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We once believed that cancer was just another one of those devastating epidemic diseases that we eventually found a “cure” for, like smallpox and polio. It has instead proven to be a most formidable adversary due to its dynamic and evolving nature¬it changes even as it is targeted with the latest treatments. Progress has notContinue reading “Cancer: What We Know, What We Don’t Know”

The Mind in Chinese medicine is referred to as Shen. Although Shen is loosely translated to mean Spirit in the west, in Traditional Chinese Medicine it is mostly used to describe the activity of thinking, consciousness, insight and memory—all of which depend on the health of the Heart. One ancient text states, “The Heart isContinue reading “Chinese Medicine and the Mind”

A healing crisis is when we experience symptoms from diseases and toxins that are released during a detoxification process. An intentional detoxification process usually involves a more cleansing diet, some herbal supplementation, and sometimes fasting. An un-intentional detoxification process is when we become ill, or our health is compromised in ways that force us toContinue reading “The Healing Crisis”

Stress is the emotional and physical way in which we respond to pressure. Stress can cause both mental and physical symptoms and the effects of stress are different for different people. The mental (emotional) symptoms of stress include: Tension Irritability Inability to concentrate Feeling excessively tired Trouble sleeping  The physical symptoms of stress include: DryContinue reading “Managing Negative Stress”

That is a very good question and one that is not always easily answered. Common causes of fatigue include acute severe illness of almost any cause; cancers, chronic infections such as HIV, hepatitis, endocarditis, mononucleosis, endocrine disorders, renal failure, hepatic failure, heart failure, and anemia. Patients with fibromyalgia, depression or chronic fatigue syndrome may reportContinue reading “Why Am I So Tired?”

Traditional Chinese medicine recognizes the mind and body interacting as one, meaning that emotions have a physiological effect on the body and that physiology also has an effect on the emotions. Five emotions are represented by the five elements of Chinese medicine: Wood (anger) Fire (joy) Earth (worry) Metal (grief) Water (fear) In addition toContinue reading “Acupuncture, Anxiety and Depression”

I had a patient in the office last week who had been supporting infertility treatments with acupuncture and herbal therapies who is now pregnant. After her initial excitement and relief she turned to me and said, “Now I get to be pregnant.” Apparently she’d had some discomfort the first time around. These are the manyContinue reading “Acupuncture Treatment and the Stages of Pregnancy”

The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels and is responsible for carrying nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and removing carbon dioxide and other waste from them.  Heart disease includes conditions affecting the heart, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and congenital heart disease. In Chinese medicine,Continue reading “Acupuncture and Cardiovascular Health”

Health is the condition of being sound in body, mind or spirit; freedom from disease, pain or abnormality; the condition of flourishing in one’s health. Vitality takes health to the next level. It is a state of exuberant physical strength or mental vigor. Back in the day…the acupuncturist to the Emperor in China was paidContinue reading “Health, Vitality and Chinese Medicine”