Pulse Matrix Chinese Pulse Diagnosis

Now Available: Pulse Matrix Chinese Pulse Diagnosis
MERIDIAN HARMONICS Announces Revolutionary Pulse Diagnosis

Revolutionary Diagnostic System Invented by Meridian Harmonics

Chinese medicine has steadily been gaining credibility in the United States since the mid 1970's. Unfortunately, most doctors of Oriental medicine are not trained in the "hard science" of this 8000 year old medicine. Why? Because most practitioners and instructors in this field are not trained in the scientific disciplines that comprise the foundational basis for ALL medicine.

Most people do not realize that there are scientific principles and laws governing all matter in the universe. Nothing is exempt, especially medicine. This applies to western and eastern medicine. Both must play by the same rules.

For 13 years Mark Tryling has been studying the primary diagnostic system of Chinese medicine, pulse diagnosis, for a way to merge the concepts of western science with eastern medicine. His new book, for professionals, The Pulse Matrix, describes this system in great detail. He is now using this system, exclusively, with all his patients. A few of the benefits of this system are shown below:

Vascular Efficiency
Spinal Segment Imbalance Relationships to Systemic Organic Disorders
Treatment Strategy Options
Organ Stability and Volatility
Abdominal and Thoracic Cavity Organ Vitality
Endocrine System Imbalances
Organ Toxicity


He is a certified and credentialed CME (Continued Medical Education) Instructor for the Texas Medical Board and will begin teaching this complete system of diagnosis and treatment to other physicians and practitioners this year.

A Message from your acupuncturist:

Patient care is highly individualized. No two patients are considered to be the same in regards to their underlying disease processes or treatment strategies. At Meridian Harmonics, we understand this. As a result we work with each patient to design a treatment program to restore and maximize health and wellness in a timely fashion. Our best patients are those who are embrace the concepts of natural health and wellness, are willing to become educated in this 8000 year old medicine and team up with us in helping them reach their health goals.

D. Mark Tryling, LAC, D. AC, CH

About MERIDIAN HARMONICS
Meridian Harmonics Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine is located in Bedford, Texas. It has been providing patient care since 2001. It provides the three primary disciplines of Chinese medicine: acupuncture, and has a complete Chinese herbal compounding pharmacy to provide herbal solutions to internal medical disorders.

Treating Eczema with Chinese Medicine

An estimated 15 million people in the United States suffer from eczema, which usually looks like dry, scaly red skin patches accompanied by intense itching.
Standard treatment to reduce inflammation and itchiness can include corticosteroids, which have some serious side effects, including cataracts, glaucoma, gastrointestinal effects, hypertension, osteoporosis and weight gain.

A group of German researchers may have an answer to provide relief from the itching. Thirty people with eczema were treated right after being exposed to an allergen such as dust mites or pollen. All patients went through three different test conditions. The first treatment condition was "point-specific" acupuncture targeted at areas designed to treat itchy skin (Quchi and Xuehai points). The second treatment condition was "placebo-point" acupuncture treatment where the points selected were not those used to treat itchy skin. The third test condition was no treatment following allergen exposure.

It turned out that the subjects all reported lower levels of itchiness after receiving the point-specific acupuncture compared to either placebo acupuncture or no treatment. Even more interesting, when they got a second exposure to the allergen after the point-specific acupuncture, their flare-ups were less severe. Lead researcher Dr. Florian Pfab concluded: "Acupuncture at the correct points showed a significant reduction in type I hypersensitivity itch in patients with atopic eczema."

Another similar study was done in Israel two years ago, looking at the effectiveness of herbal medicine and acupuncture in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (the most common form of eczema). In that study, 20 patients between the ages of 13 and 48 were given a combined treatment of herbs and acupuncture three times daily for 12 weeks. All subjects were assessed at weeks 3, 6, 9 and 12. At the end of the 12 weeks, patient assessment of itch improved by 45 percent and quality of life improved by 39 percent. In that second study, the researchers concluded, "The results of this study suggest that the combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have a beneficial effect on patients with atopic dermatitis."

Many patients have some type of skin problem. Our skin is considered our largest organ and easily manifests internal imbalance, disharmony and toxicities. Depending on the severity and age of the problem, some patients will require a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. As with all internal medical conditions, Meridian Harmonics uses the Pulse Matrix™ diagnostic system to determine the correct acupuncture, herbal and dietary treatment strategies for each patient.

Signs & Symptoms of Exterior Pathogenic Cold

Cold is prevalent in winter. It usually attacks the body when the temperature is low and one fails to adapt oneself to the change by dressing properly. Pathogenic Cold may attack the Exterior of the body or invade the interior of the body directly. Diseases in the former case are called affliction of pathogenic Cold, and those in the latter case, direct attack of Cold on the interior.

Pathogenic Cold has the following features:

First, being a Yin pathogen, Cold tends to impair Yang Qi. Cold is the prevalent climate in winter, in which Yin Qi of nature is flourishing, so it is a Yin pathogen. Like attracts like. So Yin of the body will become hyperactive in the case of invasion of Cold and Yang Qi is over-restricted. For example, Cold attacking the Exterior often obstructs Defensive Qi (the immune system), leading to failure of the Exterior to be warmed and resultant chills. Direct attack of Cold on the Spleen and Stomach usually cause Cold pain in the abdomen, watery diarrhea, etc., meaning that Spleen Yang is impaired and its transforming and transporting actions are disturbed.

Second, cold is liable to cause coagulation of Blood and retention of Body Fluids. Blood and body fluids depend on the propelling effect of Yang Qi and a moderate temperature for their free circulation. If Cold invades the body, Yang Qi will be impaired and body temperature will be lowered. So the flow of Blood and Body Fluids will become sluggish, or even coagulated, which is clinically marked by pain. For example, rheumatic arthralgia is marked by Cold pain of the joints, which is usually severe and fixed.

Third, contracting nature of Cold. Cold often leads to inward movement of Qi, contraction of the muscle tissue and convulsion of tendons and vessels. If attacked by pathogenic Cold, the muscle tissue and the sweat pores will be closed, leading to obstruction of Defensive Qi, fever or chills and an absence of sweating. Cold Invasion into the vessels will cause coagulation of Qi and Blood and contraction of the vessels, leading to headache, pantalgia, tense pulse, etc. Inability of the limbs to flex and extend freely or Cold and numbness of the limbs will follow if the Cold attacks the Channels and joints and results in contraction of the tendons and Channels.

Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture can be used to treat pathogenic Cold preventing it from creating more serious problems.

Meridian Harmonics

Brief History of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine

The origin of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can be traced back to three legendary Emperors/mythical rulers: Fu Xi, Shen Nong, and Huang Di.

Shen Nong and Fu Xi are believed to be early tribal leaders. Fu Xi developed the Yi Jing (I Ching) or Book of Changes.

Shen Nong was known as the "Divine Cultivator" by the Chinese, because he is considered the founder of herbal medicine, and taught people how to farm. In order to determine the nature of different herbal medicines, Shen Nong sampled various kinds of plants, ingesting them himself to test and analyzed their individual effects.

Shen Nong is believed to have tasted a hundred herbs, including 70 toxic substances in a single day, in order to rid people of their illnesses. As there were no written records, the discoveries of Shen Nong were passed down verbally from generation to generation. Many years later, the oldest known book on agriculture and medicinal plants was compiled - Shen Nong Bencao Jing.

In 1578, Li Shizhen completed the Bencao Gangmu, also known as the Compendium of Materia Medica, which has been translated into 20 languages and used as a Chinese herbal reference until today. Clinical diagnosis and treatment in TCM are mainly based on the yin-yang and five elements theories. These theories use natural laws to study of the physiological activities and pathological changes of the human body and its interrelationships.

TCM diagnostics are based on overall observation of human symptoms rather than laboratory tests. There are four types of TCM diagnostic methods: observe, hear and smell, ask questions and palpation.

The diagnostics of an ailment includes its cause, mechanism, location, and nature, and the confrontation between the pathogenic factor and body resistance. Treatment is not based only on the symptoms, but differentiation of specific patterns.

Consequently, those with identical ailments may be treated in different ways, and on the other hand, different ailments may result in the same syndrome and are treated in similar ways.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine comprise one of the oldest organized systems of medicine the world has ever seen (8000 years) and has been used to address nearly every health concern that allopathic medicine traditionally has been treating the last 200 years.

Meridian Harmonics

Chinese Pulse Diagnosis – Part 2

Western lab tests are based on biochemical markers. Unfortunately, if all the markers are within the normal range, the blood work is considered normal and the patient should not be experiencing any health problems. If they are, most doctors consider it a psycho-emotional problem and prescribe anti-depressant medications.

Many patients bring me their comprehensive blood test reports that indicate, “All is well” with them. They ask, “If their blood work is normal why do I have this particular problem or why do I feel so poorly?” This happens all the time. Chinese pulse diagnosis evaluates the energetic state of the body. The field of physics tells us that there are basically two types of energy in the universe, which permeate everything: kinetic and potential energy. Kinetic energy is moving energy. Potential energy is stationary or stagnant energy, waiting to be used. These two energetic states are just another aspect of the concept of Yin and Yang. To maintain health Yin and Yang must be balanced, which means the kinetic and potential energies in the body need to be balanced. When they’re not, disease and disorders develop. 8000 years ago, ancient Chinese physicians developed a simple way to diagnose diseases and disorders, without the use of all the elaborate tools of western medicine. The pillar of this diagnostic system is Chinese pulse diagnosis.

At our clinic we have developed a pulse diagnostic system we call the Pulse Matrix©. It is an elaborate system for determining a variety of systemic health imbalances in the body. In the Pulse Matrix© system, there are over 1000 different pulse images, each with its own degree of pathology. The Pulse Matrix© can help patients understand there is another health care paradigm which can clearly determine health problems that are not indicated in typical lab tests.




Read more at The Pulse Matrix

Meridian Harmonics

Vascular Efficiency

The body is a complex system of interconnected organ systems. They are not self-sufficient. They require support from other organs in order to stay healthy. Each organ has its own unique support system. For example, in Chinese medicine, the Lungs are supported by: the Spleen, Bladder, Large Intestine and Liver. When these other organs are strong, healthy and balanced then the Lungs have low volatility and thus very high Vascular Efficiency (VE). High VE leads to protecting the organs/meridians from pathogenic factors, maintains harmonious movement of Qi (energy) & Blood and promotes balanced fluid metabolism in the body. Meridian Harmonics has developed a proprietary non-invasive method for determining individual organ stability, as well as composite meridian volatility. Composite meridian VE is a measure of total body health and ranges from 0-100%. The goal of long term health and wellness is to have a composite meridian VE greater than 60%. An excellent VE goal is 80% or more. A VE of 30% or below is considered a serious condition.

I recently evaluated a patient who had been diagnosed and was undergoing traditional western treatments for a brain tumor. On her initial visit, we used The Pulse Matrix© to determine the entire health state of the body. Her VE was calculated at 16%. This is fairly significant and does not normally appear on traditional western circulation tests. Low VE is related to a considerable imbalance of moving and stagnant energy (Qi, chee) in the body. In her case the stagnant energy is overwhelming the moving energy. An important premise of Chinese medicine is that movement = health and stagnation = disease. The human body was designed to be in a state of movement more than in a state of stagnation. In Chinese medicine tumors are considered conditions where the blood flow is impaired enough to form an unhealthy or diseased mass. This made sense to her.

Another patient who had been diagnosed with an enlarged prostate and was concerned about it developing into cancer. His doctor told him that there was nothing wrong with his circulatory system. However, his VE turned out to be 18%.

It’s easy for patients to see how their VE affects their overall health. It’s much easier to maintain a strong vascular system than one that is significantly impaired. The important thing is to identify it and treat it. High Vascular Efficiency leads to vascular health. It is so important for patients to realize that Chinese medicine, though different from western medicine in many respects, is all about restoring balance and health to the body.

Meridian Harmonics

Managing Symptoms with Food Energetics

How differently would you approach meals and diet if you didn’t have to concern yourself with the western concept of nutrients: carbs, fats, proteins, amino acids, sugar, vitamins and minerals? In Chinese medicine, diet and nutrition is as different from the traditional western nutritional concept as night and day. Most of our patients require dietary modifications, in addition to their acupuncture and herbal treatments, in order to experience significant progress in the treatment of their health problems.

It’s funny how most people say they want to improve their health, but when it comes to changing their diet or lifestyle they think that they can continue doing the same thing and expect to get different results. Someone once said that’s the definition of insanity. Chinese nutrition and dietary therapy is based on matching specific foods to each patient, based on the energetic and constitution of both. In Chinese medicine, the energetic properties of food are actually more important than their western nutritional content.

Most patients, in our modern western society, exhibit many of these symptoms: inflammation, fatigue, stress, burnout, insomnia, acid reflux, headaches, various pain, hypertension, blood sugar abnormalities, cholesterol problems, joint pain, asthma, allergies, abdominal pain, menstrual pain and irregularity, and the like. Though these conditions will respond well to acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, patients find it surprising that their progress can be hindered if they fail to adhere to some simple dietary suggestions.

For example, patients who are being treated for pain and also have a weight problem, are advised to avoid or drastically reduce certain foods that aggravate the weight problem, which exacerbates their pain: cold beverages, ice cream, caffeine, sugar, milk, and dairy products, rich or fried foods; as well as red meat and seafood - as they contain high levels of uric acid.

Adequate intake of minerals, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, are essential for pain management. Deficiency of these minerals will lead to spasms, cramps, and tense muscles. In Chinese dietary therapy, these nutrients act as muscle relaxants and are best consumed in natural occurring foods: Green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, and bok choy or Chinese cabbage; salmon and sardines canned with their soft bones, shellfish, almonds, Brazil nuts, dried beans, bananas, dried apricots, and avocados, cashews, peas and beans (legumes), seeds, soy products (such as soy flour and tofu), whole grains (such as brown rice and millet), broccoli, lima beans, tomatoes, potatoes (especially their skins), sweet potatoes, and winter squashes, citrus fruits, cantaloupe, bananas, kiwi, and prunes.

The beneficial foods for pain management prevent the accumulation of dampness and phlegm in the body, which stagnates both the flow of energy (Qi) and blood, and increases pain and inflammation. The goal of Food Energetics is to match a patient’s constitution with foods that balance them, energetically.

Meridian Harmonics

Chinese Pulse Diagnosis - Part 1

8000 years ago, ancient Chinese physicians developed a simple way to diagnose diseases and disorders, without the use of all the fancy toys of western medicine. In fact, there are times when the western lab tests fall short when it comes to picking up imbalances that don’t “fit” within the range that the western lab test is designed to reveal. The pillar of diagnostic procedures in Chinese medicine is rooted in pulse diagnosis, which is more than how fast or slow a person’s heart rate is. There are several different methods for deciphering pulse qualities, some ancient, others more modern.

Meridian Harmonics has developed a unique style of pulse diagnosis combining several different methods with some new strategies. We call this the Pulse Matrix ©. Each person has a unique set of pulse qualities that constitute their individual Pulse Matrix ©. One’s Pulse Matrix © can change, but often only varies within a small span along the Pulse Matrix © scale. A persons individual Pulse Matrix © discloses a great deal of information: the underlying pathogenic factors affecting them, the acupuncture meridians and points to use in treatment, the affected organ systems, the correct herbal strategies, vertebral misalignment and the affected endocrine organs, to name a few. Pulse assessment and interpretation only takes a few minutes and leads to more accurate diagnosis and robust treatment strategies.



Read more at The Pulse Matrix

Meridian Harmonics

Exercise Holds Off Aging

Physically active people have cells that look younger on a molecular level than those of couch potatoes, according to research that offers fundamental new insight into how exercise may help stave off aging.

Researchers have found that exercise appears to slow the shriveling of the tips that protect bundles of genes inside cells, perhaps keeping frailty at bay. Being physically active reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases, potentially extending longevity. Researchers examined structures inside cells known as telomeres. They are using telomere length as a marker of biological aging. Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes, the structures that carry genes. Every time a cell divides, telomeres get shorter. When telomeres get too short, cells can no longer divide. Scientists believe that aging occurs as more and more cells reach the end of their telomeres and die - muscles weaken, skin wrinkles, eyesight and hearing fade, organs fail and thinking clouds.

In Chinese medicine, exercise stimulates healthy cellular activity in all the body’s organs. Cardiovascular exercise dramatically increases oxygen levels in the body. Abundant oxygen seems to be the catalyst for a cascade of beneficial physical activities that lead to delayed aging. Both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can minimize those deficiencies responsible for premature aging.

Meridian Harmonics

Molecular Basis of Meridians

One of the most puzzling questions in Chinese medicine for 8000 years is that nobody has yet found any trace of meridians, despite the incredible usefulness of meridians in diagnosis and treatment of diseases. A current theory describes meridians as being made up of aligned stable water clusters that have an electric dipole, with a positive charge on one end and a negative charge on the other. Since these stable water clusters are made up of only water molecules, it is impossible to find them among ordinary water in the tissue.

If meridians are made up of water clusters, they will conduct electricity better because water conducts electricity better than ordinary tissues in the human body. Hence, body-surface conductivity is found to be higher on acupoints than on other points of the skin. At our clinic we can confirm this through electro-dermal screening. Therefore, meridians will also act like tubes or channels with water in them. Furthermore, the negative and positive characteristics of stable water clusters agree with the concept of yin and yang.

Since the majority of the mass of a water molecule comprises the element oxygen (oxygen is 16 times heaver than hydrogen), it could be said that oxygen is the determining factor of the state of the meridians. Therefore, when a person’s body lacks sufficient oxygen levels it affects the integrity of the stable water clusters, which, in turn affect the meridian systems and their associated organs. The lack of sufficient oxygen in the body first appears in the blood, which the body uses to supply nutrition and oxygen to every cell in the body. Any lack of nutrition and oxygen in the blood eventually affects the health of the entire body.

Treating acupoints along the course of the acupuncture meridians influences the health of the body and its internal organs. In essence, acupuncture stimulates these stable water clusters to:

1) strongly conduct the body’s own bioelectric current along the course of the meridian
2) strengthens the integrity of these stable water clusters
3) drains pathogenic influences from the meridian and its associated organ
4) boost the health of the internal organs
5) increase blood flow to various regions and tissues along the course of the meridian.

How can we use this information? Stable water clusters are formed from normal water in the body. When a person consumes insufficient amounts of water it affects the formation of adequate stable water clusters, which, in turn, affects the integrity of the meridian system and their associated organs. Also, when a person consumes food, prescription drugs or fluids that dries out the body’s inherent moisture it creates a significant imbalance in the body that can be difficult for the body to compensate for, on it’s own. When this happens it is necessary to intervene with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to restore balance to body.

Meridian Harmonics

Happy New Year – Year of the Yin Earth Ox

2009 is a Yin Earth Ox year. It's going to be a year concentrating on sensitive and earthy things to do with food, patience, finances, support, nurturing and resources. The Ox year is a often conservative year, one of traditions and values, not a year to be too outrageous. A slow but steady year. This Ox year will bring stability and slow growth, so patience and diligence will pay off.

This is a year of harvest, when we reap what we have sown in the past. Take care of your health this coming year. Do not let things slide. Focus on earth themes – rebuilding, reconstruction, health, housing, and agricultural to ensure a sufficient supply of food, and make progress in environment repair.

Earth in general relates to stomach, pancreas, muscles and cells. Health problems related to Earth could be stomach problems, food poisoning, or diarrhea. Disorder in the Earth elements can mean problems with muscles and cells, and can bring obesity, diabetes, or cancer. Diabetes is a sickness caused by insulin disorders produced by the pancreas symbolized by Earth element in Chinese medicine. Diabetes is also caused by imbalances in the Earth element. 2009 will see these health problems in focus in the Ox year.

For health matters this year, pay special attention to these: related to the mouth, lungs, reproductive organs, bladder, kidney and ears. Terminal illnesses such as cancers will rise, being ruled by soggy or damp Earth in Chinese medicine.

Meridian Harmonics

The China Study, Part 3: Growth of Cancer Cells

In T. Colin Campbell’s book, "The China Study”, he discusses the three stages of cancer growth: initiation, promotion and progression. Cancer growth is similar to the growth of seeds planted in the ground. The initiation of cancer begins with specific chemicals or carcinogens that transform or mutate healthy cells into cancer prone cells. This mutation can take as little as a few minutes. Once the mutated cells are formed they are considered to be irreversible. At this point the newly formed mutated cells are ready to grow and multiply. This stage normally occurs over an extended period of time.

Cancer cells require a favorable environment in order to grow. If any favorable environmental factors are lacking then the cancer cells will become dormant. In other words the promotion cycle of cancer cells is reversible, given the proper growth environment is removed. Cancer cell growth and decline is highly sensitive to dietary factors, since dietary characteristics create specific internal environments in the body.

The progression of cancer cells is similar to an overgrowth of weeds in a lawn. The cancer cells migrate away from their point of origin, to invade or infest other regions. This stage is also known as malignancy. Metastasizing cancer is when the cancer cells actually break away from the point of origin and moves to a new location.

The initiation phase begins when enzymes in the body metabolize carcinogens. If the correct enzymes are present, the carcinogens are detoxified and cancer cell initiation never begins. If the correct enzymes are not present then the body’s environment is favorable for cancer development. The determining state of the enzymes is related to proteins consumed in the diet, of which there are many.

Per Dr. Campbell’s research, decreasing protein consumption from 20% to 5% of a persons diet reduces carcinogen mutation of healthy cells to cancer cells by 76%! In fact, cancer precursor cell growth is almost entirely dependent on the amount of protein consumed! Even more surprising the research shows that reducing protein intake reversed high quantity of cancer precursor cells from multiplying! His research concluded that protein consumption is the catalyst or switch to turn cancer cell growth on and off. This is good news!

Unfortunately, the average American consumes 15% (60-70 grams) or more protein per day. Dr. Campbell’s research indicates that cancer growth is switched on when the amount of protein consumed per day is above 10% or 50-60 grams. Even more important, cancer cell growth actually declined on a diet of 5% protein. The most astonishing fact that came from the research was that the protein source does influence the cancer growth results: animal protein is responsible for cancer growth, whereas plant based proteins had no influence on cancer cell proliferation.

One of the most potent cancer promoting animal proteins is casein, found only in cow’s milk and it’s byproducts. So, in this Earth Ox year it would be prudent to focus on eating a diet that is more rooted in the earth.

Meridian Harmonics

Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs for Stress

Researchers have found more people are turning to acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to alleviate symptoms caused by the emotional stress of everyday life. Their findings indicate more people are seeking acupuncture and herbal treatments for emotional issues such as depression, stress and anxiety.

With people working longer hours and dealing with the economic and social pressures of today, many are finding it hard to cope. The top three emotional issues for which acupuncture treatment is sought are depression (18%), anxiety (13%) and insomnia (10%) with stress following closely behind.

At least one out of every six people becomes depressed or anxious in the course of their lives. One in 20 is clinically depressed. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are playing a bigger part in the way patients address mental health issues. Stress, anxiety, depression and other psycho-emotional disorders tend to bind up and stagnate the flow energy and blood in the body, which can lead to even more serious health problems.

Depression and anxiety are, actually, one of the most common health issues acupuncturists are approached about. An acupuncture session completely focuses on the patient and hears what they experience. It involves one-on-one time in order to understand them as an individual with their treatment plan specifically custom made. This, in combination with the needling to lift mood and give much needed relief, can be very powerful. Depression is in the top five health problems among acupuncture patients alongside back pain, fertility, headaches and skin problems.

Acupuncture is an Oriental therapy that aims to improve the overall wellbeing of the patient, rather than treating specific symptoms in isolation. Traditional Chinese philosophy states that our health is dependent on the body's motivating energy - known as Qi - moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of meridians (channels) beneath the skin.

For any number of reasons the flow of Qi can be disturbed leading to impaired health. By inserting fine needles into the channels or meridians of energy or Qi, an acupuncturist can stimulate one’s own healing response and help restore its natural balance. For many patients a natural approach is preferred over western pharmacological drug therapies, which never actually treat the root cause of these disorders.

Meridian Harmonics

Acupuncture Beats Aspirin For Chronic Headache

Researchers report acupuncture works better than drugs like aspirin to reduce the severity and frequency of chronic headaches. The study involved nearly 4,000 patients with migraine, tension headache and other forms of chronic headache and showed 62 percent of the acupuncture patients reported headache relief compared to 45 percent of people taking medications. Researchers say 53 percent of patients given true acupuncture were helped, compared to 45 percent receiving sham therapy involving needles inserted in non-medical positions.

Acupuncture is becoming a favorable option for a variety of purposes, ranging from enhancing fertility to decreasing post-operative pain, because people experience significantly fewer side effects and it can be less expensive than other options. One of the barriers to treatment with acupuncture is getting people to understand that while needles are used, it is not a painful experience. It is a method for releasing your body's own natural painkillers.

The researchers found it took on average five to six visits for patients to report sustained headache relief. In Chinese medicine, headaches have a number of different etiologies. Each requires unique therapeutic strategies to treat successfully. The key is determining the individual cause for each patient's particular type of headache.


Meridian Harmonics

Nervous System Damage by Excitotoxins

Excitotoxins are chemical compounds that damage nerve cells. Long term exposure to excitotoxins can be a contributing factor in the development of spinal cord injuries, stroke, traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as Multiple sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, Alcoholism and Huntington's disease, hypoglycemia and brain seizures.

They come in a variety of forms. The most common are found in processed or package foods: glutamates (MSG), and aspartame. They affect the nervous system by creating lesions or diseased tissues inhibiting normal cellular and organ function. As a result, they can play an active role in chronic diseases and the insidious progress of a number of pathological disease processes in the body.

The majority of patients have various levels of excitotoxicty. Consequently, it is imperative that their treatments involve a detoxification of these substances, as well as others, that prevent their bodies from returning to optimal health. Another aspect is limiting or avoiding exposure to these substances in the diet.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can provide treatment strategies that allow patients a safe method for not only purging toxins from the body but also restoring vibrant health to the body’s organs and nervous system.

Meridian Harmonics

Prolonging Diseases with Food

Why is it that most people are still so resistant to eating a healthier diet? I’m convinced that it is due to the fact that certain artificial flavoring and coloring that “enhances” the tastes of nutritionally substandard processed foods actually is addictive.
It is no different than being addicted to recreational or pharmaceutical drugs, sugar, dairy products, chocolate, excessively spicy foods and fried or greasy foods. In working with patients, I often find they are eating foods and chemically enhanced food products that are actually contributing or prolonging their particular signs and symptoms of disease. Over the last fifty years, food processors have steadily increased the amount of MSG added to foods. One of the primary and most consistent effects of MSG and other excitotoxins is triggering "an insulin/adrenalin/fat storage/food craving response." That response is what causes the, "I'm hungry again an hour after I eat fast food," quandary. It is also why some of us crave potato chips and other snack foods that contain monosodium glutamate, even though we're full. MSG abnormally increases the weight of the adrenal gland increasing the levels of adrenal adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin in the body leading to development of Type II Diabetes.

MSG causes us to crave the foods processed with MSG-and a majority of processed and prepackaged foods now contain monosodium glutamate. In fact, monosodium glutamate is crucial ingredients in low-fat and non-fat foods, since much of the natural flavors are lost when processed. One characteristic of obesity induced by excitotoxins is that it doesn't appear to depend on food intake. This explains why some people cannot diet away their obesity – it’s a toxicity problem. Food labels hide MSG by renaming them: natural pork flavoring, bouillon, natural beef flavoring, whey protein concentrate, whey protein, whey protein isolate, maltodextrin, ultra-pasteurized, barley malt, protease, protease enzymes, soy sauce, soy protein, anything protein fortified, natural flavor(s), seasonings.

The pharmaceutical industry also uses MSG, and sugar, to improve the taste of some otherwise bitter drugs. Monosodium glutamate was used in powdered baby formula until the 1960's when it was determined MSG had detrimental neurological impact on the brain of infants.

Often MSG reactivity is called the "Fast Food Syndrome" because of the physical symptoms that some people often experience after eating fast food. Some of the most common symptoms of MSG sensitivity or allergy include headache, sometimes called MSG headache, flushing, numbness or tingling in or around the mouth, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, muscle tightening, or lightheadedness, migraines and even mood changes.

The solution to many of our modern diseases is two-fold: 1) patient education to empower them with specialized knowledge, and 2) natural and holistic treatment strategies that treat the disease process at its root rather than “band-aiding” it. This is precisely the goal of Chinese Medicine.

Meridian Harmonics

Notes from The China Study, Part 2

Current healthcare problems in the U.S:

1) Vascular (heart and arteries) disease. The most pervasive killer in our culture is heart disease. Heart disease will kill 1 out of 3 Americans. 60 million Americans currently suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.

2) 1 out of 2 men and 1 out of 3 women will develop cancer.

3) Obesity in the US now significantly outnumbers those who maintain a healthy weight. Over 33% of adults 20 years of age and over are obese.

4) 1 out of 13 Americans now has diabetes. The annual economic cost of diabetes is $98 Billion! Diabetes and obesity are SYPMTOMS of poor health. They rarely exist in isolation of other diseases and often predict deeper, more serious health problems, such as heart disease, cancer and stroke. MILLIONS of Americans unknowingly are developing diabetes and will suffer its consequences, including blindness, limb amputation, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and premature death. Despite this fact, fast food restaurants that serve nutritionally defunct foods are now fixtures in nearly every town. Americans spend more time watching TV, playing video games, and using the computer and thus are less physically active.

5) Physician error, medication error and adverse events from drugs or surgery kill 225,400 people per year. That makes our health care system the THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH in the United States, behind cancer and heart disease. Even with the use of approved medicines and correct medication procedures, over 100,000 people die every year from unintended reactions to the “medicine”. 7% (1 out of 15) of all hospitalized patients have experienced a serious adverse drug reaction that prolonged their hospitalization or permanently disabled them or resulted in their death.

There is a way to a life free from disease. It begins with the recommendations from this great book, The China Study, and using acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to rid one's body from the pathological processes leading to the disease process. It really is this simple.

Meridian Harmonics

Antibiotics Damage Tendons

U.S. health regulators recently revealed certain drugs such as Cipro, Avelox, Factive, Levaquin, Floxin, Noroxin and Proquin XR need stronger warnings about the risk of tendonitis and ruptured tendons. The estimated risk of tendon ruptures is about three to four times higher with these drugs or about 1 in 100,000 in the general population. Most cases involve the Achilles tendon, which attaches the calf muscle to the heel. Less frequent ruptures affected tendons in the shoulders, biceps, hands and elsewhere.

Government data indicates 262 reported tendon ruptures, 258 cases of tendonitis and 274 other tendon disorders through the end of 2005. Since then, roughly 100 more cases have been reported. The risk is greater in patient’s ages 60 and older, those who have had certain organ transplants and those using steroid therapy.

Despite existing warnings, the FDA continues to receive a considerable number of reports of tendon-related adverse events. The FDA believes that these new labeling changes will better inform health-care providers and patients about the risk. In some cases the damage is irreversible, in spite of surgical therapy.
Many patients are unaware that Chinese herbal medicine is a suitable alternative to western drugs, without the dangerous side effects.

Meridian Harmonics

Notes from The China Study, Part 1

A new standard of nutrition is surfacing from recently published research, spanning more than 30 years, documented in the book The China Study. The evidence is overwhelming. A few of the findings:

Many of the diseases Americans are facing are actually rooted in three things: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Our food has become the worse enemy of our health and wellbeing. Certain people and companies are making a lot of money selling foods, which are actually, killing us. In fact they want us to continue eating these foods, even though they make us fat, depletes our vitality and shortens and degrades our lives. Their goal is to keep us docile, compliant and ignorant. They are afraid of informed, active and passionately alive consumers. They are willing to spend billions of dollars doing so.

Good diet is the most powerful weapon we have against disease and sickness. Misinformation dominates our society. As a result Americas health is failing. Our country’s strength depends on the strength and vitality of its citizens. If our society continues on its present track, our nation’s enemy’s ability to defeat us increases simply due to the fact we are already dying, from the inside out.

America spends more on health care, per capita, than any other society on the planet. Yet two thirds of Americans are overweight, and 15 million Americans have diabetes. 50% of Americans have a health problem that requires taking a prescription drug, every week for the rest of their lives. Over 100 million Americans have high cholesterol.

American children are in the worse condition than they have ever been. One third are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. They are developing diabetes at an ever-increasing younger age. And now, American children are taking more prescription drugs than ever before. Children who eat the highest protein diet are the ones most likely to get liver cancer – typically children of the wealthiest families.

Nutrition trumps chemical carcinogens in controlling cancer. After cancer initiation, low protein diets block subsequent cancer growth. Dietary protein proved to be so powerful in its effect that cancer growth can be turned on and off by simply changing the level of protein consumed. (more to come…)

Meridian Harmonics

The Cost of Neck & Back Pain

Back and neck problems are the most common pain in the United States. In 2002 26 percent of respondents reported low back pain and 14 percent reported neck pain in the previous three months. The proportion of people with impaired function due to back and neck problems increased drastically from 1997 to 2005, even after considering the aging factor.

The medical cost for treating back and neck problems have jumped faster than general medical expenditures during the past decade, but the increase apparently has not resulted in a health status that matches the magnitude of the increased cost. The cost for treatments of back and neck problems in the United States reached $86 billion in 2005, a 65 percent increase from 1997 after adjusting for inflation. When inflation was counted, medical expenditures for Americans with back and or neck problems rose about 65% from 1997 to 2005.

In 2005 the average medical expenditure among those with spine or back and neck problems was $6,096! The data suggests that spine problems are expensive, due both to large numbers of affected persons and to high costs per person. Unfortunately, improvements in health outcomes from drug or surgical therapies were not correspondent with the costs.

As a result, more patients are turning to alternative treatments for both acute and chronic neck, back and spinal pain. Many patients find tremendous pain relief using acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapies. They, often, return to normal daily life, without drugs and surgery, much quicker than they would have with traditional therapies.

Meridian Harmonics

Identifying and Treating Adrenal Fatigue

Often times, patients complain of being burned out with symptoms of premature aging, fatigue, no energy, lack of interest, drive and satisfaction. Most of the time this is due to excessive stress, anxiety, tension, overwork, and insufficient rest. In Chinese medicine this is known as an excessive consumption of Qi (life force or energy), blood, Yin, Yang and Essence. This will be accompanied by weakness in several organs and their associated meridians: Spleen, Stomach, Heart and Kidneys. Other signs associated with this disorder are generalized weakness, forgetfulness, being easily frightened, low-grade fever, night sweats, decreased libido, compromised immune system, obesity, depression, insomnia and other sexual disorders.

Its important for patients to realize that simple lifestyle changes can improve the symptoms of adrenal fatigue, also known as Addison’s disease. Beginning with nutrition: increase the consumption of more fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds and nuts, fish, fish oils, onions, garlic, olives, olive oil, soy products, yogurt, fiber, sea vegetables (kelp and dulse will replenish magnesium, potassium, calcium, iodine and iron), vitamin B complex. Avoid and reduce: red meat, alcohol, fats, processed foods and stimulants (coffee, sodas, sugar foods). Food allergies and chemical sensitivities place additional stress on the organs, draining them of energy and causing fatigue.

In western medicine, adrenal fatigue is related to imbalances in the endocrine system, the primary organs of which are the pituitary, thyroid, pancreas, and adrenal glands. Normal functioning of endocrine system is essential for health. Imbalance of the endocrine system will lead to disease. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be used to stimulate the endocrine system in order to balance hormone levels, resulting in improved circulation of energy, blood and body fluids, increased energy and well-being.

Benefits of Cinnamon

In Chinese herbal medicine, cinnamon, known as gui zhi, is a very commonly used herb in many traditional formulas for thousands of years. Recently, the western medical community has begun to take notice of many of its benefits. It is classified as a warm acrid herb that is chiefly used for releasing cold pathogenic factors from the interior of the body by inducing sweating, in the case of colds, influenza, allergies where there are more cold signs and symptoms.

It is to be used cautiously for patients or conditions where there are heat signs: fever, inflammation, hot flashes, night sweating, sore throat, dry mouth, bleeding disorders, heavy menstrual periods and pregnancy.

It acts strongly on the Lung and Bladder meridians, which play a major role in colds, influenza and allergies. Cinnamon can also be used to treat painful obstructions (i.e. arthritis) in the joints that are aggravated by cold damp weather. For women with painful menstruation due to “cold trapped in the uterus”, cinnamon can be used to move blood and energy in the uterus.

It is important for patients to know that to properly determine whether they are candidates for cinnamon, they consult with a physician of Chinese medicine to undergo traditional tongue and pulse diagnosis. Self-medicating with cinnamon, or any other herb, can be counterproductive to a patients condition, especially if the nature of the herb and the condition are not fully known.

Since cinnamon has a warm nature it can adversely affect patients with high blood pressure. Western medicine has recently discovered that cinnamon may improve glucose and lipid control in some patients with type 2 diabetes. It is important to note that not all patients will respond positively to cinnamon therapy.

Chinese medicine is all about restoring balance to the body’s organs and meridians. This can be achieved through acupuncture and Chinese herbs. When used together, the results can be very powerful.

Meridian Harmonics

http://meridianharmonics.blogspot.com

Health Care Crisis

From Hale "Bonddad" Stewart at the HuffingtonPost.com a great article on the problem with health care in the United States.

Michael Moore's movie SiCKO has promoted the health care debate to front and center. While I have not seen the movie -- and probably won't -- I firmly agree with the need to create some type of national health insurance. There are three primary reasons for this.

While I will almost always advocate for a market based economic approach to allocating resources, health care is not an area where the profit motive should dominate decision making. Simply put, the end product is, always, a patient's health. Private health insurance has a conflict of interest between the insurance company and the insured which will be resolved in favor of the insurance company, almost, all the time.

Hypothetical case in point. Insured makes a claim with the insurance company, which is a publicly traded company. Because the insurance company is publicly traded they must turn a profit and increase their profits to maintain their share price. In order to make a profit they have every incentive to either

1. Deny the insureds claim, or
2. Delay payment to increase the possibility the insured will drop his claim

There are numerous stories about an insured making a routine claim only to be inundated with paperwork, or being told the policy doesn't cover that procedure, or being told the insurance company has to look into the claim to see if the insurance company can make a payment. In any of these situations the central idea of insurance -- to provide some safety for the insured at a specific cost -- is compromised.

In addition, insurance companies will seek to minimize the amount of money they would have to pay to the insured. Again, remember the product here is the patient's health. Supposed the insured has a disease where the cure is expensive but a cheaper alternative exists. However, the cheaper alternative would moderately or seriously compromise the insureds quality of life. Because the insurance company is profit-driven, it will probably opt for the cheaper treatment that compromises the insureds quality of life.

Secondly, private health care is more expensive than public health care. Here are three charts compiled from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The figures are from 2004.

First, the US spends the least amount of public money on health care.



However, the US spends the most on health care as a percentage of GDP


and on a per capita basis.



Notice the partially inverse relationship between public expenditures and total amount spent on health care. In short, publicly available health care is cheaper.

Finally there is the issue of competitiveness. General Motors of Canada is a good example.

"The Canadian plan has been a significant advantage for investing in Canada," says GM Canada spokesman David Patterson, noting that in the United States, GM spends $1,400 per car on health benefits. Indeed, with the provinces sharing 75 percent of the cost of Canadian health care, it's no surprise that GM, Ford and Chrysler have all been shifting car production across the border at such a rate that the name "Motor City" should belong to Windsor, not Detroit. Just two years ago, GM Canada's CEO Michael Grimaldi sent a letter co-signed by Canadian Autoworkers Union president Buzz Hargrave to a Crown Commission considering reforms of Canada's 35-year-old national health program that said, "The public health care system significantly reduces total labor costs for automobile manufacturing firms, compared to their cost of equivalent private insurance services purchased by U.S.-based automakers." That letter also said it was "vitally important that the publicly funded health care system be preserved and renewed, on the existing principles of universality, accessibility, portability, comprehensiveness and public administration," and went on to call not just for preservation but for an "updated range of services." CEOs of the Canadian units of Ford and Daimler-Chrysler wrote similar encomiums endorsing the national health system.

Health care costs are killing American business. Our international competitors don't have to deal with these costs. As a result, private health care is making US business less competitive. This in turn shifts jobs, business and money, overseas, thus impacting the US economy, even more. Get the picture?

So, public health eliminates a conflict of interest that compromises individual health, is cheaper and makes the US more competitive. And we don't have a public health system because?

Comparing Western and Chinese Medicine

The following article is result of several inquiries, over the years regarding the primary differences between western and Chinese medicine.

Age: Western medicine is a little over 200 years old. Chinese medicine dates back 8000 years ago.

Western medical philosophy: Wait for symptoms to appear, then treat the symptoms. Rooted in the concept of a collection of body parts and chemicals. Treatment methods involve the repair and replacement of body parts (surgery) and the "correction" of body chemistry by other chemicals (drugs).

Chinese medical philosophy: Prevent the occurrence of symptoms by keeping the entire mind-body-spirit in balance. Rooted in the concept that the body comprises complex energy systems continuosly striving to keep itself in balance.

Focus of western medicine: Trauma, emergency & surgical medicine. Analytical and compartmentalized approach. Superior in defending and eliminating external pathogens that threaten life.

Focus of Chinese medicine: Acute and chronic non-emergency medicine. Holistic approach. Superior in fundamentally prevention of disease and associated processes.

Western medical Cost's: Pay insurance premiums in order to have the right to have an average co-pay of $15 - 20 for office visits and $10 - 20 for prescription medications and annual deductible of $2000. Average monthly premium is between a car payment or mortgage payment or combination of the two ($200-1100 per month). Average family of four annual premium is $10,000, which approximates the annual salary of a minimum wage worker. Annual costs: $2400-13,200 + co-pays + average of $2000 deductible = $4400 - 15,200.

Chinese medical Cost's: Pay out of pocket for treatments. Average monthly maintenance & wellness treatments approx. $250. (1 acupuncture treatment, 1 massage, and custom herbal formulas). Annual costs for maintenance & wellness treatments are approximately $3000.

Western medical Care Responsibility: Managed care dictates that each patient relinquish control of their health and wellness over to the managed care provider (health insurance company).

Chinese medical Care Responsibility: Individual patient assumes control of their own health and wellness; works with their health care practitioner on obataining optimal results without third party insurance interference.

How western medicine succeeds: Insurance systems work best when the fewest number of participants actually use it (i.e. make claims). This way an insurer makes profit and is supposed to lower the premium which, in turn, brings more paying participants who are happy NOT TO USE the insurance, especially if it does not cost them too much. Remember, we are talking about real insurance and truly "insurable event" - something that is definitely undesirable.

How Chinese medicine succeeds: Health or wellness systems works best when the most people use it (i.e. get checkups, tests and preventative, maintenance treatments).

Western medical satisfaction: Managed health care, unfortunately, satisfies nobody. It enrages health care practitioners and consumers alike when it limits or denies payments on the grounds that the particular treatment or service is not medically necessary. It also frustrates insurers by mandating payment for routine services, whether they are really necessary or not. 46 million in US can not afford to have health insurance. 60% of uninsured are under the age of 35.

Chinese medical satisfaction: Those who are willing to take responsibility for their own health and wellness are the most satisfied, since they are working with their health care practitioner on a workable plan to attain optimum wellness.

Western medical Value System: Another basic problem with the current system: it's the belief that health care is a benefit of employment. So if you are unemployed, self-employed or employed by someone who lacks the negotiating power of big businesses - health insurance is not for you. The current fundamentally irrational health insurance system is designed for conflicts and lawsuits rather than providing the best health care at the best prices.

Chinese medical Value System: The value of Health is set predominately high versus placing high values on living a lifestyle or adopting habits that are counterproductive to health, longevity and wellness. Based on the concept of balance: mentally, physically, spiritually at a cost that is comparable to or less than health insurance premiums.

Western medical physician Malpractice Insurance: The cost of malpractice insurance has caused good doctors to leave there practices, due to ever increasing premiums, which are passed on to patients as increased treatment fees.

Chinese medical physician Malpractice Insurance: Since holistic medicine is less invasive, the risk of injury or death is dramatically lower, allowing for relatively low malpractice premiums, which allow for reduced fees for patient care.

Meridian Harmonics

Summer Referral Special

Refer a new patient and receive a $10 gift card to area merchants (ex. Starbucks, Movie Theaters, grocery stores, restaurants, etc. or $10 off your next acupuncture visit)

Discounts available from June through August 2007.
Not good with any other discount.

Green Tea Eases Rheumatoid Arthritis

Researchers have found that Green tea appears to act as a mild Cox-2 inhibitor. In addition to its cardiovascular and anticancer benefits, Green tea also seems to reduce inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis. According to the Arthritis Foundation, about 2.1 million Americans have rheumatoid arthritis.

Historically, green tea is used in Chinese herbal medicine and dietary therapy to treat inflammatory conditions. It also has the ability to calm the stomach; relieve diarrhea, nausea and vomiting; treat headaches and help with treating damp stagnation leading to obesity.

Green tea stimulates the central nervous system, thus benefiting chemotherapy patients. It also reduces the risk of developing colon polyps and reduces total blood cholesterol.

One expert said the new green tea study was intriguing. "This study is very specific," said Stephen Hsu, an associate professor of dentistry, molecular medicine and genetics at the medical College of Georgia in Augusta.

Professor Hsu has found that green tea may help protect against certain autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and Sjogren’s syndrome, in which the body triggers an immune response, basically attacking its own cells.

Chinese herbal and dietary therapies are based on the concept of using the energetic properties of substances to counter the “nature” of a disease. Since green tea is bitter and cooling, it is easy to see how it can benefit most inflammatory conditions. There has been research that shows green tea mildly reversing MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) and PRSA (pefloxacin-resistant S. aureus), both dangerous infectious bacterial strains. Green tea is a safe herb. The only caution is that it contains caffeine and may interact with certain prescription medications.

Meridian Harmonics

Summer Season’s Health Challenges

The recent onset of summer weather brings with it a season plagued with specific types of ailments. In Chinese medicine, each season is characterized by certain properties. The summer season will generally aggravate conditions having heat as an underlying cause.

Examples of symptoms and diseases sensitive to excessive external climatic heat are:

General signs & symptoms: skin rashes and itching, spasms, common cold, nodules and tumors, elevated sexual desire, diabetes, eczema, psoriasis, jaundice, hepatitis, convulsions, summer flu, acute viral and bacterial infections, edema, arthritis and joint pain, numbness, menopausal syndrome.

Upper Body: headache and migraines, emotional stress, red painful dry eyes, sore or swollen throat, irritability, restlessness, insomnia, high blood pressure, ringing in the ears, coughing with thick sputum, thirst, mouth ulcers, swollen and painful gums, mental confusion, cataracts, hyperthyroidism, dizziness, nosebleed, scrofula and goiter, upper respiratory problems, sinusitis, rhinitis, allergies, tuberculosis, asthma and wheezing, ear pain, insufficient lactation, strokes, lockjaw, hemiplegia, chest pain, palpitations.

Lower Body: constipation or diarrhea, urinary difficulty, hemorrhoids, urinary tract infections, menstrual problems, abdominal pain, miscarriage, genital itching, vaginal discharge, gallbladder pain, morning sickness, hernia, heartburn, acid reflux.

Oriental medicine is all about restoring the body to an optimal balanced state. Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese dietary therapy and acupuncture can all be used to treat “heat” type conditions. This is accomplished by clearing heat from the body, specific organs, and acupuncture meridians. One great example of a Chinese medicinal herb that clears heat from the body is green tea.

Meridian Harmonics

West Nile Virus Season & Buzzing Mosquitoes

When mosquitoes come so does the risk of West Nile Virus. People should take precautions to avoid infection of the West Nile Virus, which can seriously affect human health.

Mosquitoes that feed on infected birds carry WNV. When the infected mosquitoes feed on humans they transmit the disease. Usually, human infection starts to take hold in the mid to late summer.

Most humans who become infected will not get very ill. However, if more humans are infected in a given year, the number of complications and eventual deaths rises. The elderly and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk of health complications.

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water. If you can limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed you will be reducing your chances of being bitten. Some simple measures can make a massive difference:

-- Remove all stagnant water around your home.
-- Make sure there are no discarded car tires lying around
-- Check areas you may have overlooked for recipients, which may collect water
-- Clean out rain gutters
-- Expose as little of your skin as you can when you go out
-- Try not to go out during dawn and dusk
-- Place netting over infant carriers when outdoors

Typical symptoms of WNV are: headache, high fever, neck stiffness, vomiting, skin rashes, stupor, disorientation, muscle weakness, tremors & convulsions, paralysis & coma. Chinese herbal medicine is a safe and effective treatment for WNV.

Meridian Harmonics

Weight Loss Prevention for Hypertension

Reducing body weight is a "major component" in the treatment of hypertension, according to current research. Researchers found for approximately every two pounds dropped, blood pressure falls about 1 mm Hg.

According to Chinese medicine, normal and healthy blood pressure requires a subtle balance between several different organ systems. Patients also struggling with weight gain or obesity tend to fall into one of two categories: 1) Spleen disorders, 2) Kidney disorders.

When either or both of these organ systems are out of balance the Heart system can suffer tremendously. Weight gain and obesity are considered to be an overabundance of the Chinese pathogenic factor Dampness, which overburden the lymphatic system of western medicine. This is a filtration system for our blood and body fluids. It literally is a connection between our blood and other fluids in the body. As a result it is a connection between the Heart, Spleen and Kidneys.

When this system becomes stagnant, fluids begin to congregate and are not properly processed by our body. Fluid stagnation continues to build up pressure in the whole body causing stress in each of the body’s organs. As this pressure continues to rise, it overwhelms the body’s organs, preventing them from successfully fulfilling their individual functions. If allowed to continue our organs become weaker and more fragile and will eventually shut down leading to severe health problems or even death.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be very effective tools for those patients with hypertension who also need to lose weight.

Meridian Harmonics

Cola Raises Women's Osteoporosis Risk

New research suggests carbonated cola’s boosts osteoporosis risk in women.
Women who drink cola daily had lower bone mineral density than those who drink it only once a week. If you are worried about osteoporosis, it is probably a good idea to switch to another beverage or to limit your cola to occasional use.

The report was published in the October issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

About 55 percent of Americans, mostly women, are at risk for developing osteoporosis.
Researchers collected data on more than 2,500 participants averaging just below 60 years of age. The researchers looked at bone mineral density at three different hip sites, as well as the spine.

They found that in women, drinking cola was associated with lower bone mineral density at all three hip sites, regardless of age, menopause, total calcium and vitamin D intake, or smoking or drinking alcohol. Women reported drinking an average of five carbonated drinks a week, four of which were cola.

Bone density among women who drank cola daily was almost 4 percent less, compared with women who didn't drink cola, which is quite significant when you are talking about the density of the skeleton.

Bone health is related to the Kidney organ system, in Chinese medicine. This research suggests that carbonated colas prevent the Kidney system from keeping the skeletal system strong, which is confirmed by the Chinese Five Element model of Earth overacting on Water. The Earth element represents the Spleen/Stomach organ system and is very sensitive to carbonated colas. When the Earth element is out of balance, it is unable to support the Water element, represented by the Kidney/Urinary Bladder organ system. Osteoporosis is just one sign of an imbalance in the Kidney organ system. Other signs of a Kidney imbalance are: low back pain, low libido, knee pain, poor hearing or hearing loss, loose or falling hair, gray hair and fatigue.

Meridian Harmonics

Sugary drinks linked to cancer risk

Drinking two sugary drinks a day almost doubles the risk of pancreatic cancer, a study suggests.

Researchers linked excess sugar, in fizzy drinks or added to tea and coffee to the increased risk.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition research looked at 80,000 men and women between 1997 and 2005 - 131 who developed pancreatic cancer.

A person's diet has a significant effect on their risk of several types of cancer including pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is a deadly form of the disease, which is difficult to treat.
Just over 15,000 people are diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas each year.
Up to a third of cases are linked to smoking.

Pancreatic cancer is most common in people aged 60 or over. It is difficult to treat because it is often not diagnosed until it has spread beyond the pancreas.
The risk of developing pancreatic cancer was 70% higher for those who added sugar to their drinks at least five times a day.

Despite the fact that the chances of developing pancreatic cancer are relatively small, it's important to learn more about the risk factors behind the disease. It is perhaps the most serious form of cancer, with very poor prognosis for its victims. Since it's difficult to treat and is often discovered too late, it's particularly important that we learn to prevent it. We know that a person's diet has a significant effect on their risk of several types of cancer including pancreatic cancer.

Each Chinese organ system is sensitive to flavors. In the case of the Spleen and Pancreas, excessive sweet consumption tends to weaken both organs, whether sugar or artificial sweeteners. Some common signs of the weakened Spleen/Pancreas system are: fatigue, digestive disorders, weight gain, swellings in various regions, excessive mucus or phlegm, dizziness or vertigo, heart palpitations, worry or anxiety, muscle pain and bruising easily.

Meridian Harmonics

Sugar linked with mental problems

Researchers report teens that drank the most sugary soft drinks also had more mental health problems such as hyperactivity and distress.

Their study shows a clear and direct association between soft drink intake and hyperactivity, and a more complex link with other mental and behavioral disorders.
Researchers also found teens that skipped breakfast and lunch were among the heaviest soft drink consumers.

The worst problems were seen in boys and girls who drank four or more soft drinks a day. Ten percent of the boys and 2 percent of the girls drank this much.

In Chinese medicine an over consumption of sweets can impair several organs, preventing them from performing their functions at peak levels. Some of the results of consuming excessive sweets: 1) the inability of the body to transport and transform fluids resulting in weight gain, 2) lowered endocrine functioning (i.e. hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, etc.), 3) adverse affect to those organs that regulate mental and emotional health and well being, 4) an overproduction of phlegm and mucus in the respiratory and digestive tracks, 5) decreased blood circulation and 6) difficult respiration.

It’s important to point out that the sweets don’t have to be in the form of just sugar. In Chinese medicine an over abundance of natural and artificial sweets in the diet can cause the problems listed above.

Meridian Harmonics

Walking not enough to get fit

Researchers now say walking may not be enough, on its own, to produce significant health benefits. Generally, low-intensity activity such as walking alone is not likely to give anybody marked health benefits compared to programs that occasionally elevate the intensity. They are suggesting the current guidelines on how much exercise to take is set too low.

The researchers assessed impact on fitness by measuring blood pressure, and peak oxygen uptake, a measure of lung capacity. They found the 10,000-step program increased peak oxygen uptake by an average of 4% while the moderate intensity exercise group increased by 10%. Researchers suggest “you've got to do more than light exercise and move towards the inclusion of regular moderate activity, and don't be shy to interject an occasional period of time at the vigorous level."
Generally speaking an exercise program should include aerobic or cardiovascular workouts along with stretching, and resistance or weight training. Each type of exercise affects the body differently. I find that most patients are not including enough vigorous exercise in their daily routines to make a significant impact on their overall health.

I suggest patients begin a daily program including the following: 1) 10-20 minutes of stretching, 2) 10-15 minutes of weight training, and 3) 30-45 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. I have found this to be the best mix for those seeking to maximize their overall health and longevity.

Of course exercise is just one component to getting and staying fit and healthy. Another important aspect is consuming foods best suited for one’s body type and underlying constitution. This is the essence of Chinese dietary therapy and Chinese Food Energetics.

Meridian Harmonics

Less Stress May Increase Pregnancy Odds

Researchers have evidence that some women may be able to improve their chances of getting pregnant by reducing stress.

Many factors, affecting both men and women, can cause fertility problems. It's long been thought that the stress of daily life is related to infertility.

Acupuncture techniques may improve the chances of conceiving a child by managing and reducing stress in women with a condition known as amenorrhea, in which a woman's monthly periods are interrupted and ovulation doesn't always occur. Amenorrhea is thought to be caused by poor nutrition and over-exercising.

A combination of stress management therapy and diet and exercise coaching restored fertility in 80 percent of the women who took part, compared to 25 percent in a control group.

The researchers measured stress by monitoring levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the women. The psychotherapy and behavioral therapy appeared to reduce the levels of cortisol and restore ovulation.

The researchers say this study underlines the contribution lifestyle factors play in fertility.

Failure to ovulate is thought to be the result of too much energy being used up by excessive exercise and poor nutrition. But the researchers in this study theorize that dieting and excessive exercise might actually be a way of trying to cope with underlying stress, especially in women who aren't ovulating.

If you are having trouble conceiving a child, talk to your doctor to get a diagnosis. There are many causes of infertility and many treatments available that have helped many couples. Chinese medicine can be very helpful to increase fertility chances.

Meridian Harmonics

Super-bug linked to tattooing

People who get tattoos from unlicensed sources are at risk of developing a drug-resistant bacterial skin infection, federal health officials warn.
Six recent outbreaks of infections with this "superbug," methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been traced to unlicensed tattoo artists, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

MRSA infection typically manifests as abscesses or areas of inflammation on the skin, though it can also lead to more serious problems such as pneumonia, blood infections or, in some cases, necrotizing fasciitis, also referred to as the "flesh-eating disease."

While the bug was once largely confined to hospitals, it is becoming increasingly common in the general public -- showing up among prison inmates, athletic teams and others who are in close contact and may share contaminated items.

The six tattoo-related outbreaks affected 44 people in Kentucky, Ohio and Vermont, the CDC reports in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Thirty-four had recently gotten a tattoo from an unlicensed source, while 10 others contracted the infection from close contact with the tattoo recipients.

Health officials' investigations found that the tattooists in many cases did not follow standard hygiene practices like changing gloves between clients, using skin antiseptic and disinfecting equipment. Three tattooists had recently been in prison, where they could have picked up MRSA. In some cases, the amateur artists used makeshift equipment like guitar strings and computer ink-jet cartridges instead of tattoo dye.

"Persons considering a tattoo should be aware of the potential for community-acquired MRSA infection and should only use the services of a licensed tattooist who follows proper infection-control procedures," the CDC advises.

That means using sterilized or single-use equipment, including needles, tattoo guns and inks.

Consideration should also be given to how tatooing affects a person's energy system. Tatooing, along with other scarring, will permanently obstruct the flow of the Qi or energy in the superficial meridian pathways, eventually affecting the ability of the associated organ to perform its functions at an optimal level. This, in turn, affects a persons overall health and vitality.

Meridian Harmonics

Diet Drinks & Weight Gain

There is a misconception, in our society, that drinking diet drinks can prevent weight gain. People who drink diet soft drinks don't lose weight. In fact, they gain weight. The findings come from eight years of data collected at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. All soft drink use is linked to overweight and obesity. What is surprising to most people is drinking diet soft drinks, increases the risk of obesity.

Researchers found that nearly all the obesity risk from soft drinks came from diet sodas.

For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was: 32.8 percent for 1 to 2 cans each day, 47.2 percent for more than 2 cans each day.

For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was 54.5 percent for 1 to 2 cans each day, 57.1 percent for more than 2 cans each day.

For each can of diet soft drink consumed each day, a person's risk of obesity went up 41 percent.

Some soft drink studies do suggest that diet drinks stimulate appetite. For every twelve ounces of diet soda consumed, the body retains twenty-four ounces of fluid.

This should be a wake-up call to all soda drinkers but especially diet soda drinkers.

Meridian Harmonics

Potatoes & Diabetes

Avoiding potato chips and french fries may help you avoid type two diabetes. A new study finds potato lovers may have a higher risk of getting the disease. Researchers who followed nearly 85-thousand women found those who ate the most potatoes were 14 percent more likely to develop diabetes than women who did not eat a lot of potatoes. Potatoes are starchy and have a high glycemic index (GI). All foods with a high glycemic index cause a quick rise in blood sugar and over time can contribute to the development of type-two diabetes. They can also raise cholesterol levels, increase appetite and increases risk of heart disease.

Base your food choices primarily on overall nutrition – including vitamins, minerals and fiber. Don't dismiss healthy foods just because they have a high GI. Their other nutritional benefits make them good choices.

Try to choose at least one low GI food at each meal. If you choose a high GI food, combine it with a low GI food, for an overall medium GI meal.

Limit the amount of processed, refined starchy foods, as they tend to be low in fiber and other nutrients and have a higher GI.

Eat whole grain, pumpernickel and oat bran bread more often than white bread. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables have a low GI, so they break down into sugar slowly in your body.

A good goal: five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Choose parboiled, brown or white rice more often than instant rice. Eat pasta, rice, yams, lima beans or baked potatoes more often than mashed, boiled or instant potatoes. Eating potatoes cold, as in a salad, reduces their GI (but go easy on the mayo dressing).

Use vinaigrette instead of a creamy salad dressing. It's lower in fat, plus the acidity of the vinegar slows digestion, lowering the meal's GI.

Watch your portion sizes; the bigger the portion, the more it will increase your blood glucose, regardless of its GI rank.

In Chinese medicine, diabetes is seen as an imbalance between a person’s Yin and Yang aspects, mainly a deficiency of Yin. Predominant organ imbalances include the Kidneys, Spleen and Lung. Proper treatment includes correcting ones diet to avoid aggravating dryness and internal heat and inflammation. In addition, Chinese herbal medicine is used to nourish Yin, moisten dryness and clear heat.

Meridian Harmonics

Increase Use of Sleeping Pills Causes Concern

Americans are taking sleeping pills like never before, fueled by stress filled workdays that lead to a poor night's sleep, and lulled by a surge of consumer advertising that promises safe slumber with minimal side effects.

About 42 million sleeping pill prescriptions were filled last year, up nearly 60 percent since 2000.

Some experts worry that the drugs are being oversubscribed without enough regard to known, if rare, side effects or the implications of long-term use. And they fear doctors may be ignoring other conditions, like depression, that might be the cause of sleeplessness.

Although the newer drugs are not believed to carry the same risk of dependence as older ones like barbiturates, some researchers have reported what is called the "next day" effect, a continued sleepiness hours after awakening from a drug-induced slumber.

Ten percent of Americans report that they regularly struggle to fall asleep or to stay asleep throughout the night. And more and more are turning to a new generation of sleep aids like Ambien, the best seller, and its competitor, Lunesta. Experts acknowledge that insomnia has become a cultural benchmark — a side effect of an overworked, overwrought society.

Drug makers spent $298 million in the first 11 months of 2005 to convince consumers that the sleep aids are safe and effective. That was more than four times such ad spending in all of 2004.

Meridian Harmonics

Insomnia: a Symptom of Imbalance

One of the problems with the western approach to sleep disorders is that traditional pharmaceuticals attempt to treat the symptoms and not the underlying cause of the imbalances responsible for insomnia. This is also true for any other symptom, disease or disorder. The correct way to treat a particular disorder is to determine the underlying causes and treat the patient at that level along with the symptoms. In Chinese medicine this is called treating the root and the branch of a disease.

Insomnia is often seen as just one symptom in a multiple number of Chinese disease patterns. Disease patterns are rooted in disharmony at the organ level of the body. Chinese medicine seeks to correct imbalances at this level. Typically, sleep disorders are related to imbalances with the Heart organ. However, other organs can cause an underlying Heart imbalance. There are five systems primarily responsible for keeping the Heart healthy: Kidneys, Gallbladder, Small Intestine, Endocrine system and Spleen. For example stress affecting the Liver can prevent the smooth flow of Qi or energy in the Heart preventing patients from sleeping. A prolonged Kidney imbalance drains the Heart since these two organs share an important energetic level in the body. The Small Intestine is the paired organ with the Heart and is prone to becoming toxic, which then disturbs the Heart. The Gallbladder is an organ that is easily affected by specific foods. When we eat foods that upset the Gallbladder, it will also create imbalance in the Heart. In Chinese medicine the Spleen has an important function of producing quality blood. When this function is depleted it affects the Heart. The endocrine system represents a complex system of inter-relating organs that are responsible for balanced hormones in the body. When this system is out of balance it affects all the organs in the body, including the Heart. Once a patient’s underlying constitution is determined the correct treatment can be used to restore health, wellness and good sleep.

Meridian Harmonics

Happy Chinese New Year, Year of the Red Dog

The new year of the dog is “red” to represent the color corresponding to the year’s energetic element of Fire. It also possesses the Earth elemental energy in a supportive role. Fire, symbolized by the sun, gives forth light, warmth and openness. The earth, with its contained quality causes introspection and the yearning for spiritual meaning. Therefore, the year 2006 shall bring more open dialogue among nations and between people, as well as a collective drive for spiritual meaning.

In nature, potentially disruptive fire and earth events, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes may be more prevalent in 2006. The weather pattern in North America, smarting from a record number of hurricanes in 2005 may exhibit more scorching, dry weather punctuated with dramatic lightening storms and landslides.

In health, people will be more prone to diseases relating to the fire and earth elements including cardiovascular diseases, digestive problems, muscle inflammation (especially shoulder pain), kidney disease, diabetes and cancers. Here is my advice for your health in the upcoming year:

Prevent illness by balancing your fire and earth elements through appropriate dietary choices and lifestyle changes. A diet rich in whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, beans and legumes, poultry and fish should form the foundation of your eating program. Make sure to have plenty of specific foods for heart and digestive health, such as the bran from rice, oats and wheat, ginger, garlic, turmeric, squash, pumpkin, yam/sweet potato, cherry, grape, garbanzo/ chickpea and adzuki beans. Lower your intake of fats and sweets.

Stress is a big cause of heart disease and digestive disorders. Therefore, work on reducing your stress through meditation, exercise, qi gong, journaling and artistic expressions. I strongly recommend the Calm Tea formula to keep you tranquil and serene. Naturally, seek treatment at the earliest opportunity if you suspect any of the conditions above in order to take care of problem while it’s still small.

In summary, the year of the Red Dog should bring more spiritual awareness and prompt communities to come together for common causes. Be on the lookout for cardiovascular conditions as well as digestive disorders. Work on your diet, exercise and stress reduction programs, smile a lot and move forward in your endeavors with optimism. Also, remember that the qualities of a dog - loyalty, fidelity and commitment - will win you friends and influence people at the end of the day and bring harmony to all. Don’t forget to stay flexible and adapt to all changes. You will find health, happiness and success are within your grasp.

Meridian Harmonics

The Holidays & Diabetes

The holidays are coming soon and so is the season for indulging in chocolates, cookies and pies. Why is sugar so bad, you ask? When you consume simple sugars and refined carbohydrates (cookies, pastries made with refined flour), the pancreas produces and releases insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. In this case, the action is done too quickly, often inducing hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, which causes fatigue, shaking, sweats, difficulty concentrating, mood swings and increased allergy symptoms.

Eventually, the pancreas gives out when it is exhausted from a poor diet. As its function decreases, one's body is unable to uptake the sugar normally from the blood so the sugar level rises until it becomes damaging to healthy tissues. This results is diabetes. In Chinese medicine, it is called "Depletion and Thirst Syndrome." Why should you fear diabetes? Because it is a degenerative condition that literally "eats" away your body. Complications from diabetes include diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness and peripheral neuropathy that can eventually result in gangrene of the foot and possible amputation if infection is allowed to set in, kidney failure, coronary heart disease and skin conditions resulting in itching and infections. Even if you have Type II diabetes, there is still hope that you can reverse the disease and restore your health. It's never too late to start, as long as you follow some simple guidelines and make a commitment to follow through.

The 4 step approach is: 1) Stop eating refined sugar in any form & reduce natural sugars like fruits, honey and maple syrup; 2) Start a program of daily cardiovascular exercises of at least 20 minutes; 3) Start a stress reduction program; 4) Get annual check ups with your general practitioner.

Chinese medicine has a lot to offer both hypoglycemic and diabetic patients. Schedule an appointment today and restore your good health.

Meridian Harmonics

Chinese Herb Ba Jiao Key Flu Ingredient

A Chinese spice that increases the flavor of food has become the center of public attention, thanks to the growing profile of bird flu. Ba Jiao, an herbal fruit mainly grown in China, as well as Viet Nam, is a primary ingredient in the production of an anti-viral drug which helps to fight bird flu symptoms.

More specifically, ba jiao is the basic component for Shikimic acid. Shikimic acid is the base material for the production of Tamiflu, the only drug available that combats the deadly strain of avian flu, which some fear may kill millions of humans. The new market value and soaring fears of a Tamiflu shortage have triggered a price surge for ba jiao in its main production regions of China. Despite its new fame as the key ingredient of Tamiflu, ba jiao, it traditionally is used to treat hernia, abdominal and back pain.

Meridian Harmonics

Foods to stop Cancer

A diet rich in beans, nuts and cereals could be a way to prevent cancer. Scientists have discovered that these everyday foods contain a potent anti-cancer compound. This blocks a key enzyme involved in tumor growth. Scientists have been exploring specific enzymes as a target for cancer treatment for some time but inhibitors have been difficult to develop because of problems with chemical stability and toxicity.

Researchers have discovered that a natural compound, called inositol pentakisphosphate, which is found in most legumes as well as in wheat bran and nuts, blocks the activity of the enzyme. When they tested its action in mice with ovarian and lung cancer they found it not only blocked tumor growth but also enhanced the effect of other cancer-killing drugs. It also appeared to be non-toxic, unlike conventional chemotherapy agents.

It is always encouraging when a newly discovered chemical is shown to have anti-cancer activity in the laboratory, especially when it occurs naturally in foods like beans and peas. A diet that includes at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer.

Meridian Harmonics

The Holidays and Diabetes

The holidays are coming soon and so is the season for indulging in chocolates, cookies and pies. Why is sugar so bad, you ask? When you consume simple sugars and refined carbohydrates (cookies, pastries made with refined flour), the pancreas produces and releases insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. In this case, the action is done too quickly, often inducing hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, which causes fatigue, shaking, sweats, difficulty concentrating, mood swings and increased allergy symptoms.

Eventually, the pancreas gives out when it is exhausted from a poor diet. As its function decreases, one's body is unable to uptake the sugar normally from the blood so the sugar level rises until it becomes damaging to healthy tissues. This results in diabetes. In Chinese medicine, it is called "Depletion and Thirst Syndrome." Why should you fear diabetes? Because it is a degenerative condition that literally "eats" away your body. Complications from diabetes include diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness, peripheral neuropathy that can eventually result in gangrene of the foot and possible amputation if infection is allowed to set in, kidney failure, coronary heart disease and skin conditions resulting in itching and infections. Even if you have Type II diabetes, there is still hope that you can reverse the disease and restore your health. It's never too late to start, as long as you follow some simple guidelines and make a commitment to follow through.

The 4 step approach is: 1) Stop eating refined sugar in any form & reduce natural sugars like fruits, honey and maple syrup; 2) Start a program of daily cardiovascular exercises of at least 20 minutes; 3) Start a stress reduction program; 4) Get annual check ups with your general practitioner.

Chinese medicine has a lot to offer both hypoglycemic and diabetic patients. Schedule an appointment today and get your good health back.

Meridian Harmonics