On My Radar: May 2014

I spend some time each week reading articles either for the pure sake of learning or for entertainment. This blog is mainly dedicated to veganism and Traditional Oriental Medicine, but I find other topics to be relevant for this blog as well. In my efforts to educate myself to become the best health practitioner I can be, an integral part of healing is educating my patients and community. 

This monthly blog series will consist of news stories and articles regarding things that are "On My Radar."

Can Patients Afford Their Medicine?

With the rising cost of healthcare, it should be on the doctor's radar to check if their patients are having a difficult time paying for their health. This could mean paying for doctors visits, medications and supplements, or even healthy food. Check out this article from the NY Times to see just how many Americans need help paying for basic health necessities. 

GMO Labeling Bill in CA, Again!
A new bill that would require the labeling of packaged foods and produce that has been genetically engineered (aka genetically modified) was heard in the Appropriations Committee on 5/12/14. Read here about differences between the new bill and Prop 37. Look for upcoming news about how it did in the latest committee hearing.

The Health Benefits of Smiling
Read this great article about 15 health benefits of smiling.

[Photo Credit]

Digestive Health

This is a simple, to-the-point article about digestive health. One of my favorite areas of practice is digestion and I've had great success using acupuncture, nutrition counseling, and Chinese herbal medicine to treat digestive imbalances. Please read this article to see if you have less than optimal digestive health. You'd be surprised to know that many people with digestive issues don't know they even have a problem. If digestive issues go untreated, it can lead to toxic build-up in the body and cause seemingly unrelated symptoms.

Valerie Harper Kicks Cancer's Butt!

See how the beloved TV star has used conventional medicine, Chinese medicine, and mindfulness to live more than one year past her predicted "expiration date."

Three Surprises About Acupuncture

This article talks about three of the most common surprises that people encounter when first learning about acupuncture: 1) acupuncture is not just for pain, 2) acupuncture is relaxing, and my personal favorite 3) acupuncturists go to school for a long time. 

Can Kids Get Acupuncture?

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The answer is, YES! Kids can absolutely get acupuncture. Many times, kids don't even need to have a needle pierce their skin; non-invasive tools can be used to stimulate the body's natural healing mechanism. Children are very resilient and have a lot of Qi (pronounced 'chee'), which allows them to heal much faster than adults. There is a Japanese-style technique called Shoni-shin that uses non-puncturing tools to promote healing in children.

Acupuncture for children can be very effective before any medications need to be used. Reducing medications can help the child continue to build a strong and healthy immune system on their own. It will also prevent future resistance to antibiotics and other drugs.

Pediatric acupuncture can be very helpful in treating cold and flu-like symptoms, headaches, abdominal pain, digestive discomfort, allergies, and many other common issues that children face. Not to mention the adverse side effects of pediatric acupuncture are minimal and usually only include minor bruising.

Acupuncture for Animals

[Photo Credit]

"Acupuncture has been used on animals for over 4000 years. Legend has it that veterinary acupuncture was discovered when lame horses used in battle were found to become sound after being hit by arrows at distinct points. In any event, there is evidence that Chinese "horse priests", the caretakers of the army's horses, practiced acupuncture during the Zang and Chow Dynasties around 2000-3000 BC. Numerous texts on veterinary acupuncture and old engravings of cows and horses, on which acupuncture points have been marked, are dated back to as early as 221 BC. During the Zhou dynasty (1122-770 BC), veterinary acupuncture was designated as a separate branch of traditional Chinese medicine.

The study of veterinary acupuncture had reached Europe by the 17th century. It gained popularity in the United States during the Nixon era with a special symposium entitled, Acupuncture for the Veterinarian held in the United States in 1974." [Information Credit]

My sister, the dog lover, fosters several dogs. About this time last year, she picked up a 9-month-old dachshund mix named Frank. Frank has been battling a skin condition since his rescue and he has some digestive issues. Frank has been from vet to vet getting shots, medications, and biopsies to try and figure out what is causing his symptoms. For the last two to three months, Frank has been getting regular acupuncture treatments along with his allopathic treatments. Since his acupuncture treatments began (along with Chinese herbal treatments), his skin has been breaking and bleeding less, he has some hair growth in his formerly bald areas, and his digestion has become more stable. 

Of course, veterinary medicine can be exceedingly difficult since animals can't tell us exactly what symptoms they're having. This is where Chinese Medicine and acupuncture can be very useful. The diagnostic tools in the acupuncture vet's tool bag are different than those of a regular vet. 

If your pet suffers from issues that are being treated with regular veterinary medicine, consider finding a vet that also practices Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It might just be the treatment that your best bud needs.

"But Acupuncture Hurts"

Source: CartoonStock.com

I'm often asked what I do for a living and when I respond that I'm an acupuncture student, I get a lot of reactions about acupuncture being painful. One of the arguments I hear many times over is that acupuncture treats pain by using the distraction method. This method is used to cause pain at a separate area to "distract" the patient from feeling pain at the original site.

This is completely untrue for at least two reasons:
1. Acupuncture doesn't hurt. More appropriately, it shouldn't hurt. Due to this fact, the distraction method already is dis-proven.
2. There is scientific evidence all over the medical community using functional MRIs that prove, not only is acupuncture effective in treating pain, but we are learning exactly how acupuncture is working to treat pain.

If you suffer from pain, see an acupuncturist for a treatment course before turning to pharmaceuticals or surgery.

Dry Needling - Acupuncture or not?

Source: CartoonStock.com

"Exactly which school of acupuncture are you from?" This is a good question to ask not only of your acupuncturist, but your doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, dentists, etc. Anyone that is assisting you with the care of your body should have attended an accredited school within their field. This doesn't mean that they have to have attended Harvard or some other Ivy League college to be good at what they do, but an accredited school is imperative!

There is an unfortunate phenomenon occurring in many US states right now called "dry needling." This is essentially using a thin, filiform needle without a hollow opening for liquids to be pushed through...this is an acupuncture needle. Dry needling is up for debate in several states right now to determine if it will be made legal for practitioners other than acupuncturists to use acupuncture needles to treat patients with pain. Doctors, physical therapists, and chiropractors could be given the opportunity to take a 300-hour (or less) course to use "dry needles" and insert them into painful areas of patient's bodies to give them relief.

There are several issues that strike me in the above scenario. One of the issues is that just putting needles at the painful sites isn't acupuncture. Point location is very specific and putting needles in painful spots isn't always the best way to treat pain, sometimes inserting a needle at the site of pain can cause even more pain than before. An issue that arises from the first issue; if the practitioner had been properly trained, then they would know how to needle properly. This is where the biggest red flag waves: most people would never get surgery from an untrained physical therapist. So why would you get acupuncture from an untrained/under-trained practitioner? Acupuncture, if performed without the proper care and training, can cause minor problems such as bruising to major problems like collapsed lungs, which can be fatal. It is not acupuncture that is to blame for these problems, it is careless or untrained practitioners that cause damage.

Please seek a fully trained, Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc) before getting an acupuncture treatment. Most US states require at least 3,000 hours of training to become licensed, 10+ times as much training as "dry needle" practitioners. You can use www.acufinder.com to search for a acupuncturist near you. Don't hesitate to ask where the practitioner was trained and licensed before making your first appointment.

Often times, less is more

Most acupuncture points have multiple treatment properties. This means that a point in your shoulder (LI-15 Jian Yu) can treat the pain in your shoulder, but it can also treat pain in your wrist, symptoms from arthritis pain, or treat Tuberculosis of the lymph nodes. A point like Spleen-6 (San Yin Jiao) is great at treating a plethora of symptoms and more importantly it can often fix the root cause that is producing the symptoms in the first place. It is points like Spleen-6, among others, that can be utilized to develop a treatment that will use fewer needles but still get the same great results. Not every practitioner has the same philosophy as me, that less equals more, but if I can put fewer needles in a patient and still see an improvement in their condition, then I feel like it is a winning situation for everyone.

Early Acupuncture

This made me laugh and I decided to share :)

Have a pokey day!

Acupuncture and Relaxation

I was recently talking to someone that said he had some leg pain a few months ago and got two sessions of acupuncture to help with his pain problem. He told me that the acupuncture didn't "cure" his leg pain and he stopped trying. He also said that even though the acupuncture didn't help his pain, he loved how relaxed he felt during and after treatment.

My first reaction was to explain that acupuncture usually takes some time to see significant results and that his acupuncturist should have explained that to him. A treatment plan should always be discussed between the acupuncturist and the patient.

Then, my next reaction was more like, "Yeah, acupuncture is relaxing and should make you feel great!" In our go-go-go, fast paced world, a little relaxation is much needed. If you're thinking that you don't have any ailments that need to be fixed by acupuncture, it can still help you A LOT! Taking 20-30 minutes once a week or more to lay down and relax can help your life in more ways than you think. Relaxing calms your mind and allows for better brain function later. Relaxing can help rejuvenate your muscles for better activity performance (especially those pesky neck and shoulder muscles that get so tight at work and in the car). Relaxing can help improve digestion. That's right, our gut and our brains have been proven to be inexplicably linked, so relaxing the mind and relaxing the muscles will help relax the GI tract and improve digestion. Relaxation can help improve your mood especially if you're feeling stressed and irritable.

Taking a short time out of each week to get acupuncture can significantly improve many areas of your life, in turn, improving your life.

~Get poked!

How Can Acupuncture Treat Gynecological and Fertility Issues

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has outstanding results when it comes to treating gynecological issues and infertility.

In TCM we say that the signs and symptoms manifest as infertility or gyno issues, but there can be many causes to the same issue. Let's consider menstrual cramps: they can be caused by blood deficiency, blood stasis, cold coagulation, Qi stagnation, or any combination. In TCM we do a thorough analysis of the individual to pinpoint what the "root" cause is so we can treat the underlying condition. Most women who have suffered from menstrual cramps will resort to taking some kind of over the counter or prescription medication to ease the pain and get through the day, but the pain tends to come back month after month. TCM will work to treat the "root" of the problems and as balance is restored the symptoms or "branch" will disappear. This approach is taken with all gynecological problems: irregular periods, painful periods, scanty or no period, heavy periods, cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, menopause and it's related symptoms, and many more.

Infertility can also be successfully treated with TCM and acupuncture. It can aide Western modalities such as in-vitro fertilization, but it can also help couples get pregnant (and stay pregnant) who are choosing to use natural methods. 

One of my first patients after becoming an intern in my school's clinic was having difficulty getting and staying pregnant. She and her partner had been trying to conceive for one year with the last two months getting pregnant, but ending in miscarriage very early on. Of course, most people understand both the physical and emotional toll miscarriage has on the expectant parents. It turns out that my patient had gotten pregnant just a few days before coming to see me in the clinic. She didn't know that she was pregnant at the time, but we determined that she had Kidney Yang deficiency causing cold in the uterus. Our bodies are meant to have a balance between Yin and Yang, when one is deficient (Yang in this case) it causes things to work improperly. Our Kidney energy is imperative when it comes to procreation because it houses our essence, or DNA if you will. My patient had a palpable cold feeling on her lower abdomen that she also described as a cold sensation deep in her interior. Now, we can all agree that a fetus wouldn't want to stay for nine months in a cold "palace." So this was the problem she was having for retaining the pregnancy. We worked hard to keep her "child palace" aka uterus warm and she is well on her way to having a healthy baby soon.

Acupuncture and TCM can also help if the infertility problem lies more with the male partner than the female partner. The treatment usually consists more of working on the essence of the man, which often means there is a deficiency with the sperm. Working to tonify the Kidney energy is also vital when helping the male partner improve his ability to be fertile. 

It is often beneficial for couples that are trying to conceive, if both partners receive regular acupuncture and herbal treatments. 

Animal Product Herbal Medicine

Being vegan in acupuncture and Chinese Medicine school is not the easiest thing to be. One might associate an acupuncture school with vegan "hippies", but what we learn from a Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) perspective is far from a promotion of veganism or even vegetarianism.

In TCM we learn that the best way to "build or tonify the blood," for people who may have conditions such as anemia, is to drink beef broth especially broth made from beef bones. This would obviously pose a big problem for vegans. Blood deficiency (often referred to as anemia in a western diagnosis) is a common problem for vegans and vegetarians who don't get enough iron or Vitamin B12. But look at the list of Blood Tonic herbs used in TCM:

• Shu Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae)
• Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis)
• He Shou Wu (Radix Polygoni multiflori)
• Bai Shao Yao (Radix Paeoniae Alba)
• Long Yan Rou (Arillus Euphoriae Longanae)
• E Jiao (Colla Corrii Asini)

There is only one herb from this list that isn't a plant: E Jiao (Colla Corrii Asini), which is donkey hide gelatin. The other five herbs in this list are all vegan/vegetarian friendly and can help "tonify" the blood, which may (in western medical terms) help reduce anemia.

Don't forget that we can also get many of the essential nutrients from our food. If you are lacking in iron, eat more spinach. You can do a quick Google search to find out which foods are high in essential nutrients.

In all cases where an animal product herb would be used, there are plant-based herb alternatives. The animal product herbs can be much stronger than plant-based herbs, but don't let this discourage you if your acupuncturist/herbalist recommends an animal product. Always inform your healthcare provider about your diet and lifestyle. The practitioner should discuss with you that treating your condition only using plant-based herbs may take a bit longer if the plant-based herbs aren't as strong, but you'll still be well on your way to better health and you won't have to compromise your morals.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological health diagnosis that is growing more popular these days. PTSD can happen to anyone, but I think most of us associate it with military personnel. PTSD can affect anyone and can be triggered by pretty much anything. A trauma can be caused by any unexpected event. You can develop PTSD when you go through, see or hear about something that causes intense fear, helplessness or horror.

The most common events that can cause PTSD are:

• Combat exposure
• Rape
• Childhood neglect and physical abuse
• Sexual molestation
• Physical attack
• Being threatened with a weapon
• Major car accidents

The symptoms of PTSD vary widely and can be divided into three different categories: intrusive memories, avoidance and numbing, and increased anxiety or emotional arousal (hyperarousal). 

Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:

• Flashbacks, or reliving the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time
• Upsetting dreams about the traumatic event

Symptoms of avoidance and emotional numbing may include:

• Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
• Feeling emotionally numb
• Avoiding activities you once enjoyed
• Hopelessness about the future
• Memory problems
• Trouble concentrating
• Difficulty maintaining close relationships

Symptoms of anxiety and increased emotional arousal may include:

• Irritability or anger
• Overwhelming guilt or shame
• Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much
• Trouble sleeping
• Being easily startled or frightened
• Hearing or seeing things that aren't there

PTSD symptoms usually get aggravated during times of stress or if you encounter a reminder of the traumatic event, such as hearing a car backfire and reliving combat experiences.

Effective treatment plans for PTSD exist through talk therapy with a licensed psychologist and acupuncture is proving to be extremely effective in treating patients with PTSD. Acupuncture can use the body's Qi (pronounced chee) to keep energy flowing and keep all the channels open. This helps prevent our minds from locking away those painful images so we can more effectively deal with them. I'm not saying acupuncture and therapy are easy, but they are effective ways to allow ourselves to deal with the pain and emotions from PTSD. 

The military has started to use acupuncture in treating soldiers who are dealing with PTSD and they are finding it to be very useful along with meditation and other standard treatments. If the military adopts it, it's bound to enter the civilian population shortly thereafter. 

For more information on PTSD see the Mayo Clinic's website. 

Acupuncture and Exercise

Over the last several years I have been a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I love to work out and work out hard. I have been a long distance runner for over five years and now I've taken on indoor cycling (aka spinning). I will get up before 5AM on my day off to spin from 5:30 to 6:30, then I'll hit up a second class that day for 30 minutes on the bike and 30 minutes of yoga. I've also been know to do a two and a half (2.5) hour ride on Saturdays. Some people in my circle have started referring to me as psycho, but honestly, high intensity exercise keeps me sane.

Any time I went through a difficult period in life where my anxiety grew stronger and I had slight bouts of depression, I wasn't exercising. As soon as I start up an exercise routine, I'm happier and have more energy (even waking up at 4:55AM).

An article I recently read highlights a study on how acupuncture can help cardiac patients gain muscle function in their skeletal muscle system (not in their heart pumping function). It has been shown that inflammation messengers increase in the blood stream during chronic heart failure and those messengers make the muscles tired signaling to the body that it can't sustain the workload. This particular study found that one of the inflammation messengers, Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF alpha) decreases after an acupuncture treatment. TNF alpha actually leads to the loss of muscle mass and muscle strength, so a reduction in TNF alpha can help prevent loss. The study followed cardiac patients; one group was in the "real acupuncture" group and the other group had dull placebo needles placed on the skin, but not inserted. "[The real] acupuncture patients could cover a greater walk distance in the time allowed than the placebo patients. They recovered more quickly and tended to feel subjectively less exhausted."

So, if acupuncture can help heart disease patients tolerate exercise longer with a better recovery, how might it help the rest of us? Give acupuncture a try for any overused aches and pains, but also to boost your bodies capacity and recovery time. Give exercise a try to reduce fatigue and boost mood. I promise, it's worth it!

How can acupuncture help your digestion?

Poor digestion can be the key indicator for less than optimal health. Anytime one's body loses its normal balance, our digestion is usually one of the first things to pipe up and say, "Um, hello...there's something wrong!" Just like pain, a digestive imbalance is the body's way of signaling that there is a problem. In a great deal of cases, digestive issues are strongly related to emotion. Studies have proven that there is an undeniable connection between one's brain and one's gut.

So, if you have poor digestion, how can acupuncture help you? Acupuncture is great at improving many health problems, but digestion is one of the areas in which acupuncture excels. As I mentioned above, the brain is strongly associated with the gut, so one might notice that stress can aggravate the digestive process.  Perhaps you have a little extra stress at work or with finances, you may find that stress manifesting in your stomach and intestines. These manifestations can come in the form of bloating, excessive gas, diarrhea or constipation. Acupuncture can work wonders not only by alleviating the symptoms (the branch) of poor digestion, but treating the underlying cause (the root). The "root" in this case would be stress and acupuncture can tell the body to relieve the stress by properly circulating Qi (energy).

Another helpful tool that one can learn in dealing with stress is meditation. Most acupuncturists are trained in meditation and can give tips on finding a style that is right for you.  Spending just 15 minutes per day with a clear head while focusing on the breath can do amazing things for reducing stress, and you might just find some inner peace while you're at it.