Rebecca Clarke is a 34-year old acupuncturist based in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire. She studied acupuncture and herbs at LCTA, graduating with a BSc in Acupuncture in 2005 and with an MSc in Oriental Herbal Medicine in 2008. Prior to studying at LCTA, she was an IT consultant. Here she answers some questions about her studies and her experience in setting up a practice.
What made you decide to retrain?
I wanted a more morally satisfying career and I didn’t want to work weekends and evenings – hah that one didn’t work!
How did you find LCTA?
I began my studies in the North of England but due to a job change that brought me down to Hertfordshire, I decided to relocate my studies as the commute was unbearable. I found LCTA through the internet.
What were the main factors that influenced your choice of College?
LCTA was the closest College to my new job and the open day impressed me. A course was about to start and I had recently had a particularly nightmarish weekend journeying up to York and jumped at the chance of not having to do it again.
What was your favourite aspect of the course?
The way it changed the way I think about the world I live in and the people I live in it with.
What were your fellow students like?
Fabulous, most of us still meet up a couple of times each year.
What did you think of the LCTA staff/tutors?
They are a diverse and interesting bunch of people with a great deal to offer.
Was the course/College what you expected it to be?
It was tough but it was rewarding. I don’t think I knew what to expect from it.
What was it like to be a student at LCTA?
It was a journey and a privilege.
What kind of practice do you run and where are you based?
I work in Harley Street, Chiswick and Rickmansworth. In Harley Street and Chiswick I work with a team of other acupuncturists and we do a lot of fertility work, although not exclusively. Chiswick and Rickmansworth are both multi-disciplinary clinics where I work with practitioners of other therapies.
What was the transition from student to practitioner like for you?
Slow, it takes patience or possibly marketing. I continued studying for two and a half years after qualifying and was still in another full-time job for nine months before I was able to become a full-time practitioner.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
I think I should have waited and started my herbs course after acupuncture graduation. I was trying to hold down a full-time job whilst doing acupuncture finals and starting a herbs course. It was too much for me.
What are you plans for the future?
Oh my plans are huge! I want to learn Mandarin, study herbs in Chengdu, get a horticultural diploma at Kew and study Quantum mechanics. I haven’t decided which or which order as yet….oh and to start doing a daily qi practice.
Do you have any tips for current or prospective students of TCM?
Although I think people did try and tell us this, the one thing that is hard to face is that you are running a business, you do need to make a living. Separating or perhaps actually integrating the ‘I want to help people to be well’ from the reality of earning a living is not easy.
In my search for better wellness, I have been reading and trying new types of healing.
Now, I feel I am a pretty typical person. I trust doctors to give me good care, just as I trust teachers to teach me well, business people to treat me honestly, and friends to offer friendship.
I have faith in Western treatment because it worked for me–I had mobility back for several years after my diagnosis, and no pain.
I also have faith in non-Western treatment because it worked for me. I have gone to acupuncture and received other Oriental Medicine treatments throughout my disease–in pain and in peace–and have experienced many healthful benefits.
In the past year an a half, however, I have felt especially unsatisfied by a strictly Western approach–my cocktail of medicines are not giving me the results that I had hoped for, and I am experiencing some of the side effects (hair loss, cracking nails, fatigue, stomach upset, dizziness) more profoundly than I once did.
I intend to remain on these medicines, however, because I believe in their efficacy to reduce my overall inflammation. I just hope to reduce the amount and frequency that I take them.
I want my body to begin healing itself.
Because autoimmune diseases are diseases of oneself, it can be confusing what is helping and what is harming. I like the way Wikipedia defines autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis: Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body actually attacks its own cells.
If my own body is attacking itself–how can I fight back?
I have a few ideas that I want to pursue–diet, acupuncture, physical/occupational therapy, massage, healing sessions, meditation, yoga (of course). I know that none of these individually will heal me–but I have to try.
I bet that many people with chronic illness get to this point–I am willing to make my health a priority, even if it inconveniences me to do so (oh, how I will mourn chocolate gone from my life!).
I am willing to try anything to be well. I am hopeful that I can cultivate kindness (yes, my intention) inside my cells and in my world.
This is one of my favorite sources to give to my patients. They obviously come in with a wide variety of spinal problems and everyone’s pain level and needs for treatment differ. The only common bond that they each have is curiosity!
Spinal Structure
I may be able to explain to them what their ailment or condition is in the office, but 9 times out of 10 they will go home asking themselves the same questions again. I always tell them to reference this site if they are in need of more answers or want to share the information with friends or family. Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
The great benefit of our clinic is that we are able to treat most of these conditions right here in our office with our great doctors, state-of-the-art equipment and natural supplements.
If you are ever involved in a personal injury case and need medical treatment, Wellness Medical, S.C. is the place to go. We offer full service chiropractic, holistic healing, acupuncture, sports therapy, physical therapy, personal injury treatment and much, much more. We love new patients and love to see and hear about the physical and emotional progress they will make by calling for an appointment today!
Today I attended the first biannual meeting of the year of the West Country Massage Association (here after which will referred to as the WMA). The WMA is made of members who have trained and qualified in massage or another recognized bodywork therapy qualification. Most members of the WMA are alumni of The School of Complementary Health based here in Exeter, but membership applications are welcomed from people who have trained with any recognized provider of alternative and complementary health training whether within the west country region of the UK or not. The catchment area for attendees at a typical meeting is usually made of folks mainly coming from south and mid Devon, but there are or have been members at meetings who have travelled from Cornwall or Somerset. The format of a typical meeting consists of 2 guests speakers along with a break for tea and cake in-between the first and second speakers, finally there is an any other business opportunity slot right at the very end plus lots of opportunity to socialize and network during the breaks as well as before the start and at the very end of the meetings.
The guest speakers are usually practitioners of an alternative or complementary health therapy modality who give us a theoretical as well usually a practical overview of what they do. Alternatively, the guest speaker could also be talking about some other subject which practitioners might be interested in such as practice management, marketing, new approaches, etc.
Today’s first speaker was an acupuncturist who had initially trained as a registered nurse before deciding to undergo a 3 year degree program in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) based acupuncture at Westminster University in London. She continues to practice nursing alongside supplementing acupuncture in for some of her patients which has resulted in a number of successful clinical results. We had the basic concepts of acupuncture introduced to us: the background of Chinese medicine, ying / yang balance, meridians, excess / deficiency, tongue analysis, pulse taking, needling, as well as various other approaches of point stimulation including moxibustion and cupping. Most of this introductory theory I was familiar with from my Shiatsu training. An interesting side note which I took away from this presentation which will mean something to those who understand this, but if not don’t worry just let it pass on by, TCM and 5 element are 2 distinct schools and approaches to acupuncture – I always thought that 5 element was a subset of TCM? I have yet to try out a moxibustion or cupping treatment myself, but sounds very pleasant and goes on my growing list of bodywork treatments to experience in the future.
After the intermission for tea and cake, the second speaker were a husband and wife team who run a local complementary health practice and between them have experience in Ayurvedic medicine, Ayurvedic nutrition, yoga and sports massage. Nutrition was the main focus of this particular presentation, and whilst I decided long ago that this wasn’t an area I’d be particularly interested in specializing in, I have casually studied the various popular approaches as an occasional tasks running in the background. Perhaps not to my surprise, I found huge contradictions between the various well respected authors on “what to eat” or “what is a healthy diet” which has only served to reinforce my own personal opinion that diet and nutrition falls much lower down the hierarchy of health addressable areas in a person than some advocates might otherwise suggest. Having said that the type of approach to nutrition and food intake as advocated by our second set of speakers I found to be very much in agreement with my personally beliefs. I’m not so much a fan of subscribing to a diet, where everyone can eat this, can’t eat that or worst of all deny themselves of a particular food that they’ll end up craving for an extended period of time. So called dieting and the approach of denying our bodies something usually ends in failure as craving builds up to a head and we eventually crash in some way.
The Ayurvedic approach to nutrition is a constitution centred approach to food in take. A constitution based approach says that it’s what we are actually absorbing through digestion from the foods which has a much bigger overall effect on our health than the isolated food items themselves that we are consuming, or put another way if we aren’t properly absorbing or digesting efficiently what we’re eating then no “healthy diet plan” that hasn’t been tailored to our own very individual constitution, metabolism and digestion needs is ever going to make a difference. As much as we are individuals with varying personalities and personal preferences, so this recognition of diversity is equally applicable to our constitution and digestive systems. To determine what type of constitution you have requires no more than a single visit to suitably qualified nutrition therapist who works in this way, in this case we happen to be talking about an Ayurvedic nutrition practitioner. The practitioner will having discovered their client’s basic constitution type will then go on to educate the client in what effects certain foods have on that person’s constitution and digestive system. Armed with this information that client is then able to make self informed choices and self monitor the feedback from their own bodies that their own food choices have. This awareness may take some time for the client to become accustomed to tuning into, but ultimately it is designed to be self empowering and allows the client to experience what works for them as an invidual having been armed with the basic knowledge of their particular constitution and considerations thereof. This type of system does not prescribe what exactly to eat (or not to eat) in terms of a diet traditional plan. This approach allows also for the occasional mistake or over indulgence to be made, it’s OK, there is no need to constantly beat oneself up with stick over it, and to realize that we can give even more empowerment to ourselves by realizing that we can be responsible for rewarding ourselves for when we get things right. The nutrition therapist’s role in this type of system is to merely coach and facilitate awareness rather than to prescribe. This is very much the approach I prefer to take with my own clients too in regards to the bodywork therapies that I do i.e. to introduce the awareness of a new possibility and then for them to self manage from there and with further coaching to stay connected to that awareness as well as doing further self discovery themselves if necessary.
What we are thinking about when we’re eating it was proposed also plays a more significant role in our digestion and (mal-)absorption than what it is that we’re eating, another factor I’m very much in agreement with, so for example do you have thoughts of pleasure or guilt in your mind as you eat something? What can of stress or environmental conditions do you eat under?
To end with, we were introduced to a little bit of standing, but mainly some sitting yoga moves which helped us check in with our bodies and that to self assess our postures were evenly balanced and aligned. Some interesting exercises which I will see if I can find some examples of on youtube which will save me type a thousand or so words here!
Our 2nd set of guest speakers also talked about a new service that they had just set-up in their Totnes based clinic to offer alternative / complementary therapies to sufferers of chronic conditions such as MS who were on low incomes but who needed at least weekly if not twice weekly therapy sessions for things to be anywhere near effective. In these cases, a contribution would be acceptable according to the amount the client could afford to pay toward each session.
All in all, a very informative half day and was great to share and network with some other like minds too.
Many animals and people experience chronic joint pain. In dogs, a common source of joint pain is hip dysplasia, a developmental defect of the hip joint. Implantation of gold into the soft tissues around the hip joints of dogs with dysplasia can relieve pain and lessen stiffness for several years.
Joint pain in animals and man may be due to injury, wear or deformity. Hip dysplasia of dogs is a congenital defect that makes itself known during the growth phase, leading to varying degrees of pain and loss of function as the dogs age. Dog owners will as a rule notice that their dogs are reluctant to jump, that they lag behind on longer walks, or that they are stiff and sore when standing after resting. Some dogs also become lame after longer walks.
Early in the 1970’s, an American veterinary surgeon and acupuncturist described a form of pain relief in dogs that involved implanting small grains of pure gold into acupuncture points round painful joints in dogs. The theory behind the treatment was that the gold grains implanted into the acupuncture points would provide chronic stimulation of the points.
The method has been used both on dogs and people in the USA and Europe, although no scientific documentation of the pain-relieving affect of gold-implants existed. Gry Tove Jæger has in her doctorate investigated whether grains of metallic gold implanted around painful joints could reduce pain and improve function in patients, using dogs as a model.
Family dogs with pain and loss of function due to hip dysplasia were chosen as experimental animals. The dogs were divided randomly into two groups, one of which received gold transplants, while the other acted as control. Neither the owner nor the veterinarian assessing the affect of the gold treatment knew which group an individual dog belonged to. This is called double-blind experimentation. The study was designed to provide an answer to whether gold implantation had an effect or not, and any possible acupuncture effect was not considered.
After six months the effect of the treatment was considered. Statistically-significant differences were shown to exist between the two groups. The dogs with implanted gold had less pain and loss of function compared to those that had not received gold. As was expected, the dogs in the control group also improved, but the effect was greater in those that had received gold.
The dogs were followed for a further year and a half. After two years, 80% of the dogs still showed a positive effect of treatment. The hip dysplasia had not improved, and many dogs showed in fact an increased degree of calcification round the affected hip joints, but they lived better after the gold treatment. An inflammatory response was shown to have developed around the grains of gold, which may possibly explain in part the pain-relieving effect.
Implantation of gold is an effective treatment for chronic degenerative joint disease and the method has few serious side-effects. This study could not uncover if part of the effect was due to acupuncture, to the gold lying in the soft tissue, or to a combination of the two.
Cand. med. vet. Gry Jæger defended her Ph. D. thesis, entitled “The effect of gold bead implantation in a dog model with chronic joint arthritis – a method of pain control”, at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, on May 29, 2009.
With Gold Treatment, Study Shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 3, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/06/090626084633.htm
ilumina is excited to have Sherri Taylor L.Ac. offering two new services.
Eastern Nutrition Program
This is a program that involves the energetics of food to create balance in the body. Learn the Taoist system of the 5 elements and the 5 tastes of food to balance your overall diet. Circumstances that influence dietary choices and habits such as convenience and emotions around eating will be discussed. Food choices, places to shop, and recipes are recommended as well. This program is an overall wellness program that includes nutrition supplements, exercise recommendations and stress management techniques. Three appoints are necessary to receive all of these facets to the program.
Detox Program
This program is customized for the individual depending on their medical history and their energetic diagnosis. The detox diet includes a clean, balanced combination of foods based on Eastern nutritional principles. Along with the diet includes detox therapies to practice at home, supplements, and tea. The duration of this program is 10-14 days.
The detox program includes two different detox plans. Both programs are a whole body detox which cleanses the liver, large intestine, blood, lymph, lungs, skin, and kidneys. One program is more specific to candida that includes a yeast free diet and supplements to clear the body of candida.
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(602)957-2602
2. i meet kelly link’s
girl detective
on the corduroy couch
under wool blankets
the treesleeper
the closet entrances to the underworld
the 12 pirouetting bank robbers
3. six-grain hot breakfast cereal
plus apple
pecan
cranberry
raisin
maple
steaming in wooden bowl
4. hot pink tape
in lines
across cover
of black journal
5. accupuncture
in two parts
one: needles tucked under cheekbones
needles as whiskers
needles between the toes
two: gua sha along spine
edging up
shoulder blades
6. glass, concrete and stone
through the floorboards
7. violet cassis
cookie
we divide
and divide
and divide
the taste of ferries
winter saltwaves
tossed wishes
and boxing gloves
8. a macaroon
a truffle
hidden
in chocolate mousse mess
9. two small sips
of toby’s
dirty martini
10. discussing
urban terror
a new campaign is born:
to ensure
that no one
not even air
rain
or skin
is ever taken for granted
again
11. rainwet knees
cold
under blanket mountain
12. gratitude
for coconut water offerings
by oil lamp
in the tree top wind
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about acupuncture following this post; I intended to address the topic yesterday, but my head was in another place! Anyway, I’m not an expert by any means. All I know is that someone who works in the same place I do swears it helped her carpal tunnel sydrome, and since nothing else has worked to date, I figured it was worth a shot. Nobody spoke to the acupuncturist but me; I’m the one who told him I don’t have a period. As for those of you who are squeamish when it comes to needles, if you don’t look, you won’t even know that there’s a needle in your skin. You just feel a tiny pinprick of pressure for a second, and then for the next twenty minutes you can even take a little nap if you’d like. Which I did like. (And the knee / hip / thigh seems to be holding up pretty well … just a little residual dull ache. I’m pondering trying some light cardio tomorrow.)
Last night, my mom was cleaning out some kitchen cabinets. (Can I just say that I do not understand the concept of “cleaning for Pesach” when these cabinets are all going to be locked up for that week anyway?!) I needed to be present for the cabinets that have things in them which I use, because I’d never be able to find them again if I wasn’t there! Yesterday this was dubbed the “Peanut Butter Closet.”
Yikes. It looks kind of like a supermarket shelf, since they’re mostly PB&Co.!
On the topic of peanut butter, though, look what was in that closet:
OIAJ was on the menu, obviously.
Second day in a row of a “different breakfast.” Actually, I tasted some of the oat bran before I dumped it in the jar; it was just plain oat bran mixed with Truvia. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in adding a bunch of crazy things, I forget how good it is when I keep it plain and simple.
I foresee another OIAJ in the very near future, because this means that another jar is ready:
Yes, I know, it looks like poop on a log. I can’t spread peanut butter on a banana. It’s too slimy! My inability to do that is an ongoing problem.
Actually, that picture is from yesterday. After last week’s banana saga, I bought three this week. (Side point: three adorable, perfectly-sized organic bananas were less than $.50!) But now I have to find ways to use them! I took one to work with me today, but for reasons explained below, I didn’t wind up eating it there. I did use half of it when I got home, though…
Would you believe that this is the first time I’ve ever had banana in yogurt?
So, the reason why I did not eat this banana at work… I mentioned earlier this week that I was probably going to have to skip therapy. My therapist had some sort of meeting this morning, and she wasn’t sure if she’d be back by the time of my appointment (which, for the record, is 2.30). She was supposed to call me if she was going to make it. Since I don’t take a lunch break on therapy days, because that is my lunch break, here I was at 3.00 or so, lunch break still untaken. And I would have eaten the banana either on the way to my therapist’s office, or on the way back to work, because I am a crazy person and I won’t throw out any food-related item in the office trash can. And I am not about to bring home a banana peel to dispose of it! At that point, I decided that I would just leave work an hour early and consider it my lunch break. I ran this by Mr. J. He said okay. Then when I was leaving, he got all upset — “Where are you going? Oh, you’re leaving leaving?! That’s against departmental policy, you can’t take a lunch break after 4.00. Don’t do it again.” Okay, dude, whatever — I asked you about this! He drives me crazy.
Anyway, I texted my brother, who was home today, and asked him to test the water levels in the aquarium. The pH was a little low, but it usually is… and the ammonia didn’t sound too bad, so I decided to risk getting a new pleco. I didn’t take a picture of it, but you’ve seen enough of them on my blog by now. :p It isn’t even a bristlenose pleco, which means it will potentially get huge and ugly, but if it lives long enough to do that, I will be very happy indeed. I did another water change before transferring the pleco, and when I tested the water after that, the ammonia was at zero. Perfection.
To “reward” myself for being so “non-observant” or whatever you want to call it, this made an appearance:
This, or some variation of this, is pretty much a “go-to” meal for me. Vegetarian drumstick, bulgur, and a pile of steamed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, in this case). And garlic salt, obviously.
And oh! Purim is coming! (Yep, much as I’d like to deny it…)
I made hamantashen, because it’s a tradition for me to do that every year. It’s been ages since I’ve baked properly; I really love it, but I hate cleaning up afterwards! Usually, hamantashen are made by rolling out the dough, cutting out circles, putting the filling on the circle, and folding over the sides. I absolutely hate making cut-out cookies. A few years ago I had a stroke of brilliance, and now I use a linzer tart dough recipe. Basically, the dough is soft enough for me to roll it into a ball, flatten it, and then gently push up the sides around / over the filling to form a triangle. Makes my life so much easier. And everyone loves the linzer tarts, so this is a winner in all respects. Baker is happy, eaters are happy.
And also in the Purim spirit, my brother conducted a little experiment.
Jello shots! (He made this brilliant observation about the jel: “It smells like sugar.” Nooo. Why would it?! It’s only, like, 100% sugar!)
As it turns out, we are staying home for Shabbos. My mom told me, “What, we’re going to leave you here to eat by yourself?!” Which is such rubbish, because what I want is never a deciding factor in these things. My dad probably said he didn’t want to go. Either way, I’m glad we’re not going to my brother. (Even though, to be honest, there is a small part of me that is upset about it because I know that I wouldn’t eat there, or at least a lot less than I will at home. But it’s a small part. Can I count that as a good thing?!)
That little bit of relief aside, I am still feeling stressed and anxious, and I decided that Katie’s suggestion was a good one.
I was actually going to do school reading in there. But I figured that probably would have been kind of counterproductive, considering I was supposed to be doing something relaxing, so I read a magazine instead. I’m trying to convince myself that I don’t feel guilty for just vegetating like that instead of being productive. (And also thinking that my poor butt wants me to invest in a padded bath mat!! Do such things even exist?!)
Work might be closed tomorrow due to the weather. (Yes, more snow.) Even if it’s not, I am taking off … for a totally self-indulgent “Me Day.” One which makes me cringe both because I always feel so selfish for it, and because it is going to be insanely expensive. I should be getting my hair cut every six to eight weeks. I do get my hair cut probably every six months. What can I say … once I’ve been to Ouidad, I can’t go anywhere else, and it’s too freaking expensive for me to go as often as I should. And I am also going to be extremely brave and get a massage… I still think it’s strange that I like massages, because I’m not a touchy-feely person at all. In fact, I am quite abhorrent of being touched! Maybe I’m masochistic and love having someone attack the knots and kinks in my back / neck / shoulders. And believe me, there are a lot of them!
I think I’ve babbled on long enough for one evening… and effectively negated any chance of my getting any work done before I pass out. I will shut up now.
Have a great weekend!
“Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.”
~Roald Dahl
(I love that guy. And this is very Purim-appropriate!)
Slowly defrosting from a chilly swim… it really, really upsets me when the water is so cold that I need to expend so much energy and swim like a lunatic if I don’t want to freeze. I’m supposed to be relaxing. And since swimming is a relatively low-impact activity, and it didn’t hurt last week, I figured it would be okay for my stupid leg. It would have been better if the water wasn’t cold. Gahhh!
I had my second acupuncture appointment today. Because my knee / hip / leg is still all messed up, I told him that it was also my hamstring that was hurting. Well. Apparently I’m not up to snuff on my human anatomy, because after my appointment, I realized it is actually my Sartorius muscle that’s causing most of the pain. It’s usually fine when I’m sitting still, but sometimes when I walk or stand it tenses up so much that it sends a kind of spasm down my thigh. Not fun. But also thankfully not as bad as it was.
Anyway, that’s my left leg. I felt him poking needles into my right leg too, and when I asked why he was doing that, he said it was so that I could get my period back. It was never my intention to get rid of it in the first place, though I won’t deny it’s one less hassle in my life; but it would also make things a lot easier on me if I did have a period. (Primarily because my mom couldn’t care less if I weighed fifty pounds; if I have my period, I am “healthy” because I can procreate. Gah.) I thought I wanted to get it back. Judging by my reaction to those needles, though, I wonder if I really mean that. Because I freaked. out. Something along the lines of this: Well, if I need to gain weight to get my period, and this is going to make me get it back, then that means this will make me gain weight. I don’t want to do that, certainly not from something totally out of my control! I was, obviously, a wee bit hysterical. I told him that I was not interested in gaining weight via “outside sources,” and he said, “I don’t mean you’re going to gain ten pounds from it.” For goodness’ sake, it’s the principle of the matter here! I don’t think he took that needle out, either. And now I really need to examine this and figure out why I had the reaction I that I did, because I don’t understand it.
Even though it was raining and windy and gross outside, I needed to go somewhere, so I went to Whole Foods on my lunch break. Actually, I went to get something in particular, which, of course, they didn’t have. It’s just as well, though; carrying packages in that type of weather is not very high on my list of fun activities! Nor is sitting in wet clothes, but such is life.
Also along for the ride today was this little cup of wonder.
I know it looks kind of gross, but things like this do not photograph well. At least, not when I’m the one behind the lens!
It appears that I have reached a decision about whether to attend class tomorrow; one reason why I am not going to go is this.
My catfish died. I need to go to Petco and get another one. And I was just getting used to having an aquarium free of drama!! Anyway, I messaged one of my classmates so that in the very unlikely event that my professor says something of note that I need to know, I will be kept updated. Still, I feel kind of guilty. I never cut class. Ever. Especially not when I’m paying through the nose for it! But this is a really silly thing over which to waste guilt, isn’t it?…
The Queen of Random Injuries strikes again! You understand why I need this torso to illustrate…
I have a scratch in the general vicinity of that red dot. I would really love to know how it got there!
I’ve been sleeping horribly this week. I can’t seem to get drift off before midnight, and my eyes pop open before my alarm even goes off at 5.00 AM, and then I can’t get back to sleep. I attempted to watch the Olympics earlier, but ever since the switch to digital, my TV keeps “skipping.” So much for advances in technology, huh? I’m taking that as a sign that I need to go to bed.
Have a happy Hump day!
Your fellow is your mirror. If your own face is clean, so will be the image you perceive. But should you look upon your fellow and see a blemish, it is your own imperfection that you are encountering – you are being shown what it is that you must correct within yourself. ~The Baal Shem Tov
via BBC News – Acupuncture could help period pain, researchers say.
Complementary therapies should not be used exclusively, at the expense of conventional treatment, unless significant improvements have been made and your doctor tells you otherwise
Professor Philip Steer
BJOG
Positive articles about the use of acupuncture are always welcome but I’m rather surprised at the scathing and disrespectful comment from Professor Steer. Acupuncture is governed by The Bristish Acupuncture Council (much like The British Medical Council) and adheres to a strict code of conduct and ethics. Members are actively encouraged to engage in research, and CPD is compulsory.
Primary dysmenorrhea is debilitating and I would suggest, eroding to self-esteem, why should it rule these womens lives? To suggest that the use of pain killers, or perhaps ‘going on the pill’ combined with endless embarrassing internal examinations is preferrable and the only viable option available to women, is ludicrous, antiquated and narrow minded.
If acupuncture presents an effective treatment for primary dysmenorrhea, then why isn’t it welcomed by the medical profession with open arms, or least an open mind? A lot of women with this condition can benefit from a course of acupuncture, followed by a monthly session at the beginning of the pre-menstrul phase of her cycle. Endometriosis is much more difficult to treat but acupuncture can be used as an adjunct to a conventional medical approach.
There is no reason why Western and Chinese medicine cannot ‘work together’. Acupuncture should not always be regarded as ‘the last resort’ but offerred as a frontline treatment option to the ‘informed patient’ where appropriate.
For over 5,000 years, Chinese Medicine has aspired to cultivate the strength and vitality of the human being. While physical, mental, and emotional resiliency can be achieved through the regular consumption of special Chinese herbs, as well as regular Acupuncture Treatments, “Beautifcation” has been a specialized area of Chinese medicine for centuries. Prized by the Emperor’s and the Royal family throughout the ages, Acupuncture (and herbs as well), has been used to not only slow down the aging process, but to maintain beauty, radiance, and vitality in the face. The Chinese always revered beauty as sign of immortality and longevity. Therefore, the physical appearance of the individual was considered a reflection of their strength and vitality. With this emphasis on immortality, Acupuncture was used to reverse and slow down the aging process, yielding remarkable results, that can be maintained over the course of a lifetime.
As gravity progresses, the aging process becomes inevitable. Skin loses it’s elasticity, and once prominent anatomical structures such as Cheek Bones, Jaw Lines, and other aqualine features soften. The size and shape of the eyes diminish as part of the aging process. The once illuminated and radiant glow that youth provides dwindles slowly, as luster and beauty diminish in the face. The facial-skeletal structure is vulnerable to the descending energy that pulls it down—leading to sagging skin. The once taut and tight look and feel of the face gradually vanishes. This however, does not have to be the case. Aging of the face can not be eliminated entirely, but can significantly be slowed down with the help of “Acupuncture Face-Lifts.”
Acupuncture Face lifts utilize the dynamic principals of energy that Acupuncture is based on. Since aging causes structures to droop and descend, Acupuncture Face-Lifts can pull energy upward, causing a tightening and tautness of the skin. Prominent features such as high Cheek bones, chiseled jaw lines, and other strong features become accentuated. The eyes widen and brighten with vitality and life-force, and an overall rejuvenating effect is experienced. This is achieved with a combination of Acupuncture and special Chinese herbs. This intention is the same intention that a traditional surgical face-lift utilizes. However, there is no cutting, or surgical invasion into the human body. There is no down time. There is usually no bruising. And no inflammation and recuperation time, as there is with Plastic Surgery. The effect is immediate and instantaneous. Usually the transformation takes place within minutes after the Acupuncture Needles are inserted. There is virtually no pain or discomfort during the session.
With consistent treatments (2-3 per week), a cumulative rejuvenating effect is achieved. The treatments usually take place over the course of 3 months, of which thereafter, the results remain. Intermittent treatments once every month are recommended for ideal results.
Dr. Dustin Siena has developed a unique and specialized technique to ensure maximum results. In addition to the “Siena Acupuncture Face-Lift”, a special herbal formula, developed by Dr. Dustin Siena is often used to support the “Ascending” effect of the cumulative treatments. Special selected Chinese herbs work in a similar way to the Acupuncture, and enhance the overall result, ensuring a radiant skin complexion, and an overall tightening effect on the prominent anatomical structures of the face.
The “Siena Acupuncture Face-Lift” offers noticeable and visible changes in skin texture, color, tautness, and elasticity. Dietary changes are essential to maximize and maintain the beautiful results achieved from the treatments. Dr. Siena introduces specific Chinese Nutrition guidelines, which have been used for centuries for beautification.
Many of Dr. Siena’s patients have been ecstatic with the results, and come in for regular maintenance treatments, after the desired results have been achieved.
The “Siena Acupuncture Face-Lift” is a wonderful alternative to Plastic Surgery, with no recovery time, yiedling rapid and desireable results. The unique element involved with this process is that an overall slowing down of the degenerative aging process can be achieved with consistent Acupuncture Face-Lift Treatments. This is quite profound, since these treatments over time can prevent the need for any invasive plastic surgery later on, which is consistent with the intention of Chinese Medicine. Prevention is the emphasis here, so as to maintain vitality, radiance, and life-force throughout one’s life.
Many of you may remember when I volunteered, giving acupuncture for post traumatic stress, after hurricane Katrina. That experience was incredibly powerful for me. I have never felt so connected, so part of the human family. This kind of disaster knows no boundaries. It crosses lines of wealth, race and status. I saw homes flattened. There were men whose eyes were dull and who owned nothing more than the clothes on their backs. They had lost everything. Those homes left standing had the pungent stench of toxic mold.
Acupuncture served as a reset button for the central nervous system. People who hadn’t slept thru the night since the storm were sleeping. The nightmares were less and the flashbacks less frequent. They were profoundly grateful for the help they received.
In the wake of the devastation that Haiti has experienced Acupuncturists Without Borders is again offering their services to those in need. The following is an excerpt from their update sent out this past week. I encourage you to donate to this worthy grassroots cause. http://www.acuwithoutborders.org/index.html
AWB Executive Director, Diana Fried, and AWB Haiti
Operations Manager, Julia Raneri arrived in Port-au-
Prince, Haiti Wednesday morning, February 3. We
wanted to send you a brief report as soon as possible
from the field.
Diana says:
“We were able to land here after all and didn’t need to do
the grueling drive from the Dominican Republic. There
are lines and crowds of people waiting for food
distribution and buildings flattened everywhere. Everyone
has heart breaking stories to tell. We have already given
several treatments. Roger Brierre, friend of Jean and
Eric, our generous and lovely Haitian hosts, is driving us
around in his truck. Now and then the ground under the
truck moves, and Roger says his heart jumps because
he fears it is another earthquake.
Here is an excerpt from the New York Times on January
28:
“Meanwhile, government health officials on Thursday
reported that the psychological impact of the disaster is
becoming more apparent in the symptoms being seen at
general clinics run by Doctors Without Borders.
One, in the rural town of Leogane near the epicenter of
the Jan. 12 earthquake, reported that about half of the
people receiving treatment were suffering from mental
trauma….
The International Medical Corps, which is overseeing
operations at the general hospital in Port-Au-Prince, also
brought in a mental health specialist to help begin dealing
with emerging concerns of post-traumatic stress
disorder and other problems.”
Roger Brierre, Diana and Julia’s current guide, sends a message:
“We want to say to all American people and the government of the United States that have been helping Haitians that we really appreciate their help. However the earthquake was so devastating to our people. Please do your best to keep helping the people of Haiti.”Trauma recovery will definitely be needed as the rubble clears, and survivors have water, emergency medical care, food, and shelter.
Here is today’s round-up of news relating to migraine and visual snow:
York Study Maps The Effects Of Acupuncture On The Brain. www.redorbit.com Thursday, 4 February 2010, 17:44 CST. Important new research about the effects of acupuncture on the brain may provide an understanding of the complex mechanisms of acupuncture and could lead to a wider acceptability of the treatment. The study, by researchers at the University of York and the Hull York Medical School published in Brain Research, indicates that acupuncture has a significant effect on specific neural structures.
Migraine seminar in Castlebar. www.advertiser.ie Mayo Advertiser, February 05, 2010. International headache expert Ria Bhola will speak at the Migraine Association of Ireland’s information seminar in the TF Hotel, Castlebar on Tuesday February 9.
In the depths of a New England winter (and there’s no ambiguity about the weather this week!), a lot of people feel their energy flagging. If you feel like you’re dragging yourself through the day, or you could use a nap every single afternoon, or you just don’t care about doing much beyond what’s necessary, this is completely natural.
The cold and dark make this season a natural time for resting and replenishing your reserves; Chinese medicine advises using this to your advantage. Winter is associated with the water element, and with the Kidneys, which represent our deepest level of energy reserves — the life force we were born with and that we tap into when we are “running on empty”.
To nourish the Kidney energy, live in harmony with the season, and get ready for the springtime burst of energy and activity, consider these suggestions:
Go to bed early, and sleep late. Being up primarily when the sun is also up conserves your “yang”, or warming energy, which is needed against the cold weather.
Eat warm, cooked foods: Soup is great this time of year — it’s warm, nourishes the water element, and preserves the digestive fire, allowing you to convert food to energy. Green leafy vegetables and nuts, especially walnuts and chestnuts, are especially good for the Kidneys. Some sources also suggest eating black foods and kidney-shaped foods (think black bean soup!)
Focus on quieter tasks. It’s natural and sensible if you don’t feel like going out dancing every night, or training for a marathon. Conserve your energy a bit by making your exercise more gentle (yoga, tai chi, and walking are great). And take time for indoor, settled activities such as cooking, knitting, reading, or meditation.
Deep breathing exercises help you connect to your core energy, making it available. Click on the link below for a qi gong breathing exercise that is perfect for these winter days.
Get A Seasonal Acupuncture Tune-Up: Acupuncture is designed to bring your body into balance with itself, and also to harmonize the body with the climate and season. A kidney-focused acupuncture treatment can help you access and replenish your energy reserves.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine we use foods for their healing properties. Often when a client comes into my office I will tailor their treatment plan with diet suggestions. In the case of weight loss this component is especially important.
In this article DR. Maoshing Ni ( L.Ac., D.O.M., Ph.D.) discusses helpful foods to naturally loose weight. These suggestions along with a proper treatment plan from a TCM specialist will help you get started working towards a healthy weight.
It’s taken me a few days to feel like I’m getting back into my routine. Travel really takes a lot out of me, and definitely messes with my sense of time and normalcy. When I travel, it’s like, “sure, I’ll stay up until 3 and wake up at 7! No problem!” And despite how much fun I have, I cause my body a lot of additional stress through changed eating, exercise, and sleep. Now that I’m back, it’s time to get a handle on all of those elements of a healthy lifestyle.
To make my transition to real life a little bit easier, I decided to do two things. First, I got a massage at Healthworks with Lauren G. I haven’t had a massage in maybe two or three years, and I had somehow forgotten just how amazing they are! I told Lauren G. exactly what was bothering me, and let her get to work. The tightness in my shoulders and back melted away as I listened to soothing music and smelled the aromatherapy. I had the best night’s sleep after that! Needless to say, I am definitely going to save up (ah, student budget!) for a massage at Healthworks again.
The second thing I did was acupuncture. My friend, A., goes regularly for acupuncture, and recommended that I try a free session – so I did! I told the acupuncturist that I often have tension in my shoulders and that I have a little anxiety, and she put the tiniest of needles in strategic places on my hands, shoulders, head, and feet. And then I rested for a while and let the acupuncture do its thing. My friend describes the feeling as “a massage with the force” (ah, that’s a Star Wars reference…). The acupuncturist I saw was a part of Acupuncture Together, a nonprofit organization with a sliding scale. It’s a pretty cool place, if you’re interested in trying acupuncture.
Even though I’ve been back for a little while, and I’ve already gone to work and class, I am finally feeling ready to be living this hectic life! Plus, I know of some great ways to relax and de-stress.
Getting back into the swing of things with my favorite textbook
- Hannah
What do you do to ease yourself back into your regular rythm?
It is day Day 10 of my cleanse and I’m feeling great! It’s amazing how much you can get done in a day when you’re able to focus, aren’t feeling sluggish and don’t fill up your boredom with junk food snacks. I’m looking forward to adding back nuts and legumes tomorrow. It’s all downhill from here. I have to say that I’ve actually enjoyed the cleanse this year more than any other year. I find the preparing of my meals to actually be a de-stressing activity I look forward to at the end of my day. I savor the food I eat and my body gets to digest it properly. The dog likes it too as she’s gotten more cucumber and carrot treats in the last 2 weeks than ever! As I transition out of this detox time, I’m thinking of how I will eat post detox. I don’t want to go on a binge of junk and feel sluggish and bloated after all of this good work I’ve done. I want to keep some of the habits I’ve had while cleansing. I hope to incorporate more whole food snacks into my diet after this cleanse is over and I think that is something I can do realistically. Fresh starts feel great!
Thinking about trying acupuncture for those menopausal symptoms? Make sure they are the real deal!
Researchers say that non-invasive acupuncture, often preferred by the needle-phobic, will not have much effect on hot flashes and symptoms. In fact, in a small scientific study published in the online edition of Menopause, women with daytime and nighttime hot flashes and symptoms received laser acupuncture treatments or fake laser treatments once every two weeks over a three-month period. (Laser acupuncture (laser acupoint stimulation) is a technique that uses laser light that is applied to — but not inserted into — the skin to stimulate common acupuncture points.) Specific acupuncture points were selected from a series of 10 points and then individualized for each participant and her respective needs.
At the study’s end, no differences were seen between the groups in terms of menopausal symptoms.
Does this mean that acupuncture doesn’t work for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms? No, not at all. In fact, acupuncture has shown to be effective for alleviating hot flashes and the like. But you need real needles. If you are needle-phobic, speak a licensed acupuncturist or check out some of these wonderful links provided by the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. I’ve a huge fan of acupuncture and don’t care for needles. Yet, my experience with acupuncture is that in most cases, it is virtually painless and may simply be associated with mild tingling or brief ache that quickly dissipates.
How about you? How has acupuncture worked for your symptoms?
As regular readers of this blog know, I’m a huge advocate of acupuncture. Yet, of late, there have been a lot of studies that suggest that acupuncture is ineffective for treating hot flashes. That is, until the ACUFLASH trial came along.
ACUFLASH compared acupuncture in addition to self care to self-care alone over a 12 week period. The findings? Acupuncture plus self-care reduced the mean frequency of hot flashes by 48% in women compared with 28% of women using self-care methods only. This means that 50% of women receiving acupuncture experienced a 50% or greater reduction in how often their hot flashes occurred, compared to 16% of women using self-care. Significant reductions were also seen in hot flash intensity. Acupuncture also greatly improved overall reported quality of life. The difference in this trial compared to others exploring the effectiveness of acupuncture was that practitioners were able to both follow a standard protocol and add individual aspects to it – a key to finding quality in Traditional Chinese medicine practices.
In this latest study, investigators from ACUFLASH revisited study participants at 6 and 12 months, asking them about use of healthcare providers, medication and dietary supplements, and whether or not their daily habits had changed (e.g., rest, sleep, physical activity, coffee and alcohol, tobacco use). They also were asked if they had experienced any changes in menopausal symptoms, namely the intensity and frequency of hot flashes, quality of life and well-being). Additionally, women who had initially been treated with acupuncture and self-care were asked if they would recommend acupuncture to others and/or use it again.
Interestingly, at 6 and 12 months, significant differences between the study groups were no longer present; in fact, many women who had initially experienced substantial declines in hot flash frequency plateaued out. However, women who indicated that they continued to use acupuncture after the original study ended, experienced an even larger reduction in the frequency and intensity of their hot flashes through the 12 year period.
The investigators state that expectations of positive results and increased well-being definitely play an important role in reductions of vasomotor symptoms. However, they also suggest that adding self-care to acupuncture can contribute to a faster reduction in vasomotor symptoms and improvements in quality of life (which, they say, may be related to some cognitive-related triggering of mechanisms that contribute to menopausal symptoms).
One of the most important findings of this study is that in order to be effective, acupuncture treatments should be regular; they will not impart any long-term effects.
Personally, I’m all for needling my way into the New Year. You?
Complementary therapies should not be used exclusively, at the expense of conventional treatment, unless significant improvements have been made and your doctor tells you otherwise 
In Traditional Chinese Medicine we use foods for their healing properties. Often when a client comes into my office I will tailor their treatment plan with diet suggestions. In the case of weight loss this component is especially important.
