What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is insertion of sterile, solid, mostly high gauge (very thin) needles, into the skin at specific sites on the body. The needles are primarily stainless steel and disposable and come in varying lengths which are inserted at varying degrees of depth and angle. The needles are generally stimulated by hand or by machine to help bring about desired results and are generally retained in the body for any number of minutes, but most often between 20-40 min. The objective of acupuncture is to promote the free flow of chi and blood so that all the organs and tissue and bone have ample supply to maintain the nutrients and bodily fluids they need to properly perform their functions. This maintains optimal balance in the body, nurturing the strong defensive energies your body needs to protect itself from the external and internal pathogens that might cause sickness, disease and/or pain. This leads to excellent health and well being, mentally, physically and spiritually.

What Do Those Herbs Do?

Herbs are nature’s way of assisting our bodies return to a state of balance and well being mentally, physically and spiritually, by directing healing plant energies to: attack and expel internal and external pathogens; tonify organ energies to stimulate production of chi, blood, and other bodily fluids to optimum levels; regulate proper flow of qi and blood and other fluids; promote tissue growth; stop bleeding and improper leakage or discharge of fluids and other substances; reduce food stagnation and expel parasites; and promote proper organ function to bring about and maintain harmony between all aspects and levels of our blessed human bodies.

In oriental medicine we use the word herb loosely as it refers to not only plant material but also animal and mineral material. Unfortunately there are some famous animal materials used in oriental medicine that have been undeniably overused and some of the animals have become seriously endangered. Using materials from an endangered animal is rightly criminal and should be severely punished. There are enough adequate substitutes that no animal should be so overused as to become endangered, even if the benefits to human health in specific situations warrant the use of these animal materials as medicinal substances.

Oriental medicine will generally advise the use of several herbs together which is referred to as a formula. Most of the formulas traditionally used were developed centuries or millennia ago or are modern derivatives of them.
At my clinic I generally use powdered herbal formulas in capsules or tablets which are developed at state of the art, well regulated herbal pharmaceutical plants in the United States and in China. These herbal formula makers produce product that are potent and which pass the most stringent quality control requirements. They are routinely tested for safety against heavy metals, harmful bacteria, and fungus and are guaranteed to not contain any man-made drugs or pharmaceuticals.

If my patient prefers to make a traditional herbal soup from herbs in their raw, dried form, I am more than happy to write out a prescription which can be filled at most herb shops in Chinatown or other locations in the greater Los Angeles area.

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What’s Reiki?

Very basically reiki is Japanese for ‘universal life energy’. It is the universal life energy that surrounds and inundates all living things, the essence of us and of everything around us. It is the very basis of all energy, that which sustains and nourishes all things.

Everyone has reiki and we all have the ability to use it in all its wondrous forms to bring about positive changes in our lives. I use reiki whenever I come into contact with a patient. It is automatic and never requires turning on or off, it is always everywhere and immediately accessible.

All that is required in healing with reiki is touch and intention. The main objective of this meditative, energetic modality is to bring about health and well being in all its wondrous and fabulous forms and experiences. It is healing on a sometimes subconscious and subtle level but always deeply spiritual and personal. It is energy which is not necessarily manipulated, but naturally gravitates to those subatomic, sub cellular levels where the deepest mental, physical and spiritual healing takes place. Although everyone has the ability to access reiki, there are certain rituals, teachings and initiations which can be passed on from a reiki master which greatly enhances the awareness of the energy making it easier to use in healing practices.

Although I use reiki in combination with all the other modalities at my disposal, I also use it by itself when requested. By itself it is powerful although subtle and the longer one intentionally uses it in a healing setting the more it is realized, felt and understood.

Why Are Breathing Exercises Important?

Oxygen and nutrition, which includes water, are the main external ingredients our body uses to develop chi, blood and other bodily substances. Most of us admit that nutrition is important, but few of us realize that correct breathing for optimal oxygenation is as important.

Vast numbers of us breathe incorrectly preventing our full oxygenating potential. Improper breathing affects our health adversely and can cause or contribute to the cause of countless health problems.

The breath should be pulled into the abdomen first drawing oxygen into the lower lungs then the middle portion then the upper lungs. Upon exhalation abdominal muscles constrict pushing the air out from the lower then middle then upper portion of the lungs. Ideally there should be no more than 8-10 relaxed breathes per minute with a more than 3 second rest between inhalation and exhalation.

Consistently using proper breathing techniques leads to a good exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in all the cells; can eliminate 70% of the body’s metabolic waste; provides better lymph drainage; improves circulation; better manages stressful situations; brings about a stronger sense of well being and connectedness; and promotes the ability to stay grounded, centered, and relaxed.

Breath is life and we will discuss breathing habits and possible ways to change incorrect patterns so as to greatly improve your health and well being.

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Explain What All Those Other Therapies Are

Oriental massage can be used by itself simply as a revitalizing therapy to increase circulation in the whole body and bring about a sense of renewal and freshness; it can be used by itself or with other modalities at specific sites to alleviate localized pain problems; and it can be used in conjunction with other modalities to treat any number of disease. This type of massage incorporates a variety of techniques and other physical movements and manipulations on the muscles, tendons and joints to treat disease and discomfort.

Gua sha is a therapy utilizing herbal extract oils and a scraping device traditionally made of jade or bone. Scraping the skin with this device draws the three types of evil chi out of the body to be replaced with fresh, oxygenated, nutrient rich fluid which regenerates and revitalizes the tissue and organs of the body. The three types of evil chi are: 1. Stagnant chi, which is what we mostly associate with pain but can also cause any number of disease. It basically refers to chi getting stuck and not moving smoothly and freely; 2. Dead chi is more serious as it is stagnant chi that has been stuck for a very long time and has lost all vitality. This blocks the vital chi flow causing the oxygenated blood and nutritious fluids to bypass the area completely which in turn can possibly lead to cancer cell growth. This is possible because cancer cells are anaerobic and can only survive where oxygen is absent; 3. Toxic qi is the accumulation of waste product and toxic residue in the body system which can lead to any number of serious health problems.

Heat therapy is a very important modality in Oriental medicine with moxabustion being the most popular form. At my clinic I also use an infrared or mineral based heat lamp or moxabustion.

Moxabustion is the burning of the herb artemesia vulgaris mugwort either on top of an inserted acupuncture needle or by itself at an acupuncture point site buffered by a paste, salt, or a thin slice of certain herbs. Moxabustion is indicated for pain syndromes, cold and/or damp syndromes, chronic disease and the tonification of organ systems to cure as well as prevent diseases.

The intended usage of the infrared and mineral technology is to provide topical heating for the purpose of relieving muscle pain due to strain, sprain or spasm, to relax muscle and tendon, and to increase circulation where applied.

Cupping basically refers to placing suction cups made of various materials at specific sites on the body with the intention of creating a vacuum which draws the skin into the cup causing blood congestion at the site. This increases blood and lymph circulation and metabolic rates, and strengthens the area system to reduce inflammation in the muscle tissues. A common side effect is bruising at the site of application.

Cupping is indicated for muscular pain, colds, headaches, asthma, digestive problems such as hiccup, vomiting and diarrhea, and painful menses.

Bleeding might sound scary but it is a very valuable modality in which an acupuncture point is pricked with a needle so that stagnant or toxic blood, or blood heat, may be expelled from the body. Normally only a few drops of blood are let out to produce the desired effect, but sometimes it is appropriate to bleed more. Bleeding is indicated for high fevers, to alleviate pain, to draw out toxins in the blood, to alleviate itching or numbness, to reduce swelling, to stop vomiting or diarrhea and for emergency resuscitation.

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