The research conclusion: “Acupuncture is effective in the treatment of functional dyspepsia, and is superior to non-acupoint puncture" -- which is one reason why it is important to see an Acupuncturist who is a Practitioner of Chinese Medicine rather than a professional w/ only 40 to 300 hours of training (vs 4 years of full time Chinese Medicine school). Ask me more about this at DrMLucas@AcupunctureWoman.com. You may notice that, in this study, the patients were treated 5 times in a week for 4 weeks -... this is why I have said for years that once a week acupuncture is not the most effective way to be treated. Frequent treatment >>>> cure >>>>>see you in a month or so for future prevention. You don't take your Nexium once a week do you? Or your anti-depressant? Why then rely on once a week treatment for relief or resolution of your symptoms/condition?Dyspepsia is indigestion and involves symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, an uncomfortable sensation of heaviness or fullness after eating, nausea, belching and heartburn. Dyspepsia is often linked to GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), gastritis and gastrointestinal ulcers. In many cases, dyspepsia is not linked to an underlying organic disease which makes it another perfect condition to be treated with Chinese Medicine. In allopathic/Western/modern medicine, dyspepsia is often treated with prescription drugs (proton pump inhibitors). However, **long term use of PPIs is linked to gastric cell atrophy, which may lead to cancer**.Researchers examined a total sample size of 712 patients. Patients received 5 acupuncture treatments per week for a period of 4 weeks. Follow-up was documented 12 weeks following the treatment period. All groups improved, however, Group 1 ("real" acupuncture points) had over a 70 percent success rate. Group 1 received specific acupuncture points on the stomach meridian. The group with the lowest success rate was the sham acupuncture group with only a 34.75 percent improvement. At The Colorado Center of Traditional Medicine we bill health insurance when acupuncture or manual therapy is covered. Follow this blog at http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=777691 read more..
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-Acupuncture Successful-Acupuncture Treatments-Functional Dyspepsia
Saturday, 11 August 2012
Traditional Chinese Medicine-Perioral Dermatitis-Skin Conditions-Skin Disorder
Traditional Chinese Medicine has been used to treat skin conditions for thousands of years. While Perioral Dermatitis is a newly recognized disease, only about 35 years old, the Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments for similar skin conditions remain helpful in addressing the condition. Symptoms of Perioral Dermatitis Perioral Dermatitis is a skin disorder which causes an [...] read more..
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
Transformative-Yang Qi
I want to wish my readers a very Happy New Year! It is the Year of the Yang Water Dragon.The Qi of this time has great potential. Yang Qi is very transformative, Water Qi is dissolutive and Qi of the Dragon is the most powerful of all the 12 Chinese Animals, creating great change as it winds through space and time.
There is great potential to let go of old struggles and to transform and overcome difficulties.
I offer you best intentions for a year of Health and Happiness! read more..
Monday, 30 July 2012
Western Medical Practitioners-Traditional Chinese Medicine-Traditional Medicines
Although many western medical practitioners are not familiar with traditional Chinese medicine, with time EAM is beginning to make inroads to the western consciousness. Western researchers are beginning to understand that the traditional medicines of the world may hold valuable insights into treating diseases, especially with herbs. In recent years much attention has been paid to a number of herbs and foods of Asia that are used in the treatment of cancer. Turmeric being one that has garnered much attention. In a recent NY Times article on Qinghao, the herb credited with providing the source of anti-malarial medication, they paid great tribute to the research and development by Chinese scientists who went back to their traditional medicine doctors to find an herb, Qinghao, (Artemisia Annuae, Sweet Wormwood), that contains chemicals that revolutionized pharmaceutical care in treatment of malaria, worldwide.Please follow the link here to read this fascinating NY Times article. read more..
Chemotherapy Patients-Treatment Of Cancer-Moxibustion Therapy-Powerful Tools-Cancer Patient
In my practice I have treated a number of people who are undergoing oncological treatment. Chemotherapy and radiation are powerful tools in the treatment of cancer. In the clinic I help patients deal with a number of the issues related to side effects from these treatments. Using dietary therapy, qigong exercises and treatments, acupuncture, moxibustion therapy and sometimes herbal therapy as well (when the western doctors will agree to it), there is a lot that the Chinese medical practitioner can do to help ease the side effects for the patient.I have also come to understand that the emotional strain of undergoing oncological treatment can be quite high and so I also help support the nervous system and a patient's will to continue forward.
I recently found a wonderful short video about the use of acupuncture for chemotherapy patients with neuropathy in the hands and feet. I'm posting it here so that my readers can get a further sense of what Chinese and East Asian medicine can offer the cancer patient.
I hope you find it useful. read more..
The Radiation Contamination-Radiation Sickness-Nuclear Radiation-Macrobiotic Diet
The earthquake, tsunami and recent struggles with nuclear radiation in Japan have been a heartbreak to the world. I have been in contact with family and friends in Japan and all assure me that they were fortunate and are doing fine. Still we all hear and read of the dangers of the radiation contamination and this is something of great concern for all.Much of the media in the U.S. where I am living has been covering issues regarding widespread dispersal of radiation in the environment. While we are currently assured that the levels of radiation at this time are not a threat to human health in the U.S., traces of radiation from the nuclear plants in Daiichi have been discovered in Massachusetts, California, and now iodine 131 has been found in the milk of cows in Spokane, Washington.We are assured that the radiation in the cow's milk has a half-life of 8 days and poses no threat at its current rate of .8 pico-curies which is 5,000 times lower than the "intervention level" as mandated by the U.S. FDA.
Still, I would like to share with my readers some information at this time that may be useful to you.In Japanese culture and medicine we have long eaten sea vegetables (seaweed) and miso soup (fermented soy bean soup).These foods have an ability to help clear certain kinds of radiation from the body.In their book, The Cancer Prevention Diet, Michio Kushi and Alex Jack discuss the use of seaweeds and miso:
"Sea Vegetables: Kombu, wakame, nori, and other edible seaweeds are a small but important part of the daily macrobiotic diet. In Japan, a macrobiotic doctor in Nagasaki who survived the atomic bombing in August 1945 put all of his surviving patients on a strict diet of brown rice, miso soup, sea vegetables, and sea salt. In contrast to many patients at other hospitals and medical centers who contracted or died from radiation sickness, all his patients and staff were saved. "
Seaweed has historically been used in Chinese medicine to soften and help reduce masses in the body. Both seaweed and miso are being studied by modern medical researchers for anti-cancer properties and seaweed, for its tumor shrinking properties. Both are a mainstay of the macrobiotic diet which has long been famous for its successes in treating people with different cancers, including those caused by exposure to certain forms of radiation.
Seaweed is very potent, containing many minerals and vitamins. Only small amounts are recommended in the diet. Kombu is considered particularly potent. It is so strong in its effect, that for some patients with cancer it can actually have an adverse effect and worsen tumors if used excessively or under the wrong circumstances.
Similarly, there is conflicting data from different research on the use of soy and its anti-cancer properties. Certainly before considering the use of soy in the diet, one should consult your physician if you are a cancer patient.
The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission recommends eating two to three ounces of seaweed per week for those exposed to radiation.
For the layperson, you might consider adopting some mainstays of a traditional Japanese diet. Two servings of miso soup (low sodium) per day with a small portion of seaweed and a serving of brown rice on the side. read more..
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Qigong and Ritual Fasting on Mt. Qincheng
Many of my patients have asked me to explain "Qigong" to them. This is a Chinese word that derives from two terms. "Qi" is the character in Chinese that refers to "universal fire" or "metabolic force" if we're discussing medicine. "Gong" refers to the traditional character that means "practice". "Qigong" is a modern term that has come to describe breathing, meditational and internal energetic practices that strengthen the constitution, support spiritual transformation, develop sensory perceptions and if practiced in specific ways, can be considered longevity practices.Historically, these practices may have arisen from the shamanastic people of ancient China.While in the city of Changsha I had the great privilege to visit the MawangDui Museum. This an ancient archeological site that contains ancient tombs from the Han Dynsasty. It was discovered intact with many important artifacts including drawings of people doing "Daoyin" or stretching and health exercises. Each of the exercises is accompanied by explanation for which illnesses it can be used to treat. These are some of the earliest recorded Qigong exercises. (I'll discuss the shamanistic roots of Qigong in a future entry).In later times, both Buddhists and Daoists used internal alchemical practices/Qi practices to support spiritual transformation. Healers of all these traditions have used Medical Qigong.
On my trip to Sichuan, China this past summer, I traveled to Mt. Qingcheng to the Tianlonggong (Temple of the Heavenly Dragon Training Institute) where I spent time studying with my Qigong master.He is the recipient of many lineages that encompass, shamanistic, Buddhist, Daoist and Tibetan Qigong. It was transformational to do the practices with him in his ancestral home on the side of a mountain, considered a holy place. One of the central themes in the practices that kept coming back to me is that Universal Love is transformational. Doing these practices on the mountain under the sky it was easy to find this connection. Many people purportedly learn Qigong practices from classes or off the internet or DVD's, but often what is missing is the inner energetic methods that drive these practices like an internal engine. Without the knowledge of how to do this, the practices are mostly ineffective.
We had the great privilege of participating in a Daoist fasting ritual for several days. Traditionally this is called "bigu", or "giving up the grain". It is a Daoist practice that is used to purify the body and spirit and there are rituals of bathing and purifying the body, while using Qigong practices to nourish one's body during the fast. In Daoism these practices have been used for thousands of years. In some cases these practices are said to be used to attain immortality, as food is substituted first by herbs and then given up altogether and the practitioner then lives on Qi alone. This requires a tremendous amount of self-cultivation.
I found for myself that bigu was immensely beneficial. We would rise early each morning and perform ritual cleansing of one another, then we would practice Qigong together, and drink specially prepared Qi-water and herbs and we would repeat this twice more during the day.The cleansing ritual included "pai da". This is a slapping technique on the skin that breaks up stagnation/toxins in the flesh and in the meridians and benefits circulation of Qi and Blood. We used towels soaked in basins of soapy water and we would do this ritual on one another (slapping eachother's arms, legs, abdomen and back with the towels) and then we would each thoroughly clean ourselves. I found this ritual incredibly powerful. I felt very clean and purified afterwards. My muscles and skin felt incredible.
A memory that I will carry with me forever is with two other gentlemen, both from China.One was a young man who had come to the institute to participate and learn. The other was a Shaolin monk who had come to observe and study as well. He had the read more..
Friday, 20 July 2012
Junior High School Days-Business Professional-Chinese Medicine-Science Teacher-Acupuncture
Not long ago I met with a business professional who I will not describe other than to say he had the worst bad breath that I’ve endured in a long time. It brought me back to a science teacher from my junior high school days, Mr. Y. His formidable breath was suffered so widely that it earned him the nickname Scope. In fact, many students didn’t even know his real name, rather, they would just say, “Hey, I’ve got Scope for seventh period biology.” . . . ? Read More: Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture for Bad Breath read more..
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Chinese Medicine-Gua Sha Tools-Tight Muscle
Every so often I work with a patient who has a particularly tight muscle, a large stubborn knot, or a seriously wiry and tight connective tissue. On those occasions, I pull out my Gua Sha tools and go to town. While many people think of Chinese medicine as being all about acupuncture and herbs, there are many lesser-known healing methods that are a part of this medicine. Among them is the practice of Gua Sha. Yes, Gua Sha sounds like something you would yell . . . ? Read More: Everything You Need to Know About Gua Sha read more..
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Natural Medicine-Procedures-Fertility
I keep reading study results like this one and don't understand why more couples don't consider a natural medicine either before they start on hormonal and physical procedures or in conjunction with them. All hormonal and physical procedures cause more qi and blood stagnation so why not combat that using acupuncture?! Additionally, research has demonstrated that women who undergo hormonal procedures are at a higher risk for certain gynecological cancers. I've said this for years: our hormonal systems are BASIC to our existence, they don't tolerate hormonal intervention very well. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-traditional-chinese-medicine-fertility-treatments.html read more..
Monday, 4 June 2012
Painful Condition-Acupuncturist-Acupuncture-Arthritis-Sciatica
As an acupuncturist, I regularly see people in pain; people with arthritis, blown out backs, sprained ankles, sciatica, headaches, and those recovering from surgery. If you’ve ever suffered from a painful condition, you know that your particular pain is unique. It can be dull and achy, sharp and stabbing, throbbing, burning, or it can feel electric. The pain may come and go or be ever-present. It may wake you at night or change with the weather. What causes pain? There are actually a number . . . ? Read More: Acupuncture for Pain Relief read more..
Thursday, 24 May 2012
Indian Restaurant-Acupuncture-Heartburn
My first episode of heartburn was so intense that I can remember it to this day. It was New Year’s Eve over twenty years ago. I was celebrating with a group of good friends by sharing a catered dinner from our favorite Indian restaurant. The food was spicy and abundant, we ate late, and we washed it down with plenty of alcohol. Looking back, it was the perfect storm waiting to happen. I woke up in the wee hours of the New Year with . . . ? Read More: Healing Heartburn with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine read more..
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Curious Phenomenon-Sensation
Itching is an annoying and curious phenomenon. Your body feels an annoying sensation so you irritate the skin by scratching. It makes you feel extremely uncomfortable. This causes pain. The pain trumps the itching sensation and you no longer feel the annoyance. But the scratching causes inflammation and irritation in the area. The scratch causes [...] read more..
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Water Element-Dry Skin
Dear Lynn: I read your book and understand that the water element is associated with the season of winter. Why is my skin so dry in the winter if that’s the season of water? Dried Out in Minneapolis Dear Dried: That’s such a good question! It may seem odd that winter is the water element, even though it feels really dry, but there’s a good reason. To understand why, we have to look at the nature of Yin and Yang and how they correspond to the world . . . ? Read More: Winter, Dry Skin, and Chinese Medicine read more..
Friday, 11 May 2012
Traditional Chinese Medicine-Bone Health-Acupuncture
The FDA has published an analysis of the popular bone-building drugs suggesting caution about long term use because the drugs lead to weaker bones in some cases. This is not the first time I've heard this. I've had patients over the years who wonder why, after taking their calcium and prescription drug for 5 years their bones are still weak. So I wasn't surprised by the FDA's concern. Plus, many women don't know how to take calcium so that it gets used most efficiently by the body ..... or used at all! Look to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for bone health. In fact, I recently gave one of my patients who suffers from back pain some of my personal "back pain, inflammation, bone building" formula and she told me that she didn't need her estrogen patch for her hot flashes any more. True!! The herbs in the formula work on the cause of back pain - our weakened central, bone building qi. That's how TCM works - we treat the cause not the symptom.
And in fact, I was taking the same bone building herbs prior to my last visit to a back surgeon who didn't say "bone on bone" for my lumbars after I'd been told that by everyone who had looked at xrays or MRIs. So I'm happy - structural yoga therapy (w/ R Ziegler who rocks!) but I also DO the work, MT and rolfing with A Rach (great!), and regular acupuncture have worked. Yes, REGULAR acupuncture, not just when I'm in pain or crooked and stiff.
Call 303-947-6224 or email me at DrMLucas@AcupunctureWoman.com if you need help moving through peri-menopause, help with fertility challenges, have any medical issues with digestion, sleep, depression, anxiety etc. or would like to talk about Mei Zen Cosmetic Acupuncture.
You may follow this blog at http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=777691 or visit my website: www.AcupunctureWoman.com.
Work for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains? Your Cigna policy may well give you excellent coverage that includes acupuncture. I can check it out for you. read more..
Monday, 7 May 2012
Chronic Sinus Infections-Bladder Infections-Acupuncture Clinic-Water Metabolism
Over the years, I have seen patients in my acupuncture clinic for conditions such as bladder infections, edema, chronic sinus infections, dehydration, problems with yeast, athlete’s foot, dry itchy skin, and obesity. What do all of these conditions have in common? In Chinese medicine, they all arise from your body’s inability to metabolize water effectively. Most of us don’t think much about water; you drink it in, you pee it out. Also, we’ve been repeatedly told to drink enough. Beyond that, what could water . . . ? Read More: Water Metabolism and the Triple Burner read more..
Friday, 27 April 2012
Physiological Changes-Northern New England-A Walk In The Woods-California Redwoods
There’s no doubt that a walk in the woods feels good. Whether it’s the California redwoods, the boreal forests of Minnesota, or the pine forests of northern New England, getting out into nature is beautiful and feeds your soul. Now researchers from Japan are telling us that a walk in the woods is good for your body, too–and not because you’re exercising. Researchers in Japan have conducted a couple of studies that document positive physiological changes among groups of men who were exposed to . . . ? Read More: A Walk in the Woods Boosts Immunity read more..
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Restorative Effects-Brain Function-Exact Reason-Sleep-Food
Sleep is essential to your survival as a human being. In fact, it’s likely that you can survive longer without food than you can without sleep. The exact reason you need to sleep eludes scientists, but they do know that sleep is restorative. It supports brain function, conserves your energy, and is rejuvenating in general. You can feel its restorative effects after you’ve had a really good night’s sleep–and the lack of those effects after a couple of nights of tossing and turning without adequate . . . ? read more..
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Prescribed Medication-Chinese Medicine-Health Condition-Western Doctor-Acupuncturist
As an acupuncturist, here is a conversation I seem to have almost daily: A patient is struggling with a health condition, and their Western doctor has prescribed a medication that the patient will need to take long-term, which they don’t want to do. Or a patient has been on a prescribed medication, doesn’t like the side effects, and is trying to decrease their dosage or go off altogether. They want to know if acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help them avoid taking these drugs. The reality . . . ? Read More: Acupuncture and Western Medications read more..
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Health Insurance Billing-Chinese Medicine-Acupuncture-Pelvic Pain-Women
This study's title is about pelvic pain and Chinese Medicine but it lists other issues that are resolved by acupuncture and/or herbs and that may require more study so that these therapies are more accessible to women. There is NO reason to suffer through what we commonly call "women's issues".
Call 303-947-6224; email DrMLucas@AcupunctureWoman.com, or go to www.AcupunctureWoman.com for a consult or appointment. I offer the service of health insurance billing. http://www.asianscientist.com/health-medicine/rcog-opinion-paper-acupuncture-herbal-medicine-relieves-chronic-pelvic-pain-2012/
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