By Susan Krieger, L.Ac., MS, Dipl.-NCCAOM in Ac., and ABT, AOBTA®-CI, Kushi MEA

Traditional Asian, Chinese and macrobiotic medicine practitioners often stress that to achieve and maintain good health, one needs to tend to one's physical, emotional, and spiritual well being as well as care for others. Treatments of various forms such as shiatsu/acupressure, acupuncture, energy healing, etc. can help greatly, and at times are deemed necessary.

By Nigel Dawes, M.A., L.Ac.

"This little piggy goes to market, this little piggy stays at home...."

By Mary Elizabeth Wakefield, L. Ac., Dipl. Ac., M. S., M. M. 

In the 1960's, my friend, and noted author, Madeleine L' Engle penned an award-winning novel for young adults entitled A Wrinkle in Time, which, in its wonderful invention, appealed to the inner child of a wide-ranging adult audience. In the course of the story, the young girl, Meg Cleary, "tesseracts" through space and time. In so doing, she transcends our quotidian 3-dimensional reality, and experiences a realm in which every instant of time co-exists in a perpetual present.

by Bill Helm 

Tui na Chinese bodywork is usually thought of as treatment for musculoskeletal problems such as low back, neck, and shoulder pain. Its effectiveness for many internal disorders such as asthma, dysmennorhea, premenstrual syndrome, and diabetes is less commonly known.

by Brian Lawenda, MD

Modern medicine has evolved to an extent that would have been difficult to imagine, even twenty years ago. Advanced imaging technologies have given radiologists the ability to ‘see' the metabolic activity and location of pee-sized tumors, anywhere in the body. High-tech pharmacology research has led to the development of a vast array of drugs that can be prescribed for almost any named medical condition. And, nearly every day we learn of new genetic discoveries that have been associated with various cancers, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and other health problems.

by Z'ev Rosenberg, L.A.c

" When the ancients treated patients, they became familiar with the cycles of yin and yang and of time, and with the exhalations of qi from mountain, forest, river and marsh.  They discerned the patient's age, body weight, social status, style of life, disposition, likes, feelings, and vigor. In accordance with what was appropriate to these characteristics, and avoiding what was not, they chose among medicines, moxa, acupuncture, lancing with the stone needle, decoctions and extracts.  They straightened out old habits and manipulated patterns of emotions.  Feeling their way, missing no opportunity and constantly adapting, in their reasoning there was not a hair-breadth's gap.  They would go on to regulate the patient's dress, rationalize his/her diet, change his/her living habits, and follow the transformation of his/her emotions, sometimes treating according to environmental factors, sometimes according to individual factors."

by Bob Cooley

The following includes excerpts from my second book The Sixteen Geniuses - Sixteen Genetic Personality Types 

By Kathleen Rushall

One of the best examples of a Pacific College of Oriental Medicine education utilized to unify Eastern and Western medicine is embodied in Don Snow. An alumni of Pacific College San Diego campus. Don has drawn upon his learning at Pacific College to promote and merge traditional Chinese medicine with modern Western methods. Don has worked for years to accomplish a once little- known goal that is becoming ever more popular in American healthcare: the blending of East and West and advancement of preventive medicine. He has had a diverse career with varied experiences since his days as a student at PCOM.

By Adam Burke, Ph.D., MPH, L.Ac.

Growing Interest in Acupuncture

By James Rohr

Many authors have deconstructed the myth of the hero, but the unquestionable expert is Joseph  Campbell. His book The Hero with a Thousand Faces is the gold standard. I was first exposed to this book when I was a teenager, enamored with the tales of Odysseus and Luke Skywalker. Years later, as a Chinese medicine clinician, I was amazed how my patients dealing with cancer treatments were facing similar trials of the hero's epic adventures that Campbell described. I was further amazed at how those trials could be understood and supported with the sheng cycle of the 5 phases.