The Chinese Medicine rocks! blog: why do I need more than one treatment?

Why do I need a number of acupuncture treatments when I only need to see my MD once?

Ahhhh .... the ever frequent question about why you need more than one acupuncture treatment in order for your chronic symptoms to go away ..... i.e., be miraculously cured. My pet peeve: when people get one acupuncture treatment after suffering through 10 years of back pain and then say it didn't work. Healing takes time. Even a small cut takes time to heal and sometimes healing takes effort (i.e., more than one treatment, change in lifestyle, etc.).

So here's the deal. You see your MD once and come home with Vicodin for your pain, birth control pills to control your PMS, diuretic for your high blood pressure, Protonix for your acid reflux or GERD, Imitrex for your migraines, etc. etc. You need a pill box. If you really think about it, theoretically you are seeing your MD every day - in fact sometimes more than once a day since you need to take your pain meds more than once a day. Further, some of these pharmaceuticals are only masking the cause of your pain or other symptoms while the promise of Chinese Medicine is to find the cause and treat it; treat the root.*

Take my own back pain as a case study. I've had years of back pain probably mostly sports induced (structural damage). I was at the point of seeing surgeons for opinions, being offered all manner of prescriptions, etc. etc. .... the story of many people who have back pain. But I KNOW that the body can change despite what some diagnostic tests show - I see it in my patients every day.

I wanted to change my situation. Bone on bone. You might rightfully ask, how can any treatment besides surgery and pain meds deal with that? Well, acupuncture, structural yoga therapy, and deep tissue massage seem to have me on the very right path! WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS PATH? - I want to be healthy and active not drugged with the condition that is causing the pain continuing to get worse. I am now faithful in receiving regular acupuncture treatments and taking Chinese herbal formulae. I see a dynamite structural yoga therapist and do the postures that she teaches me and receive MT. I am considering canceling my next MD/spine specialist appointment because the AM crookedness, stiffness, and pain are minimal now and I am back to being able to do my AM workouts which I couldn't do 4 months ago. Yay!!

Your body CAN change; it's a matter of whether you are willing to find the proper cache of treatments/practitioners and then DO the work! Do I get discouraged sometimes, wish I didn't ever have to do any work to be pain free or not stiff? I do. But when I look at the alternatives, I'm super happy that I have found therapies that work.

*Naturally there are some conditions that can't be "cured" by dealing with the cause when they are too far gone. But, quality of life, for example pain reduction, chemo induced nausea relief, etc. etc., can be much much better.

"Women's" issues and Chinese Medicine: herbs better than bc pills in some cases

This study's title is about pelvic pain and Chinese Medicine but it lists other issues that are resolved by acupuncture and/or herbs and that may require more study so that these therapies are more accessible to women. There is NO reason to suffer through what we commonly call "women's issues".
Call 303-947-6224; email DrMLucas@AcupunctureWoman.com, or go to www.AcupunctureWoman.com for a consult or appointment. I offer the service of health insurance billing.

http://www.asianscientist.com/health-medicine/rcog-opinion-paper-acupuncture-herbal-medicine-relieves-chronic-pelvic-pain-2012/

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Acupuncture: another study showing its effects on the brain - and therefore the body

I love these studies that show how acupuncture affects the brain. Yes, it's true. Why do you think it works so well to reduce the effects of stress?

If that's not a strong enough reason to receive acupuncture, how about these?

- it improves immune system function

- reduces inflammation (one of the ways it improves the immune system)

- rebuilds digestion so you make better quality qi (energy)

- can help you avoid surgery for chronic issues like back pain (true!!)

- got sciatica? Acupuncture works!

- and it can help reduce lines and wrinkles if you are interested in maintaining your youthful appearance.

Call 303-947-6224 or email me at DrMLucas@AcupunctureWoman.com.

We bill health insurance.

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Seasonal allergies? Chinese herbs can stop your sniffling and sneezing!

If you are suffering through seasonal allergies, give me a call. Not only does acupuncture successfully treat allergies but I have the bomb Chinese herbal formula for allergies. I kid you not, 100% (including myself) of people who have taken the formula say it basically "cures" their allergies. No more symptoms! And, you don't need to take it forever like you do some pharmaceutical drugs. No more allergy symptoms just put it away for next time.

It's the healthy way to treat your allergies.

Since it is a Chinese herbal prescription, I will need you to come in for a treatment so that I can get your medical background and do a proper pulse examination/diagnosis to be certain that the energetic properties in the herbal formula are right for you.

Call 303-947-6224 or email me at DrMLucas@AcupunctureWoman.com

New services!!

New services at the Colorado Center of Traditional Medicine

- low level laser therapy: no needles, used for pain relief/healing, fertility issues, stiff back, and much more! Half hour treatments available (initial treatment is one hour).

- supplement discounts through Emerson Ecologics (you order online and the products are shipped to your door - no need for me to be the middle man)

- Mei Zen skin care products - Golden Radiance pearl cream, Immortelle toner, Mei Zen Revitalizing serum, Neroli eye cream, Juniper cypress oil (for stagnation i.e., fat, cellulite), Angelica fertility oil, and two fantastic masques (Shea rose and sea pearl). All products are natural and contain Chinese herbs.

- Colorpuncture treatments for emotional issues that can stem from prenatal and early childhood times. Those can be released or recognized to give you a better understanding your current patterns

- Axiatonal Alignments - these treatments, based upon Sacred Geometry, release emotional "stuckness" that is in our etheric bodies but that may be causing physical distress.

Email me (DrMLucas@AcupunctureWoman.com) or call (303-947-6224) for more information or to set up an appointment!

Medicinal Chinese Herbs Really Do Help Prevent Diabetes

Many traditional Chinese herbal medicines can be effective in the prevention of diabetes, a study conducted by researchers from the University of Western Sydney, Australia, and published in the journal Cochrane Library has confirmed.

Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 16 previously published studies conducted on a total of 1,391 adults who suffered from either impaired glucose tolerance or fasting glucose, both of which lead to the mildly elevated blood sugar levels known as pre-diabetes and raise the risk of full-blown diabetes. In most of the studies, participants were assigned to control their blood sugar with either a combination of traditional Chinese herbal remedies and lifestyle changes or with lifestyle changes alone. A total of 15 different herbal mixes were tested, including Jiangtang Bushen, Xiaoke huaya and Tang Kang yin.

The researchers found that participants who took Chinese herbs were twice as likely to achieve normal blood sugar levels as those who used lifestyle changes alone, and two-thirds less likely to develop diabetes over the course of a given study. The average length of the studies examined was nine months.

None of the studies found any serious side effects to traditional Chinese formulations. Grant advised that anyone seeking to use traditional Chinese herbs take them under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. Traditionally, Chinese Medicine practitioners have prescribed herbs based on the health history of a given patient, she noted. Therefore, it is not possible to recommend a collection of herbs that can be expected work for all people with a given condition.

Let's learn about how to use herbs during the cold/flu season: Don't use most "immune boosting" formulas while you have a cold

Many so-called "immune boosting" formulas have an herb called Huang Qi (astragalus) in them. No. Do not take a formula containing Huang Qi during a cold; it may drive the bug deeper and extend the length of time it takes you to get well. This is one of the most frequent misunderstandings that I hear people talk about. They think that it is good to take an immune booster during a cold. Remember: it depends upon the ingredients! Wu Wei zi (schisandra) is another such ingredient; okay to take when you are not experiencing cold symptoms.

The good news is that there are herbs that will help fight a cold and you can get these from your licensed Chinese medicine practitioner or Acupuncturist. Ban lan gen (isatis root) has antibiotic properties, jin yin hua (lonicera - honeysuckle) has anti-inflammatory properties so it can help with some symptoms. Gan cao (licorice root) is another individual herb can help break a cold right at the beginning.

Here's a good place to clarify that Chinese herbs are prescriptions and should be prescribed by a knowledgeable practitioner. In my most humble professional opinion, they should not be sold over the counter. One of the most frequent stories I hear is that a person bought a Chinese medicine formula in a grocery store and then didn't understand why it didn't work. Well, if you take a formula that is designed to deal with the beginning energetics of a cold midway through your cold, you're right, it's not going to work! Or, if you have a runny nose kind of cold but you take a formula designed for a phlemy, sore throat kind of cold, it's not going to work and might even extend the length of your cold or flu. Please talk with a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner before purchasing Chinese herbal formulas. Taking herbal formulas, especially those containing herbs used in Chinese herbal prescriptions is one case where checking the training and credentials of your alternative medicine practitioner is important.

Remember, this information is based on my training, clinical experience, and licensure as a practitioner of TCM and is not something with which the FDA would necessarily agree or suggest.

Chinese herbs infused into the products in the Mei Zen skin care line

Our artisan, hand crafted Mei Zen skin care line is expanding soon! Currently our products include our Japonica toner for cleansing and invigorating your skin. Our Mei Zen Revitalizing serum and Golden Radiance pearl cream are both super good for you skin; I use the pearl for my day treatment (it makes my skin radiant) and the serum at night. Everyone should be putting pearl on their face; it's loaded with minerals that improve the tone of your skin. Our Neroli Peptide eye cream is an essential part of a skin care regimen along with the Sea Pearl Masque and Frankincense Bamboo scrub. Masques are fun!!! and they make your skin feel like a baby's butt after you take it off. For those of you who may try to lose a few pounds in 2012, we have our Juniper Cypress oil to rub on fatty areas. It is also useful to get your digestive qi and lymph moving - both very important parts of weight loss.

All of our products contain active ingredients that make your skin better. They are not just for moisturizing; they are for regenerating a youthful skin! And don't forget .... ALWAYS treat your neck and upper chest area too, not just your face!

Start the year of the Dragon right! Get your orders in now for our January 3rd shipping date by calling 303-349-2932 or emailing info@CosmeticAcupunctureSeminars.com to order.

Article accepted by Alt and Comp Therapies journal!

Alternative and Complementary Therapies has accepted an article of mine about how TCM treats chronic prostatitis! They were looking for practitioners who could write a (very) short article on how we treat CP in our practices. Unfortunately they wouldn't publish a formula that I mentioned because there wasn't enough room to list each ingredient and say why/how it works.

Natural cures: this one for diarrhea. More to come!

One of my patients and I were talking about natural cures (or treatments) for various conditions and she shared this natural cure for diarrhea that she's used since she was a child in Europe. http://m.voices.yahoo.com/natural-cures-treat-diarrhea-pomegranate-555760.html

Pain effectively treated with acupuncture

This is a nice review article about acupuncture for the treatment of pain. And don't forget, I also use Chinese herbal prescriptions for various conditions/symptoms.

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/acupuncture-for-pain.htm

Chinese herbs shown effective for treating fertility issues!

A recent study from the Adelaide University titled “Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine in the management of female infertility: A systematic review” found that that “Chinese herbal therapy improved pregnancy rates as much as 2-fold in just a 4-month period in comparison with Western Medical fertility drug therapy or IVF.”