Sound Health and Wellness

Acutonics® combines the benefits of massage and acupuncture in a soothing clothes-on treatment that alleviates pain, reduces inflammation, increases circulation and accelerates the natural healing process.  While there are many acutonics practitioners in the US and abroad, only two certified practitioners reside in Pennsylvania.  To find a certified practitioner near you, go to http://www.acutonics.com/links-resources.php.

Women’s Health

Acutonics can bring relief and regulation back to feminine imbalances, whether menstrual cramps,  hot flashes, night sweats and/or insomnia.

Testimonials from former female clients:
Can’t thank you enough for seeing me, I feel AMAZING!!!!  The “problem” was 100% improved.
Also, my back had been bothering me for months and spread to my hip.  The chiropractor hadn’t made it better…  I knew when I got off the table that my back was better but I wanted to see how it felt the next day.  My lower back bothered me a bit while climbing but NOTHING like before.  My hip feels amazing!!!  I had no idea you could heal that too.  WOW!
Kitty, Atlanta, GA

For at least ten years I suffered from severe and debilitating menstrual cramps that kept me from working.   I had tried everything short of surgery.  After just four acutonics treatments, there was a significant improvement and I no longer had to miss work because of my period.  I have no doubt that this was an answer to my prayers.
S. S., Asheville, NC

Men’s Health

If you suffer from back, neck, shoulder, or joint pain of any kind, acutonics can help.  Of course, this doesn’t apply only to men, but when men make an appointment it’s usually due to pain or limited range of motion.

Testimonials from former male clients:
I was diagnosed with arthritis, and had pain and numbness travel down the left arm that interfered with my work as a cabinet maker.  By the third session, the pain and numbness was gone and there was no “pinching” as I turned my head to the left.  I am most grateful, and highly recommend acutonics to anyone experiencing acute or chronic pain.
Jim, Sarasota, FL

After one treatment, I was amazed at how different I felt.  As a 72 year-old man, my prostate was causing a great deal of discomfort for me and nothing the doctors prescribed was really helping.  I decided to try acutonics, curious but not really knowing what to expect.  Was I ever surprised.  Immediately following the session, I was able to relieve myself completely, unimpeded by the usual “swollen” feeling. I don’t know how it works, but it works!
R.R., Sarasota, FL

Last month, I focused on the importance of liver health for overall quality of life. This month I’d like to focus on the lungs and their link to our immunity. Just as there is a connection between all of the internal organs, there is a connection between the lungs, liver and our immune system. To understand this, let’s look at the function of the lungs from the standpoint of Chinese Medicine:

1. Govern Qi and Respiration
2. Control the Channels and Blood Vessels
3. Control Dispersing and Descending of Qi
4. Regulate the Water Passages
5. Control the Skin and Hair
6. Open into the Nose

Sounds a little confusing, so let’s break it down:

1) Qi is energy which the lungs gather from the air we breathe. They inhale clean air and expel dirty air, i.e., carbon dioxide, and also any foreign invaders from our external environment. A fairly important function with regard to immune defense.

2) Controlling the channels and blood vessels: This refers to the flow of energy throughout the body and blood once Qi (air and energy) is gathered by the lungs for the body to use to defend itself and to nourish all the organs and tissues through the distribution of blood and body fluids.

3) The dispersing and descending action of the lungs refers to the particular direction of energy the lungs are responsible for. As I mentioned briefly in my last newsletter, all of the organs act like members on a team that relay information to each other in a certain direction, some up, some down, some across, and only one up and all over (the liver).

In the dispersing function, the lungs have 2 jobs: 1) to expel (disperse) pathogens we may inhale from our environment and 2) to distribute nourishment via blood and body fluids throughout the entire body, particularly to the skin and muscle tissue.

In the descending function, the energy gathered by the lungs must descend to the kidneys and large intestine who also have a particular job to do. The kidneys are responsible for grasping the air inhaled by the lungs. That is why someone with asthma has more of a kidney weakness than a lung issue. They cough when trying to take in air – not because the lungs aren’t working – but because the kidneys are not strong enough to grasp air and hold it in.

In the case of the large intestine, if insufficient energy is provided to this organ, defecation becomes sluggish and toxins will begin to build in the blood stream.

4) While the lungs gather air for energy, they also receive refined energy from the spleen (whose job it is to transform food into blood and body fluids and send it up to the lungs). This mixture of energy becomes a nutritive mist for the body to use to stay moist, particularly the skin and nasal passages. This is why we sweat – it’s one of the ways the body rids itself of toxins in addition to what is sent to the kidneys to expel through urination.

5) Controls skin and hair simply refers to the two previous functions. When there is sufficient moisture being distributed, skin will be lustrous and hair will shine. If not, both will be dull and/or dry.

6) Opens into the Nose: If one has healthy lung qi, the sense of smell will be strong, the nasal passage clear (and moist), the voice will be strong and there will be little to no phlegm (post-nasal drip).

So how does this relate to the liver? The flow of energy through the 12 channels follows a particular 2-hour sequence in the 24-hour day. With Liver being 1-3 am, and lungs being 3-5 am, energy must flow easily from liver to lung. These points, respectively, fall right along the chest area keeping it open and ready to receive more energy from the air we breathe. The liver is our primary detox center and the lungs circulate defensive qi, thus together their role is of vital importance to one’s ability to fight disease.

How to support the Lungs:

When plagued with a persistent cough, cold or flu-like symptoms, many people turn to the use of antibiotics. Unfortunately, they kill off good microorganisms as well as the bad, and what’s worse is that the unhealthy microorganisms become immune to the drugs very quickly, leaving the body even more defenseless.

Here are some healthy alternatives to support immunity and respiratory health. As with all medication, natural or otherwise, know what you are taking and why. I am always available to answer questions, and consult with those who are interested in preventative health care.

And don’t forget to take advantage of savings on acutonics treatments extended now through the 15th of May. No needles…just relief. Call 770.712.6298 to make your appointment.

1) Chinese Lung Support TCM #1004: Acts as a tonic to moisten and nourish the tissues of the respiratory tract, particularly the lungs.

2) Breathe EZ TCM Concentrate #1036-3: Combination of 14 Chinese herbs that provide nutritional support for the lungs and help increase the flow of mucous to remove toxins from the entire respiratory tract, especially the lungs.

3) HistaBlock #776-1: Provides nutrients that support the respiratory system in its battle against pollutants and toxins, especially during the changing seasons. It provides powerful antioxidants to help stabilize immune cells and provides soothing comfort for mucous membranes.

4) Sinus Support EF #1250-3: An ephedra-free formula that supports clear nasal passages and supplies nutrients that enhance proper respiratory function.

For more information on these products or to place an order, please visit my affiliate website at Nature’s Sunshine or any of the product links above, and click on Shop Now on the left-hand side of the page.

Stay Well!

Yours in Health,
Jennifer Gehl

Since I began my Acutonics® practice almost 7 years ago, the one thing I’ve noticed is that nearly every health issue links back to liver health. Why? Because the liver is responsible for so many functions, acting as a kind of “Quality Assurance Operator” for the body. As such, it greatly impacts the quality of our physical and emotional health. The name itself implies this: LIVE-R

In Chinese Medicine, each organ is associated with a season, an emotion and one of the five elements. Liver is associated with the season of Spring, the emotion anger, and the Wood Element. Springtime is when everything begins to move up and out of the earth again after a period of dormancy. And whereas other organs have a job to do, they are responsible for moving energy in one or two directions, relaying that energy to another organ like members on a basketball team. But the liver is the Captain of the team, and is responsible for overseeing the harmonious movement of energy among the other organs. Like the season it’s associated with, it must move energy up and out in all directions to ensure a smooth flow of energy in the body. When it becomes bogged down with too much work, energy becomes stagnant, pain ensues and emotions become irritable. Frustration and anger occur when one feels unable to move forward with a new “season” or plan for life. It’s also important to note here that each organ has a partner, and the liver’s partner is gallbladder. So if someone has had a gallbladder removed, it can place more stress on the liver and becomes more important to take care of it. Liver is the “planner” and gallbladder the “implementer.” So if plans are not being carried out physiologically or emotionally, illness and stress result.

Is your liver working in harmony or causing a disruptive domino effect?

• Anger or depression
• Constipation
• Nausea or diarrhea
• Chronic fatigue
• Muscle pain/cramping
• Joint pain/arthritis
• Tendonitis
• Diabetes (adult onset)
• Weak or Brittle Nails
• Ridges on the Nails
• Floaters in the eyes
• Flushing/hot flashes
• Food allergies
• Headaches, migraines
• Hay fever
• Asthma (allergy-induced)
• High cholesterol levels
• Hormonal imbalances
• Hyperactivity
• Insomnia
• Intestinal gas, bloating
• PMS symptoms
• Prostate problems
• Severe Body Odor
• Skin Disorders: (acne, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, cysts/tumors)
• Varicose veins

If the liver had a job description, it might look like this:

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)

1. Responsible for the smooth flow of Qi energy. Potential problems arise when the liver is overworked and qi becomes stagnant: lack of energy, sluggish digestion, hormone imbalances, muscle aches and pains, joint pain and emotional stress.
2. Stores and releases blood. If qi becomes stagnant, blood flow stagnates as circulation is impaired resulting in migraines, joint pain, muscle pain and cramping, menstrual pain, menopausal problems, neuropathy – blood is unable to reach extremities, chronic fatigue, anger or depression.
3. Controls the Sinews -tendons, ligaments, connective tissue. Potential problems arise when qi or blood are deficient and joints do not get the nourishment they need. Body starts to steal minerals from bones to replenish itself, and potential bone loss occurs.
4. Manifests in the nails -in TCM nails are an extension of the sinews. They can become weak, brittle, and uneven, with ridges.
5. Opens into the eyes. Floaters, tired eyes, red or burning eyes.
6. Houses the Ethereal Soul. Potential unrest or inability to deal with stress. If overloaded with too much to do, when the blood “returns home” to the liver it cannot rest. The Soul wants to rest/sleep and cannot because its “home” is invaded with too many toxins.

Western Medicine

1. Stores and releases blood: same issues as above.
2. Stores and releases sugar: potential hyper or hypo glycemia, or in severe cases diabetes. (works with pancreas and adrenals).
3. Defends against disease and foreign invaders: allergies, autoimmune disorders, chronic infections, flu and colds. In severe cases cysts, tumors, cancer or neurological disorders, because the liver is unable to convert toxins into waste to be eliminated normally.
4. Maintains cholesterol levels: potential heart disease, hypertension. Releases cholesterol to transport fat through the body and to capture toxins. Plays an extremely important role in weight management, especially around the waist and has affects heart and circulation.
5. Produces bile for the breakdown of fat: affects cholesterol levels and heart health, intestinal health, skin disorders and obesity, especially around the waist. More important than ever if one’s gallbladder has been removed.

Many people turn to prescription drugs for relief of the symptoms mentioned above, and then what happens is that the liver has to defend the body against synthetic chemicals from medication in addition to toxins from everyday sources. This means the liver is working constantly to convert harmful substances into waste. When overloaded with toxins and unable to carry out the conversion process, waste contaminates the blood. When the blood returns to the liver to be stored, it starts the cycle over again, only this time with more toxins for the liver to convert. Thus begins the domino effect on other organ systems as the blood from the liver that should bring nourishment brings instead a host of other problems for the Kidneys, heart, lungs, digestive organs, etc.

The Good News

So what is the good news in all of this? We get a new liver every 6 weeks, and with the proper nourishment, care and some lifestyle changes, we can avoid or reverse many of these problems. Everything in the body can and will return to a state of balance when provided with the right support.

Foods that are good for the Liver: red beets, carrots, zucchini/squash, raw green leaf vegetables, tart cherries (sour is cooling & tonifies liver), black cherry juice, lemon water, rose hips, wolfberry, aka lyceum.
Bitter Herbs good for the Liver: Yellow dock, Dandelion, Blessed Thistle, Milk Thistle, Burdock, Oregon Grape

As an Acutonics® Practitioner, I use specific combinations of vibrations and tones that help liberate liver qi and gently restore harmony to the other organs. The healing tones of this system work quickly and soothingly on physical and emotional imbalances so that immediate relief can be felt.

I have also found that natural herbs and supplements do a lot to help prevent further damage to the liver and aid in the process of balancing emotions. Natural supplements also serve to stabilize and maintain progress between sessions.

Here are some natural herbal supplements that help restore liver harmony and emotional imbalances. If you’d like to order, you can click on the product to get to the website, then click shop now and enter the 3 or 4 digit stock number in the search bar.

If you have an order of $40 or more, you qualify for membership and savings up to 45% off the retail price. Orders of $100 or more receive a 10% rebate in addition to the 45% savings. Always consult your physician if you are taking medication or undergoing care for serious conditions.

Milk Thistle stock #4076 – excellent overall tonic that should be taken everyday by those who work around chemicals: hair salons, hospitals, industrial companies, etc.
Liver Balance stock # 1008 – good for sluggish liver qi with symptoms like bloating, gas, tenderness in upper right quadrant of abdominal cavity, has difficulty sleeping, is touchy, defensive, irritable or angry.
Mood Elevator stock #1035 – good for sagging energy and muscles, difficulty getting out of bed, feels depressed or deflated easily.
Blood Build stock # 1005 – good for those who also lack energy and have difficulty getting out of bed, but with less of a depressive emotion. More of a physical lack of energy – lacks blood, which is the fuel for energy movement. Generally have a pale complexion and pale, swollen tongue.
All Cell Detox stock # 1072 – excellent detoxifier for liver, colon and kidney
BP-X stock #803 – traditional blood purifier used for abscesses, skin conditions, acne, rashes, etc.
Tiao He Cleanse – the name means “balance and harmony,” and supports liver function while cleansing the body of metabolic waste.
To nourish the Liver, Heart and Immune Systems:
Thai Go – Powerful antioxidant replete with the nutrition that supports the liver’s immune defense.

Acutonics® is a system of vibrational sound healing rooted in Oriental Medicine and the Tao. Acu – for acupuncture points; tonics – for the soothing tones that heal.

Similar to acupuncture, using medical grade tuning forks instead of needles, the vibration enters and accesses reservoirs of energy known in Chinese Medicine as meridians and the eight extraordinary vessels. Unique to other sound modalities, the frequencies of the Acutonics tuning forks represent the Music of the Spheres, discovered and taught by Pythagoras. The work of Pythagoras, Johannes Kepler and Hans Cousto provided the information necessary for Donna Carey, Ph.D., LAc, to co-develop the Acutonics® Healing System.

Each tuning fork corresponds to a specific organ, meridian and/or body function. They are applied directly to the body in pairs, one tuning fork on the opening point of a meridian, the other on a balancing point. This method introduces a sound wave that feels like a “micro” massage, and results in healing at the cellular, muscular and energetic levels. Since the human body is 70% water, the vibrations travel more quickly to achieve healing results.

Here are what some clients have said about their experience:

“As a nurse, I know what a negative effect stress can have on a person’s physical and psychological health. Seeking relief from stress was the main reason I decided to try acutonics about five months ago, as well as relief from an uncomfortable pressure in my ribcage. At first, the benefits of the treatments were subtle, but as time went on, they have become much more pronounced, and I’m really glad I stayed with the process. Now my stress level is considerably lower and the pressure I had in my ribcage is gone. I find that, not only can I handle certain problematic situations much better than before, I also notice that my thoughts are clearer, and my life is becoming more calm and organized. I just feel like a more effective person since I began my treatments with Jennifer. Acutonics has been, and will continue to be, a key component in my plan to stay healthy.”
Bonnie, Altoona, PA

“Hello Jennifer:
It has been so long since I was at your place in Altoona –where I had the opportunity to experience your extremely healing Sound Therapy.

I am now in Los Angeles, and about 3 weeks ago I had another PET scan and it showed absolutely no signs of cancer. I am healed. I don’t like to sound like a kook, but a healing took place and I remember that day on your table when you placed the “forks” on me and I suddenly broke out in copious tears — a release.

I took my radiation and I took months of chemo and I came through them without even any
sickness, and even kept my hair, and I KNOW that a big part of my being able to handle it
all was your Sound Therapy. Of course there was more to it too, in particular the Spiritual and
the faith in God and the faith that I could be healed. But you were there and part of it all.

Thank you so much. I hope your new ventures are going well too, and once again, please excuse me for waiting so long to write this email of thanks and encouragement for the really meaningful work that you are doing.”
Melinda, Los Angeles

“Can’t thank you enough for seeing me, I feel AMAZING!!!! The “problem” area was 100% improved.
Also, my back has been bothering me for months and spread to my hip. The chiro I have been seeing hasn’t made it better… I knew when I got off the table that my back was better but I wanted to see how it felt the next day. My lower back bothered me a bit while climbing but NOTHING like before. My hip feels amazing!!! I had no idea you could heal that too. WOW!”
Kitty, Atlanta, GA

“I was diagnosed with arthritis, and had pain and numbness travel down the left arm that interfered with my work. By the third session, the pain and numbness was gone and has never returned. I highly recommend Acutonics to anyone experiencing pain.
Jim, Sarasota, FL

In July, 2006 I broke my arm. By February, 2007 I would still have a sharp pain shoot through my bicep and travel down my arm any time I reached too far too quickly. I had a session with Jennifer, not really knowing what to expect. About two days later I made a sudden move that would normally cause shooting pain to occur in my arm. But it didn’t! So I started making various movements that always used to produce the pain, and much to my surprise, there was no pain!!! This is fantastic! And after only one session!”
Kay, Blue Ridge, GA

By law, Acutonics® cannot diagnose, treat, cure or prevent.

From cells to galaxies, everything is made of the same substance – energy. This energy never stops, but keeps cycling back and forth between space and matter. Energy is vibration, vibration emits frequency, and frequency is sound. Sound is the carrier wave that moves energy from and between these two states of being. Every culture includes sound in its creation story. In the East, they refer to Ohm as the sound that entered the void and created form. In the West, with Judeo-Christian doctrine, creation is described as “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word became flesh.” In both cases, sound is the force that enters the unseen realm (space) and creates form (matter). Scripture supports the idea that we can learn about the nature of these cycles through the study of the stars.

Genesis 1: 14-18: And God said, let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and for years. And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech. Night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Psalm 19: 1-3

The study of the stars is not a tool for self-deception as many have been conditioned to believe. Rather, it is a tool for self-understanding that leads to balance in the body, healing of the emotions, and integrity of spirit. Through the study, practice and continuing education of the Acutonics® Curriculum, Sound Works blends Eastern and Western philosophies to promote health and wellbeing in individuals. By understanding the correspondence that exists between the human body and the heavenly bodies, healing and wholeness occur.

“Astrology is a form of imagination emerging from nature and having direct relevance for everyday life. It is an applied poetics, a vision of life on earth stimulated by movements in the heavens, which can take us into areas of self-reflection as no other system of symbols and images can.”
-Thomas Moore, The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life.

“We are born at a given moment in a given place and like vintage years of wine we have the qualities of the year and of the season in which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything else.”

“Astrology is assured of recognition from psychology, without further restrictions, because astrology represents the summation of all the psychological knowledge of antiquity.”
- Carl Jung

“There shall be signs in the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars.”
-Jesus Christ

“A physician without a knowledge of astrology has no right to call himself a physician … There is one common flow, one common breathing, all things are in sympathy.”
-Hippocrates

The word heal actually means whole, going back to its old English word hal. This wholeness allows for light and shadow to coexist in harmony – in balance. Taoism teaches the very same concept. When we become polarized in one point of view, allowing only light with no shadow, or all shadow with no light, we become physically ill, emotionally rigid, and spiritually prejudice. There is never one way to look at Life. There are as many perspectives as there are stars in Heaven. Tolerance for others is not a weakness, it’s a necessary tool for healing ourselves. If we are truly to “love our neighbors as ourselves,” isn’t it then prudent for us to begin loving ourselves wholly, light and shadow both?

“For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear,” let your journey of self-discovery begin with Sound Works!

For further reading on the Bible and Astrology, visit: http://www.divineinspirationastrology.com/articles/astrology&bible.htm