Acupuncture. Just Do It.
Acupuncture. Yeah, Just Do It. :)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Six Acupuncture Points For Better Memory
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
Many people suffer with memory loss, and acupuncture happens to have many protocols to help increase your memory as well as your ability to focus and think more clearly. Of course, one of the reasons that acupuncture is so effective is that the thorough intake and diagnostic process means that each person is having the treatment tailored to their specific and unique imbalances. But, there are certain organ systems and meridians that tend to govern our ability to remember and our cognitive function. The spleen affects for short term memory, concentration and our ability to think analytically. The kidney is responsible for short term memory and how we retain information. And the heart influences our long term memory and how quickly and efficiently we are able to access information stored in our brains (and elsewhere). In Chinese medicine theory the Shen or spirit is what governs our consciousness, emotions and thinking. Disturbances in the Shen (which are very common) will manifest with symptoms like insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, an inability to focus, unclear thinking, poor memory and forgetfulness.
Below are six acupuncture points for better memory. If you are not able to get to an acupuncturist, not to worry, you may use acupressure (putting pressure on the points instead of using needles) to stimulate them. A good way to do them is in order from the bottom of the body moving upwards (this is how they are ordered here) and press on each on both sides of the body (bilaterally) for about 30 seconds each. The Du 20 and Si Shen Cong points are not bilateral. You may do this set a couple of times a day to help improve your memory and be able to think more clearly, and I think we can all use a little more of that!
Ok, let's begin. First point is..
Kidney 1
The kidney meridian begins on the bottom of the foot at kidney 1 and runs all the way up and terminates under the clavicle at kidney 27. You would normally not needle this point as it is just too sensitive. Applying pressure or using other things like moxa are the ways in which we normally stimulate this point. Stimulating kidney 1 floods the body with kidney energy that has many beneficial effects including improving memory, strengthening bones and improving hearing.
Heart 7
Heart 7 is a very powerful acupuncture point located on the wrist just inside the tendon of flexor carpi ulnaris. The heart meridian begins in the axilla (the armpit) and runs down the inside of the arm to terminate at the corner of the nail bed of the pinky finger. Stimulating this point helps with sleep problems like insomnia and with mental issues like anxiety and depression.
Lung 7
Lung 7 is also a powerful point and is located on the side of the wrist 1.5 cun from the wrist crease. A cun is the width of your thumb, and is considered your body "inch" and is the measurement we use to find all the important anatomical locations on the body. The lung meridian begins up under the clavicle and travels down the inside of the arm to terminate at the nail bed of the thumb. Stimulating this point is good for relieving headaches, tooth aches, sore throat, asthma and for helping to release sadness and grief.
Pericardium 6
Pericardium 6 is located on the inner forearm. The pericardium, in Chinese medicine, is considered the protector of the heart, so all points on the pericardium also affect the heart. It is located between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi ulnaris two of your thumb widths from the wrist crease. Be sure that you apply pressure in between the tendons - some people's tendons are closer together than others. The pericardium meridian begins one inch lateral to the nipple and travels down the center of the inside of the arm terminating at the tip of the middle finger. Pericardium 6 has a very strong action on nausea and vomiting and also treats conditions of the heart (where the Shen is seen to reside) like regulating the heart qi and calming the Shen.
Si Shen Cong
Si Shen Cong are a group of four acupuncture points located on top of the head. They belong to a group of points, called "Extraordinary Points". For reference, Du 20 (below) is located at the centre of this group of four points. Each is located one "Cun" - or the width of your thumb away, forward, left, back and right to Du 20. Si Shen Cong has a strong stimulating effect on all aspects of the Shen . They are also used for headache, vertigo, insomnia, epilepsy and of course, poor memory. They also help to clear the mind and calm the Shen. You may find also, that these points, as well as Du 20, are a little sore when you apply pressure.
Du 20
Du 20 is also a powerful point for the brain, and has a calming effect on the Shen. It has a very strong raising function which makes it good for prolapse of organs (bladder, uterus, vagina) and hemorrhoids. It can both increase Yang (fire energy) in the body or subdue it. It is located at the vertex of the head. The easiest way to find it is to gently fold over the ears back to front and from the top where they come to a point when you have folded them, connect that line to the top of the head and that is where you will find Du 20. The Du meridian starts below the tip of the coccyx, at the midpoint between the tip of the coccyx and the anus and runs up the midline of the body and terminates on the inside of the upper lip where the frenulum joins the upper lip and gum.
Our formidable memories are one of the things that make us unique amongst other animal species. Stimulating these points, eating a diet high in nutrients and minerals, getting plenty of rest and supplements like Ginko Biloba which increases blood flow to the brain are god ways to keep your brain healthy. Keeping the brain active and engaged is perhaps the most important way to keep a healthy mind. Reading, doing crosswords and other puzzles and social interaction are a good way to keep your mind sharp and your memory strong for years to come.
These lovely images came from The Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman
Why Acupuncture Plays Nice With Others.
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
Acupuncture is very friendly and does not compete. There are no unpleasant side effects, and it uses the body's own energies to rebalance and heal. It really is the perfect system. Needles are inexpensive and portable, making it widely accessible both socioeconomically, and geographically. There are many stories of tiny acupuncture clinics springing up in remote parts of the world, helping hundreds of people who might not otherwise have access to medical care. These are only some of the reasons why I am so in love with it.
Setting up Western medical clinics in remote and impoverished parts of the planet is considerably more difficult. Equipment and supplies, as well as expensive drugs are needed which often makes running them cost prohibitive.
Acupuncture is a complete, superhero system on its own, able to treat limitless ailments - but also combines with every other modality, from massage to oncology to mental health, to compliment and improve their effects. I have worked in many multidisciplinary clinics over the years, sharing patients with other doctors. Sometimes the acupuncture was used to reinforce the treatment a patient was being given and sometimes, it was used to combat the negative side effects of treatments and medications. Every time, it was inserted seamlessly into a patient's treatment to make it better. Acupuncture plays nice with others.
There is often skepticism from Western doctors when they hear they will be working with an acupuncturist. There is sometimes even eye rolling, the raising of eyebrows and dramatic sighing. I admit, this used to be difficult to deal with, and made the interaction heavy right from the start. But in my years of clinical practice, I have learned something (I hope more than one thing), and that is that there is something that knocks out the opponent that is skepticism and doubt - results. Over and over again, acupuncture is able to treat patients, and resolve their problems, and, when this happens enough, the doctors start believing that it might actually be the acupuncture doing it.
This is sometimes a difficult thing for a doctor who studied Western or Allopathic medicine to grasp because it is completely outside their experience and frame of reference. Western medicine is a method based on science, using things that can be seen and measured. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are based on an unseen energy called Qi which is responsible for many processes vital to life and existence. It cannot be put under a microscope, in a vial, or measured in a laboratory test.
When acupuncture or Chinese medicine is combined with other modalities, Western medicine or otherwise, the results are awesome. Chinese medicine is only one tool used to treat and heal the body, mind and spirit. Western medicine is another. My thought is that when dealing with the human body or anything else, don't you want to have as many tools at your disposal as possible? I think so, and for me, acupuncture will always be one of them.
How My Curse Became My Gift.
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
I was a sensitive child. I felt things deeply. But when you are little you don’t understand this about yourself.
I always found it hard to be in a room with a lot of people. I could FEEL what everyone in the room was feeling. It was overwhelming. Because of this, I spent a lot of time by myself. This wasn’t the only reason. I grew up an only child, and we moved a lot. I was good at being by myself. I could spend hours playing by myself, I lived in my imagination. The external world was intense and overwhelming for me, sounds always seemed too loud, smells too strong. When it came time for me to go to school, the experience was terrifying. I was painfully shy and had a hard time in crowded classrooms full of excited children. I begged my parents to let me stay home, but alas, I could not. I had to go to school. These reactions prompted some concern for my parents. I think this is why my father took it upon himself to try to “toughen me up”, which for most children would have been fine, enjoyable bonding perhaps, but for me bordered on brutality. They were worried about me and how I was going to survive in the cruel, harsh world.
It was at this point that I started to realize that perhaps something was wrong with me, or that I was different in some negative way. I started to notice my parents reaction to my sensitivity to things even though I didn’t know it as sensitivity then. Whenever animals got hurt, I would cry. I still can’t watch humane society commercials. I worried about the environment. I worried about my parents dying and where they were going when they did. I worried a LOT.
But, there were many things that were my solace from the worries of the world. I felt deeply connected to animals, especially my pets. I could feel what they were feeling and always knew what they needed. I loved being outside in nature and the gentle hum that came from the plants and the environment was comforting to me. I spent hours outside playing, building, walking. I was a daydreamer. I still am. I thought up entire worlds, people and complex scenarios where I would spend time in my imagination. This is what made me happy as a child, I had a rich inner life, but the real world and all its darkness, violence and death worried me deeply.
I think that my parents were really worried about how I was going to make it. Of course, they loved me and thought I was wonderful, but I suspect they wondered how I would deal with the harsh realities of life. I had heard them tell people what a “sensitive” child they had, and this was always accompanied by an expression of concern and received with a knowing look of sympathy. Being a sensitive kid was tough. My best friend's mother died suddenly in her sleep one night when we were 11 and I cried for a week because I was so sad for her and terrified my parents were next. When my pets died I was beside myself and couldn’t function. When I saw injustice or cruelty, I became angry and depressed that people couldn’t be more kind to each other. I worried about the state of the planet and the people on it. I still do.
Making it through high school was a miracle. As a shy, awkward teenager, high school is a special kind of hell. Thankfully, I went to an art high school and found a lovely group of people just like me, and we all got through it together.
Much later when I had a little more life experience and some more tools at my disposal I figured out a way to explain the way I was and why I was so easily overwhelmed by certain situations and felt everything so deeply. I realized that the bandwidth in which I take in stimulus is waaaaaaaay bigger than it is for a normal person - so, for most people parties with lots of people are fun and a place to relax and enjoy themselves, but for me, they are overwhelming, over stimulating and exhausting. For some people seeing an animal being hurt is sad but manageable, but for me, it is devastating and will haunt me for years.
Years later when I was in school learning Chinese medicine something amazing happened. In those years, you are learning to heal by first healing yourself, and it is an intense process that can take you to unexpected places. In second year we began our clinical hours in the student clinic treating patients. I began to realize that I was easily able to tell why someone wasn’t feeling well and what they needed. I could organize my questions around what I felt from them instead of following a protocol or instructions. Instead of feeling three levels of the pulse, I could feel eleven. I could tell within a few minutes when someone in the clinic was sad, or depressed or afraid and that this was the reason they weren’t well, often without ever speaking to them. I knew when holding a patient’s hand would do more than sticking them with needles. I knew when listening was far more important to someone's recovery than herbs or dietary therapy. I knew the problem and the reasons for it, even if the person's words were telling us something completely different. It was incredible, I knew what people needed without even trying.
It was while I was in school that I changed the way I felt about myself. Instead of being someone who had a weakness that needed to be overcome, I became someone with a gift. I just hadn’t ever known how to use it before. This thing I had, it turned out, made me very capable of helping people feel better. Figuring out why they weren’t feeling well and what to do about it. This sensitivity allowed me to feel on many deep levels and ascertain the root of the problem and how to correct it.
Now, after being in practice for many years, I have been able to hone my sensitivity which allows me to get to the root of a patient’s problem quickly and efficiently. I use what I “feel” from them as much as listening to the words they are telling me to diagnose and treat them. Because of this, I am able to resolve their problems because I know what caused them and how to best approach their treatment. What I love about Chinese medicine is that it is about the person you are treating, not the disease. The way they feel is just as important as what is happening inside their bodies, and being sensitive is the best tool I have to be able to help people rebalance and get well.
I am so grateful that I was able to find a profession that allowed me to realize that this thing that had always made life more difficult, actually made me a better healer. Accepting that being sensitive was not in fact a curse, but something incredibly valuable was very healing on many levels. The whole experience made me realize something else… that there are no such thing as curses, there are only gifts.
I urge you to find yours, and go out and use it to change the world.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How my curse became my gift | Chinese Medicine Living
Celebrating Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Day - The Love Gallery
Happy AOM Day!! Today - October 24th - is National Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine day. It is a day to celebrate! I know that Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is something I live, eat and breathe every day, and I do love it. Deeply. Passionately. Profoundly. So, for all Acupuncture and Oriental medicine has given to me, I wanted to show it how much I (and many people around the planet) love it too.
To celebrate, I have decided to put together a love gallery with photos of everyone who wanted to share their love of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. Thank you everyone!!! <3
Billy from San Francisco, CA
Michelle & Emma, Sarasota Florida
Darrell & Jeannette, Manitoba Canada
Cappy & Nancy, El Valle Panama
Susan, Emma & Patricia, Planet Earth
Zach, The Planet Neptune
Ali, Medicine Hat Alberta
Michael, Montreal Canada
Anonymously Awesome.
Annie from Sarasota, Florida.
Cheers to that!! <3
What are you going to do to show your love today? :)
Loving Your Spleen in Chinese Medicine
Taking Care of Your Spleen Will Do Way More Than Improve Your Digestion
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
One of the most common things I see in my practice is problems with digestion. Interestingly, this isn’t usually the reason that people come to see me, but when I am going through their medical history, it usually comes up. The sad thing is that most people live with digestive problems when in Chinese Medicine they are relatively easy to fix with a little treatment, nutritional counselling and some tips on how to help support and strengthen our digestions.
Now, a lot of people think of the spleen as in the western medicine spleen, part of the immune system and responsible for the production of white blood cells (lymphocytes) and removal of old red blood cells. It is not the same as it is in Chinese Medicine. The spleen in Chinese Medicine is paired with the Stomach, and both are the main organs of digestion for the body. The difference is that they not only digest food but also stimulus and information - everything that comes into the body through our sense organs.
What you learn in your first year in Acupuncture school when learning Chinese Medicine theory, is that we live in a Spleen deficient culture. We are constantly taking in information, and that information has to be processed by, you guessed it, the Spleen. We eat in front of the TV (taking in food, and stimulus at the same time), we are constantly looking at our mobile devices on the road and wherever we go, and we are always multitasking, never doing just one thing at a time. And thus, we are overloading our poor Spleens.
So, what can we do? There are lots of things that, once you are aware of them, can help take the burden off your Spleen.
Don’t Put Ice In Your Drinks.
Avoid Cold Foods.
The Spleen hates cold, so one easy way to help your Spleen is to avoid ice in your drinks. Because the Spleen is responsible for breaking down your food through the process of digestion, and this is powered by heat. Eating and drinking cold foods such as icy drinks, eating ice cream (a TCM nono!), or eating a lot of frozen or very cold foods (many foods in raw form are considered “cold”) taxes the Spleens energy, as it has to heat up again to be able to do the work necessary for digestion.
Be Mindful.
This is not just good advice for helping your Spleen, but a good life philosophy. One of the best things you can do for your Spleen is to do one thing at a time and be absolutely mindful when you do it. This means when you are eating, JUST EAT. Don’t sit in front of the TV, read, study or catch up on work. In such a fast-paced world where everyone is short on time, it is understandable that people are always doing many things at once, but this small thing will not only help your Spleen, it will relax your mind and body as well.
Chew Your Food.
We can all help our Spleens by making sure that we really chew our food well. We tend to all be in such a hurry that we do not chew our food nearly as well as we should. Chewing will help the breakdown of the foods before they get to the stomach, making the Spleens job a little easier.
Eat Soups.
Since most of us have at least some Spleen deficiency, one of the best things you can do to be kind to your Spleen is to eat soups. These are warming (the longer and slower they are cooked, the more warming they become) and they are very easy to digest which is why they are prescribed to you when you are sick - your body requires less energy to digest them, focussing its energies to fighting pathogens and getting you well. Soups do not take a lot of energy to digest, saving the Spleens energy for other things. There are many foods that are beneficial to the Spleen which I will list later in the article. I will also list foods that the Spleen is not so fond of so you can at least be aware of what they are and avoid them when you can.
Take A Break.
Because we live in a culture that is so bombarded by stimulus, most people have deficient Spleens. The Spleen must take in and process ALL that information, including the food we eat and liquids we drink, so you can imagine, it is a very hard-working organ. Something that you can do to give your Spleen a break, is to literally, take a break. Go for a walk outside. Leave your phone at home. Sit somewhere quiet and meditate away from the TV, the phone and try to avoid interruptions. Doing this even once a day for a few minutes will really help the Spleen and you will notice a big difference in how you feel. You will notice that you are calmer, more aware and feel more at peace. And your Spleen will love you.
The Spleens Functions in Chinese Medicine
The Spleen is responsible for many functions so that if you have symptoms in any of these areas, they point to a disharmony of the Spleen.
The Spleen Controls Blood
The Spleen is responsible for manufacturing the Blood and the Spleen Qi keeps it in the vessels. If Spleen-Qi is weak, a person will bruise easily, and/or will have problems with bleeding.
The Spleen Controls The Muscles And The Four Limbs
The Spleen is responsible for circulating nutrients to the muscles and tissues. If the Spleen is weak, then the muscles and limbs are not nourished and become weak and tired.
The Spleen Is Responsible For Transformation & Transportation
The Spleen is responsible for the intake, processing, and distribution of nutrients extracted from food and drink. The Spleen takes these nutrients and creates Qi and Blood, both vital substances for all the body’s functions and maintaining proper health. If transformation and transportation are functioning properly, the Qi is strong, digestion is smooth and the body is kept moist. When malfunctioning, the Qi is weak (lassitude and lethargy), the appetite is poor, digestion is sluggish and the stools are loose and watery.
The Spleen Opens Into The Mouth & Manifests In The Lips
Chewing is necessary for the functioning of the Spleen and if the Spleen is deficient, the sense of taste may be dulled. Red, moist and vibrant lips indicate a healthy Spleen. If the Spleen is deficient, however, the lips will be pale from lack of nourishment.
Controls The Upright Qi
The Spleen is responsible for the body’s “holding” function. This is called the upright Qi. It is specifically the force that counteracts gravity when it comes to holding things, specifically the organs, in place. This is very important! Without healthy upright Qi, all of our organs would be at the bottom of our abdomen! When the Spleen is weak, we see prolapse of organs (uterus, bladder, stomach), prolapse of the vagina as well as things like haemorrhoids (prolapse of the anus, PLUS bleeding also attributed to the Spleen).
Houses Thought
Every organ in TCM is seen to have its own unique Spirit, and the Spirit of the Spleen is called the Yi. The Spleen is directly related to our capacity for thinking. How well we manage our thoughts, concentrate, exercise discernment, and form intentions are dependent on the strength of the Spleen.
Worry - The Emotion of the Spleen
All organs in Chinese Medicine also are associated with an emotion, and the emotion of the Spleen is worry and overthinking. This works in two ways. Excessive worry will damage the Spleen Qi, and a deficient Spleen can weaken the mind and our capacity to think clearly and focus, leaving us susceptible to worry.
Foods Beneficial For The Spleen
- Organic lightly cooked vegetables, corn, celery, watercress, turnip, pumpkin, alfalfa sprouts, button mushrooms, radish, caper
- Brown rice, barley, amaranth, rye, oats
- Legumes, kidney beans, adzuki beans, lentils
- A small amount of lean organic meat, poultry and fish, tuna
- A small number of whole fruits (as opposed to just the juice), lemon
- Sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
- Seaweed, kelp
- Green tea, jasmine tea, raspberry leaf tea, chai tea
- Raspberry, peach, strawberry, cherry
- Walnut, chestnuts, pine nuts, pistachios
- Lamb, venison
- Lobster, mussels, prawns, shrimp, trout
- Black pepper, cinnamon bark, clove, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, peppermint, rosemary, sage, turmeric, thyme, horseradish, cayenne, nutmeg
Foods That Hurt The Spleen
- Dairy
- Wheat
- Cold drinks
- Fruit juice
- Processed foods
- Refined flour, pastry, pasta, bread
- Cold raw foods
- Refined sugar and sugar substitutes
- Coffee, alcohol
- Deep-fried foods
- Peanuts and peanut butter
- Bananas, avocado
When the Spleen is functioning well a person will feel energetic, their digestion will be smooth, their bowel movements will be regular and firm (not soft), thoughts will be clear and one will be able to concentrate.
When the Spleen is imbalanced there will be symptoms of digestive upset, loose stools, poor appetite, low energy, oedema (water retention), nausea, vomiting, weakness in the four limbs, pale lips, organ prolapse, bruising and a feeling of cold.
Because most of us have some level of Spleen deficiency, we can all help our Spleens by being aware of simple things we can all do to take some of the pressure off of this important organ. Your Spleen will love you for it. :)
Featured image photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
Download Our Sheets - The Spleen in Chinese Medicine
Are You A Practitioner?
Please visit the Chinese Medicine Professionals Shop to get PRO sheets for your clinic that you can share with patients. Yay!
Loving Your Spleen in Chinese Medicine | Chinese Medicine Living
Ask An Acupuncturist. - Do You Do Acupuncture On Yourself?
Question
As an acupuncturist, do you do acupuncture on yourself?
Answer
This is a good question and I am a bit surprised that I don't get asked it more often. The answer is yes, I do do acupuncture on myself when I really need it. For me, it is always preferable to have an acupuncture treatment performed by another acupuncturist (this is a more relaxing experience), but I certainly do points on myself when I can't get to see an acupuncturist myself.
I used to always travel with needles, but after a few incidents at airports, I am a bit leary of carrying needles with me on airplanes (the TSA is so sassy!), but I usually have a little acupuncture medicine kit with me with needles, herbs and other things like herbal burn cream, ear seeds and moxa for anything that might come up.
I do acupuncture on myself mainly when I have a headache, cramps, digestive issues or a cold or flu. Sometimes it is a bit tricky to get needles in, and because you are doing the work, it isn't the most relaxing experience, but it gets the job done and for me, is always preferable to taking a pill.
There are also theories that propose that when you work on yourself that you are interrupting your own energy, so that any theraputic effects are diminished. I can understand this, as when I do points on myself I am concentrating, and never entirely relax, whereas when you are being treated by someone else, their energy is going to treating you in its entirety, and you are able to take in the treatment completely which is your focus, and you are able to relax.
There are certain things that I cannot easily treat myself like points on the back and neck, but anything else, at least that I can reach I can treat myself. I would always go and have a proper treatment from an acupuncturist if I had the choice, but it is really nice to have the option to treat myself if I need to. :)
Escape Fire - The Fight To Rescue American Healthcare - A Review
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac
Escape Fire is a documentary film that presents a sobering exploration of the US medical system, and how it is largely failing the American people. In a country that spends more on healthcare than any other country in the world ($2.7 trillion annually), it seems that there should be a direct correlation with the amount of money spent and the overall health of the population. Instead of being at the top of the list in life expectancy, the United States is number 50. The film states that in the US, 75% of healthcare costs go to treating chronic diseases that are largely preventable. It is also estimated that 30% of healthcare spending (roughly $750 billion annually) is wasted and does not improve health.
The film presents some of the reasons that the present system is not working and why, despite the enormous amount of money spent, Americans are so unhealthy. The first and most fundamental is that it is a system not based on health, but on disease. Disease is the focus of both medical education and practice and therefore, doctors are not taught basic things like nutrition and prevention and instead specialize into fields where the focus is on disease. This focus on disease means that the entire system does not even enter into the equation until the disease has already manifested, and is thus based on intervention after the problems have already developed.
A Design Flaw in the System
Another problem with the present system is pay structure. Doctors are paid not for having healthier patients, but by seeing as many patients as possible, making it a numbers game. This leads to frustration for many doctors, as there is not time to flush out the root of the problems they encounter with their patients, so they are only treating symptoms, which means that patients come back with the same problems, again and again. The system is not based on outcomes, no matter how complicated or how much time they spend with a patient, it is based solely on how many patients they see. Doctors are doing what they can, cramming their schedules, but this approach is about quantity, not quality. Everyone is doing what they think is right, the government pays hospitals to be full, so they try to be full, and pays doctors to see patients, so they try to see as many patients as possible. Everyone is doing their jobs, it is just that their jobs have been designed wrong.
Dr. Andrew Weil, Professor of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Arizona, says
“What’s wrong with medical education is that it simply doesn’t address whole subject areas that are absolutely essential to understanding human beings, health, illness, and treatment. An obvious one is nutrition which is almost omitted from medical education.”
In 1994 Dr. Weil started a fellowship to retrain people who had been through medical school. In the fellowship, he exposes them to a broader way of seeing their patients, and arms them with a deeper understanding of healing, thus giving them a wider range of tools that they can use to help their patients.
Lifestyle Chioces
Dr. Dean Ornish, President of the Preventative Medicine Research Institute has spent more than 30 years conducting studies that show that heart disease can be reversed by what we eat, how we respond to stress, how much we exercise and the amount of love and support we have in our lives. He believes that the underlying causes of chronic disease are largely lifestyle, and therefore both preventable and reversible. In his model, the doctor acts as quarterback and assembles a team to work with the patient - a nurse, yoga instructor, exercise physiologist, registered dietitian and clinical psychologist. In this way, the patients empower themselves to change their lives and regain their health.
After 16 years of trying to get Medicare to recognize his program, it was finally announced in August 2010 that Medicare would reimburse Dr. Ornish’s heart disease lifestyle program. Dr. Ornish said that getting Medicare to recognize his work and agree to cover his program was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life, but thanks to his tireless work, his program will be covered and the information and treatment will hopefully spread, giving people another option to surgery and drugs for not only heart disease, but eventually for all diseases.
The Pharmaceutical Industry
The US spends a staggering $300 billion a year on pharmaceuticals, almost the amount of the rest of the world combined. In the 1950’s people were taking pharmaceuticals at 10% the rate they are now. So, what happened? It turns out that there are only 2 countries that are allowed to advertise pharmaceuticals. The United States is one, and New Zealand is the other and these ads seem to drive demand. The ads always say, “Ask your doctor!” and apparently, people do. People ask their doctors about that new drug that is supposed to be wonderful for high cholesterol, or elevated blood pressure, and doctors, wanting to help their patients, prescribe it. As a result, the US has turned into a hugely overmedicated society, and the pharmaceutical industry is raking it in.
Prescription drugs have also become a huge problem in the military. Soldiers’ use of prescription drugs has tripled in the past 5 years and has lead to other problems like an increased number of suicides. In fact, according to Pentagon statistics, the US military set a record - 350 suicides among active-duty troops. That’s more than the number that died in combat in Afghanistan, and more than double the number of reported suicides from a decade ago.
Acupuncture in the Military
Dr. Wayne Jonas, President of the Samueli Institute for Military Medical Research says:
“15 years ago a consensus conference at the NIH (National Institute of Health) asked a question: “Do we have good evidence to show that acupuncture is safe and effective for any condition?” They said, “Absolutely, it’s been demonstrated that acupuncture is safe and effective, especially with postoperative and injury pain.” He continues, “Fifteen years later you can’t walk into your average hospital and get acupuncture. Its not that it doesn’t work, it is that we haven’t figured out how to get it into the system.”
Dr. Richard Niemtzow, who is Director of the US Air Force Acupuncture Center has been using auricular acupuncture (acupuncture of the ear) to reduce pain in troops, some of whom were originally on a number of painkillers and has experienced great success with this program.
The military is looking into using acupuncture on injured soldiers being evacuated to medical centers in the United States, as it would reduce pain and the number of medications needed, thus avoiding the risks of dependency and overdose.
It may seem strange that something like acupuncture, which comes from Eastern medicine with its emphasis on a holistic system that seeks to balance mind, body and spirit, could coexist inside an institution like the hard core military. The explanation, according to Dr. Jonas, is that the military has seen unprecedented numbers of soldiers suffering from drug addictions, psychological problems like PTSD, both of which have lead to an dramatic increase in the number of suicides. It was this alarming trend that drove the military to seek out other treatment options like acupuncture.
There is an exciting program that is showcased in the film at Walter Reed Army Medical Center where troops are sent when they return from combat with injuries. The program incorporates yoga, meditation and acupuncture in their recovery. The film follows one soldier who returned from Afghanistan where he lost many of his men and was suffering from physical injuries as well as PTSD. His journey through the program illustrates that healing is needed not just on a physical level, but on all levels and that the program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center is getting results.
A for profit business
All of these statistics lead us to believe that something is terribly wrong. Sick people are not getting the care they need, and despite the enormous amount of money spent, Americans are not healthier and do not live longer. So something needs to change, right? Well, to find out why that change has been so slow to arrive, we need to look at who is benefitting from the system in its present incarnation. In a for profit system, the emphasis will always be on profit, and not health. The ones benefiting are the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies and the lobbyists in Washington who have a huge influence on policy making due to their deep pockets and generous campaign contributions.
The Solution
It seems obvious that the present healthcare system is not fulfilling its job of caring for the health of the American people, so what is the solution? The film suggests that the problems are not small or easy to fix and that it would be a complete restructuring of the system from the ground up that is needed. Medical education needs to be reevaluated and changed from a disease focus to a focus on health and prevention, or perhaps a healthy balance of the two. And perhaps most importantly, the public needs to become engaged, and incite change with their actions and more importantly, their dollars. If patients go to their doctors asking for nutritional advice and information about vitamins and supplements, then doctors will be compelled to give it. As it stands, the system is broken, but the United States still has amazing resources, doctors and hospitals. It is second to none in critical care, emergency medicine and complicated surgeries and there is incredibly important medical research being done in this country. So it is not that it isn’t possible, it is how the care is being delivered, pay structure, and a lack of prevention or focus on a healthy patient. The present healthcare system tends to be implemented after there is already a problem which is in contrast to other models (like Chinese medicine) which are focused on prevention, and empower the patient to be the master of his own health.
The good news is that, despite the problems the United States faces with healthcare, one of the most amazing and powerful things that is built into its foundation is democracy and the ability for the people to enact change on a large scale. Even though it seems that large corporations like insurance companies, big pharma and lobbyists are holding all the cards, an engaged and educated public can change the entire system, and it seems that perhaps, that time has come. :)
The Science of Acupuncture - BBC Documentary
For thousands of years, what we now think of as Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) was the only medicine; now, traditional cures are being treated with a fresh respect. For BBC TWO, scientist Professor Kathy Sykes from Bristol University Kathy Sykes investigates why science is starting to respond to these centuries-old remedies....
Part 1: Alternative Medicine: The Evidence on Acupuncture
Kathy begins her journey in China where she sees some incredible demonstrations of acupuncture. The most astonishing is a scene in a Chinese hospital in which doctors perform open heart surgery on a young woman - using a combination of acupuncture and conventional pain relief instead of a general anaesthetic. In China, she discovers, acupuncture is used alongside western medicine and, at times, as a replacement.
So, what does western science make of these claims? Kathy meets the key scientists, both in the UK and in the US, who have put them to the test. She discovers that - although for most conditions and illnesses acupuncture cannot be shown to work - scientists have, intriguingly, uncovered a number of conditions relating to chronic pain in which they can be fairly certain acupuncture is having a powerful effect.
Kathy recruits a team of top scientists and alternative practitioners to find out if acupuncture might be having an effect. Over several months they devise an experiment which they hope will find the answer and finally uncover the secrets of acupuncture. Kathy and her team scan the brains of volunteers undergoing acupuncture. The conclusions challenge current understandings of the workings of the brain and throws new light on this ancient practice.
The Common Cold - Causes and Food Therapy in Chinese Medicine
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
How many of us, with the coming of winter and colder weather, succumb to the common cold? Sore throat, stuffy nose, fever and chills are all symptoms that accompany a cold, and ones most of us have come to know so well.
In Chinese medicine, the common cold is seen to be caused by external pathogens invading the body. There are several kinds of external pathogenic factors leading to the common cold. The first is wind-cold, the second is wind-heat and the third is summer-heat and dampness. Remember, if your immune system is depressed or under stress then your defences are less able to fight off a cold or any pathogenic factors.
The common cold occurs at any time of year, but is most common in winter and spring. The incubation period for a cold is about one day. Symptoms usually begin around the nose and throat, with a stuffy nose, sore throat or sneezing, and sometimes there may be a slight fever. Here is how, in Chinese medicine, you can tell what kind of cold you have and below are some simple Chinese herbal recipes to help relieve symptoms and help you get over your cold more quickly.
Wind-Cold Common Cold
The symptoms of a wind-cold invasion are:
~ strong aversion to cold
~ slight fever without sweating
~ headache
~ stuffy nose
~ watery nasal discharge
~ cough
~ expectoration of thin, white sputum
~ thirst with a desire for hot drinks
~ pain in the limbs
Wind-Heat Common Cold
The symptoms of an invasion of wind-heat are:
~ high fever
~ slight aversion to wind
~ distending pain in the head
~ a little sweating
~ sore throat
~ stuffy nose
~ thick yellow nasal discharge
~ cough with sticky yellow phlegm
~ thirst with a strong desire to drink
Summer-Heat and Dampness Common Cold
The symptoms of a summer-heat with dampness type cold are:
~ fever
~slight aversion to wind
~ heavy and distending pain in the head
~ aching pain in the limbs
~ thirst but little or no desire to drink
~ chest oppression
~ loss of appetite
~ nausea
~ yellow or cloudy urine
Food Therapy Recipes for the Common Cold
Wind-Heat Common Cold Recipe
Peppermint Porridge (Congee)
Step 1
1. Take 30g (1 oz) of fresh peppermint, or 15g (1/2 oz) of dried peppermint.
2. Add 2 cups of boiling water to fresh or dried peppermint
3. Cover and allow to steep for 5 minutes
4. Strain and save the liquid to add to step 2
Step 2
5. Take 90g (3oz) round grain rice, 3 cups of water and 1 tsp of honey
6. Bring rice and water to a boil, then allow to simmer for 30 minutes
7. When the rice is cooked, add the peppermint tea and teaspoon of honey
8. Stir and allow to boil for 5 minutes
9. Divide porridge into 2 servings and take on in the morning and the other in the evening.
Wind-Cold Common Cold Recipe
Ginger Rice Soup
1. Take 10g (5 slices) of fresh ginger, 100g (3 1/2 oz) polished round grain rice or glutinous rice and 30g (2 pieces) green onion
2. Cook the fresh ginger and rice in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes
3. Then add the green onion and simmer for 30 minutes
4. Eat the entire amount while it is still hot
5. After eating, lie in bed under a thick blanket to sweat out the cold that has entered the body. (This soup enduces sweating!)
Summer-Heat and Dampness Common Cold Recipe
Porridge of Job's Tears Seed & Hyacinth Bean
1. Take 30g (1oz) Job's-tears seed, 30g (1oz) white hyacinth bean, 100g (3 1/2oz) round grain rice
2. Bring all ingredients to a boil in 4 cups of water
3. After bringing to a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 40 minutes
4. Separate porridge into 2 servings, and take one in the morning and the other in the evening.
There are several things we can do to prevent catching a cold. Things like dressing warmly (so wind doesn't get in), getting enough sleep to keep your immune system strong, staying hydrated, eating well and exercising are all important to staying healthy in the winter months and all year round. But, with our busy lifestyles, if you do happen to come down with a cold, resting, and using Chinese food therapy is a good way to get over your cold as quickly as possible.