WINTER 2012

Chinese MedicineIn Practice

The American Academy of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

For the last 14 years AAAOM has brought theskills and knowledge of our Chinese facultymembers to this country for the benefit of ourstudents and the community we serve. Each ofour faculty members is a storehouse of informa-tion regarding the practice of Chinese medicine.Now, AAAOM offers a seminar series whichenables our practitioners to share their skills ingreater depth with our students and alumni. Wewant to give our students the opportunity tolearn everything their teachers know, so they canbring that knowledge to their own patients.

The seminars are constructed as a series of 4-hour seminars on each of the following threetopics: Techniques for Essential Acupuncture Points; Essential Techniques for Pain Conditions;and Essential Techniques for Common Health Conditions. Each topic will be covered inapproximately ten four-hour seminars, for a total of 120 hours of content. These seminars arefree to AAAOM interns, and are offered at a reduced cost to AAAOM alumni. The nextAdvanced Practitioner Seminars are planned for May, 2012, with dates to be announced.

The Techniques for Essential Acupoints series covers special techniques to locate points accu-rately, adjusting techniques for individual patients, optimal needling depth and amount ofstimulation, patient reactions to needling, and avoiding common mistakes in needling.Techniques will be demonstrated in detail by the instructors, who will then supervise as sem-inar participants practice the techniques.

In the Essential Techniques for Pain Conditions series, pain conditions are differentiatedaccording to areas of the body, such as shoulder, neck, back, etc. The pathology of each paincondition is analyzed in depth, including a consideration of how the prognosis will vary,depending on the etiology of the condition. Acupuncture techniques and other TCM tech-niques such as cupping, electroacupuncture, topical application of herbs, and internal use offormulas are highlighted. All techniques and modalities are demonstrated by the instructorsand practiced by seminar participants.

The Essential Techniques for Common Conditions series will deal with health problemswhich are commonly seen in clinical practice, such as neuropathy, infertility, arthritis, sinusi-tis, sciatica, IBS, and fibroids. Instructors will discuss treatment plans and provide effectiveacupuncture and herbal prescriptions to treat each condition effectively, and will demon-strate relevant acupuncture and diagnostic techniques.

Inside AAAOMAdvanced Seminars 1Antibiotics vs. Herbs 2Open Houses 3Caring Practitioners 4Treating Toothache 5Understanding Organs 6-7Practice Success Basics 7Mentors and Experience 8TCM Health Centers 9Chinese Legends 10Food as Medicine 11Dates to Remember 12

Visit www.AAAOM.edu for Additional News and Info

Advanced Practitioner Seminars

AAAOM hosts our next twoOpen Houses on Sunday,March 4th, and Sunday,March 18th, each from 2-5p.m. Read more on

page 3 and visitAAAOM.edu to RSVP.

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By Wei Liu, TCMD, L.Ac., Lic. NutritionistAntibiotics are a pillar of modernmedicine, and play a tremendousrole in dealing with infections.When the body’s immune system isoverwhelmed, antibiotics can bevery useful. However, althoughmore than a hundred differentantibiotics have been developedsince the discovery of penicillin in1928, infections still plague us.

Many bacteria have developed resistance to the antibi-otics that once killed them. While antibiotics can be life-saving when used appropriately, the overuse and inap-propriate use of antibiotics have the potential to causewidespread health problems. Overuse of antibiotics inthe United States is recognized as a serious cause forconcern. This problem is much less prevalent in Asiancountries. Do the Chinese and other Asians have fewerbacterial infection problems? Why don’t they have anantibiotic-abuse problem? As more people consider thisquestion in comparative medicine, they find the answeris the natural, powerful substitute of Chinese herbs.

Modern chemical antibiotics have been in existence lessthan a hundred years, whereas the natural herbal antibi-otics prescribed by traditional Chinese healers have beenused for more than 2,000 years by millions of people.Classical Chinese medical textbooks such as Theory ofFebrile Diseases and Synopsis of the Golden Cabinet byZhang Zhongjing, (150-219 AD) and Treatise onDifferentiation and Treatment of Seasonal FebrileDiseases by Wu Jutong, 1798, include effective herbalformulas which are used to treat infectious diseases byperforming the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) func-tions of Clearing Heat, Expelling Cold, and RelievingToxicity. Although TCM and conventional Western medi-cine are based on different philosophies, they share thesame goal of curing their patients. TCM may be especial-ly advantageous with modern complicated conditionswhere "bugs," "super-bugs," and "super-super-bugs"come in so many different forms that a single antibioticcannot deal with them. The proper use* of Chineseherbal formulas can not only inhibit bacterial, viral andfungal infections, but also minimize the need for antibi-otics with their adverse side effects.

Two theories on infectious diseases predominate in thepractice of medicine. One theory is that germs causeinfectious diseases. The other theory is that diminishedhost resistance causes infectious diseases. The "great

compromise" of these two theories is widely acceptedboth by the public and by health professionals. That is,infectious organisms are present in the host or the envi-ronment, but infection does not occur unless the host’sresistance diminishes. The implication of this compro-mise is that a strong immune system is fundamental if thebody is to resist infections. A medicine which controlsbacterial infection and sustains the immune system isalways preferable to a medicine which kills bacteria butdepresses the immune system. Empirical and scientificevidence suggests that Chinese herbal formulas canreplace antibiotics in many cases, while also benefitingthe immune system. This article does not intend to dimin-ish the role of antibiotics in any sense. But, when antibi-otics do not work and their prolonged use causes sideeffects, Chinese herbal medicine can be very useful.

The most common type of infection is respiratory infec-tions. Almost everyone has experienced a running nose,sneezing, sore throat, cough, sinus infection, etc. InChina, Chinese herbal remedies are the first option fordealing with this type of problem. Practitioners chooseformulas for their patients based on the symptoms andthe severity of the problem. Symptoms are differentiatedinto patterns by TCM diagnosis, and the appropriate for-mula for that pattern is chosen. Among dozens of formu-las, Yin Qiao San is the most popular. This hundred-year-old remedy is famous for both prevention and treatmentof the common cold, and is stocked in many families’medicine cabinets, even in the United States.Honeysuckle and forsythia, which are the leading herbsin Yin Qiao San, have a strong inhibitory effect againstmany pathogenic bacteria such as streptococcus andstaphylococcus.

Gastrointestinal infections are also a very common prob-lem, especially for travelers. One of my patients told meabout the diarrhea, stomach pain, and vomiting sheexperienced when she traveled to Mexico, and that shetook a lot of antibiotics to deal with these symptoms.Gastroenteritis and dysentery are common not just indeveloping countries. We see many cases each year inthe United States. Antibiotics can be very effective if thediarrhea is caused by certain bacteria, but bacteria arenot the only cause of diarrhea. Gastroenteritis symptomscan also be caused by parasites, amoebas, toxins, certainmedications, and even food allergies, so antibiotics arenot always effective.

Continued on page 4

Treating Infections: Antibiotics or Chinese Herbs?

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, March 4, or Sunday, March 18From 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

AAAOM School &Student/Faculty Clinic1925 W County Rd B2

Roseville, MN 55113

To RSVPVisit AAAOM.edu

Or Call 651-631-0204

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Antibiotics continued from page 2When people are looking for a preventive treatment, Ialways recommend herbs. One of the most importantherbs for dealing with these problems is coptis root(Huang Lian). Many studies have shown that coptisstrongly inhibits many bacteria such as shigella, salmonel-la, and other microbes that cause dysentery. Salmonellais the most common bacterium in the United States thatcan cause gastroenteritis and typhoid fever. Every year,more than two million new cases of salmonella infectionare reported. Every traveler in China puts Huang Lian ora formula containing it, such as Huang Lian Jie Du Tang,in his suitcase when he takes a trip.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) including bladder infec-tions, urethral infections, and kidney infections accountfor ten million visits to the doctor annually, and are sec-ond only to respiratory infections in frequency. UTIs areamong the most common health problems for women,increasing in frequency as a woman goes throughmenopause. Statistically, twenty percent of women whohave had a UTI will develop a second infection. A varietyof standard antibiotics such as Trimpex, Bactrim, Amoxil,and Macrodatin are the medications most often pre-scribed for urinary tract infections by conventional medi-cine practitioners. For someone with chronic or recur-rent infections, however, the constant use of antibioticscan eventually diminish the body’s natural capacity tofight off infection. In this case, natural herbal remedies

can be a safe and effective alternative to the use andoveruse of antibiotics. A balanced herbal formula will notonly combat a current infection, but will also benefit theimmune system, improving the body’s chances of ward-ing off the next infection. Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan is onewell-known formula which might be prescribed for thetreatment of UTIs, depending on the patient’s presentingsymptoms and underlying pattern.

Let me emphasize that I do not encourage people to self-prescribe Chinese herbal formulas, any more than Iwould advise someone to self-prescribe an antibiotic. Awidely-used standard formula such as Yin Qiao San maybe taken as indicated, but for more serious or chronichealth problems, it is best to consult a Chinese medicinepractitioner in order to get the proper formula for yourcondition.

*Regarding "proper use" of Chinese herbal formulas: Ifplant material is processed in order to extract and refineits component chemicals and achieve maximum poten-cy, it will then have the same advantages and disadvan-tages as Western-medicine antibiotics. It will be strongerand more powerful in its effects, but it will also be morelikely that bacteria and viruses will develop resistance toit. It is the use of the entire plant, or plant part, with itsnatural combination of chemical constituents left intact,which prevents bacteria and viruses from developingresistance.

By Wen Jiang, TCMD, Ph.D. (China), L.Ac.From my experience, to be a suc-cessful acupuncturist one needs afundamental grasp of traditionalChinese medicine practice. Whenyou understand the underlyingstructure and interconnections ofTCM theory, you can deal with anykind of problem patients have. Ifyou can make an accurate TCMpattern diagnosis and treat the

patient based on a correct understanding of his condi-tion, the patient will be helped, and will see that you aredoing your best for him.

Another skill an acupuncturist should definitely have isacupuncture needling technique. When acupuncture iscorrectly applied, it is very powerful, so that the patientcan see a difference with the first treatment. When youare familiar with the various needling techniques, you willbe confident to resolve the patient’s problem as soon as

possible. If a patient feels immediate relief, he or she willcertainly come back next time, and possibly refer otherpatients to you later on.

But even having the knowledge and needling skills is stillnot enough. One of my clients said, "I like to come to seeyou because you show concern for me; you listen to meand can always find a way to help me." Showing patientsthat you really care about them is very important for amedical practitioner. A long time ago, a very famousacupuncturist named Sun Simiao wrote a book calledQian Jin Yao Fang, and said this: "When a doctor sees hispatient, he should think about the patient's suffering, justlike the doctor himself is having those symptoms." Whenyou show patients that you sympathize with their suffer-ing and really want to help them, they are more likely torelax and listen to your suggestions. If patients do notbelieve that you are devoted to helping them, even if youare an experienced practitioner, they won’t come backto you.

A Successful Practitioner Cares

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By Daiyi Tang, TCMD, Ph.D. (China), L.Ac.Toothache is a common symptomwhich can be caused by conditionssuch as periodontal abscess, dentalcaries, or nerve inflammation, and cancause problems like headaches andfacial pain. Fortunately, it is possible totreat toothache pain at home withacupressure. Acupressure can beused as a way to manage pain until itis possible to see the dentist, or it can

be used therapeutically in situations where the pain is chron-ic or nerve-related. A number of clinical trials and case stud-ies indicate that acupressure is effective for toothache.

Acupressure and acupuncture are ancient healing systemswhich access the body's energy (qi) flow by stimulating spe-cific points on the body. Accessing and directing the flow ofqi in this way stimulates the body's natural healing abilities,and has a demonstrable effect to reduce pain. Acupressuretechnique uses the same meridians and acupoints asacupuncture therapy, but uses hand and finger pressureinstead of needle insertion to achieve its effects. Whenapplied correctly, acupressure can release tension, enhanceqi and blood circulation, and promote relaxation. Because ofits non-invasive nature, acupressure is widely used with chil-dren and needle-sensitive patients.

Acupressure Points: There are four key acupoints used intreating toothache: LI 4 on the Large Intestine channel, KI 3on the Kidney channel, and ST 3 and ST 6 on the Stomachchannel (see image). In addition, there are general areas,such as in front of the ear and along the jawline, which canbe checked for spots which are sensitive to pressure.

Acupressure methods: Acupressure points can be massagedin a circular motion; they can be "pulsed" in an up-and-downmotion; or they can have constant pressure applied to them.Applied pressure can be gentle or firm. Generally, circularmassage or pulsing is done for about 30 seconds, then thereis a resting period of approximately 5 seconds, then thisprocess is repeated for 3 – 5 minutes. When performing cir-cular massage (usually with the thumb), you can massage ina clockwise direction for 30 seconds, rest for 5 seconds, thenmassage in a counter-clockwise direction for 30 seconds, restfor 5 seconds, etc. After completing a 3 – 5 minute cycle ona particular acupoint, you may wait approximately 15 – 20minutes before applying acupressure to that acupoint again.

Acupoint LI 4 is located on the back of the hand, in the fleshyarea between the base of the thumb and the forefinger. It has

a primary function of treating the head, face and mouth.Acupressure should be applied to the hand that is on thesame side of the body as the toothache. Grasp the indicatedarea with the finger and thumb, and use the thumb to mas-sage the acupoint in either a circular or a pulsing motion,using gentle pressure, and following the 30-second cycledescribed above. LI 4 can also be used to alleviate headacheor sinus pain. However, LI 4 should never be used on awoman who is pregnant, or believes she might be pregnant,as the stimulating effect could be too strong.

Acupoint KI 3 is located on the inner side of the ankle, in thedepression between the tip of the anklebone and theAchilles tendon. Press the thumb firmly into the depressionand work it up and down (towards the heel) for 3 – 5 min-utes. KI 3 is called the "Great River,” and functions as a col-lecting point of water for the body. Energetically, KI 3 canclear heat from the tooth and reduce inflammation.

Acupoint ST 3 is positioned over the upper jaw, and ST 6 islocated on the lower jaw. Find ST 3 by drawing a line down-ward from the pupil of the eye, and laterally from the bottomof the nostril. ST 3 is where these two lines intersect, on thelower border of the cheekbone. ST 6 is one fingerbreadthabove the angle of the jawbone, at the highest point of themasseter muscle when the jaw is clenched. Place a fingertipon each of these points and apply medium pressure for sev-eral minutes.

Many times, acupressure will provide instantaneous relief fortoothaches. However, if a toothache persists, despite repeat-ed massages and acupressure procedures, it is best to seekmedical advice.

Treating Toothache Pain with Acupressure

Acupoint ST 3 over the upper jaw and ST 6 on the lower jaw.

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By Yubin Lu, TCMD, Ph.D. (China), L.Ac.This seems to be a foolish question.Anyone would say that the internalorgans of the body (zang fu inChinese) are "internally" located.This can easily be proven by open-ing the human body and touchingor seeing these organs. Why do Ibegin by asking such an obviousquestion? The answer, of course, isthat I intend to demonstrate that

this question is not as simple as it seems. Ultimately,Chinese medicine is based in qi theory. Qi is the forcethat creates and manifests everything in the universe -both the visible and the invisible elements of the uni-verse. The flow of qi through the human body createsand defines the zang fu. The zang are the yin organs:heart, lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys. The fu are theyang organs which are functional partners of the yinorgans: small intestine, large intestine, gallbladder, stom-ach, and urinary bladder.

When a TCM practitioner assesses a patient’s conditionand decides on a diagnosis, he examines the patient’stongue, because each internal organ manifests in a spe-cific area of the tongue surface. We say the patient mayhave heart fire when the tip of the tongue is red. Whenthe border of the tongue is red, we say the patient mayhave heat in the liver and gallbladder. If the center of thetongue is red, we say the patient may have heat in thespleen and stomach. Does this mean that zang fu organsexist in the tongue? When we use auricular points to treata patient’s condition, we check for tender points on theear. For example, if a patient has a strong positive reac-tion on the "stomach" point in the ear, it indicates thatthe patient has stomach problems. How can we treatstomach problems by needling "Ear Stomach" point? Ispart of the stomach located in the ear?

The sensory organs on the head are called "clear ori-fices" in Chinese medicine, and are believed to be the"windows" of the zang/yin organs - that is to say, we canjudge the state of the internal organs by changes in theiranalogous sensory organ. Ancient Chinese physiciansdrew parallels between the appearance of the zangorgans and the facial features. We have two kidney-bean-shaped kidneys in the body cavity, which resemble theshape of our two ears, and the ears are considered thewindows of the kidney (for example, a hearing loss indi-cates weakness of kidney qi). The liver is wedge-shaped,with two lobes, and we have two wedge-shaped eyes.

The eyes are considered "windows" for the liver, and red,swollen eyes point to rising liver yang. There is a directphysical connection between our lungs and our nose,and if you look at the nose, it does resemble the lungs. Arunny nose usually means that our lungs have beeninvaded by a Wind-Cold pathogen. Can we say that thesensory organs are extensions of the internal organs?

By now, you may be willing to agree that there is somesort of connection between the internal organs and thetongue, ear, and sensory organs, but you still believe thatinternal organs are located in the body cavity andnowhere else. The answer lies in how we understandthese organs.

Chinese medicine believes that the visible precipitatesout of the invisible: everything visible or dimensionalactually comes into being from the invisible qi, which isthe most basic substance constituting everything andmaintaining the movements and functions of everything,including the human body and its constituent parts. Thisway of looking at our world is somewhat like Plato’s con-cept of ideal forms. The liver is an organ, but it is qi thatconstitutes the liver and maintains the functions of theliver, and this is called "liver qi" in Chinese medicine. Thenature of qi is to be an invisible substance that is in con-stant motion. Any visible structure in nature is just a placefor qi to move. When the qi which is specific to an organmaintains a certain pattern of movement that is requiredfor the normal functioning of that organ or structure, theorgan or structure will be healthy. If qi’s movement is dis-turbed and fails to maintain its ideal pattern, the organ orstructure will not be able to function in the normal way,resulting in disease.

Using liver qi as an example, we can say liver qi not onlysupports the liver organ, it also travels through the right-and-left-side liver meridians to other parts of the body.Furthermore, as liver qi moves into the collateral chan-nels associated with the main liver meridian, it scatters tomany, many locations and areas. In the earliest Chinesemedical texts, it is said that because liver qi travels up tothe eyes, the liver "opens" into the eyes. In other words,liver qi does not exist exclusively in the liver organ, it alsoflows to the eye to support the eyes. That is why there isa special connection between the liver and the eyes. Andalso why the "liver" point on the ear is sensitive to pres-sure when there is a liver disorder, because liver qi flowsto the ear, to the liver point there.

Continued on next page

Where Are the Zang Fu Organs Located?

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Continued from previous page

So, the answer to my foolish question should be clearernow. If we view zang fu organs as just specific entities inthe body cavity, yes, they are located in the body cavities.But Chinese medicine is based on qi theory. "Liver" is notjust a lobed organ, it is a concept that includes the qi thatsupports the liver and its related meridians, organs andtissues. As liver qi flows throughout the body, it express-es itself as liver qi in many locations, including the eyes,the tendons, the uterus, the liver point on the ear, etc.The liver organ is the most obvious place where liver qigathers and manifests itself, while liver qi in other loca-tions does not fully unfold its nature. However, the natureof liver qi is undivided. This is why liver-associated organsor tissues have close physiological or pathological con-nections to the liver organ, and in some cases even havea similar appearance.

This is an important idea which Chinese medicine hascontributed toward establishing a holistic concept of thebody. Qi flows through every structure and cell in thebody, indivisible, even when it has a characteristic ener-gy signature, such as "liver" qi, "kidney" qi, "heart" qi, etc.A human body, like every visible, dimensional thing in theuniverse, is ultimately an expression of qi, which is invisi-ble and undivided. It is a matter of recognizing, acknowl-edging and understanding that the structure andmechanical function related to each organ is not limitedin scope to its physical location, but that each organ"expresses" itself elsewhere in the body by way of themeridian pathways, in terms of diagnostics, sensory per-ception, related tissues, mental state, and transformationof energy. In the study of TCM, once the functions ofeach organ are understood, we can then move on toexamining how the various organs and their energiesinteract for a complete view of the human body.

By Qin Chu, TCMD, Ph.D. (China), L.Ac.It is a simple statement to make: tohave a successful practice, the mostimportant thing is to have goodresults with your patients. If yourpatients cannot see improvement intheir condition, why should theycome back to you? Beyond that, ifthere is no improvement, why shouldthey believe that acupuncture andOriental medicine is effective?

The key to providing good results to patients is knowledge.First, you must have a good grasp of the theory and clinicalapplications of Chinese medicine. Second, you must take thetime to understand the symptoms and pattern diagnosis foreach patient. If you include the following suggestions in yourpractice, your patients will receive the best care possible, andyour practice will grow and thrive.

1. Collect enough information from the patient to establish aworking diagnosis. Analyzing the information carefully willenable you to make the correct diagnosis and set up a prop-er treatment plan.

2. Know the correct location of points. This is one of the mostbasic elements for success in clinical practice.

3. Study and practice the various needling techniques. Fromsimple tonifying and reducing techniques to more complicat-ed procedures, there are a wide variety of techniques avail-

able to improve your outcomes. Different conditions requiredifferent techniques, so practice more and more.

4. Continue to educate yourself and enlarge your body ofknowledge. The diseases you see in the clinic are usuallymore complicated than the textbook examples you studied.Knowledge is always amplified by experience. Reading casestudies from other practitioners can expand your data base,help you to make correct diagnoses, and improve your ther-apeutic results.

5. Always consider what herbal formulas you might use witheach patient, even if you don't actually prescribe the herbs.Be prepared to incorporate herbs into your treatment plan.There are many diseases which will only respond satisfactori-ly to a combination of herbs and acupuncture.

6. Practitioners should have a "warm heart" for their patients.We should empathize with our patients' suffering and givethem as much encouragement and hope as possible.

To summarize, remember your basics and continue to studyand learn, so that you make correct diagnoses and set upproper treatment plans every time. Be knowledgeable of andprepared to incorporate treatment modalities, even if you donot end up using all of them. Be kind to your patientsthroughout, reassuring them they will receive the best carepossible. By following these steps, you will have good resultswith your patients, and you will have a successful practicethat grows and thrives.

The Basics of a Successful Practice

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By Brian Grosam, TCMD, Ph.D. (China), L.Ac.Once in a while I will talk about mystudies in China, and how I wenthoping and dreaming that I wouldfinally learn many of the secrets toacupuncture and Chinese medi-cine. I did, indeed, learn manysecrets, but they were not secretherbal prescriptions, or acupunc-ture points which had been left outof the textbooks. The secrets I actu-

ally learned were how to become a proficient and betterdoctor, and that one of the true secrets to learningChinese medicine is to develop a special relationshipwith your teacher.

Our profession as Oriental medicine practitioners isbased on a classical learning structure where informationis passed down from master to apprentice. I firmlybelieve in the master/student relationship and that it farexcels institutionalized methods of studying traditionalChinese medicine (TCM). Students of TCM quickly learnthat much of the core theory, acupuncture points, andherbal formulas have not changed for centuries. Whenwe read and compare classical and modern texts, mostof the information is similar, if not identical. So, in theend, it's not what books you study or which school youattend. You must arrive at the understanding that thecontent you are learning - the theory and the practice ofChinese medicine - is the essence of our medicine.

So what makes an exceptionally skilled practitioner dif-ferent from a practitioner who is only average? Ofcourse, study habits and practice are important, but thereal key is a professor, mentor, or master, to study andlearn from. Having someone to ask questions and learnfrom is the most important aspect of TCM learning.Someone who can teach you, hands-on, the most effec-tive way to treat a condition, what to expect from yourtreatments, key herbal combinations, effective needlingtechniques, etc. is the key to becoming a highly trainedpractitioner. And this happens within the clinic setting.

Based on my own experience, my advice to students ofTCM is as follows: adopt the habit of repetitiously askingyour professor questions, day after day. This tactic willinevitably lead to your better understanding of the medi-cine and to having an arsenal of information at your dis-posal. Develop a seeking spirit, and always search forand strive to deepen your TCM understanding. Typically,students who strive to improve their understanding of

every aspect of this medicine, including acupoint loca-tion, needling techniques, herbal prescriptions, treat-ment protocols, etc., become competent, confident andexcellent practitioners.

Students who, because they are shy (or possibly becausethey are egocentric), are unable to engage fully with theirteachers and ask the right questions, will soon find them-selves in a limbo of half-understood theory and dead-endrepetition of the few practices they have learned. Thosestudents who don't ask for help and guidance from theirprofessors will only develop so far, but not to the maxi-mum extent of their potential. The key to really under-standing TCM and acupuncture begins after the bookhas been read, and beyond the classroom door.

For example, students read in their Formulas andStrategies textbook that the formula Xiao Feng San cantreat hives effectively. What they will not know, unlessthey ask someone who has significant clinical experi-ence, is how long will it take for the itching to go away,and what changes in his symptoms the patient mightexpect as the formula takes effect. Another example isthat acupuncture can effectively relieve the symptoms ofperipheral neuropathy, but without gaining the insightfrom someone who knows and understands the mosteffective acupuncture points and techniques, you maytry in vain to treat a future neuropathy patient, leavingboth yourself and the patient disappointed. Ultimately,you may never discover on your own or realize the mosteffective treatment for hundreds of symptoms. You can,of course, learn many different strategies from readingvarious TCM journals and articles, or by asking fellowpractitioners in web chat groups, but without seeing it upclose in the clinical setting, these are just intellectual exer-cises and may not be effective for you.

You can always look to discover the magic herb, the mys-tical treatment method, or the long-forgotten point pre-scription that cures everything - the ever-elusive secret ofChinese medicine - but I urge every practitioner to honein on developing his or her clinical skills first. There is noshortcut to learning Chinese medicine. Become welltrained and proficient in the clinic; ask questions; exertyourself. Then you will see more successful treatments inthe clinic and you will become an exceptionally skilledpractitioner. The program at AAAOM offers this by con-necting clinic observers and interns with faculty who arehighly-trained doctors from China, giving students thefirst-hand opportunity to engage with the most knowl-edgeable practitioners available anywhere.

Mentors + Experience = Successful Practitioners

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

Dr. Li Gu Dr. Wen Jiang Dr. Fangming Xu Dr. Xingron He Dr. Yifan Liu

TCM HEALTH CENTER / AAAOMThe most reputable Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Clinics in the Twin Cities

SIX CONVENIENT LOCATIONSSt. Louis Park: 3710 Grand Way, St. Louis Park, MN 55416 (952-746-7992)

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Visit AcupunctureMN.com for more information on conditions, services, practitioners, hours, locations and directions, and more.

Minnesota is well-served by the acupuncturists atTCM Health Center clinics. With six convenientlocations, TCM Health Center clinics are commit-ted to providing high quality acupuncture andChinese herbal medicine at reasonable rates. Ourpractitioners are fully-licensed and highly-trainedprofessionals who bring specialized knowledgeand years of experience to bear on patient treat-ment. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicineare known to be exceptionally effective at address-ing a variety of diseases, as well as being provenpreventive medicine.

• Chronic Conditions• Gastrointestinal Problems• Skin Disorders• Functional Disorders• Ear, Nose & Throat Problems• Pain Management• Gynecological Problems• Joint/Muscle Injuries• Supplementary Cancer Therapy• Mental & Emotional Disorders

Dr. Peng Sun Dr. Qin Chu

Legends of Chinese Medicine: Huang LianBy Fangming Xu, TCMD, Ph.D. (China)

Long, long ago, there was a doctornamed Tao. His home was on amountainside, and his fame wassuch that patients would comefrom far away to be treated by him.Dr. Tao was especially gifted in hisknowledge of herbal medicine, andhad a wonderful garden full of flow-ering plants and medicinal herbs.Because he was often away from

home, Dr. Tao hired a gardener named Lian Huang totend the garden in his absence.

Doctor Tao also had a beautiful daughter named ShuWa. Dr. Tao's garden was Shu Wa's delight. She visitedthe garden every morning, and spent hours tending theplants and observing their habits. One cold winter day,when all the plants in the garden were covered with frost,Shu Wa was disappointed to see that nothing was inflower. She left the enclosed garden and wandered upthe slopes of the mountain. Soon, she noticed a smallgrassy plant with bright green flowers. It was such apleasant sight in the wintery landscape that she carefullydug it up and transplanted it to her father's garden. LianHuang was also delighted with the new plant, whichgrew and spread under his care. He discovered that theplant's leaves were very bitter to the taste, but he alsofound that chewing a few leaves from the small plantcured his sore throat.

The next winter, while Dr. Tao was visiting patients in adistant city, Shu Wa fell violently ill. She felt hot and dry,with such severe vomiting and diarrhea that she becameskin and bones in a few days. Her mother sent for a doc-tor who treated Shu Wa with an herbal decoction forthree days, but Shu Wa only became worse. It looked asthough Shu Wa might die, and her mother was filled withdespair. Lian Huang, who loved Shu Wa like a daughter,was also very anxious, but what could he do? He was nota famous doctor like Dr. Tao.

Then Lian Huang remembered the little plant that curedhis sore throat. Maybe it could also treat Shu Wa's dis-ease. He dug up a plant from the garden, including theroot, and persuaded Shu Wa's mother to make a decoc-tion of the plant. It had a miraculous effect. Shu Wa feltmuch better by that afternoon, and after two more dosesof the decoction, she was completely cured. At thismoment, Dr. Tao arrived home, and was deeply touchedby the efforts of his servant to save his daughter.

He said "Shu Wa's disease was caused by damp heat;therefore the treatment would be to clear heat andremove dampness. The plant you used must have thisfunction or it would not have worked." Because therewas no name for the grassy plant, Dr. Tao named itHuang, Lian in honor of the humble gardener who hadsaved his daughter's life.

The Chinese herb, Huang Lian (Rhizoma coptidis, coptisroot) has the properties of being bitter, cold, and drying.For medicinal purposes, it is the root of the plant that isused, rather than the leaves (so if Mr. Huang had onlyused leaves in the decoction, rather than the entire plant,the beautiful Shu Wa might not have survived, after all).In Chinese medicine, the therapeutic functions of HuangLian are: clear heat and dry dampness; sedate fire (heartfire, liver fire); clear fire toxin at the skin level (used topi-cally to treat abscesses, lesions, carbuncles, etc.). In mod-ern medicine, Huang Lian is classified as an antibioticand anti-inflammatory, and is the primary herb used inthe treatment of bacterial dysentery and acute gastroen-teritis (see the article beginning on page 2 of thisnewsletter "Treating Infections: Antibiotics or ChineseHerbs?").

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Marketing a Successful Practice

When starting a clinic, besides designing a logo, choosinga location, and creating basic marketing materials for can-vassing the community, there are a number of actionsinterns should take as they complete their studies.

- Create a business card and Web presence. This can be assimple as using Vista Print and setting up a Facebook busi-ness page.- Create an email newsletter in Constant Contact or a simi-lar program, and begin sending monthly or seasonal emailannouncements to clients, friends, family, and extendedsocial media lists.- Take part in networking, exhibit and presentation events.- Join professional organizations - they usually offer studentmemberships to get started.- Call new patients to follow up within 24 hours after theirfirst appointment.- Collect and post testimonials on your Web presence.

By following the advice above, acupuncturists can be moreprepared to enter the business world as clinic owners, busi-ness partners, or independent contractors who share spacesimilarly with others.

By Yifan Liu, TCMD, PhD. (China), L.Ac.According to Chinese medicine theo-ry, the vital energy of our bodies (qi),has a seasonal pattern of movement.In the fall and winter, it migratesinward and concentrates in the coreof our bodies. In the spring and sum-mer it moves outward and upward.This pattern of movement is in accordwith yin yang theory, which says that

winter is the most yin time of the year, and summer is themost yang time of the year. When yin is ascendant, we needto conserve our yang energy. One way of doing this is to eatfoods which have a warm or hot (yang) nature, such asmeats, grains and spices. In the summer, when yang energypredominates, we balance our bodies by eating cool, yin-nur-turing foods such as fruits and leafy vegetables. In this way wecan consciously adapt ourselves to the seasons and keep ourenergy in balance. TCM practitioners also analyze food fromthe aspect of its Five-Element "taste" (sour, bitter, sweet, pun-gent, salty), further categorizing foods to be used therapeuti-cally in Chinese medicine.

As an example of Five-Element theory, the sour taste is asso-ciated with the Liver, and with the season of spring. Eatingleafy salads with vinegar or lemon juice in March and Aprilbenefits the liver and helps the body adjust to the upward-and outward-moving energy of spring. As an example of yinyang theory, people who suffer from a deficiency of qi andyang are recommended to consume foods which are hot orwarm in nature, and which should always be cooked. Rawfoods are quite cold in nature, and will further deplete the qiof a deficient person. In Chinese dietary therapy, every foodis assigned a nature and a taste, as well as a therapeutic func-tion and internal organ system they will benefit. Examples offoods which are recommended specifically for a deficiencyof Kidney qi are lamb, walnut, and cinnamon.

Within these broad applications of using food as medicine,TCM dietary therapy should be refined according to the con-stitution of the patient and the variability of external condi-tions. This winter, for example, is much warmer than last win-ter. Last winter, it would have been good to eat a lot of warmand hot foods, to counteract the extreme cold weather. Thiswinter it would be a mistake to over-indulge in hot/warmfoods, as they could be damaging to the system. A buildupof yang energy in the body from eating concentratedamounts of hot and spicy foods can cause internal heat anddamage the body fluids. A person who over-eats yang foodsmay suffer such manifestations as ulcers, acne, sore throat,

dry cough, etc. Therefore, it is important to understand theprinciples of TCM dietary therapy and apply them correctly.The food we eat every day can be a much more powerfulinfluence on our general health and well-being than mostpeople realize.

Winter is often a difficult time to stay healthy. Last winter wasespecially cold and snowy, but even a relatively mild winterassaults us with snow and ice, strong winds, cold weather,and creeping damp. In winter, plants and animals slow downor hibernate to conserve energy. Even though humans havelearned to protect themselves from the elements, we stillneed to follow nature's pattern of conserving energy andbuilding core strength as a prelude to spring.

Following is a TCM dietary recipe which combines Chineseherbs with common ingredients. This dish is warming but nothot, and so is very suitable for this mild winter.

Yu Zhu Ji (Chicken with Solomon's Seal)Ingredients:Solomon's seal rhizome (Yu Zhu) 20 gramsChinese yam (Shan Yao) 15 gramsChicken(Ji) 1-2 poundsGinger root (Sheng Jiang) 5 medium slicesGreen onion (Cong Bai) 5 scallionsSalt 1 teaspoonRice wine (Huang Jiu - optional) 1 ounce

Preparation:a. Rinse and drain Yu Zhu and Shan Yao. Add 8 cups waterand bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer until thesoup reduces to 4 cups. Strain the liquid. Discard the dregs.b. Wash the chicken. Scald in boiling water for 2 minutes.Remove, rinse under cold water; drain and pat dry.c. Place the chicken, ginger, green onion, rice wine, and 4cups of herbal decoction in a ceramic pot; cover with a lid.Stew until tender (30-45 minutes). Lastly, add salt.

TCM Functions:Replenishes qi and yin; reduces thirst; restores energy.Effective for diabetes and malnutrition.

Comments:In this recipe, the famous herb Yu zhu (fragrant solomonsealrhizome) has the function of nourishing the yin, moisteningthe lungs, promoting the production of body fluids, andstrengthening the stomach. Shan Yao (Chinese yam) supple-ments qi, nourishes yin, and tonifies the spleen, the lung andthe kidney. Chicken benefits qi and tonifies jing (essence).

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Food as Medicine: Eating with the Seasons

AAAOM Open HousesOpen Houses for prospective students will be held on March 4th and March 18th from 2-5 p.m. OpenHouse presentations are an excellent opportunity for prospective acupuncture students or anyonewho is interested in exploring the field of acupuncture and Oriental medicine to get a lot of informa-tion in a short space of time. Read more on page 3, visit AAAOM.edu for full details and to RSVP, orcall 651-631-0204 ext. 2 with any questions and to RSVP. We hope to see you there!

First Day of Summer TrimesterThe first day of classes for 2012’s Summer Trimester will be Monday, April 23rd. Applications are nowbeing accepted and prospective students are encouraged to register soon. For application informa-tion, visit AAAOM.edu or call 651-631-0204 ext. 2. AAAOM accepts applications year-round fortrimesters beginning in September, January, and late April.

Tai Chi and Healing Qi Gong Classes Open to the PublicTo cultivate healthy lifestyles and healthy communities, the AAAOM Community Education programincludes ongoing 12-week Tai Chi classes on Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. beginning April 25thand 10-week Healing Qi Gong classes on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. beginning April 26th. Forclass and registration information, please call 651-631-0204 ext. 1.

2012 AAAOM Graduation Ceremony - Year of the DragonTwenty AAAOM graduates will celebrate with family and friends at our annual graduation ceremony,from 5:00 - 7:00 pm on Saturday, May 5, 2012. The public is invited to attend.

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

AAAOM offers a Master ofScience degree in

Acupuncture and OrientalMedicine, emphasizing both

acupuncture and Chineseherbology, in addition to acertificate program in Tuina

Chinese massage.

The AAAOM Intern Clinic is an inexpensive way to invest in your health.Supervised by our faculty, patients receive high-quality treatment from 3rd-and 4th-year interns. In return, patients assist interns in gaining valuable first-hand clinical experience. Faculty members carefully advise and review all

patient diagnoses, prescriptions, and follow-up visits.

Treatments from interns are generally $32 per session, but a coupon is avail-able here that may simply be referenced or printed out and presented at the

clinic reception desk for a $16 introductory treatment. Call the AAAOMIntern Clinic at 651-631-0204 Ext. 1 to schedule an appointment.