Chinese Herbal Medicine

What is Chinese herbal medicine?
Herbal medicine is by itself a powerful method of healing.  Western drugs are usually used to control symptoms but do not address underlying root causes or alter the disease process.  For example: antibiotics kill bacteria but do not improve a person's resistance to infection; diuretics drain excess fluid from the body but do not improve the kidney's ability to regulate fluids.  Chinese herbs can aid the body in healing from disease.  They also nourish and balance the body in very specific ways, thereby improving organ function and building up a person's constitution and immune system.

How are the herbs administered?
Chinese herbs were traditionally given as very strong teas.  However, times have changed!  We now prescribe herbal pills or powders (that have been concentrated in a sophisticated process called "spray-drying") because they are more convenient, and because our patients are able to take them with much more comfort.

Cupping

Cupping is the application of suction cups on the skin. Usually used to alleviate muscular aches and pains, and as an adjunct therapy in treating colds and flu.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is the burning of a special herb (mugwort) which warms the acupuncture points and meridians to provide healing for many “cold” related diseases.  It can also be used for injury and pain and is very effective for healing sores and wounds. 

Infra-Red Heat

Infra-Red heat treatments are excellent for relaxing tight muscles, relieving pain and sending warmth deeply into the body. It is an adjunctive therapy to acupuncture and is used simultaneously.

Nutrition and Lifestyle Counseling and Supplementation

Sun Simiao, one of the most famous, ancient, Chinese medical sages, once said, "The accomplished physician first treats with diet and lifestyle, only after that, does one use acupuncture and herbs."  While acupuncture and herbs are key elements in my treatment protocols, I believe that most of the common ailments in our society are primarily caused by diet and lifestyle.  Individual dietary evaluations are an indispensable part of my treatment approach.  Dietary advice is given and supplements may be prescribed. 

Facial Rejuvenation

Constitutional facial rejuvenation can enhance not only your physical appearance but also your overall health, giving you a glow that radiates from deep within.  There are centuries-old records of it being used in the service of beauty and its ability to improve a variety of skin conditions has now been documented in clinical studies. 

Is it really a facelift? No, nor is it intended to replace a facelift. Cosmetic acupuncture entails no incisions, sutures or acid peels and it will not produce sudden, drastic changes in underlying structures.  In fact, the American Cosmetic Acupuncture Association discourages the use of the term, “facelift” in connection with acupuncture, as this creates unrealistic expectations and, ultimately, disappointment. It is important to remember, that it took decades of stress, sun damage and exposure to environmental toxins for your skin to reach a state of "crisis", and the damage will not be instantly undone. The remedy cosmetic acupuncture may offer is the reduction or erasure of fine lines and the softening of deeper ones. Additionally, patients may experience the firming of jowls and a reduction in the size of under-eye bags.  It is not unusual for clients to report enhanced skin tone, increased energy and eyes that sparkle.

But it doesn’t stop there. Since constitutional facial acupuncture is based on time-tested principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a person’s overall health will also benefit.  Constitutional facial acupuncture is, after all, a whole-body treatment.  In the traditional Chinese medicine view, a person’s face is affected selectively by his or her internal organs.  Facial features reflect organic strengths, and as internal organs are fortified, one’s face reflects the improvement.  Besides addressing a patient’s condition holistically, I will work locally, inserting ultra-fine needles into and around specific wrinkles, acu-points or muscle points.  I will often incorporate herbal poultices, moisturizers, or essential oils into a treatment. An imperceptible electrical current may also be passed among the needles.

A course of ten to twelve treatments is standard, with periodic follow-up visits as needed. These sessions are labor intensive and will be priced differently than customary acupuncture treatments.  Not surprisingly, if you are a smoker or sun-worshipper, you will need to make a longer commitment in order to achieve results. 

Qi Gong

Qi gong is a combination of two ideas:

"Qi" (pronounced chi, as in cheese) is a concept that doesn't have a completely accurate translation from Mandarin to English.  A good way to think about qi is that it is the forces that flow through nature.  For our purposes we can think of qi as the breath of life, or vital energy that flows through all things.

"Gong" (pronounced gung, as in lung) means the skill of working with, or cultivating self-discipline and achievement.

Together, Qi gong means the skill of cultivating vital energy, or the ability to work with the electromagnetic energy of the body.

Qi gong is a mind-body practice that improves one's mental and physical health by integrating postures, movement, breathing techniques, and focused intention.  Tai chi is a subset of qi gong and many qi gong styles one might recognize as Tai chi.

Medical Qi Gong

Medical Qi gong therapy is the oldest therapeutic modality of Chinese medicine and is one of the five main branches of Chinese medicine, along with acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition therapy and therapeutic massage.  As with the other "branches" of Chinese medicine, healing occurs through balancing qi or electromagnetic energy which surrounds and pervades all living creatures.  It is a comprehensive system of healthcare addressing the root cause of symptoms or disease, and treats the client as a whole.

Disruptions in the electromagnetic energy of the body occur throughout our lifetime as a result of poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, injuries, surgery, suppression of emotions, aging, etc.  The goal of qi gong is to correct these bio-energetic imbalances and blockages. This enables the body to strengthen and regulate the internal organs, the nervous system and the immune system, relieve pain, regulate hormones, and strengthen and release deep-seated emotions and stress.  Drawing upon my ability to sense and manipulate qi developed through dedicated study and self-cultivation, I use qi emission and/or teach medical qi gong exercises and meditations based upon a differential diagnosis rooted in Chinese medical theory to restore health and wellness. 

After the treatment the client may be given qi gong prescriptions to assist in their ongoing healing.

In China and more recently in the United States, doctors have applied qi gong in hospitals and clinics to treat individuals suffering from a variety of ailments. Medical qi gong therapy and prescriptions can be used to help people with cancer and help reduce or eliminate side effects from radiation and chemotherapy.  It may help in treating cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and post-stroke syndrome.  It is especially useful in treating any kind of chronic pain, and chronic disorders of the digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Wild Goose Qi Gong

The practice of Wild Goose (Dayan) Qi Gong consists of warm-up exercises, meditation and movement.  The 64 movements in each of the Dayan Qi Gong sets, circulate qi and blood throughout the 12 main organs and meridians, and the 8 extraordinary meridians studied in Chinese medicine.  Dayan qi gong was developed 1,700 years ago by the monk Dao An, by following the daily rituals of wild geese.  Until very recently Dayan qi gong was kept relatively secret, getting passed down from one disciple to another.  Grandmaster, Yang Mei Jun was the 27^th generation heir, having learned the from her grandfather.  Grandmaster Yang Mei Jun lived until the age of 108 having passed away in July 2002.  A little over 30 years ago Grandmaster Yang Mei Jun took on my teacher Master Hui Liu as her student.  Now the wonders of Dayan qi gong are being brought to you by the students of Master Hui Liu.  The Chinese government has certified 11 styles of Qi Gong to be efficacious for the prevention of disease.  Dayan or Wild Goose qi gong is one of those 11 forms.

Chinese medicine can serve as the primary modality of healthcare, or as an adjunct to western medicine.  Chinese medicine may successfully treat conditions which western medicine finds resistant or ambiguous.