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This case is about cirrhosis 4th stage. The patient was on the waiting list for a liver transplant when he came to my clinic. Here is the story.

Back ground history

He attended a wedding ceremony. While he ate food, he felt nausea and vomiting. He rushed to the toilet bowl and vomited lots of blood, seeing only red blood, but no food at all. He went to an M.D. right away. The M.D. examined him with an endoscope and found all veins in the stomach and esophagus were like large varicose veins (esophageal varicose) with a purple color. According to the test he received later, he threw up 1.5 liter of blood.

He was sent to a large hospital Emergency Room immediately. After all examinations and tests, he was diagnosed with cirrhosis 4th stage, meaning he needed liver transplant surgery. The hospital requested that he be put on the waiting list at the liver donation center and now he is on the waiting list. Being on the waiting list means you have to wait about three years in most cases, however if his family or relatives are willing to donate part of their liver and they match well, this period may be shortened. There is no good match from his family.

During my diagnostic interview, he stated he didn't take alcohol or smoke. After diagnosing him, I told the patient that the blood vomited might come from lung, not from stomach, based on no foods in the vomit and the red blood color of the blood. The patient was surprised a bit and admitted that he had a few experiences of vomiting before. Each and every time he observed some food, acid taste and sticky saliva from the mouth, but this time strange enough only red blood. I also noticed his lung function was weak.

I recommended him to take acupuncture treatments. Liver transplant surgery just replaces a diseased liver with other person's liver. If the patient has a problem with the blood stream in and out through liver, there is a good chance for a new replaced liver to become bad due to improper blood circulation through the liver. We explain this function in Traditional Korean Medicine as 'the meridian may be blocked'. As long as this was a possibility, it is better to help proper blood circulation with acupuncture and Oriental medicine, and also have the transplant surgery. Acupuncture treatment doesn't exclude the planned transplant surgery. He understood the concept and the treatments began.

Acupuncture treatments

His anxiety began to disappear after 2 treatments. His tiredness also diminished. He used to become tired after one hour of driving and had to take a rest. He could work at his normal daily job without much difficulty. This was big progress for him.

When I suggested taking oriental herbs, he preferred not to take herbs as his M.D. told him not to take any herbs and asked him to write down all foods he takes.

I explained the progression of liver disease to him using TCM theory. Normal liver condition changes into hepatitis, inflammation of liver. This means liver produces heat. The heat consumes moisture, and then liver becomes hardened causing cirrhosis. If this continues without treatment, this turns into cancer. He used to feel fever, lassitude, and loss of appetite. He even he walked to one side instead of walking forward sometimes. I suspect he might suffer chronic hepatitis. He didn't have proper treatment for this matter, and is hoping he recovers soon.

I told him he lost lots of blood when vomiting. I also asked him how he will make up all the lost blood. This is the first reason he needs herbs. Taking just iron is not enough to make new blood. We are able to use herbs to make new blood. I removed all unnecessary heat from liver already, and your liver needs more moisture and blood, since liver stores blood, according to acupuncture theory. He told me that he prays for more wisdom as his M.D. and I suggested differently. He decided to take herbs one week later and told me that my advice is more convincing and understandable. He also told me that I made his health better.

Unusual experience

After seven treatments, he experienced very unusual things. He awakened about 2 o'clock in the morning. Suddenly he felt that all the energies around him were being sucked into him. His expression was that 'it was like vacuum cleaner sucking up dirt.' His mind became calm, all worries disappeared and he became very peaceful. He experienced the same thing again 6 o'clock in the morning. This one happened slowly and for a longer period.

Regular check up by his M.D. 

He got treatments three times a week from me. After 12 treatments, I told him that his condition was improved and treatments just two times a week may be alright. After 14 sessions he had a regular check up from his M.D. There were 2 surgeons and 10 interns around the table waiting for him. They checked him by listening with a stethoscope, took his blood pressure and number of pulses per minute, etc. They looked around at each other and wondered what happened.

They expected he would be suffering from ascites (ascites is excess fluid in the space between the tissues lining the abdomen and abdominal organs) on his abdominal area or would have become emaciated by now. What they saw was a perfect healthy man sitting there instead of a sick person. They asked him what happened. He told them he got acupuncture treatments. One surgeon nodded and said "I don't have any objection to acupuncture." However the patient didn't tell them he took herbs, as he believed they may be disapproving. His M.D.'s decided no more surgery was required, but the application for a liver donation will not be cancelled just in case. 

The patient is going to take acupuncture treatments once a week or every two weeks until his next regular check up from his M.D.

Lesson about second opinions and integration of Eastern and Western medicine

1. All hepatitis or cirrhosis may be caused due to poor blood circulation into and out of the liver. Obviously this is one of causes. We call this meridian obstruction. If the problem was begun due to poor blood circulation, surgery alone may be not enough. Any transplant must consider acupuncture, too. This idea should apply to kidney transplants, too.

2. Patients need a second opinion. This opinion should include not only Western doctors, but also acupuncturists. Western medicine may not tell about meridian theory (proper blood circulation) in my opinion. Eastern medicine can't do the surgery. Eastern and western medicine combined may provide the best service to patients.

Visit my website, Answers with Acupuncture in Flushing, NY

Chan Hur, L. Ac.

I entered NYCTCM in 2000 as a non-matriculated student, intending only to get a foundation in Chinese medicine as a first step to studying Tibetan medicine and naturopathy. Suffering an accident to my head and neck shortly after beginning study, I had to take a leave of absence while recuperating and receiving acupuncture treatments at NYCTCM's clinic. 

The Chinese Herbology Certificate Program is designed for licensed acupuncturists and graduates of acupuncture degree programs who wish to add herbal expertise as a component of their professional practices without having to complete an entire Oriental Medicine degree program.

By Billy Shonez Singh, M.S., L.Ac., Dipl.Ac., Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM)

                                                ©2010

            Recently my father became a vegetarian a couple of months ago.  Since then, he has lost weight, his psorasis has cleared up, and he is much calmer and reserved than before.  On the other hand, a 44 year old woman comes to my clinic with insomnia and irregular menstruation with blood clots and PMS and feels very cold especially during the summer.  When I asked her about her diet, she says that she has been a vegetarian when she first came to this country from India.  Now, these two highly different cases are related to being a vegetarian.  Some people become vegetarian for political reasons as is the case in a few PETA members I have met.  Other reasons are because of religious issues as in the case of Hindus and Buddhists.  Whatever your reason is for getting into vegetarianism, you should know that there are a few pros and cons to becoming one.  The pros of becoming a vegetarian are weight loss, lowered intake of chemicals and toxins that are associated with eating meat, and a much calmer disposition than non-vegetarians.  According to history, Buddhist monks and those from the Brahmin caste in Hinduism would adopt a strict vegetarian diet not just for spiritual reasons, but the cooling nature of vegetarian foods helped them with their focus during meditation.  However, based on my experience of what I have seen in my clinic, vegetarians present themselves with a disease pattern in Chinese medicine known as blood deficiency.  In blood deficiency, the signs and symptoms are not typically related to Anemia; putting it simply, the quantity of blood has not been compromised; it's the quality of the blood.  Therefore, a person with blood deficiency pattern associated with a vegetarian diet will have the following signs and symptoms:

• Chills
• Cold limbs
• Pale complexion
• Insomnia
• Irregular menstruation
• Intolerance to cold
• Small and pale tongue
• Thin pulse

Therefore, the only solution to all of this is either to start incorporating meat into their diet.  If that is not an option for Hindus and Buddhists, then herbal medicine is a good solution to taking care of blood deficiency based signs and symptoms listed above.  However I find that herbal medicine and dietary changes (such as eating meat) will produce better results together.  For Hindus that cannot eat meat, there is a justifiable way you can get around that rule.  The only caste within the caste system that can eat meat are the Kshatriyas (the warrior caste).  "Vegetarianism is prescribed only for the Brahmin priests among the Hindus.  This is not the original Vedic tradition, because if you go to the source texts in Ayurveda, they all contain tonic recipes and prescriptions for meat, including beef.  Hindu fundamentalists have tried to resurrect Ayurveda in a vegetarian form after independence there in 1948, and this form is the dominant one in the US.  But the actual source texts recognize the tonic qualities of meat (pg.2, Bergner)."

            In conclusion, vegetarianism has its benefits while at the same time it has its downsides.  After all according to Paul Bergner, "...in the vegetarian south India, there is a higher rate of heart disease, hypertension, and type II diabetes than in the US and Canada (pg2.)."  In my experience, a balanced diet blending both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods ultimately ends up being the stand-alone preventative to the signs and symptoms associated with a long-term vegetarian diet.  If having a vegetarian diet is nearly impossible to give up because of religious restrictions, at least make sure that all foods are cooked before eaten as opposed to having them raw.  In Chinese medicine, raw food that has been eaten has a tendency to disturb the normal functioning of the digestive system resulting in the above mentioned signs and symptoms along with stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting.  A good solution when eating vegetables is to incorporate spices such as ginger, garlic, fenugreek, and cinnamon.  The properties of those particular spices are very warming and allow for proper digestion of raw vegetables in the stomach without any ill effects. 

 The Tao of Food: Diet in Taoist Practice states, "If you are a young healthy person, with no sickness, than a vegetarian diet is possible.  But if you have lack of energy or some other deficiency, then meat broth should be consumed from time to time."  It further states that, '...the diet should be composed of 30% leafy vegetables, 20% meat and 50% grain."  Take care everyone and eat well.

 

 

Bibliography

Bergner, Paul Thinking Critically About Diet, http://chineseherbacademy.org/articles/critical_diet.html, April 4^th, 2006. 

 

Hon, Sat Chuen, Tao of Food: Diet in Taoist practice. http://www.qigongtherapy.com/dec.html, December 18^th, 2006

Last weekend, my husband got a cold. He is liable to catch colds twice a year, often in the beginning of spring and winter. In the last few weeks, he has worked overtime at his day job and also worked at his mom's store. He worked 14 hours a day without rest.

Due to his tight schedule, he could not get good sleep. I noticed that he was exhausted already but he could not rest during the day. I prayed he would not catch a cold but finally he did. 

Our private doctor is my dad, so I called him and told him, "My husband had a cold again."

He always said, "Again..."

About Me

When I was growing up in South Korea, I took herbal medicine from my dad twice a year. I think he makes the formula depends on my condition and symptoms. But I am sure it based on boosting energy, tonifying, harmonizing and balancing Yin and Yang.

It made me healthier than my husband even though he is tall, good muscle tone, good diet, and generally healthier than other men. 

Thanks Dad!

My father suggested Tea therapy with acupuncture treatment. Tea therapies help prevent cold or during a cold, it can help you recover. 

If you have frequently cough, your qi is ascending, producing fever during cold, Wu Wei Zi (오미자, Schisandrae, 五味子) Tea may help to reducing cough. 

If you feel very low energy/qi deficiency, you can use Sheng Mai San (생맥산, Generate the Pulse Powder, 生脈散); it made from Wu Wei Zi (오미자,Schisandrae,五味子), Ren Shen (인삼, Ginseng Rx, 人蔘) , and Mai Men Dong (맥문동, Ophiopogonis Rx, 麥門冬).  

When you drink cold water too fast, it creates dampness on the stomach and produces phlegm; these are the reason for developing cold symptoms.  By drinking Sheng Jiang (생강, Zingberis Rx, 生姜) tea, it has warm and spicy characters so it expels phlegm, warm the body and provide energy. 

The orange peel tea, we called Chen Pi (진피, Citri Pericarpium, 陳皮), it promote to circulates Lung Qi, descends the Lung energy.  

When the Gan Cao (감초, Glycyrrhizae Rx, 甘草) and Da Zao (대조, Jujubae Fr, 大棗) boils together, it helps to reduce phlegm in the nose, reduces inflammation, sinus drainage, and also can open the orifices.

If you have a lot of phlegm, you put together with pear, honey and Jie Geng (길경, Platycodi Rx, 桔梗) and make tea.  Jie Geng helps to expel phlegm, pear is for reducing heat in the Lung, and honey promotes health by harmonizing herbs.

Julie Lee, L. Ac.

Unique Acupuncture at Elixir Day Spa

Beaverton, Oregon

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Here is an excerpt from an article about Parkinson's disease as seen from a TCM perspective. 

Hello everyone, my name is Billy Shonez Singh and I am a licensed acupuncturist and board certified herbalist. I am presenting to you what is acupuncture, what its used for and how a needle is inserted into the body. If you want more information just go to my website at Zehohs Acupuncture in Commack, NY. Take care and we'll see each other next time.


About Billy Singh, L. Ac. & Zenohs Acupuncture in Commack, NY

Zenohs Acupuncture's lead Practitioner and founder of the Center is Billy "Shonez" Singh. From a young age, Billy had always revered ancient Chinese wisdom. He began firstly practicing martial arts. Years later, Billy's interest in Acupuncture and ancient Chinese healing grew organically from there. Billy received training from the New York College of Health Professions in Syosset, New York, where he was a student in the Massage Therapy program.

Moving forward from this knowledge base, Billy obtained his Masters Degree in Acupuncture, and is board certified as "Diplomate of Acupuncture" and "Diplomate of Chinese herbology by the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine). Billy has also been fortunate enough to train under noted acupuncturist and author, Virginia Doran, LMT, M.Ac., L.Ac., from whom he obtained certification in Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture.

Billy Singh attended the New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine for his certification in Chinese herbology and trained with highly esteemed herbologists, Dr. Libang Zhang and Dr. Yongshun Bei.

Billy is an active member of the Huntington Chamber of Commerce and the Long Island Association.

Dispel wind and stop itch

"In terms of itch, Traditional Chinese Medicine considers that it connects with wind pathogen. So treating pruritus is always based on dispelling wind. But for chronic eczema caused by wind from Yin deficiency and blood dryness, it is worthy to be cautious to use pungent and warm natural drugs to resolve superficies. Or the condition would worsen because pungent and warm natural drugs reinforce the wind of blood dryness. Drugs of pungent and cool nature to resolving superficies, such as Bo He (Wild Mint) and Chan Tui (Cicida Moulting) are highly recommended.

Even while the lesion is akin to neurodermatitis, pungent and warm natural drugs to resolve superficies can not be abused, or would cause acute outbreak of eczema. Traditional Chinese Medicine consider that it need to promote blood circulation in the first place for the sake of dispelling wind, and then wind vanish naturally after blood stasis removes. So it is suggestive that some herbs of promoting blood circulation should be added."

Read more at Chinese Medicine Gem blog. He gives TCM diagnoses and possible treatments for common symptoms.

Prof. Huijuan Cui

Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Chief Physician of the Sino-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China

Professor Cui will present a lecture on "Chinese Herbology Applied to Cancer Treatment" based on her 25 years of practical & research experience. Interpreter provided

6:30 - 9:30 PM, Saturday, December 5, 2009

NYCTCM, Room 106
155 First St.
Mineola, NY 11501

Free for NYCTCM Students
$25 for NYCTCM Alumni
$40 for practitioners

No pre-registration required; pay at the door.

See the NYCTCM CEU page for more information and CEU classes

In Eric Brands' Traditional Chinese Medicine blog, he complains that Bensky's Materia Medica and other texts on herbalism state ginseng should not be taken with coffee or other stimulants but do not list any citations to back up this claim. He did extensive research and found no evidence in classical texts or modern databases to support the contraindication. He says that "primary sources, evidence-based decisions, and critical thinking" are essential to the future of TCM.

"It is, indeed, a bold claim to suggest that ginseng cannot be used with coffee or other stimulants. Ginseng is the most famous herb in East Asian medicine. Coffee is just about the most widely-used herbal product in the world. Millions of people consume ginseng and coffee together every day in Korea alone, much less the rest of the world. A proven herb-herb or herb-drug interaction with ginseng and coffee or other stimulants would be headline news. Yet this evidence is strikingly lacking.

It is most likely that the reason for this caution is due to the popular conception that ginseng is itself a stimulant. However, ginseng is not a stimulant drug in terms of modern pharmacology; it has both stimulating and inhibitory constituents, which gives it an overall regulating and balancing effect on the body. The idea that ginseng=stimulant and thus should not be combined with other stimulants is based on a flawed and simplistic understanding of the actions of ginseng. Certainly this simplistic thinking is not the standard that professional practitioners are shooting for, and it damages our profession if we espouse opinions that cannot be backed up with either science or tradition."

Read the complete article:

http://www.bluepoppy.com/blog/blogs/blog1.php/2009/06/12/ginseng-coffee-herb-drug-interactions-an