The Difference Between Natural and Holistic

Sometimes I hear stories that make me cringe.  The acupuncturist who insists their patient MUST take herbs or come in for acupuncture more frequently if they want to improve.  The chiropractor who has a patient taking handfuls of supplements that cost a ton of money and coming in three times a week. The massage therapist who tells their client that he or she can feel things (that the patient cannot) which means they need more massage. The herbalist who shrugs off their patients adverse reaction (possibly to the herbs they are prescribing) and insists either a) it is not the herbs or b) it is a healing crisis and the person should/needs to feel worse before getting better.  The provider who tells a patient they are getting better based on their "feelings, assessment, etc" even though the patient is feeling no improvements.  The provider who suggests natural herbs, remedies, etc. without the appropriate level of training under the assumption that because they are natural they can't do any harm.  

A) I could go on and on and on... sadly

and 

B) My blood pressure is rising just writing this

So I want to do a post where I say in as clear a way as possible...

JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS NATURAL DOES NOT MEAN IT IS HOLISTIC

JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS NATURAL DOES NOT MEAN IT IS HEALTHY

If YOU as a patient are not feeling good about what you are doing.  I do not care if it is natural (or as western) as it gets, it is worth further consideration.

If YOU are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, financially strapped, pressured, or invalidated in ANY WAY (when it comes to your preferences, what you feel, what you think), it is worth further consideration. 

If YOU are questioning your judgement or feeling like your opinion doesn't matter, it is worth further consideration.

I'm sure that many practitioners legitimately DO believe what they are telling you is true.  I do not believe the majority of the practitioners who say/do these things are bad people, unethical, intentionally misleading.  But I do believe that they do not truly understand what HOLISM means.  Being holistic does not mean natural is automatically good, nor does it mean their way or the highway. Being holistic does not mean I as the practitioner know everything and you know less than you need to to make a good decision for yourself.  Being holistic means the exact opposite of these things.  

As a holistic practitioner, and I mean truly holistic, not just someone trained in a natural form of healing, I know that regardless of how much I know or how much insight I have on a person from a Traditional Chinese medicine perspective, the bottom line is that THEY do and will always know more than me about what is right for them.  So it is my job to share with them my knowledge, prognosis and thoughts, my ideas, suggestions and preferences and then honor the fact that they know their level of commitment this this particular option, their finances, their schedule, their gut instinct, their level of support from others, their priorities, their spirituality, their politics, values, and much more and that they should do whatever feels like the best, most sustainable, most balancing, sane making, and healthy version of whatever I'm presenting and that they alone should make that call.  Not me.  

And if they decide to try what I suggest and it makes them feel worse or more stressed instead of better and more balanced...  They still know more than I do and I need to look at what I'm missing and make a change and honor that. 

It is ALWAYS my job to support each individual person right where they stand, without any guilt, pressure or lecturing, without me imposing my finances, schedule, priorities, politics, values or anything else of MINE onto them.  Because I am not them.  And if I am looking at things holistically that means more than anything else. More than my views on pure Traditional Chinese Medicine, more than my views on natural ways to promote fertility and good health, I need to see them as a whole person with many many more moving parts than the ones I am directly working with.

I hope you will ask more of your natural practitioners, I hope you will insist that instead of merely being natural, they are truly holistic.  You deserve it, and I promise you, you will feel much better.

And if you like this topic and want to know more of my thoughts on why one size does NOT fit all and why looking at a person as a whole is important, you might also like this post I did a while back about the concept of differential diagnosis.

Reproductive Immunology

I am often asked my opinion on the role immunity plays in infertility - specifically recurring pregnancy loss. From a Chinese medicine perspective everything is interconnected (well, I'd argue from EVERY perspective everything is interconnected), so although there is somewhat of a "hot debate"in reproductive medicine circles, it certainly seems within the realm of possibility to me.  Of course, this is not my lens of viewing things... to me, immune dysfunction can relate to a number of holistic imbalances including spleen and/or lung deficiencies (those of you with reports of findings will know if you've got em!), heat, and dampness. There are other complicating factors as well.  Add to this possible genetic dispositions to clotting disorders, or more subtle microcirculation issues and you can add qi stagnation and blood stasis to the list!

Many of you have heard of Dr. Beer's work in reproductive immunology and clotting disorders, and want more info specifically on where you can find more resources or local supporters of his work, so here's some info for you:

Here is an article about one of the two main practitioners I know of in the midwest (both in Chicago area) who do this work, I have seen patients who:

http://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Hrydo2flcvw%3D&tabid=2651

and a bio of the other:

http://www.uchospitals.edu/physicians/mary-stephenson.html

A local OB/GYN practitioner who has supported the Dr. Beer protocols since 1995:

http://www.obgynmn.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/site.physicians/action/dtl/phys/99841392.cfm

And of course, if you haven't been and want info right from the source, there is a information packed Dr. Beer website where his work continues. Here you can read a LOT about this approach as well as order his book to go more in depth!

http://www.repro-med.net/repro-med-site2/

Certainly, infertility is an amazingly personal and intense struggle for the women and couples experiencing it, add to this the pain of recurring pregnancy loss or unexplained IVF failure and the heartache is all the more intense.  If you are reading this and are in such a situation, please know you are not alone and I am sorry for your loss.

My Best,
Nicole

Being a bell- Compassionate and Loving Kindness in Care

This lovely blog post was sent to me by a dear friend who said it made her think of me.  I am so grateful and touched more than I can say by this as I found the piece moving and completely in line with the way I think of the world. It is about being a human not a patient, it is about being a compassionate healer not a practitioner, it is ultimately about being present to and for others. This is where my clinic name comes from... I come to each interaction with the intention and belief that what I do is so much more than a practitioner and a patient.  It is truly Life Healing Life!

http://www.37days.com/2009/10/stepping-stone-sunday-be-someones-silver-bell.html

Practitioners & Providers

I recently sent out an email to past & present patients asking for their feedback on the practitioners or providers they love... or like a lot!  I specifically asked for those who were open-minded and supportive of a more holistic view.  I hope this list will grow and grow and welcome your feedback!

All quotes are taken directly from feedback I received from patients....

OBGYN/MIDWIVES
Dr. Patricia Chang (allina Parkview clinic) specializes in difficult pregnancies, vulvar disease, bladder incontinence surgeries, laparoscopy and adolescent and pediatric gynecology. "She TOTALLY gets the big picture, more than open minded, actually encouraged holistic methods like acupuncture, also has a lot of heart, recognizes me when she sees me, follows up, shows emotions instead of seeming distant and unfeeling. Can't say enough!"
Dr. Andrea Flom (Haugen Associates in Edina): "very nice, woman.  Good for general OBGYN.  Not aggressive in telling you what to do / not to do."
Dr. Jennifer Ramsey (Fairview-Riverside Women's Clinic) Midwife "Did an awesome intake and is a big fan of holistic/alternative medicine."
HealthEast Midwives - Although the level of holistic varies from woman to woman, this is a fantastic group with some amazing and supportive practitioners.  Kerry Dixon in particular is one of the most compassionate and whole person practitioners I have ever met.  These midwives deliver at St. Joes and Woodwinds, two of the lowest intervention and most supportive of natural birth hospitals in the area.  Water births, doulas, etc. are very welcome and supported here.  The clinic on Grand Avenue in particular has the friendliest support staff I've ever encountered and the whole visit experience is lovely.  Plus it's in a great location with validated parking, good places to have lunch after appointments :)
HCMC Midwives - The WHOLE group :) "An awesome group of women dedicated to great births.  This group also does group prenatal care "centering groups" which is a wonderful way to connect and feel supported throughout a pregnancy."
Dr. Mainguy (Women's Health Specialists in Minneapolis) "I've enjoyed all the practitioners in this group.  They really know their stuff especially when it comes to 'high risk' pregnancies."
Dr. Judith Stark (southdale Obstetrics & Gynecology Consultants) Mpls St. Paul Magazine and MN Monthly top doc.  Very open-minded!

GENERAL PRACTITIONERS
Dr. Mirtha Nesheim (HCMC South) "She has a more global view of Western medicine which translates to being an amazing practitioner.... she listens, explains, never talks down, is thoughtful in her approach, knows her stuff, but isn't quick to push intervention or medication when there are equally effective and less risky alternatives."
Dr. Mary Cady (Allina in W. St. Paul) a GP who specializes in OB & peds She is very open minded about holistic healing, "I believe she goes to an acupuncturist herself and always has holistic/herbal ways to treat things other than antibiotics and other meds."
Dr. Brett Adams (Highland Park Fairview) "Respects my opinion about my own health, always takes more than enough time to answer all of my questions, talk about diagnosis, etc."
Dr. Kevin Kelly (Riverside Family Physicians) "more than your average doctor he prescribed me an autobiographic book - after I came to him with questions about breast cancer."

PEDIATRICIANS
Dr. Jaeger (central Pediatrics) This clinic is great as a whole "we specialize in busy families," it is an entirely pediatric practice and has daily walk in hours for sick kids no appointment needed.  After hours the clinic (same 2 locations) becomes afterhours clinics, so you can often bring your child to the same building and get care (billing is just adjusted accordingly)   Dr. Jaeger is the most supportive pediatrician of attachment parenting I have encountered.  She is warm and compassionate and supportive of natural and/or noninvasive treatments. She is overall very calm and supportive of a holistic approach.
Dr. Susan Goodale (Central Pediatrics) A mother of 4 daughters herself, she is open minded "She will give you both the Mom answer and the doctor answer!"
Dr. Sonja Hinrichs (Southdale Pediatric Associates) "The mother of twins who strives to find the best balance for her own family, life and career, she is definitely passionate about helping other parents (especially of multiples!)"

PERINATOLOGIST
MN Perinatal Specialist:
Should you make the difficult decision to have an amnio:
Dr. Bendel @ MN Perinatal Specialist is very experienced, has done thousands and in his semi-retired state it is almost exclusively what he does!


HOLISTIC HEALERS
acupuncture
Lindsay Long (maple grove)  Has a passion for musculoskeletal concerns... aches, pains, injuries and the like!  "If you're in pain, Lindsey can work wonders!"
Sarah Larson (Langford Chiropractic St. Paul) for personal injury, auto accident, workers compensation injuries, Sarah can be seen alone or as part of a team (acupuncture, chiro, massage and more) she is "a caring and compassionate practitioner who always makes my day a little brighter, Sarah is just one of those people who is a joy to be around."
Amy Theis (Heal OM Minneapolis, MN) Amy has worked closely with me (Nicole) and cared for my patients while I was on my own maternity leave.  She is an amazing person, skilled practitioner and is the very best resource in the twin cities when it comes to her two areas of extra interest: GLBT reproductive and fertility concerns and choice moms
Senia Tuominen (Healing Insight St. Paul) If you like the education, patient focussed care of Life Healing Life but are not trying to conceive or pregnant Senia is a wonderful resource.  With a special interest in digestive concerns and food therapy. "Senia has so much knowledge, drive and passion for the work she does."

bodywork
Liv Sulerud (Bodywork by Liv in S. Mpls) A great general massage therapist with a lovely space and training and experience in pregnancy massage
Autumn Compton (Riverpath Clinic in Longfellow neighborhood of Mpls) Tui Na (chinese massage) Shiatsu (Japanese massage) therapist, with training and experience in pre and perinatal massage, also an artist, dancer and qigong enthusiast.
Spark Clinic A HOLISTIC walk-in clinic!!!  What a concept!  For all your acute needs... think colds, earaches, bumps bruises, and much much more.  You can get homeopathic remedies, acupuncture, bodywork and much more.  Now offering tai chi classes too!
Adagio Massage & Mayan Abdominal Massage An amazing resource for body work that can scope from completely blissful pregnancy massage to specific work to realign the reproductive organs for improved fertility, better periods and more.  A very talented group of practitioners that each brings something unique and wonderful to each experience.

chiropractors
Stacy Meschbesher (Meshbesher Chiropractic Center, Minneapolis) Located in the same building as Life Healing Life, "Stacy is all of the best things a chiropractor could be, helpful, effective, knowledgible, skilled and none of the things that give chiropractic care a bad name, sales-y, pushy, aggressive. After having some pretty rotten chiropractic run ins she made me see it isn't always that way!"
Virginia Kampmeier (Langford Chiropractic St. Paul) "works with each patient individually and definitely doesn't just do a one size fits all approach."

YOGA
Jennifer Colletti With a passion for supporting and improving fertility through holism and yoga, Jen has a passion and drive to make the world a better place! "Her enthusiasm is contagious and her energy amazing."
Blooma Now with TWO amazing locations, Blooma is the twin cities most thriving pre and perinatal yoga studio.  With classes, massage, merchandise, and more... not to mention a mission to bring safer births to other parts of the world.

BIRTH/BREASTFEEDING
Sara Pierce pregnancy/birthing classes (Amma Maternity) "Teaches three classes, one for each trimester... she's a former labor/delivery nurse, a certified lactation consultant and has had 3 vastly different birth exeriences herself ranging from completely blissful... to bedrest/emergency surgery/12 week NICU stay."

WESTERN SPECIALISTS
breast health:
Dr. Madeline Gartner (Breast HealthCare in Plymouth & Edina) Breast Health expert and surgeon
endocrinologist:
Dr. Rebecca Mattison "A total big picture gal and one of only four female endos in the midwest!!?"

PSYCH PRACTITIONERS
Ivonne Nelson PsyD (Enliiven in Hopkins) "She's incredibly intuitive and uses holistic Ayurvedic medicine to provide lifestyle support for her patients... more than just a talk therapist."
Kristin Schreier (A Better You Hypnotherapy) "Great for deep-seeded issues, weight loss, and smoking cessation."
Jeanette Truchsess  Jeanette is a woman with a passion for assisting people in building families. She teaches Alice Domar’s Mind//Body Program for Fertility and helps the classes build community. She loves teaching clients meditation and supporting people to cope with the grief and roller coaster of emotions along the journey to parenthood. She is the consultant for CRM’s donor program and is starting a Resolve Donor Family Support Group soon..
Krista Post (St. Louis Park) "primarily sees women perinatally... and mostly postpartum as changes (or conflicts) in identity, work-family, marriage/relationship occur. She uses a collaborative approach, engages each woman's own intuition and body experience to help name what is true or right for her, and build toward that." Krista also plays an active role in the third party fertility community around the Twin Cities, and is a great resource for those thinking about third party fertility options.
The Staff at the Center for Grief Loss and Transition (St. Paul) Sometimes grief, loss and transition is obvious, sometimes it is the subtle kind such as with fertility struggles the practitioners at this center are wonderful wonderful resources for dealing with both (and anything in between), compassionate, understanding, and not focused on medications.  "They understand that many of the intense emotions are situational and valid, not something to be medicated away, but to be unfolded and worked through."

A Note:  "But Why NO reproductive endocrinologists?" Fertility work being my area of expertise, I feel that I have a lot of much more in depth knowledge as to the styles, personalities, preferences, etc. of the reproductive endocrinologists in the twin cities (and some elsewhere too).  Where I do not have a handy knowledge base of many of the above categories (with the exception of the more "alternative" folks).  If you are interested in learning more about REs, I welcome direct communications as I feel like I can give more nuanced and custom suggestions once I know what each woman is looking for. I get feedback from my patients all the time and am happy to share their feedback!

The Mind & The Body: Why how you feel affects how you feel

From Issue 2 of Life's News Newsletter

The Mind & The Body: 

Why how you feel affects how you feel

Does the title of this article make sense to you? Did you do a double take or wonder if you read it wrong? Maybe it made sense, but your not sure why. No matter what your response, read on to learn more about how a holistic view can benefit your body and your mind.  

The greatest mistake in the treatment of diseases is that there are physicians for the body and physicians for the soul, although the two cannot be separated.  ~Plato

Over 1,500 years ago one of the most influential philosophers in Western civilization, unequivocally stated that it is a mistake to separate the body and the mind. This seems simple enough and a bit like common sense, but with the dawn of medical advances such as autopsies and human dissection this concept was soon forgotten in Western medicine.

When patients died of pneumonia and autopsies revealed lung disease, or died of stroke and showed brain damage, there was a dramatic shift towards medicine only acknowledging what it could measure and see. Anything that could not be seen became psychology - a separate field of medicine (one that was often criticized as being “less legit”). Today, thanks to the development of new technologies and patient demand, the mind is slooowly making it’s way back into Western medicine. But in Chinese medicine it never left.   

In the Chinese medical model the body and mind are seen as one. Emotional symptoms such as anxiety, depression, irritability and fear are just as important indicators of health as blood pressure readings, hormone levels and other Western diagnostic measures. Here’s why: 

When you go to a doctor for Western medicine you are taught to view your body in pieces and told the pieces must be treated separately... You can see a reproductive endocrinologist for reproduction, a psychologist for emotions, a cardiologist for the heart, a podiatrist for the feet...  When you see the right doctor who specializes in the right “part” you tell her only about your main complaint and her job is to  find out what’s wrong within that already narrow view. It’s a bit like you handed her a microscope slide - you’ve already limited the area that will be examined and her job is to look smaller and smaller and discover the problem.  

Chinese medicine on the other hand relies on the “big picture” or holism. In holism it is impossible to treat just one part of the body because the whole is greater than the parts and everything is interconnected. In holistic medicine, your main complaint isn’t a microscope slide, it’s a single puzzle piece. It wouldn’t do to focus on the one piece and guess what it is, because it only makes sense when you get more pieces, put them together and look at the whole. So, what are all the other puzzle pieces? Every emotional and physical symptom a person has! 

The benefits of this “big picture” holistic view are numerous: It is easier to see minor imbalances and treat them before they become more severe when you are looking at the big picture. It is easier to improve more than one health concern at a time when you focus on the whole. It is possible to see the interconnectedness and treat the physical and emotional as one. And, perhaps most importantly, it is easier for a patient to be aware of and in charge of his/her health. Where Western medicine often requires a detailed diagnosis and is doctor centered, holistic medicine allows the patient to see how they can take their health into their own hands and empowers them by showing how general changes can improve not only the big picture but specific concerns. 

Begin with these simple suggestions and see how they can improve seemingly unrelated area of health - including emotions!

1. Dietary Adjustments: In Chinese medicine eating/digestion and breathing/respiration are the only ways to make more of the things your body needs to function properly. Improving the diet, therefore can improve every aspect of health immensely. Eat natural, unprocessed foods that are local and in season. Eat a variety of natural colors and flavors for a balanced diet. Enjoy your food and eat slowly and mindfully.

2. Breathing Exercises: Breathing is the other half of making what your body needs and how you breathe is just as important as what you eat. When we are stressed we tend to clench our muscles and hold our breath. The reverse is true too. When we breathe shallowly we tend to clench our muscles and feel stressed. This leads to a cycle of the breath supporting a perpetually stressed state. When we slow down and deepen the breath it allows more oxygen to revitalize the body, the muscles relax and we feel less stressed.

3. Physical Movement: Exercises such as walking, qi gong, yoga, and moderate aerobics can help you feel better all around. In fact, physical exercise benefits emotional health as much as it benefits physical health. Be sure to choose appropriate exercises  and rest during your period.

4. Emotional Movement: Because the body and mind are interconnected, emotional “exercise” is just as important as physical exercise and just as beneficial. Journal, meditate, be creative, talk with friends and express your emotions in healthy and timely ways instead of letting them linger or stuffing them. Emotional movement benefits physical concerns as much as it benefits emotional ones! 

Try to make small improvements for big results! 

Whether you want to improve something physical such as your menstrual cycle or digestion or something emotional such as anxiety or stress making a change in any one of these areas will improve the whole and will support the changes you need. Good Luck :) Nicole

Acupuncture more than placebo

Once again I am astounded by the bias against "placebo."  While I wholeheartedly agree that there is MUCH more to acupuncture and holistic medicines in general than the placebo effect, what is so bad about placebo being a part of it?  I personally would rather use my mind to improve my health than a pill, surgery, treatment, etc.  Why do scientists feel like they must rule out the role the mind plays in order for something to be effective.  This is short sighted and is putting science in front of the human experience of improved health and wellness!  

Acupuncture 'more than a placebo'

Scientists say they have proof that acupuncture works in its own right.Sceptics have said that any benefits gained from acupuncture are merely down to a person's expectation that the treatment will work.
But researchers at University College London and Southampton University say they have separated out this placebo effect.
Their findings, based on a series of experiments and brain scan results, are published in the journal NeuroImage.
Dummy treatment
The researchers used positron emission tomography (PET) scans to see what was happening in the brains of people having acupuncture treatment for arthritis pain.

“ The great bulk of trials to date do not provide convincing evidence of pain relief over placebo [dummy pill] ”
Professor Henry McQuay, University of Oxford

Each of the 14 volunteers underwent each of three interventions in a random order.
In one intervention, patients were touched with blunt needles but were aware that the needle would not pierce the skin and that it did not have any therapeutic value.
Another intervention involved treatment with specially developed "trick" needles that give the impression that the skin was being penetrated even though the needles never actually pierced the skin.
The needles worked like stage daggers, with the tip disappearing into the body of the needle when pressure is applied. This was designed to make the patients believed that the treatment was real.
The third intervention was real acupuncture.
Brain activity
When the researchers analysed the patients' PET scan results they found marked differences between the three interventions.
Only the brain areas associated with the sensation of touch were activated when the volunteers were touched with the blunt needles.
During the trick needle treatment, an area of the brain associated with the production of natural opiates - substances that act in a non-specific way to relieve pain - were activated.
This same area was activated with the real acupuncture but, in addition, another region of the brain, the insular, was excited by the treatment.
This was a pathway known to be associated with acupuncture treatment and thought to be involved in pain modulation.
Sarah Williams of the British Acupuncture Council said: "This is very positive news for acupuncture and this latest research is an exciting illustration of what acupuncturists have known for a long time - that acupuncture works and its effectiveness goes beyond the placebo effect."
Professor Henry McQuay, professor of pain relief at the University of Oxford and member of the Bandolier group that looks at the evidence behind different medical treatments, said: "The great bulk of the randomised controlled trials to date do not provide convincing evidence of pain relief over placebo.
"Some people do report that acupuncture makes them feel better.
"But it is extremely difficult, technically, to study acupuncture and tease out the placebo effect."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/4493011.stm

Published: 2005/04/30 22:57:58 GMT

© BBC MMX

The Differential Diagnosis

I am often asked to give an opinion on a product claiming certain health benefits.  These products make tempting claims such as all natural, scientifically proven, an ancient remedy, a new discovery, etc. etc. etc.

While some of the people asking my opinion expect me, as a natural health provider, to give my approval because a product is natural or holistic.  Others expect me to universally poo-poo these products as quackary because they know I am also very Western minded in many ways.  The truth is, neither one of these opinions should be universally expected from me.  They are, in fact, too black and white and once again my view winds up being a bit more gray.  Here's why...

In holistic medicine there is an extremely important concept called differential diagnosis.  Simply put, differential diagnosis means that even when two people have the exact same main complaint, when looked at as whole beings, they more than likely have different underlying imbalances and therefore the treatments that would most benefit each person is more than likely different.  So, when a product makes a claim to help  ALL people suffering from XYZ condition, the truth is it probably would help some, not help others, and potentially make still others worse.

For example, two people, both have a main complaint of pain... let's say headaches (but it could really be any thing):

Person A is a post-menopausal woman, tends to be hot, has dry skin, gray hair, has a low appetite, okay energy, low sex drive, has trouble staying asleep some times, has low stress, her headaches are worse when she overdoes it, better when she rests, the headaches are dull and all over her head.

Person B is a 25 year old woman, tends to have cold hands and feet, but is otherwise comfortable, has bad PMS, dark heavy periods with cramps, tends to be very active, has a high stress job, sleeps okay, but has vivid active dreams, her headaches are worse when she is stressed and when she is pre menstrual, they are mostly on the sides of her head and can be pretty intense and sometimes sharp.

You can see that the main complaint is the same.  Headaches.  And from a western perspective, the most obvious treatment choice (pain medications) would be the same.  There are many "natural" treatments for headaches too that might seem to be good in either case.  But, in reality, these women have many more differences than likenesses.  Their differential diagnoses would be extremely, well, DIFFERENT.  And therefore, any treatment recommendations I would make would be tailored to their WHOLE picture and very different as well.

So, say they both heard about DLPA.  A "natural pain killing supplement" that has been getting attention in the medical world for its ability to reduce pain.  They might both think, "hmmm.  This seems like a good idea for me."  So they try it and get very different results.  No wonder, as they have very different differential diagnosis.

The bottom line is this.  As a holistic practitioner, my opinion is that it's always best not to blindly self medicate. Even if a product is natural, scientifically proven, etc. doesn't mean it's going to be the right holistic fit for you.  Taking time to be seen by a practitioner who can take the time to analyze your whole health picture and then make recommendations that fit you as a whole person and not just piecemeal symptom by symptom is a much better approach.  Not to mention that when you take this approach you can stop treating things one by one and treat your WHOLE imbalance.

The herbs, lifestyle suggestions, and acupuncture I would do for Person A wouldn't just help her headaches, they would help her feel less overly hot, improve her energy and sex drive, help her sleep more soundly, etc.  And the very different herbs, lifestyle suggestions and acupuncture I would give Person B wouldn't just help her headaches, but would decrease her pms, improve her circulation so her hands and feet warm up, help her deal with stress better, etc.

That said, I know not everyone has the time, money, and access to an acupuncturist who can not only make their differential diagnosis but also spend the time to educate them on it (I happen to be extremely committed to the idea of patient education so that the women I work with do understand their big picture imbalances and can know how to make choices that will help themselves).  If you are reading this and thinking... well, I guess I'm just out of luck and need to stay in the dark.  Look for my next post on this subject coming in a few days.  It will help you navigate trying to make these choices on your own.

The Quick Fix and other ideas I'm not crazy about...

More and more I'm aware of the disturbing "quick-fix" trends in Western medicine. Want to be done with your period for good? Why not opt for endometrial ablation the "safe" alternative to a hysterectomy? You can get one from many doctors on demand. At the very least, why not take a new birth control pill and have fewer periods (by suppressing your own hormones). If you don't feel like eating well and being physically active, you could always opt for the newest weight loss option..."where microinjections of a medication known as phosphatidylcholine (PCDC) are injected into the skin of the targeted area achieving a desired therapeutic result" The fat is "melted!" I could list dozens of these medical quick fixes...and sadly I'm sure there are many even scarier treatments on the way.

I should state...before I continue to rant...that both of these treatments may be useful in some (please note the italics!) instances. In fact, the fat dissolving drug now used for weight loss was originally developed for fatty plaques in the heart and used to prevent heart attacks. But why would a person opt for these relatively new & relatively un-researched options for something less serious...dare I say something cosmetic?

I think much of the trouble lies with a lack of eduction. We live in a doctor centered, pharmaceutical driven society and patients are not only disempowered, they are often grossly uneducated and often times overtly mislead. I have had a patient tell me that her MD informed her that stress is not a factor in illness (this after studies are showing stress to be a significant factor in as much as 80% of diseases). Nevermind the fact that deep down most of us know stress can cause illness...or at least our great grandmothers knew! I have had a patient tell me her MD would not tell her the potential side effects of a newly prescribed drug because in his experience patients tend to imagine having them once they've been told. Which leads me to ask...if stress and our mind can't cause disease, how then is knowing a side effect able to cause a symptom?

Something is clearly amiss. Some doctors dismiss acupuncture as quackery or simply mind over matter...despite the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) publishing clearly written statement confirming it's effectiveness. These are the leading authorities on medicine in the nation and the world. Not to mention Chinese medicine's 3,000 year old history of being safe and effective and more studies showing it is as effective or more effective and safer than the Western options in many cases. Still patients will often take their doctors word as unquestionable fact.

Part of my mission as a health care provider is to educate, inform and empower not only my patients, but the whole of humanity. I know this blog has a limited reach, but if just one person takes this message to heart and starts to think about their health in a new way it will be a success. My message is this: Listen to your gut instinct. Does microwaving your uterus or injecting a chemical to "melt" fat really sound like a good idea? Doesn't it make sense that stress does matter? Shouldn't a patient feel good about getting better? Chinese medicine may not be the solution for everyone and every instance...I seriously doubt any one option is. But understanding your options and expanding your horizons is always a good idea!

Mind/Body Connection

I had the opportunity to sit in on a mind/body stress reduction class last week which was wonderful, and inspired me to take a little time to write on the subject.

One of the aspects of Chinese medicine I like best is the inseparable connection between the mind and body. It wasn't until I began to study TCM that I realized that the mind and body were viewed as connected in medical history for much longer than not. It was only when dissection became a more common practice in the Renaissance that the mind was removed from "medicine" and put into the separate field of psychology. Thankfully, it is slowly working its way back in, thanks in great part to the demands of patients who are sick of being treated in fragmented parts instead of as whole human beings!

In Chinese medicine, and indeed in other more ancient healing paradigms, the mind body connection has never been dismissed. Chinese medicine believes that the whole body is involved in emotions and thought. Each organ has physical responsibilities, as well as emotional ones. A great example of this are the digestive organs. Not only does Chinese medicine see them as the organs responsible for food being processed and transformed, it views them as being the organs that are primarily affected when there is too much thinking and worry. It gives the sayings "food for thought" and "worried sick" a very literal meaning.

In Chinese medicine, the heart is the most involved organ when it comes to emotions. It is responsible for generating all emotions, perceptions and sensations. Because of this and other factors, the heart is thought of as the emperor or king, and rules over all other organs. I love this concept, because it shows how important emotions, perception and sensations are and implies that unhealthy emotions are extremely powerful in the body. Western research is "proving" this too. Recent studies have shown that as much as 80% of illness has a link to stress.

A study by Blue Shield of California showed that patients who listened to a stress reduction guided imagery cd before undergoing back surgery needed shorter hospital stays, fewer pain medications and cost on average $2,000 less than patients who did no relaxation techniques...what a win win situation. Faster healing, less pain and less cost for everyone! Another study by Kiecolt-Glaser & Glaser at the University of Ohio showed that identical wounds healed significantly slower in people who were acting as caretakers for loved ones with dementia than in those who were not under significant stress, but were otherwise similar in age, sex and economic factors. What's even more interesting, a follow up study by the same researchers showed that less extreme but stressful situations such as a simple disagreement with a spouse could also produce less extreme, but statistically significant delays in healing. (see http://pni.psychiatry.ohio-state.edu/jkg/ad.html for the article on dementia caregivers).

If you find these studies interesting and are interested in the mind/body connection, I would highly recommend a documentary called The New Medicine. It was made for PBS and has many many examples of the mind/body connection including information on the studies I referenced above. You can find it on netflix or learn more and purchase the dvd at: http://thenewmedicine.org/ If you go to the website you can also watch some clips and track your own health using a nifty health planner tool.

If you are interested in understanding your own health from a mind/body connection perspective I would highly recommend:

Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Conquering Infertility by Alice D. Domar (if you are trying to conceive)
Checking out a class on Mind/Body, Stress reduction, meditation, relaxation response, yoga, qi gong, etc. (ask me for suggestions!)
And of course...trying Chinese medicine :)

Starting a Blog

The (almost) beginning of a new year seems like as good a time as any to start an endeavor such as a blog. I've always been somewhat of a binge journal-er, so only time will tell how well I do at keeping up my postings. One thing's for sure, I seem to be in no lack of opinions on health, healthcare and the state of medicine so, if nothing else, this will be a good place for me to share my two cents...or maybe I should make that my fifty cents (fiddy cent for all you rap fans out there).

As an Chinese medical practitioner (read acupuncturist) my views on health seems to leave me in a constant flux between excitement (how many people are ready for a different view of health, the way the field is growing leaps and bound, the successes I see in individual lives) and disappointment (people wanting quick cover-up fixes, HMO's and drug companies running the show). One thing is for sure, I know I'm much better off choosing to focus on the exciting wonderful things out there and doing my best to support and nurture those views, opportunities, etc. instead of getting upset by the not so exciting side of things.

I'm a bit of a collector of quotes and one of my favorite from a physician is from Sun Si Miao it goes something like this, "The superior physician does not just treat disease, but teaches society and helps form the intentions of humanity." Maybe in my own small way I can help form the intentions of the people who read this blog, go to my classes and come to my clinic. I trust that if others can learn even a portion from me that I learn from them I will have as good a shot as anyone at shaping some intentions...