Moxibustion 09/02/2010
 This post comes to you on the suggestion from this post earlier this week. I don't believe I've talked about Moxibustion in this blog, which is a bit of an oversight. See, I'm allergic to the smoke associated with the burning of moxa (mugwort) and so didn't even think about writing about it! Thanks, Carolyn, for bringing it up as a topic! As I mentioned in passing above, Moxibustion is the burning of the herb Moxa. Moxa is the western herb mugwort. The fluffy herb can be burned several different ways:
So what is the purpose of burning moxa? Moxa is an extremely warming and moving herb so it can be used for many reasons:
Apologies 08/30/2010
I know it's been a LONG time since I posted to my blog. I'd like to apologize. As many of you know, our little family grew to four last November, and sleep has been an extremely precious commodity. Because of said sleep deprivation torture, I have been completely without ideas and energy for blog posts. "But wait," you might ask, "What is this then?" Well, this, my good friends, is the result of baby girl sleeping through the night TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW! Crazy, I know! So, I'm feeling energetic today, and starting to feel the inklings of being able to write again, hopefully on a more regular basis. This is where you come in. While I wrestle with getting naps to line up, and getting better sleep at night, bring on your ideas for blog posts. What questions do you have about acupuncture and Chinese herbs? What conditions have you always wondered if Chinese medicine would help? I'm ready to write and just need a little topical inspiration - BRING IT ON! Leave your ideas as a comment and see your questions turned into blog gold! Portland Top Dog 06/07/2010
 Portland is one of the pet-friendliest cities in the US and Spot Magazine's Top Dog Competition helps highlight Portland's best pet-friendly businesses! The competition is by popular vote, one vote per person, please. You can do your part to help - vote Thrive Acupuncture as one of Portland's Top Dogs! It's pretty easy, here's what you do:
 It's about time that there's finally proof of what we acupuncturists already know - This medicine is a fine art, not one that can be learned in a mere 300 hours, and those attempting to practice acupuncture with so little working-knowledge of the system create dangerous situations for their patients. Anyone practicing acupuncture should be required to complete a minimum number of hours of hands-on training as well as pass the same rigorous testing that licensed acupuncturists complete. This is a matter of patient safety. Press-Release - Wednesday, May 5, 2010- Acupuncture patients may suffer from unwanted side effects in the hands of non-licensed acupuncturists, according to a comprehensive study conducted by the Institute of Community Medicine in Norway. Acupuncture has been proven to be an effective form of therapy. Numerous scientific studies have proven the efficacy of acupuncture on treating various ailments. As a testament to the now scientifically recognized value of acupuncture, the Department of Essential Drugs and Medicine Policy of the World Health Organization (WHO) has published a list of diseases, symptoms, and conditions that acupuncture can treat. Headaches, depression, sprains, strokes, sciatica, and rheumatoid arthritis are among the conditions included in WHO’s 2003 publication. However, practitioners with minimal acupuncture training, such as Chiropractors and Medical Doctors who have logged about 300 hours of practice while attending several weekend acupuncture seminars, may pose a risk to patients seeking acupuncture therapy. A comprehensive decade long study of Norway’s Institute of Community Medicine validates the fact that acupuncture is not safe at the hands of untrained individuals. During the 14-year study, the institute have discovered that 193 patients have suffered from adverse side-effects. The bulk of the said patients may have consulted non-licensed acupuncturists. The study also found out that Medical Acupuncture treatment performed by doctors with minimal acupuncture training was the reason for the death of three patients as also reported by http://www.medicalacupuncturefacts.com. The most serious side-effect that may stem from consulting non-licensed acupuncturists is pneumothorax or the influx of unwanted air in the chest due to perforation of the lungs by incorrect needle insertion. One case involved a patient who died 90 minutes after suffering chest pains and dyspnea after medical acupuncture treatment, according to MEDLINE. Like other fields of conventional Western Medicine, acupuncture should be performed by a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) only. Qualification for an acupuncture license is rigid. It is required that graduate acupuncture students should have more than 3,000 credit hours of study and training before gaining a license. During training, students are required to master the human body and the various acupuncture points. Such extensive training would ensure the absolute safety of patients who seek the services of an L.Ac. Unwanted accidents, such as perforation of the lungs by an acupuncture needle, would not happen at the hands of an L.Ac. who knows by heart all insertion points in the body. When it comes to seeking treatment, your well-being should be your top priority. To ensure your safety, it is advisable to only consult an L.Ac. who has graduated from accredited acupuncture schools from The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicinehttp://www.acaom.org/accprgs.asp. About Medical Acupuncture Facts: Medical acupuncture facts discusses the importance of seeking out a licensed acupuncturist over a doctor or chiropractor with minimal medical acupuncture training. For over 2 years Medical Acupuncture Facts has been informing the public of the dangers of going to non-licensed acupuncturists and shows common sense reasons of why to stick with licensed acupuncturists to ensure public safety. Visit http://www.medicalacupuncturefacts.com to learn more. # # # Company Name: Medical Acupucture facts Cautions Regarding Medical Acupuncture 03/25/2010
 I just finished reading this article on medical acupuncture and proper training. I 100% agree with the statements of this Medical Doctor who has decided to go to acupuncture school. Acupuncture should only be performed by those who can pass the standards set forth by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). It's important for the safety of anyone receiving acupuncture that their practitioner meet a minimum set of standards! It will be Chakralicious! 03/19/2010
 I've signed up for this class. It's going to Chakralicious. How do I know? It's taught by my buddy Bridget Pilloud. She is a woo-woo BADASS (it even says so on her business card!) Bridget is going to help us unblock our 2nd and 6th chakras to stimulate creativity and boost our own intuitive abilities. Yeah, we all have intuitive abilities! Some of us just don't have big intuition biceps yet. The Chakralicious class will be like going to the intuition gym! The class will be a phone conference, so no matter where you're located you can join us in getting the energy flowing! I'm super excited for this class because it's always fun basking in the woo-woo light that is Bridget (and I'm pretty sure we won't need sunscreen!). Join me! Gratitude 03/08/2010
 This may be a little off-topic as far as Chinese medicine is concerned, but I believe we can use the following example to improve our health - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. My two-and-a-half year-old had just finished eating her pancakes with syrup. Let me tell you, there is NOTHING clean about pancakes and syrup. Or pancakes and jam. Plain pancakes are fine, but who wants to eat them that way? (Okay, I do sometimes, but not usually the kiddo) As she always does after eating, because she's always got a huge mess on her hands, she asked, "Wash hands, Momma?" And before you get on my case about creating an OCD monster out of my child, she's the one who started this! She's a virgo and can't seem to have stuff out of place. She even cleans up her toys without being asked! And yes, I know how lucky I am :) So we went to the bathroom, pulled out her stepping stool and washed her hands. She hopped off that stepping stool, dried her hands on the towel and just before racing off into the living room to play, cheerily said, "Thanks towel!" Wow. I love the brains of children. Meh, I like brains. (haha and I'm not a zombie!) I LOVE seeing children/adults/dogs think stuff through. My kiddo is pretty darn polite, but this really took the cake! I decided that I want to try to spend today being grateful for everything around me. I wonder what my day will look like as I consciously thank even the smallest things around me for their place in my life. I want to be grateful for my body (and that's sometimes a little hard when you have an almost-four-month-old whose pregnancy left its mark recently ;) ) I want to be grateful for my dishwasher because otherwise I'd still be in the kitchen doing dishes rather than having the time to write this blog post. And yes, I even want to be thankful for the towel I use to dry my hands. What big or little things are you going to thank today? Integrative Medicine 02/23/2010
 For writing this article, I decided to search for a definition of Integrative Medicine that hit home with me. Here are a couple that I found:
I'll use the example of arthritis here to get my point across - I often have patients come in to see me because their medications aren't strong enough to take away their pain anymore. They've seen their doctor who is suggesting a stronger medication with some pretty scary side effects, or even surgery. They don't want to do either of these, so they're coming to their local acupuncturist to see if there's anything to be done. So we work together using acupuncture and Chinese herbs and, more often than not, they're completely pain-free and no longer need even their over-the-counter pain medications. Now, I'm not saying that strong medications and surgeries aren't ever needed. On the contrary, they can be very helpful in reversing severe disease. But why would you jump straight to those therapies when other, less-invasive ones could be tried first? Or perhaps Chinese medicine doesn't completely resolve the pain, but makes it manageable with OTC medications, rather than prescription ones. Someday, surgery may be necessary to control their pain, but I always feel that it's best to use the least amount of intervention to get the greatest healing result at that moment. So back to why I don't like the terms "complimentary medicine" and "alternative medicine." Let's start with alternative medicine. This label has been affixed to natural healing modalities and is often associated with the idea that "natural is better, and it's the only way to go." While natural medicine can do a lot to improve your health, it most certainly is not the only way to go, and isn't always the best. Emergency situations are a good example of when natural medicine isn't the best route. While there are emergency techniques in all natural healing modalities, they were developed before there were more effective life saving technologies available. If someone is having a heart attack in my office, I'm not going to rely on acupuncture and herbs to save them (though there are strategies for this in Chinese medicine!), I'm going to call 911, because biomedicine has a much better track record for saving them! I don't like the term "complimentary medicine" either, because, while it acknowledges that natural healing modalities exist, it doesn't give them the proper amount of recognition as the health-changing therapies that they are. I like to think of it like a menu at a restaurant. Biomedicine is the majority of the menu, with the "complimentary medicines" being that little section where you can order extra side dishes. Those extra sides are always ungodly expensive, and not necessary, since most meals come with them in the first place. "Complimentary medicine" gets marginalized as something that isn't necessary, it's an extra that only the rich can afford. I like the term "Integrative medicine" because it promotes a partnership between the patient and all of their healing practitioners, with everyone working together to do what works best for the individual patient. All of the healing practices are given their own, EQUAL seat at the table, and the patient is able to pick and choose what works best, with the least amount of intervention, for their body, their lifestyle and their principles. Keeping Warm in the Winter 01/07/2010
 Below is an article from China View on tips for staying warm during the winter according to Chinese medical theory. I liked the simple, often common sense tips for keeping cozy during this season! Staying warm in winter the TCM way means keeping warm, avoiding the cold, getting plenty of sunlight, doing gentle exercise and eating yang (hot energy) foods. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the major principle for health maintenance in winter is cang (storing) because yang keeps the body warm and active. Sunshine is a major source of yang energy in the universe, and ancient TCM principles call for arranging one's schedule accordingly, with respect to sunrise and sunset. Yang energy is consumed when people are awake and active and it is stored during sleep. Therefore, the first principle of storing energy is to get up late (or later than usual) and to go to bed early. One should wait for the yang-giving sunshine, according to "Huang Di Nei Jing" ("The Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor"), the fundamental text of TCM. As the sun rises later in winter than in other seasons, the idea is to get up no earlier than 7am. These ancient principles date from agrarian times when people lived closer to nature: Obviously modern people don't go to bed when the sun sets. Anyhow, get plenty of sun (vitamin D) but don't get burned. A problem arises because sunblock prevents the body's production of vitamin D. In addition to staying warm and wearing enough clothes, it's important to avoid pathogenic cold in winter, according to both the Yellow Emperor and Beijing TCM expert Zheng Guzhong, author of "Qiu Yi Bu Ru Qiu Ji" ("Better Refer to Yourself Than the Doctor"). Pathogenic cold (yin energy), which prevails in the universe in winter, can cause health problems. It can consume yang energy and obstruct the normal flow of blood and energy, resulting in pain. Blood vessels and tendons contract, which is unhealthy. Wearing enough clothes is the easiest way to conserve yang energy, which defends the body against invasion of pathogenic cold. But yang energy is consumed by fighting the cold, so it's important to dress warmly. The many young women who wear short skirts and short jackets in winter may be damaging their yang energy for the sake of fashion. Underneath their makeup, their complexion may be pale, bluish or dark. The cold slows blood circulation and may cause aching or numbness. The head, back and feet are especially vulnerable to pathogenic cold, so it's important to keep them warm in winter. Soaking the feet in hot (not too hot) water before bed warms both your system and your feet. The idea is to soak until there's a slight sweat; too much sweating is bad because it disrupts yang energy. Getting sunshine (but shade your face) between 10am and 3pm can protect the head and back from cold. Light physical exercise in the sunshine is healthy, but if the temperature is below 2 degrees Celsius, it's best to wear a hat to conserve yang energy - otherwise yang energy is lost from the head. Intense physical exercise that causes a heavy sweat should be avoided in winter, lest it consume too much yang energy that should be stored. Tai chi, walking and simple stretching are good as they warm up the body but don't produce sweating. Winter swimming is not suitable for everyone. Though swimmers don't sweat, weak people who swim may catch cold and cold water robs the body of yang energy. It's best not to remove clothes during exercise until the body has warmed up; replace clothes after exercise. Sitting on a cold surface after exercising is unhealthy because pathogenic cold energy can invade from the bottom, travel through the back and reach the head, undermining organ health. Chinese Medicine Circadian Rhythyms 01/06/2010
 I loved the following blog post written by Bryan McMahon over at Thoughts Along the Way : The Art of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Modern China, and wanted to share it with you all! I hope you enjoy thinking about the ways you could modify your daily schedule to best keep yourself healthy! The Horary Cycle and our Body’s Natural RhythmsThe following article has been translated and adapted from a posting on 中国中医网. In Ancient times, the Chinese separated the day into 12 periods of time based on the motion of the sun through the Heavens, each two hours in length. Each individual period became intimately associated with one of the 5 zang/6 fu organs, its corresponding meridian and its physiological functions. Below are further details of this system as it relates to human physiology and basic suggestions for promoting health through proper daily rhythm. The Zi Period: Maintaining Yang Qi through Sleep - 11pm to 1am is the period when Yin energy is at its height. Yin energy directly correlates to the physiological process of sleep. Therefore, we should be soundly asleep during this period. Just getting into bed during these hours, reading, watching television, or struggling to fall asleep is not an efficient use of this time.The Gallbladder meridian is most active during the Zi period. According to the law of transformation of Yin and Yang (extreme Yin produces Yang; extreme Yang produces Yin), the gallbladder is responsible for giving birth to the first Yang energy of the 24 hour cycle. This Yang energy in its infantile state is highly vulnerable. Therefore, we must protect and allow it to grow through proper sleep. The Niu Period: Production of Blood by the Liver - 1am to 3am is the period when the liver is most active. The liver, and its corresponding meridian, are responsible for stimulating new growth, further strengthening the Yang qi released by the gallbladder. The liver carries out its physiological functions of filtering toxins and producing blood during this time. Extensive clinical observation has shown that many patients who suffer from liver disease are fond of staying up late into the night. This deprives their liver of adequate opportunity to complete its tasks, and over time, leads to illness. The Yin Period: The Ideal Time for Measuring the Pulse - The morning from 3am to 5am is known as the “peaceful dawn”. During this time, the energy of the Heavens is approaching a state of equality; the relative state of Yin and Yang begin to come into balance. The lungs are most active during this period. As the day begins to break, the pulses most accurately reflect the state of the individual. One can note whether the pulse is stiff or tight. For those over 40 with a stiff pulse, there is a high correlation with high blood pressure; for those in their twenties or thirties with a tight pulse, it is likely that they are under a great deal of stress at work or suffering from a heightened level of general anxiety. A pulse that is both stiff and tight is known as a “wiry” pulse, often characteristic of high cholesterol and arteriosclerosis. The Mao Period: Drink a Glass of Water, Clear the Body of Toxins - The large intestine is most active during this period from 5am to 7am. It is important to begin the day at this time with a glass of warm water on an empty stomach. This is particularly effective for individuals who suffer from chronic constipation. As the energy of the large intestine begins to grow stronger, the water helps act as a catalyst to stimulate peristalsis, thus eliminating toxins from the body. The toxins contained within our stool compose about 50% of the total toxins of our entire body. The Mao period represents “the opening of the heavenly gate”, corresponds to the second month of the lunar calendar, when life, fueled by the growing force of Yang energy, emerges from the Earth, thus making it the ideal time for vacating the bowels. The Chen Period: Balancing the Nutrition of the Morning Meal - The stomach is most active during the Chen period, from 7am to 9am. We should take out morning meal at this time, thus making use of the abundant energy of the stomach. Breakfast should include some form of animal-based protein, including eggs or other breakfast meats. The Si Period: The First Optimal Period for Work or Study - 9am to 11am is the time dominated by the spleen. The spleen is responsible for assimilation and transport of nutrients. This is the period of the day when brain activity is at its peak, making it the first ‘golden’ period of the day, ideal for study or work. However, this productivity and effectiveness is dependent upon having eaten a healthy breakfast. The spleen processes and assimilates food digested by the stomach, converting it to the energy that drives our various physical and mental activities. It is also the best time of the day for seniors to exercise. The Wu Period: A Quick Nap to Fortify Yang Qi - The Heart channel is most active during this period from 11am to 1pm. During this time, we should follow lunch with a brief period of rest. According to the principles of transformation of Yin and Yang, Yang energy has reached its apex. The NeiJing tells us that Yin is associated with the interior and sleep, while Yang governs the exterior and waking hours. Therefore, by following the midday meal with a brief period of rest, we can further this transition of Yang to Yin. This is especially important for Yang deficient people to fortify their Yang energy with a longer period of sleep. For the rest of us, a half hour of rest should be sufficient to protect the Heart energy and Yang qi. The Wei Period: Protect Blood Vessels by Drinking Water1pm to 3pm is the time of the Small Intestine. At this time, the small intestine completes the absorption and assimilation of nutrients from digested food matter. The blood stream is now laden with the nutritional building blocks of life, a state somewhat analogous to the crowded streets of rush hour traffic. At this time, we should drink a glass of warm water or tea in order to help dilute the blood and promote circulation. This can help protect vessel walls from the excessive strain of nutrient-rich blood. The Shen Period: The Second Optimal Period for Work or Study - The period from 3pm to 5pm is the second golden period for concentration of the day, when the urinary bladder is most active. The small intestine has completed its assimilation of nutrients and made them available for consumption by the brain, making it easier to carry out high-concentration oriented tasks. The You Period: The Best Time for Preventing Kidney Trouble - The kidneys are most active during the You period, from 5pm to 7pm. Drinking another glass of warm, clear fluids at this time assists the kidneys in filtering toxins from the body, helping prevent afflictions such as kidney stones and bladder infections. The Xu Period: The Third Optimal Period for Work or Study - The period from 7pm to 9pm is governed by the pericardium. At this time in the day, the heart energy relaxes into an eased flow, ushering in the third golden period for work or study of the day. It is also an ideal time to go for an after-dinner walk or get in some other form of exercise. As the pericardium hour draws to a close, finish it off with another glass of water or non-caffeinated tea to maintain proper circulation. The Hai Period: Preparing to Rest - The SanJiao, or triple burner, is most active during the hours of 9pm to 11pm. At this time, our day should slowly begin to draw to a close. Computers, TV’s and cell phones should slowly be retired for the day to allow the mind time to settle into a restive state. It is an ideal time for pleasure reading, enjoying some light music, quiet meditation, or sharing intimate time together with a partner. | ArchivesSeptember 2010 CategoriesAll |
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