Happy Oriental Medicine Day on Saturday!
Hug an acupuncturist, or try a delicious (?) Chinese herbal tea! They taste odd, but are oh-so helpful for the body.
If you are fortunate enough to live in Portland, Oregon (my beloved city), then get out there and take a look at the massive acupuncture needle in our beautiful, if not a slightly damp city!
According to Acupuncture Today, the informative new source for all things acupuncture,
October 24, 2002 marked the first annual observance of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day. Conceived of as part of a national campaign to educate the public about the benefits of acupuncture and other forms of Asian healing, many of the leading national acupuncture and Oriental medicine member associations, research organizations and educational institutions lent their support to AOM Day, in the form of open houses; lectures and demonstrations; free acupuncture treatments; and educational seminars.
A lot of cities are signed up with special rates on Saturday as well as other events- check out the homepage for the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine site, and don't forget to check out the Acupuncture Today article that lists schools around the country that are celebrating National AOM day in style!
We should celebrate this day as a time when we are able to choose what we want in terms of our own healthcare, and take matters into our own hands by using preventative medicine. Acupuncture, herbal medicine, naturopathic medicine, massage, reiki, and all of the other wonderful techniques are treatments that do so much more than "fix us." They heal us!
I still remember my personal experience with acupuncture - which is the reason I practice this amazing medicine. I was living in South Korea, where the pollution was so bad you could see and taste it! I was taking extra medications to try to control my allergy symptoms and wheezing, but it wasn't enough. Just as I was about to throw in the towel and leave, a family member suggested acupuncture. So I walked into the nearest clinic where no one spoke English (and my Korean was very poor), but doctor was surprised to see a foreigner but was very nice. He patted my arm and said "it's okay!" He then felt my pulse, looked at my tongue, then gave me my first acupuncture treatment. It was incredible- I still remember how much better I felt after that first treatment, and went back three times a week for four months. By the end of that treatment regime, I was off all of the medications, and was feeling great. I've been a firm believer in this medicine ever since, and started school at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine two weeks after we arrived home.
See what you can find in your city at the sites listed above, and enjoy the day!
