“Cupping” may sound strange, but practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have healed people with this method since 300AD (4). According to Dr. Kaleem Ullah, secretary of the British Cupping Society, “Cupping Therapy is an ancient medical treatment that relies upon creating a local suction to mobilize blood flow in order to promote healing” (3).Cupping can provide relief for migraines, muscular tension, respiratory diseases, digestive diseases, and chronic pain, among other conditions.

In Ge Hong’s A Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies, the earliest recorded mention of cupping from the early fourth century, a hollowed-out horn was the recommended tool of choice. A lot has changed since this technique’s inception; modern practitioners use glass, bamboo, and pottery cups to create the healing suction. During a typical session, a cotton ball soaked in alcohol is burned inside the cup, removing all oxygen and creating a vacuum that anchors the cup to the skin. Other methods are also used to create suction, such as holding the cup over a small flame and using a hand pump instead of fire. Flame is never used near the skin, only to create suction.

Once the cups are placed on the proper areas of the body, the cups are slid across oiled skin. The effect is much like a “reverse massage”; skin and superficial muscle are gently pulled into the cup, which loosens muscles and encourages better blood flow, among other positive effects. According to the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, “Cupping is one of the best deep-tissue therapies available. It is thought to affect tissues up to four inches deep from the external skin. Toxins can be released, blockages can be cleared, and veins and arteries can be refreshed within these four inches of affected material” (4). The cups are placed along the meridians of the body to target specific maladies, like in acupuncture, which is often administered alongside the cupping procedure. If you experience chronic conditions that keep you from living your best, there’s only health to gain by trying this non-invasive, low-risk treatment.

Sources: 1. Dharmananda, Subhuti, Ph.D. Institute for Traditional Medicine, “Cupping.” Last modified March 1999. Accessed February 3, 2014. http://www.itmonline.org/arts/cupping.htm.

2. Ullah, Kaleem, Ph.D. British Cupping Society, “A Brief Overview of Cupping Therapy.” Last modified May 15, 2011. Accessed February 3, 2014. http://www.britishcuppingsociety.org/http:/www.britishcuppingsociety.org/a-brief-overview-of-cupping-therapy.

4. Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, “The Many Benefits of Chinese Cupping.” Last modified June 17, 2009. Accessed February 3, 2014. http://www.pacificcollege.edu/acupuncture-massage-news/articles/677-the-many-benefits-of-chinese-cupping.html.

Moxa or mugwort is a Chinese herb that is used often during an acupuncture treatment. If you step into our clinic you’ll most likely get a whiff of it’s heavenly aroma. Moxa is used to warm the body, move stagnation, build the blood, and stimulate the bodies natural healing abilities during an acupuncture treatment. This is called moxabustion. There are many techniques that Tera uses to do this and he determines the treatment method based on the individual patients needs.Moxabustion is a painless treatment method that is used in the treatment of fatigue, fibromyalgia and pain syndromes, certain musculoskeletal injuries, sinus problems, arthritis, digestive disorders, women’s menstrual issues, and even turning breech presentation babies just to name a few.

We invite you to our Open House and Ribbon Cutting this Wednesday, February 25th from 4:00- 6:00 PM. Ribbon cutting is at 4:30. We’d love for all of you to join us. Come and see our clinic, ask questions, have some refreshments and enter a drawing where you could win a gift certificate, Plantfolk Apothecary and Jade Springs products! See you there!

When Luke (Tera) finished acupuncture school we had the freedom to move anywhere we wanted. We could start an acupuncture practice and raise our children wherever we wanted. We chose to come back to Carbon County. It was always our plan and along the way many people have asked us, “Why do you want to go back there?”   Well, we want you to know why. So, here is our story.

We were both born here in Price, at Castle View Hospital. Tera grew up in Spring Canyon subdivision and later, Longmont, Colorado. Malarie was raised in Price. However, we have both lived in other places and states. Tera has travelled all throughout this great country. As a teen he worked at the family business, Quality Cleaners and saved up his money. Then, he and his best friend Travis spent three months travelling all around the country, in the family van gifted to him from his grandparents,  Helen and Harold Matsuda.  He has lived in Utah, Colorado, Alaska, and New Mexico. While in New Mexico, living in an ashram he took on his spiritual name, Tera (tay-rah) and has gone by it ever since. He has travelled internationally and spent four months in northern India where he studied yoga, vipasana meditation and volunteered at a rehabilitation center to serve people battling heroin addiction. Malarie has lived in Arizona, northern and southern Utah as well as New Mexico. We’ve been to many wonderful places together but nowhere else has ever had that feeling of HOME except Carbon County.

Perhaps that is because it is in our ancestral blood? Tera’s family has been here for four generations. His maternal grandmothers side the Amanos ran the Japanese fish market on Main St. Helper, back in its hay day when it was a hodgepodge of cultures. His grandfather Harold Matsuda opened Quality Cleaners in Price over 50 years ago and it’s still running today thanks to Uncle Dave and the loyal support of the community for keeping it open all these years. Malarie’s family has been in this area even longer. Her grandfather Tony (Inez) Valdez worked at Kizer in Sunnyside for 40+ years. Her grandpa and great uncles ran Mabbutt Station on Carbon Avenue back in the day. Even her great great great grandfather Elias H.Blackburn came to Utah with the Mormon pioneers and became the first bishop of Provo, appointed by Brigham Young himself. The Blackburns later ended up in Clawson, which is where her grandmother Darlene Blackburn Kartchner was born. So, as you can see our roots run deep here in Carbon County. This place is in our blood and we care about this community like a beloved family member.

Fittingly, we met at CEU (now USU Eastern) in a yoga class. Malarie finished her degree in Elementary Education down at SUU and after she graduated we were married in her parent’s back yard in Price. We worked and saved for two years, Malarie at Pinnacle Canyon Academy and Tera at Castle View Hospital. Then, we moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico so Tera could go to Southwest Acupuncture College and fulfill his dream of becoming a practitioner of Oriental Medicine. We had our son, Sage there. While we were away for three years we felt the pains of our friends, family and community back home. Each time we heard of the tragic suicides and overdoses we asked each other. What can we do? When we heard of people back home that were recovering from surgeries, struggling with the effects from cancer treatments, and suffering through aches and pains and dis-ease we wished we could be here to help. We also wanted to be here to celebrate all of the greatness and joy that is to be experienced in life with those we love.

According to the 2014 County Health Rankings, Carbon County is the least healthy county in the state coming in at 27^th place. Emery County doesn’t rank much higher coming in at 21^st place. This means that many of our fellow citizens, neighbors and friends don’t feel particularly well. We want to help change this! We are passionate about helping people improve the quality of their lives. With an overwhelming number of suicides, the substance abuse epidemic and hardworking folks that have put their bodies through the ringer we felt called to come back to this beautiful place, to make a difference. Therefore, it is our mission to help this community heal one patient at a time because a healthy community is good for everyone!

When you come to Matsuda Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine you can rest assured that with Tera you will get quality patient care. He will listen to you, truly care for you and help you to get feeling better. Acupuncture has been proven to help with many conditions and it is so fulfilling to see the results in our patients each day. Malarie is passionate about sharing the yogic teachings that have shaped and changed her life in the most treasured way and is enjoying creating yoga courses, series and classes to do just that. All the years of planning, studying and learning are coming to fruition. Even better, the learning process is continual. We promise to never stop improving and evolving. It brings us great pride and joy to know that we are making a difference in the lives of people here at home. We sincerely thank you for being a part of our journey. This is our life work and it is only just the beginning. Thank you for all of the support now and over the years. We are so blessed to have had so many people here at home help us get to this point. We acknowledge and thank this village that helped raise us and we are humbled and grateful to be able to serve in return.

– Malarie and Tera Matsuda

Tera will teach Kundalini Yoga and Meditation with an infusion of Oriental Medicine wisdom.  Make payment in full by February 27th to receive the discount!

I invite you to join me for a fun yoga and meditation course as we use the technology of Kundalini Yoga to experience the different energy centers of the body.  Learn tools that you can use to release energetic blocks allowing your energy to flow and bringing you deeply connected to your core self.  When we are in alignment with our core self we attract more abundance, more prosperity, more happiness and ease into our lives.  Sat Nam! – Malarie

Please contact me if you have any questions or if you would like to register for this course!  435-650-7119 

What are chakras?

    Chakras are energetic organizing centers located along the spine that govern our life, behavior, moods, and consciousness.  Their functions are to receive, process, assimilate, and transmit life energies.  Together they form a network that expresses and coordinates our complex mind/body/emotion/spirit system.

Chakra means wheel, disc, or circle that is in motion.  Chakras are thus energy vortices, whose energies can be stuck in some way for many reasons, but they are never static.  Their spiral swirling movement is always alive, even when partly dormant.

Interrelated with the sympathetic, parasympathetic , and autonomous nervous systems, the chakras are located where major clusters of nerves intersect along the spine.  Each chakra is situated near one of the seven principal nerve ganglia that emanate from the spinal column.

Each chakra represents an aspect of the human design and, as such is an essential component of consciousness that we can develop to fully and effectively live our life.  The charkas can be thought of as master programs that silently hold our potential as it unfolds.  Each guides an aspect of our evolutionary journey.  Each acts as a channel that illumines our way to connect with our soul and non-physical dimensions of existence.  Each, in its own special way, is a vehicle for the interaction of matter and spirit.

-From: Your Life Is In Your Chakras By: Guru Rattana, Ph.D.

We are also offering a limited number of couples classes also on Valentines Day for those couples who would prefer a private and more individualized class.  These sessions are offered at $108.  Early Registration Required.  Non-Refundable Deposit of $50 per couple by February 5th to reserve your spot for a private session.  

If you are interested in the workshop or a private couples  class email your information to matsudaacupuncture@gmail.com with the heading “Valentines Day Workshop” or “Valentines Day Private Couples Class”  

As the New Year approaches many of us are formulating resolutions. This is a great time to envision a healthier and happier you. Be compassionate with yourself though, and make sure you have the tools to succeed. When you are trying to change something about yourself, like a bad temper for example, always endeavor towards the positive. If you are constantly saying to yourself “I’m not going to get mad” you are actually imagining yourself mad and out of control and reinforcing that concept of yourself. Instead, try saying to yourself something like “I am becoming calmer, more understanding, and more forgiving every day.” Go toward the positive instead of running from the negative. Substitute good habits for bad ones, like studying nutrition and healthy cooking methods instead of constantly counting calories and getting down on yourself for eating something delicious. The tools that can help you come in many different forms. Joining the gym or finding friends to work out with are important tools because you have access to more knowledge, encouragement, and a larger support system in general. Acupuncture could help you succeed too! It could help you have the energy to start a workout routine, or help with a pain condition that’s keeping you from your goals. It could help you quit smoking by calming your nerves, boosting your willpower, detoxing your body, and helping to heal the root cause of the need for that habit. Or perhaps your resolution this year is to fall in love. Oriental medicine could help you heal from a broken heart and get you ready to start fresh. The best way to attract the love of your life is to improve yourself and become so radiant that you attract someone who has just as much light and love. From acupuncture to nutritional consultations and yoga classes, we have time tested tools to help improve your life this year. Give us a call to see how we can help you. We want to help you feel better!

Call us at 435-650-2302 or message us to schedule and appointment. ~ Located at 894 E. 100 N Price, UT

Are you ready for a new year? 

UPDATE:  This class has been cancelled due to a death in the family.