Ok so now its time to play a little game of spot the difference. It’s a game that is impossible to avoid during the 2ww. The past few days have been spent reflecting and drawing up comparisons or differences between this IVF cycle and my previous ones.
The biggest one is if I can make it through today without any blood then this will mark the biggest difference for me as it will mean I’ve past the point where I started bleeding with previous IVFs. Of course this means nothing really as it is probably all the meds that I’m on thats holding back AF and it definitely does not mean I’m pregnant. So remind me, what was the point in playing this game again?
Other things that I’ve done differently this time are:
1) Taking it EASY. I am a person who is easily filled with guilt so it has not been easy to step away from my busy job and life and let my husband pick up the slack. But I did it and I’m super glad I did.
2) Acupuncture. I had acupuncture just before and immediately after transfer and it is the first time that I havent had horrible cramping immediately after transfer. I don’t know what this means but I never felt it was right on previous IVFs that my body seemed like it was rejecting the embryo seconds after it was put back. Any time over the past few weeks that I’ve felt myself getting carried away with my over active brain I’ve imagined myself back at that acupuncture table and pictured my zen being beautifully aligned. I don’t even know what it means to have your zen aligned but hey, don’t argue with what works right?
3) Flare Protocol. This is a new protocol for me and it was supposed to be ideal for low responders like me. Not that it went according to plan, as it very nearly turned into a disaster at retrieval but, whatever.
4) Double trigger. This was supposed to overcome the fact that last time my eggs were hard to retrieve and I had a lot of ‘empty’ follicles. I don’t think it helped as we still only ended up with only one egg, but who knows maybe we wouldn’t have had that single egg if it wasn’t for the double trigger? Imagine zero eggs, that would be so much worse.
5) Extra meds. Post transfer I have been taking heparin injections twice daily (to assist with implantation and blood clotting issues), Dexamethasone (to cancel out any undiagnosed auto immune issues that may be lurking), Estradoil Valerate three times a day (to keep my E2 levels up). As well as this I’ve also been on the normal regime of high dose folic acid, progesterone pessaries three times a day, pregnancy multi vitamins and fish oil caps. Will they help? I don’t know but it has been worth it for me to at least give these drugs a chance. I feel like we are trying everything we can with this cycle and that has helped me not slip into the depths of paranoia during this 2ww.
But all the analysing and comparing in the world does not give me the answer I really want. And now that BT day looms closer I find myself wishing it would never come. I am so scared of a negative result that I would rather stay here in ignorant land than get a negative result. I have a conditioned response to the words “blood test” and just the thought of waiting in the room to get my blood drawn brings back all the previous times I’ve sat in that same room over the past 4 years. Medlab should do something for repeat customers like me, surely they could find an incentive programme that would make going there less gloomy. Maybe if they stamped a card each time I went there and after 10 visits I got a free hamper like this one here then it would feel less depressing!
PS – Still sending good luck and loving hugs to my cycle buddies Hope Springs & Shell. And also sending strength and massive congratulations to Sonja who just saw 4 heart beats in her first scan!!! FOUR.
Sooooo. While all of the other IF bloggies I read seem to be moving at warp speed (Clomid! Ultrasound! Ovidrel! Positive OPK! Progesterone spikes! 2ww!), my own journey is stuck in a bit of a rut. I’m waiting for my period folks. Waiting, waiting, waiting.
The past couple of times I’ve taken Provera, my period showed up 36 and 48 hours after popping the last pill. So I’m already a bit behind schedule. (But me impatient? Never! Haha.) I finished up the Provera in the wee dawn hours of Monday morning. I had an acupuncture session yesterday. I was hoping I’d wake up to spotting this morning. No such luck!
Anway, I wish I had some awesome news to report. I was really hoping to be able to get into the RE for baseline tests (dum dum dum, is the cyst gone?) before the weekend. This cycle’s timeline is sensitive because I’d really like to do an IUI before leaving town on the 24th. I know that’s a silly thing to focus on and it’s not a huge deal if it doesn’t work out that way (heck, a month ago I was nervous about even DOING an IUI!). But still, after a month of sitting around doing nothing on the baby-making front, I am so raring to get this cycle up and running.
I know there’s still time, I’m just starting to get nervous. I’ve already done all the tricks (wear white undies, threaten taking an HPT), but my period is nowhere to be found. And so, I wait.
Workout update: I’ve been a little under the weather since the weekend so I was totally cool with taking Monday and Tuesday off working out. Today I rode my road bike in front of the Today Show for 45 minutes. Nothing crazy, just a mellow sweat session as it sleeted/snowed/looked like the North Pole out the window.
Holistic Health, Acupuncture & Massage Therapy – Frederick, MD
315 West Patrick Street
Frederick, MD 21703
Phone: 301 620-1414
Fax: 301 620-1489
Website: http://www.hhamd.com
Email : contactus@hhamd.com Address Map | Driving Directions $10 OFF First Visit!
Hours: 8 AM to 8 PM Monday thru Saturday
Holistic Health Associates in Frederick specializes in Frederick MD massage therapy, Frederick MD acupuncture and Frederick, MD holistic health. In addition, we offer nutrition services, skin care Frederick MD, hypnotherapy Frederick MD, reflexology Frederick MD, coaching and other quality health care services to clients in Frederick, Maryland and its surrounding areas.
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An intimate facility offering quality services in historic downtown Frederick, Holistic Health Associates is walking distance from Baker Park and the Carroll Creek Promenade. Maintaining a warm environment and friendly professional staff who provide our clients with the attention and care that they deserve is the highest priority. It is our goal to create a healthy lifestyle for all of our clients.
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Recently Suzanne Somer released a book about alternative approaches to cure medical conditions as cancer. She went on TV explaining that traditional therapies -aka chemo and radiation- are not the only treatment available. She even went further declared that those show very dismal results and we should not call it a cure for cancer. Cancer is a serious condition that can be, in most cases, efficiently treated if diagnosed early and followed by a rigorous protocol. Cancer is nasty and in those circumstances you should apply a response equal to the treat: burly and potent.
Somer is right the drugs used against cancer have heavy side effects -even though it’s getting better and better. The actual treatments are based on the paradigm: kill the cancer before killing the healthy tissue. We are far from having won the war but we are winning battles. Doctors and scientists are working very hard to change the deal.Nonetheless this controversy made me think. As a scientist I’m trained to ponder all the aspects, both sides of the story – as in journalism. So I decided to see what was out there for those who want a alternative approach to medical conditions.
Here are the results of my journey…I decided to take advantage of all the potential of that multimedia journalism can offer: hope you will learn more about alternative medicine either by reading the post, watching the videos (bellow in the post), participating (answer the poll at the end), going to other websites to find more information or leaving a comment. Let be interactive and explore all the forms that information can take to inform you, my dear reader.
A center for an alternative
I started my journey wondering how “traditional’ medicine answers to those who doesn’t belive any more in it. As everyone I started by googling alternative medicine. I found that the National Institute for Cancer evaluates the impact, the efficiency of such therapies by conducting scientific studies. As a scientist working at UCLA I wondered whether UCLA had to offer: either to patients or by doing studies to establish the potential of such treatments.
UCLA has a Center for East and West Medicine. I went there to find out more about the center. Dr Malcom Taw and Suzie Lee answered my questions about the center and Eastern medicine. This center exists since 1993 offering Chinese medicine for those in pain, depressed, stressed or when traditional approaches have failed. The center is based on a combination of the best of both medicines. As Lee enlightened ” Eastern medicine needs western medicine and western medicine needs eastern medicine’. Like the Yin and the Yang. In order word medicine is entering a new word: integrative medicine is the way to go ie combining different approaches.
However she regrets that some patients may not be able to benefit from their approach, mostly those is financial difficulties as many health insurance companies don’t offer it. As Lee pointed out, “it should be a primary care. And not what people try after they tried everything else.” If you want to know more about the center: http://www.cewm.med.ucla.edu or if you want to find how and which insurances are covering Chinese medicine: http://www.daan.com/alternative-therapy-insurance-and-you/
The Center for East and West Medicine at UCLA the clinic of the last resort?
Dr. Malcom Taw, M.D. Assistant Professor and Suzie Lee, nurse, both working at Center for East and West Medicine
Even though mentalities are changing referring patients to chinese medicine is still difficult. Dr. Meeyro Choe, M.D. fellow at UCLA, and her family employ Chinese medicine. However she still have conflicting thoughts when referring a patient.
Alternative medicine well named?
Meeyro Choe, M.D. fellow at UCLA.
Your opinion
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View This Poll opinion
My Conclusion
After this journey I am convinced that other alternative exits,that the future of medicine lies in integrative medicine i.e a combination of multiple and different approaches. Everyone should found what works the best for each of us. But once again the key words: BE INFORMED when you take a decision.
Some time ago, I had received en email from a website, NewDoctor.com. It was written that they had recently ran a poll asking the professionals listed what online informational resources they use to keep up to date or even to simply find great information. It many of their users had labeled my blog as an excellent source of Medical information. They had decided to make my blog as part of our top medical blogs and award me with a Top Medical Blogs award banner.
This had really give me encouragement and support…
Lately, again, I received a wonderful news…
Another foreign website had listed my blog as one of the “Top 50 Blogs for Holistic Health and Wellness”. It provides people with ideas, thoughts and spirits different from those of Western Medicine. It also contain information about healthy treatment and health care. The Top 50 blogs listed there were categories into 10 groups, with one of them is for Traditional Chinese Medicine. My blog was listed in this category. It had commented my blog as a site providing health information including information about Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture.
From these two notifications, I had an inspiration:
“True and Traditional Chinese Medicine has a wide range of market, where it is popularly accepted by Western countries. “
I was also deeply impressed by people’s urgent desire to seek for knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
I do hope that the launching of my new personal website – http://YeSenAcupuncture.com can bring more comprehensive information on Traditional Chinese Medicine, and helping everyone to be healthy.
I am thrilled to announce the release of my new book, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine for Women’s Health: Bridging the Gap Between Western and Eastern Medicine.
The book demystifies and explains acupuncture. It describes how the body works and how it benefits from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Your body is like a circuit board with all of the organ systems connecting; treatment opens up the flow of energy through your body and blood so that the body and mind work optimally and in balance.
My book discusses nutrition, diet, and lifestyle, all which contribute to imbalances and disease. Our bodies are often exhausted and toxic and these crucial issues are under addressed in Western medicine.
We need to educate doctors to better help their patients.
We need to bridge the gap and improve the healthcare for women.
We need to help ourselves and our daughters from these issues…Your first wealth is your health!
To learn more, please click on the “New Book Release” tab above, and to read a chapter or buy my book, please visit my website: www.orangecountyacupuncture.com
I am fortunate enough to work in an industry that accepts alternative healing remedies as gospel and encourages participation in indulgences such as beautification and stress relief.
Science tells us that an estimated 90% of our maladies are stress-related, and yet many continue to view the spa as a frivolous luxury. If a traditional spa therapy such as massage has been clinically documented to reduce stress, why, then, do we not proactively treat our troubles?
I would like to share a story about a spa guest who understood the value of the healing spa environment. Andrea was diagnosed with breast cancer and had just finished her last round of chemotherapy when she walked into the spa. Her doctor recommended that she incorporate various stress-reducing activities into her daily life so that her body would, in turn, continue to heal itself without distraction. As most would, she turned to the spa for regular massage therapies.
In today’s spa world (fortunately for Andrea!) most spas are also true wellness centers, and can therefore provide even more support than at first glance. Because Andrea was so forthcoming with her intentions and goals for visiting the spa, she was recommended other expertly acknowledged stress reducing disciplines such as meditation, Yoga, and acupuncture.
Having been an athlete much of her life, Andrea recognized the value in cross-training, and applied that same concept in her recovery. She started taking private Yoga sessions and working with a massage therapist and acupuncturist weekly. After 4 weeks, I received a call from her doctor, who was very carefully monitoring her condition, thanking me for our dedication and special attention to his patient. I assured him that her progress had everything to do with her dedication to making stress-reduction a priority in her life.
Clearly this stress-reduced living has its merits, but for many who are time-starved in this stressful world, adding another ‘to do’ to the list seems very Catch22-ish. Unfortunately, it often takes a ‘have to’ situation to nudge us in the right direction. Andrea’s situation, however extreme, demonstrates the importance of incorporating stress-reducing elements into our daily lives for the betterment of our general health. Identifying wellness centers is as easy as a Google search, yet some of the most well known healing centers exist as destinations (Miraval, Canyon Ranch, Golden Door).
While it’s important to maintain a stress-free life, you can jumpstart this by scheduling a week or more in some of these reputable places, all while being monitored by medical doctors. Whichever wellness path you take, remember that your goal is to make you feel better for your greater good, and though it may feel indulgent and extravagant, it doesn’t lessen the therapeutic benefits of stress management.
The fact that stress management via the spa environment is increasingly more accepted by the medical community speaks volumes; are you listening?
Just as it is important to know what medical treatments will be most beneficial to treating your fibromyalgia symptoms, it is equally important to know what alternative therapies can offer you relief. Why? Unlike medications, the vast majority of alternative therapies do not cause negative side effects.
There are different alternative remedies that have effectively alleviated pain in some fibromyalgia sufferers. One such therapy that has become a popular treatment for fibromyalgia sufferers is known as cupping therapy.
What is cupping therapy? Cupping therapy is an adapted form of traditional Chinese medicine that involves applying glass cups to the skin to help alleviate pain, expel toxins, and restore proper circulation to the body. Each glass cup acts as a vacuum through the use of heat or a suction pump. The cups are positioned on a variety of specific trigger points (the same as those used in acupuncture) on the body, and are typically left on the body for ten – fifteen minutes.
There are two main types of cupping therapy used:1. Massage cupping – During treatment, the glass cups are moved in a massage pattern around the skin to help massage sore joints and muscles.2. Stationary cupping – During treatment, glass cups are applied to the skin and not moved until the end of the session.
How is a cupping session performed? A cupping session is generally performed using the following tools: glass cups, cotton balls, rubbing alcohol, candles and matches. Each of these tools is applied during a session as follows:
- A cotton ball is soaked in alcohol and lit on fire by a burning candle- A vacuum is created inside a glass cup by holding the lit cotton ball inside the cup.- Once the vacuum is created the cotton ball is removed and the cup is immediately applied to the designated acupuncture point on the skin.- Four-six cups are applied during a session and are not left on the skin for longer than fifteen minutes.
Although a cupping session may sound painful, it is nothing of the sort. In fact, usually the only thing a person feels is a slight suction where each cup is placed. After a session, you may have circular red marks on your skin from the cups. These red marks will fade and are a sign that the cupping therapy has successfully increased the blood flow within your body.
How does cupping benefit fibromyalgia? After each session, patients usually report feeling deeply relaxed, and their specific target cupping areas feel light and agile. This is due to the fact that cupping works to improve circulation, helps release toxins form the body, and promotes quicker healing of muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Other benefits reported by fibromyalgia sufferers include:- Relief from pain or stiffness in the muscles and tissues- Reduction of painful trigger points- Improves flexibility in muscles and overall range of motion- Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety- Relieves stress
Cupping is a safe treatment for fibromyalgia sufferers as it does not aggravate their condition.
You should not perform cupping treatment on your own, nor should you let a person not qualified. If you are interested in finding a cupping therapist, the best place to start your search is at local spas or holistic treatment centers. It's also a good idea to ask your massage therapist about cupping therapy. If you don't have a massage therapist, try searching online by using your city and “cupping therapy” as the main keywords.
Next just head on over to Eliminating Fibromyalgia to sign up for a FREE newsletter and to discover other suggestions for relieving and treating fibromyalgia symptoms naturally.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can further assist in weight loss, in addition to a sound, healthy diet, regular exercise, and nutritional cleansing. Although acupuncture was first popularized in the United States in the 1960s (though Chinese laborers were utilizing acupuncture while building railroads and while working in western coal mines as early as the mid-1800s), it was not noticeably recognized as an efficacious healing modality until the early 1970s.
Along with the additional scientific research demonstrating the effectiveness of Chinese medicine, many in the US began paying greater attention to the positive contributions of this medicine beginning in the early 1990s. Since then, acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been used as reasonable–and increasingly popular–alternatives to treat many health-related issues and disorders, including pain syndromes, depression, insomnia, weight loss, and even addictions and drug abuse.
The theory behind acupuncture for weight loss is that it may help to control appetite, reduce cravings, eliminate excess water retention, promote circulation, and stimulate the pituitary gland to burn off extra calories. In addition, acupuncture can help to address the emotional issues that very often underlie eating disorders. Also, Chinese herbs, specifically, are an energetic medicine that can help with stabilizing metabolism and thereby reduce food cravings. Importantly, however, Chinese herbal prescriptions should be customized only by a trained and knowledgeable Chinese medicine practitioner, to fit an individual’s unique life circumstance and bodily constitution.
Acupuncture “points”–the specific locations acupuncturists utilize when determining treatment–are located on both the body and within the ears. Ear, or auricular, acupuncture usually is applied for weight loss and, if needed, detoxification. Five tiny, hair-thin needles are placed in both ears corresponding to specific body organs such as lung, kidneys, liver, and the nervous system.
Other points can be selected for relaxation because, according to scientific research, acupuncture stimulates the production of endorphins, a natural pain-killer or “feel good” chemical that can help to fight cravings for carbohydrates, decrease appetite, and reduce withdrawal symptoms in the case of addiction.
The All About Wellness Weight Loss Program is individualized to fit the patient’s unique life situation and regularly incorporates the scientifically-formulated Isagenix Nutritional Cleansing System. If you are deemed a suitable candidate, our 9-Day, 30-Day, or Total Health and Wellness Program Cleanse may be suggested as an important part of your weight loss program. One very positive by-product of nutritional cleansing and liver detoxification is the losing of undesirable weight, in many of our committed patients.
In short, when one is continually exposed to the barrage of toxins in our air, food, and water, toxins are absorbed into the body and isolated by the body’s fat cells. This isolating of toxins within the body is the body’s very intelligent attempt to prevent the free distribution of harmful substances. Weight gain due to increased fat supply is noted. When we detoxify and nutritionally cleanse the body at the cellular level, the body no longer requires the protection of its fat-level defense and therein excess weight very often is removed.
It is always important to remember that healthy weight loss always combines proper exercise and healthy diet, in addition to needed clinical treatments and support in order to achieve a sustainable result. Although our weight loss program may incorporate the proven Isagenix Nutritional Cleansing System, it is important to remember that there are no “quick fixes” or shortcuts to losing excess weight. The patient must be committed to following the program guidelines and be an active participant in their cleansing.
Yesterday I went for my 6th acupuncture session. I decided a couple of months ago that I would give it a go and see if it would help my fibromyalgia pain. I have a session once a fortnight (ideally it would be once a week but I can only afford fortnightly) and I am pleased to say I have seen significant improvement. I’m still in a lot of pain but it has definately decreased, I’m not getting nearly as many headaches and best of all my energy levels have improved so much. My anxiety levels have also reduced.
I have noticed that towards the end of the two weeks, usually about two days before my next session I start to backslide and my symptoms worsen.
When I had my first two treatments I felt good, then the next day I got a terrible headache, this stopped by the 3rd time.
I did a bit of research on the internet about acupuncture and fibromyalgia and found that most sites were saying that the studies that have been done are about 50:50 on whether it is effective or not. Maybe different things help different people?
I have previously had acupuncture through the NHS but didn’t find it terribly helpful. Who knows why one helped and the other didn’t.
Come to think of it, a lot of people suffer from back pain these days without finding any cure with orthodox medicine, maybe because of incorrect diagnosis or ineffectiveness of the prescribed drug or drugs, so the pain becomes a part of most people’s lives.
However, for a lot other people who have not been able to obtain a exact diagnosis of their back pain problems, seeking alternative means of obtaining relief has become their immediate concern. It is becoming a big problem finding solution to back pain with orthodox medicine, back pain treatments are no long yielding the results that are expected. So the none-medical alternatives are coming to the rescue as follows:
• Acupuncture: Acupuncture is an alternative treatment for back pain that has been in existence for sometime now. Rooted in ancient civilizations of Asia, acupuncture involves the insertion of needles into specific parts of the body for the purpose of taking away the pain. Acupuncture has been proved to work for chronic pain. It has provided short term relief from back pain for a great deal of people.
• Massage therapy: The art of massage has been used for years as a tool of relief and relaxation. An experienced masseuse can massage the points of pain in your back, especially if it is caused by a strained muscle. People have been known to attain a state of painlessness after undergoing a well executed massage therapy. Some people argue that acupuncture or pressure point massage may be more effective than Swedish massage.
• Physical therapy and exercise: Under the keen eye of a licensed physical therapist, you can stretch and exercise your back pain away. Exercise and physical therapy as a whole has been known to work well with chronic back pain sufferers than with acute back pain sufferers. Most back pain sufferers have also found relief from the education of the psychosocial factors of back pain.
You can end your suffering from back pain by finding a cure with alternative medicine because of incorrect diagnosis or ineffectiveness of the prescribed orthodox drug or drugs, so that the pain does not become a part of your life. Physical Therapy Treatment Physical Therapy Treatment
How Does it Work?
Acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to release chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals either change the experience of pain or release other chemicals, such as hormones, that influence the body’s self-regulating systems. The biochemical changes may stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.
My friend shares the EFT with us. He and his family/friends have benefited from this natural health enhancement therapy (both mental and physical) .
His sharing: EFT is for DEEP issues that when you think about you can summon up the fear, anxiety, anger, etc. EFT works by LINKING the subconscious mind with the conscious mind on AN ISSUE. While the link is established, you use tapping (accupressure points), to BREAK the PROGRAMMED RESPONSE. What is AMAZING here is PAIN and ANGER and OTHER issues RESOLVING in MINUTES.
My brother’s CANCER PAIN was a 9-10 while waiting for the prescriptions to be filled. In 3 rounds of tapping it was a 2-3!!! It took 2 rounds to find the ISSUE was his ANGER over the cancer. Once we identified the issue, we cleared it up. AMAZING. I have done this with NO LESS than 10 people. ALL OF THEM saw IMMEDIATE and PERMANENT (at least semi-permanent) IMPROVEMENT. Unquote
Watch the 7-minute EFT intro video http://www.emofree.com/freevideos.aspx and you will be prompted to sign up for the free training manual and bonus newletters. After going through the manual, you may want to focus on the therapy method starts at Page 20.
Can tell the owner/team running www.emofree.com are not in it for the cash. They actually are here to help people. Hope you and your family/friends will enjoy a Healthier Life!
As a second year medical student, many times in Pharmacology class I learn to have contempt for so-called “alternative medicines.” Lecturers usually make two points: 1) the alternative medicines that have been tested are no more efficacious than placebo, and 2) alternative medicines are not regulated by the FDA, and hence may contain less or more than the therapeutic level, or worse, be contaminated. I agree with both points. This attitude about alternative medicines is not limited to the pharmacology of herbal drugs, but it is also the way conventional Western doctors view therapies like Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Reiki, etc. I agree that many of these treatments are not shown to be more effective than placebo for treating a particular disease. Yet, I myself use a very Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatment on myself. What follows is an explanation for how I can incorporate these seemingly contradictory thoughts in my life.
Some of my classmates wonder why many Americans spend so much money on CAM when CAM “doesn’t work.” I have an answer for them, and it starts with my personal story. I grew up in Bangladesh where the holistic Ayurvedic system is embedded in the culture, even though the predominant medical system follows a Western model. When I suffered from acne, my family would tell me to “keep my digestive system clean, drink lots of water, etc.” Being a typical teenager, I scoffed at these suggestions. Once we came to America, my acne got worse, and I finally saw a Dermatologist and took Tetracycline for about 7 months. A couple of years later, my acne flared back, and this time I took Doxycycline for a year. Meanwhile, I learned that studies have shown that diet has no link to acne, so I had found even more reason to disregard Mom’s advice on chocolate and coffee. The antibiotic therapies worked, but I was concerned about the effects of such long-term antibiotic therapy on other bodily functions. In medical school, I used birth-control pills instead of antibiotics for my acne for a while, then stopped using any medication once my skin was reasonably clear.
In medical school, however, I’ve been struggling with a number of issues, from weight gain to depression, to ADD. While receiving Western biomedical treatment for ADD, the side effects of my therapy convinced me that western medication alone would not provide a solution to my problems. That’s when I sought the advice of a doctor who had the knowledge of CAM therapies, even though he’s trained in traditional Western medicine. He does not advise me by himself, but receives advice from his teachers in India who practice holistic healing they call Jeevan Sanjeevani. It was hard for me to accept their suggestions at first. When they suggested that I should have faith in their recommendations, I immediately wondered whether I’m just paying for placebo effect. However, with their suggestions for lifestyle changes and even life outlook changes, I began to experience a new sense of direction in life. Finally, I also realized why my family would recommend “cleaning my digestive system” to cure my acne. It was because eating the wrong kinds of foods, along with other stressors like studying all night, raises the inflammation of the body. For some people, it manifests as acne, for others, it might be arthritis, for some it might be cancer. Cleaning the digestive system, however, is not as simple as it sounds. Because I had not received the medical directions and herbal medications to help me do it before, I was not able to use my family’s advice to cure myself. Now that I’m getting advice from a learned practitioner, I’m realizing how much goes into making such a simple advice work. Granted, I have to be very patient with my results, as this is not a quick fix. This therapy has not only started to help me with some short-term health concerns, but it has renewed my confidence and eased my depression in a way that traditional Western biomedicine could never have done. That is why I’m sticking to this holistic therapy, and that is why many Americans are drawn to CAM. For me, my current therapies are not at all “alternative,” but they are the ideal way of treatment, with some help from Western medicines for short-term problems.
Note that I did not say Western medicine does not work, or that I don’t have faith in it. Western medicines have cured illnesses for me before, and continue to help me. But with Jeevan Sanjeevani, I’ve reduced my dependence on certain medications and hope to not need them in the future. I’m not in the group of people who have such distrust for Western medicine that they refuse to accept results of valid scientific studies. I’m also not critical of using Western medications just because of the fear of side effects, since I realize that a ratio of benefits to risks justifies each individual treatment. But neither am I in the group of Western medicine trained students or doctors who refuse to see other medical systems in their own rights, and therefore cannot make sense of why patients seek alternative treatments.
What is complementary and alternative medicine? NCCAM defines it as a “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine.”[1] Why do we lump all of these very different systems and practices of medicine into one category called CAM? What are these alternatives to? Missing from the picture is that CAM is only alternative to a Western biomedical system of medicine, and one form of CAM might be considered an alternative by a practitioner of a different CAM. This Eurocentric attitude, that the traditional Western biomedical system is the epitome of medicine itself, exists in even international organizations like WHO. WHO defines “traditional medicine” as:
The sum total of knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures that are used to maintain health, as well as to prevent, diagnose, improve or treat physical and mental illnesses. Traditional medicine that has been adopted by other populations (outside its indigenous culture) is often termed alternative or complementary medicine.[2]
The Eurocentric bias becomes clear when WHO explains who uses traditional medicine: “In some Asian and African countries, 80% of the population depend on traditional medicine for primary health care. In many developed countries, 70% to 80% of the population has used some form of alternative or complementary medicine (e.g. acupuncture)”[3]
Why are Africans and Asians said to use “traditional medicine” but not Europeans or Americans? In America, the Western biomedical system is our tradition. Yet, we continue to view traditional Western medicine as the norm for all of the world, while we call other systems of medicine CAM, even when they’re the primary medical system many people follow! We forget to qualify our approach as “traditional,” or “Western/biomedical,” and instead imply that our system defines medicine itself.
It is because as Westerners we refuse to see our own bias in the Western biomedical system that we fail to understand why people use so called CAM therapies even when they’re “quackery” to us doctors. We use research methods of the Western biomedical system to evaluate medicines that don’t even fit the mold of the Western biomedical system, and then we conclude that these therapies “don’t work.” Don’t work how and why? They might not work within the Western frame of medicine, but who says that they don’t work within their own systems? Have we stopped to wonder if Western biomedical therapies are considered effective by the Acupuncture system or the Ayurvedic system? No, we don’t wonder that because we, in our Eurocentric view of the world, refuse to believe that other medical systems are different but equally respectable systems of medicine. I know from my experience with Jeevan Sanjeevani that for them, relief of a single disease by medication does not equal to cure. Cure refers to an entirely healthy state of mind and body. Even when some CAM therapies are shown to be more effective than placebo in a Western biomedical experiment, we remain skeptic about it, as blogger PalMD exemplifies:
When evaluating a therapy for a complex disorder whose natural history is variable, we must very carefully parse out causation from correlation, recognize our own biases, and remember that a positive result of a randomized-controlled trial does not necessarily confirm a hypothesis. If an intervention has no plausible way or working, any positive results are likely a statistical artifact. Science isn’t a contest to see who can crank out at least one positive study. It is a way of evaluating hypotheses to see which ones most closely fit reality.[4]
Have we really recognized our own bias when evaluating a CAM therapy? We haven’t even removed the biggest bias of all, which is to see the Western biomedical system as the one and only valid form of science and medicine, instead of admitting that it is one system among many. Perhaps a CAM therapy does not work using ligands and receptors. Perhaps it works in a way that Western doctors are not trained to understand or accept. When we evaluate hypotheses to see which ones most closely fit reality – whose reality are we talking about? Ayurveda is very much a reality among Indians; if a hypotheses fits Ayurveda, who are we to call it quackery just because it doesn’t fit our biomedical model?
Western medicine is a detail oriented, small picture discipline. Our medical education encourages such an approach, and therefore attracts people who like that approach and are good at practicing it. Patients who fit this model come to us with various illnesses, and we give them medications, and/or surgery for each illness. If they have psychological problems, they can go to a therapist for counseling. That therapist does not know about the physiological problems of the patient, and doctors do not know how the therapist is treating the life issues of the patient. This model of specialized healthcare works for many people, both practitioners and patients. This model works not just in America, but elsewhere in the world. Colonization has imposed such a Western biomedical system on many different countries, most of whom have made it their predominant method of healthcare. With globalization, however, the indigenous medical systems of other countries have come to the West, and are appealing to some people just as the Western system appealed to many people of colonized countries. Some of these other medical practitioners know how to incorporate various medical and social illnesses of a patient into a big picture, and therefore attract patients who are looking for a holistic cure. Every CAM practitioner might not be qualified enough or even truthful, but neither are all biomedical doctors perfect. If a surgeon cannot do one surgery right, that does not mean that the surgery does not work, and it does not mean the whole discipline of surgery is quackery. Can we evaluate all surgeries through double blind studies? No, because surgery requires individuality. Many CAM practices are the same way.
To whom do these non-Western medicines hold an appeal? The appeal generally to “big picture” people, people who are not satisfied with treating one single illness at a time with one practitioner, but see their illnesses connected to every other aspect of their life. In other words, traditional Western doctors can treat acne, ADD, arthritis and indigestion separately in a patient, but there is a sense in many people that there is a root cause behind all these illnesses that can be cured. In Western medicine, we look for symptoms of diabetes in a patient, but in certain other medicines, the diabetes itself is a symptom, not a diagnosis.
Understanding and appreciating other medical systems might seem unnecessary to doctors who are satisfied with traditional Western medicine. But we need to understand that this is because of our inherent bias in the traditional Western culture, and the misguided view that our medical culture is the norm. We make fun of alternative therapies and conclude that it’s the patient’s faith in the treatment that makes it work, not the treatment itself. But in fact, Western medicine also requires patient’s faith in the treatment or otherwise, it won’t work. That faith is reflected in patient compliance. Our therapies are successful for patients who follow our directions, experience few side effects, and when they do experience side effects, come to us for additional treatment. They need to have faith to stick to both medications for depression and medications for obesity and hyperlipidemia. Otherwise, failure in one can aggravate the other. Before long, we’re admitting that several factors need to be addressed to manage a patient condition. How is this any different from the way a good acupuncturist may treat? The difference is that in acupuncture, the patient has to follow a holistic therapy that might not solve one problem quickly, but will solve several problems ultimately. It’s the other way around for traditional Western medicine.
I cannot comment on the efficacy of each non-Western medical system, because I’m not being trained in any of them, and I don’t have the understanding to praise or criticize those systems. Our version of medical reality has receptors, hormones and nerves, etc. Someone else’s medical reality includes energies, meridians, or doshas. We may be so ingrained in the traditional Western biomedical model that we’re unable to make sense of anything that doesn’t use the same concepts or language. However, many patients accurately see that there seems to be different ways of understanding a health condition, and they will choose the one that makes them feel the best at any given point in time. Even if we can’t accept their logic, we’ll have to accept that traditional medicine from other cultures will gain a stronghold in our population, just as we have imposed our traditional medicine on theirs.
New LCTA Principal, Bonny Williams, talks about her new role, staff changes and what the first year acupuncture students’ beginning of term is like.
“Since becoming Principal I have been on quite a steep learning curve. Even though I have worked in an executive role at LCTA for seven years already, people look to me for different things now that I am Principal and it turns out there is a lot that Susanna dealt with that I didn’t know about.
“As I have become more comfortable in my role, I have begun to understand the shape it will take – and the role will certainly be different from the one Susanna fulfilled. We have actually rewritten the job description and at the moment I am observing and taking the time to understand my new role within the structure of the College.
“It’s quite interesting to look at the business from a new perspective and to see how effectively it is run. It’s giving me an opportunity to take a fresh look at procedures, to assess whether we can improve them and to decide how best to put systems like Key Performance Indicators in place.”
So have there been other changes in the staff team at LCTA?
“Anna Bernard is our new Practice Manager. She has excellent experience running clinics and is brilliant with students. Anna maintains very clear boundaries and is an excellent role model for students moving into a career as a professional practitioner. We are also about to interview for a new Joint Academic Manager and hope to be able to appoint someone very soon.
“Thankfully my appointment to the Principal role has it been an easy transition for everyone in the office – mainly I think because they knew me already. Lots of people have said it would have been strange to have someone from outside take up the role and the reception I’ve had from staff has been really lovely. Most people felt that it was a natural progression.”
What have you been doing during the first week of term?
“We don’t have a lot of contact with students over the holidays, so I have been going to see each class as they have returned to College to introduce myself in my new role. A lot of them already know me obviously, but I wanted to give them the opportunity to get to know me in my new capacity as Principal.
“I met all the first years on their induction days. Susanna used to run the induction so it made sense for me to take over from her. Induction day is not a teaching day, but it is important to us as it’s about setting the flavour for the year – giving new students an idea of who we are, the character of the College, how things are done, what’s expected of them and what they can expect of us. It’s about our values.
“During the induction day we cover a lot of fairly dense material, but in a nice light way – there’s a lot of administrative information that we have to pass on – but the key is to ensure that they understand not just what we want them to do but how we want them to do it.
“At LCTA being a health professional is first and foremost a vocation. We expect our students’ values to be those of a professional – they should always be doing their best, always putting the interests of the patient first and always modelling the values of modesty, respectfulness and all the things that underpin professionalism. Being a professional is about being willing to go that extra mile, even if it is the end of a very long day and you are tired. As a consummate professional, you keep working to the best of your ability until the job is completed.
“We also talk a lot about reflectivity. We encourage our students to be honest and reflective all the way through their courses. This is always the harder path to take but we expect it of them because if they can’t do it for themselves they won’t be able to do it for their patients. A good practitioner should be able to deal first with their own issues, leaving the way clear to deal with their patients properly. Personal development is a major part of the course and we believe that it is only through self-development that you discover the resources required to deal effectively with other people’s issues. It’s the difference between being a good practitioner and a great practitioner and at LCTA we aim to produce great practitioners every time.”
Translated from the original blog post at http://www.LiYeSen.com
We had heard about this word “Renown doctor” or “Famous doctor” “名医” MingYi for many times. But, I wonder… have you ever heard of this word “Understandable doctor” “明医” MingYi? For both words in Chinese pronunciations are the same, pronounce as “MingYi“, but having totally different meanings.
“名” Ming that is fame, renown;
“明” Ming that is understand, clear, understandable, define.
In short, “Renown doctor” “名医” MingYi refers to famous and renown doctor; while “Understandable doctor” “明医” MingYi refers to understanding and understandable doctor.
According to ancient book records…
‘Marquis Wen of Wei’ (魏文侯) WeiWen Hou or also known as ‘King Wen of Wei’ (魏文王) WeiWen Wang (r. 403 BC-387 BC or 445 BC － 396 BC) was the leader of the Chinese state of Wei 魏 in the Warring States period 战国时期 to carry out extensive government reforms.
Bian Que
‘Marquis Wen of Wei’, had asked the renowned doctor, Bian Que 扁鹊, “The three brothers of you in your family are skilled in medicine. Among three you, who has the best medical skills?” Bian Que answered sincerely that his eldest brother is the best then follow by his second brother. While he himself is the worst among three of them.
‘Marquis Wen of Wei’ didn’t understand why Bian Que said so, as he was very famous and well-known. He asked Bian Que again,”Can you explain and elaborate more in details?”
Bian Que explained, “my eldest brother give medical treatment to patients before the outburst of illness. At that time, the patients themselves didn’t even notice that they were sick. However, his prescription not only cure the sickness but also eradicate the root cause of the sickness. The patients didn’t even notice the changes. It is difficult for people to recognize his medical skills. Thus, my eldest brother is not well-known, and he is highly praised and respected in our family.”
“As for my second brother, his way of giving medical treatment is at the beginning of the sickness, where the symptoms are not that obvious. The patients didn’t feel the pain, but easily get rid of the sickness after having the prescriptions from my second brother. This causes the patients and the people at the village, think that my second brother is only good at treating minor and small sickness.”
“As for myself, when I give medical treatment to patients is when their sicknesses are very serious that they are very painful. The family members of the patients are in panic and frantic. At this point, they saw me doing treatment such as putting needles, letting blood, putting poison drugs, doing operation… These help the patients to relieve pain and illness, or even cure and recover very fast. And this is how I am famous to the world.”
‘Marquis Wen of Wei’ understood.
It is clear that, the level of the doctor and his reputation is not in correspondence. Just look at Bian Que, a doctor with great medical skill and good reputation. But… now a day how many “renowned doctors” are unworthy of the name? From the above records, it is clear that the three brothers of Bian Que are “Understandable doctors”. Their eldest brother had the greatest medical skill, followed by his second brother. While Bian Que is the last. But, among three of them, the really renowned doctor is only Bian Que. Thus, understandable doctor may not be renowned and well-known, and renowned doctor may not be an understandable doctor as well.
So, how to consider as “understandable doctor”?
To be an understandable doctor, he must possess many criteria. From the point of Traditional Chinese Medicine, human corresponds with the nature. Just as stated in The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon 《黄帝内经 素问 – 离合真邪论》<>, “Sky has degrees; earth has rivers; human has meridians”. Saying that as a Chinese Medical doctor or Traditional Chinese Medical practitioner, it is necessary to know about astronomy, geography, things related to human. In other words, it means that as a qualified Chinese Medicine doctor, it is not just only to understand the disease itself. But also understanding and mastering of the natural environment, weather, the human’s mental factors, and the interpersonal relation impacts on the disease. At the same time, it is necessary of making the right judgement on the occurrence and development of the disease; the diagnosis of the disease; the treatment of the disease and the prevention for this disease.
Being a doctor, to be a “Understandable doctor” is my target, my goal. It is also a self demand.
It’s been six days since I’ve had an acupuncture appointment. Look at the difference it has made on the hands of my skin. Compare these pictures to last week’s images.
In addition to weekly acupuncture sessions, I also started a new Chinese herb to help me with my spleen chi. I am doing more research on this herb and will write more about it as I learn more.
I know that to the average person, my hands don’t look normal. But this actually looks great compared to what they looked like last week. And my hands feel great, too. Easy to grasp things again, easy to steer the wheel in the car, easy to open a bottle.
No more tiny blisters (really, that is so gross). No more weeping skin. No more open wounds and dry cracked skin.
My hands feel normal again! Nipped it in the bud this time.
Happy Monday! I can’t believe the weekend is already over and it’s Monday once again. I also can’t believe this is my 10th blog post! I feel like I’ve found myself here and I hope others have found something worthwhile as well.
Well we made it down to my folks’ house yesterday, kitten and all. Mi.Vida is staying up at the apartment tonight as he has a late meeting with the folks involved in his music blog/website. He’s not sure if he’ll make it down tomorrow or not, as he has yet another meeting with the same people on Monday night. I do know that I’m going to miss him dreadfully until he returns.
Squeaks, as I call our kitten in this blog, is doing well in the new house. She is a bit skittish and all over the place but she seems to be coping fine. She slept next to me while I attempted to start my grad school work. Unfortunately I was not very successful. She slept okay last night, and I hope she doesn’t destroy anything while she’s here. She not generally a scratcher or a chewer but she is not generally in unknown houses either. We shall see what happens. All I know is everything at my parents’ house is considerably more expensive than at our dinky little apartment. I hope we’re not writing them any exorbitant checks at the end of our stay.
I am saving a little money this week though. First of all, on Friday I canceled acupuncture because I hate going when I’m actually having my period as it feels like kind of a waste. So I saved on the cost of the appointment and on the herbs, which I’m not going to miss out on because I have small amounts left from past months that I can take until next week. I also had to cancel therapy this Wednesday because I’ll be down in Redwood City and I’m not going to drive all the way to San Francisco in rush hour (both ways) for one appointment. I’ll just have to post an extra blog entry to get me through. Now don’t get me wrong – both acupuncture and therapy are very beneficial, but not going every once in a while is like a breath of fresh air on the financial front. It also saves me quite a bit of extra time. So I’m pleased that this week I’ll have more money in the bank and more time to get things done.
The time component is especially important since I did not get much done on the grad school paper front last night. It wasn’t for lack of trying, but I just couldn’t come up with an idea. I have to write a lesson plan and I just couldn’t think of an activity to base it on. I hope I can find some inspiration at school tomorrow because I have to get on that ASAP! Oh grad school, why are you so relentless?
On a TTCing note, I did not take my temperature the last three days because I was having my period and it was the weekend and I was not about to wake up at 5:45am under those circumstances. I realized when I got down here that I forgot my thermometer and decided I was not going to go out and get a new one so I also did not temp today. That is a huge release of control for me, I don’t think I haven’t temped for three straight days since I started TTC. But the reality is, my CD2-4 temps don’t mean that much and the world will keep turning even without three dots on my BBT chart. I’ll get a new thermometer today and start temping tomorrow and all will be right in the world (as least as right as it would have been) and I’ll still be TTC, despite my delinquency. It feels good to accept this and move on. It is nice to know I can relinquish control every once in a while. In the meantime I’ll focus on work and grad school and Squeaks and being back at the rent’s place for the first time in a long time. And all the while I’ll be day dreaming of gleaming bathtubs and unstained linoleum floors.
I had mentioned in my earliest post on ‘Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine – Part 2‘, explaining about ‘The Unity of Human and Nature’. This is another important concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine. While Solar Terms Moxibustion 节气灸 (JieQi Jiu), is a great model of explaining and carrying out this concept.
(1) The Meaning of Solar Terms 节气 (JieQi)
Solar Terms 节气 (JieQi), is one part of the Chinese Calendar. There are 24 Solar Terms in one year, with 2 Solar Terms at each month. The first Solar Term in the month is named as ‘Major Solar Term’ 节气 (JieQi), while the second one is named as ‘Minor Solar Term’ 中气 (ZhongQi). Both are now collectively referred to as Solar Terms.
For example, in the first month of Chinese Calendar, there are 2 Solar Terms, the ‘Start of Spring’ 立春 (LiChun) and ‘Rain Water’ 雨水 (YuShui). ‘Start of Spring’ is the Major Solar Term, while ‘Rain Water’ is the Minor Solar Term.
(2) The History of Solar Terms
Based on the period of revolution for sun, moon and earth; human (especially the Chinese) had established the year, the month, the day and a seasonal law (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) that complies with nature and four seasons. Thus, it then later formed the calendar.
In the world, China is one of the earliest country that invented the calendar. One of the traditional chinese calendar is the Chinese Agricultural Calendar 农历 (NongLi). It is also known as the Chinese Lunar Calendar 阴历 (YinLi).
For the Chinese Agricultural Calendar, it is an integrated lunisolar calendar or integrated lunar-solar calendar 阴阳历 (YinYang Li) that incorporates both elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar 阳历 (YangLi). This means that it embraces both the movement of the moon as well as that of the Sun. In Chinese Agricultural Calendar system, it takes into consideration of the moon orbiting the earth for one cycle, known as one ’synodic month’; and the characteristics of seasons changes represented by the 24 Solar Terms.
The Lunar Orbit
The 24 Solar terms are compartmentalized according to the position of the Sun in the ecliptic 黄道 HuangDao (i.e. the orbit of Earth around the Sun). Starting from the first point, ‘vernal equinox’ 春分 (ChunFen) (i.e. ecliptic longtitude at 0°, the Sun irradiate vertically at the equator 赤道 ZhiDao), every movement of 15° is considered as one Solar Term. When orbits one cycle, returning back to ‘vernal equinox’ point, it is known as the ‘Tropical Year’ 回归年 (HuiGui Nian), with total of 360°. Thus, it is divided into 24 Solar Terms within 360°, with 15° difference.
(3) The Compartmentalization of 24 Solar Terms
There are 24 Solar Terms in one year, with 6 Solar Terms in one season. Each synodic month has 2 Solar Terms, i.e. the Major Solar Term, and the Minor Solar Term. The date of each individual Solar Term found on the solar calendar is relatively fixed. For the early of the half year (January till June), the Major Solar Term falls on 5th of each month, and the Minor Solar Term falls on the 21st of each month. As for later of the half year (July till December), the Major Solar Term falls on 8th of each month, and the Minor Solar Term falls on the 23rd of each month. The difference between the date for Major Solar Term falling on early of the half year and on later of the half year, is just 1~ 2 days.
The naming of each Solar Term is also very intersting. There are 4 seasons in a year. Thus, having the 4 different Solar Terms, showing the beginning of each season. They are the ‘Four Starts’ 四立 (ShiLi)- ‘Start of Spring’ 立春 (LiChun), ‘Start of Summer’ 立夏 (LiXia), ‘Start of Autumn’立秋 (LiQiu), and ‘Start of Winter’ 立冬 (LiDong).
There are 2 solstices for both the summer and winter, ‘Summer Solstice’ 夏至 (XiaZhi) and ‘Winter Solstice’ 冬至 (DongZhi). From astronomical view, solstice means the extremes of both summer and winter. On ‘Summer Solstice’, this day, there is direct splar radiation at the Tropic of Cancer 北回归线. It is the longest day time in a year for the northern hemisphere. Although it’s a day with longest day time, highest Sun elevation angle, it is still not the hotest day of the year. While on this day, ‘Winter Solstice’, the direct splar radiation at the Tropic of Carpricorn 南回归线. It is a day with the shortest day time in a year for the nothern hemisphrere, but it might not be the coolest day of a year.
The ‘Vernal Equinox’ 春分 (ChunFen) and ‘Atumnal Equinox’ 秋分 (QiuFen) are collectively known as ‘Two Equinox’ 二分, having the meaning of equal length of day and night. While other Solar Terms that show the changes in temperature are: ‘Minor Heat’ 小暑 (XiaoShu), ‘Major Heat’ 大暑 (DaShu), ‘Limit of Heat’ 处暑 (ChuShu), ‘Minor Cold’ 小寒 (XiaoHan), and ‘Major Cold’ 大寒 (DaHan) 5 Solar Terms. There are 7 Solar Terms that reflect the weather phenomena: ‘Rain Water’ 雨水 (YuShui), ‘Grain Rain’ 谷雨 (GuYu), ‘White Dew’ 白露 (BaiLu), ‘Cold Dew’ 寒露 (HanLu), ‘Frost Descent’ 霜降 (ShuangJiang), ‘Minor Snow’ 小雪 (XiaoXue), and ‘Major Snow’ 大雪 (DaXue). The 4 Solar Terms that reflect the phenological phenomena: ‘Awakening of Insect’ 惊蛰 (JingZhe), ‘Clear and Bright’ 清明 (QingMing), ‘Grain Full’ 小满 (XiaoMan), and ‘Grain in Ear’ 芒种 (MangZhong).
The sequence of 24 Solar Terms following the 4 seasons are: Start of Spring, Rain Water, Awakening of Insect, Vernal Equinox, Clear and Bright, Grain Rain; Starting of Summer, Grain Full, Grain in Ear, Summer Solstice, Minor Heat, Major Heat; Start of Autumn, Limit of Heat, White Dew, Autumnal Equinox, Cold Dew, Frost Descent; Start of Winter, Minor Snow, Major Snow, Winter Solstice, Minor Cold, and Major Cold. This is can be easily remember with the help of a poem:
The 24 solar terms and the 12 zodiac constellations.
(4) The Effect of Solar Terms on Human Body
These Solar Terms are established from the orbits law of the Sun, the Earth, andthe Moon. It is the important symbol of the seasonal changes. The spacial position of the Sun, the Earth, the Moon, and other celestial bodies are always in an irregular, continous changes. At the same time, this also cause the energy of the universe to change continuously. While this kind of changes is very obvious volatile before and after of a soler term. According to the concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine – “The Unity of Human and Nature”, any changes of the “Nature ” will inevitably affect the human body. And, Solar Terms affected human body from two aspects.
1. The climate changes are relatively large during the period before and after a solar term.
Because of changes, a person with a old wound or suffering from chronis illness, his ability to adapt and his body resistibility become weak. This person always has a tendency to get sick or worsen of his illness. According to some medical statistics, heart disease, stroke, asthma and other diseases happened at the time before and after a solar term, and during midnight. Human get sick when his body’s strain ability cannot afford the external climatic changes. This is as mentioned in The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon 《黄帝内经》<>, “When pathogenic evils arise, the human’s vital energy, Qi is weaken”
2. The universe’s energy or cosmic’s energy changes are relatively large during the period before and after a solar term.
If at this time, we use some special methods to intervene, transforming the universe energy into our own use. It would have a multiplier role. Solar Terms Moxibustion is a great model that carries out the concept of succesfully transforming the universe energy into own use, under the guidance of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s theory.
When treating a disease using Solar Terms Moxibustion, we can achieve the best result, at the same time increase our body’s immunity and body’s resisting power to diseases. Thus, when there are changes in external environment, weather, climate and others factors, human will not easily fall sick. This has tally with the statement in The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon 《黄帝内经》<>, “Keeping the vital energy, Qi in body, exogenous pathogens can’t invade our body”.
(5) The Effect of Solar Terms on Different Regions
Solar Terms is one of the elements of Chinese Agricultural Calendar. It was originated from more than 2000 years ago, China’s central region. Thus, it can accurately reflects the climatic changes and the weather changes of this region. But it doesn’t means that the effect and the usage are just only for China’s central region or even China. The effects of universe energy’s changes is at every corner on the Earth, no matter it’s south hemisphere, north hemisphare, east hemisphare or even west hemisphere. This is because solar terms are arised from the regular orbits patterns of the Sun, the Earth, the Moon, and other celestial bodies.
(6) Moxibustion, Solar Terms Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a method that put the burning moxa on the skin accordingly based on different acupoints. It is a method of disease prevention and treatment, by utilizing the heat for stimulation and moxa herbs for the function of warming meridians, dispelling cold, and relieving pain.
I was putting a moxa stick according to a patient's acupoint.
Moxibustion, its Chinese name – 灸法, having the word “Jiu” “灸”, was explained in the book ‘Word and Expression’ 《说文解字》<> as “Burn”. It has the meaning of “burning” the body as to cure diseases. Among all the famous monograph on Traditional Chinese Medicine, moxibustion was found at the earliest in the book HuangDi NeiJing 《黄帝内经》. Moxibustion is not only good and effective for Asthenia syndromes and cold diseases. At the same time, moxibustion is also a good way of health care. There are few different ways of moxibustion, such as moxibustion with moxa cone, moxibustion with moxa stick, moxibustion with warming needle, moxibustion with medicines or herbs, solar term moxibustion and others. When different ways of moxibustion are applied based on different condition of sickness, it usually gets miraculous effects.
Solar Terms Moxibustion on a child.
Solar Terms Moxibustion is a special moxibustion method. It utilizes the specific Solar Term, to have moxibustion on different acupoints according to different body conditions, under the guidance of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s theory.
(7) The Role of Solar Terms Moxibustion
Solar Terms Moxibustion utilizes the heat stimulation from the of burning Moxa, and the Moxa herb itself to warm the channels and meridians. This is to strenghten thestimulate the vital energy, Qi of the channels; regulating the body potentials energy; transforming the universe energy for body own use; establishing a relation between the human’s balance system and the natural’s system. All these lead to curing of diseases and improving the body’s resistance to disease and adaptability.
(8) The Clinical Usage of Solar Terms Moxibustion
The usage for Solar Terms Moxibustion is very wide. It can be used in treatment for various sicknesses and diseases, particularly in the treatment of chronic diseases. This is also a natural cum highly effective way of health care.
Solar Terms Moxibustion is commonly used in the treatment for the following diseases…
Internal Diseases (surgical diseases): treat and prevent stroke, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, asthma, stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, hiccup; diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, hyperthyroidism, impotence, chronic nephritis.
External Diseases (clinical diseases): Cervical spondylosis, acute and chronic lumbar sprain, all kinds of arthritis, urticaria.
I’m waiting for my period folks. Waiting, waiting, waiting.
