Preventing Disease & Staying Healthy with Chinese Medicine

Prevention is one of the most important aspects of Chinese medicine. When practitioners assess their patient, they are looking for signs and symptoms of disease, and also signs that illness or health may be out of balance.

Key diagnostic areas to detect disease BEFORE it arises, are the tongue and pulse. In addition, by keeping a healthy diet and lifestyle, a greater state of health can be achieved. Chinese medicine takes into account seasonal factors, and diseases that can easily arise due to weather conditions.

A known flu-prevention treatment is Moxa on the acu-point St 36. It's name Zusanli, means “three leg mile”. This point was named when Chinese soldiers massaged the point, they found they could walk another 3 miles! In the weeks leading up to the change of season, this point can be acupunctured and warmed with Moxa (a herb which sits on the needle and warms the point). Although this is a different point, the photo opposite shows how such an acupuncture /moxibustion treatment might be done.

Chinese medicine theory observes two main causes of disease or poor-health in the body. Internal and External causes.

External Causes - known as the six pathogenic factors. Avoiding Wind, cold, damp and heat etc will help to avoid getting sick. How, you ask?

1) Wearing layers of clothing to ensure you are not too hot or cold especially when the weather changes.

2) Keep out of drafty areas/direct A/C or fans. ESPECIALLY at night! (Otherwise you may wake up with a stiff neck or sore lower back.

3) Protect the lower back/waist by making sure clothing fits around this area!

Internal causes of disease are considered by CM to be things such as emotions, inactivity, and poor lifestyle.

Emotions - over thinking (or worry) knots the spleens energy. The Spleen, in Chinese medicine, helps the Stomach to separate the pure and impure parts of food. The Spleen gets weakened by over-thinking, which can result in a low appetitte. The body can be further depleted because it can’t properly absorb nutrition from food.

Overeating is a common lifestyle factor in cause of diesaes. Not just leading to overweight or fat, but when we overeat we must exercise harder to burn the excess calories, thus making our bodies work unnecessarily harder. Two Chinese medicine quotes to consider are: "curing and nourishing come from the same source" and "when you eat, satisfy only seven-tenths of your hunger”.

Healing Heels

From acute injuries and sport or activity over strain, and chronic pain experienced on a daily basis, acupuncture is often sought for heel pain relief.

Heel pain can have many causes, one common one is known as Plantar Fascitis. It’s an inflammation of the band of tendon that runs from the ball to the heel of the foot (the Plantar Fascia). (see picture right)

Poor foot mechanics are often blamed for the cause of the problem. If the foot moves incorrectly, the plantar fascia is overstretched and can tear, becoming weak and inflamed. The pain is usually sharp, severe pain on the ball of the foot.

The good news is that acupuncturists treat this kind of pain all the time. We call it Qi (Chi) Stagnation or Blood Stagnation type pain. Stagnation pain is always more noticeable after lack of movement (i.e. Sleeping). Upon rising the pain is usually intense, then after walking around a little the pain gets less.

Once you get moving, the circulation increases and the pain eases. Acupuncture works to increase the circulation of blood and energy, activating your bodies own healing response to come to the local area. Pain can be eased by the release of your bodies natural pain-killers - endorphins which are often released by acupuncture.

What about the cause of the problem? Inflammation can be treated with acupuncture, simply by “speeding up” the bodies own healing response. By relaxing the local muscles, reliving swelling and getting more blood and energy flow to the injured site, acupuncture can reduce the inflammation and encourage the speedy repair of the plantar fascia.

Not all heel pain is due to Plantar Fascitis. Some heel pain can be from too many ankle injuries and poor local area circulation, or an "unknown" cause. However, Chinese medicine practitioners always make their own Chinese medicine Diagnosis. In treating foot pain, it’s not necessary to have the Western Medicine diagnosis to commence acupuncture treatment.

In my practice, I have found heel pain to be a bit more stubborn and slower to respond, however after 6-8 treatments most patients find a great relief of pain. I have found many heel pain patients experience little or no change in symptoms until the third or fourth treatment. This is not the case in treating pain in other areas where the pain relief is often instantaneous.

If you have heel pain, its worth approaching your acupuncturist with a 6-8 treatment plan in mind. Treatments can be done 2x or 1x a week. Don't leave it longer than one week in between treatments, or effectiveness is diminished. Secondly, points on the heel itself are sometimes used but they can be more sensitive than other points. The overall treatment is not meant to be painful, and you should experience a pleasantly relaxing effect.

New Year - New Habits

Perhaps one of the most popular treatments of Chinese medicine is for “Quit smoking”. This treatment uses a special branch of acupuncture: “ear acupuncture”.

In Ear Acupuncture, there are over 100 points on the ear. These are used to stimulate the functions of different organs and systems. Essentially, in Quit-smoking acupuncture, we stimulate the organs involved in smoking - Lungs, Mouth & Tongue to improve the energy function of those organs.

At Metro Health, we offer Acu-Quit™ which is a 10-treatment program specifically for quitting smoking. Part of the Acu-Quit™ protocol uses Ear points for relaxation/calming, stimulating the organs associated with smoking, and digestion. Why digestion? Because as you quit, your body has to “digest” toxins…that is, eliminate them from your system. Also, as your lungs start to repair, the tiny hairs (cilia) that line the lung tubes, begin their sweeping action again which causes many people to feel more sick or cough up phlegm which they did not do as a smoker. The ear points can help the body eliminate this phlegm and aid the lungs in their functions.

How does acupuncture work for Quit-smoking?

One theory is that by stimulating the energy of the organs associated with smoking, the body is more perceptible to “toxins” entering it. This theory explains why some people report less pleasure in smoking after acupuncture treatments.

Ear Acupuncture also helps with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Common reactions to quitting are anxiety, depression, irritability, eating more, physical shaking, feeling shaky inside, and poor memory/concentration. One point used is related to the Heart & Emotions (shenmen). This point helps calm the Shen which is used to relieve these mental-emotional symptoms.

Another normal side effect of quitting is to cough up more phlegm. This is because the tiny hairs in the lungs (cilia) are repairing. Their normal job is to move debris out of the lungs, helping you to breathe properly. Toxins in cigarettes damage the cilia, but, as you stop inhaling cigarette toxins, the cilia start to repair, so it's actually a good sign when you start to cough up more phlegm during quitting. Acupuncture can be of assistance in reducing phlegm and promoting better breathing.

At Metro Health, we offer Acu-Quit™ which is a 10-treatment program specifically for quitting smoking. Part of the Acu-Quit™ protocol uses Ear points for relaxation/calming, stimulating the organs associated with smoking, and digestion. Why digestion? Because as you quit, your body has to “digest” toxins…that is, eliminate them from your system. Also assist the lungs in their functions, as they repair. The ear points can help the body eliminate phlegm and aid the lungs in their normal functions.

Acu-Quit™ is a special, unique quitting program we run at Metro Health and medicine, combining Ear Acupuncture, Cognitive therapy, Diet advice and body acupuncture. It's cheaper than our regular consultation fees. At your first consultation, together you and your practitioner will establish a plan to help you stay quit.

The Acu-Quit™ 10-treatment program, takes one hour initially, and about half an hour per session after that. The cost is probably less than your smoking habit - $480. We recommend this program be taken over a 1-month period, appointments can be done 2 or 3x a week as needed.

It's still a New Year - there's never been a better time to Quit!

there can be only one

Growing up, the classic school holiday movie festival always included the Hilander movies...and the well known "There can be only one" still rings true, especially with the dawn of a new year upon us.

2010 - there will not be another 2010.

What will you do with your year? Perhaps get into a new line of study, go to an unlikley holiday destintion, spend more money on TV's and home entertainment, the internet, work harder, go on a diet?...so many things consume our time.

Since the new year I got really thinking, how can I make a difference this year? How can I make 2010 count for something more than just another year clocked up to living, existing...

I'm 31 this year. I think it might get harder because I seem to have more stuff and more accomplishments the older I get. What about you?

Just a thought to ponder. Even if it's just making a whole pile more money...there is something you can do with that money that might change the entire planet, or someone's future.

Buying a water well for a community might change their 2010 for the better

Consuming that one burger a week in 2010 might change your 2020 for the worse.

There is no excaping the consequenses of our actions...I'm off on my quest now for 2010 -change the world with me... write a comment

Ten Ways to Put your Acupuncturist out of Business!

Of course we want to stay in business, but there are many ways, “secrets”even, that can prevent many of the symptoms that cause people to visit their acupuncturist.

Western lifestyle is generally one of over-indulgence, and pleasure-seeking which can induce many preventable health problems. There are four general principals of prevention - ERED (no we are not talking about the emergency room at the hospital) but Exercise Rest, Emotions and Diet. Having these in balance is essential to achieve a healthy mind and body.
I hope you can enjoy this light-hearted approach, and use the tools to live a healthier and happier life.

1) Get active and keep moving thought the day. Especially important if you work in a sedentary job. Find ways to stretch and move about in your breaks. Why no do some lunges on the way to the coffee machine? Go that bit further for your sandwich and get your legs and arms active!

2) Self Massage. Your TCM practitioner can give you specific exercises which may only take 1 minute to do, but make a huge difference. Try squeezing (pinching up the skin) at the point between your eyebrows, on your forehead with your thumb and first finger, this can activate clear thinking and revitalize the eyes.

3) Have an afternoon lie-down.Resting for 10 to 30 minutes a day between 1 and 3pm is extremely beneficial in promoting the regeneration of blood. You must LIE DOWN FLAT. You don't have to sleep, but don't be on your phone etc! for 10 to 30 minutes a day between 1 and 3pm is extremely beneficial in promoting the regeneration of blood.

4) Have a laugh at least once a day. Watch something funny or tell a joke. Laughter is a great preventative medicine and in TCM it releases stagnant Liver energy.

5) Cook your own food. Cooking takes time, it's not instant (wow!). Cooking for yourself can help stop the cycle of satisfying cravings instantly and binging on foods you probably don't want to eat.

6) Eat till your 70% full. Either fill up your plate to 70% or take home a “doggy bag” from your restaurant foods. Avoid Food Stagnation by not overfilling the Stomach.

7) Practice emotional energy conservation. In the classical texts of TCM, over a thousand years old, sages of Chinese medicine warn of the dangers of excessive emotions. Every emotional response uses energy. Some emotions are good (we don't advocate to keep it all bottled in!) but to conserve energy and prolong life, is to conserve emotions. Excess emotions can damage their associated organs resulting in illness.

“Those who search beyond the natural limits will retain good hearing and clear vision, their bodies will remain light and strong, and although they grow old in years they will remain able-bodied and flourishing; and those who are able-bodied can govern too” Huang Di - Chinese Yellow Emperor BC 2700-2600

Excess of the emotions can damage their associated organs resulting in illness.

8) Don't eat and do other things. (Easy to say, difficult to do in our society I know!) Your body will always favor mental functions over your gastro-intestinal system! When you eat and do mental activities, you are forcing your body to override it's desire to send blood to your guts to help absorb nutrients from food

9) Loose a few kilos! Extra weigh will contribute to back pain, make recovery from illness slower and means your body has to supply all the extra fat with blood vessels (puts pressure on your heart) and contributes to high blood pressure. If you are within your normal healthy weigh range Great! Go and encourage your friends. Research shows people with healthy weight friends are more likely to loose weight than those with fat friends.

10) Enjoy your life. You can't always choose what happens to you, but you can choose your attitude. A positive mental attitude is encouraged by all forms of medicine as an indicator for faster recovery and less illnesses.

Of course our practitioners love treating patients and helping you in your road to recovery. We wouldn't be in this business otherwise. So please feel free to make an appointment!

Keeping Kids Healthy...Naturally!

Chinese medicine (CM) has a long, 2000+ year history, and treatment of children is by no way exempt from it's tradition.

Children have a special constitution, different to adults.

Firstly, their age indicates they are free of the chronic build-up of disease and degeneration that is typical of adults.

Secondly, babies are born with a degree of immaturity about their organs. This is, they are still developing.

This development mostly pertains to the Chinese medicine view of the digestive system. It centers around the Spleen and Stomach organs, which initially are incapable of digesting anything but breast milk. As the child grows, the digestive system matures and they can tolerate other various foods.

This development takes place slowly; hence diet therapy and weaning advice is vitally important in treating and preventing illness. The more mature the digestive system becomes more variety of foods that can be eaten and assimilated into energy for the bodies needs.

Thirdly, children are said to be of a predominantly yang constitution. Yin and Yang are fundamentals, opposites of energy in TCM. Healthy adults would have a balance of yin and yang energies. To help understand yin and yang, box 1 shows their qualities.

Children’s energetic and active nature is part of this predominance of Yang energy. Yang energy is also warm so they have a tendency to become hot, or suffer hot diseases fever, earache, yellow phlegm, skin rashes are all diseases caused by heat in children.

In addition to their yang nature causing disease, the immaturity of the organs also predetermines children to get sick from inappropriate foods. Inappropriate foods are simply those they cannot digest.

Some might be ok foods in the future, but the time of weaning is very delicate. Parents need patience and sensitivity to the child's response to each food. Chinese medicine practitioners will give you more specific diet advice and appropriate ways to wean your child

There are some foods which Chinese medicine thinks should rarely be given to children. These include sugar, raw foods, cheese, greasy foods.

However, the great thing about children is they generally have a “clean slate” when it comes to build up of toxins, pathogens and are not affected by a life of feeling run-down or 'stressed' as many adults are. Hence, they are easily and quickly able to recover.

Classical texts of TCM pediatrics say that children are easy to get sick, but quick to recover.
Once the diagnosis is established, children can be treated with acupuncture, cupping, Chinese herbs, massage or a combination of these.

Acupuncture for children is relatively quick compared with adults. Needles don't need to be retained for babies, and children they are only left in a few minutes depending on their age.
Children generally respond quickly to acupuncture and herbs, treatment courses are a lot shorter than adults.

For more info about what types of conditions Chinese medicine can treat, or a profile on our practitioners at my clinic, check out http://www.metrohealth.com.au/

BACK PAIN - Your Questions Answered

One of the most debilitating conditions is back pain. It contributes to days off work, reduced productivity and quality of life impacted. Chinese Medicine practitioners routinely see patients with pain, and back pain is definatley on the top of the list of commonly treated conditions in my clinical practice.

Here are some answers of frequent questions and common treatments we offer:

1) Firstly, seeking help earlier can reduce the number of treatments needed.

2) One big difference between acupuncture and other therapies such ans chiropractic, is acupuncture is not designed to be an ongoing treatment. CM practitioner must treat both the root and the manifestation of the disease in order to administer proper CM protocol of therapy.

3) IF the cause of the problem is ongoing and not eliminated, then ongoing treatment may be necessary. The above principal (2) cannot be applied correctly if the patient is continuously exposing him/herself to the cause. EG - lack of exercise, extreme weight, poor posture & repetitive movements are all common ongoing causes.

4) Moxibustion is a warming method we commonly use to treat back pain. Moxa as it is easily known, treats back pain by providing a blood moving and warming therapeutic effect to the acupuncture (by warming the needle). It's like having a hot pack but going straight into the points where the muscles are tight or the inflammation is causing the pain

5) Cupping is a NO NEEDLES technique which works by a heated suction effect on the skin. This warms and stretched the muscle gently, which, over a 20 minute period cause the old blood to be brought to the surface and fresh, new blood can get in there and heal the area. This method is great for children and adults who might be scared of needles. A bruise-like mark is produced. During the treatment a pulling feeling is felt, but there is no pain (during or after). Sometimes after the treatment, patients feel like the pain moves around the next day, followed by a great pain relief feeling the second day.

Cupping is particularly beneficial in "telling the muscles" their new position. As muscles have a memory and they often go back to their old, regular tightness after manual therapies such as chiropractic or massage therapy.

6) Everyone is different, and I generally don't like to generalise number of treatments needed, however it is a common question,

HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL I NEED?

Back pain can be treated in 1 -3 sessions, chronic conditions usually require 4 - 6 treatments in a 2-3 week period, followed by ongoing monthly or fortnightly treatments to maintain a pain-free back.

If you have any questions about back pain, or any other health condition, you may call Marie at Metro Health and medicine on 1300 132 830, or email to marie@metrohealth.com.au.