North Bay Medical Arts

Medical Qigong Therapy, or otherwise known as Chinese Energetic Medicine, is one of the five main branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), in addition to acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary therapy, and medical massage.  As a 5,000 year-old systematic healing art and the foundation for the other modalities of TCM, Medical Qigong addresses the energetic imbalances that contribute to ailments and disease.  It is a means of strengthening and regulating Qi, or life-force, to promote health and self-healing. 

Medical Qigong is a form of light-touch bodywork designed to return the body's bio-magnetic fields to their optimal frequency.  Modern physics and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRIs) have demonstrated that living bodies are comprised of balanced wavelengths and vibrations.  All tissues and internal organs resonate at an optimum frequency, creating unique bio-magnetic energy fields.  When disruptions occur in one area of the body (due to stress, emotions, trauma, etc.), the frequency of that organ or body part is altered, throwing the body out of harmony and allowing illness to set in.  Cancer, for instance, changes the frequency of an organ to be higher than its normal frequency.  Medical Qigong therapy can bring cellular vibrations back into balance and strengthen the nervous system and internal organs, relieve pain, regulate hormones, alleviate stress and release suppressed emotions.   

Medical Qigong has been used in the hospitals in China for centuries and has positive, clinically recognized effects on the electrical activity of the brain, blood flow, heart function, kidney processes, biophysical states, eyesight, bone density, lung function, and pain reduction.  To view some of the clinical research on the efficacy of Medical Qigong, please click here.   

Our director, Lindsey Hayes, has successfully treated over a hundred patients using the Medical Qigong treatment protocols from Chinese medical hospitals and she is one of a handful of Western practitioners who has been trained in this modality.  For many people Medical Qigong is more effective than Acupuncture!  Come experience it for yourself!

Treatments include an intake, diagnosis, massage and energy work, post-session counseling, and exercise precriptions to assist in on-going healing.   Clients remain fully dressed and all treatments are tailored to patients' individual needs.  

Chinese Herbal Medicine provides the Acupuncturist/TCM practitioner with a powerful tool, which allows the benefits of the healing process to continue between patient visits.

There is a rich and carefully evidenced history of Chinese herbal prescriptions, dating back thousands of years. Made from organic substances such as plants, flowers and minerals, Chinese medicinals are the precursors of Western pharmaceuticals. Unlike their synthetic counterparts however, Chinese medicinals rarely elicit side effects and have been proven safe during thousands of years of use.

An integral component of Traditional Chinese medicine is the use of medicinal prescriptions. Medicinals are highly specific in their actions, temperature, flavor and direction, and are carefully combined to form balanced prescriptions aimed at the diagnosed pattern. Depending on the nature of your complaint you may be prescribed water-based decoctions, concentrated granular extracts, concentrated tinctures, capsules, tablets or "teapills."  All herbal formulas are designed either to strengthen and support the body, regulate the function of internal organs, or clear the body of excess conditions like a cold, fever, or pain.

Our director, Lindsey Hayes, is now a licensed acupuncturist!  We will be adding acupuncture to our list of services in April, 2010.  She is taking appointments for the first week in May.  Please give us a call to schedule!

Acupuncture is the Chinese medical practice of inserting micro-fine, pre-sterilized needles into specific points on the body to promote health and combat disease, thereby balancing Qi (pronounced chee), energy, or life-force.

Each acupuncture point has a specific purpose and function with a predictable result. Acupuncture points are selected and combined based on a patient’s particular diagnosis.  Most people find acupuncture treatments very relaxing and even blissful.  Usually, the very slight initial prick of insertion is followed by a warm or tingling sensation that radiates across the body.  The mind then comes to rest, and the qi (life energy) of the body is encouraged to flow freely.

Acupuncture can be used to treat acute and chronic problems as well as provide preventative medical treatment.  Acupuncture has been clinically proven to:

• Regulate hormones
• Improve circulation
• Alleviate pain
• Strengthen immunity against disease
• Speed recovery time from injury and surgical procedures
• Promote relaxation and the body’s “rest and digest” functions (parasympathetic activity)
• Ease emotional issues

For a complete list of conditions acupuncture can treat, click here.  To view research on acupuncture’s efficacy, click here.  
 

Acupressure Massage includes an assortment of manual techniques, such as rubbing, kneading, pressing, and stretching, which the practitioner applies to adjust and regulate soft tissues and Qi (chi) circulation in the body.

Massage cannot only promote general physical and emotional well being, but is used as a major treatment for stress/tension disorders, joint and tendon disease, musculoskeletal conditions and internal disorders.  Acupressure massage is particulary effective for rehabilitation from injury.  
    

Cupping is a therapy designed to stimulate blood circulation and release tension within the superficial muscle layers.  It involves localized suction produced by heating a small glass cup. Cupping feels similar to a deep tissue massage, and it's incredibly effective at releasing "knots" from the back muscles as well as clearing the body of toxins/pathogens.  Cupping is recommended at the beginning of a cold or flu when the bacteria or virus is just setting into the body.  

Gua Sha is another technique used to release muscle tension, move congested blood, and promote circulation to muscles, tissues, and organs.  A specialized tool is used to apply gentle scraping and rubbing to the skin in the problem area. Gua Sha results in immediate changes in stiffness, pain and mobility.  As in cupping, Gua Sha feels similar to a deep-tissue massage.

Nutritional therapy in TCM is based on an individual's constitution.  For instance, it is recommended for people with cold signs and symptoms to eat mostly warm foods, while people who have imbalances due to heat are prescribed cooling foods.  In general, the TCM dietary system recommends an organic, seasonably-based diet with a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, and fats. 

Our director, Lindsey Hayes, has devised effective weight loss programs and teaches about cooking with Chinese medicine.  Lindsey has also designed detox and cleansing protocols, which her patients report have been "life changing."

Lindsey regained the health of her digestive system using the nutritional principles of TCM.  She is endlessly passionate about food, intentional cooking, and supporting families in healthy eating. 

The I-Ching is one of the world's oldest and most profound divination systems, a powerful tool which can help you access the Divine and navigate the voyage of your life.  I-Ching readings assist you in seeing the forces that are shaping difficult situations, and to understand the meaning of obstacles.  The practice involves throwing Chinese coins while meditating on a particular question.  The coins produce meaningful patterns that give a three-layered answer to your question.  The answers provide practical advice that lets you participate in change instead of being its victim.  The I-Ching essentially brings out your inner voice that helps you find your way.  This ancient Chinese oracle has been a spiritual guide and a very real asset in times of danger for many people in the 3,000 years it has existed.  Lindsey has been trained by Master I-Ching practitioners and has conducted readings for people asking serious questions about relationships, jobs, health, money, life purpose, and countless other areas of uncertainity. 

Please click here for information on North Bay Medical Arts' weekly Qigong class. 

There are no additional wellness classes scheduled at this time. 

Lindsey Hayes, CMQ, practicing Qigong.