Archive for the ‘Traditional Chinese Medicine’ Category

« Older Entries

The Food and Fertility Connection

Monday, October 31st, 2011

By: Rebecca Rice, Licensed Acupuncturist

Fertility Foods Basics

When looking at ways to enhance fertility, the diet is one of our most reachable influences.  To improve the diet it is helpful to consider your specific constitutional needs.  A Chinese medical assessment which includes a tongue and pulse diagnosis will give you a framework to work within.

In general foods are best consumed at their freshest state.  These foods have greater vitality which is transferred through nutrients in the body.  Foods that are easy to digest are important as well. Choose lightly cooked vegetables over raw ones.  Choose warm foods over cold ones. Having heat already within the food creates less of a burden on your digestion.

Foods That May Impair Fertility

Eating organic or pesticide/herbicide free produce is optimal.  Pesticides and herbicides contain known endocrine disrupters.  They interfere with female reproductive health by altering the availability of ovarian hormones and altering the binding and activity of  hormones at the receptor level. This can lead to irregular menstrual cycles, endometriosis and infertility.

At least 1 in 130 Americans have a genetic predisposition to Celiac disease and even more are gluten intolerant.  These conditions are present when cells that line the small intestine become inflamed as a result of eating gluten (found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, semolina, cous cous, and gluten contaminated oats).  Intestinal inflammation leads to malabsorption of vitamins and minerals.  Aside from malnutrition there are over 200 possible symptoms.  The most common ones include: abdominal cramps, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, IBS, infertility, joint pain, mouth sores, weakness, and weight loss.  A blood test is available to test for celiac disease.  This determination can be pivotal for those wishing to conceive.

Eating for Wellness

The next time you eat something pay attention to the way your body feels afterwards. Do you feel energized or fatigued? Do you have a headache? Is your mind sharp or foggy?  Everything that goes into your body has an affect, whether it’s observable or not, pleasant or unpleasant. Food affects overall health as well as our fertility.

Resources:

Craig ZR, Wang W, Flaws JA.
Reproduction. 2011 Aug 23. [Epub ahead of print]
Endocrine disrupting chemicals in ovarian function: effects on steroidogenesis, metabolism and nuclear receptor signaling. Source: Z Craig. Comparative Biosciences. University of Illinois,Urbana, United States.

 

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Acupuncture, Infertility, Nutrition, Rebecca Rice L.AC, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Comments Off

Acupuncture Proven to Reduce Nausea and Vomiting….Again!

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

By: Chris Reilly, LAc
The July 2011 issue of the Journal of Anesthesia features an article comparing acupuncture to the anti-emetic drug odansetron for reducing emetic episodes (vomiting) in women having cesarean sections http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21761206.  Odansetron is also known as zofran, and is a very commonly used drug to prevent nausea and vomiting after surgery.  The study followed 450 patients, and found acupuncture to be just as effective as zofran during, and following the surgery .

These findings come to no surprise to us at the Center.  We often use acupuncture to successfully reduce nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy and during chemotherapy.  There is now a consistent record in modern medical literature to support this important use of acupuncture.

In a December 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), we saw that acupuncture used with drug therapy was three times as effective as drug therapy alone to reduce nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/284/21/2755.short.  And in a September 2004 issue of the journal Anesthesia and Analgesia, researchers at Duke University Medical Center also found acupuncture to be as effective as zofran for post-operative vomiting, with the added benefit of providing pain relief http://today.duke.edu/2001/10/acupunc1001.html.

What a great sense of satisfaction and purpose it gives to see modern clinical research validating ancient wisdom!  The more studies are released on acupuncture, the greater it’s acceptance and use becomes.

Tags:
Posted in Acupuncture, Acupuncture and Nausea, Christopher Reilly L.AC, Preventative Health, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Comments Off

Better Your Birth with Acupuncture

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

By: Rebecca Rice, Licensed Acpuncturist

Having a baby requires preparation.  Whether it’s painting the nursery, adding extra house chores, organizing the crib, clothing, bottles, getting those doctor’s and hair appointments in, there is quite a bit of preparatory action that goes into readying oneself and family for the arrival of the new baby (or babies!). 

Aside from taking childbirth classes such as Lamaze, Bradley method, etc. finding the time to physically, mentally and emotionally fortify oneself before delivery is quite helpful. Acupuncture is a modality to look to during this exciting time.

Receiving acupuncture treatments weekly for 6 weeks before anticipated delivery is beneficial in several ways.  Often women may be anxious or fearful of the process of labor and the birth.  Acupuncture serves as a refuge- a time and space to deeply clear the mind.  It releases endorphins which facilitate relaxation and ease physical discomfort as well.  There are specific acupuncture points used to prepare the uterus for labor.  In the case of breech presentation acupuncture and moxabustion are commonly used to turn the baby’s head downwards.  Acupuncture has also been used to facilitate prolonged or difficult labors.  Along with other holistic therapies, women may also use acupuncture to encourage labor to begin if the baby is past due.

Tags:
Posted in Acupuncture, Community Acupuncture, Mind Body Medicine, Rebecca Rice L.AC, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Women's Health | Comments Off

Community Acupuncture Relieves Stress

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

By Rebecca Rice, L.AC
Community Acupuncture has been a powerful ally in helping our community to unwind. Stress is one of the most common symptoms of this day and age. Its side effects can include such symptoms as: depression; headaches; acid reflux; anxiety; poor memory and trouble sleeping. Stress can subtly creep into our lives or may be directly related to specific events or thought patterns.
Conveniently, the Center is offering Community  Acupuncture, which is proving to be very popular in the area because of it reduced cost.  At the Center, walk-ins are welcome if we can accomodate but appointments are encouraged.  This is perfect if you are having a challenging day and need relief.  Acupuncture is an excellent way to effectively release stress, and provides an individual a natural, drug-free way to relax almost instantly.

Posted in Acupuncture, Community Acupuncture, Pain Management, Preventative Health, Rebecca Rice L.AC, Stress Management, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Comments Off

The Value of Home

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

By: Rebecca Rice, L.AC
Change, whether it is physical through location or state of health, emotional, mental, job related, etc., can challenge our sense of stability and connectedness.  As a simple notion, change is considered growth by some and can be interpreted in a negative perspective as well.  All in all change is a catalyst for the ebb and flow of life, an instrument in the natural cycle of creation and destruction. 
In Chinese theory we look to the yin aspect to ground us, create stability and placidity.  And in the presence of change (yang aspect) this is an exaggerated necessity.  One of the goals of Chinese medicine is to create a balance of yin (grounded-ness/non-changing) and yang (motion/change).  The goal is not to remove one aspect for the benefit of the other. 
   A simple thing to do when having periods of change, whether it is dramatic or ordinary, is to do some grounding exercises for 5-10 minutes/day.  To do this, sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, back straight, hands resting on your thighs.  Close your eyes, sit without fidgeting or distractions, breathe into the lungs so that you can expand your diaphragm to push your belly out slightly, exhale all the air out, and continue breathing this way.  Then imagine roots coming out of the bottoms of your feet and connecting you to the earth….this is home…

Posted in Acupuncture, Mind Body Medicine, Preventative Health, Rebecca Rice L.AC, Stress Management, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Comments Off

Qi Gong for Spring

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

By: Chris Reilly, L.AC

Qi gong is roughly translated as “skill and understanding of qi through practice and work.”  Qi itself is difficult to define, but can be thought of as the movement of life: from the movement of breath, to kissing a child goodnight.  It is both esoteric and obvious. In the narrow understanding of the term, qi gong refers specifically to movements, breath and intent that move and cultivate our vitality.  In traditional qi gong, human beings are to follow the greater movements of nature, to keep in tune with the natural order of things and gain insight into the best way to live.  We are now moving into a time of expansion and upward growth, the Spring.  Our physical and emotional movement should reach up and out to meet the world around us to explore and make new connections.

Getting into the Spirit of Spring

Try the following simple exercise, and see if it helps get you get into the spirit of Spring.  Dressed appropriately for the weather, stand with feet shoulder width apart and knees bent in front of a tree that is beginning to blossom new leaves.  Hold your palms open and relaxed towards a few inches from the tree with your elbows bent at about 130 degrees (180 degrees would be a straight line).  Breathe by expanding and flattening your abdomen, and feel the breath moving between your feet and the earth, becoming aware of the openness between you and the deep earth.  Once you are grounded in this way, extend your awareness to the tree.  Become aware of the presence of life in and around the tree, and allow yourself to explore it from root to branch.  Let your mind’s eye travel through it.  Meditating with a tree is a very cleansing practice, and can go to great lengths to cleanse the smudges and tangles in our own vitality, but is also a way to learn from our environment how to be rooted, and how a natural life moves.  When you close the meditation, withdraw yourself slowly and respectfully, returning your focus to your own breath and abdomen until it is firmly fixed there. 

You may become a little more serious about conservation and recycling after this sort of experience.  As your awareness develops, take a walk through the ancient mountains of New York, and get ready for a whole new experience of nature!  Next, pat yourself on the back: you are now an official tree hugger!

Many of my clients have already been taught qi gong exercises to help in their own effort to be well.  If it’s an area you would like to explore, I’m happy to share what I know and work to develop exercises that would be of benefit to you.

Posted in Acupuncture, Christopher Reilly L.AC, Mind Body Medicine, Physical Fitness, Preventative Health, Stress Management, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Comments Off

Spring Fever

Monday, March 8th, 2010

By: Rebecca Rice, L.Ac
The other day I was marveling at the fact that I hadn’t come down with a cold or flu all year!  To the surprise of my pride, the next morning I woke with chills, mild fatigue, and rhinitis.  Now I do see my missteps of the previous day-getting overjoyed with the sunshine and warm weather I went outside with damp hair and a lighter jacket, thus making myself more vulnerable to cold and flu viruses.  I also had a big cup of hot chocolate and later that night was walking in the cold March wind to my car returning from a concert, wearing the same light jacket.
In Chinese medicine the nape is called the ‘wind gate.’  This is the area in the back of the neck where external pathogens can enter the body.  This is why many Acupuncturists wear scarves in the winter – to protect the wind gate.  I certainly provided the perfect invitation to the cold I contracted by exposing my wind gate through cold damp hair, wind, and lowered the strength of my immune system with sugar.
The treatment I chose was a hot shower, hot ginger tea, and an acupuncture treatment to open the wind gate, expel the pathogen and consolidate the wei qi. (The wei qi is the protective qi which lies at the surface of the skin and regulates what enters the body and what does not-chills are a sign that the wei qi is weak and has been infiltrated).  Because I acted quickly with incorporating all of these therapeutic responses, I was able to significantly reduce the severity and the amount of time I had the cold.  Thank You Chinese Medicine!

Posted in Acupuncture, General, Preventative Health, Traditional Chinese Medicine | 4 Comments, Click Here to Add Yours »

Winter Solstice and Chinese Medicine

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

By: Christopher Reilly, L. Ac
There are a great many reasons and methods to celebrate the winter holiday season.  Numerous religious holidays, New Years and the American holiday of Thanksgiving have a tendency to keep us moving at top speed to keep up.  In Chinese medicine, the coming of winter is associated with the movement of the water archetype.
 
With fall, we had the metal archetype- pulling in that which is most valuable and letting go of what is not essential at the time, just as the plants store their nutrients and shed their leaves.  With winter we have a time of stillness to sit deep within ourselves and avoid arousing excessive passion.  A time to embrace solitude and introspection, and a truly perfect time for the giving of thanks. A good image is the crisp clarity of a deep winter’s night, the moon shining down brightly through the dark as an embracing stillness is felt as a presence all around, and precious things are remembered.
 
In addition, the winter solstice itself is a powerful time in the tradition of Taoist alchemical practices.  The power of the moment as the earth’s yin movement (toward increasing darkness) mysteriously transitions to a yang movement (toward increasing light) is reveared as one of the most important times of the year.  Within the exact moment of the transition, there is thought to be a moment of perfect harmony, a mysterious blending of the yin and yang that opens the possibility of new creation and rebirth.  It is a time to bring together those parts of ourselves we hold in the light, and those that we hold in the dark.  A time of redemption, reconciliation, acceptance and rebirth.
 
Oh, and P.S.- take it easy on the cookies and spirits! There, I got it out of my system.  Happy Holidays!

Posted in Acupuncture, Christopher Reilly L.AC, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Comments Off

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Can be Treated with Chinese Medicine

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

By: Rebecca Rice, Licensed Acupuncturist in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In my practice I have worked with a number of patients who have this diagnosis and are trying to conceive.  I chose to write about this topic because it’s a very common condition; and one which can be positively affected by Chinese medicine.    

The prevalence of PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is estimated at about 5%-10% of women who are seeking treatments for infertility.  This may be a small representation of the estimated 20% of the population actually effected by the disease. 

In Chinese medical theory PCOS is marked by a picture of “dampness.”   This occurs when fluids in the body are ineffectively synthesized and accumulate to form cysts.  As explained in western medicine, there is also a hyper-secretion of insulin and testosterone.  This gives rise to abnormal follicular development also characterized by anovulatory cycles. 

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are beneficial to those with PCOS in the following ways.
1. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can regulate the cycle.
2. Lifestyle changes based on concepts in Chinese medicine help manage weight and promote healthy eating habits.  This is so important because 30% – 50% of obese women with PCOS develop diabetes.
3. Acupuncture and herbs are known clinically to improve egg quality.

In Chinese medicine we focus much of our treatment protocol on the lifestyle changes patient make.  For PCOS, as mentioned above, diet is very important.  Common foods to avoid are those that promote dampness; these are dairy (especially cheese), refined sugar, excessive sweets, and greasy foods.  These will essentially promote weight gain and support the increase of excess insulin and testosterone in the body.

Posted in Acupuncture, Preventative Health, Rebecca Rice L.AC, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Women's Health | 3 Comments, Click Here to Add Yours »

Acupuncture for the West

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

By: Christopher Reilly, L.Ac
I was interviewed today by a student at SUNY Albany who was doing a paper on natural healing.  At the end of a series of very well thought out questions, she asked me if there was anything else that I would like people to know about acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine.  I had to pause for a moment to consider the question before beginning to answer.
The common perception of acupuncture is steeped and clouded in mysticism and associations with the culture of China and the East.  I’ve often thought about the general opinion that seems to portray acupuncture as a mysterious and magical art performed by wizened Chinese practitioners in the back of old herbal shops in China town.  It has become obvious to me over the years that one of the most consistent barriers to accepting acupuncture in the West is this concept of acupuncture as a metaphysical art tied to mysticism of the East, and impenetrable to the understanding of the modern mind.
Acupuncture most likely began in China, and we owe a debt of gratitude to it’s rich history.  The first manned flight was achieved in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.  And while we applaud the efforts of the Wright brothers, it is obviously a silly notion to think that the pilots and engineers of the rest of the world who aren’t embedded in American culture are unable to understand the dynamics of flight.  The laws that govern flight are the same for everyone.  In the same way, the laws that govern acupuncture are universal to the human being.  Acupuncture is a science that requires training in a very special way of interacting with the human body to facilitate health and healing.  It is a human science.  And while we look to China to study the history of acupuncture, it is to the West that we must fix our gaze to see it’s further evolution.
The best research in the world on Acupuncture is now being down in countries like the U.S. and Germany.  This research is helping to peel away the shroud of mystery that has separated acupuncture from the modern medical community, and kept it from being accepted as a true science by the average citizen.  Acupuncture isn’t a system of magic, belief or a supernatural feat.  It is a science that works with the natural systems of the human body in a way that other forms of medicine have not yet been able to.  It’s value is in it’s use for the treatment all mankind, and its future will be found in its integration with the broader medical community.  In this spirit, I hope that we can increase the acceptance and growth of acupuncture in the West not as an elitist or secretive mystical art, but a science of interacting with the human body in the service of all people, regardless of culture or background.

Posted in Acupuncture, Christopher Reilly L.AC, Healthcare Reform, Preventative Health, Traditional Chinese Medicine | 2 Comments, Click Here to Add Yours »

« Older Entries

Back to top

Bookmark|Share|Subscribe

Bookmark and Share

Subscribe

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Read more about integrative medicine news

Register and Login

  • Categories

    • Archives