorrhea, menopausal syndrome, dermatology problems and much more. Acupuncture treatments will help you restore and maintain balance. But, in your everyday life, what can you do to nourish the Yin energy of your body ? Rest, make space for relaxing and quiet time each day (read, meditate...) Drink a lot, eat soup and watery fruit. Add some cool raw food to your meals (fruits and vegetables like carrots, lettuce...) Eat 3 complete meals a day Avoid coffee, pizza, everything which makes you feel hot If possible, take a nap after lunch Source : Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ)

Do your hands or feet feel cold or clammy ? Are you sensitive to cold and tend to wear more clothes than others? Do you feel cold easily in your abdomen, back, lower back or knees? Do you feel more vulnerable to the cold than others (repulsed by winter coldness, air conditioners, fans etc)? Do you avoid drinking or eating something cold or do you feel uncomfortable when eating or drinking something cold?... Do you have digestive problems (loose stools or diarrhea), especially in the morning or after eating something cold? If you answered Yes to most of these questions, you may have a '' YANG deficiency '' constitution. This means that your Yang energy, which represents motion, heat and activity is low. Your body has difficulty warming up, getting energized. Yang deficiency is associated to hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome, infertility and much more. Acupuncture treatments will help you restore and maintain balance. But, in your everyday life, what can you do to nourish the Yang energy of your body ? Do physical exercise and activity each day Eat a lot of ginger Avoid cold drinks, raw and cool foods (ice cream, cold lunch) Always choose warm drinks and eat warm Choose nutrient and calorie-rich cooked foods like proteins and carbohydrates: chicken, salmon and trout, shrimp, walnuts, quinoa, beans, garlic for example Avoid swimming in cold water (swimming pool) Source : Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ) Shoen Uemura, Feathered Snow, 1944, Yamatane Museum of Art