I had never seen anything like this before and it made me think, I know there’s a lesson to be learned here, so how can that relate to life? One of the striking things about this tree is that it stands at least 4 stories tall and is beautiful. So clearly someone had to make the decision about whether to chop down that tree or figure out a way to keep it even though it would block the passage.

Another striking thing about this tree is just that. Its position puts it in a perfect place to be struck by a car. The solution chosen is straightforward, a few reflectors on it and the simple assumption that a tree this size would be hard to miss seeing.

How many times have you encountered something in your life that was seemingly an obstacle? How many times have you had trouble removing something from your life that you enjoy? Perhaps you like to play golf, but your knees hurt when you do. Perhaps you want to eat out, but your digestive system is too sensitive. Perhaps you want to play with your kids, but you’re too tired.

Just because an activity is a challenge to you now doesn’t mean you necessarily have to remove it from your life. Are there simple changes that you could make that would allow you to keep those aspects of your life? Look to the basics first. Are you sleeping long enough and deeply enough? Are you getting regular exercise in some form? Are you eating healthy? Are you finding the fun in your life?

If you are still stuck, consider getting help. Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at the whole you and provides your body with the tools to heal itself.

Most of us think of the knees, elbows, hips, shoulders, wrists, and ankles when we think about joints. But think, as well, of all the little joints in your fingers and toes (phalangeal joints) and your hands and feet (the metacarpals and metatarsals); the joints between every vertebrae along your spine; the joints of your jaw (temporomandibular joint—TMJ), and even those of your skull.

These joints work hard!

Like every hard working organism, they are not alone. They have support. Perhaps it’s just because the hockey playoffs are on now and I have sports on the brain, I’m going to use sport as an analogy.

The game can be called Kinesiology. My initial degree was Kinesiology, the study of human movement. The aim of the game is to move when called to action and stabilize when called to stop. Movement occurs at the joints and the team members are bones, cartilage, bursa, menisci, synonvial joint fluid, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Each of these team members has a role to play.

Bones, whether flat, long, or irregularly shaped, end at least one side in a joint. Cartilage, and bursa help buffer friction and impact. Synovial joint fluid also helps with these roles as well as with lubricating the joint. Ligaments help prevent too much movement of the joint that would otherwise result in injury. Tendons and muscles move the joints. When one of these teammates has a problem, the joint has a problem.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, each of these players is connected to an organ system. Kidneys regulate the bones and cartilage. Liver rules the tendons and ligaments. Spleen controls the muscles.

You might think of these organ systems as the coaches. High level teams often have more than one coach! Even these coaches do not function on their own. There are other organ systems that must function properly in order for them to do their job, just as a general manager, owner, and fans will impact the coaches.

So you can see that joint health is incredibly complex. Traditional Chinese Medicine considers this complexity and addresses the joint itself as well as all the players and participants that allow the joint to function properly. We do so by making a proper assessment and then using acupuncture, Chinese herbs, supplements, and other modalities to treat the individual, not just the “problem” joint(s). You win when you can move without pain and restriction!

But, the “new” medicine, the current buzz word in conventional medicine, is “Functional Medicine”. What is functional medicine?

• It addresses the underlying cause of disease
• It focuses on the patient instead of the disease
• It addresses the whole person–body, mind, and spirit
• Practitioners spend more time with their patients to gather information on a variety of levels
• Practitioners create an individualized treatment plan for each patient

Hmmmm…that’s what TCM does. We have always done that. But conventional medicine has relatively recently identified this “new” way of practicing medicine!

It kind of reminds me of this quote:

2001 BC Here, eat this root.

1000 AD That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.

1850 AD That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.

1920 AD That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.

1945 AD That pill is ineffective. Here, take this penicillin.

1955 AD Oops… bugs mutated. Here, take this tetracycline.

1960-1999 AD 39 more “oops”… Here, take this more powerful antibiotic.

2000 AD The bugs have won! Here, eat this root.

I love it!

What is the training for becoming a TCM health provider?

Every province (and state) is different, but these are the regulations in BC:

There are 4 levels of registration for TCM in BC and each allows a different type of assessment and treatment. Both Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac.) and Registered Chinese Herbalist (R.TCM.H.) require 3 years of training with a minimum of 1900 hours of study and training. A Registered TCM Practitioner (R.TCM.P.) can practice both herbs and acupuncture and they receive a minimum of 4 years with at least 2600 hours. A Registered Dr. of TCM (Dr.TCM) has the highest level of training of 5 years at 3250 hours.

In addition to the schooling, we also need to pass 2 examinations for each (written and practical), take safety courses for each, maintain requirements for good standing of the regulatory body, complete 50 hours of continuing education credits every 2 years,  and be insured for liability and malpractice for minimum amount required by the college.

Lotsa hoops to jump! But all of that should be reassuring to you that we’re well-trained and practiced in what we do! All of this happens through the CTCMA (College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Association). The role of the CTCMA is to protect the public  by making sure that we follow the rules. If you want to know if someone is a registrant (they should not be practicing in BC if they are not!), check out the listing here: http://www.ctcma.bc.ca/public.asp?cat=search

How many Chinese herbs are there?

There are more than 6000 herbs–including plants, minerals, and animal parts–with 600 used commonly.

Do you prescribe things like tiger bone, bear gallbladder, and rhinoceros horn?

NO! A big emphatic NO! Though they have been used traditionally in TCM in the past, they are illegal in Canada. Not only that, but they are not necessary to use. There are many substitutes that are effective and ethical to use.

What herb is best to treat…[fill in the blank, e.g. headaches]?

In TCM, the key is to obtain a TCM pattern diagnosis. Everyone is different, so 10 people with a headache might all have different herbs and treatments. Not only that, but Chinese herbs are almost always prescribed in combination, almost never as single herbs.

How do you make sure that herbs you prescribe are safe?

An herbal prescription is chosen with safety at top of mind. We consider the length of time that the herbs will be prescribed, the quantity of herbs prescribed, the methods of processing the herbs, whether there’s any risk of conflicting with any pharmaceuticals or other nutraceuticals, each individual’s health issues, and allergies and sensitivities.

Do the herbs come from China? Is the quality safe?

Some of my patients are concerned about the quality of the herbs I prescribe as they hear about quality issues with come products and foods that come from China and other countries. Some problems include that poor quality herbs can  low quality or incorrect herbs;  can be adulterated with pharmaceuticals; laden with heavy metals, pesticides, fungus, molds; and manufactured in substandard facilities.
But, not all herbs can be painted with this same brush! The herbs I use go through rigorous testing. They are extremely high quality herbs that much attain a Certificate of Analysis (COA). They must pass the strictest criteria of standards from U.S., Singapore, Japan, and E.U. Herbs go through a process of identification that includes selection by qualified professionals, microscopic inspection, chemical identification, and chemical “fingerprinting” (thin layer chromatography) to make sure that the right herb is chosen. Herbs are cleansed of dirt and other foreign particles, prepared with traditional methods, and extracted while making sure to maintain the integrity of the volatile essential oils. They are then concentrated with low temperature methods so as to not destroy   any of the components. Every batch is tested with microbiological assays to make sure there is no e.coli, salmonella, molds, yeast, or other contaminants. Gas Chromatography tests for safety, making sure there are no pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides. High Performance Liquid Chromatography measures for key active ingredients while Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometer tests for heavy metals.

Phew! So, as you have learned, there is a lot that goes into the selection of each herbal formula that I create!

Any questions? Ask me!

Well, about 6 weeks ago I was rushing around (as usual) trying to get more tasks completed in less time than possible when I noticed that my dogs were doing their usual…nothing. Laying on the couch looking sleepy, even though they had done virtually nothing all day. I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t that be nice.” Wouldn’t it be nice to just sleep, laze around, stretch, get up to eat, maybe play a bit, take a short walk, go back to sleep, get up to eat, etc…

Don’t get me wrong, I actually love to be busy! But sometimes it can get overwhelming and you wish you could just stop, but at the same time there’s still lots to be done!

I realized that there’s something wrong if a person can’t take just one day to do nothing. Like a dog. Or a cat. So, I looked at my calendar, picked a day weeks in advance and slotted that as my first “Dog Day”. Leading up to that day, I completed the tasks that I knew were vital. I told those around me that I would be doing nothing that day. I planned out what I meant by “nothing”. For me that meant: NO work. I could read. Boy, was I looking forward to reading just for fun–again, no work readings. I could watch movies. I could go for a walk. I could take a nap. I could go to yoga (after all, my dogs do exercise and play). I could even cook. But I could not turn on my computer. I could not use my iPhone or iPad for any work at all.

Those who know me doubted I would be able to do it. Could I avoid working? Could I avoid turning on my computer?! Could I avoid all emails?! I questioned my ability to succeed at this and I even considered making Dog Day into a half day to ease myself into this idea. But as the day approached, I started to get super excited about the idea of a full day off. Like a real holiday!

On that first inaugral Dog Day I got up, ate, went to yoga, finished off a fiction novel I had started almost 8 months previous but never completed, watched a movie (Men Who Stare At Goats–great movie!), read another whole book (!), cooked a new meal with my husband (yummy Tofu and Banana Curry–so easy), and watched another movie (King’s Speech–long, but interesting).

It was EASY! And it was great!

Not only did I enjoy the day, but I also discovered that I have even more energy for my days of work. I am very fortunate to love what I do. But even still, it’s important to have days off–completely off–to rejuvenate.

So, I’ve already chosen my next Dog Day, planned out, of course, weeks in advance so I can prepare. My goal is to have a Dog Day every 4-6 weeks. If you have trouble shutting down the work mind, I challenge you to try scheduling a Dog Day as well (or Cat Day, if you prefer). Tell me all about it!

Think about how you eat. Do you notice that you finish your snacks or meals without knowing how that happened? I recall studying in university and eating my favourite study snacks, Wheat Thin crackers. At that time I thought those were healthy. Now I know better. Especially as I would sometimes reach to the bottom of the box without even knowing how I got there! A whole box! Not a great choice for dinner.

Think about whether you chew your food. It’s too easy to scarf down a meal like a dog. Well, even my dog Hana chews her food better and more than many people I know. Have you ever seen a dog chew lettuce, really chew each little piece? She does! Smart dog! Chewing your food is the start of your digestive process. Skipping this step makes it harder for your body to digest your food.

Be mindful when you eat. Here are some tips:

1. Nicely present your food to yourself. Make it look appealing. You might appreciate it more.

2. Before you eat, think about how this food will nourish you, not just physically, but also emotionally (do you feel good eating this?).

3. Chew your food well. If counting bites helps, try that for awhile.

4. To slow you down, try some of these simple tricks. Put your utensils down between bites. Try eating with your non-dominant hand (it might get messy, but it’s also good for your brain). Eat with chopsticks, not just Asian food, but other foods as well.

Unlike either of my dogs, however, stop eating when you are no longer hungry. If you give your body time to assess how you feel as you slow down your eating, you will have better cues and satiety. Stop eating before you feel you HAVE to stop eating. If you realize you need more food and are still hungry, you can always go back for a bit more.

The question “What is acupuncture?” is posed. The answer they give includes a paragraph that reads, “The theory is that acupuncture unblocks and rebalances the flow of energy, or Qi, through the body. The modern practice of medical acupuncture – as practised by medical doctors – uses wires inserted into known anatomical structures rather than points dictated by ancient philosophy or astrology.”

So much wrong with this last sentence! Acupuncture is medical acupuncture. We treat medical conditions and I don’t follow astrological charts to do so! Yes, acupuncture uses the philosophies of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to choose acupuncture points, but just because they are founded on ancient practices doesn’t keep them stuck in a time 3000 years ago. Just as we no longer use sharpened stones as acupuncture needles, so too have we modernized our practice. We learn anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology. We recognize the structures that we are needling as acupuncture points and meridians, but also as muscles and other soft tissues.

I have a degree in kinesiology from the University of Guelph where my training in how the body works included anatomy with a cadaver dissection lab, neuromuscular anatomy, basic physiology, respiratory physiology, cardiovascular physiology and applied sciences of human gait analysis and ergonomics. Traditional Chinese Medicine’s “philosophies” are actually observations that were made over thousands of years and came to conclusions about how the body works. The TCM scientists of the time correctly identified many of more modern science’s current understandings.

Many of my colleagues take extra training in modern forms of acupuncture in addition to the 3-5 years of training and 1-3 provincial licensing exams — depending on whether we train to be registered acupuncturists or registered Dr. of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with the latter requiring the most training. Motor point acupuncture, trigger point acupuncture, studies of myofacial tissues, and biopuncture are all modern forms of acupuncture that I trained in that many “medical acupuncture” performing MDs have not studied.

I do not divorce myself of either the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine or the current understanding of the physiological structures of human anatomy. It’s Yin and Yang. Knowledge, recognition, and practice of both strengthens the results.

Where registered acupuncturists (R.Ac.), registered TCM practitioners (R.TCM.P), and registered Dr. of TCM (Dr.TCM) differ from MD “acupuncturists” is that we have MORE training for the practice of acupuncture. And perhaps even more important is that we can use both the 3000 (or more) years of observational studies of the human body as well as the more modern practice and study of current medical knowledge.

So, while I have asked some stars about their thoughts on acupuncture, those stars are human (acting and sport), not the ones in the sky.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/health/intricacies+acupuncture/6161674/story.html#ixzz1meiRqJ84

Then a couple of weeks ago I was in the garage when our building’s newest tenant drove up to the door on the outside and pressed the button on his garage door opener and it opened first try. No problem.

How was it that he did that so easily? This is going to sound ridiculously simplistic, but he drove his car right up to the gate. Many of my other neighbours and I drove toward the gate, but stopped about 8 feet back. This new neighbour drove up to within a couple of feet. It makes me laugh now that I hadn’t thought of that myself!

Simple works!

So, let me ask you this…

Do you have pain? Are you struggling with a health issue? Have you tried a lot of different things without success?

Have you tried the same thing over and over again without success? Perhaps it’s time to rethink what you’re doing and see if there’s another way. Perhaps you’ve heard the quote by Einstein:

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Of course one of my favourite solutions to recommend is Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. Why? Because making an appointment for a consultation is simple and getting a treatment plan and treatment is effective!

The “no brain” is because we don’t discuss the physical form of the brain on its own. We discuss the brain as being encompassed by the marrow and that is most linked to the energy of the TCM Kidneys. Long-term memory is also more directed to the TCM Kidneys. Short-term memory, focus, and concentration are most connected to the TCM Spleen.  Various emotions come to play via the assortment of TCM organ systems, but the “house” of emotions (the centre of our emotions) comes from the TCM Heart.

The emotion allotted to the TCM Heart is joy. So if you want to improve both your physical and emotional heart, find ways to incorporate more joy in your life. There are so many reasons to do so.

1. Don’t you like to be happy?
2. Joy, like other emotions, can be contagious.
3. Happiness improves your ability to learn by about 31%!
4. Happiness may make you more successful, in marriage, business, income, health, and friendship!
5. You will handle stress better.
6. Happiness may help protect you against getting sick!
7. Joy helps reduce inflammation and protect your heart!

The physical heart works so hard! It gets no holidays, no time off. It keeps us alive! Do you take good care of your heart? Do you offer it regular exercise to help keep it strong? Do you eat healthy foods that provide it with the nutrients it needs? Do you help it to recover with sufficient sleep, rest, and some sort of relaxation routine like meditation?

If you have high (or low) blood pressure, high cholesterol, have suffered a cardiovascular condition like a heart attack or have angina, you need to take extra special care of your heart. Taking pharmaceutical medications is not enough.

Some supplements and herbs that can help your heart include:

• Coenzyme Q10
• Essential fatty acids (EFAs), especially the omega 3s DHA and EPA
• Selenium
• Magnesium
• Vitamins C, B, E
• Plant sterols
• Chinese herbs: Shan zha, gou qi zi, dan shen

* Keep in mind that each and every person is different, so it’s important to get a proper assessment to determine what best suits your body and what might not be right for you.

Acupuncture is also very effective at improving blood circulation, reducing stress, lowering high blood pressure, regulating heartrate, and more.

I heart TCM because TCM hearts my heart!

If you have had diarrhea or have been vomiting, the first and most important thing is to rehydrate. You might want to consider a homemade “Gatorade”. Healthier than it and also easy to make:

Mix 2 cups (16 ounces) of water with 1 tablespoon of honey and the juice of 2 lemons.

Because your stomach may still be sensitive and you might be easily nauseated, you’ll want to start back into some easy-to-digest foods. Soups heavy on the broth and light on substance may help. I resonate with making something called ochazuke. My mom gave it to my sister and I when we were sick as kids. It consists simply of green tea poured over cooked white rice. Perhaps you prefer a chicken noodle soup or congee.

Ginger tea or ginger in your soup can help to settle your nausea and assist your sensitive digestive system. Under-ripe bananas might help to reduce diarrhea.

Once recovered, continue to be extra kind to your belly and nourish your body with good whole foods.

Remember too to get enough sleep as that will help speed your recovery.

Finally, a visit to your natural health care provider can help you get back on your feet again.

What’s your favourite way to rebound after a “forced detox”?