BOO !

Trick or Treat: The Housewives of Beverly Hills

This week’s focus of Real Housewife bloggers is the feud between Brandi and Kyle but, I’m looking at the show differently and have a question for all of you - which “housewife” should stop by my Chicago acupuncture office for treatment? The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has several women on the show who could benefit from Chinese Medicine. Plus, I’m sure acupuncture is trendy out there in

Yin and Yang Is The Core Of Chinese Medicine

Balance within ourselves and our environment is key to living a happy and healthy life. This belief is deeply rooted in Chinese Medicine theory and the philosophy of Taoism.

It all began 8000 years ago with the idea of yin and yang which pre-dates recorded history. At that time a legendary sage named Fu Hsi, lived along the Yellow River of China. It was Fu Hsi who formulated the concept of yin

Happy Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Day!

What Lies Within You?

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Want To Be More Positive? Eat Healthier? And Save Money? Check Out These Blogs

When I write I write for this blog I try to be helpful. So today I thought I would provide some links that I hope people who read this blog will enjoy and find useful.

The Positivity Blog ~ The name is pretty self explanatory. Henrik Edberg writes practical posts about simplifying your life, improving your relationships, happiness and productivity.

Nutritious Eats ~ Melanie Flinn is a

Engage With Grace

Death. The big "D" word. We only die once, yet the subject is often taboo to discuss even when terminal illness or unexpected event occurs. Just as preventative healthcare is preferable to interventional disease care, having these kinds of discussions are important not just for the one who is dying, but for those who are left to grieve. Many acupuncturists provide palliative care both for the individual and their families and can play a role in facilitating these discussions. When you and your family know the answers to the following questions, the burden of decision-making and potential for conflict in the midst of grief and shock is greatly lessened. This movement is just as important for those in the bed as it is for those standing by it. Please pass it on!

Engage With Grace/The One Slide Project

The Army’s Surgeon General, is a Powerful Advocate of Alternative Medicine

I've always thought of the Army as one of the most traditional institutions in the U.S. I don't associate it with new ideas or techniques but I may have to change my mind. There are people now trying to help our soldiers with "unconventional" techniques, such as acupuncture. Our soldiers have have returned from war with pain caused by wounds and illnesses. The Army has spent billions on

Acupuncture's Method of Action: Adenosine (?)

"A patient's report of pain is to be believed." This basic assessment is taught to all aspiring healthcare providers. Their report of pain relief, however, is often accepted only if there is a scientific explanation. Acupuncture is constantly being called quack medicine with all of it's "Qi" and "meridian" hocus-pocus, while patients who support it's efficacy cajoled for being so simple or desperate that they experience nothing more than a placebo effect.  Thanks to an ever-expanding body of research, we may start referring to "Qi" as both energy and chemical transmission.

Researchers from the Center for Translational Neuromedicine in Rochester now offer another plausible scientific explanation for the analgesic effect of acupuncture. A study on peripheral nervous system pain in animals found acupuncture increases formation of adenosine, a nucleoside that produces anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect.  Although deeper insertion and stimulation produced a greater effect, a moderate increase in adenosine may be observed with application of pressure, heat, or vibration to this skin.  This may also explain why non-invasive "sham" acupuncture treatments can elicit a therapeutic effect, but also why these benefits do not endure over the course of follow-up. Previous studies focused on the central nervous system determined acupuncture also stimulates the release of endorphins in the brain. Bring on the science!

For the full article, visit Nature Neuroscience

The Day Atonement

From the blog Life ain't for sissies. 
By Dr. Linda Edelstein

Because it is the holiday of Yom Kippur (meaning the day of atonement), it seems appropriate to think seriously about its meaning.  Whether you are Jewish or not, the steps are relevant because, at one time or another, we all find ourselves needing to atone for our behavior. Atonement means more than making amends, repairing or

You Got Sick - Now What? 7 Secrets From Oriental Medicine to Eliminate the Cold and Flu

This is the fun title of a new and easy to read book by Tom Ingegno, MSOM, LAc. Tom sent me a copy and I found it to be filled with good tips for just about anyone interested in health. I also appreciated that Tom wrote it in language that is easily understood - not always true with books about Oriental Medicine. In "You Got Sick-Now What?" licensed acupuncturist Tom Ingegno explains some

Understanding Acupuncture From A Western Point Of View

We all try to understand new concepts by trying to fit these novel ideas into our existing mental framework. Sometimes, this does not work. For some people acupuncture is one of the treatments that doesn't easily fit into ideas we already own. During my first year of graduate school, I remember struggling with trying to understand acupuncture from a Western point of view; then I surrendered and