TCM Blog Findings

Study of Acupuncture by raindog61

Finding spare time is something that has been so precious to me these past three years of school, and now it seems that there is so much of it! Which is great, as I've been able to search around for new "happenings" and blog posts that caught my eye. There are so many great things happening out in the world of TCM bloggers!

Kim Knight, LAc, who was the first practitioner interviewed on Portland Acupuncture Blog, has a blog on her beautiful site, Tensegrity Health. She has some great information about different TCM applications, as well as a delicious recipe :)

Eric Grey at Deepest Health put out a great podcast interview with Heiner Fruehauf that I really enjoyed. I haven't met Heiner yet, but have heard so many amazing things about him from both Deepest Health and Yael at Chinese Medicine Notes. His company, Classic Pearls, is well known to a lot of practitioners in Portland and around the world, and several of my supervisors at OCOM have taken his herbal medicine classes.

Andrea Asti started a blog at the New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and there are some great articles, including one on acupuncture helping with pain relief after neck surgery.

Enjoy!

Clinic Survival Guide

My friend and recent OCOM graduate Andrew Schlabach, LAc, just finished printing an amazing acupuncture reference book called the "Clinic Survival Guide."  It's a complete book full of amazing acupuncture diagrams, and the information is compliled in a way that it's easy to find and carry around with you. Andrew did an amazing job of putting the information together, and I recommend you check it out (www.alloneplanet.com)- click on "What's Inside" for a peek at the graphic design talent. Andrew is also one of the founders of the Acupuncture Relief Project, which is getting underway very soon!

My apologies about the delay in postings! Apparently graduating, applying for licensing, and re-connecting with friends and family (long ignored due to the intense masters program!) took a little longer than planned. Look back for more postings this week! I'm hoping to connect with my classmates in China (who leave Friday!) who are planning to blog about what's going on in the hospitals there, an eventually with the grads in Nepal in the fall.

Class of 2008

Photo by clevercupcakes

OCOM's class of 2008 graduates tomorrow!

My classmates and I will officially graduate at 2pm on August 29th (which explains why I haven't been writing...).

It's been a long journey, and I wish every one of them well. I believe we are coming into this world of TCM at a time when the western world is looking for more than the standard care, but a combination of old and new therapies.

Thanks so much to all of you for being a part of the TCM online community - I will certainly continue writing along the journey to becoming an official LAc!

TCM helping with Oregon weather

Photo by leojmelsrub

A lot can be said about Oregon's weather. It sure seems to be the topic of a lot of conversations in the clinic, especially with the sun and pouring rain combination these past few days!

One thing I've noticed in the clinic is that  lot of people are having similar experiences with weather changes- I know it seems like a strange topic, but I have noticed several patterns in the clinic (and within my community) that I'd like to share:

-People with arthritis are better with the extreme heat, and worse in that next day of dampness. The quick weather changes can be hard on the joints- it's important to come in for treatment at least once a week when this is occurring. - Allergies (sinus congestion, itchy eyes, wheezing) can also be affected by the extreme rain followed by blazing sun ten minutes later. The heat and steam seem to create dampness and a lot of phlegm in the body. It's interesting to see the different reactions in different body constitutions, because others report feeling better with the "steam room" effect! -Headaches with the rain: the drop in barometric pressure seems to really affect patients who are more on the deficient side that the excess. It's as if their energy can't quite handle the sudden change.

There are also a lot of great formulas to help with the symptoms. Personally, I chose to seek treatment from a practitioner who gave me a fantastic herbal granual formula from the OCOM dispensary. It was created with a diagnosis of all of my symptoms, and has truly worked wonders in dealing with these past few weeks of wacky weather :)

TCM and athletics

Photo by Omsel

A friend of mine found this article about athletes and Traditional Chinese Medicine - seemed appropriate with the Olympics happening right now. The use of acupuncture and other TCM treatments to enhance physical performance and recover from injuries at a faster rate are becoming more widely used. There are no drugs involved, just better performance times and less time off the bench.

Check out this sports medicine article from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine website for more information.

Group Acupuncture for PTSD in Veterans

Photo by timely rains

Over the course of this past year (and then some), three of my classmates and myself completed a unique senior research project (OCOM's equivalent to a Master's thesis). Our project was pursuing the feasibility of treating veterans with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) symptoms by using the group acupuncture model (everyone is treated in the same room using chairs instead of tables).

Our project began with the intent to open a free group clinic for veterans, where we would be able to needle them and change the world with the help of NIH (National Institute of Health) funds, endless supplies, and eventual support from the VA.  However.....we are students, and both insurance and liability are very limited. The idea of us actually needling on a non-intern site is a pretty difficult hoop to jump through, and can take longer than one year, which is all we had. After several changes, we decided to do a qualitative study instead. We interviewed several practitioners about their experience in treating veterans, and if they had any advice for us, what points they would use, etc. We learned a lot about treating those with PTSD, and realized that it could be done the way we thought it could.

This project spiked a lot of interest both within ourselves and at our school, and it looks like we have a new group of students who are going to carry on with the project next year. The next phase of the project will be interviewing veterans in a group acupuncture setting, hopefully at a site that is already treating veterans with group acupuncture.

I posted some information a few months ago on Veterans Day about veterans assistance (outside of the VA) in the Portland area. Our interest was peaked after the first phase partly because of the Portland Veterans Acupuncture Project (PVAP), which offers free acupuncture to veterans and their families on Thursday evenings in Southeast Portland.

There is a real need for more research on PTSD in returning veterans, and I'm very happy that our group was able to take this project as far as we have, and we're really looking forward to see what the next group will do with it. I'm hoping it's a small start to something big.

Acupuncture Adventures: China and Nepal

With graduation around the corner, a lot of classmates, including myself, are in a state of happiness (3 years of school are over!) and excitement (a lot of well-deserved vacations), combined with a small amount of fear (mostly due to student loans) and apprehension (what's next?).

However, it seems that most of us have a good idea of what we will be doing for at least a year, and there are thankfully a lot of great opportunities out there (whew!).

*Around 22 of my classmates are heading over to China for six weeks to study at the Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It's going to be such a great trip for them- I'm hoping to go next year!

*Three of my classmates are opening a free clinic in Nepal this fall under the Acupuncture Relief Project- check out their beautiful site! I've worked with all three of these acupuncturists, and truly believe they will make a big difference in the clinic.

I'm hoping to get a few people to send me weekly posts about their travels and what they are seeing over in Asia. If I can, I'll definitely be posting starting in September.

National Acupuncture Detox Association (NADA)

From the NADA site

NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) is:

"a nonprofit association that conducts training and provides public education about the use

of acupuncture as an adjunct treatment for addictions and mental disorders."

This protocol is always used in the detoxification process as well as helping with addictions. There has been a lot of research with the 5-acupoint protocol for helping with detox from any addiction in conjuction with other therapies. While just one therapy isn't always as useful, the combination is the best.

Photo: ear acupuncture by amona

The five point protocol is the Heart/Lung, Shen Men, Liver, Kidney, and Sympathetic. There are several publications sold on the NADA website that discuss the use of these points and why in more detail. At OCOM, we are required to take an auricular class, and one term in a detoxification clinics, such as Old Town Clinic, Hooper, or Quest. All have differnt and amazing programs for addiction and recovery needs.

NADA also has a blog! Check here to read the news. There is a yearly conference, usually in April, which is recommended if you would like to become certified.

Photo: auricular by arajane

AIDS Awareness- UNAIDS

Today is the beginning of a week long conference in Mexico for UNAIDS.

UNAIDS is: "...the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations family, bringing together the efforts and resources of ten UN system organizations in the AIDS response to help the world prevent new HIV infections, care for people living with HIV, and mitigate the impact of the epidemic."

Let's see how this year goes- keep your eyes on the media to see what the outcomes are, and how well healthcare, education, and the world are doing in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Cascade AIDS Project is an organization to prevent HIV transmission, care and advocate for those infected, and to educate all. And don't forget about the AIDS walk on October 12!

Working Class Acupuncture in the news again!

The Portland Mercury ran an article on finding inexpensive health care services in Portland, and intern Sarah Mirk wrote a section about Working Class Acupuncture. You can find it here- just scroll down to the "Acupuncture" section. Portland Monthly also ran an article on WCA! While the magazine usually draws a different crowd that the Mercury, it's great to see community acupuncture spreading all over Portland. It's not available online yet, but keep checking back and I'll post it as soon as I can.

And fianlly, Lisa Rohleder, LAc will be interviewed on NPR next week (though I'm not exactly sure when it will air), in "Marketplace." Keep an ear out for her!

Interview with Anita Tadavarthy, MAcOM of Metis Clinics

Anita Tadavarthy, MAcOM, of Metis Clinics

1. What brought you to Portland? My Nike job brought me to Portland. Previously, I had a career in finance & accounting.

2. Why did you decide to become an LAc? I wanted to be able to help people. 3. Tell me about your practice I really enjoy it! I feel that I get to do what I love for a living. I started my Metis Clinics in late April 2007 in Tigard, Oregon, and I already know that I have helped quite a number of people. 4. Where does your passion for the medicine come from? My passion for medicine comes from my desire to help others. 4. Any advice for patients? Take care of any medical issues or concerns early! 5. What is your favorite Portland restaurant and why? La Sarenita, on Alberta. It's affordable, tasty Mexican food

You can contact Anita at:

Metis Clinics Fir Loop Plaza, Suite 205 7110 SW Fir Loop Portland, OR 97223

Phone: 503.819.2904 Fax: 503.746.7432

Email: anita@metisclinics.com

Free acupuncture clinic in India

Anita Tadavarthy, MAcOM, a recent OCOM graduate, sponsored a free clinic (Metis Acupuncture) in Repalle, India this past year, and treated over 5,000 people in just a few months. Check out the video below- it's amazing! This kind of group acupuncture is so effective and very affordable (see previous group acupuncture posts....), and Anita has now opened Metis Acupuncture here in Portland.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39lsbDSSvRQ[/youtube]

PanAfrican Acupuncture Project

I recently found out that my classmate Malaika Lumen is working with a great organization called the Pan African Acupuncture Project (PAAP). The Project is similar to the Barefoot Doctor program in China, and a large portion of the focus is on HIV/AIDS care.

"The PanAfrican Acupuncture Project (PAAP) is a non-profit organization that was established in 2003 to empower the people of Uganda with acupuncture techniques. Since 2003 they have conducted several training programs, expanded into Kenya and are currently expanding into Malawi."

On July 31st Academy Theater on Stark street (7818 SE Stark St) has will donate 10% of all concession sales from open until close to PAAP Malawi. So come down, check out a great movie at a classic 1940's building, and be sure to grab something from concessions to help out a great organization!

For more information, you can contact the PAAP:

The PanAfrican Acupuncture Project 113 Summit Avenue Brookline, MA 02446 USA info@panafricanacupuncture.org Tel/fax: 617-277-7444

Facial Acupuncture

REUTERS/Mike Cassese

A classmate of mine just informed me about a recent online article about facial acupuncture. Check it out here!

Cosmetic acupuncture can be very helpful in treating wrinkles, sagging skin and fine lines. Small, thin needles (even smaller than the usual needles used for body acupuncture) are inserted shallowly into the skin to increase blood flow and energy of the skin. There are no side effects, the needles are smaller than those used with Botox, and it's very effective. Acupuncture.com also has a newsletter that discusses cosmetic acupunture.

If you are interested in learning more about cosmetic acupuncture, the Mei Zen System is one I have heard a lot of good press about. A lot of spas in Portland are also interested in acupuncture, and the cosmetic industry may be opening up a whole new world for L.Ac's.

What Can TCM treat? Insect Bites

Photo by da100fotos

Now that the sun has been out for at least a few weeks, flowers and fruits are at their full potential for natures cycle and our own enjoyment. Part of this flowering and producing process involves insects that many of us love to hate (hate is a bit strong- more like "dislike" or even "fear"). Bees and spiders do so much for our gardens and flowers, but their potential bites or stings, though often accidental, can be painful or even life-threatening.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has a lot of treatment plans for insect bites, and since I'm currently taking a dermatology class from Dr. Hong Jin, DAOM, I thought I'd share a few formulas from the class and a few that I have used myself.

Jin Huang Wan, or Golden Yellow Powder is a powder that you can mix with honey or water to make a externally- applied paste. It draws out the toxins and helps stop itching. It's also inexpensive and works better than baking soda for be stings. I can't seem to find any sites online, but the OCOM clinic carries it, as well as other herbal stores. Keep in mind that it may stain skin a nice deep yellow temporarily...

Another favorite of mine is Dan Shen Hou Xue Yin or Quell the Surface Teapills. I took these after my last bee sting, which was pretty nasty, and the swelling reduced within 6 hours of the second dose. This can also be used in cases of poison oak or ivy rashes, or even eczema flare-ups. In the text for the class, a formula is Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin, or 5-Ingredient to Eliminate Toxin formula.

Remember to check with your practitioner if you have any questions about what herbs are in these formulas. Also, if you have a severe allergic reaction to insect bites or stings, go the emrgency room immediately!

Enjoy the sun!

Acupuncture and Jet Lag

Time Zone clock from nexus404.com

I'm back from the trip, and many apologies for the posts that were lacking pictures, links, etc. I wasn't able to fix them during the break. The posts the last 2 weeks have all been fixed! sorry...

I wanted to share the amazing technique I used for jet lag during my recent trip. John Amaro, LAc, Dipl. Ac., FIAMA, DC, wrote a great article about using acupuncture for jet lag. Check it out HERE! It doesn't involve needles (which you can't use on planes anyway), but ear seeds, which are cheap and easy to use. Basically the method involves using the circadian clock, and stimulating certain points for the timezone you are heading to. It resets your clock to a different time zone as you fly. Although it didn't take away the complete lack of sleep, it certainly helped me not be wide awake at 4AM...

Out of Town...

Maiden's Tower in Istanbul: Photo by istanbul_love

I'm heading off to a family wedding for two weeks, but have planned several fun posts in my absence.

I apologize for the lack of posts this past week- I passed my third board this week, and finished my last spring term of school! One more term, and one more board to go.....

I'm planning to try a new method to help with jet lag - I'll let you know how it works when I get back!

Interview with a practitioner: Oliver Leonetti, L.Ac. of Inner Gate Acupuncture

Oliver Leonetti, LAc of Inner Gate Acupuncture

1. What brought you to Portland? I originally came to Oregon to study Biology at Lewis and Clark college. I guess I was drawn here by the progressive culture, green forests and undeveloped coastline.

2. Why did you decide to become an LAc? My first experience with acupuncture was when I was treated for a poorly-recovering foot surgery on a couch! Years later I was involved in a farm where all of our neighbors practiced western herbalism, held workshops, restored and protected native forests. While involved in this community Chinese herbalism was always discussed as a very complicated and nearly magical level of herbal medicine. I was intrigued and knew that I wanted to practice Chinese medicine.

3. Tell me about your practice. Our practice is truly wonderful. We have created an environment that empowers each of the three practitioners involved to explore different treatment modalities and herbal formulations in a supportive space. We all bring strong herbal backgrounds and strong senses of humor which makes for a fun and playful clinic. Both of our office support staff are also quite playful and add to the easy and relaxing environment. We tend to treat a lots of woman's health and fertility patients. We also see plenty of musculo-skeletal patients and digestive health issues. But in reality just about everything walks through the door.

4. Where does your passion for the medicine come from? My passion for the medicine continually evolves with my practice. I guess right now I'm simply amazed to see the difference we can make in people's quality of life with tiny precisely placed needles. People are able to gain perspective, find relaxation, achieve health care goals and become empowered by this simple medicine.

5.What your favorite restaurant in Portland? We have a friend who is a chef at Park Kitchen and have become big fans of their cuisine. It has a great local food scene with high quality ingredients and creative dishes. Though with a two-year old daughter we don't get to eat out often.

You can reach Oliver at:

Inner Gate Acupuncture 3531 NE 15th Ave, Suite A Portland Oregon 97212

office phone: 503-284-6996

www.innergateacupuncture.com

More on Community Acupuncture

One of the first posts on this blog featured a favorite clinic of mine- Working Class Acupuncture. Since it's been over a year (!), I thought I'd update you on this fantastic way to experience the healing effects of acupuncture.

Still going strong, Working Class Acupuncture is changing the health care system by offering affordable (sliding scale) and thorough treatments for all. Check out the previous post for more information on community acupuncture, and be sure to read Lisa Rohleder's blog to see what the newest happenings are at Working Class.

Pamela O'Malley Change recently published an article in Utne magazine about her experience with community acupuncture and how it inspired her. Read it here!

Also, check out this video produced by Moses, one of the acupuncturists at Working Class Acupuncture.

Acupuncture offered at an affordable price makes it available to everyone. We can't sit around and wait for it to change in the US healthcare to happen- we have to change it ourselves. The people in the community acupuncture setting have started a revolution in the healthcare system, which is exactly what needs to happen.

Interview with Liz Richards, L.Ac., MAcOM of Root Whole Body

Liz Richards, L.Ac, MAcOM

1. What brought you to Portland?

Back in New York City in the early 90’s, I engaged in an eight-month internship at New York Hospital through Cornell University. At the time I acted as a “patient advocate,” and observed everything from Emergency Department admissions to brain surgery, but many things didn’t feel right to me. I was planning on going to medical school, but with the wise words of one professor, a window opened to another option, which was the Naturopathic School here in Oregon (NCNM).

This felt so right at the time because I was doing research on medicinal plants and had an interest in some “alternative” practices. I moved to Portland to attend the naturopathic school here but after a good year there, I then switched to the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine to get my Masters. Studying western medicine was a vigorous and imaginative journey investigating the human body piece-by-piece and delving into Oriental Medicine was about putting it all together again. 2. Why did you decide to become an LAc? I have always wanted to be a doctor and I have always had an interest in movement and energy. Studying Oriental Medicine was a perfect fit for me. I believe in the medicine based on my own personal experiences of profound energetic shifts and based on the results I see with my patients.

3. Tell me about your practice The goal of my practice is to be prepared to treat conditions and issues that span the life course of females: everything from PMS to menopause. Right now, my specialty and passion is seeing fertility patients. When I first starting treating people who were trying to conceive five years ago, I saw mostly people who were undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology, but now I treat all kinds of patients. I enjoy being creative with my treatments. Every week, new information is emerging about Reproductive Medicine and I constantly have to remind myself to keep things simple and take things one-step at a time. That is always the best way to go. 4. Any advice for patients? The best piece of advice I could give is to seek acupuncture and non-western treatments as soon as you are thinking about getting pregnant. Even if you do not have a problem conceiving, you will be stronger and healthier for the pregnancy. A lot of patients come when they have already been trying to conceive for over a year. This is Okay, but sometimes I feel like I could have done so much more for them if they had come a little earlier.

5. Any advice for students about to become practitioners?

YES! a. Get what you are worth. Do not get yourself stuck in a position where are doing trades and sliding scale with all of your patients and are not getting paid what you are worth. After all of those years of school and all the passion you have put in, you SHOULD be able to make a living. Choose trades wisely (I got my logo, website and a cool painted ceiling out of trades). It is okay to give away free treatments in the beginning (I did that through raffles at health fairs) but don’t forget to move away from that so that you receive what you are worth.

b. Move out of the family and friend circle as quickly as possible. I find it extremely difficult to be objective when treating friends and family and I have a hard time seeing the big picture. And you cannot make a living just seeing friends and family.

c. Do what gives you the most passion. When I started my practice, I treated all conditions so that I could build up my practice. But I knew that I wanted to see fertility patients and so I was very persistent with that interest. You will be much happier if you do what you truly love.

d. Get your business cards and make professional brochures when you start your practice. To be professional you need to look professional. You can get nice cards at a reasonable price in Portland so there is no reason to skimp on that! Every acupuncturist I know who built their practice well had their marketing image created at the start of their practice.

6. What is your favorite Portland restaurant and why?

My all time favorite is Khun Pica Bhan Thai on Belmont. I used to go there a lot before I had kids (the wait for their freshly made food is long and not conducive to family meals but well worth the wait when not with children).

Recently I have been enjoying riding our bikes to Por Que No on Mississippi. Everything is good there, including the cocktails. I also love Autentica off of NE Killingworth. For a safe and always good selection of Thai Food, go to Thai Noon.

I grew up in a family that owns and runs restaurants and catering halls in New York, so I am very critical of food and restaurant service. If anyone knows of a good Italian restaurant or a good Jewish Deli in Portland, please let me know!

Root Whole Body

You can contact Liz Richards, LAc, MAcOM at:

Root Whole Body

Irvington Corner

2526 NE 15th Avenue

Portland, OR 97212

503-288-ROOT

lizrichardsacupuncture@comcast.net