tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306968770551689112024-03-13T17:48:16.826-04:00Cultivating Health with Chinese MedicineAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.comBlogger141125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-29577819911215566312013-03-12T07:26:00.002-04:002013-03-12T07:26:44.772-04:00Acupuncture for Management of Work-Related Stress and Anxiety<br />
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Guest Blogger: Kristen Danish, LAP </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9RC97jk4QR8/UT8Pow75M2I/AAAAAAAAATI/ei5CHfAm2L0/s1600/flikr+scream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9RC97jk4QR8/UT8Pow75M2I/AAAAAAAAATI/ei5CHfAm2L0/s320/flikr+scream.jpg" width="232" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It seems that stress has
become an all too familiar work companion for most people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether caused by work relationships, getting
to and from work, or the work itself, stress shows up and the effects of it
come in many forms.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">What is stress?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a normal physiological response to the
demands of life, the physical adaptation to deal with the impending dangers of
the natural world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can help improve
your chances of survival by increasing hormone levels, heart rate, breathing
and mental awareness. Stress can even assist you to work and perform more
effectively when needed for your job when the pressures on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Our bodies are designed to
help us react to stressful events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the first sign of a threat, whether real or perceived, our sympathetic nervous
system activates and facilitates our “fight or flight” response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our heart rate increases, our pupils dilate,
and our digestion temporarily shuts down, directing more blood to our
extremities, so that if need be, we can either fight what is threatening us or
turn and run if it is too formidable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">When we are healthy and the
stress is short-lived, we are usually able to recover without too much wear and
tear on our overall health.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However if
stress is on-going for a long period of time or becomes extreme, our emotional
health and ultimately, our physical health begins to suffer. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The flight or fight response
is great if we’re avoiding a car accident or responding to a bear sighting on a
hike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it the “threat” is a
demanding boss, nasty co-worker or even a worrisome situation that is not being
resolved, this response does not serve us as intended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite often, the stress in our lives is
long-term and as a result we find ourselves in a constant state of “flight or
fight.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over time, this condition takes
its toll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cortisol, the body’s stress
hormone elevates, blood pressure increases, and our immune function is
suppressed. If not relieved, these symptoms will become worse and can develop
into anxiety, depression, fatigue, digestive problems, tight shoulders, and
tension headaches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This continual
stressed state is detrimental to your reserves of vitality and energy which
begins to interfere with your ability to fight off disease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It has been difficult to
develop a controlled, blinded study measuring the effects of acupuncture on
stress relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, a recent study
conducted by researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center in
Washington, D.C., it was shown that when treated with electro-acupuncture
properly, neuropeptides, the protein that are increased to handle stressful
situations, were measurably reduced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine on January 1,
2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In another study conducted by 2
researchers at Yale University School of Medicine, a group of patients was
assembled for a blind, randomized,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>controlled trial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The patients
were undergoing surgery which created an acute anxiety condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The study found that while acupuncture
treatment did not produce physiological changes, subjects who received acupuncture
experienced a profound change in their behavioral anxiety levels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, they stated that “The results of
the study suggest that acupuncture may be an effective treatment for
individuals experiencing intense levels of daily stress and anxiety.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">In Chinese medicine, stress,
anxiety, depression or any strong emotion interrupts the smooth flow of energy
throughout the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We look at all of
the different “channels” of energy to find where it is moving either too fast,
too slow, or has become stagnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
channels are related to and named after different organs, for example, with
stress we are generally interested in the <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/chinesemedicine.htm" target="_blank">TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)</a> liver organ system. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the body is overworked or
overwhelmed by stress, it tights up. This tightening affects the TCM Liver organ and related channel. The Liver is responsible for moving qi (energy) throughout the body. When the body tights up due to stress, the Liver qi becomes inhibited, slows down and become blocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/document/page_resources/stress.pdf" target="_blank">These blockages lead to all of the symptoms resulting from too much stress.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Through <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/acupuncture.htm" target="_blank">acupuncture</a>, these
energy blockages can be addressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Acupuncture points energize and get the channels flowing smoothly
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Treatments not only alleviate the
symptoms of stress and anxiety, but the stress itself, helping to prevent
further symptomatic episodes caused by it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By balancing the mind and body, our reactions to the same situations can
be calmer, more relaxed and less upsetting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is referred to as a sense of well-being and is long lasting,
especially with some effort by the patient.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">From a Western medical
viewpoint, acupuncture works to alleviate stress by releasing neurotransmitters
and natural pain-killing endorphins from the brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, acupuncture improves circulation
of blood, which oxygenates the tissues and cycles out cortisol and other waste
chemicals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The calming nature of
acupuncture also lowers blood pressure, decreases heart rate if needed, and
relaxes the muscles and mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>By using acupuncture for stress, the entire
body and mind become balanced and stronger and better able to handle the next
situation that shows up in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
is no down side, it’s relatively painless and the only side effects are
increased relaxation, more energy and a better nights sleep. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;">This post was written for <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/" target="_blank">Bartlett Acupunctureand Herbal Medicine</a> by Karen Danish, LAP. Karen is a licensed<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;">physician and a valued staff member at <a href="http://tampaacupuncture.org/" target="_blank">AnneHermann MD, PA</a>.</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo: Scream-08 (small)<span style="font-size: xx-small;">,</span> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/salforduniversity/4054770615/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">University of Salford</span></a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/salforduniversity/4054770615/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, fli<span style="font-size: xx-small;">ckr crea<span style="font-size: xx-small;">ti<span style="font-size: xx-small;">ve commons 2.0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=30696877055168911" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-13491517251410305612013-02-13T11:30:00.000-05:002013-02-13T12:04:36.954-05:00Happy Chinese New Year - Year of the Water Snake<div style="text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fMSSrj6zPCY/URu_N-Ne6vI/AAAAAAAAASo/lj9v_XxR048/s1600/year+of+snake+flckr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fMSSrj6zPCY/URu_N-Ne6vI/AAAAAAAAASo/lj9v_XxR048/s320/year+of+snake+flckr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Chinese lunar Year of the Water Snake began February 10th. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Chinese New Year's Days are also called the Spring
Festival. The Spring Festival lasts 10 days, the
Snake Year lasts one lunar year (12 months) until
Jan. 30, 2014.</span></span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Chinese lunar calendar began in 2697 BC when the Yellow Emperor (Huang Di) became king. The Yellow Emperor is important for Chinese medicine as he is credited for coalescing the Chinese medical knowledge at that time into one volume, The Yellow's Emperor's Classic (Huang Di Nei Jing) which lays out the basic theory of <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/chinesemedicine.htm" target="_blank">Chinese medicine</a>. This volume is credited with being the world's oldest medical text. Chinese medical practitioners continue to study the this text today to gain a deeper understanding of the medicine.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_%28zodiac%29" target="_blank" title="Chinese zodiac animal race">Wi</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_%28zodiac%29" target="_blank" title="Chinese zodiac animal race">kipedia</a> tells the story of the order of the Chinese zodiac signs:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">According
to one mythical legend, there is a reason for the order of the 12
animals in the 12 year cycle. The story goes that a race was held to
cross a great river, and the order of the animals in the cycle was
based upon their order in finishing the race. In this story, the snake
compensated for not being the best swimmer by hitching a hidden ride on
the horses hoof, and when the horse was just about to cross the finish
line, jumping out, scaring the horse, and thus edging it out for sixth
place.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The snake symbolizes transformation: shedding of the skin, so expect some<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>changes this year.<i> </i>Stephanie Dempsie notes on <i><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/10/chinese-horoscope-year-of-the-water-snake_n_2631078.html" target="_blank" title="Year of the Snake">Huffington Post.com</a> </i>that</span><span style="font-size: small;"> it is important to do your research prior to making any big decisions during Snake years, as things are not always what they seem to be on the surface.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The water refers to the five element system, which we also use for diagnosis in Chinese medicine. The five elements are earth, air, water, fire and wood. The Chinese zodiac moves through these five elements. So one year is the water snake, another is the fire rabbit, and so on. You might think of water as a modifier to the zodiac sign. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Taoists respect water for its ability to adapt and transform. It can be hard, as ice and break objects, such as rock. Or mutable and flowing, like a river and move around obstructions, like boulders. Water teaches us to be flexible in approaching the challenges that life presents.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span style="color: #990000;"><b><i>Gung Hay Fat Choy</i></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo<span style="font-size: xx-small;">: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/newtown_grafitti/5423932455/sizes/m/" target="_blank">newtown grafitti</a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, </span>flickr Creative Commons 2.0</span></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-39041662471618168282012-11-06T12:05:00.000-05:002013-03-12T08:01:29.284-04:00Cancer Study Says Avoid Red Meat<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This post comes from my colleague, Dr. <a href="http://martyeisen.wordpress.com/about/" target="_blank">Marty Eisen<span style="color: #660000;">.</span></a> A new study by the American Association for Cancer Research supports recommendations by the World Cancer Research Fund to limit red meat intake and avoid processes meats to reduce risk of digestive organ cancer.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dietary protein is made up of amino acids, which can be turned into
"biogenicamines." Previous research has shown that the processing and
storage of red meat, like liver and salami, increases amine
concentrations. When these amin<span style="font-size: small;">e</span>s are in the presence of nitrites, they
create "nitrosamines,"which have been linked to cancer. Moreover, the
heme iron (found in red meat) may increase the formation of
nitrosamines.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A new study investigated whether people's DNA-repairing enzymes could
limit the damage. A wide array of genetic variables were tested by using
collected data from 355 bladder cancer cases and 409 controls.
They found that the link between red meat and bladder cancer was
significantly higher in people with a certain genetic makeup.<br />
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These results support recommendations by the World Cancer Research Fund
to limit red meat intake, and to avoid processed meats to reduce risk for
stomach and bowel cancer. It also suggests that exposure to red meat can
affect secondary organs, like the bladder<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>as well as the stomach and
intestines. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">See -<br />
<a href="http://www.aacr.org/home/public--media/aacr-press-releases.aspx?d=2882" target="_blank">Red Meat Linked to Another Type of Cancer</a><br />
"<span style="font-size: small;">Two</span> components of red meat combined with alteration in DNA repair increase
risk for bladder cancer," American Association for Cancer Research,
October 17,2012.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In Chinese med<span style="font-size: small;">icine<span style="font-size: small;">, we <span style="font-size: small;">see</span> <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/document/page_resources/Cancer.pdf" target="_blank">tumors </a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/document/page_resources/Cancer.pdf" target="_blank">as physical stagnations</a> in the body. Qi<span style="font-size: small;"> (energy) must <span style="font-size: small;">flow smoothly to preserve health. <span style="font-size: small;">Emotions, such as de<span style="font-size: small;">pression or stress causes the body<span style="font-size: small;"> processes to slow down and tighten up. When this happens, qi do<span style="font-size: small;">es not move<span style="font-size: small;">. <span style="font-size: small;">Qi moves <span style="font-size: small;">the b<span style="font-size: small;">ody fluids and body. Qi stagnation causes blood and fluid stagnation<span style="font-size: small;">. When blood and fluids coagulate, tumo<span style="font-size: small;">rs form. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Toxins, such as </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">nitrosamines create heat <span style="font-size: small;">and in<span style="font-size: small;">flammation in the body. <span style="font-size: small;">This interferes with<span style="font-size: small;"> the<span style="font-size: small;"> smooth flow of qi<span style="font-size: small;">, blood and fluids, and hen<span style="font-size: small;">ce tumors will form. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In addition<span style="font-size: small;"> to avoid<span style="font-size: small;">ing know carcig<span style="font-size: small;">ens, TCM (T<span style="font-size: small;">raditional Chinese Medicine) re<span style="font-size: small;">comm<span style="font-size: small;">ends re<span style="font-size: small;">gula<span style="font-size: small;">r maintenance <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/acupuncture.htm" target="_blank">acupuncture</a> treatments to keep the <span style="font-size: small;">qi<span style="font-size: small;">, body and fluids moving, as part of a preventative care <span style="font-size: small;">routine. <span style="font-size: small;">A mon<span style="font-size: small;">thly interval for t</span></span>hese maintenan<span style="font-size: small;">ce treatme<span style="font-size: small;">nts<span style="font-size: small;"> is optimal, especially during periods of <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/document/page_resources/stress.pdf" target="_blank">stress</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-79094280893691667452012-08-08T12:48:00.001-04:002013-03-12T07:43:04.558-04:00Talk & Demonstration: Acupuncture for Pain Relief<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zEBIbO3dBZk/UCKXJbtnBDI/AAAAAAAAAP8/L8bTYMgtlQ4/s1600/Listeners+&+Acup+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zEBIbO3dBZk/UCKXJbtnBDI/AAAAAAAAAP8/L8bTYMgtlQ4/s320/Listeners+&+Acup+chart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>7p Malaprops Tuesday Aug 14th.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Learn about <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/acupuncture.htm" target="_blank">acupuncture</a>'s effectiveness in treating various pain
conditions including muscles & <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/document/page_resources/Shoulder%20Pain.pdf" target="_blank">joints</a>, back, neck, headache, gyn
cramping, adhesions & stomach pain. Yes, All Types of Pain.</span></li>
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See an <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=a5hiF_IUUaU" target="_blank">acupuncture demonstration of instant pain relief</a> on various
patients including: back, neck, sprained ankle, headache, chest pain and
arthritis.</li>
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<li> Have your questions answered by an <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/bio.htm" target="_blank">experienced acupuncturist</a>.</li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-69459923421573662902012-06-28T14:06:00.000-04:002013-03-12T08:03:39.822-04:00Anti Cancer Effects of Maitake Mushroom<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From my colleague <a href="http://martyeisen.wordpress.com/about/" target="_blank">Marty Eisen, LAc</a>:</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zakMfD_zpm0/T-yYUDwI0tI/AAAAAAAAAPs/UPvhRyoHMEw/s1600/maitake+mushroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zakMfD_zpm0/T-yYUDwI0tI/AAAAAAAAAPs/UPvhRyoHMEw/s320/maitake+mushroom.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Research by Hiroaki Nanba, Ph.D., a professor of microbial chemistry at
Kobe Pharmaceutical University in Japan, shows that one powerful
mushroom can be used to treat cancer. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
Dr. Nanba administered Maitake mushroom to cancer patients. The patients
took no anticancer drugs. Yet the mushroom helped to halt the cancer’s
progression.</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Memorial Sloan-Kettering is one of the world’s premier cancer centers.
Their experts are also recognizing the anticancer effects of this
mushroom. They’ve completed trials that show it helps breast cancer
patients. </span><br />
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</span><br />
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Researchers found that this mushroom had anti-tumor effects also enhances
immune function. Maitake also contains a highly-concentrated
cancer-fighting compound known as D-Fraction.</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">According to a 2009 study published the Journal of Cancer Research and
Clinical Oncology, Maitake D-Fraction activates cells that help fight
cancer and other health dangers. This includes T-helper cells, which
direct your immune system to focus exactly where it’s needed most,
macrophages, which engulf and consume cellular debris while keeping
cells healthy, and natural killer (NK) cells that target tumor cells and
destroy them.</span><br />
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Among the cancer patients Dr. Nanba treated, 86.4 percent saw an increase in NK cells.</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Maitake D-Fraction also suppresses production of other immune cells and so brings your immune system into perfect balance. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Dr. Nanba says this potent substance is most effective against breast, liver and lung cancer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
Maitake can be found in health food stores. Look for formulas that
combine Maitake powder and D-fraction. Maitake D-fraction is available
in both liquid and tablet form. A recommended formula yields at least 15
mg of D-fraction and 500 mg of Maitake powder. You can also try the
dried mushroom itself. Experts suggest a daily dose of 3-7
grams.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/frankenstoen/6121428844/in/photostream" target="_blank">frakenstoen</a>, Flickr Creative Commons 2.0</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-44965705432563523772012-06-08T16:55:00.000-04:002013-04-23T14:47:39.257-04:00Studies Show Acupuncture Improves Athletic Performance<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LRVuLQVkKJs/T9JlWktMvuI/AAAAAAAAAPg/anQeJcWn61w/s1600/Flickr+basketball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LRVuLQVkKJs/T9JlWktMvuI/AAAAAAAAAPg/anQeJcWn61w/s400/Flickr+basketball.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Studies are beginning to confirm <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/acupuncture.htm" target="_blank">acupuncture</a>'s ability to improve athletic performance. One example is a study of basketball players
published in 2009 in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine. The
study of 30 male elite university basketball players were randomly
assigned to 3 groups: acupuncture group, sham group, and a control group. The acupuncture group got real acupuncture on 2
commonly used acupuncture points (P6 and ST36). The sham group had
needles placed 1 cm away from the actual point location. The control
group had no acupuncture. The subjects rode an exercise bike until
exhaustion, and were tested at various intervals before, during and
after exercise for heart rate (HT), oxygen consumption (VO2max) and
blood lactic acid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The
acupuncture group had significantly lower heart rate, VO2max and blood
lactic acid 30 minutes post exercise than the sham and control group.
60min post exercise the acupuncture group still had lower lactic acid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The study's authors note:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In
the athletic world, many nations have long strived for developing
competitive advantages in sports by employing various scientific methods
to improve the athletes’ peak performance in hope of winning
competitions. Developing effective methods to help the athletes quickly
recover from muscle fatigue after exercise training or fierce
competitions and to help them achieve the best physiological situations
is deemed essential, especially prior to international competitions.
Acupuncture, one of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) techniques,
has long been used in clinic to treat illnesses or release pains for
thousands of years; it was also known to help in recovering from muscle
fatigue after exercise. . .</span></div>
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<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">From the scientific
perspective, athletic ability can be a combination of various elements,
including muscular strength, speed, power, muscular and cardiopulmonary
endurance, flexibility, agility, and balance and coordination, among
others. Cardiopulmonary endurance is perhaps the most essential element
for all types of sports. VO2max is a fundamental indicator for measuring
the cardiovascular endurance. The level of VO2max is one of the
critical elements for succeeding in endurance sports because an upper
limit of oxygen consumption does exist for each person. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">During
the normal exercise training, it is important to properly adjust the
quantity of exercise, according to the regularity of dynamic changes in
athletes, to prevent them from excessive exercise training or unbearable
load. Prior to competitions, however, designing effective methods to
help the athletes achieve the best situation so as to outperform others
is immediately necessary. Since muscle fatigue was reported to closely
relate to human performance (Bigland-Ritchie and Woods, 1984; So et al.,
2007) and acupuncture has been regarded as an effective method to
improve the rate of muscle recovery after exercise (Ehrlich and Haber,
1992; Qu et al.,1993; Lin et al., 1995;Wang et al., 1999), this study
aimed to conduct scientific experiments on selected athletes to
investigate in-depth the effects of acupuncture stimulation on recovery
abilities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">These results indicated that acupuncture at
Neiguan (PC6) and Zusanli (ST36) could significantly stimulate the
post-exercise recovery of heart rate, oxygen consumption, and blood
lactic acid for the elite basketball athletes. Our findings indicate
that it is beneficial to carry out acupuncture at PC6 and ST36
acupoints, particularly on the eves of competitions, as to enhance the recovery
ability for elite basketball athletes. This study has made an inspiring
attempt to understand in-depth of the recovery system and physiological
profile of basketball athletes by acupuncture. It would facilitate the
coaches to provide more appropriate training schemes and recovery plans
for the elite basketball athletes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ringai/5398408152/sizes/m/in/photostream/" target="_blank">hitthatswitch</a>, Flickr Creative Commons 2.0</span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-84794517251314989322012-05-30T17:26:00.000-04:002012-05-30T17:26:03.618-04:00Chinese Medicine for Summer: Acupuncture for Sports Injuires & Herbal First Aid<br />
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Please join me for an interesting evening learning practical information
about herbal first aid and acupuncture for sports injuri<span class="text_exposed_show">es. </span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show"><b>7p Malaprops - Tuesday June 12th </b></span></h3>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KoIPrlplyoE/T8aPtjqb9YI/AAAAAAAAAPU/FjIAyICXSZ8/s1600/Listeners+&+Acup+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KoIPrlplyoE/T8aPtjqb9YI/AAAAAAAAAPU/FjIAyICXSZ8/s320/Listeners+&+Acup+chart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li>Receive practical
information about herbal first aid and the use of acupuncture for sports injuries. </li>
<li>Learn remedies you can do yourself to heal cuts, wounds,
<a href="http://acukath.blogspot.com/search/label/Scar%20therapy" target="_blank">scars</a>, <a href="http://acukath.blogspot.com/search/label/Burns" target="_blank">burns</a>, hives & rashes, including <a href="http://www.acukath.blogspot.com/search/label/Poison%20Ivy" target="_blank">poison ivy</a>. </li>
<li>See an
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=a5hiF_IUUaU" target="_blank">acupuncture demonstration for pain relief</a>, including sprained ankles. </li>
<li>Hear why acupuncturists recommend against using ice on injuries, after
the first 24 hours.</li>
<li>Ask your questions during an informal Q
& A and discussion after the presentation.</li>
<li> Take home practical
knowledge and handouts with directions </li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br /> Enjoy this dynamic, informative & interesting evening.</span><br />
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<a href="http://acukath.blogspot.com/search/label/Poison%20Ivy" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><br /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-81180889362144884172012-05-18T11:43:00.000-04:002012-06-08T17:29:31.237-04:00Inspiration for Career Success: It's Not About the Money<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1JWf1FX5Org/T7ZrDcZu99I/AAAAAAAAAOg/T4azIgW5h2c/s1600/Soaring+Bird+in+Marine+Flikr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1JWf1FX5Org/T7ZrDcZu99I/AAAAAAAAAOg/T4azIgW5h2c/s640/Soaring+Bird+in+Marine+Flikr.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I have a couple of inspirational clippings which live on my desk that i thought i might share. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The first comes from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Myrick" target="_blank">Daniel Myrick</a>, director of the <i>Blair Witch Project</i>, amongst others. the quotation comes from a 4/24/08 interview in the NY Times:</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">'Blair Witch' </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">gave me some financial security at a time which I was having trouble coming up the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">money to pay the phone bill </span>. . . <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">being able to say no, to only make the work that you really love and have a good time doing it, is another way to be successful.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The </span><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">second comes from </span><i style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherry_Lansing" target="_blank">Sherry Lansing</a>'s Success Rules for Graduates</i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> in the </span><i style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">UCLA</i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Alumni Magazine, fall/winter 2004 issue.</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At the time, Ms. Lansing was the chairperson of the Motion Picture Group of Paramount Pictures, a member of the <i>UCLA</i> Theater, Film & Television Dean's Advisory Board and a University of California Regent. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The </span><i style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">UCLA</i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Alumni Magazine describes Lansing's rise:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Although Lansing's parents wanted her to marry and become an office assistant to her doctor boyfriend, she dreamed of being part of the movies."But at the at time, telling somebody that you wanted to be in the movie business was like telling somebody that your wanted to go to the moon, " she said.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Undaunted, on the day of her graduation from Northwestern University, Lansing loaded up her car and headed to California. . . In 1980, at Twentieth Century Fox, she made history by becoming the first woman in the motion picture industry to hold the position of president of production.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These comments were part of a her keynote address to the <i>UCLA</i> Class of 2004, delivered 6/18/04. I have found these thoughtfully composed words a creed to live by:</span><br />
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<li style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">Follow your dreams.</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Be persistent.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Enjoy the process, and the results will come. </li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Do the work. There really are no short cuts.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Accept responsibility, especially for failures.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Be yourself. Develop your own style.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Change is good. New risks and new challenges keep you alive. </li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Don't be afraid to fail. Fear of failure leads to mediocrity. If you play it safe you will make boring movies, boring plays and boring songs -- and, worse yet, you will live a boring life.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Don't forget to have a personal life. Relationships with family and friends are simply the most important things in life.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Don't forget the F word -- Fun. Try to have fun every day! Without fun, nothing else makes any sense. It's an important component of life, and humor and fun can get you through almost anything. </span></li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Both of these quotes are from a by-gone era, before the Great Recession, or the Lesser Depression, as Nobel prize winning economist Paul Krugman describes our current economy. So in some ways they seems naive and Pollyanna-ish in relationship to the present economic realities. Yet, an idealist at heart, I still yearn to live by these goals and trust that in doing so life's treasures will unfold before me.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v4aOHFGm5P4/T7ZsXmN2g-I/AAAAAAAAAOo/Ejtrh0ZRpnM/s1600/Laughter+Sculpture+flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v4aOHFGm5P4/T7ZsXmN2g-I/AAAAAAAAAOo/Ejtrh0ZRpnM/s320/Laughter+Sculpture+flickr.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I want to add about Lansing's rule #10: my previous occupation was in the theater. I worked in LA and NYC on Broadway, film and television. My heart was always in the theatre: theatre is life. Something i noticed there that really left an impression, was the ability to find laughter in the gravest of circumstances. Theatre people work long hours: nights, weekends and holidays, in order to put on the show to entertain the masses. It gets stressful and fatiguing. Yet theatre people know how to diffuse all situations, tension, grief and anger, through laughter. They know how to laugh anything off. I found that a valuable lesson, learned in my early adulthood: the ability to find the humor in any situation. </span></span><i style="color: #660000;"><b>KB</b></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Photo 1: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42371658@N00/6713527103/" target="_blank">tony_the_bald_eagle</a>, flickr creative commons 2.0</span></span> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo 2: </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/33237881@N08/5784137700/sizes/m/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Matthew Grapengieser</a>, flickr creative commons 2.0</span></span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br /></blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-2267868257438572902012-05-03T14:27:00.002-04:002012-05-03T14:27:23.219-04:00Chinese Medicine for Women's Health: A Talk at Malaprop's<h2 style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></h2>
<h3 style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">7p Tuesday May 8th</span></b> </span></h3>
<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DKD2nZUhxrk/T6LNHvs4dlI/AAAAAAAAAN8/fhNh1xxUwIo/s1600/Listeners+&+Acup+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DKD2nZUhxrk/T6LNHvs4dlI/AAAAAAAAAN8/fhNh1xxUwIo/s320/Listeners+&+Acup+chart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Please
join me for an interesting discussion of women's physiology and health,
from a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) perspective. Women’s bodies and reproductive systems are more complicated than men’s and so more health problems occur for us. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In my 10+ years practicing I have seen so many
different gyn conditions respond beautifully to acupuncture and Chinese
herbal therapy, including ovarian cysts, PSOS, menstrual irregularities,
cramping, hot flashes, emotional problems, headaches and <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/amenorrhea/DS00581" target="_blank" title="Amenorrhea - Mayo Clinic">amenorrhea</a>. Complicated conditions, such as <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001913/" target="_blank" title="Endometriosis - PubMed Health">endometriosis</a> also responds to Chinese medicine, given time</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span></div>
<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Did you know that it is the stressful western
lifestyle - go, go, go, drink more coffee, keep going & multitask -
that causes many gyn conditions, especially PMS and peri-menopause? In
Asian countries and the developing world <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/document/page_resources/Perimenopause.pdf" target="_blank">peri-menopausal syndrome</a>
doesn't exist. </span></div>
<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Learn lifestyle recommendations to prevent PMS and menopausal symptoms.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-66124498065086165982012-03-13T10:32:00.001-04:002012-03-13T10:32:09.673-04:00Case Study: Trigeminal Neuralagia & Sinusitis<div style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
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<![endif--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chief Complaint: </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Female age 63 presented with
trigeminal neuralgia facial pain, worse with chronic sinusitis. Onset 7y ago.
Worse in winter due to sinusitis: inflammation presses on trigeminal nerve,
triggering pain. Swelling of right eye, center of lower eyelid. Frequent
associated headaches.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Other symptoms:</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Celiac disease, food allergies which
seem to trigger facial pain. Pain begins 20 minutes after eating offending
foods: wheat products or anything with mold. Perennial allergies: onset birth –
breast milk: red eyes, sneezing, nasal and sinus congestion. Shortness of
breath. Fatigue, bruises easily, heavy limbs, weak muscles. Hypothyroid,
diagnosed 47y earlier. RLS: .5mg Clonozepem nightly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Pain:</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Described as electric, stabbing,
shocking sensation. Over a 5y period, progressed from mild pain to severe pain.
Aggravated with pressure applied to the affected area. Headache dull ache,
level 8-9 [1-10 scale]. Red/purple coloration on scalp associated with
increased pain.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Location:</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Foot Yang Ming Stomach (ST)
meridian of face, in a line from the center of the lower eyelid to the lateral
corner of the mouth. Foot Tai Yang, Bladder meridian & Du meridian, Governor’s
vessel from vertex of the head to front hairline. Headache: Foot Shao Yang
Gallbladder (GB) meridian, along hairline at forehead, left.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Tongue/Pulse: </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">P: Right – hidden, Left – Weak.
Tongue: Dusky, puffy with teeth marks. Constraint petechiae and red sides with
red tip.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Treatment: </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/faq.htm#faq-bal" target="_blank">Dr. Tan’s Balance Methodacupuncture</a> + custom <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/chineseherbs.htm#RAW" target="_blank">granule herbal formula</a>. Tx #1: 8 magic points for
digestive and lung disorders + ahshi points along the Large Intestine,
Pericardium and Heart (HT) meridians between the elbow and wrist crease to
treat the GB & ST meridian pain.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Tao Hong
Si Wu Tang (Peach Seed & Safflower + Four Substance Decoction) + Sudden
Smile Powder (Shi Xiao San) to treat pain due to blood stagnation: stabbing
pain and dusky tongue indications poor blood circulation in the affected
meridians (Foot Yang meridians + Du channel). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Bu Zhong
Yi Qi Tang (Augment the Center to Lift the Qi Decoction) to treat chronic
sinusitis and weak Spleen: food allergies, weak, heavy limbs, bruise easily,
fatigue, hypothyroid. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Dan Zhi
Xiao Yao Wan (Augmented Rambling Powder): T: red edges and petechiae, Shao Yang
headaches.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jade
Windscreen: Improve immune function: allergies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Results: </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Marked decrease in pain after 1<sup>st</sup>
acupuncture treatment. Facial pain: 1x/5days, stabbing pain, level 2 [1-10
scale]. Several mild headaches. No ear pain. Decreased facial swelling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Treatment: </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">repeated acupuncture and herbal
formula. Slight modification to herbal formula to address allergies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Result: </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">After<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>1 week -<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>Occasional
pain: pressure to face causes mild, stabbing pain, level 2. No headache. 1 mild
occipital headache, possibly due to caffeine. RLS: 2 nights. No nasal/sinus
congestion or shortness of breath, occasional sneezing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Treatment:</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Repeated tx #1. Modified herbal
formula to increased heat clearing (red tongue).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Result: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">One week later: Decreased facial pain: 2 twinges of
stabbing pain, level 1. Facial swelling, sensitivity to touch. No RLS.
Occasional sneezing, + post nasal drip, no congestion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Treatment</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">: Repeated tx #1, no HT channel
points (no GB pain). Refilled herbal rx with modifications to address post
nasal drip due to chronic sinusitis, including andrographitis (chuan xin lian),
and facial swelling. Continued weekly acupuncture treatments and herbal
therapy, with modifications, based on presenting symptoms for 2 weeks. Then
decreased to monthly treatments and continued herbal therapy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Result:</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: #660000;"> 3 months after initial treatment:
In past 2 weeks, no pain, no headache, no sinusitis, pressure or rhinitis.
Occasional RLS associated with strenuous activity. Energy normal. </span> <i style="color: #660000;"><b>KB</b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-80532993314027347322012-03-02T19:54:00.002-05:002012-03-02T20:11:53.736-05:00Allergy & Sinusitis Talk 7p March 13th Malaprops<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7GgDC7UZWOc/T1FuR4CCeyI/AAAAAAAAAM8/2VF8bQkPMls/s1600/Sneeze+flikr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7GgDC7UZWOc/T1FuR4CCeyI/AAAAAAAAAM8/2VF8bQkPMls/s320/Sneeze+flikr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul style="color: #660000;">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Are you perpetually tormented
by itchy, watery eyes and runny nose during the spring & fall? </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Do you suffer from headaches
and sinus pain? </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Is your breathing impaired
from <a href="http://www.healthcmi.com/index.php/acupuncturist-news-online/347-acupuncturecureschronicsinuscongestion1811" target="_blank">chronic sinus congestion</a>? </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Are you tired of pills, shots
and inhalers which may temporarily suppress symptoms but do not solve the
problem? </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Would you like a different
approach? </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="color: #660000; margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Consider
Chinese medicine. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Kath
Bartlett, Licensed Acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Herbalist will discuss
how acupuncture and Chinese herbs bring lasting <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/document/page_resources/Allergy%20Treatment.pdf" target="_blank">sinus & allergy relief</a>
Tuesday, March 13<sup>th</sup>, 7p at <a href="http://www.malaprops.com/event/chinese-medicine-spring-kath-bartlett" target="_blank">Malaprops</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<ul style="color: #660000;">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Discover how Chinese medicine
relieves symptoms in the short-term while building immune function for a
long-term solution. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Learn how anti-bacterial
herbs treat sinus infections causing post nasal drip and chronic
congestion. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">See real patients receive
instant pain relief during an <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=a5hiF_IUUaU" target="_blank">acupuncture demonstration</a>. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="color: #660000; margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">During
this 45min talk, Bartlett
will focus on environmental allergies – pollen, molds, pet dander – and chronic
sinusitis. She will answer your questions about other types of allergens: foods
and chemicals that cause G/I symptoms, hives and rashes during the Q&A and
post-talk discussion about Chinese medicine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Join Kath
for an interesting, informative journey.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcfarlandmo/4014611539/sizes/m/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Mcfarlandmo</a>, flikr, creative commons 2.0</span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #660000;">
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com055 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801, USA35.597123715094689 -82.55579710006713935.595509715094693 -82.558264600067133 35.598737715094686 -82.553329600067144tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-3098146727693419832012-02-24T00:41:00.000-05:002012-05-30T15:51:46.813-04:00Remedies for Burns, Sunburns & Radiation<br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: verdana;">Here's a few ideas for burns, including those from radiation:<br /><br />In my recent post on scar treatment, i discussed </span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://www.itmonline.org/jintu/chingwan.htm">Ching Wan Hung</a><a href="http://www.itmonline.org/jintu/chingwan.htm"> burn ointment</a> . It's wonderful for burns of any kind, including radiation. It contains many blood moving herbs with heat clearing properties, to keep the blood circulating in the area, </span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and menthol to clear the heat.</span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> It also treats insect bites and hot, red rashes and hives. My patients love it for all of these uses. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In <i><a href="http://bluepoppy.com/cfwebstore/index.cfm/product/411" target="_blank">A Handbook of Traditional Chinese Dermatology</a>,</i>Liang Jian-Hui<i> </i>recommends decoction 60g of licorice root and applying it topically to the area with cold compresses. </span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In<i> <a href="http://www.redwingbooks.com/sku/DerTraChiMed" target="_blank">Dermatology in Traditional Chinese Medicine</a> </i>Xu Yihou suggests making licorice oil by soaking 10g of licorice root in 100ml of vegetable oil for 24h. then cook on a low heat until the herb turns dark yellow. remove the licorice and use the oil. TCM herbalists often use sesame oil for topical balms, pastes and salves. In my <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/products.htm" target="_blank">Flying Dragon Liniment</a> for muscle and joint pain, i use a combination of organic sesame, olive, castor and peach seed oils.</span></span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For radiation burns some practitioners suggest calendula gel or ointment, or honey. Manuka honey is highly regarded for its anti-bacterial properties. Tai Lahan's, author of</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="fn"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_395825290"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Integrating Conventional and Chinese Medicine in Cancer Care</span></a></i></span><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_395825290"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">:</span></a></i></span><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="subtitle"><i> A Clinical Guide </i></span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">uses <a href="http://springwind.com/catalog/burn-cream-large-2oz" target="_blank">Spring Wind Burn Creme</a>, citing successful case studies of it's use in her book. Spring Wind Burn Creme is being clinically studied by hospitals to document it's effectiveness in treating radiation burns.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Xu Yihou suggests making aloe cream by first pounding 45g of aloe to extract the juice. Gradually add 10g of gum arabic until the solution becomes milky. Lastly stir in 4.5g of eucalyptus oil. The creme can be applied 2-3x/day.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For ulcerating legions, Xu suggests making egg yolk oil, by heating 10-15 hard boiled egg yolks in a pan over low heat with 1t vegetable oil until a black oil separates. Apply the oil 2-3x/day. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A colleague, Carrie Denaro, LAc of Blue Lotus Center for Health in San Diego, created this essential oil blend for a patient with favorable results. She says "</span></span></span><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It greatly relieved the pain and healed the skin":</span><br />
<div style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Blend of 50% emu oil and 50% coconut oil in a 2-ounce jar (+)</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">10 drops of Blue Tansy essential oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">10 drops German Chamomile essential oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">10 drops Helichrysum essential oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">10 drops Niaouli essential oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">15 drops Lavender essential oil</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It
will stay solid if the room temperature is fairly cool. If not keep it in the fridge to keep it solid and it becomes a nice cool
soothing balm. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I would add that tamanu oil could be substituted for the emu oil, to avoid using an animal substance. </span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Xu says mild cases of radiation burns have a favorable prognosis with treatment, but severe cases are difficult to cure.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For sunburns,<i> </i>in<i> <a href="http://www.redwingbooks.com/sku/DerTraChiMed" target="_blank">Dermatology in Traditional Chinese Medicine</a> </i>Xu Yihou suggests decocting up dandelion (pu gong ye),<a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://weeds.cropsci.illinois.edu/images/Purslane/images/Purslane%25201.jpg&imgrefurl=http://weeds.cropsci.illinois.edu/images/Purslane/index.htm&h=465&w=600&sz=69&tbnid=_UQ8vohZVUsd6M:&tbnh=99&tbnw=128&zoom=1&docid=cT8vkSrtAXp0OM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WBJHT8OQKKrV0QHC9ITtDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CFEQ9QEwAw&dur=2377" target="_blank"> purslane</a> (ma chi xian), licorice, and a Chinese chrysanthemum (ju hua, flos chrysanthmi indici) applying as a compress 3-5x daily for 15-30 minutes. <a href="http://www.eastlandpress.com/books/manual_of_dermatology_in_chinese_medicine.php" target="_blank">Manual of Dermatology in Chinese Medicine</a> suggests a similar formula: ju hua, purslane, wormwood (qing hao, herba artemisiae annuae) and a Chinese herb long kui (herba solani). </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">TCM herbalists use a combination of topicals and internal formulas to treat burns. for first degree (redness) and superficial second degree burns (blistering), external treatments may suffice, depending on the intensity of pain. for more severe burns, internal formulas will also be required. <b><i>KB</i></b></span></span></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-69609214697162584932012-02-15T11:37:00.011-05:002014-06-27T14:38:42.795-04:00Case Study: Acute Back Pain Resolved in 2 Acupuncture Treatments<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: verdana;">A gentleman (43y) came in to my office a couple of weeks ago complaining of acute lower back (lumbar) pain which radiated down the lateral side (outside) of the left leg (I/T band). He described stabbing pain, level 8 (1-10 scale). This had happened a year ago. After an acupuncture treatment from a colleague the pain resolved until this recent episode. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: verdana;"><b>Discussion of Back Pain Acupuncture Treatment</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: verdana;">I used <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=a5hiF_IUUaU">balance method acupuncture points</a> in his right hand. The</span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6YFItwsFwAo/Tzvk5AB_ZPI/AAAAAAAAAMk/xm-Ha4_5aB8/s1600/05%2BApril%2BClinic%2BPhotos%2BKath%2B%2526%2BTara.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6YFItwsFwAo/Tzvk5AB_ZPI/AAAAAAAAAMk/xm-Ha4_5aB8/s320/05%2BApril%2BClinic%2BPhotos%2BKath%2B%2526%2BTara.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709408620534260978" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 213px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="color: #660000; font-family: verdana;"> pain reduced immediately upon insertion of the needles</span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">.</span> <span style="font-family: verdana;">While he rested with the needles in place, I made up a <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/chineseherbs.htm" target="_blank">custom herbal formula</a> to circulate blood. In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) theory, stabbing pain is due to blood stagnation, or poor blood circulation in the area. In western medicine, the radiating pain indicates possible nerve impingement, likely caused by a disc protruding and pressing on the nerve root. He had not had any imaging of the area.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Results of Acute Back Pain Acupuncture Treatment</b> </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />He returned 3 days later for follow up treatment. The pain had much improved. It was no longer a stabbing nature. Now he experienced mild stiffness in the morning with no radiating pain. I repeated the acupuncture treatment in the hand and changed the herbal formula. As the stabbing pain had resolved, i gave him a formula improve qi circulation in the area. The stiffness indicated the qi was not moving in the acupuncture channels of the lumbar region.<br /><br />He presented the following week for acupuncture treatment with no pain. I gave him one more acupuncture treatment to consolidate the effects. I advised him to call me if the pain returned. He left my office a happy camper.</span></span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Update: Long-term Results of Back Pain Treatment</span></span></h4>
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A
year or more later I received a referral from this satisfied patient.
When I thanked him for the referral I asked about the back pain. He told me
he's been fine ever since. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is what I hear from my pain patients. "Believe me, if I had pain, I would have called you". So like the Maytag repairman in the old ad, once patients finish treatment, I rarely hear from them.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">KB</span></span></span></span> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-54037060409739495082012-02-04T10:31:00.067-05:002012-02-21T13:21:31.321-05:00Cat Scratch Fever: Clinical Pearls for Wound & Scar Therapy<span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />so I got into an altercation with my cat this week and wound up with some serious scratches on the eye area of my face. I was concerned about scarring, so i did some research and polled colleagues on their favorite remedies. The following is a compilation of the collective wisdom generously shared:<br /><br />When the cat scratched my face (he landed on my head after falling) i had blood running down my face. my first imperative was to stop the bleeding. I keep a Chinese patent remedy, called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunnan_Baiyao">Yun Nan Bai Yao</a> in my medicine cabinet. It's an invaluable first aid to stop bleeding, and it works. Application method: apply the powder with gauze or cotton to the wound, and apply pressure. The herbs cause the blood to quickly coagulate. Add more as necessary until the bleeding stops. It won't take too long, unless it is a deep cut. The Vietcong famously carried Yun Nan Bai Yao with them in Vietnam to treat gunshot wounds because it does the job well. Once the bleeding has stopped you can bandage it up.<br /><br />After i stopped the bleeding i thought i would leave it and let it rest. I had to go into the clinic, so i flew off a quick plea for help from colleagues and went on my way.<br /><br />Later that evening i read through the wonderful advice offered. the first thing i learned is that conventional wisdom on wound healing has changed. You may remember the old school advice that says to leave the wounds open to the air to breath once the scab has formed, especially at night. Western medicine has changed is opinion on this, and have found that wounds heal faster if they are kept covered so that they remain moist and juicy. The scabs will produce scars.<br /><br />Chris Macie writes:<br /><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >From recent science, as well as tradition, keep open wounds covered, and juicy (as if internal, swimming in nourishment that repairs). Let the dressing plus the medium (be it Res-K or other TCM or traditional herbal, or modern bio-synthetic compounds) take the place of the scab!<br /><br />The "science" -- couple of years ago, NY-Times Science section, Q&A dept: Question: better to leave wounds open to heal? (Or my Polish grandmother's advice: let wounds breath (open) at night). Answer: NO. Keep covered and in a healing, moist environment. Periodically cleaning and redressing, of course.</span> </blockquote>This makes sense from a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) perspective. In TCM, we want to prevent stagnation. the scars are a result of Qi and Blood stagnation in the tissues. Keeping the wound moist allows for blood circulation, including the white blood cells and phagocytes to stop infections, and the various biochemicals and proteins needed to stimulate collagen and tissue regeneration. Scabs are dead blood due to blood stagnation. so it makes sense that although they provide a natural band aid to protect an open wound from infection, the stagnation would slow healing and promote the formation of scar tissue.<br /><br />As the cat's claws were likely dirty, i cleaned the wounds with a mild soap and water solution, removing the scabs. Contrary to popular belief, and according to <a href="http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/456300_3">Medscape</a>, studies do not demonstrate that hydrogen peroxide inhibits bacterial growth. So being as it stings like a #!?#@!, there is no longer a compelling reason to use it to disinfect wounds, though the bubbling action is helpful to loosen dirt and gravel.<br /><br />An alumnae i interned with at PCOM (<a href="http://http//www.pacificcollege.edu/index.php">Pacific College of Oriental Medicine</a>) Andrea Beth Damsky recalled receiving these directions from a hospital:<br /><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >Keep the wound moist with Aquaphor or Vaseline. Do NOT use antibiotic ointments or creams such as neosporin because these increase the possibility of an allergic skin reaction. The purpose of the Aquaphor or Vaseline is to keep the wound moist and prevent scabbing, because moisture speeds healing of the skin and scabbing (contrary to popular wisdom) increases the likelihood of tearing the skin and creating scars. Keep the wound(s) covered. Remove the bandages daily, wash gently to remove any crusting or scabbing, reapply Aquaphor or Vaseline; repeat every day until the skin has healed.<br /><br />I would add, avoid much exposure to sun or wind until your skin has healed, and any exercises that would stretch the skin of your face.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />I imagine you are resistant to bandage your face... perhaps it would work just as well to apply the Aquaphor/Vaseline several times daily in lieu of using a bandage?</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />You could use vitamin E or other oils once the skin has healed over.<br /><br /></span></blockquote></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Regarding nursing care, Denise Moran of <a href="http://www.acubeauty.com/">Center for Rejuvenation Acupuncture</a>, with </span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family:verdana;" >20 years experience working for plastic surgeons and dealing with wound healing,</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> advises:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If you live in a sunny area and are out in the sun more than 5-10 minutes, you want to be sure the wounds are covered as the sun exposure could permanently pigment the scars. The bad news is that all wounds heal with a scar, the GOOD news is that the face is very vascular and the thinnest skin on our body and heals better than anywhere else. </span></span></blockquote></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I don't like to use vasoline because its a petroleum product. Several practitioners suggested <a href="http://www.itmonline.org/jintu/chingwan.htm">Ching Wan Hung</a><a href="http://www.itmonline.org/jintu/chingwan.htm"> burn ointment</a> to prevent scarring. I keep this item in the medicine cabinet, beside the Yun Nan Bai Yao and my <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/products.htm">Flying Dragon Liniment</a>. Its wonderful for kitchen burns. It contains many blood moving herbs with heat clearing properties, which in Chinese herbal medicine prevent and treat infections, and menthol to clear the heat. It treats insect bites and hot, red rashes and hives. My patients love it for these uses. The blood moving herbs explains it's ability to prevent scarring.<br /><br />I also keep calendula ointment in my herbal first aid kit. i settled on using the burn ointment as the scratches were red (indicating heat, and possible infection) and to prevent scarring, my main concern on my face. In absence of Ching Wan Hung or infection, i would suggest using calendula ointment, rather than Vaseline. It should not cause any skin irritation, rather it treats that. it is readily available in the natural food stores. Check the ingredients to be sure its a clean ointment. I would avoid Boirion as it uses petroleum ointment.<br /><br />The following morning i began researching the next step, scar prevention. Several colleagues suggested Resinall-K, a Health Concerns herbal tincture to improve wound healing and prevent scarring. Chris Macie gave a convincing testimonial:<br /><blockquote><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >It's an incarnation of a somewhat common hit-medicine for martial injuries; though some forms may be considered proprietary / esoteric. Contains Dragon's Blood, RuXiang (frankincense) & MoYao (Myrrh), YanHuSuo, etc., in suspension with alcohol and glycerin.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">[It also contains san qi, the chief blood mover in yu nan bai yao, er cha, safflower and bing pian (borneol) resin.]</span><br /><br />When used to continuously coat, even in a sense of immerse, a surface wound, it appears to promote near-seamless epithelial healing. (similar principle as touted in new Western bandage technology recently)</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />I keep a lot of it in stock; routinely prescribe to patients who have cats.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />Couple of years ago I closed a car door completely on distal phalanx of my index finger -- cut to the bone (palmar side). Kept it packed in Res-K for a month or so. Took a total of about 6-months, but now 100% restored flesh & function; very faint scar.</span> </blockquote><br />Health Concerns lists the therapeutic actions of Resinall-K as preventing infections, promoting tissue regeneration, stopping bleeding and activating blood circulation. Therapeutic applications include pain and swelling of traumatic injury. When you look at the number of heavy-hitting blood moving herbs in the formula, it makes sense that it will prevent scarring by keeping the area moist, and keeping the blood moving. the alcohol base of the tincture enhances blood circulation. This is why hit liniments for martial arts are alcohol based.<br /><br />I found a bottle of propolis in my first aid kit which treats infections. The scratches were</span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> a bright red at this point, indicating heat and toxins.</span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> so i applied the burn ointment and the propolis and bandaged up the scratches.<br /><br />At the end of the day i picked up the Resinall-K. the propolis seem to clear any infectious process, as red coloration to the scratches had markedly diminished and there was no yellow exodus. I cleaned and reapplied the burn ointment and the Rensinall-K and re-bandaged. Every few hours i opened the dressing and reapplied the burn ointment and Resinall-K.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">By the next morning, the redness had cleared, and the scratches were healing nicely. They look rather shallow, so i am less concerned, but still do not wish to have scars around my eye and on my cheek. once the scratches close up and it no longer seems necessary to bandage to keep them moist, i will move on to phase two: scar prevention.<br /><br />Several colleagues suggested essential oils to prevent scarring. i looked at a couple of formulas, and came up with my own combination, partly based on cost, as purchasing a number of essential oils can add up.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/oilprofile/tamanu.php">Tamanu oil</a> treats scars and infections, due to its antibiotic, anti-inflammatory properties, so its a keen choice to use as a carrier oil. other options suggested included castor oil, sesame, sweet almond oil, olive and grapeseed (for phytoestrogens) oils. I will probably used a castor/sesame oil combination, as i have these on hand. In my <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/products.htm">Flying Dragon Liniment</a> for muscle and joint pain, i use organic castor, sesame, peach seed and olive oils.<br /><br />Mary Elizabeth Wakefield, who has been teaching facial rejuvenation acupuncture for over a decade suggests this essential oil blend to treat keloid scars:<br /><br /><blockquote style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:85%;">In a 4 oz blue bottle, put 3-4 drops each of: lavender oil, helichrysm oil and rose oil. Fill the rest of the way with a carrier oil (choose from apricot seed oil, grape seed oil or emu oil- which is known for treating scars on its own) Apply twice daily. </span></blockquote><br />as a vegan i cannot recommend emu oil, as it is harvested from these Australian birds, but i did google it and it does have many healing properties.<br /><br />Helichrysm was suggested by many of my colleagues, so i knew i wanted to use it.</span></span> <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">One practitioner suggested a blend of bay laurel, clary sage and helichrysum. When i began ordering i noticed the clary sage is about 25% higher in cost than the other oils, so i ordered lavender for its reputation to treat scars and infections, rose for its attributes for the skin, helichrysum as many practitioners suggested it for scarring and bay laurel. as the Snow Lotus helichrysum and rose i ordered are a 10% solution, they must be dosed 10x the # of drops one would normally use. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">After 72 hours, the cuts were looking less red and were beginning to close. At this point i felt comfortable going out in public with out the bandage, just applying the burn ointment to keep the area moist, keep the blood circulating and prevent scabbing, which could cause scarring. while at home and overnight i kept the area bandaged up with the burn ointment and Resinall-K which was quickening the healing process. At 96 hours the superficial scratches were beginning to fade, and a couple of small scratches had already disappeared.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">By 120 hours the wounds had closed and the scratches were beginning to fade.</span></span> <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Therefore (and thankfully, i would add) the bandage was now unnecessary. It is still important to keep the blood circulating to prevent the blood stagnation which causes scarring. The Resinall-K is a dark red and rather messy. in addition to the menthol, the burn ointment has many blood moving herbs. so for practical considerations, i used the Resinall-K at home and the burn ointment in public.<br /><br />By day 7 the scratches were now a pink coloration. One of the more prominent scratches had markedly faded, 50%. The Resinall-K seemed no longer necessary, so i began the essential oils. I began with the helichrysum neat, as it is in a 10% solution. It has a lite, pleasant citrus-y aroma. After 2 days with the helichrysum, two of the 3 prominent scratches had reduced to 15% visibility. There is now one long and prominent scratch which has faded to a pale pink coloration. I am now considering mixing up the remaining essential oils i ordered - rose, lavender and bay laurel - to help move along the healing of the more visible scratch.<br /></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">As the sores begin to heal, acupuncturists needle the healing cuts to prevent scarring. Scar therapy also treats older scars.</span></span> <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The general technique is to do something we call 'surround the dragon' where we needle the perimeter of the wound or scar. some practitioners needle perpendicular and under the scar tissue to break up the collagen formation, others needle parallel to the scar.</span></span> <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/document/page_resources/Moxibustion.pdf">Moxa</a> is used to speed the healing. Many practitioners i talked to recommended laser therapy.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Bill Morse describes his experience:<br /><blockquote> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. . .also use non-scarring moxa to excite the tissues and promote </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">regeneration. With the local needles </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> The scar will often change character as the first sign of therapy. </span></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This may be variable. Hard scars become soft and sometimes hard for </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">a bit then soften. Small scars will enlarge, soften and then </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">reduce. There are many patterns. I like to think that there </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">is "retracing" going on - that is, a reversal of the scars history. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Many times patients will begin to recall the incident sequence which </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">verifies this theory. Often there is no apparent connection. </span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Expect results or changes quickly, however thinning to a line may </span></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">take several months, especially at thin skin areas like the face. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Keloid scars are the most difficult to work with and require </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">extensive internally applied herbs and may contra- indicate the use </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">of moxa. Any scar wider that 1/8 inch will require special care and </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">additional time. </span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> I have seen 4 inch bed sores reabsorb completely with needle </span></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">application only in a matter of days to weeks, but most deep scars </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">require more time.</span></span><br /></blockquote></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Denise Moran adds:<br /><blockquote style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:85%;">scars tend to start to get a little thicker at 3 months so don't be alarmed if that happens. By a year they have come close to healing, but you could still see some improvement. Keep using your oils and needling and any thickening should be at a minimum or non-existent. I treated my dad for 5 days after he had his kidney removed and at 5 months, it was hard to find the scar. So I'd probably start doing face points within about 72-96 (to avoid stirring up bleeding) hours of the injury, but not in the wound.</span></blockquote><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> KB</span><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-92037627156554013112011-12-14T15:36:00.009-05:002012-01-10T12:17:12.890-05:00Case Study: Acupuncture for Peripheral Neuropathy<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style=";font-size:10.0pt;" ><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><span style=";"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-variant:small-caps;">Case Study: </span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-variant:small-caps;">Successful Acupuncture Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathy</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-variant:small-caps;">As a Sequela of Chemo-Therapy<br /></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family:verdana;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-variant:small-caps;"> </span></b></span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I have been treating this patient weekly with acupuncture following a total hysterectomy due to endometrial cancer. After the first month of treatment the patient (let’s refer to her as Gwen) began a 6 cycle course of chemo-therapy, administered at 3 week intervals. Gwen responded well to acupuncture, and the side effects of chemo were minimal: fatigue, headache, diarrhea, sensation of heat in the chest and throat.<br /></span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">After the forth chemo treatment Gwen began reporting that the tips of her fingers and toes felt slightly numb. Peripheral neuropathy is a known side effect of chemo-therapy. As the symptoms were mild, and other side effects of the chemo therapy were more prevalent, especially fatigue, I continued addressing the other symptoms and did not begin treating the neuropathy at this point.<br /></span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">After chemo treatment #6 Gwen began to notice the neuropathy in the balls of her feet and then traveling up into the ankles. Gwen’s healthcare practitioners told her the chemo-induced neuropathy is due to disintegration of the myelin nerve sheaths, and is often irreversible. Obviously Gwen did not like this prognosis and asked me if the neuropathy could be addressed with acupuncture.<br /></span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I was concentrating on the fatigue, low hemoglobin and platelet counts, but added in a few points to the treatment to address the neuropathy. This was acupuncture treatment #20.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">The following week Gwen began preparations for radiation treatment one month later. However, the neuropathy was her chief concern. </span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I do a style of acupuncture called Balance Method ™. With this style we do not needle the affected area directly. To treat the feet, we place the acupuncture needles in the hands. I used what we call a ‘shotgun’ approach, needling the upper limbs from the elbows to the fingers. I used the three yang meridians on the right and the three yin meridians on the left. One week later Gwen noted that the neuropathy “is more concentrated in the feet and ankle area, both dorsal and ventral, not as much in lower leg now”. </span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I repeated the acupuncture treatment, but this time only needling from the wrists to the fingers. The following day Gwen noted, “Numbness still in two feet, but seems a little better, mainly in toes and just in foot, not ankle or lower leg. Notice a buzzing in left foot, almost like electricity.” </span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I repeated the last treatment and added Zheng Gu Shui, a Chinese patent, alcohol based liniment that has herbs which improves blood circulation. I applied the liniment to the affected area, wrapped her feet in a towel and placed a TDP heat lamp over the bundle. I have continued the Zheng Gu Shui wrap on all subsequent treatments. I also began needling the sensory line on the scalp, which targets neurological issues. During the treatment Gwen reported increased sensation in the feet. The following day Gwen noted, “Feet feel better after acupuncture. . . Feel more neuropathy in foot but now not so much in leg.”</span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I repeated the treatment the following week. The next day Gwen reported, “Neuropathy seems slightly better. More in foot with very little in ankle.” Again I repeated the treatment one week later. Several days after the treatment Gwen notes, “Neuropathy is mainly in the feet, top and bottom”.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">At this point Gwen began a series of five semi-weekly radiation treatments.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I continued the weekly acupuncture treatments addressing the neuropathy. Several days after the acupuncture treatment Gwen notes “ Maybe feel more on bottom of the feet”. At this point I added e-stim (electrical stimulation - a battery pack is connected to wires with alligator clips that attach to the needles to add additional stimulation) to the scalp needles. Gwen reported an electric vibration sensation two days after treatment. She requested that I discontinue the e-stim with the acupuncture treatment.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">After this last treatment (#10 for the neuropathy), Gwen finished the course of five radiation treatments with little to no side effects. Several days after neuropathy treatment #10 Gwen noted “neuropathy in feet from toes to middle of the foot”. Later that week Gwen notes “Feet feel a bit stiffer in toes and in the bottom of the foot”. After neuropathy treatment #11 the affected area had further reduced to the ball of the foot to the toes, top and bottom (plantar and dorsum). After treatment #12 Gwen noted, “Neuropathy is mainly manifested in feet, felt underneath ball of foot (metatarsal area) and toes.”<br /></span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">After two additional treatments Gwen reported the affected area was in the toes, and that they felt tight and stiff. At this point I added an internal, granulated herbal formula to strengthen the body from the aftermath of seven months of surgery, chemo and radiation treatment, address chronic rhinitis and the neuropathy. Gwen tolerated the herbal formula without any side effects.<br /></span></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Neuropathy treatment #15: Gwen reports decreased paresthesia: she feels a prickly sensation with pressure on the ball of the foot, bilaterally. She describes her symptoms mainly as tightness in the toes, second and third toes and plantar surface of the feet are primarily affected. <span style=" ;font-size:100%;" >Accordingly I changed the acupuncture in the hands. I needled the palmar aspect only, distal to the transverse palmar creases and in the fingers to the second metacarpal, to ‘mirror’ the balls of the feet and toes. As the treatment is uncomfortable I have not needled the tips of the fingers, distal to the second metacarpal joint.</span></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--></p><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">This patient’s treatment is in progress. This is her status after one course of acupuncture treatment for neuropathy. <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">KB</span></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10.0pt;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10.0pt;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10.0pt;"> </span></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-85825713318846863122011-10-31T21:54:00.017-04:002011-11-01T00:32:53.644-04:00Pearls from the Pema Chodrum Retreat: Living Beautifully with Uncertainty & Change<span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />I attended a <a href="http://www.shambhala.org/teachers/pema/biography.php">Pema Chodrum</a> retreat this weekend entitled "<a href="http://www.eomega.org/omega/workshops/7926647afb0d63c300c5cbe348e117d8/">Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change</a>". Ane Pema, if you don't know, is a celebrity Buddhist nun and inspirational speaker who has written many popular books about adapting to and handling the troubles life brings. During the weekend retreat she offered many pearls to help one adapt to </span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">the curve balls life throws at us.<br /><br />Ane Pema began the weekend Friday night with a metaphor about the river of life. She explained that our tendency is to seek the safety of the shoreline</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MwK1qhkQHzE/Tq9oUW4EXYI/AAAAAAAAALc/b3BT6e8phmw/s1600/Flickr%2Briver%2Bphoto%2B4887117977_a27cb7ef7d_z.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 475px; height: 317px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MwK1qhkQHzE/Tq9oUW4EXYI/AAAAAAAAALc/b3BT6e8phmw/s320/Flickr%2Briver%2Bphoto%2B4887117977_a27cb7ef7d_z.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669865154830163330" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">. However our mistake is in our grasping to hang on to the perceived security there. Life, she continued, takes place in the flow of the river, and we can't be afraid to jump in. She could not guarantee that in the river we wouldn't get banged up a bit, repelling on boulders and trying to keep our heads up in the rapids. but the river is where life happens, and where growth occurs. Clinging to the shoreline inevitably causes suffering and pain. We most certainly will get bruised and our hands and arms will get weak in our attempts to hang on to the branches to keep from becoming swallowed up by the flow of the river. On the shoreline we are stagnant. In the river, we move forward wherever life takes us.<br /><br />I found this metaphor liberating, contemplating that we need to let go of the fear that keeps us clinging to the shoreline of familiarity and a false sense of security and that we must allow ourselves to jump in and flow down the river of life. That we cannot escape the suffering of the river by clinging to the shore. That the clinging to the shoreline is painful and though riding the river will also involve suffering, we must accept that and embrace the flow of the river.<br /><br />Saturday morning Ane Pema opened with an exercise. She asked us to to remember an interaction that involved difficult feelings and pain. Not an incident that was a 10, but something smaller, a 2-3 (on a 1-10 scale). And to think about the incident and to feel the negative emotions that arose during the uncomfortable situation. Next to ask oneself who is in control here? Are the emotions in control of oneself, or am I in control of the emotions? And to remember this when difficult situations arise triggering negative emotions: who is in control? not to allow the emotions to control us, especially not to allow the negative emotions that often rapidly arise to cause us to do or say something unskillful that would cause pain for ourselves or others.<br /><br />As we got in touch with the negative emotions and the pain the situation caused us, we ask the emotion to stay while we feel the intensity of the pain and ask ourselves "do i want others to experience this pain?" "do i want to do or say something that would cause this type of pain to arise in others?". its a compassion practice. in answering the questions, we remember in the future to pull back when triggered by negative emotions. "who is in control here"? so that we don't react and unwisely do or say something that will escalate the situation and bring more pain and suffering to oneself and others.<br /><br />Its a high spiritual task, that requires putting the matter in which we deal with a situation ahead of the principal or substance at stake during times of conflict.<br /><br />Hearty food for spiritual contemplation.<br /><br />After lunch Ane Pema began by talking about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charnel_ground">charnal ground meditation</a>. Tibetan Buddhists have something called a sky burial practice. Because of the permafrost in the Tibetan mountains, the ground is too hard to bury bodies, and there is not enough fuel to cremate the bodies of all of the dead. So the Tibetan Buddhists began a rite of sky burial. Apologies in advance for the graphic description of the practice here. The Tibetans put the bodies on a high mountain peak for the vultures to take away. But because you wouldn't want the vultures to drop grandmas leg bone in farmer Jone's field, the monks first cut up the bodies into small pieces. The sky burial site is called the charnal ground.<br /><br />As you can imagine, the charnal ground is not a pleasant place to hang out and during warmer weather is rather unappealing to the nose.<br /><br />The monks developed a meditation practice called Chu practice, where they go to the charnal grounds to meditate on the strong emotions that arise while being there: aversion, fear and so forth. They watch the emotions arise to examine the emotions: where and how do they arise? how do they feel? are they solid? and do they dissipate? they do this Chu practice to learn how to deal with arisal of negative emotions.<br /><br />Ane Pema emphasized that you have to go to the charnal grounds and sit amongst the cut up bodies to do this practice. you can't do it by imagining the charnal ground, or going to a serene cemetery with the neatly mowed grass and tombstones with bouquets of flowers lined up in orderly rows. you must do it in the gruesome surroundings on the charnal grounds to fully feel the emotions that arise in that place.<br /><br />So Ane Pema suggest to let life and the fear that arises during uncertainty be a charnal ground practice. When the fear arises, sit with it, examine it, and watch it as it grows and subsides. Ane Pema pointed out that the emotions cannot exist without a story to feed them. Take away the story and the emotions dissolve. We feed anger with our story of righteous indignation and morality plays of right and wrong. We feed hurt with stories of victimhood or neglect, rejection and so on. We feed anxiety with stories of loss, lack (of security), and helplessness. Take away the story and the emotion dissipates. To take away the story, one must discipline one's mind through meditation not to keep thinking the repetitive thoughts, to stop obsessive thinking.<br /><br />And one must let go of the shoreline and not be afraid to jump into the river. To do this, one must accept that in the river suffering is inevitable and we do get hurt. But grasping and clinging to the shoreline is not an effective method to avoid life's suffering. Grasping, clinging and attachment to the security of the shore only produces more suffering. Living in the river is a charnal ground practice. the pay off is liberation. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">KB<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevin1024/4887117977/sizes/z/in/photostream/">kevin 1040</a> Flickr Creative Commons 2.0</span><br /><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-73852833684477802152011-10-01T12:29:00.003-04:002011-10-01T14:19:54.194-04:00Savory Chickpea Stew<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In an earlier post with a recipe for <a href="http://acukath.blogspot.com/2010/06/red-cabbage-salad-another-summer-fav.html">Red Cabbage Salad</a></span></span> <span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I referenced the macrobiotic chef I interned with who made delicious meals for the students at my acupuncture college, <a href="http://www.pacificcollege.edu/index.php">Pacific College of Oriental Medicine</a>. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">I was able to wrangle a few recipes from Nancy for some of my favorite dishes. This Chickpea Stew can also be made as a soup, omitting the squash and the seitan. Its a hearty, one-dish meal, for autumn and winter.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">In Chinese dietary therapy, we recommend eating differently during each season. In the spring and summer one eats lighter foods and above ground crops. In the autumn the yin begins to rise. Yin energy represents darkness, cold, quiescence, feminine, earth, sweet, substance and blood. During the autumn season the cool yin begins to assert itself from the warm yang energy of summer. In the yin seasons of autumn and winter we want to nourish yin dietarily, by emphasizing root crops, growing in the earth. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">Sweet squashes harvested in the autumn nourish yin. Warm, hearty stews, especially made with root vegetables are particularly beneficial to consume in the cool, yin seasons of autumn and winter.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">This Savory Chickpea Stew nourishes the earth element, pertaining to the Spleen and Stomach due to its sweet flavor and golden color. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">You will relish the subtle blend of flavors. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">In Chinese medicine we talk about the five phases and organ systems. Each has a season, color, flavor, organ, emotion and sound associated with it. This stew will benefit those with digestive conditions due to weakness or deficiency. Speak to your acupuncturist to find out if you have an excess of deficient problem. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">Deficiency is characterized by weakness and fatigue. Those with Spleen Qi Deficiency will commonly experience bloating, gas, belching, fatigue, especially after meals, over-thinking, worrying, racing thoughts, cloudy or foggy-headedness. Thinking is a function of the Spleen system in Chinese medicine. Those with weak Spleens tend to worry, and conversely excessive worrying weakens the Spleen.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><u><b>Savory Chickpea Stew</b></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">3C Chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><u><b> </b></u>1 strips <a href="http://acukath.blogspot.com/2011/03/boston-style-baked-beans-blue-cornbread.html">kombu</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">9 bay leaves (yea, that's correct, nine)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">3 yellow onions, diced</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">olive oil</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><a href="http://acukath.blogspot.com/2011/03/boston-style-baked-beans-blue-cornbread.html">celtic sea salt</a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">3 10" pieces burdock root, brushed & cut in rounds</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">6 cloves garlic, minced</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">3/8C white miso</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">3 lemons: zest</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">1 medium-large winter squash, cubed (butternut, acorn, kombucha, carnival)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">12 oz seitan, cubed (wheat gluten product)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">filtered water & 1 quart vegetable <a href="http://acukath.blogspot.com/2010/09/ny-times-reports-only-23-of-us-meals.html">stock</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">minced parsley for garnish</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">cider vinegar </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">Heat olive oil in bottom of large pressure cooker. Saute onions and garlic with salt until translucent. Add burdock and squash and saute until veggies sweat. Add seitan and saute until slightly golden. Add chickpeas, kombu, bay leaf and cover with 1 1/2 " water/stock combination. Bring to high pressure and cook 30 minutes. Turn off heat and natural release pressure.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">Pull out half the beans and mash or puree. Stir mashed beans into stew to give a hearty consistency. Add 3/4C soup to the miso and blend, then add back to stew. Stir in lemon zest. Add cider vinegar to taste to pop flavors. Garnish with minced parsley.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">yield: 4 quarts</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>What is seitan?</b> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Seitan is a wheat gluten product found in the refrigerator section of the natural food store, near the tofu and tempeh. its fairly high in protein for a vegetable source: 6 oz contains approximately 20g.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/avlxyz/4274081880/sizes/m/in/photostream/">Avlxyz</a>, flickr Creative Commons 2.0 </span></span></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-47882082873234455472011-09-08T13:41:00.001-04:002011-09-08T13:41:46.010-04:00Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for Patients with Blood Cancers<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
am giving a talk about acupuncture and Chinese medicine for patients
with lymphomas and blood cancers on Monday, September 12 at 5p at the
Wellness Resource Center, 50 Doctor's Drive, West Annex, Asheville,
28801.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This will be for a family support group for patients with blood cancers and their caregivers, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">offered through Mission Hospitals Cancer
Services and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> "This
group is for people living with Leukemia, Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma,
Myelodysplastic Syndrome, or Primary Amyloidosis and also their caregivers who </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">live
in the Asheville area and surrounding counties
of western North Carolina." </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Antique Olive";">Group Facilitators: </span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Antique Olive";"> Leslie Verner, RN, BSN, OCN, CCRP - Cancer
Outreach Coordinator</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Antique Olive";"> Jere Howell, MS
-Clinical Psychologist</span></b></div>
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Date: Monday, Sept 12, 2011 (Meets the 2<sup>nd</sup> Monday of
every month)</h2>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Time: 4:00 –
6:00 PM</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Upcoming Dates: Oct 10,
Nov 14, Dec 12</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-weight: normal;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span>To register and get directions to the easy
access location and parking, please contact Leslie Verner, RN, at 828-213-4656
or 800-443-2233.</h2>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Please come and tell those with blood cancers or lymphomas you love about it. <i>KB</i></span></span></span></h2>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-23899783049240372532011-09-05T11:12:00.000-04:002011-09-05T14:41:23.052-04:00Developing a Loving Kindness Practice<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A few months ago I finished a book I had been reading by His Holiness the Dalai Lama: <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Expand-Love-Widening-Relationships/dp/0743269691">How to Expand Love</a>.</i> Since reading the book a year ago, I have been working on developing a personal or loving-kindness practice.</span></span> <span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My goal is to being to feel loving-kindness towards all living beings. A lofty goal to achieve, I have taken the first step at the beginning.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A loving-kindness meditation I was recently taught</span></span> <span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">begins with thinking of a loved one and feeling the loving-kindness one feels towards that being: wishing this being love, peace, happiness, security and freedom from suffering, pain, and harm. The idea is to experience the depth and feeling of loving-kindness. Next one moves to a teacher or master, someone one respects, and again feeling the loving-kindness one feels for this person, </span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">wishing this person love, peace, happiness, security and that s/he will be free from suffering, pain, and harm. Again </span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">experiencing the depth and feeling of loving-kindness one feels for this respected person.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Next one moves to oneself, wishing this feeling of loving-kindness for oneself. That I will enjoy love, </span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">peace, happiness, security and be free from suffering, pain, and harm. Experience the feelings of loving-kindness, the wish of peace, happiness and security and desire to be free of pain, suffering and harm.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Lastly, one expands these feelings outward. If one is meditating in a group, wishing that everyone in the room will enjoy happiness and and the causes of happiness, be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. Alternatively one can work outward in the four directions, wishing peace and happiness for everyone in front of oneself, then in back, then to the sides: to the right, to the left.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Then one continues to cycle through the four phases, noticing what comes up during the practice. Initially I noticed a deep desire for peace and happiness, and freedom from pain and suffering. I saw that all living beings share this same longing, and that I wish all other beings freedom from pain and suffering, out of the same desire that I wished it for myself.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After one practices the meditation for some time, one will be ready to begin expanding it ever outward, first to neutrals: the supermarket cashier, the call center person, the bank teller and so on. People you interact with but don't have feelings for: either of love or anger. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Then one begins the harder work: wishing those towards whom one harbors feelings of anger or resentment peace, happiness and freedom of pain and suffering. Next one works with those one has deeper feelings of anger and mistrust, those one might consider enemies. This group is difficult, but worthwhile to master. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">His Holiness the Dalai Lama explains the steps of this practice in his book, <i>How to Expand Love.</i> It is an interesting practice of self-exploration, to be sure. Of course the ultimate goal is to take the practice off the cushion and into one's daily life. </span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One could
practice emanating feelings of loving-kindness outward in the four
directions while sitting in traffic or at the grocery store line.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Recently while practicing I realized that all beings suffer, just like I, many suffer 1,000 times more. I try to remember this especially when interacting with those with whom there is a history of anger, resentment and mistrust. Just like me these people suffer. Remembering that </span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">those who have been a source of hurt or harm</span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> are also suffering helps one develop compassion towards those with whom relationships are difficult. I believe this is one of the steps towards forgiveness. I have found remembering this takes some of the edge off the sharpness of the negative emotions one feels.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I recently noticed myself harboring and fueling negative thoughts towards a party who has hurt me deeply. I saw that this destructive path was only causing further suffering for myself. The solution I found is to not allow the mind to go down this rabbit hole of misery. When I caught my mind going down the path of negativity, I stopped it and reminded myself that this path does not lead to enlightenment. It only leads to the hell realm, and I was only causing myself pain by traveling down it. To provide a healthier alternative for my active mind, I did the loving-kindness meditation. When found my mind wandering down the familiar path, I again reminded myself that this path only leads to more suffering. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One morning when practicing the loving-kindness meditation I realized that the warm, peace of loving-kindness is where I would like to reside. That this oasis from the misery of the negative emotions: anger, resentment and ill will is where I wish to dwell. This desire increases my motivation to continue the loving-kindness practice. It is simply a more pleasant place to be. The payoff of harboring negative emotions is misery for oneself. Though fueling these emotions can sometimes be seductive, the place that path leads is pain and suffering. Practicing loving-kindness is the way to peace and happiness, for all sentient beings. <i><b>KB</b></i> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo: </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/acaben/562140565/sizes/m/in/photostream/" title="Buddha statue URL"><i>acaben</i></a>, </span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">flickr Creative Commons 2.0</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-26980230528443501142011-07-30T00:41:00.012-04:002011-08-06T11:21:31.147-04:00Herbal Poison Ivy Remedy<span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />I learned </span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">a couple of herbal poison ivy remedies</span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> in a Kitchen Herbs class I took a few years back. I don't have any feedback as to efficacy, so please add comments with your experiences.<br /><br />There are two easily accessible Chinese herbs that treat poison ivy. Both are weeds that are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ubiquitous in the summer</span>. The first is Ge Gen, or Kudzu powder. You will find this in the macrobiotic section of natural foods stores. Ge Gen is the root of the kudzu vine, which grows over everything in the Southeastern United States: trees, bushes, signs and telephone poles.<br /><br />You'll find the second in your backyard lawn: dandelion.<br /><br />You can take dandelion and kudzu internally as a tea. Kudzu is a white powder, and can be used to thicken sauces. Use a tablespoon or so in a tea made with dandelion leaves. Drink several times a day. You can also use kudzu as a skin wash for legions (rash).<br /><br />Dandelion can be steeped as a tea and added to bath water to sooth the skin. In Chinese herbal theory, dandelion clears heat and toxins, and hones to the Lung, which rules the skin. Poison ivy rashes are red and itchy, indicating heat toxins. You'll want a strong tea for this purpose. Fill the pot with the leaves, cover with water and steep for 30 minutes or so.<br /></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ge Gen, or kudzu releases the exterior. Chinese herbalists also use Ge Gen to relieve neck and shoulder pain, especially associated with colds or cold weather.<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B7xMBXllBpg/TjOQ3rHknsI/AAAAAAAAAGA/TVTngceRmBk/s1600/jewelweed.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 216px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B7xMBXllBpg/TjOQ3rHknsI/AAAAAAAAAGA/TVTngceRmBk/s320/jewelweed.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635006844912312002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Jewel weed grows in the Southeast and is also used to treat poison ivy, though not a Chinese herb. Mash the stems and rub the juice on the skin to sooth outbreaks, or as a preventative before or after possible exposure, as demonstrated in this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2wNhs9s5Wo">You Tube video</a>. <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">KB<br /></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />photo: </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/4981109360/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Muffit</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">flickr</span> creative commons 2.0</span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-71593132334659202052011-07-10T12:28:00.004-04:002011-07-11T18:11:41.707-04:00Warm Up Your Fruit Smoothies With a Little Ginger<span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />I was in </span>Gree</span></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JlvtSKqnzxY/ThnSPbmxthI/AAAAAAAAAF4/-o1yEgwbDAc/s1600/flickr%2Bsmoothie%2B4538722294_0004e02962.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JlvtSKqnzxY/ThnSPbmxthI/AAAAAAAAAF4/-o1yEgwbDAc/s320/flickr%2Bsmoothie%2B4538722294_0004e02962.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627760371926414866" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">nlife (Wholefoods) yesterday and noticed a juicing demonstration in the produce section. I know many like to juice, especially in the summer. As a vegan, lately I h</span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">ave been relying on fruit smoothies as a valuable source of protein: they are a convenient way to take protein powder. However, in Chinese dietary therapy, we advise against consuming cold, raw foods. So I advise adding a little ginger to warm them up. Here's why:<br /><br />In Chinese medicine, the Spleen system is responsible for digestive function. The Chinese Spleen system includes other functions, including aspects of the immune system. We consider digestion a warm transformation: heat is required to break down foods into nutrients the body can absorb, and waste for excretion. Ingesting cold, raw</span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> foods weakens the Spleen because it requires it to do extra work to raise the</span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> food to a temperature suitable for its tra</span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">nsformative function to take place.<br /><br />When the Spleen is weakened, one becomes fatigued because Qi (energy) is not being manufactured from foods due to poor Spleen function. Digestive problems occur, including loose stools, low appetite, pain and nausea. Immune function is weakened: allergies, frequent colds and flu are typical signs of Spleen Qi Deficiency.<br /><br />So in Chinese dietary therapy, we strongly advise against eating cold, raw foods, which means no juicing. However, as a vegan, I understand the reason for smoothies. So if you feel you absolutely must juice, do it sparingly and add something warm: garlic, cayenne pepper or ginger. Ginger works well for sweet juices and smoothies and adds a certain spicy zing. As an added benefit, ginger is a digestive aid and warms the Spleen. Try adding 3 slices.<br /><br />Please do not use frozen fruit or ice in your smoothies. This only makes the drink colder, causing more damage to the delicate digestive system. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">KB</span></span></span></span><br /><br />____________________________________________________________________<br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Flickr </span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/josek/4538722294/sizes/m/in/photostream/">Jose Carlos Cortizo Perez</a>, Creative Commons 2.0<br /><br /><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-79718094124510271232011-07-05T21:31:00.014-04:002011-07-06T00:17:03.046-04:00Your Body is Your Garden: We Must Cultivate Our Health<span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />I spent this holiday weekend planting my vegetable garden. Yes its a late start, bu</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OZfixC7LPE4/ThPf-B1Q3cI/AAAAAAAAAFw/qlP3GgpbJAk/s1600/flickr%2Bgarden%2Bphoto%2BItzaFineDay2715027986_dc11fc1b1e.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 354px; height: 248px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OZfixC7LPE4/ThPf-B1Q3cI/AAAAAAAAAFw/qlP3GgpbJAk/s200/flickr%2Bgarden%2Bphoto%2BItzaFineDay2715027986_dc11fc1b1e.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626086616252603842" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">t I'm actually right on time for a crop of fall vegetables: spinach, chard, peas, beans, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, parsley and cilantro. I'm a novice gardener so it's a bit of Plant and Pray. I picked up a couple of vegetable gardening books, one of which, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Ways-Gardening-Dick-Raymond/dp/0882663194">Dick Raymond's <span style="font-style: italic;">Joy of Gardening</span></a> has become my new vegetable growing bible. I'm realizing why I haven't had auspicious success in my past efforts. Gardening is work. You don't just put seeds in the ground and wait to pick. There are a many techniques and cultivation methods one must employ to achieve a bountiful harvest.<br /><br />While remarking about this to a patient today, and it occurred to me that cultivating one's health is a lot like gardening: You can't just go through life living however you please and expect everything to turn out alright, healthwise. Like crops in the garden, health must be cultivated. In the garden, there are three basic fertilizers: nitrogen to grow green leaves, phosphorus to develops roots, important for root crops like beets and carrots, and potassium important for growth and development of the plant and fruiting. Likewise we must fertilize our bodies by eating well: watch the documentary film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Size_Me"><span style="font-style: italic;">Super Size Me</span></a> to see what a diet of fast food causes, including obesity, depression and hypercholesterolemia.<br /><br />We can't just eat whatever we want and expect to enjoy our health. Optimally a balanced diet of organic foods, mostly plants and avoiding greasy, fried, sugary and spicy foods. In Chinese dietary therapy we refer to the Qing Dai diet or Clear, Bland diet: a diet emphasizing litely streamed vegetables, free from rich sauces or heavy meals with gooey desserts.<br /><br />In addition to the NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) the vegetables require other nutrients and trace minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Sound familiar? We need a wide variety of foods, including vegetables of all colors to provide all the vitamins and minerals we need.<br /><br />Sea vegetables are loaded with trace minerals we don't usually get from other sources. Many sea veggies, such as wakame, kombu, hijiki and arame are high in calcium, containing 800-1300g/100g. For comparison, spinach and cow's milk have 93 & 118g/100g. The calcium in sea veggies are an easier form for your body to digest, and do not cause stone formation. In fact, in Chinese herbal medicine we use 2 sea veggies, hai zao and kombu to dissolve cysts, masses and tumors.<br /><br />In addition, the gardener or farmer puts a great deal of effort into taking care of plants: covering to protect from frost or pests, planting the seeds at the proper time, trellising or hilling to provide support, building up the soil and so on.<br /><br />Likewise we must take care of our bodies with proper lifestyle: making sure we get proper rest and don't overwork, exercising regularly, practicing meditation, yoga, qi gong and other stress management techniques and living in harmony with our environment.<br /><br />My point is that just as the gardener takes care of the crops, we must cultivate health with right living and preventative care. Regular acupuncture treatments keep the body functioning in optimal condition and helps to manage stress, just as one takes the car in regularly for oil changes and tune ups. This becomes more important as the body begins the aging process, after 40y. We need to give it extra support, as the gardener fertilizes the crops to encourage strength and healthy growth. <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">KB<br /><br />_____________________________________________________________<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: flickr <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/itzafineday/2715027986/sizes/m/in/photostream/">ItzaFineDay</a> Creative Commons 2.0</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-12993305900155994372011-06-27T10:46:00.011-04:002011-07-08T18:56:55.958-04:00FDA Warns Against Anemia Drugs for Cancer Patients: Chinese Medicine Effective Treatment<span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/25/health/policy/25drug.html?ref=gardinerharris">The FDA issued a strong warning</a> that will go on labels for three widely used drugs that treat anemia for cancer and dialysis patients: Procrit, Aranesp and Epogen, saying the drugs cause stokes and cardiac problems and speed the growth of malignant tumors. Fortunately for these patients there is a safer therapy available that effectively increases blood cell production: Chinese medicine.<br /><br />Several organizations have endorsed the use of acupuncture for cancer treatment. <a href="http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/Patient/page2">The National Cancer Institute</a> notes western studies are beginning to be done that show efficacy of acupuncture in increasing blood cell counts:<blockquote style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-size:85%;">Scientific studies on the use of acupuncture to treat cancer and <a class="Summary-GlossaryTermRef" href="http://www.cancer.gov/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=46580&version=Patient&language=English">side effects</a> of cancer began only recently. <a class="Summary-GlossaryTermRef" href="http://www.cancer.gov/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=44512&version=Patient&language=English">Laboratory</a> and <a class="Summary-GlossaryTermRef" href="http://www.cancer.gov/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=454774&version=Patient&language=English">animal studies</a> suggest that acupuncture can reduce vomiting caused by <a class="Summary-GlossaryTermRef" href="http://www.cancer.gov/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=45214&version=Patient&language=English">chemotherapy</a> and may help the immune system be stronger during chemotherapy. Animal studies support the use of electroacupuncture to relieve cancer pain. Laboratory and animal studies have also looked at how acupuncture works for cancer treatment, such as the role of acupuncture in stimulating <a class="Summary-GlossaryTermRef" href="http://www.cancer.gov/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=45721&version=Patient&language=English">immune functions</a>, including increasing <a class="Summary-GlossaryTermRef" href="http://www.cancer.gov/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=44648&version=Patient&language=English">blood cell count</a> and enhancing <a class="Summary-GlossaryTermRef" href="http://www.cancer.gov/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=45765&version=Patient&language=English">lymphocyte</a> and <a class="Summary-GlossaryTermRef" href="http://www.cancer.gov/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=44062&version=Patient&language=English">natural killer cell</a> activity.</span></blockquote><a href="http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/mesothelioma/treatment/acupuncture/">The Mesothelioma society</a> agrees:<blockquote style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style="font-size:85%;">Furthermore, animal cancer studies have shown that acupuncture spurs blood cell production and lymphocyte activity. The end result of these processes is an increase in immune functions. </span></blockquote><br />Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure, affecting the lining of the lung.<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nalini-chilkov/can-acupuncture-treatment_b_577686.html"><br />The Huffington Post also recommends acupuncture</a> for cancer patients to improve blood cell production:<blockquote style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Immune System Modulation</strong>: Many cancers and many cancer treatments cause a suppression of the bone marrow, the source of blood cells that are the army of the immune system. Acupuncture increases blood cell production and enhances Natural Killer Cells and Lymphocytes which leads to i<em>ncreased immune response and decreased risk of infection. </em></span></p></blockquote>Chinese medicine improves red and white blood cell production, including lymphocytes and neutrophils. Though western studies emphasize acupuncture, herbal formulas are particularly important in raising blood cell counts. There are many blood building formulas with a proven track record. In my practice, I have seen blood cell counts markedly improve when acupuncture patients add <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/chineseherbs.htm">Chinese herbs</a> to their treatment plan.<br /><br />Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. The bone marrow is part of the Chinese medicine Kidney system. Many kidney tonic herbs and formulas are known for increasing marrow. Chinese herbalists use a strategy of tonifying the Kidney, Blood and the Spleen to increase blood cell counts.<br /><br />The spleen stores white blood cells. Chinese medicine considers the Spleen an important component of immune function. In Chinese medicine the Spleen responsible for extracting the nutrients from food necessary to build qi (energy) and blood. Patients with low blood cell counts usually suffer from fatigue, so building qi to improve energy is also an important component of treatment. Tonify the Kidney and Spleen improves fatigue. Peony root and angelica are commonly used blood tonic herbs. Ginseng is a famous qi tonic that builds Kidney energy.<br /><br />I hope that patients and conventional medical practitioners will become more open minded about integrating Chinese medicine as a safe and effective option in treatment plans for cancer patients.<br /><br /><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-16440013634271889812011-06-02T12:28:00.010-04:002011-06-02T13:39:40.718-04:00Acupuncture Reduces MS Symptoms and Improves Quality of Life<span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />I'm going to be speaking to members of the Asheville MS Support Group on Thursday June 9th, 1:30-2:30 at West End Bakery on Haywood Road. In preparation I spent afternoon yesterday googling to see what is on the Internet showing acupuncture's effectiveness in treating MS. I posted many links on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kath-Bartlett-LAc/114652895241015">facebook page</a> and thought I would also include them on my blog so that they could be easily referenced in the future.<br /><br />The MS Trust, a charity in the UK includes <a href="http://www.mstrust.org.uk/professionals/information/wayahead/articles/04032000_02.jsp">this thoughtful discussion</a> about acupuncture for treating MS. Acupuncturist and author Jill Brooks includes a list of MS symptoms that respond well and those that have a mixed efficacy for acupuncture treatment.<br /><br />Alien Sheng sums up <a href="http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/25614">acupuncture benefits for MS patients</a> for the <span style="font-style: italic;">American Chronicle</span>:<br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></span></span></span></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Acupuncture treatments for Multiple Sclerosis have had much success in reducing pain and decreasing spasticity. Another area of success is improved bladder and bowel control. The reduction of stress and the improved feeling of well being contribute to an improvement in quality of life. The acupuncture treatments must be given frequently in order to maintain the improvements of symptoms, but Multiple Sclerosis is known for its cycles of remission. During periods of remission, the frequency of the acupuncture treatments can be reduced.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></blockquote><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;">This <span style="font-style: italic;">Acupuncture Today </span>article discusses the use of <a href="http://acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=31710">scalp acupuncture for MS</a> patients. They are many styles of acupuncture, including a number of different systems for using the scalp to map out the body. In one scalp system commonly taught in acupuncture colleges, to which the authors refer, there are motor and tremor lines on the scalp. Certain areas on the lines relate to different parts of the body: arms, legs, hands and so forth. I have used successfully used scalp acupuncture for various motor problems, including MS, Bell's Palsy, and Parkinson's disease. In this article the authors cite several remarkable case studies documenting immediate improvement in MS patients using scalp acupuncture.<br /><br />Drs. Kopsky and Hesselink of the Institute of Neuroacupuncture in the Neatherlands discuss two cases of <a href="http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/aama_marf/journal/vol17_1/case2.html">MS patients with bladder dysfunction</a> (a common problem) which responded well to electoacupuncture. In electroacupuncture, a battery device with wires and clips are hooked up to strategic acupuncture points to increase stimulation of the needles during the treatment. Electroacupuncture is often used in pain treatments. I use it for labor induction and with scalp acupuncture for neurological disorders. Results are satisfying.<br /><br /><br />Fellow PCOM alumni, Kimberly Thompson, LAc (from my acupuncture college <a href="http://www.pacificcollege.edu/index.php">Pacific College of Oriental Medicine</a>) discusses various <a href="http://blog.miridiatech.com/?p=1467#more-1467">Chinese pattern differentiations</a> and applicable acupuncture points. In Chinese medicine, we use an individualized diagnosis method. I discuss briefly go into this concept on the <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/chinesemedicine.htm">Chinese Medicine page</a> of my website. I also explain pattern diagnosis when describing treatment for <a href="http://www.acupunctureasheville.com/resources.htm#treatableConditions">specific conditions</a> in blog post and articles.<br /><br /><br />I found a couple of instances where MS patients described there own experiences with acupuncture. The <a href="http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseaction/show/pageid/712">MS Resource Center</a> in the UK discusses Kathy Kelvnik, a hospital coordinator who MS was so advanced she was rendered unable to work until acupuncture got her back on her feet again<blockquote style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" ft="{"type":"msg"}"><span class="messageBody">Kathy Kevnick sought Dr. David Bilstrom's help after her MS left her unable to work. She couldn't walk. Steroids no longer worked. Neither did chemotherapy.<br />Weekly acupuncture sessions have helped Kevnick eliminate 80% of her medications and return to work full time as a hospital coordinator."It's changed my life. I had medical bills of $42,000 the year before I started acupuncture. Now my bills are acupuncture & massage therapy. </span></h6></blockquote><br />On Acupuncture.com Duane Perron tells <a href="http://www.acupuncture.com/testimonials/ms1.htm">his compelling story with MS and acupuncture</a> treatment. He sums it up,"</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Finding a good acupuncturist is like finding a good doctor....and it seems you have finally found your angel." <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">KB<br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696877055168911.post-43245059416908554052011-05-15T21:07:00.008-04:002011-05-17T11:03:22.920-04:00Impermanance. Or Change You Can Believe In<span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />I woke up this morning with a moment of clarity about impermanence. Impermanence is a Buddhist concept that many westerner's have difficulty grasping. But this morning I saw clearly how our refusal to accept impermanence maintains the bondage of our suffering.<br /><br />We try to achieve materialist goals we set for ourselves: home ownership, a new car, steady, rewarding employment and so on. I'm not saying its wrong to strive for these achievements, but our mistaken belief that once achieved these things will last leads to our suffering when we lose them.<br /><br />I suppose the recent tsunami in Japan, tornado's in Alabama and other southeastern states, and flooding along the Mississippi has made me realize how quickly we can lose everything we've worked for.<br /><br />Home ownership is an American dream, and once in our grasp we spend much time investing our energy to customizing our homes to meet our desires. We work under the false assumption that the home will always be standing. Even if we do not live in a flood zone, we can lose our home to fire or our valuables to burglary. Yet we labor under the false assumption that we will always have our home and its contents until we decide to sell. When disaster strikes, we are mentally unprepared to lose all that we have labored to achieve, and thus suffer from our loss.<br /><br />I am suggesting that our materialist approach to life, working to accumulate things, causes our pain when we inevitably lose them: a fine china platter breaks, a new car gets hit in the parking lot. We falsely assume that our cherished ones will stay in optimal condition, and consequently suffer when they inevitably degrade. This idea also applies to the people and pets we love.<br /><br />I'm not saying it's wrong to fixed up a home, or buy a piece of artwork. What i am saying is that we should do so knowing that tomorrow the house could be lost, rather than working under the presumption that our treasured ones will be with us always, and in the same condition as they are in today.<br /><br />This recession has shown that jobs are fleeting. We may even have to leave our painstakingly constructed cocoon to find employment in another city or state. It is our blindness to the impermanence of our situation that causes the pain from our loss of what we held dear.<br /><br />Rather, I propose, if we operated under the premise that nothing lasts, we might live a more nomadic existence. Our priorities would shift so that we wouldn't focus on accumulation and we be more prepared to shift with life's winds. Consequently, change would be expected. We would be ready for it and would suffer less pain from loss.<br /><br />Try it on and see what shifts for you. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">KB</span><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04211746474931423120noreply@blogger.com0