The Art of Medicine

It wasn't until my third week of the program that I was able to see an acupuncture needle. Here in Hangzhou, the students have concentrations either in acupuncture or herbal medicine (although they learn both in their undergraduate education, a total of 7 years). The first two weeks I sat every morning on an uncomfortable wooden stool in various clinics, listening to the translator dictate herbal dosages and writing them in my notebook. The doctor sat across from her post-graduate assistant and talked with the patient for several minutes in a room full of people waiting to be seen and in the presence of extended family members. I was able to observe the interdependency of families in China and how the illness of one person affects many. At times during my cancer shift, it was the son or daughter of the patient that came in with X-rays, explaining the condition of their loved one in tears. When I visited the gynecology clinic, the doctor would recommend an ultrasound and the patient returned in the same hour with the results, since the hospitals were integrated. I am in awe of this concept.

When I finally got the chance to see acupuncture in China, I was a little intimidated by the quickness of the procedure. It was aggressive. It was effective. People had been coming frequently over the course of months. I have to admit it wasn't my style, but I learned to have courage. When Dr. Wang asked me to cup his patient, it was the first time I would really be participating hands on. With the fire in one hand and the bamboo cup in the other, I tried rapidly to create a vacuum to bring all the blood stasis to the surface. The darker the bruise, the better the treatment. The force was strong enough to draw blood. After receiving Chinese massage (Tuina), I knew these people could handle anything!

At another site, I watched catgut embedding therapy. The doctor injected very fine catgut proteins to be absorbed by the body into acupuncture points for weight loss, fatty liver and irregular menstruation. At the equivalent of $85, a patient could go home with them for 15 days and then come back for more. This therapy was in high demand and the acupuncturist was gifted with needles, also injecting doses of Angelica Sinensis into the necks of patients with cervical spondylosis.

These are only a few moments of what I absorbed during my time in Hangzhou. The variety at each clinic reiterated what I already knew-that TCM is an art to be appreciated and practiced safely without limitations. Every practitioner had their own style and their own relationship with their patients. My opportunities to make the medicine my own are endless.

Live with a Purpose

Today I woke up, struggling to remember my dreams, wrestling with myself to get out of bed, afraid that my toes will begin to resemble popsicles in the 20 degree weather. I sat listening to my yoga station on Pandora, trying to find peace of mind but it was hiding today. Deep breaths. Mantras. I begin with yoga, and I start to feel warmer, so I switch to Qigong Sword Fingers. As my focus centers on my fingertips I begin to emit energy through my human handguns (like Clint Eastwood in 'Gran Torino', which I never would've guessed as #1 in the box office).

Following this, I received a rather profound experience at work. This probably happens to acupuncturists and healers all over the world frequently, but today was a first for me (in my own practice). The connection I had with my patient reminded me why I chose this field. I worked with her for two and a half hours, giving full body acupuncture, ear acupuncture, and moxibustion for her pain. Without needling locally, we saw immediate results. She was in disbelief and her eyes were watering as she thanked me incessantly. I, in turn, thanked the medicine and everything in the universe that made it possible for me to study this and have the wisdom to help others. I listened, she listened, and the result was balance instead of a tug of war.

It made me even more enthusiastic about the possibility of studying in Hangzhou, China in mid-March. If you are a practitioner of Chinese Medicine and would like to go for one month to study at the Zhejiang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, please email me!!

You Have Been Poked!

We are all familiar with the symbol of Yin and Yang representing balance, where opposites attract to complete a whole picture. It is my belief that anything in the universe can be explained by the theory of yin and yang, which makes the concept difficult to explain in words. Yin can be the moon, earth, female, cold or stillness. Yang respectively is the sun, heavens, male, heat or activity. Take any pair and it has a yin nature and a yang nature. This is because one cannot exist without the other. Everything is relative and interdependency becomes the basis of Chinese Medicine. As the seasons change and the days pass, yin (midnight) transforms into yang (early morning), reaches the utmost yang (noon), and becomes yin again (evening). Like the cycle of life, they are continually changing; as one decreases, the other increases, and too much of one can eventually weaken the other. When we realize that we are not made of parts, and we are the whole, harmony can be attained. A lot of the work involved in Eastern medicine relies on adjusting the scales of health to become balanced and harmonized.

Qi ("chee") is the universal life energy. It flows through everything, sustaining the life of our cells, tissues, organs and blood. Qi is not visible to the human eye but it is responsible for moving, warming, nourishing and protecting the body and other living things. The roots of our heavenly connection are in the breath. Many cultures across the world identify this powerful energy with names like prana (Hindu), pneuma (Greek), or ki (Japanese). Indeed, most religious practices place a high value on correct breathing. From the kahuna in Hawaii, to the early Christian mystics in the deserts of Arabia, the strength of the breath has long been recognized as the most important indicator of one's connection to the divine. Learning to control one's energy by breathing properly (through the belly, one inch below the navel) may result in lower blood pressure, reduced anxiety, and increased focus and concentration. The gift of breath can be realized when you think about the world's largest animal, the whale. Unlike humans, they breathe voluntarily, and since they cannot breathe underwater they must decide when to come up for air. Their controlled breathing may help explain why some blue whales live to be 80 years old. Many healing practitioners work with the energy through breathing exercises and meditation, such as Yoga, Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong.

Acupuncture can manipulate Qi, by tapping into channels, or meridians of our body. By inserting very fine needles into specific points, acupuncture adjusts the flow of Qi, Blood and Body Fluids. The body releases endorphins (natural painkillers) and toxins to heal and cleanse your overall system. This in turn allows the body's immune defenses to deal with stress and illness immediately, and reverses the the threat that stress puts on your health. In a country where people are overworked and the disease rate is on the rise, Chinese Medicine can provide an approach with minimal side effects and lasting results. In my opinion, healthcare should not be about managing your illness, but maintaining your health. That is why Chinese doctors for the past 5,000 years have believed that prevention is the best cure.

Although it is typically known and proven that acupuncture can treat acute and chronic pain, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can help a variety of issues since its theory is fundamentally holistic. The symptom is only a manifestation of a deeper condition, therefore focus is on the root and not the branch. This is what sets it apart from allopathic, or Western medicine, which generally masks the symptoms for temporary relief. Results from using TCM may differ from person to person, some treatments taking weeks or months to correct, and others relieved in fewer sessions. It is important to note that one's lifestyle factors are crucial to recovery. During a visit with your acupuncturist, S/he may ask you questions about your appetite, habits, exercise, sleep patterns, and bodily functions, while recommending nutritional advice or specific exercises.

During my four years of training, I had experience treating a plethora of pain, Sciatica, Gout, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Hepatitis, Depression, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), Anxiety, Stress, Hiccups, GI (Gastrointestinal) Disorders, Acne, Eczema, Insomnia, Smoking Cessation, Palpitations, Cold/Flus, Health Maintenance and many other conditions during my clinic internship at ACTCM (The American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine). I worked at St. James Infirmary, a peer-led occupational health and safety clinic for sex workers since 1999. From this experience in San Francisco, I realized that few things could truly surprise me and I respected the non-judgmental approach to health as I gained more compassion for others. I also worked at the ACTCM Auricular Community Clinic where I learned to treat all diseases by needling the ear, a contribution of acupuncturists from the Western hemisphere. My experience at Dr. Lifang Liang's Infertility and Gynecology Clinic for 3 years gave me a conduit to learn more about Herbology. TCM has so much to offer the world and that has made me committed to its awareness. I hope I will be able to help thousands of people in my lifetime as I continue to study everything it has to offer.

Please visit my website if you would like more information or feel free to email me. I am always interested in talking about Chinese Medicine with those who are curious to learn more.