- Art of Wellness Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)11704 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 295, Los Angeles, CA, 90025
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Chinese Medicine
Eating to Reduce and Prevent Inflammation
By Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.
We usually think of inflammation as something that affects our muscles and joints, causing them to swell and ache. More recently, science has made it clear that inflammation is also part of what causes poor blood flow through the arteries, causing problems of the circulation and the heart. But, really, the root cause of inflammation is a function of the metabolism, or digestive process. It is the body’s normal defensive response to excess internal heat. Excess heat can be caused by stres
s, too many calories, and the wrong kinds of foods.
An anti-inflammatory diet is, first and foremost, a low calorie diet. The meaning of “calorie” is, after all, a unit measurement of heat energy. Simply put, ingesting more calories creates more heat in the body. If the calories aren’t being burned through physical activity, then they are stored in the body as excess fat. Fat not only weighs you down, but triggers the immune system, which tries to attack the fat as if it was a foreign substance. Carrying excess fat acts on several levels to create detrimental inflammation within the body.
It is important to pay attention not only to what you eat, and how much, but also how you eat, and when. Many people’s eating habits lead to poor digestion.
Eat sitting down. The body draws both blood and Qi into its center – the stomach and spleen – in order to digest food. Eating while standing or walking, or trying to concentrate on some other problem, draws much-needed energy to the extremities or the brain, away from the digestive process.
Chew food thoroughly. Failure to chew adequately means that the rest of your digestive system has to work harder to break down your food into usable nutrition.
In general, choose more fresh, raw, and lightly cooked foods, and avoid baked, fried and heavily processed foods. These foods retain the heat energy that was used in their preparation, and that creates more heat inside you.
Increase your use of ginger, turmeric and herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano, all of which have anti-inflammatory properties. Choose high Omega-fatty-acid fish such as salmon, and good quality fish oils. Eat lots of leafy greens. Avoid coffee, and drink green tea instead. Fermented foods such as pickles, sauerkraut/kimchee, miso and tempeh help to heal and promote good balance in the intestines. Shitake mushrooms are a source of copper, a rare nutrient, important in the prevention of arterial inflammation.
It probably comes as no surprise that we recommend cutting back on unhealthy fats (trans fats, processed cooking oils, and fatty red meat). And avoid sugar as strictly as possible, as sugar consumption leads to insulin resistance and is a major cause of inflammation.
Avoid the nightshade vegetables: peppers, eggplants, potatoes and tomatoes. This includes spices and seasonings made from peppers, such as paprika and red pepper flakes. These foods can irritate the intestines, affecting their permeability and setting off unwanted immune responses. These in turn lead to inflammation, muscle spasms and stiffness.
Who Is Your Best Doctor?
By Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.
What Do Doctors Do?
When you are sick or injured, you automatically think about finding a good doctor. You rush to get tests done. You are given an examination and, usually, medicine.
But have you thought about who “cures” you when you break your arm? An orthopedic specialist provides high-level technology to examine you, and gives you a cast and some pain medication. But do they “fix” your arm?
The Pros and Cons of Western Medicine
Modern advances in Western medicine have allowed us to correct many conditions that historically have been crippling or deadly. How amazing that surgeons can re-attach digits, that EMT techs can re-start heartbeats, and that some medicines can cure or prevent life-threatening diseases! In general, people are living longer and enjoying better quality of life than ever before.
But there are drawbacks, too. Western medicine tends to study the body on a microscopic, cellular level, rather than looking at the whole person. The causes of many diseases remain unknown, so treatments usually address symptoms only. Conditions may come back if you stop taking your medicine. Medicines can have serious side effects. Surgery can create other problems, such as damaged or scarred tissues. Specialists focus on one part of your body, not the whole, so that problems are not understood as being connected to one another. It can feel as if you are being treated like a machine, with separate parts, not as a real person. Sometimes a doctor might try to help you solve one problem, only to find that others then crop up or worsen. And while we talk about prevention, most doctors are not trained in nutrition, and often don’t have the time or inclination to discuss their patients’ lifestyle choices in any depth.
What happens in our body when we are sick?
The cell–the most fundamental unit of the human body– every second that we are alive, has an amazing ability to renew itself.
When a pathogen enters your body, or your body is injured, it launches all necessary systems to diagnose the problem and then begins producing healing factors to work in concert. First, white blood cells go to the area to fight any infection that may have gotten in. They kill off any weak or dying cells. If cells are only slightly damaged, they can switch on special genes which start repairs. If they are too old or damaged, they will self-destruct. When there is bleeding, the platelet cells form a blood clot, so that you will not bleed to death. Once all of this is done, and the rubbish of damaged, dead cells has been cleared away, healthy cells start making copies of themselves to fill the gaps.
This is a vitally important process, and the body must work and watch carefully, because if anything goes wrong–say, unhealthy cells are not cleared away, or start making copies of themselves— the result can be serious disease, such as cancer or autoimmune disease.
Self-healing ability is our miracle doctor.
If you have ever had a pet or the chance to observe a sick animal, you may remember what they do to recover. They usually choose to lie there, without any activity, not even eating. Their bodies just concentrate on healing, conserving all energy for self-repair.
Human beings are the same. When we are sick, we need to rest, eat very lightly, and drink a lot of water, allowing our body to fix any damage and clear out any waste. We are born with this innate ability to self-heal; however, it relies on good lifestyle to encourage it. Sometimes there are impurities that block energy flow to the compromised area. If we continually feed “junk” food into the body, and don’t allow it the rest it needs, then our ability to regenerate cells and heal our own illness and injuries is severely dampened. You are the only one who is responsible to your health!
Acupuncture treatment
We can understand and appreciate that our bodies can heal themselves, and at the same time, we should know that sometimes we need additional assistance. For example, if there are too many toxins in the body, a detox program can help eliminate them. If there is an imbalance that is too severe, herbs can help. When there are blockages of Qi in the body, acupuncture or electro-acupuncture can help free them up. What we offer at Art of wellness is the promotion of the body’s natural healing to take place.
But, who is your best doctor? YOU ARE. Recognize, respect, and take responsibility for your own healing power. When you not feeling well, find a good team to assist your body to heal itself. Remember, prevention comes before treatment. Let healthy lifestyle become a habit. Investment in your health is the best win-win decision.
We Help You Heal
By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on thousands of years of practical experience and research. It is also based on the philosophy that human beings are one with Nature. Nature built our body with systems to repair itself. Ideally, the body can heal itself from almost anything. But the universe is constantly changing; so are our bodies. People lose their healing ability from time to time, for many different reasons.
When all is balanced and in harmony–in the world, and in our bodies–we experience health and peace. But, everything is not always balanced in the world. In one area, there is a drought, while in another place, a river overflows, flooding the land. Our bodies, too, are often out of balance. One area weakens. Another area becomes stagnant. When we experience disease and trauma, it is both a reaction to and a reflection of imbalances in our environment and inside the body. Nature is cyclical; it is constantly creating, then destroying, and rebuilding.
Over time, some of our Qi–especially kidney Qi–drains away. The aging process affects the functioning of the organ systems and the healing process of the body. A healthy person in their 20s recovers quickly from a cold or flu, for instance. If they twist an ankle, they rest for a week or two, then function like new again. When you get older, your body starts to weaken due to trauma, environmental changes, toxins, and stress. Your healing power gets weaker and weaker. The body can’t regenerate tissues and healthy Qi like it used to. The kidneys and liver lose function; that is why people become diseased.
Are you experiencing one of the following?:
- Ongoing sneezing and allergies
- Getting sick easily or the same cold keeps coming back
- What used to be an occasional twinge becomes a daily ache
- An injury or wound seems to take a long time to heal
- A stable condition suddenly gets active and difficult to control
- Constant fatigue, difficulty generating energy without coffee
Health is never a final endpoint. No one–even me!– can say, “Now I am in excellent health, and I will be forever!” Health is about relative balance. There are good things on one side – healthy habits, good energy, and a sense of well-being–and on the other side, bad things–stress, pain, recurring issues and weaknesses. As we get older, the bad things start piling up, and the scale can tip to one side. When this happens, we must put in effort to add more to the “good” side – by exercising, eating well, resting appropriately, meditating, and getting regular acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture can play an important role in the healthy aging process.
Acupuncture helps you build up your healing process. We give support to the organ systems, the nervous system, the lymphatic system, the immune system. We adjust the flow of Qi and increase blood flow to help build a weak area up, unblocking stagnation. TCM works on a deeper level, healing problems at their source, so that a person has a chance of recovering in a more meaningful, lasting way.
Cupping Therapy
Cupping Q & A
By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. & Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.
What is cupping?
Cupping is a healing modality that uses suction to move blood and energy (Qi) from inside the body out towards the surface. It encourages more blood flow in a particular area. It is usually used as an additional treatment in conjunction with acupuncture and/or massage.
How does it work?
There are a few different techniques. Most commonly heat is used: a flame is lit inside a glass or bamboo cup, which burns oxygen to create a negative pressure. Then the cups are placed against the skin in the affected area, usually along a meridian line. Another way is to use a pump to pull air out of the cup. A cup might be firmly attached to one localized area for 10-15 minutes. Another technique is “moving” or “walking” cupping, during which the cup might be moved around along both sides of the spine or in a circular motion on the back.
Where does cupping come from? How long have people been doing this?
Many ancient healing traditions, particularly from Asian and Eastern European cultures, have used cupping as part of their healing systems. In China, the documented use of cupping for medical purposes goes back for 3000 years.
What kind of cups are used?
Traditionally, cups were made of bamboo or clay. Nowadays, we most commonly use cups made of smooth, rounded glass that can be sterilized.
What kind of health condition is cupping good for?
- Injuries that involve blood stagnation, such as muscle strain, benefit from having excessive blood removed, reducing swelling and inflammation in the area.
- Arthritic pain can be relieved by removing dampness and blood stasis to reduce inflammation.
- Muscle spasm, stiffness and tightness due to tension can be released by cupping.
- Cold or flu at the very beginning. Cupping can help stimulate the body’s defense system to fight off viral infection.
- Detoxification: cupping can help remove pathogens and is very helpful when going through a detoxification process; it helps draw toxins out from deep in the internal organs.
These are just a few of the most common reasons we might use cupping, but there are many times that it can be helpful. Many conditions that involve stagnation or blockage in the body, such as chest (cold) congestion or coughs, even asthma, can be alleviated by the heat and suction that cupping on the upper back creates.
What sort of condition would cupping NOT be good for?
Cupping is not for every body or every condition. If you are weak, suffering from some type of physical deficiency, then cupping could draw energy out of you, weakening your body further. In that case, acupuncture, moxa and herbal treatment without cupping would be better, because they work to strengthen the body.
Are there any side effects?
Those round bruises you have seen in pictures are very common. This is actually a good sign; it shows that blood has been brought to that area and concentrated there. The bruises may last about a week, but they are nothing to worry about. It is also possible that occasionally a blister will form. This, too, shows that fluid has been pulled towards the surface. Blisters should not be popped, just left alone to be absorbed and healed naturally.
Obviously, it is crucial that cupping be performed by someone who is trained and experienced with this technique. Care must be taken so that the skin is not burned, and the timing is very important to achieve the desired results.
How many cupping treatments would I need?
Cupping is not done “in a vacuum.” Normally, cupping would be part of a broader treatment, involving acupuncture, herbal formulae, massage, and other modalities. How many treatments you might need depends on the history and severity of your condition. For example, when people go through our One Week Detox Program, they receive 3 treatments combining acupuncture and cupping over a period of 7 days.
What do I do after I’ve had cupping?
We advise that people do not bathe or swim for at least 2 hours after a cupping treatment. Also, avoid drinking or eating anything icy cold, or exposing yourself to wind. Stay warm, drink tea. Cupping “opens up” channels in the body, allowing energy and fluid to get out. We don’t want anything cold and damp “getting in” at this time.
I’m ready to try cupping! What should I do?
Call us and schedule an appointment! 310-451-5522
Yin-Yang: and What It Means in Traditional Chinese Medicine
by Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D.
The concept of Yin and Yang is central not only to the ancient Chinese phil
osophy called Taoism, but also to the philosophy and practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is a concept of dualism, meaning that everything in the Universe is made up of two opposing, yet interdependent, forces. One type of energy will lead to the other, and back again, over and over: day into night, darkness into light, birth into death, and so on. Without Yang, there is no Yin, and without Yin there can be no Yang. They cannot exist independently.
You have seen the Yin-Yang symbol many times: two teardrop shapes, one black, one white, chase each other around in a circle. Inside each teardrop is a small circle of the opposite color. This visual representation of Yin-Yang serves as a reminder that within each type of energy, some of the other is also lurking, and vice versa.
In Mandarin Chinese, the character for Yin – 阴 – can have several meanings, including: “feminine,” “moon,” and “cloudy.”
The Yang character – 阳 – means “masculine,” “sun,” and “bright.”
Yin-Yang is not just about opposites, though, and to reduce it to ideas like male-female, or dark-light, is too simplistic. Yin-Yang is about transformation–the biggest, most meaningful transformations that occur in our lives and in the world all around us. It is also about balance. The dual energies of Yin and Yang must work in harmony at all times. If there is too much of one energy, there will be too little of the other, and something will have to change in order to restore the balance.
This is where the concept of Yin-Yang comes into play in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Illness occurs in the body when there is an imbalance of energies. Imbalances will show up as problems in the organ systems. Some organs relate the to Yin meridian (including the kidney, liver, lungs, spleen and heart), while others relate to the Yang meridian (stomach, large intestine, small intestine, gall bladder).
Considering the functions of the human body, Yang refers to active energy and heat, while Yin is passive energy, and cold. When a patient comes to us, we are looking and listening closely to find out how the imbalance is revealing itself. For example, swelling is a Yin condition, while pain is a Yang condition. Once we have begun to determine the nature of the imbalance, we will not only perform acupuncture, but also prescribe herbs and specific foods, as well as lifestyle changes, that will help restore the balance of Yin and Yang in the body.
Because you cannot have Yang without Yin, and so on, we focus on keeping both parts alive and strong. If you kill the Yin energy, you will also kill the Yang energy. In Chinese medicine, when we want to increase or strengthen one kind of energy, we call it “tonification.” Reduction, or calming, of energy is “restoring.” So, if a patient has, for example, excessive Yang and weak Yin, we will work to tonify the Yin and restore the Yang.
According to the philosophy of Yin and Yang, even the worst situation has some positivity hiding within it. So, we always look for the other side. As you travel along on your personal journey towards optimal health, keep in mind that pain and illness appear to show you where you need to work to create balance in your own life.