Avoid the high priced spas and opt for an evening of chocolates, aphrodisiac tea, herbal infused essiental olis, chilled out tunes, and the best deep tissue and swedish massages in the city.   All for only $80 allow 75 minutes to enjoy.  

Couples massages only $160 per hour.   Can’t make it in this year?, why not get a gift certficate for massage, acupuncture or herbal treatment.

Need longer than an hour, we also have 90 min and 2 hour massages.   

Space is limited so reserve your romantic evening now. Time available from 2pm -7 pm.    Later times are going fast

Tips and Ideas this Valentines

This year we thought it might be nice to let you know what we think are fun and healthy things to do this Valentines Day Date Night.

Bouldering at the Circuit NE Sandy Hang out together, get engerized and who knows. Oh yeah its open till 11 pm.

Dinner at the Spahire Hotel on SE Hawthorne, Big portions, Yummy food with an Asian Flare and the history of this being one of portlands seedy joints make this a real winner for a romantic dinner. It gets crowded so plan ahead.

Drinks at the Sauce Box on SW Broadway, nice tunes and great cocktails, make this a good place to kick off an evening of intrigue.

Unromantics can try the Valentines Day Zombie Pub Crawl February 14, 2012 | 6:30pm until 11:30pm Meet @ Lone Fir Cemetery SE Stark & 26th

You can always let us know your favorite romantic spots by posting it on our facebook page. Happy Valentines Day Portland,

Chinese medicine was based on pathogens entering the body and making their way to different levels.  Every symptom you experience is information which helps us determine how deep or superficial the pathogen has gotten.  The “level” helps us determine our treatment strategy with Acupuncture and Herbal Therapy.  What I have seen this year that the medicine has been able to do is- reduce the intensity or course of the illness, kick out the illness (sometimes even after hardcore antibiotics have failed), prevent illness (when others around you are sick), and even strengthen the bodies “Qi” so the pathogen does not even have a chance to enter!  Children also respond VERY well and usually very quickly to treatment, so if your childs regular pediatrician cannot do much more than prescribe antibiotics and tylenol, my friends YOUVE GOT OPTIONS!  So at the first sign of getting sick or even in the depths of feeling like theres no return, I URGE you to call us.  We can combine acupuncture and herbal therapy or if your in a hurry just prescribe you a herbal formula for your individual needs.  For more information of past blogs on herbal medicine for colds and flus please click here:

Free Group Acupuncture Event for Red Cross in Portland, Friday March 25th from 5-8pm at An Sen Acupuncture and Massage Clinic in the Olympic Mills Commerce Center.

Come experience group Acupuncture, and for those of you who have ever wondered about acupuncture, this event is a great way to balance your qi (energy) all while supporting a worthy cause

Especially during the aftermaths of traumatic events, Group Acupuncture is a wonderful way to connect with others while helping maintain your own internal equilibrium.

Open to the public by optional donation, all proceeds go to the Red Cross-Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief programs. If you cannot attend but would like to make a donation you can send a check to: Red Cross, PO Box 4125, Portland OR 97208-4125 or deliver them in person to 3131
N Vancouver Ave in Portland.

Click here to follow the event on Facebook

Event Information
Friday March 25th from 5-8pm @
An Sen Acupuncture and Massage Clinic in OMCC Building 1st Floor

Valentines Day 2012 massage specials click here

Chinese Medicine & The Heart

By Alysia Anderson, L.Ac, M.Ac.OM

We can’t help but think about the Heart on Valentines Day. In Chinese Medicine the heart is one of the 12 organs “or officials” that can be tapped into by stimulating acupuncture points. These acupuncture points can help the imbalanced heart in duress. They in essence can “jumpstart” the journey with your heart’s wellness. The heart is one of the “Fire” Organs in Chinese Medicine and is given the name “Supreme Controller” or “Emperor”. It’s energy is of great importance, and it’s spirit commands order over the rest of the body and officials, thus the spirit our lives. The heart is the seat of our feelings. On an emotional, spiritual level- the heart brings joy, warmth, connection, passion and our deepest loves. It is what connects us on the deepest levels to our own being and to our relationships with others. On a physical level, the heart circulates blood and warmth to the rest of the body and all of the organs. The physical aspects of our heart can affect the emotional aspects of our self and vice versa. When our spirit is low, and we are unhappy, joy is harder to access, maybe we can’t sleep, our chests feel tight, our blood pressure is either high or low, we experience palpitations, and generally look unwell.

In order to make connections and give love to others our heart and other “Fire” officials must be in balance. In order to give love, we must also receive. What is the state of your heart this Valentines Day? How is the relationship with yourself and with your partner or friends? If the answer to the relationship question is “not so good”, it may be time to connect with your own heart first. Have YOU connected with your heart recently? Done something that brings YOU joy? Sat quietly and felt your heartbeat? Is it rhythmic? Or is it stressed and erratic? When we are in balance, the connection in our relationships will come easy, joy and love will flow inward and outward, the heartbeat will feel smooth. WIshing you a “Peaceful Heart” this Valentines Day.

*My insights to the Heart comes from my clinical practice and the writings of Professor JR Worsley.

Valentines Day Portland Style Get a Massage Here

We’ve got a wonderful selection of massages for the Portland bound Love Birds this Valentines Day.

Bring love and joy into the heart of that special someone or treat yourself! Enjoy a simple and beautiful Valentines Day at An Sen Clinic!  We will incorporate into each treatment: a candlelit room with custom blend love potion aromatherapy oils, followed by our love potion tea and chocolates.

Swedish or Deep Tissue Massage
1hr: $70
1.5 hr $95
1.5 hr couples: $190
Acupuncture and Massage Combination:
1hr 15min: $87.50
*Gift Certificates Available

Our Portland Acupuncture Facebook Page

Just Launched our Facebook Page, where we share the latest wellness tips, advances in Acupunture and clinic events. Become a Fan by Valentines Day and we will show the love by giving all our fans a Gift of our Fire Element Aromatherapy Bath Salts, Stop by our Clinic in SE Portland to pick up your gift.

By Alysia Anderson L.Ac, M.Ac.OM Acupuncturist with An Sen Acupuncture and Massage Portland Oregon

Last night I had the opportunity to see the documentary 9000 Needles at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland, OR. My friend and colleague Betsy Platt invited me along.  The room was filled with many fellow acupuncturists.  The vibe I felt was “ ahhh, Finally…some media to show the power of our medicine!

Acupuncturist Betsy Platt and Alysia Anderson at the Screening for 9000 Needles

The movie was about a man, bodybuilder in particular, who suffered a stroke and went numb and limp on his entire right side.   This documentary takes us through his journey with western medicine and physical therapy, and the American insurance companies failure to provide long term support for his condition-leaving his wife and family to find alternatives both for monetary reasons and hope that his condition might improve.

He was able to lift his right leg (something he had never been able to do before) and what I noticed in particular, was the tremendous clarity in his vision!

The film documented the amazing results and milestones achieved using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in combination with Western Physical Therapy and sincere care from the heart by staff, family and friends.  This- we call good “Qi”, or energy.  The documentary only left me wondering….., what more improvements may he have had if he received Acupuncture stroke protocols DIRECTLY following his stroke, and FOLLOW UP acupuncture treatments upon leaving China. ?!”…I also felt an emotional heart, for when I was a teenager, my grandmother suffered from a stroke, and I always think about her and what I would have been able to do for her had I already been an acupuncturist at the time.

Personal Injury Protection PIP will cover all acupuncture and massage treatments at no cost to you under your or their automobile insurance. An Sen can handle all billing and paperwork making it easy and painless to get treatment.

Acupuncture and massage treatment can help:
Promote faster healing time
Reduce pain
Increase mobility and reduce stress

If you have been injured in an accident in Oregon or Washington and would be interested in receiving Acupuncture or Massage care please call us at 503 236 6633

As the end of November nears we begin to transition from autumn into winter.  Some of the oldest Chinese medical texts suggested thousands of years ago that humans should live in harmony with the natural cycle of the seasons.  After the warmer seasons that are full of activity, now is the time to honor slowing and quieting down, to reflect inwardly, and to rest and conserve energy so that we may be replenished and recharged instead of burned out when the spring returns.  Just as the leaves fall off the trees and the roots store the essential nutrients needed for re-growth in the spring, we can shed unwanted layers, getting rid of that which does not serve us anymore, while grounding into and cultivating the positive and healthy aspects of our being.

The complex system and framework of diagnosis and treatment within Chinese medicine emerged from a holistic understanding of the universe through observation of patterns and movements in nature that create balance and flow. These are also present within human beings who are inseparable from nature.  When there is balance, there is health and a sense of thriving; when there is imbalance, there is discomfort and sometimes illness and disease.  Prevention of imbalance is a core principle of Chinese medicine.  The goal of treatment is to maintain or bring back balance in order to restore the healthy functioning of the entire system.

The two most essential theories within Chinese medicine as well as Chinese culture and philosophy are yin-yang theory and five-element theory.  Both theories are ways of explaining and reflecting upon all natural phenomena in the universe.  Yin-yang theory holds that present within everything in nature are two opposing but interconnected aspects that are relative to one another.  The original meaning of yin is the side of the mountain turned away from the sun, or the shady side; while yang (pronounced yon) is the side of the mountain facing the sun, or the sunny side.  Yin represents darkness, nighttime, cold, winter, passivity, interior, downwards, storage and stillness while respectively yang represents brightness, daytime, heat, summer, activity, exterior, upwards, action and movement.  Five-element theory explains the relationships between wood, fire, earth, metal and water—all thought to be the basic constituents of the universe.  It holds that all phenomena in nature can be categorized into these elements.

As fall transitions into winter and the days grow shorter and colder, yang moves into yin.  Winter is the most yin time of the year.  According to Chinese medicine, the metal element corresponds to autumn, harvesting, the Lung and Large Intestine organs, the nose, skin and body hair, grief as well as awe and inspiration; while the water element corresponds to winter, storing, the Kidney and Bladder organs, the ears, bones and head hair, fear as well as courage and ambition.  The Lungs help distribute Wei Qi, the defensive energy, to the surface of the body to ward off colds and flus, while the Kidneys store our source Qi, our most dense core strength and will-power.  The Kidneys help anchor down the pure air we breathe in through the Lungs to be used as vital energy to support all the systems of the body.

During this time of introspection and consolidation, it is important we recharge our batteries and cultivate personal practices of a healthy diet, exercise, and getting enough sleep and relaxation.  Try setting attainable changes that will make you feel better to increase energy, focus and suppleness while decreasing pain, fatigue and stress.  Regular acupuncture, massage and herbal medicine can help boost immunity as well as fight off something already present. Particularly at the initial onset of a cold or flu- acupuncture and antiviral/antibacterial herbs can quell a sore throat, stop or at least reduce other symptoms, and definitely prevent them from going deeper.  And when recovering from illness, Chinese medicine can help nourish the body and mind back to optimal health.

Things we can do for self care on our own on a daily basis are:

-Eating whole foods that are in season.  Always think of adding as much natural color to the diet as possible with a variety of foods from vegetables and edible herbs, fruits, whole grains, nuts, naturally raised meats and wild caught fish.  Try to eat regularly, slowly and mindfully.

-Exercising regularly.  The British Journal of Sports Medicine published a study reporting that people who exercise regularly catch fewer colds and when they do the duration and severity is less. On the mental/emotional level, moving the body moves stuck thought patterns and emotional responses.

- Taking Vitamin D is another way to prevent colds and flus, even more so than vaccines or antiviral medication as reported in a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  Vitamin D is naturally absorbed into our bodies from sun exposure, so with less of that here in Portland we often need to supplement.

-Drinking plenty of room temperature water.  As a general guideline, try to drink ½ your body weight in ounces of water per day.

-Sleeping 7-8 hours a night, trying to get to bed by 11pm.

-Breathe intentionally.  Taking just 2-3 deep breaths anytime and anywhere will automatically bring you into the present moment and calm the mind (2-3 minutes is even better!)  Inhaling down into the belly, then the rib cage and upper chest, and exhaling slowly and fully until the belly draws inward.

-Hydrotherapy can be used in many ways for pain and inflammation.  One simple way to invigorate overall blood flow and circulation that also helps prevent illness is to end your shower with 30-60 seconds of cool-cold water.  Then dry off and warm up immediately.

-Bring laughter, creativity and play into your daily life as well, in whatever form that takes for you!

Knowing the Facts about Vaccinating your kids

As a concerned parent and a health care provider, I wanted to know the facts about vaccinations and the illnesses and diseases that our children and we as adults are vaccinated against.  Currently, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) vaccination schedule recommends 23 shots before the age of 2, sometimes receiving up to 9 shots in one well-baby checkup.

Vaccinations seem to be such a touchy subject among health care providers as well as parents.  There are extremes for and against the vaccine debate.  Then there are some who feel their situation leaves them somewhere in the middle.

As a provider I receive questions such as: If I were to give my child any vaccinations, what would the most important ones be?  What are the risks associated with vaccinations and what are the risks if you choose not to vaccinate? Does vaccination guarantee immunity? Then there are the questions about the vaccine, the ingredients?….how do they work?….what are the risks of actually catching the disease with or without the vaccinations….?..what are the risks of serious adverse reactions to them?…

To help answer these questions I recently obtained continuing education (right here in our backyards of Portland, OR!) in Vaccine Consulting from a Immunologist/Ph.D from Yale and a local Naturopathic Doctor who have been studying and researching vaccinations over a number of years.

When it comes to vaccinating, the CDC and American Pediatric Association do not take into account the state or health of your child’s immune system or daily lifestyle factors that may increase or decrease the chance of your child catching certain diseases. A “Scientifically Holistic Approach to Childhood Vaccinations” called “Vaccine Consult” is emerging which takes into consideration YOUR individual child and the FACTS about vaccinations backed by current research- so that YOU as a parent can feel comfortable in your decisions.  What does a Vaccine Consult entail exactly?  How does this fit into my Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine/pediatric practice here at An Sen?

First and foremost, I think we as parents make the best decisions for our children by educating ourselves to the best of our ability.  During a Vaccine Consult, I will ask a lot of questions about your child, their siblings, their lifestyle, diet/nutrition and living conditions, as well as, your lifestyle, diet and nutrition, and living conditions as  parents.  I will perform a Chinese Medical pediatric new patient or existing patient exam to determine your child’s “individual constitution” to better serve in assessing risk factors in contracting certain diseases’.  What I will not do, is tell you what to do regarding vaccinating, but I will give you the facts about all these questions, so  as a parent you can make educated decisions that you feel are most appropriate for your child.  I will suggest treatment strategies via herbs, supplements, acupuncture and/or pediatric tuina to help boost your child’s constitution and immune system, or reduce negative side effects of the vaccinations you may choose for your children.  If you are interested in a Vaccine Consult, please do not hesitate to contact Alysia Anderson L.Ac, M.Ac.OM or the clinic with any further questions.

Chinese five-spice powder infuses this colorful stew with a warm, anise-y note.

Chinese Style beef, sweet potato, and bok choy stew.

The recipe says it serves 4 but we found that it serves 2 comfortably.  I suggest picking up some japanese style buckwheat noodles and cooking them on the side a la dente.  Add them to the stew upon serving. If you are a vegetarian or going light on the meat this week a healthy alternative might be to replace the rib eye with an exotic mushroom like- chanterelle/shiitake or with a wheat gluten- like seitan (unseasoned).

Heres what you need:

4 large garlic cloves, 1 piece fresh ginger (1 inch square), cut into chunks, 1-1 1/4 lbs beef rib-eye steaks (about 1 to 1 1/2 steaks), 1/2 tsp. high mineral sea salt, 1 tbsp. vege oil, 2 tsp chinese 5 spice powder(star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel, black pepper), 3 cups reduced sodium beef or vege broth, 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce, 1 deep orange sweet potato (12 oz, often labelled “yam”), 12 oz baby bok choy (about 4 heads), 2 green onions

1.  Whirl garlic and ginger in a food processor until minced.  Trim fat from steak and cut across the grain into 1/4 inch slices, discarding pockets of fat.  Sprinkle meat with half of garlic and all the salt.

2.  Heat oil in a 5-6 qt pan over high heat.  Brown half the beef lightly, stirring occasionally, 3-6 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a plate.  Repeat with remaining beef.

3.   Reduce heat to medium.  Add remaining garlic to pan and cook until softened, about 30 seconds.  Stir in five-spice powder, then broth and soy sauce.  Peel sweet potato, halve lengthwise, and cut in 1/3 in thick slices.  Add to broth.  Cover and bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile, trim ends from bok choy, rinse, separate leaves, and cut in wide diagonal slices.  Stir bok choy into stew and simmer just until wilted, about 2 minutes.  Stir in beef and cook until hot, 1-2 minutes.  Cut onions in 3 in-slivers.

5.  Ladle stew into bowels and garnish with onions.

Alysia Anderson, L.Ac., M.Ac.OM

An Sen Acupuncture & Massage Clinic

107 SE Washington St. Suite #134

Portland Oregon 97214

www.portlandacupuncture.net

info@portlandacupuncture.net

503-236-6633