Birth Control

Before I start talking about how birth control affects women from a Chinese medical perspective, I want to say this:

I'm not anti-birth control for those who need it to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. It is FAR more detrimental to EVERYONE involved to carry, birth and care for through the age of 18, a child who isn't planned or wanted. What a horrible existence, knowing that you weren't wanted (and yes, children can sense this, whether you say it out loud or not, there's no fooling them).

The birth control use that I'm going to be talking about is for those women who are prescribed birth control for non-birth control reasons. There are probably millions of you out there. Some common reasons are : acne, irregular periods, PMS, mood stabilization, severe cramping or heavy bleeding during your menstrual cycle and many more.

So, let's start.

Throughout a woman's month, the Spleen, Kidney and Liver each play their own part in controlling her menstrual cycle. The Liver plays it's biggest role between ovulation and menstruation. During this time, the Liver's energy will start to surge in preparation for helping the woman's body to release the uterine lining, if she has not become pregnant.

This is often why women will experience Premenstrual Symptoms. The Liver, when it is not functioning properly, can create symptoms such as breast tenderness, cravings, bloating, and the dreaded mood changes.

So let's take a moment now to look at hormonal birth control from a Chinese Medical perspective. In my clinical experience, hormonal birth control is like adding a boost of Liver energy to a woman's system. In a woman who is already struggling with a Liver that isn't moving her energy properly, this will only aggravate her health problems. It's no wonder side effects associated with hormonal birth control consist of weight gain, mood changes, headaches, digestive complaints, etc. All of these complaints relate to an improperly functioning Liver!

Now what about those few women out there who are actually helped by hormonal birth control, you may ask? I've treated some of these women as well, and what I have found is that these women, at the point they start taking hormonal birth control, are deficient in Liver energy (this is SUPER uncommon, as the Liver almost always exists in excess, but there are those out there who don't have enough!). So their symptoms get better for a while. However, what I've seen, is that this symptom relief is temporary, or they develop new symptoms. Yep, they've been supplementing with Liver energy, and all of a sudden they have too much, and like many other women, start suffering from the standard PMS symptoms, as well as a host of other health complaints.

So, if you're a woman who suffers from PMS, headaches, migraines, digestive complaints, insomnia, etc. - Think back to when you started taking birth control. Did these symptoms exist prior to taking birth control? Did they start after starting birth control?

Everyone has to make the right decision for themselves regarding birth control, their health and the necessity to not have children. But we also all need to be aware of the side effects of hormonal birth control that biomedicine usually dismisses as "normal." These symptoms are not normal, they are a sign of imbalance, and can be alleviated by acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

Chinese herbal first aid

Today's post is about the Chinese herbal formulas that every household should keep on stock.

Disclaimer: Of COURSE if any of the below-mentioned situations happens to you, SEE A DOCTOR. These herbal formulas are NOT meant to take the place of emergency medicine. If you are pregnant or nursing, do not take the following herbal formulas without first consulting your licensed Chinese medical herbalist.

Jin Gu Die Shang Wan - This is a GREAT formula to take orally for keeping the swelling, bruising and pain associated with sprains, strains and broken bones to a minimum. First run of the season and you pushed yourself a little too hard? Jin Gu Die Shang Wan. Playing basketball and landed on someone else's foot, spraining your ankle? Jin Gu Die Shang Wan. Fell down rollerblading and broke your arm? Jin Gu Die Shang Wan. While this formula is great for treating traumatic injuries, this formula is not to be used for any other types of pains. It is only meant for acute bodily injury.


Yunnan Bai Yao - This formula goes with my family on all of our camping and backpacking trips. Yunnan Bai Yao can be used in an emergency to stop bleeding, both internal and external. So this example might be a bit extreme, but it's a proper use for this formula - if you're hiking and a member of your party falls down a cliff, and you can give them Yunnan Bai Yao to take by mouth (assuming they're conscious, of course) to help control any bleeding that you see coming from the skin, but also to help minimize potential internal bleeding. Additionally, this formula can be used topically (it usually comes in capsules that can be opened and the powdered herbs applied topically) to help stop bleeding. I've even used Yunnan Bai Yao powder to stop the bleeding of my dogs' toenails if I accidentally trimmed them too short. Anyone who has ever "quicked" their dog knows that those suckers can bleed!

Gan Mao Ling - This formula is used at the first signs of a cold. If taken promptly, Gan Mao Ling can be effective at shortening the duration of the cold, keeping symptoms to a minimum, or even keeping the cold from ever taking hold!

Helping Benny

Benny is a LOVELY guy. A giant, big-hearted teddy bear of a pup. Benny came to see me after rupturing his cruxiate ligament. Poor guy hurt his knee and was hobbling around like an old man! (Benny's only 7 years-old, by the way, he's got a LONG time left of playing with his pet and human family!) You see, Benny had done what MANY other dogs do during this time of year. It's FINALLY nice outside and when you get the chance to run after a long, shut-in winter, you RUN. Benny was going to have to wait with hurting knee for a month for his surgery because of all the other dogs ahead of him in line!

The vet gave him pain meds to help get him through the pain until surgery day, but his treat-hander-outer was hoping to keep him on lower doses of the medications. So we started doing acupuncture twice a week to keep his pain under control and to prepare him for his upcoming surgery. Benny also went home with an herbal formula that would do the same.

During the time prior to surgery, Benny's treat-hander-outer noticed that he was in good spirits! He was also in very little pain, which required lower doses of pain meds, just like they were hoping.

Benny's surgery day finally came and went and when I saw him for the first time after (a week after his surgery) I couldn't believe my eyes! Not only was he walking on his knee, he wasn't limping very much, either. On his second visit post-surgery, Benny waltzed right in with barely a hitch in his giddyup! The surgery that Benny had is pretty extensive, including reshaping of the bone in his knee. I've seen many pets who've had this surgery (while working at a vet clinic that performed such surgeries), and I've NEVER seen a dog with such a speedy recovery before!

I think this is a great case where biomedicine and natural medicine have worked together. While there was nothing that acupuncture could do to repair the torn ligament, acupuncture and Chinese herbs significantly reduced the amount of pain that was experienced, as well as prepared Benny's body for the surgery. His energy was already flowing smoothly pre-surgery, so it took very little to get back to that point.

Now, if only acupuncture could help keep this rearing-to-go pup calmer while his knee completely heals!

How to get your pet to take his or her herbs

Yesterday, I offered some ways to make it easier to take herbs yourself. Today I'm going to talk about the tricks I have up my sleeve for getting herbs into your pet.

Some pets are pickier than others. We all know the cat who will give you scars you'll remember for the rest of your life, or the dog who will very carefully extract even the smallest pill from a big glob of peanut butter. Here are a few tricks for making sure they get the herbs that will keep them happier and healthier for longer:

• If your pet is taking teapills and your pet isn't too picky, hide the teapills in something delectable. Typically, peanut butter or a slice of hot dog will do the trick. There is also a product called Pill Pockets that are special treats for hiding pills in. They come in several different flavors and sizes, and work for both cats and dogs. Many pets LOVE the taste of these!
• If your pet still won't take their teapills, you can crush them and sprinkle them on canned food. This works for many pets who then can't "pick out" a pill.
• If you pet STILL won't take their teapills, they can be dissolved in warm water (no more than a tablespoon) and fed to your pet using a syringe. Most vet clinics can give you a special syringe for doing just this.
• If your pet is taking a granule formula, try sprinkling, or mixing it in with some tasty (read: stinky) canned food. For many pets, this will suffice.
  
• If your pet isn't a fan of the granules contaminating their food, you can encapsulate the granule formula and give the herbs as you would any other pill. (see the first 2 bullets for tips)
• If your pet still won't take their granule formula, dissolve it in just enough water to be able to suck it up with a syringe, and feed it to your pet via the syringe, just like you would with the dissolved teapill.

Pets can be a little tricky to get herbs into, but what I have often found is that once a pet learns that the herbs make them feel better and don't have any side effects, they are MUCH more cooperative about taking them. I've had several pet patients who would come running to their owners when they said, "Okay, it's time for Becca's pills!" and then gobble them right down!

Hopefully one or more of these tricks will help you get herbs down your pet in a more relaxed, less-stressful way!

Tricks for getting those herbs down

If you're getting acupuncture done, chances are you're taking some form of herbs. They're not always pleasant tasting. They've been described as tasting, depending on the particular formula:

• earthy/dirty/muddy
• bitter/bile-like
• sweet
• sour
• blech/yucky/gross/&$#@!/etc.

Today I'm going to give you a few tricks that I've learned over the years from teachers, patients and through my own trial and error.

If you're taking a bulk formula (one where you're given the raw herbs and you make your own "witch's brew"), try making it a little more concentrated so that you don't have as much liquid to drink in the end. Once you have this smaller amount of liquid, try mixing it with your favorite juice. Many of my patients have found cranberry juice to be the must disguising of them all. Experiment and see what works for you and with your particular formula.

If you're taking a granule formula, you have several more options:

• Put the granules into capsules. Make sure to have your acupuncturist translate the dose of your herbs into number of capsules. There are encapsulating machines that you can find at your local health-food store for relatively cheap. This is a little time-consuming, but you'll be more likely to take your herbs, so you'll be feeling your best in no time flat!
• Put the granules directly onto your tongue and use your favorite juice to get them down. Some people really like this method, they find it's best to just get it done and over with.
• Mix the granules in your favorite juice, much like the bulk formula idea described above. Make sure to not use much juice, or else you'll just be drinking a TON of "off-tasting" juice. "Chase" your herbs with more juice.

If you're taking teapills, just take them ;)

Remember, you've paid for these herbs, you've invested not only your money, but time and your future into becoming healthier. Make sure to take your herbs as prescribed, and you're on your way to THRIVING!

Do you have any other tricks for taking herbs? I'm always looking for more ways to help my patients take their herbs!

Elimination Diet

Okay, so an elimination diet doesn't really fit into the realm of Acupuncture & Chinese medicine. However, it is something that I occasionally recommend some of my patients to do.

What is an elimination diet? An elimination diet is a diagnostic tool to determine if someone reacts unhealthfully to a certain food or foods. Here are some instructions on how to do it. I'll give you the short version here. Basically, you eat only non-allergenic foods including rice, turkey, and certain fruits and vegetables. You eat only these foods until your symptoms have gone away. Once you are symptom-free, gradually add in one of the allergenic foods at a time and see if you react. If you do - BINGO. If not - on to the next allergenic food.

Once you have found which foods you are sensitive to, you now have some decisions to make. How important is it to your health that you completely avoid this food forever from now on? Are your reactions minor? Are the reactions that you have to the particular food worth suffering through for the food?

Here are a couple of examples:

Female patient in her early twenties has been nauseous, vomiting and experiencing explosive diarrhea non-stop for three years. She and her doctor did all of the biomedical tests and exams to determine the cause. No cause was found. Because of her desperation, she was willing to try ANYTHING at this point and started receiving acupuncture and herbal treatments. She had some limited results - a decrease in the episodes of vomiting and her nausea. At this time, it was recommended that she consider trying an elimination diet. She agreed. She found that she was sensitive to dairy and wheat. Once she discontinued eating these foods, her symptoms disappeared completely within two weeks. After some experimentation with her diet, she discovered that she could have small amounts of wheat if it was organic and preservative-free.

Female patient also in her early twenties has difficulty breathing, with a sensation of being "stuck under a blanket and unable to absorb enough oxygen." She had seen several doctors who determined that it wasn't asthma, but offered no other explanations. She was advised to take benadryl every day, thinking that it was some sort of allergic reaction. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs brought some relief, but only for a a few days at a time. At this time it was recommended that she try an elimination diet and she too found that she was sensitive to gluten and dairy. Each food caused different symptoms in her. Gluten was the culprit behind the difficulty breathing. Dairy was behind a chronic post-nasal drip. After some experimentation with her diet, she decided that it was never worth eating gluten - even the slightest of contamination would lead to a week of symptoms. Dairy was okay as occasional treats for holidays, but she would know to expect her post-nasal drip to return for a couple days.

The most exciting part about elimination diets is the amount of knowledge that is gained! To all of a sudden understand where your symptoms are coming from, and to have the power to control when, if at all, you'll experience them!

Elimination diets aren't the answer for everyone, but what if it IS the answer for you? Talk with your acupuncturist or naturopath to see if it's right for you!

Chinese Medicine and Cancer

You're sitting in the doctor's office and they've just said it. The "C" word. Cancer. How can a single word represent such a devastating and life-altering diagnosis?

I want you to know that your acupuncturist is there to help get you through this incredibly difficult time in your life. Cancer treatments are often radical and rarely without extreme side effects. It's not uncommon for someone with cancer to be unable to even get through these potentially life-saving treatments because they can be so harsh. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you get through your biomedical treatments by reducing such side effects as nausea, dry-mouth, decreased energy and so many more.

I've had people ask if it's safe to do acupuncture while someone is going through cancer treatments. The answer is yes. Acupuncture alone will not interfere with radiation or chemotherapy.

When it comes to Chinese herbal medicine, the answer is a little more gray. To be honest, there isn't enough research on Chinese herbal medicine, particularly in combination with chemo or radiation to make a statement. It is thought that some herbs may interfere with radiation treatments. The most important thing is to ask your oncologist what they feel comfortable with. Feel free to have them speak with your acupuncturist about Chinese herbs and the potential for interactions as well as relief from side effects.

If you or a loved one has just been diagnosed, give yourself the best shot at survival and recovery. Consider acupuncture and Chinese medicine to help get you through your cancer treatments.

Flu

Yeah.. I said it... the F-word! The Flu! I know everyone is going through a bit of a panic with the recent swine flu news, so today I'm going to give you some natural tips to keep you and your family healthy!

1. Don't PANIC! When you stress out about getting sick, it prevents your Qi from moving smoothly. This in turn prevents your Wei Qi (pronounced "Way Chee" - your immune system) from being able to properly attack any invaders. So, in effect, when you stress out about maybe getting sick, you greatly increase your chances of doing just that! Don't do that to yourself!
2. Wash your hands frequently. It's the same old advice every time. If you wash your hands frequently, you're preventing much of the transmission of airborne disease. You don't need to use antibacterial soaps, either. The lather will lift the germs off of your skin and rinse them away down the drain. No need for the over-kill of antibacterial soaps. If you're unable to wash your hands frequently, consider using an antibacterial hand cleanser. But again, there's no need for this over-kill tactic if you have access to a sink with water.
3. Keep yourself rested. If you're rested, your body will be more ready to defend itself against flu-invaders! If you're exhausted, you can't put up the fight against germs!
4. Stay hydrated. If you're dehydrated, your Qi can't move smoothly, preventing your Wei Qi from getting where it needs to go to fight off the flu. It's like a river with no water - a boat can't move without it!
   
5. Consider getting Acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Your acupuncturist can help balance your body ahead of time to make sure you're functioning at full strength. If you do manage to catch the flu, make an appointment right away! Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can often stop the flu in its tracks! If the flu isn't completely avoided, your acupuncturist can help ease your symptoms and shorten the life-span of the flu as well as decreasing the severity of your symptoms. All of this can be done without the side effects of standard cold and flu medications such as drowsiness, foggy-thinking and over-drying or the mucous-membranes. You'll be back to your old self in no time!

The main idea here is to stay calm and be prepared. If you're as healthy as can be before an exposure to the flu, you're much less likely to succumb to its evil grips! And if you do catch the flu, make sure to follow the above advice to put your immune system in the best position to defeat this unwelcome invader!

Chinese Medicine cures for "Morning Sickness"

Alright, all you mommas-to-be out there, I'm going to give you some ideas for things to try at home to help with the dreaded Morning Sickness (or as I like to call it "celebrating your new pregnancy in the bathroom!").

Acupressure: You may have seen motion sickness bands advertised. They're often a wrist sweat band with a little button on it to stimulate the acupuncture point Pericardium 6. This point is extremely good for easing nausea due to any cause! You don't need to find and buy these bands, though, you can simply massage the point! Pericardium 6 is located on the inside of your forearm 3 finger widths down from your wrist crease. Massage the area and you'll soon be feeling as good as new! If you need longer lasting relief, you can tape a bean to the point, and it will work just like the motion sickness bands!

Herbs: Ginger is quite the all-purpose herb to ease nausea. It's extremely useful for calming the stomach! You can include it in your favorite recipes. It can be consumed in the form of ginger ale (my particular favorite!). The Chinese medicine way to do it is to take slices of the fresh raw ginger root and steep them in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes and drink this "tea." Please be careful with consuming too much ginger, as it can cause insomnia.

Chinese Medicine: There is a lot more that can be done for nausea, but requires an acupuncturist or herbalist in order to diagnose you and then treat you accordingly.

Nausea can be one of the more uncomfortable aspects of your pregnancy, but with a little help can be greatly reduced! Do you have any other favorite ideas for easing morning sickness? Comment and share your tips!

Chinese Herbal Formulas 101

Welcome class, take a seat and get comfortable! Today, we're going to talk about Chinese herbal formulas. There are three forms of herbs that you can take, each has its benefits and drawbacks.


Let's start with the simplest: Tea pills.
Teapills are little pills (about the size of BBs) that are pre-made in standard formulas. Because the herbs are already mixed and put together into these pills, there is no room for customizing the formula EXACTLY for each patient. Don't worry, though. Tea pills are often a pretty darn good match for many people, and most people won't experience any side effects from them. The best thing about tea pills is their convenience. You can take them with you, they're not messy and there's no preparation. There have been problems with tea pill formulas coming from China that include pharmaceuticals or heavy metals so make sure that the formula you are given is made in a Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) Certified factory.


The next step is the granular formula.
Granules are a substrate (a grain of some sort) that has been ground finely and had a Chinese herb decoction sprayed onto it. These granules can be single herbs or whole formulas. Because you can mix and match granules, you can customize the formula to each patient allowing for an exact match and no side effects. Granules are either dissolved in water and then swallowed, or some people prefer to place them on their tongue and "chase" the formula with water or their favorite juice. Granules are pretty convenient. You can bring them with you so that you can take them at the prescribed times. Granule formulas tend to have an "earthy" taste to them, with the exact flavor depending, of course, on the particular herbs used in the formula. A caution for those with food sensitivities: the substrate may be an allergenic grain (corn, wheat, rye, barley) so be sure to ask your practitioner if this is a concern.


The final type of herbal formula is a decoction.
A decoction is kind of like a tea that's made by boiling the actual dried herbs yourself at home. When I cook my herbs, I often find myself saying "Double, double toil, and trouble..." (and cackling. But hey, I'm an herb nerd!) However, you won't find eye of newt or toe of frog here - you'll usually find sticks, twigs, leaves, flowers, seeds, roots and berries. The ingredients are boiled for usually around 30 minutes, the herbs are scooped out and the liquid is what is consumed. Herbal decoctions are by far the strongest preparation of Chinese herbs, but they can take some time since you'll need to boil up a new batch of herbs everyday for the duration of the treatment. If you're vegetarian or vegan, and would prefer to not have animal products used in your formula, make sure to inform your practitioner, because there are occasionally animal products used in extreme cases.

No matter the type of Chinese herbal formula, make sure to talk with your practitioner about what will work the best for you. Remember, if you don't take your herbal formula because you didn't have the time to make it, that's not only money wasted, but health wasted!

Chinese Medicine and Heartburn

Most people suffer from periodic heartburn. Some people suffer from chronic heartburn. If you're the type of person who suffers from chronic, recurring heartburn, or you know someone who does, I want you to listen up.

Chronic heartburn, you may have heard it called GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease), isn't just an annoyance. The cells of your esophagus (the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach) are not meant to be exposed to stomach acid, so if they are exposed, the cells begin to change in order to protect themselves. The condition where your esophagus cells start changing is called Barrett's Esophagus.

While Barrett's Esophagus isn't considered cancerous, there are changes to the cells which could lead to esophageal cancer. It's extremely important to talk to your doctor about Barrett's Esophagus if you've suffered from GERD. Your doctor may recommend you have your esophagus examined using an endoscope (a camera that can look down your throat).

It's very important to get your heartburn under control to stop the exposure of your esophagus, which should allow the cells to return to their normal, healthy state. Diet changes, medications, herbal remedies and acupuncture can all be helpful to reduce that burn.

While medications are a great quick-fix, to stop the exposure to stomach acid immediately, they don't address the underlying causes of the heartburn, so people often have to continue taking the medication indefinitely. These medications also come with side effects that can include: decreased digestive abilities, vitamin deficiencies, cancer, and many more.

Chinese Medicine can be very effective at treating chronic heartburn. Because it addresses the underlying cause of the problem, not just the symptoms, it can more effectively help you stay heartburn-free long-term.

In Chinese medical theory, heartburn is usually diagnosed as Stomach Fire or Liver overacting the Stomach. These basically translate as having Stomach acid go where it doesn't belong. This can be due to too much Stomach acid causing an overflow, or the Stomach acid not being kept in the stomach due to a Stomach that has been weakened, often by stress. Chinese medicine can strengthen the Stomach energy keeping acid levels normal and in the stomach.

Remember, with Chinese medicine, unwanted symptoms aren't just covered up, your body is reminded how to function properly, how to live in health.

Chinese Medicine and Pregnancy Symptoms

When you're pregnant there are so many things in your life that change. You're going to have a kid soon! Your waistline is growing. You can't have that loved glass of wine. You also can't take everyday medications for everyday aches and pains. It may seem like a real test of your strength, but you don't have to suffer through! Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help ease so many symptoms associated with pregnancy.

• Morning Sickness
• Ankle Swelling
• Back and hip pain

And what if you catch a cold? No more Nyquil for you! But you don't have to suffer through that nasty virus. Herbal formulas can help get rid of that sore throat, your stuffy sinuses and the body aches.

Acupuncture is also useful for turning a fetus who isn't in the correct position for birth, stimulating labor and easing labor pains.

So many of the tough aspects of pregnancy can be eased by acupuncture and Chinese herbs, so if you're expecting a new little one, make it a more joyful time in your life by making it more comfortable for yourself!

Can stress make you gain weight?

We've all seen the news articles out there telling us how our chronically stressful lives are making us heavier as a nation. We're too busy to exercise. We're too busy to eat right. Stress increases cortisol, a hormone associated with our fight or flight responses. When we're stressed out we crave salty, fatty and sugary foods. All of these things are a part of the picture.

According to Chinese medicine, weight gain leads back to the Spleen. The Spleen is in charge of metabolizing our food and water intake. When our Spleen is weakened, it is easily overwhelmed by all the food and water coming in and isn't able to use it properly. To bring the stress into the picture - there is a special relationship between the Liver and the Spleen. Think of the Liver as the big brother, and the Spleen as the little brother. If the Liver gets riled up because of stress, he'll take it out on the Spleen - damaging the Spleen. When the Spleen is damaged, he's unable to properly metabolize our food and water, and so it gets stored in the form of fat deposits.

Remember that episode of "I Love Lucy" where she's working in the chocolate factory and she gets a little more behind with each passing moment? She's not sure what to do with all the candies, but knows she has to do SOMETHING with them, so she and Ethel start stuffing them in their mouths. This is similar to what happens when our Spleen gets overwhelmed and damaged by the Liver. It starts stuffing things anywhere it can.

Chinese medicine can be a great boost to your weight loss plan. I'm sorry, it can't do the work for you. You still need to make the necessary diet and exercise changes, but it can help speed the process along. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas can be used to set things straight between the Liver and Spleen to reduce stress levels and help heal the Spleen so that it can do its job properly.

If you're ready to get serious about losing some weight, or you've plateaued in your weight loss progress, consider talking to your acupuncturist. They can help your body remember how to be thin and healthy!

Newsletter Changes

I've decided that a writing a Seasonal e-Newsletter just isn't often enough. I've got too many ideas to write about! Points of Interest will now be a monthly edition.

If you're interested in receiving Points of Interest by email, simply send me a request by email to: Becca@ToThePointAcupuncture.org

If you prefer, you can also find my e-Newsletter in the "Newsletter Archives" section of my website: www.ToThePointAcupuncture.org

Happy reading!

Chinese medicine can be used on kids as well!

A child is not just a small adult. In biomedicine, we know that children metabolize drugs differently than adults. Take Ritalin, for example. In adults it is a stimulant, however, in children, it is used to counteract hyperactivity. Children are, in a sense, a species all of their own.

According to Chinese medicine, it isn't until around age 6 that a child's meridians are formed. Until then, their energy is more freely flowing, and perhaps a little chaotic at times (does this sound like your young child? ;) ). Because a child's meridians aren't yet formed, an acupuncturist can't massage or needle the same points that they might on an adult.

But don't worry, there's still a lot that can be done to help your child! Just like in biomedicine, there is a pediatric branch of Chinese medicine. A child may be treated using massage (called Tuina - pronounced tweeNAH), acupuncture or herbs (or some combination of these).

Some common complaints for which a child may be treated using Chinese medicine:

*ADD/ADHD
*Colds & Flu
*Childhood Diseases (such as Chicken pox, Whooping Cough, Measles, etc.)
*Allergies
*Asthma
*Eczema

So, even though your child must be looked at differently from an adult, they can still get treatment for the things that ail them!

It's not too late!

Is everyone around you sniffling and sneezing? Has the plague finally gotten to you too? If you're starting to feel like you're catching that cold or flu that's been going around, it's not too late to keep it from wreaking havoc on your immune system!

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs to the rescue!

While the best medicine is prevention, we all succumb to that miserable virus every once in a while. When it does finally catch up to you, consider seeing your acupuncturist! Using acupuncture and Chinese herbs, it's possible to:

* Get rid of the cold all together
* Prevent the cold from getting any worse
* Shorten the duration of your suffering
* Decrease the severity of your symptoms

There are many herbal formulas out there (you'll have to ask your acupuncturist/herbalist which one is right for the type of cold or flu that you have) that work BETTER than over the counter cold medicines. We have all suffered through the "brain fog" that decongestants leave in their wake, and we all deal it because it's worth getting some relief, but herbal formulas clear the pressure (without over-drying!) and leave you thinking more clearly!

So, the next time everyone around you is crumbling, visit your acupuncturist!