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Pacific College Newsletter - August 2007!Issue 41 In this issue you will find:
Important PCOM Dates
The 2007 Pacific Symposium, November 8 – 11 at the Catamaran Hotel provides the opportunity for practitioners all over the world to learn from recognized leaders and speakers in the Oriental medicine field. This Symposium offers both the Restoration Track and Advanced Acupuncture Technique Workshops that have been popular attractions in the past few years. Highlighting the event is Felice Dunas, as she provides the keynote lecture discussing the opportunities that TCM can have in corporate America. Dunas has been in practice since 1974, and has been a public speaker and consultant for corporate and hospital CEO’s. She has lectured in over 40 countries and on every continent. Dunas is the author of the best selling book, "PASSION PLAY: Ancient Secrets for a Lifetime of Health and Happiness Through Sensational Sex", which has been published in six languages. This year marks the 19th annual Symposium held in San Diego, and features some of the most renowned names including Kiiko Matsumoto, Alex Tiberi, Effie Chow, Nigel Dawes, Richard Gold, Bill Helm, and Honora Lee Wolfe. Providing two dynamic post Symposium workshops this year are Matt Callison and Toyohari Acupuncturists, Haruhiro Kasumi and Michio Murakami. Matt Callison will share how to assess and treat common lower back and hip injuries using TCM and Western biomedicine assessment and treatment techniques on Monday, November 12 in his special in-depth session “Common Injuries to the Lower Back and Hip.” On Tuesday, November 13, The Toyohari Acupuncturists will provide an introduction to the Toyohari, a refined system of Japanese meridian therapy. This form of acupuncture uses extremely fine needling techniques, and places great emphasis on the use of pulse diagnosis and palpation skills. Many practitioners of this style in Japan are blind and have developed extraordinary sensitivity to qi through this practice. This workshop is designed to explore qi as a living and growing experience, not just an abstract concept.
Tai Ji May Help Those Suffering from Parkinson’s DiseaseThe ancient art of Tai Ji may have a new application – Parkinson’s disease patients. Numerous studies in the past few years have demonstrated Tai Ji’s effectiveness in reducing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is a disease that affects nerve cells – called neurons – in the region of the brain controlling muscle movement. Those suffering from Parkinson’s disease may experience difficulty walking, muscle rigidity, trembling, and problems with coordination. The disease is progressive – meaning its symptoms become progressively worse over time. Originally developed in China over 1,000 years ago, Tai Ji is an internal Chinese martial art practiced to increase health, balance, and longevity. Tai Ji is characterized by the use of leverage through the joints based on coordination and relaxation into the movements, rather than muscle tension. While also used in self-defense, Tai Ji has innumerable applications, including relieving the physical effects of stress on the body and mind, improving strength and flexibility, increasing internal circulation, and promoting relaxation. Due to her patients’ requests, Carreiro led her own research of Tai Ji’s benefit upon Parkinson’s patients. Carreiro and her colleagues reported that Tai Ji appeared to reduce the number of falls in Parkinson’s patients. The Tai Ji patients – when contrasted with the control group which did not take Tai Ji classes after 12 weeks – were less likely to have an increase in the severity of their Parkinson’s disease and less likely to have a decline in motor function. In a separate study, Tai Ji was proven to improve balance control in healthy elderly subjects. Forty-nine community-dwelling elderly subjects voluntarily participated in an intervention program of either supervised Tai Ji or general education for 90 minutes, six-times a week for eight weeks. Researchers witnessed incredible improvements of balance in elderly subjects after as little as four weeks. Clearly, Tai Ji is more than a Chinese balancing act. This ancient art form increases balance, mobility, and increases motor and muscle awareness. Thousands of Parkinson’s disease sufferers have benefited from this joint-friendly exercise and experienced reduced symptoms of the disease.
Traditional Chinese Medicine as an Alternative Therapy for ADHDBy Michelle Fletcher The most common diagnosis given to children in the United States is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and it is present in over 10% of boys and 5% of girls. The production of the drug Ritalin has increased seven times in the 1990s alone and is the leader in prescription drugs to treat this disorder. The stimulant (also known as methylphenidate) may be prescribed for children as early as five years old (Donovan, DM. 2000). With millions of children suffering from this disorder, more and more parents are asking for alternative treatments that do not utilize prescription drugs. Doctor and licensed acupuncturist, Harry Hong, believes that the first step towards an alternative for ADHD is, “to understand that ADHD is a so-called ‘only-in-America phenomenon.’ With 5% of the world population, the United States consumes 90% of its Ritalin.” Doctors in other countries treat the condition in an entirely different way. The Chinese, for example, believe ADHD-associated behaviors are normal ways for preschool-age children to behave. Such behaviors can be changed when they go to school at age six or seven. If children still suffer severe difficulties, more tests for ADHD are performed. Because of its safe and natural therapies, acupuncture is often the first choice for treating ADHD in China. There have been numerous clinical trials using Chinese herbs alone to help ADHD children – and most report positive results. Chinese medicine utilizes a combination of ancient healing herbs to treat ADHD, including Rehmannia root, Phellodendron bark, Anemarrhena root, Acori graminei root, Polygala root, and Dioscorea opposita. In one randomized trial, researchers found that a combination of such herbs reduced hyperactivity, improved attention, and improved academic performance. Ear acupuncture has also shown promising results for treating ADHD. Originated in China thousands of years ago, auricular acupuncture may be used alone or in combination with body acupuncture to solve medical illnesses through the stimulation of points with needles, electricity, laser, or other devices. Other alternative methods with a basis in acupuncture – like Esogetic Colorpuncture Therapy – have been implemented into American treatment for ADHD. The Institute for Esogetic Colorpuncture and Energy Emission Analysis in Boulder, Colorado reviewed a number of international studies to determine the effectiveness of Esogetic Colorpuncture Therapy (ECT) and its ability to treat numerous health problems, including headaches, childhood insomnia, and ADHD. In all the studies, the findings showed dramatic improvement of symptoms after ECT treatments. This suggests that ECT may offer fast, economical, non-invasive, and non-toxic methods for treating the selected health problems, and that ECT continues to show promise as a powerful new method for holistic healing. Traditional Chinese medicine can be used as an alternative therapy to treat children with ADHD. Both herbal treatments and acupuncture may likely serve as a primary treatment for mild to moderate ADHD in children in the United States. Donovan, DM. An Alternative Approach to ADHD. Harv Ment Health Lett. 2000;16(11):5-7. Hong, Harry. Treating Children with ADHD the Natural Way. www.harryhong.com
Chinese Wisdom: Quote of the DayThe gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials. ~Anonymous
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