Diaz (right) demonstrates the “stress-buster” acupuncture treatment on Aimee Reither.
Rather than hitting the bar for some after-work stress relief, try a new kind of happy hour offered at the Phoenix Natural Medicine and Detox Center.
Acupuncture Happy Hour occurs every Wednesday from 3 to 5 p.m. at the center’s location on the corner of Roosevelt Street and 3rd Avenue in Historic Roosevelt. The sessions provide locals with the healing effects of Chinese medicine for just $25.
Aeimee Diaz, a Chinese medicine practitioner, said the happy hour deal includes a “stress-buster” treatment, perfect for people dealing with anxiety, insomnia or just a plain old bad day.
“People will come in so stressed out, and they leave completely stress-free,” Diaz said. “Because they become balanced in mind, body and spirit, things that bothered them before don’t exist anymore.”
Diaz explained how the placement of tiny needles into one’s body triggers certain pressure points, which can have various healing effects.
In this case, the energies help to mellow a person out.
For those who don’t do needles.
During a session, a person either sits or lies down while Diaz inserts approximately five needles into each of the customer’s ears, a location close to the brain’s energetic pathways. The needles are about the length of a fingernail and extremely skinny, so they cause minimal pain or discomfort, Diaz explained.
She added that almost immediately, the needles begin to work their magic.
“We store emotions in the body, but with acupuncture, people will have emotional releases,” Diaz said. “It’s usually difficult for people to meditate or relax, so when they’re able to get to a space where they can, emotions can be processed much more easily.”
For those who cannot imagine feeling at peace with needles stuck in their ears, Diaz said she can also use pellets rather than needles for the same kind of effect.
She added that the pellets stick onto the ears with adhesive tape to hit the proper pressure points, which is great for kids or people with a fear of needles. One child she treated was even able to get off of ADHD medication due to the calming effects of acupuncture.
Daisy Villalobos enjoys the immediate relaxing effects of acupuncture.
“It’s more relaxing than other forms of medication,” Diaz added. “They enter a happier place and are no longer in an unstable state of mind.”
Diaz demonstrated the “stress-busting” procedure on colon hydrotherapist Aimee Reither and massage therapist Daisy Villalobos. Both said they felt more relaxed and clear-minded after the treatment.
“It helps unblock energy,” Reither said. “When I have it done, I feel revitalized afterwards, and it lasts for hours. I like acupuncture a lot because I prefer taking a more natural approach to health.”
Villalobos said she also likes the long-lasting effects of acupuncture and how she never needs to worry about side effects.
“It naturally aids the body so it can cure itself, and it clears the mind to allow the soul to be well,” she added.
