Archive for the ‘Oriental Medicine’ Category

What does it take to become an acupuncturist?

November 6th, 2011 Kendra Lay

Ever wonder how long it took your acupuncturist to go through school?  Do you wonder what they studied?

When I was looking into going to school for acupuncture and Chinese medicine, I was astonished to learn the depth of training and scope of practice for acupuncturists in the United States. I’d been going to acupuncturists for years to care for my own health, but I’d never considered how much training and skill was involved in safely inserting needles into the body or prescribing a proper herbal formula.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine training programs in the United States are generally 4-year, full-time master’s degree programs (yes, we even go to school in the summer!). Some people will complete their training on an even faster 3-year accelerated track, but it still takes the same number of credits and hours.

Acupuncturists are well trained, so you should feel confident when going to a licensed acupuncturist who attended an NAACOM accredited school. Acupuncturist training includes medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pathology, pharmacology, herb-drug interactions, nutrition, orthopedic testing, western medical diagnostic testing, massage and bodywork, and of course numerous classes in acupuncture techniques and herbal medicine. In addition to this, acupuncturists complete a clinical internship treating patients under the supervision of an experienced and licensed acupuncturist.  At AOMA in Austin, Texas where I attend school, our internship is about 1,000 hours.

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Women’s Health and Chinese Medicine: Treating Painful Periods

October 26th, 2011 Kendra Lay

Millions of women suffer from cramps and PMS symptoms with their monthly cycle.  Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have emerged as one of the best ways out there to treat these symptoms naturally. Imagine not dreading your monthly visitor! In fact, having a menses is a very cleansing thing for the body and important for our health as women.

In Chinese medicine we talk about several body substances of importance to our health. One of these is blood. Painful periods are often caused by what we would call a “blood deficiency” or a “blood stagnation.” There are other causes in Chinese medicine of menstrual cramps, but these some of the most common. You see, Chinese medicine likes to look at what is going on with each individual person, and once we figure that out we choose acupuncture points and herbs accordingly. A woman with classic blood stagnation symptoms might have dark red menstrual blood with clots, fixed pain that is worse at night and/or lots of PMS symptoms including mood swings. A woman with blood deficiency might have a scanty or light menses, dull pain that comes and goes, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and/or dizziness. It’s also possible to have a combination of the two.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the link between stress and painful menstrual periods. In Chinese medicine we talk about many organs in the body. When you hear your acupuncturist talking about an organ such as the gallbladder or the heart, they probably are not actually talking about the actual organ sitting in your body. They are usually more likely talking about a set of symptoms or a functional disorder rather than a physical one. For example, a functional disorder is when you are having a problem, say frequent urination. You go to the doctor, they check out your bladder and your kidneys and say there is no physical problem…but obviously you are still having a problem. This is a functional disorder. Okay, back to stress. In Chinese medicine, stress is usually related to the liver (not that anything is actually wrong with your liver, remember?). The liver is called the mother of women in Chinese medicine and is a big player in regulating the menstrual cycle. It is also a big part of our emotional life. Thus, stress and emotions can greatly impact painful periods. An acupuncturist will work on treating your periods and treating your stress. Win, win!

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Moxibustion in Chinese Medicine

October 10th, 2011 Kendra Lay

Moxa therapy, or moxibustion, is a popular modality in Chinese medicine. It is made of the herb mugwort (Artemisia Argyi) or in Chinese pin yin, ai ye. The mugwort is processed in different ways in order to make moxa. Some moxa can be “loose” and rolled into cones and burned directly on the skin. Another way to use moxa is to use moxa sticks, also known as indirect moxa. The moxa is processed with some other herbs into a stick, lit, and then burned several inches away from the skin in order to warm it. Moxa has a very penetrating heat that can be great for chronic pain (think putting a heating pad on a sore back—ahhh), as well as several other conditions. Mugwort is also used as an herb to take internally to treat mostly gynecological issues.

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Surviving Summer with Chinese Medicine

July 10th, 2011 Kendra Lay

*This article was originally published in the New Leaf Market Newsletter. New Leaf Market is a food co-op in my hometown of Tallahassee, Florida.

Are you a person who is greatly impacted by the weather and the seasons? Do you start to wilt when the temperatures rise in Tallahassee? According to Chinese medicine, the weather has more influence on your health than you may think. The ancient Chinese lived and worked exposed to the elements, and they observed how weather affects the human body.

According to Chinese medicine, there are pathogens in nature that can invade the body and cause disharmony or disease; similar to how we might think a virus invades. In the hot summer months, most people are susceptible to what we would call a heat invasion. Some symptoms of a heat invasion might be irritability, delirium, dizziness, flushed face or rosacea, extreme thirst and dry mouth, constipation, hemorrhoids, and heat rash.

Some of these conditions, like thirst or mild constipation might be easily cured with diet and lifestyle changes. For instance, staying indoors at the hottest times of day, drinking plenty of water and avoiding over exercising would all be helpful to keep heat at bay in the summertime. Chinese medicine also considers certain foods to be cooling and others to be heat forming. Avoiding spicy foods like hot peppers and garlic is a good idea. Lamb and chicken are also considered to be warming foods and should be limited in the summer. However, pork is considered to be a cooling food, as are mung beans, egg, crab and watermelon. In general, you should eat lighter foods like fruits and vegetables, which contain a lot of moisture. Eat them lightly sautéed or steamed, or if you have a strong digestion you can also eat them raw. Avoid very greasy and heavy foods during the summer months, as these can weigh you down and allow heat to accumulate.

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A Cautionary Tale: Don’t Get Glutenized!

November 21st, 2009 Kendra Lay

I’ve been eating gluten-free for over three years now.  I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about where gluten lives in foods and dietary supplements.  However, this week I found out I possibly ingested gluten from two different sources, so I wanted to post a word of caution to everyone out there.  I guess we always have to be uber-vigilant!

Source 1: Some Chinese Herbs

Chinese Herb Jars

Photo by Mike.

Chinese herbal medicine uses wheat and barley as medicinals in a few cases.  Ironically, they are mainly used in digestive formulas to help with food stasis and indigestion.  I say ironically, since of course many people with gluten-intolerances or celiac disease have gastro-intestinal issues and may be prescribed these formulas.  Some of the main ones to look out for are Shen Qu (fermented wheat or malt combined with other herbs), Mai Ya (barley malt or barley sprouts) and Fu Xiao Mai (unripe wheat).*

I have also heard that what we call “bulk granules” in Chinese medicine sometimes may use barley malt as a binder.  I will learn more about this soon and be sure to post my findings.  I know there are some people out there who say barley malt doesn’t have any viable gluten, but when I am feeling sick and taking a medicine, I sure don’t want to take any chance that my body is having to deal with an extra irritant in the very medicine that is supposed to be making me feel better.  I can’t wait until I start to learn other herbs that can help people with gluten-intolerance improve their digestion!  Until then, ask your qualified acupuncturist or even contact the company who makes the herbs you intend to take.  I emailed Blue Poppy about their line of herbs, and they assured me that no gluten containing binders or fillers are ever added to their formulas.

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