Author Archive
Blossom Clinic opens in NE Portland
Liz Richards, LAc, opened the doors to beautiful Blossom Clinic in June.
Where did you come up with the name “Blossom”?
The name blossom came to me one night as I was explaining my vision for a clinic to my husband. It just felt right. I love the idea of something growing and blossoming from the [...]
What Can Acupuncture Treat? Stress and Anxiety in Pregnancy
Pregnant Belly by kellyandapril
There are many reasons a woman maybe feeling stressed during her pregnancy. It’s a time of change and growth within your body and withing your community. With these changes (not to mention hormones) may come added stress and anxiety about the health of the baby, relationships with family members, and the birth [...]
Acupuncture and Heartburn in Pregnancy
Pregnancy Photo by J. Star
The Chinese Medicine Times recently reviewed a study of acupuncture for symptoms of heartburn in pregnant women with positive results. The outcome of of treating 36 women – half with the standard treatment (medication and dietary advice), and half with acupuncture. Those receiving acupuncture were treated once or twice a week [...]
Tuina in Chinese Medicine Treatments
Tuina is a massage form from China that is part of our training as acupuncture practitioners. It is a deep tissue massage that uses several different techniques (rolling, scrubbing, and grasping to name a few). The techniques are the same, but practitioners can use stronger or a gentler movements according the patient preference. Tuina is [...]
Acupuncture in Oregon: Kam Wah Chung
Photo by oregonianphoto
Seeing that I am an Oregon native, I was surprised to hear of a Chinese medicine apothecary in Eastern Oregon that I didn’t know about (I’m usually up on these things…). The herbal clinic, which has been restored and is now a museum called Kam Wah Chung, where Ing “Doc” Hay had his [...]
Acupuncture and Smoking
Photo by Fernando Gregory
Smoking is an addictive habit for 43.4 million adults in the United States. That’s a lot of people, and even more that are affected by the habit just by spending time with smokers. Even with the constant ads to stop smoking, warnings on cigarette packs, and several state laws that ban smoking, [...]
Naturopathic Medicine Discussion on OPB
Photo by educationdynamics
A very interesting and informative discussion about the bill that will allow Naturopathic doctors (ND) to prescribe synthetic drugs is on OPB’s “Think Out Loud” program. It aired today (June 16, 2009) from 9-10 AM. The title of this program is “Natural Medicine?” and there are two ND’s (Dr. Igor Schwartzman and Dr. [...]
What Can Acupuncture Treat? Endometriosis
Photo by Thunderchild tm
Endometriosis is a condition that affects millions of women. It is is the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, which causes pain during the menstrual cycle. This occurs becuase the endometrial tissue is supposed to shed every month, and if it isn’t in the uterus, the tissue essentially “stagnates,” and causes [...]
What can Acupuncture Treat? Asthma
Asthma: www.medical-explorer.com/asthma.php
Asthma is a condition that affects over 162 million adults and 6.7 million children in the United States. This is a serious disease which needs treatment, and something I have personally been dealing with for the past 10 years. By seeking regular acupuncture and herbal medicine to control the asthma symptoms, I was able to dramatically reduce the amount of Western medication I was taking.
I recommend the use of acupuncture and herbal medicine for asthma, and have had success in treating patients as well as being treated myself. NOTE: A severe attack will need immediate treatment from a Western medical doctor or possibly a visit to the emergency room. If the symptoms are severe (wheezing, blue lips and fingers, possible dizziness)
Top 5 Chinese Herbal Formulas
Chinese herbal medicine is becoming more widely used in American than ever before. Even the skeptics are reaching for the cold remedy Yin Qiao San and drinking ginger tea before digging out the decongestants.
Most Chinese herbal formulas are now available in pill forms as well as the powdered forms. While it’s best to use a powdered formula (the amount of each herb can be specially formulated for the individual), the pill form of the herb is also effective. What matters most is which form the patient will actually take!
According to the website To Your Heath, the top five most prescribed formulas for basic health issues are:
Gui Zhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction)-Induces sweating to fight off a cold
Ping Wei San (Clear Stomach Formula)- To move
