Nicole LaFountain, LA.c

You will not meet a more loving, inclusive, funny, uplifting group of ladies than the ones I had the pleasure of working alongside, learning from and be-friending these past 2.5 years.

I have grown so much as an Acupuncturist, herbalist, healer and woman since moving to Charleston all on my own.

I will miss all of my amazing patients, who entrusted me with their healing. You were my greatest teachers and I will think of you all often!

I am on to a new adventure.

Stay tuned. ✌🏽💙📍

💐Spring has Sprung!💐

Spring means things are waking up and growth is occurring.

This can be an exciting but also a difficult time. It can bring irritability as we transition from rest to growth and movement. There can be a lot of resistance to change that can cause both emotional and physical unrest.

Things to do to ease into this change...
💐Go for walks, preferably outside
💐Play outside, move your qi and be creative
💐Drink some rose and mint tea to help soothe your liver
💐Baths and saunas to promote liver health
💐Spring cleaning and open the windows to cleanse the air on your house
💐 & of course Acupuncture is helpful too😉

I am so honored to have been nominated for a second year for Best Acupuncturist in Charleston!

Blue Heron Acupuncture and Apothecary (also nominated for best Acupuncture Practice again this year!) has been an amazing place to work and hone my skills.

Please consider taking time to vote for Blue Heron and me, it would mean so much!

Thank you to all my patients who trust me with their healing journeys!

*Link to vote is in post below*

We are SO honored and grateful to be nominated as finalists in the Best Acupuncture Practice and Best Acupuncturist categories. We would love your vote for Charleston City Paper’s Best of Charleston awards!

💙 Best Acupuncture Practice - Blue Heron
💙 Best Acupuncturist - Lisa Abernathy
💙 Best Acupuncturist - Nicole LaFountain

Vote Now through March 7th >> chscp.co/health23 ✨

Thank you so much for your support!

Love making this for the holidays!

Always good to hear this from my patients!🥰

🌅It's okay if you didn't get everything done you wanted to this weekend.

🌅It doesn't make you failure.

🌅 It makes you human.

🌅Some days we have the capacity to do more, and we can honor both the days we do and don't.

Period 💩

Do you get bowel changes during your period?

It can become quite severe!

Acupuncture and Herbs works so well for regulating gastrointestinal issues, so no surprise it'll help with the pesky digestive upset that makes you feel like you're purging everything from your lower half at the same time.

**ps **p

Menstrual Migraine/Headaches 😖
 
Let’s be honest managing your period can be quite the headache, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer menstrual headaches when the time comes. 
 
Headaches can occur for various reasons, even menstrual ones. Depending on how they feel, where they are located in your head and at what point during your cycle they come, will clue your acupuncturist in to what the cause of the headache is, and how best to treat it. 
 
Acupuncture and herbal medicine, as well as lifestyle including exercise and nutrition are effective for treating menstrual migraines/headaches. 
 
Did you know I can do in-person and virtual consultations? Book online today, link is in my bio!
 

🖐🏽Raise your hand if you have been told period cramps are normal. 
 
🖐🏻Raise your hand if you've been told the only way to make them better is either taking birth control or pain medication. 
 
🖐🏾Raise your hand if you have learned to just “deal with” the pain and believe it's just part of the cross we have to bear as women. 
 
If Birth control and medication hasn’t been enough, or you want to not rely on those methods, Chinese medicine can help! 
 
Using acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet, exercise and other modalities we can help your periods and pain become more manageable. There is no need to suffer. There are multiple reasons why your periods may be painful, in Chinese medicine, and we treat each diagnosis differently. 
 
👩🏽‍💻Did you know I can do in-person and virtual consultations? Book online today, link is in my bio!

I'll leave it to my patients to tell you how great acupuncture is.🤗

I want you to feel heard and listened to in your treatments.

Initial appointments take 90 minutes, because I want enough time for you to tell your story and for me to ask all the questions I need to ask.

90 minutes also allows for more time to discuss your treatment plan and give recommendations, as well as time for you to ask questions AND get treated.

I take into account all your body systems as well as mental and spiritual health. It's unlike any doctores appointment you've ever been to, and thats the point. So be prepared to bare it all, or what you want to/feel comfortable telling, that is, and start the healing.

Book with me online. Link in bio! 😊

The Kidneys are the root of our life. Kidneys store our essence, and essence is the substance with which humans are conceived. Our kidneys continue to support our development within the womb and out as we grow and change in our formative years. As the kidneys begin to wane in our late 30’s we begin to use up our reserves we’ve built up over the past 30 years. At the end of life, all our essence has been used.

Diet and lifestyle will either tax or nourish our kidneys throughout life. The more taxed your kidneys are the less reserves you have to use from later in life.

The Kidneys play an important role in many functions of the body in Chinese medicine. We see many issues with Kidneys in young children that have diseases of the bone, brain and other developmental delays, in menopause when the kidney yin begins to decrease as well as in the elderly when kidney yang also wavers causing things like incontinence, low back pain, feeling cold, lowered immunity, and osteoporosis.

☯️Testimonial Tuesday💆🏽‍♀️

Acupuncture + Bodywork is the greatest duo. Just ask my patients!

So grateful for all my amazing patients! 🥰

Back to Basics: Liver Flow⁣💚
⁣
Our livers have a vital role in the functioning of our bodies in both western and eastern medical lenses. In Chinese medicine, the liver governs the free flow of qi and blood. It's a joke amongst acupuncturists that Liver Qi stagnation is what plagues everyone, but there is some truth to it. From our younger years starting in our 20’s to about 50’s liver qi stagnation is a major player in our stress, anxiety and mood in general. ⁣
⁣
Smooth flow of qi and blood is essential for a harmonized, balanced and pain free life. The liver’s energy is mainly upward, but also outward in every direction. If its movement is inhibited you can see a wide range of issues, affecting any and all organs. Irritability, outbursts of anger, rib-side pain, red swollen eyes and high blood pressure may all be attributed to the liver. When it affects the stomach you may see acid reflux, burping or nausea/vomiting. When it affects the spleen you can see signs of Spleen qi deficiency creeping up. If the liver becomes top constrained and the qi bound heat or fire can occur causing more acute/intense signs. ⁣
⁣
The time of year associated with the liver is spring. As we are now entering spring we can feel the yang energy of the liver begin to take root and rise. Increased movement from the liver can cause feelings of irritability and discomfort after a long hibernation. Incorporating more movement into your life, like walks, yoga, cardio, can help let the qi flow smoother and allow for more stable emotions. ⁣
⁣
Menstrual health is also highly dependent on a well functioning liver both in western and Chinese medicine. In TCM the liver stores and releases the blood, so things like irregular periods or scanty menstruation and PMS can be caused by the liver. ⁣
⁣
Swipe to learn of the functions of the Liver! ⁣
⁣

⁣

Chinese Medicine can help!

I offer virtual herbal/dietary/lifestyle consultations.

Chinese Herbal medicine is safe and effective for treating women's health as well as much more.

Message me if you're interested in living WITH your cycle!

Back to Basics: Large Intestine 💩⁣
⁣
Let’s talk a “bowel” it. ⁣
⁣
Acupuncturists, love to talk about your bowels. How frequently you go, is it formed or loose, is there a foul odor? You get the jist. In my last post I mentioned how the lungs have the important job of keeping the bowels moistened. So, what does this mean, you may ask...⁣
⁣
Well, when the bowels are properly moistened, you are able to pass a formed stool that is not dry or hard. If the Large Intestine does become dry due to heat or poor water metabolism, this can lead to constipation. The large intestine has the job of letting go of rotten waste. This can translate to the emotions as well not only creating bowel constipation but also emotional constipation. An unwillingness to let things go can be a sign of large intestine imbalance as well. ⁣
⁣
The large intestine is also closely related to the stomach as they share a common function of filling and emptying. Heat in either of these organs and channels can create high fevers, and intense illness of the bowels and body. Illness such as a stomach bug or food poisoning often affect the large intestine and stomach (yang ming channel).⁣
⁣
Even more importantly the bowels for us women is where we get rid of excess estrogen. A buildup of too much estrogen can tax our liver and cause things like intense PMS symptoms as well as infertility. ⁣
⁣
Keep your bowels healthy by maintaining these habits:⁣
⁣
🚽Eat seeds and nuts: they are great for keeping your bowels moistened. Chia seeds are great for moistening and fiber. ⁣
⁣
🚽Eat your fiber: many fruits (with skins) and vegetables have fiber, as well as whole grains⁣
⁣
🚽Drink your water (duh!)⁣
⁣
🚽Move: even walking and deep belly breathing helps keep your bowels moving! ⁣
⁣
Stay regular!💩⁣
⁣
⁣

Back to Basics: Lungs⁣
⁣
In Chinese Medicine the lungs are likened to the canopy of trees, a delicate covering that filters what is needed for underneath and keeps out that which is harmful. ⁣
⁣
Most importantly the lungs govern qi. The lungs take in air to produce qi.They also govern downbearing and depuration of water, also known as water metabolism.. It is the first line of defense for our immune system as an organ, as well as it controls the skin and the opening and closing of our pores. The lungs open to the nose and connect to the throat. The emotion associated with the lungs is grief and the climate associate is dryness. Autumn is the time of year when the lungs are affected most. Keeping the lungs nourished and moistened is important for their health. ⁣
⁣
When the lungs are affected it often presents as a common cold, cough (chronic or acute), asthma, skin conditions, post-nasal drip, allergies, dry stools, frequent colds, etc. ⁣
⁣
Because the lungs regulate the waterways via the triple warmer (Sanjiao) it is tasked with keeping the skin hydrated. The lungs have a connection to the large intestine as well, which is why it’s water regulation affects the stools, becoming dry and leading to constipation. ⁣
⁣
As mentioned above, the lungs are not only connected to the skin but they also regulate the opening and closing of your pores. This is important when talking about sweating and our immune system. When the pores are constantly open, it can present as excessive/spontaneous sweat. When our pores are open our bodies are also more vulnerable to outside pathogens or “evils” such as cold, heat, wind, etc. This is why it is important to keep covered and warm, especially when it is windy. Wind carries in evils and the wind can cause your pores to open, especially if your lungs are weakened, causing illness such as the common cold to occur. ⁣
⁣
Stay warm folks! ⁣

⁣
Back to Basics: Easy to Digest⁣
⁣
If you have ever been, or ever go to an Acupuncturist, you might hear us talk about the spleen a lot. The spleen is one of the most important organs in somes schools of thought. The spleen is the organ of digestion, paired with the stomach. Looking at the Chinese medicine spleen through a western medical lens, the spleen to me is a combination of the western definition spleen and the pancreas. ⁣
⁣
Characteristics of the spleen in Chinese medicine:⁣
⁣
Governs movement and transformation of food and water and the distribution of its nutrients: it upbears the clear, usable nutrition to the lungs and heart and downbears the turbid contents to the intestines to be further separated until excreted. ⁣
⁣
Controls the blood : normal spleen functions as a holder of blood, keeping the fleshy arteries and veins strong to hold blood in. It is also key in producing the blood as well as qi. A failure of spleen qi to control the blood can manifest as frequent bruising, as well as other signs. ⁣
⁣
Governs the flesh: the flesh of the body relies on the spleen to nourish and keep the limbs firm and powerful. ⁣
⁣
Opens to the mouth: This points to the relationship between the spleen/stomach and appetite⁣
⁣
Upbears : the spleens movement in the body is mainly upward, and if weakness causes the qi of the spleen to fall down we often see things like prolapse of organs and frequent bowel movements.⁣
⁣
⁣
The spleen is an easily taxed organ. Overwork, stress, anxiety and worry as well as poor diet, take their toll on the spleen causing it to weaken and create a whole host of issues. The organs of digestion need rest time like good quality sleep, meditation, exercise to be able to function optimally. A few signs and symptoms that may point to an imbalance of the spleen in Chinese medicine are: bloating, worry/anxiety, persistent diarrhea/loose stools, fatigue, and prolapse. ⁣
⁣

⁣

How can Chinese medicine help you?

I have finished my first week of work as an Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Practitioner! ⁣🙌🏽
 ⁣
I have taken a huge leap out of my comfort zone. Moving 1,000 miles away from home, in the middle of an ongoing pandemic, knowing no one here and starting my own business are just a few of the challenges. Growth is scary, messy, enlightening, life changing and brilliant. That being said, I am so incredibly grateful to have found Blue Heron Acupuncture which is such a great place to work. It has been one of the easiest work transitions, especially when the rest of the brilliant women on the team here is so supportive and welcoming! ⁣
 ⁣
After three years of dreaming, buckets of blood, sweat and tears, and a plethora of signs from the universe; I’m doing something I thought impossible many years ago. ⁣
 ⁣
I’m so excited to learn what Charleston has to offer, and help those seeking wellness care. ⁣❤
⁣
To learn more and schedule an appointment, please visit www.blueheroncharleston.com.⁣

How can I help you?

The time has come! Nicole will be taking patients beginning in January of 2021. ⁣
 ⁣
Nicole is moving to South Carolina and is honored to be working at the wonderful in Charleston! ⁣
 ⁣
For those that do not know, Nicole is a licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist, and graduated in August of 2020 with two Masters and a Bachelors. As a licensed MassageTherapist in the state of New York with over 7 years of experience as well as a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant with over 5 years experience, Nicole is excited to use her knowledge from all three disciplines to bring her patients the best care possible. Nicole is equipped to help those with a variety of conditions, but has a passion especially for Women’s health. ⁣
 ⁣
Do you not live in Charleston, but are interested in Chinese Medicine for yourself? Don’t fret, Nicole is also able to do virtual consultations. A virtual treatment can be composed of any of the following depending on your individual needs: Herbal therapy, acupressure, qi gong exercises and TCM dietary recommendations. ⁣
⁣
To learn more and schedule an appointment with Nicole, please visit www.blueheroncharleston.com.⁣
 ⁣

Working with-yin ❄⁣
 ⁣
Ummm, it’s 4:15 and feels like midnight⁣
I’m struggling to stay awake by 7pm⁣
& find myself not wanting to get out of my cozy bed…⁣
Who else can relate?🖐🏽⁣
 ⁣
In today’s society we are working at the same speed 24/7, 365 days of the year, and I for one am SO over it. ⁣
 ⁣
These past couple years I have been trying to live more in accordance with the seasons and have found huge shifts in my mood and life. ⁣
 ⁣
Living in accordance to season is not a new concept. It’s an ancient one that comes from Chinese medicine, Daoism, Native cultures, paganism and more. ⁣
 ⁣
We are nearing the most yin time of year, aka: winter solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, yule etc.. It’s not a coincidence that during this time we are feasting and cozying up with family. This is the time to nourish and recuperate from the busy summer and spring.⁣
⁣
Feeling like you want to go to bed at 7 or 8pm? I encourage it. Most living things have entered some form of hibernation and so should we. Instead of hating the fact that the days are short, we should take this time to slow down physically and mentally. ⁣
 ⁣
Expecting ourselves to be at 100% energy all year round is kind of ridiculous. It’s colder out, it’s darker out and I for one am choosing to drink hot tea, read a book, watch a movie, cuddle up, be gentle with myself, and do it all guilt free. How can we expect to be hyper-productive when the sun isn’t even out for most of the day? Instead of working against what your body is telling you what to do, start listening and giving it what it needs. I think you’ll begin to find that when you live by listening to what you need you will be less tired and become less sick/stressed. ⁣
 ⁣
We should try to celebrate the solstice and remember that starting after this day (Dec.21st) it slowly begins to stay lighter each night as the yang begins to rise again. ☀️⁣
 ⁣
It is never selfish to take care of yourself, and I invite you to try to let go of any guilt that may invade your space. You have made it through a dark and yin year, so remember everything in the world will start toward a yang state eventually.

Yuletide Blessings🎉

Why would your Chinese medicine practitioner want to give you herbal medicine as well as acupuncture?

Simply put, acupuncture cannot “add” substance to your body, it simply regulates, harmonizes, stimulates and uses what your body has to promote healing. For conditions such as a deficiency of blood, yin, fluid, qi and yang, these things cannot be created out of nothing and so practitioners rely on dietary therapy and herbal medicine to make up for this.

For example, if you are tired sitting at your desk you can take a nap to refresh and give yourself energy. However, as we use up all our energy stores we will eventually need things like food to nourish ourselves to make and store more energy to face a new day.

For many conditions, especially complex cases, herbal and dietary therapy is very important for getting dramatic change and lasting results. Like any medicine, it may take a few sessions to find the right formula for you and the right dosages, but it can help treat a wide variety of conditions and is a great compliment to acupuncture.

Not only will taking herbs between your acupuncture appointments speed up the healing process, but it means your treatments' benefits last longer, and in many cases, do more than what acupuncture alone can achieve.

If you have any questions on what conditions herbal medicine can treat, and/or if you are a candidate, please contact your Chinese medicine practitioner.