What’s the Point?
Nestled in the heartland of Virginia, Needle in a Haystack, LLC provides acupuncture and herbal therapy to the rural community residents of Albemarle, Nelson, and surrounding counties. With a background rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Lindsay Delph, L. Ac, Dipl.OM, MSOM, offers a multifactor approach to reach patients where they are and help them get to where they intend to be in respect to their health & wellbeing of mind, body, and spirit.
TCM is considered a holistic approach to healthcare.
What is TCM?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a medical system that has been used for thousands of years to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. The first writings date back to 200 BCE when acupuncture and herbal medicine were recorded in classical Chinese texts. It is based on the belief that Qi, (pronounced, “chi”) the body's vital energy, flows along meridians (channels) in the body and keeps a person’s spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical health in balance. Qi is made up of opposite and complementary forces called yin and yang.
Any imbalance to Qi, or yin and yang, can cause disease and illness. TCM aims to restore the body’s balance and harmony between yin and yang. Ancient Chinese believed that humans are microcosms of the larger surrounding universe, interconnected with nature and subject to its forces. Balance between health and disease is a key concept. TCM treatment seeks to restore this balance through treatment specific to the individual and is considered a holistic approach to healthcare.
Four Key TCM Principles
Your body is an integrated whole. Each structure in your body is an integral and necessary part of the whole. Along with your mind, emotions, and spirit, your physical body structures form a miraculously complex, interrelated system that is powered by life force – Qi, or vital energy.
You are completely connected to nature. Changes in nature are always reflected in your body. TCM factors in the season, geographical location, time of day, as well as your age, constitution, and the condition of your body when looking at your health issues.
You were born with a natural self-healing ability. Your body is a microcosm that reflects the macrocosm. Think about it: nature has a regenerative capacity, and so do you. Sometimes, this ability may appear to be lost or difficult to access. In most cases, it is never completely gone.
Prevention is the best cure. Do you know your body is continually revealing signs about the state of your health? Let’s face it, it’s common to ignore these signs or symptoms until something more complicated arises. TCM teaches you how to interpret what your body is telling you.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the practice of penetrating the skin with thin, solid, sterile, metallic, single use needles which are then activated through gentle and specific movements of the practitioner's hands. It is a technique in which practitioners stimulate specific points on the body, balancing the flow of Qi. The human body has more than 2,000 acupuncture points connected by meridians. By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will re-balance. In contrast, many Western practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. Studies suggest that this stimulation boosts your body's natural painkillers, affects areas in the brain involved in processing pain, and reduces inflammation.
Does it hurt?
Acupuncture is done using hair-thin needles. Most people report feeling nothing, or minimal pain as the needle is inserted. The needle is inserted to a point that produces a sensation of pressure or ache. Needles may be heated during the treatment or mild electric current may be applied to them. Some people report acupuncture makes them feel energized. Others say they feel relaxed. Relatively few complications from using acupuncture have been reported.
Are herbs safe?
Under the guidance of a trained and certified TCM practitioner, Chinese medicinal herbs are completely safe. TCM should not be used as a replacement for conventional or allopathic treatment, especially for serious conditions; but it may be beneficial when used as a complementary therapy. TCM herbal medicines can interfere or be toxic when combined with Western medicines; therefore, you should always inform your doctor if you are using TCM and about any herbs or supplements you are taking.
You should not take Chinese herbs without supervision, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Chinese herbal products, particularly those manufactured outside of the United States, are often poorly labeled and important information may be missing. A trained and certified TCM practitioner can identify herbs that are safe to take and will be able to explain any drug interactions, or potential side effects, of the herbs they prescribe.
Commitment to Small Farming
Lindsay and her husband Jack own and operate Hindes Harmony Farm, LLC, a small family farm located in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central VA. We care deeply about producing nutritious high-quality food in harmony with nature. It is our belief that the health of a farm needs to be balanced with producing vegetables sustainably and raising animals humanely. We are passionate about improving the health of our soils because we believe that by doing so, we can improve the health of plants and animals; thereby, improving the health of people in our community. Farm products include beef, chicken, eggs, and produce.
Patients of Needle in a Haystack, LLC are always welcome and encouraged to come visit our farm for a tour and invited to participate in small gardening workshops. We are here to help people take a stake in their health by learning to produce and consume food locally to close the gap between healthcare and living in harmony with nature.
