Summer 2009

Chinese MedicineIn Practice

The American Academy of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

China TripAAAOM conducted its third trip to China fromApril 9th to April 23rd, under the guidance ofAAAOM Academic Dean Dr. Yubin Lu. Oneof the first stops on the trip was AAAOM's sis-ter school, Shandong University of TraditionalChinese Medicine and its affiliated TCM hospi-tals. AAAOM students and some acupuncturepractitioners in the group were able to "testdrive" a newly-developed pulse diagnosismachine. Also on the itinerary were Xi'an,Beijing, Shanghai, Guilin, Jinan, Qufu, Taishanand Qingdao. Group members experienced

many never-to-be-forgotten moments as they stood beside the terra-cotta soldiers of Xi'an,enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Guilin, saw the Water Cube and Bird's Nest featured at the2008 Beijing Olympics, and climbed the Great Wall. (See page 7 for more information.)

fMRI Research UpdateAAAOM continues to work with the China Academy of Science (Beijing) on functional mag-netic resonance imaging (fMRI) research on acupuncture. The most recent research in thisprogram attempted to address the question of acupuncture point specificity in terms of cere-bral activations and deactivations. Two adjacent acupuncture points - Taichong (LR3) andNeiting (ST44) - and a nearby sham acupuncture point were needled, and simultaneous acti-vation and deactivation of cerebral structures were compared. Research results showed that:acupuncture at adjacent acupuncture points could modulate distinct cerebral structures; andthat specific patterns of activation might have a relationship to the acknowledged therapeu-tic effects of the acupuncture point. (See page 4 for more information.)

AAAOM Alumni NewsDespite the most severe downturn in the American economy in sixty years, AAAOM alum-ni are strongly resisting this negative trend by serving more patients at established clinicsand by successfully opening new clinics. Some of the clinics opened within the last yearby AAAOM graduates are as follows: Selby Acupuncture, Healing Point of AsianMedicine, Point Acupuncture of Asian Medicine, and Healing Point Oriental Medicine inSt. Paul; Red Clover Clinic in Roseville; Riverpath Clinic of Traditional Asian Medicine, Five-Element Acupuncture, Red Cricket Acupuncture, and Acupuncture & Asian Medicine inMinneapolis; Classic Acupuncture Services & Chinese Medicine in Edina; Minnesota Clinicof Integrated Medicine in Excelsior; Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic in Center City;Acupuncture in the Woods in Hayward, WI.

Inside AAAOMAAAOM News 1-2Open Houses 3fMRI Research 4Perimenopause Study 5Faculty Experiences 6-7China Trip 7TCM Legends 8TCM Health Centers 9Student Voices 10MS Clinic 11Dietary Therapy 11Upcoming Events 12

For more articles and information, visit our website at: www.AAAOM.edu

What’s Brewing at AAAOM?

China Academy of Traditional ChineseMedicine Visits AAAOMOn May 13, 2009, a team of eight high-ranking officialsfrom China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine(Beijing) visited AAAOM. The China Academy is the pri-mary institution for traditional Chinese medicine in China,dealing with both research and application aspects of TCM.China Academy Vice-President Dr. Li Huairong led the del-egation, accompanied by the heads of Academy-affiliatedhospitals and institutes including: President of XiyuanHospital Dr. Tang Xudong; President of Eye Hospital Dr. LiuChengyuan; President of Wangjing Hospital Dr. ChenLuojia; and Director of the Institute of Chinese MedicineTheory Dr. Pan Guijuan. Another distinguished member ofthe visiting delegation was the Editor-in-Chief of Asian-Pacific Traditional Medicine, Dr. Yan Liang.

AAAOM faculty members on hand to greet the visitingteam included Academic Dean Dr. Lu Yubin, ClinicDirector Dr. Yu Xiangdong, Research Director Dr. TangDaiyi, and school President Dr. Gong Changzhen.Members of both parties exchanged information on thestate of education, research and practice in TCM. The visit-ing team was impressed by the unique teaching approachAAAOM has adopted, and by the caliber of researchAAAOM has conduced in the United States. AAAOM fac-ulty members questioned the visitors about breakthroughresearch and new developments in the area of acupunc-ture and Chinese medicine currently occurring in China.AAAOM and the China Academy have collaborated in thecompilation of sections of the 100-volume classicalChinese herbal formula project.

Perimenopause Research StudyAAAOM faculty member Brian Grosam recently returnedto Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine inShandong, China to defend his Ph.D. dissertation on theeffects of acupuncture in the treatment of perimenopausalsymptoms. Mr. Grosam, a 2005 graduate of AAAOM'sMaster's degree program, gathered the research data forhis dissertation study by conducting a six-month peri-menopause clinic at AAAOM's Faculty/Student clinic. Ingeneral, most of the study participants responded well tothe treatment. The results of the study showed an averageof 64% total relief of the accumulated perimenopausesymptoms. Psychological and somatic symptoms bothscored at 63% relief, while urogenital relief scored highestat 69%. It is also worth noting that the highest individualrelief was for bladder problems (79%). (See page 5 for moreinformation.)

Translation Project LaunchedAAAOM is finalizing a project of translating classicalacupuncture texts for English readers. The selected master-pieces include Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine:Spiritual Pivot; The Classic of Difficult Issues; TheSystematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion; TheGreat Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion;Investigations on Extraordinary Meridians and other texts.These texts represent the highest landmarks achieved in theclassical period of acupuncture and traditional Chinesemedicine. The aim of the Academy's translation project isto preserve the integrity of the original texts while givingmodern readers useful ways to interpret the content byrejuvenating the classical theories and practicing tech-niques.

Dr. Gong Attends Research Conferenceof Complementary MedicineIn May, AAAOM President Dr. Gong attended the NorthAmerica Research Conference of ComplementaryMedicine, which was held in Minneapolis this year. Theconference is a showcase of original scientific studies in theareas of clinical, methodological, and health servicesresearch, and education in the area of complementary,alternative and integrative medicine (CAIM). At the confer-ence, Dr. Gong and Dr. David Eisenberg from HarvardMedical School (pictured below) exchanged views on thestatus of research into acupuncture and Chinese medicine.Attendees were impresssed by the significant growth of thecomplementary and alternative medicine profession sinceDr. David Eisenberg published his landmark work"Unconventional Medicine in the United States -Prevalence, Costs, and Patterns of Use" in the New EnglandJournal of Medicine in 1993.

AAAOM News

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Dr. Eisenberg and Dr. Gong.

American Academy

of Acupuncture and

Oriental Medicine

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Highlights of the afternoon will include:• Information about our Master’s Degree

and Certificate Programs• A Tour of the School• An Acupuncture Presentation• Visiting our Library, Herbal Pharmacy and

Student Clinic• Answers to Your Questions• Refreshments

Y o u a r e i n v i t e d t o a t t e n d a n

O P E N H O U S ESunday, July 19, or Sunday, July 26From 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

To RSVPVisit AAAOM.edu

Or Call 651-631-0204

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From Experience to EvidenceBy Changzhen Gong, Ph.D.

Acupuncture has been practiced bymillions of physicians on billions ofpatients over thousands of years.Before the advent of scientificresearch, the efficacy of acupunc-ture was demonstrated empiricallythrough clinical practice, directobservation, case reports, and indi-vidual experience. Now that evi-

dence-based medicine is the norm, acupuncture facesincreasing scrutiny by the Western medical community.For each of the hundreds of medical conditions it isknown to treat, acupuncture must be validated throughscientific methodology. In response to this challenge, anincreasing number of studies are being carried outaround the world. This article cites some recent studieswhich have appeared in mainstream medical journals.

Reproductive MedicineA 2002 German study published in the American Societyof Reproductive Medicine's journal, Fertility and Sterility,showed that 42.5% of women who underwent IVF andreceived acupuncture got pregnant, while only 26.3%who received IVF alone became pregnant. The researchconcluded that acupuncture is useful for improving suc-cessful pregnancy rates following assisted reproductivetechniques. A recent American study showed that 51%of women who had acupuncture and IVF treatmentsbecame pregnant, versus only 36% of the women whohad IVF alone.

Musculo-Skeletal PainIn the area of arthritis, the 2004 Annals of InternalMedicine published "Effectiveness of Acupuncture asAdjunctive Therapy in Osteoarthritis of the Knee: ARandomized, Controlled Trial," in which researcherscompared true and sham acupuncture treatments. Theyfound after eight weeks, patients in the true acupuncturegroup had greater improvement of function (but notpain). Among patients who remained in the study, thosein the true acupuncture group had greater improvementsin both pain and function after 26 weeks.

The study "German Acupuncture Trials for Chronic LowBack Pain," published in Archives of Internal Medicine,showed that low back pain improved almost twice asmuch after acupuncture as compared to conventionaltherapy. A Chinese study, "Acupuncture for TreatingAcute Attacks of Migraine: A Randomized ControlledTrial," published in Headache, showed that acupuncture

treatment is more effective than sham acupuncture inrelieving pain and preventing migraine relapse or aggra-vation. A study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedingsdemonstrated that acupuncture significantly improvedsymptoms of fibromyalgia. The Mayo study further statedthat symptomatic improvement was not restricted to painrelief, but was also significant for fatigue and anxiety. Astudy published in the Journal of Dentistry showed thatacupuncture had a positive influence on the signs andsymptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain.

fMRI ResearchFunctional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) allowsresearchers to visualize blood flow patterns in areas ofthe brain. This non-invasive method of "mapping" neuralactivity has proven to be perfect for validating the theoryof acupuncture. A selected acupuncture point is stimulat-ed with needles, and the resulting brain activity isobserved through fMRI scanning. This new research toolhas produced numerous studies since 1998, and it seemsthe potential for this avenue of research is unlimited.

In Chinese medicine, acupoints are located on meridianswhich are specific to particular internal organs and relat-ed conditions. If an acupoint to treat eye problems isstimulated and an area of the brain for processing visualstimuli is activated, this provides substantial evidence thatacupuncture can be validated scientifically. Some exam-ples include: Cho et.al. reported that stimulation atvision-related acupoint BL67 was correlated to activationof the visual cortex. Chae et.al. demonstrated that stimu-lation of acupoint LR2, which traditionally can affectmotor-related symptoms such as dizziness and vertigo,elicited significant activation in both motor-function andlimbic brain structures. Hui, Napadow, Wu documentedthat acupoints with analgesic effects modulate the cere-bral pain network, including the hypothalamus and lim-bic system. Zhou et.al. demonstrated that elec-troacupuncture at HT7, ST36, ST40 and KI3 elicited rightand left hemisphere activations which included impairedareas of the brain for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

These and other studies have greatly enhanced therecognition of acupuncture as a medical science. Theapplication of scientific research methodology to empir-ically-derived Oriental medicine modalities is building abridge between the Western medical community andEastern medical tradition. As it expands, this new body ofknowledge will usher the ancient wisdom of Orientalmedicine onto the stage of global 21st century medicine.

By Brian Grosam, L.Ac.Diplomate of Oriental Medicine

AAAOM faculty member BrianGrosam recently concluded a six-month clinical research study onthe effects of acupuncture in thetreatment of perimenopausalsymptoms. Mr. Grosam, a 2005graduate of AAAOM's Master'sdegree program, spent two years inChina pursuing his Ph.D. degree inTraditional Chinese Medicine

(TCM). The perimenopause study was conducted atAAAOM's Faculty/Student clinic to gather data for hisdissertation topic. Mr. Grosam adopted a standardacupuncture point prescription and used it for eachpatient over a twelve-week course of treatment.Auricular acupuncture was used to extend the effects ofacupuncture, but herbal medicine was excluded in theinterests of studying the effects of acupuncture alone.

Hot flashes and night sweats are two of the most com-mon manifestations connected with perimenopause. Inmy research study, hot flashes were certainly one of theleading complaints to be dealt with. Over the course ofthe study it became apparent that acupuncture treat-ments alone were able to reduce the intensity, numberand length of hot flashes in most of the study participants(although often not as fast as the patients would havepreferred). A few women experienced considerablerelief after only 2-3 treatments, but they were the minor-ity. For most participants it took 5-6 treatments beforethere was a noticeable shift in their experience of hotflashes. As participants progressed with their treatments,the intensity, number and length of the hot flashes allseemed to be relieved at an equal rate. Along with this,night sweats were relieved with great effectiveness, aswell.

However, as the study continued I found three subjectswho did not follow the normal pattern of symptom reliefwith acupuncture. In fact, nothing seemed to work forthem. All three had experienced severe hot flashes foryears and had turned to many different therapies forrelief. For them, it seemed that acupuncture was a lastresort. After the initial weekly protocol was unsuccessful,I tried more intensive acupuncture treatment with allthree women and again failed to mitigate their hot flash-es. As I dug deeper into their histories and symptomexpression, it became apparent that these women werenot having normal perimenopausal symptoms.

Mary L. (not her real name) was having multiple andsevere hot flashes every day, both during the day andnight. After three weekly acupuncture treatments pro-duced little relief, I asked Mary to try acupuncture twicea week. She was treated more aggressively on both thefront and back of the body for another three weeks, butwith little success. Her main TCM pathology was kidneyyang deficiency. Upon further inquiry I discovered thatshe was taking hypothyroid medication, one of the sideeffects of which is hot flashes. The main conclusion wasthat the medication was causing the hot flashes.Although I suggested that Mary talk to her doctor aboutthe condition or changing her dosage, she would not doso. She finished the 12-week protocol with minor relief.

Rhonda H. was suffering from severe hot flashes andinsomnia, and her initial TCM diagnosis was kidney yindeficiency with heart fire. After several weeks of treat-ment, there was little relief. As with Mary, this subjectwas asked to come back twice per week for moreaggressive acupuncture on the front and back of thebody, which also proved to have little effect. With carefuland deeper review of her case, Rhonda was reevaluatedand diagnosed with toxic heat in the blood - not due toperimenopause, but due to Lyme's Disease caused by atick bite many years previously. After the 12-week treat-ment protocol concluded with only minor relief, Rhondawas started on a Chinese herbal formula which helpedrelieve some of the severity of her hot flashes.

The third case had been suffering from severe hot flash-es for five years. She was also a recovering drug addictwith severe depression, and was taking western pharma-ceuticals for chronic sleep disorders. Diagnosed from aTCM perspective with kidney yin deficiency and liver fireharassing the heart, this woman found that acupunctureprovided little relief from her hot flashes. The point pre-scription was changed in an attempt to address her symp-toms more effectively, but there was still minimal effect.

Reviewing these three unique cases in the light of mystudy, I concluded that acupuncture alone can effective-ly relieve hot flashes for many patients when the hotflashes are due to natural aging effects. However, whenhot flashes are caused or complicated by other diseases,medications, and/or lifestyle issues, it is more effective touse acupuncture in conjunction with other treatmentmodalities of Chinese Medicine such as Chinese herbalformulas. It is especially vital to reevaluate patients whentreatments do not work as expected. Careful diagnosis isthe basis of all effective treatment.

Hot Flashes: Sometimes It's Not Menopause

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By Yubin Lu, TCMD, Ph.D., L.Ac.Several years ago a middle-agedman came into my office complain-ing of a fever which had begunthree weeks previously. At first thefever was constant, but then itbecame a "tidal" fever - one thatrecurs daily at a predictable time.He would begin to feel feverisharound 10PM. The fever would per-sist all night, subsiding early in the

morning. He had no other significant symptoms. In aneffort to find out what was wrong with him, the patienthad gone to the Mayo clinic for a workup. After a seriesof tests and examinations the diagnosis was "fever ofunknown etiology," meaning the doctors could not findany medical explanation for his condition.

It was no problem to diagnose a tidal fever in Chinesemedicine. I considered the possible patterns and dis-eases in Chinese medicine that can cause tidal fever. InTCM theory, there are three principal patterns which canproduce tidal fevers: yin deficiency, yangming pattern ofthe fu organs, and damp warm disease. Obviously hisfever was not due to yin deficiency because his conditionhad developed suddenly, in an acute form. Then I askedif he was constipated, since this would indicate a yang-ming problem with the large intestine, but he said no.The only remaining possibility was damp warm disease,which should manifest with signs of dampness, especial-ly a white greasy tongue coating. With great anticipation,I asked him to stick out his tongue so I could look at it.His tongue had a thick white greasy coating, conformingperfectly to the damp-heat pattern. This moment of con-firming a diagnosis is always exciting to doctors. I wasexcited for two reasons: first because my differentialdiagnosis was correct, and second because it was thefirst time I had a chance to apply my knowledge of thispattern to a patient. As the principal treatment I pre-scribed a Chinese herbal formula called San Ren Tang, orThree Seeds Decoction (with modifications), which hasthe function of clearing damp warmth.

The patient returned in three days, very happy and grate-ful for the help. From the first day he took the formula,the fever went away and had not come back. To fortifythe effect, I prescribed the same formula for anotherthree days. He called me after three more days and saidhe was completely free of the fever. The reason this casewas memorable for me was not just because the patientresponded so dramatically to the herbal formula I pre-

scribed. It was also because it clarified some issues I hadbeen turning over in my mind for quite a while about thetheory and practice of Chinese medicine in relation toWestern medicine. Modern science, including Westernmedicine, has the advantage of providing concrete, prov-able data on which it bases its conclusions or diagnoses.A medical doctor can point to a blood chemistry paneland say, "Look, your heart palpitations are related to thiselevated serum calcium level." Modern medical tests andprocedures inspire trust because doctors and patientscan see actual results.

In contrast, Chinese medicine concepts about pathogen-ic factors, such as "wind," "heat," "damp," "dryness," and"cold", as in Five-Element Theory, seem vague, condition-al, and hard to grasp. A diagnosis of "wind-cold" or"damp-heat" is ultimately based in the observation ofnature and natural life experiences, especially as theymanifest in human beings. When we speak of dampness,for example, we think of the way water acts as a naturalelement. Water flows downward. Dampness is sticky bynature, and once it has accumulated, it tends to persist inthe environment. In TCM theory, pathological dampnessin the body tends to flow down and cause more symp-toms in the lower parts, such as the intestines or bladder.The sticky quality of dampness produces a greasy tonguecoating, and the health conditions caused by dampnesstend to be more chronic and lingering.

As I thought about my training in Chinese medicine the-ory, I said, "Even if these facts about water and dampnessare true in nature, how valid is it to apply these naturalfacts to explain pathological changes in the humanbody? Dampness in the body should be different fromdampness in the environment, so why do we apply treat-ment to the body based on the mechanisms of naturaldampness?" The theoretical structure that tidal fevers canbe caused by dampness blocking the dispersion of heatfrom the body is a deduction based on observation oflife experience. "Where is the scientific evidence to sup-port the idea that this type of observation can be effec-tively extrapolated to treat medical conditions in humanbeings?" These were the kind of questions I had, and itmade me feel like I was trying to get my hands around acloud. That is why I felt so excited when I saw mypatient's thick greasy white tongue coating, and why Iwas even happier when the herbal formula I prescribedto him worked wonderfully. To me, those observablesigns and results proved that the practice of TCM wasmore than just abstract theory. The success of the treat-ment proved the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Validating Chinese Medicine: A Case Study

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Chinese medicine has been practiced for thousands ofyears. It is based on theories which have been developedand refined by scholars and practitioners down throughthe ages. But the bottom line is that if it didn't work - ifpatients were not actually helped by Chinese medicine -it wouldn't be around any more. TCM theories may besimple or complex, but ultimately they produce practicalresults. Before modern times, Chinese medicine did nothave lab tests available to prove that it worked, or how itworked. The proof was in the successful outcome of mil-lions of actual cases.

In the case of my patient with tidal fever, modern sciencewas not able to arrive at a reason for his fever. Withoutan explanation of the cause, Western medicine was

unable to suggest a treatment, even though it was obvi-ous to everyone that something was wrong with him. I'msure this type of situation occurs hundreds of times a daythroughout the world. If this is the case, should we relyon the lab tests and scientific findings of Western medi-cine, or should we go with the 3,000-year track record ofChinese medicine? This is not a question that can beanswered with "yes" or "no." Like most questions, theanswer is probably "both/and." But at any rate, weshould not disparage Chinese medicine or question itsusefulness because it does not conform to the standardsof modern evidence-based scientific methods. I amthankful to my patient for giving me the "evidence" thatreassured me about the strength and wisdom of Chinesemedicine.

A Student’s View of ChinaBy Tasha BoehlandIn April I joined a group of ten people for a tour of China,led by AAAOM academic dean Dr. Yubin Lu. The itiner-ary was extensive and ambitious. We kicked off the tourvisiting some of the most beautiful and interesting placesimaginable! A few of the highlights were Chinese almondtrees blossoming everywhere you looked, the GreatWall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Shanghai,Confucius' hometown, Small Goose Pagoda, Jinan'sThousand Buddha Mountain, Bauto Spring, Qingdao,Kung Fu at The Red Theatre, Taishan Mountain (whichwas painted yellow with wild Lian Qiao flowers), ReedFlute Cave, and the Terracotta Army.

One of the first places we visited was Guilin, in the south-ern part of China. Many people say this is one of themost beautiful places in the world, and I agree. Imaginefloating down a river that is carving its way through manysteep, open-faced heaps of limestone that are each cov-ered and surrounded by luscious green jungle. It wasastonishing. Equally as impressive was the snake wine forsale inside the boat. I remembered this from my ChineseHerbology class as a legendary elixir for Bi syndrome(arthritis), so I had to give it a try. It tasted like fermentedgasoline but looked very impressive!

As a student of traditional Chinese medicine, one of myfavorite days was our tour of Shandong University andHospitals. I tried to picture my teachers as students there,since this is where most of them trained. One room inthe University was dedicated to acupuncture tools fromancient to modern, including a replica of the MingDynasty bronze statue (a "map" of acupuncture pointson the human body - see image on page 1). Their class-room for Tui Na massage students had a computerized

"rice bag" that would electronically chart the pressureand movements applied to it, making it easier for stu-dents to reproduce the techniques taught by their profes-sor. Another room was dedicated to tongue diagnosis,with wax models of tongues of any shape and coatingimaginable. Then we came to a room filled with pulse-simulating machines. What a great invention! If onlyevery student were able to train with one of thesemachines - we'd probably be much more adept and con-fident at taking pulses!

One of the things that impressed me the most aboutChina was how clean they keep their land. We have allheard about the poor air quality, but we never hear ofhow spotless they keep their grounds. I was happy to seeas many recycling receptacles as trashcans and wasamazed at the city landscaping. They plant an overabun-dance of trees and flowers wherever they can squeezethem in - even on highway overpasses.

Dr. Lu's trip was two of thebest weeks of my life. Ihighly recommend it toanyone who is studying orpracticing Chinese medi-cine, or anyone who simplywants to be in good handswhile touring China. (TashaBoehland, pictured to theleft, tests her skill on thepulse-simulating machine.)

To see more pictures of the trip,visit www.DrLuChina2009.shutterfly.com.

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By Dr. Xiangdong Yu, TCMD, Ph.D.During the Warring States period inancient China (475–221 BCE) a hum-ble farmer named Gou Zi lived in thecountry of Qin, north of Xiang moun-tain and south of the Yellow River.Gou Zi and his wife, Qi, worked tire-lessly on their farm from sunrise to sun-set, earning just enough to supportthemselves and Gou Zi's old mother.In that troubled time, soldiers

marched through the land, taking what they needed fromthe countryside and forcing men to join their armies. Oneday the soldiers arrived in Gou Zi's village and took him awaywith them to fight in the endless war.

After ten long years of participating in hundreds of battles,Gou Zi was finally able to return home. He would carry for-ever the memory of thousands of men, women and childrenhe saw die in the unrelenting warfare. As he came in sight ofhis village, Gou Zi wondered if anyone there would still rec-ognize him: a grizzled beard covered his face, and he lookedmuch older than when he left. Then he saw that things werenot well in his village. Many houses were dark and lifeless;fields and gardens were deserted; beggars walked the streetsand children clamored for food. Signs of famine and desper-ation were everywhere.

Anxiety for his wife and mother drove Gou Zi as he rushedthrough the devastated village. Were they still on the farm?Were they still alive? Arriving at his house, he was greeted byhis overjoyed family. To his relief, Qi and his mother werehealthy and strong. Qi told him how she had struggled forten years to keep everything going, and how the last yearhad been the worst: a plague of locusts had eaten all thecrops in the field, and heavy rains had made it impossible toplant anything in the waterlogged soil.

Gou Zi admired his wife for her strength and determination,but he was still puzzled. He said, "When I came through thevillage, everyone was feeble and starving - how have you andMother managed to stay so vigorous and healthy?" Qi said,"I picked a small red fruit that grows wild in the hills. Motherand I lived on that fruit, and we both would have died if wedidn’t eat it." Gou Zi could not hold back tears as heembraced his wife and mother, thankful that they had sur-vived, and grateful to Qi for her heroic struggle against adver-sity and for her ingenuity and resourcefulness.

Gou Zi soon made sure the villagers knew about the valueof the little red fruit. They had believed that the fruit washarmful, but the testimony of Gou Zi and Qi convinced themto try the fruit. The villagers named the fruit "Gou Qi Food"in honor of Gou Zi and Qi. The miraculous fruit not only keptpeople alive, it actually seemed to make them younger. Aftera while, Gou Zi's graying hair was black again, and heregained the vigor he had lost.

Today in China, Gou Qi Zi is widely used, both in Chinesemedicine and as a favorite food. Chinese medicine regards itas an excellent Kidney tonifier, and it is used to strengthen thelow back, tendons and bones. There is a custom for elderswho are celebrating their birthday to infuse wine with gou qifruit and drink it. This is popularly called "refuse-to-age" wine.Gou qi is also used to "brighten the eyes" and improve vision,especially in the form of a tea, where it is combined with "juhua" (chrysanthemum flowers).

In the United States, gou qi berries (also called "goji" berries)are becoming more available in grocery stores. They can beused in many Chinese recipes, added to Western foods suchas oatmeal, or just eaten as a snack. If you enjoy the little redfruit, remember the story of that admirable farmer, Gou Zi,and his resourceful wife Qi.

Legends of Chinese Medicine:Gou Zi's Miraculous Berry

In the United States, gou qi berries (also called "goji" berries)are becoming more available in grocery stores.

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Dr. Yubin Lu Dr. Xiangdong Yu Dr. Wei Liu Dr. Daiyi Tang Dr. Hong Chen

Dr. Li Gu Dr. Wen Jiang Dr. Cheng Chi Dr. Xingron He Dr. Yifan Liu

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Minnesota is well-served by the acupuncturists at TCMHealth Center clinics. With six convenient locations, TCMHealth Center clinics are committed to providing high qual-ity acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine at reasonablerates. Our practitioners are fully-licensed and highly-trainedprofessionals who bring specialized knowledge and yearsof experience to bear on patient treatment. Acupunctureand Chinese herbal medicine are known to be exceptional-ly effective at addressing a variety of diseases, as well asbeing proven preventive medicine.

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Dan StettlerAfter four (ok, closer to five) years ofcollege, I really had no clear idea ofwhat I wanted to be when I "grewup"... So I did what every other adultdoes, I got a job. It was a good job incorporate America, but after ten yearsI wanted something more. I wanted towake up excited to go to work. I want-ed something I could be passionateabout. I wanted something that made

me feel like I was making a difference. For me, TraditionalChinese Medicine (TCM) was the answer. TCM is a field thatwill challenge me for the rest of my life - always somethingnew to learn. It will allow me to be my own boss (if I chooseto). Most importantly, it will allow me to help people on adaily basis. Will it make me rich? Maybe not financially, but inthe long run I'll be a happier person with a true sense of pur-pose. And that's why TCM and school is important to me.

Lynn VincentMy original reasons for studyingTraditional Chinese Medicine are two-fold: fascination and frustration. I havebeen fascinated with Asian philosophysince I studied Tai Chi at the NaropaInstitute in Boulder, Colorado in 1975.I have been frustrated by Westernmedicine's failure to treat my medicalissues: fatigue, migraines and edema.My fascination with Taoism,

Buddhism, and Confucianism centers on the way all of thesephilosophies have our interconnectedness with nature as aprimary theme. The medical paradigm of TCM encompass-es this. My soul is fed in this way.

Colet Lahoz, my first acupuncturist, gave me my energyback. I felt like I was in a different body! Frustration trans-formed to fascination. I wanted to know how she did this, soI decided to make the change in profession from residentialenergy conservation to the study of this mysterious, complexand powerful methodology. I will be intellectually stimulatedfor the rest of my life. After two years of study, I can see thatthe creative possibilities of practicing this medicine are huge.I could possibly work in a hospital setting, set up my ownpractice, or be part of the modern research that is so activenow. I feel very rich in many ways with this occupation.

Leslie PrairieI am currently a student at AAAOMbecause I wish to begin anothercareer path. I worked for twenty-twoyears in a hospital setting and quit dueto the realization of what the stresswas doing to me. It was a tough callbecause the pay was excellent, and Ihad many friends there. After I left, Iwas able to work as a freelance musi-cian for a time, but it didn't enable me

to make a living, so I began to ponder "What's next?" Duringthis period I had a pretty serious back injury and soughtacupuncture for treatment. While I was on the table one day,a notion struck me. "What's this acupuncture stuff about?Could I be this type of healer?" I began to do some researchand have some long conversations with my practitioner.

It turned out that I couldn't NOT do it. I think the universewas calling me to choose this path. Even though logic saysthe timing of my education is way off (I will have a son in col-lege the same time as me; I'm not so young anymore; I can'tafford it, etc.), I know that this is just the kind of career pathI was looking for. I have been so happy following it, and I lookforward to my future relationships with patients.

Andy RaakGiven the extremely tough job mar-ket, some have decided to return toschool and take advantage of studentloans to soften the financial blow.Although adding to one's debt loadinitially appears to be a short-sighteddecision, I highly believe that withsome forethought and the right inten-tions it could prove to be a life-chang-ing and powerful decision. In particu-

lar, I feel that continuing my education in Chinese medicineprepares me to take advantage of a growing industry andconsciousness that embraces holistic wellness, complemen-tary medicine, and proactive health. For all of us, continuingour education today not only will help us ride out a toughand changing job market, it will help us keep abreast of theexponential changes occurring everywhere. New educationenables you to reinvent yourself in a way that you personallybelieve will provide a promising future and make you a hap-pier person for the remainder of your working career.

Student Voices:Why now is a good time to be in school...

Sweet rice dumplings could be called a "dessert dumpling"because the filling is sweet and the dumpling skin is com-posed of sweet rice flour rather than wheat flour. Called"Tang Yuan" in China, the sweet rice dumpling is known fordrawing families together as they enjoy the special treat. Thename means "harmonizing" or "united", and to be consistentwith this meaning the dumplings should only be eaten inmultiples of two - never in odd numbers.

Ingredients:Walnut meat 100 grams (1/2 cup)Peanuts (shelled) 100 gramsBlack sesame seeds 50 gramsBrown sugar 200 gramsHoney 100 gramsSweet rice flour 2 pounds

Preparation:1. Dry-roast the walnuts, peanuts and sesame seeds until

browned. When cool, grind to a fine consistency.

2. Combine nut powder, brown sugar and honey in a bowl(this is the dumpling filling).

3. Place rice flour in a large bowl, adding cold water untilthe mixture has a dough-like consistency.

4. Take a lump of dough half the size of an egg in one handand press it flat with the palm of your other hand.

5. Place a teaspoonful of filling in the center of thedumpling skin and roll it into a ball in your hand.

6. Bring a pot of water to a boil, adding the dumplings tothe boiling water. When the dumpling floats on the sur-face of the water, it is done.

Comments:This recipe is especially good for tonifying the kidney andstrengthening the brain. Walnuts, peanuts and sesame seedsare kidney tonifiers. When the kidney is strong, it nourishesthe brain and improves memory. Honey moistens the lungsand provides trace elements to the body. Try thesedumplings at your next family get-together: you will harmo-nize the family and improve your memory at the same time!

Food as Medicine by Cheng Chi, TCMD, L.Ac.

11

Treating Multiple Sclerosis with AcupunctureBy Rachel Nudd

The AAAOM Multiple SclerosisClinic began in 2005 as part of dis-sertation research by AAAOMgraduate Dr. Imaim Neng Thao,who pursued his Ph.D. in China fortwo years before returning toMinnesota to set up his project inAAAOM's faculty/student clinic.After Dr. Thao completed hisresearch, AAAOM continued the

project with faculty advisors and student interns. The clin-ic has become an important resource for many patients,as well as providing invaluable experience for students.

While there is no cure for MS in Western or Chinesemedicine, the goal of acupuncture is to curb acuteattacks and slow the progression of symptoms. Commonsymptoms that acupuncture treats include: muscle weak-ness and spasm, pain, vision problems, tremor,balance/coordination, dizziness, bladder infections,fatigue, and mental/emotional problems. Symptoms thathave a mixed response to acupuncture include bladderand bowel problems, numbness/tingling, tinnitus, andmemory/concentration problems. Chinese medicine isalso successful at treating secondary symptoms such aspoor or excess appetite, lowered immunity, anger/frus-tration, and side effects from medication ("Acupuncture

and MS: Practical Applications" by Jill Brookes; May 5,2009, www.MStrust.com). In a survey of one thousandMS patients conducted by the Rocky Mountain MSCenter, 20% of the participants had tried acupuncture.For pain and anxiety symptoms, 66% of the group report-ed beneficial effects. Improvement of fatigue, depres-sion, muscle stiffness, numbness and insomnia wasreported by 50-60% of respondents. Overall, theseresults indicate that acupuncture is an effective treat-ment for MS (Allen Bowling, Complementary andAlternative Medicine and Multiple Sclerosis).

A typical course of treatment begins with two sessionsper week for the first four to five weeks, followed byweekly treatments for the next several weeks. In success-ful cases, symptomatic relief lasts for sequentially longerperiods between treatments, with symptoms eventuallydeclining in intensity or disappearing altogether. Whenthe condition stabilizes to where treatments are neededless often, patients return to the clinic once every two tothree weeks to prevent recurrence of symptoms.

Rachel Nudd is a student intern in AAAOM's MS clinic.Make an appointment calling 651-631-0204 ext. 1. MSpatients are treated for $15 per treatment. Visitwww.AcupunctureForMS.com for an extended versionof this article, including case studies.

AAAOM Open HousesOpen Houses for prospective students will be held on July 19th and July 26th from 2-5 p.m. Readmore on page 3, visit AAAOM.edu for full details and to RSVP, or call 651-631-0204 ext. 2 with anyquestions and to RSVP. We hope to see you there!

First Day of Fall TrimesterThe first day of classes for 2009’s Fall Trimester will be Tuesday, September 8. Applications are nowbeing accepted and prospective students are encouraged to register soon. For application informa-tion, visit AAAOM.edu or call 651-631-0204.

Tai Chi and Healing Qigong ClassesAAAOM offers ongoing 10-week Healing Qi Gong classes on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. beginning September 12, and 12-week Tai Chi classes on Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. beginningSeptember 9. For class and registration information, please call 651-631-0204.

Continuing Education Seminars - 2009Sunday, October 11: Dr. Yubin Lu, Pulse Diagnosis; Sunday, October 18: Dr. Hong Chen, TreatingPsoriasis and Eczema with Chinese Medicine; Sunday, November 8: Dr. Cheng Chi, ProcessingChinese Medicinal Herbs; and Sunday, November 15: Dr. Wen Jiang, Treating GynecologicalConditions with Acupuncture. Each seminar will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (8 CEUs per sem-inar). For class and registration information visit AAAOM.edu, or call 651-631-0204 ext. 2.

Dates to Remember

A m e r i c a nAcademy ofAcupuncture& OrientalM e d i c i n e

1925 W County Rd. B2Roseville, MN 55113

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

US POSTAGE PAIDEAU CLAIRE WI

PERMIT NO. 366

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