What Traditional Chinese Medicine Treats

What Traditional Chinese Medicine Treats

      People ask all the time, "What does Acupuncture (TCM) treat?"  It treats just about everything, except acute situations. In emergency situations, go to an emergency room. Western medicine excels at treating life threatening conditions, with drugs and surgery. Western medical tests are incredible for asserting if there is a 80-90% failure in an organ or system, in which case surgical, or drug intervention is appropriate. It is the stages before, and after, the acute where TCM shines.     

     When patients come in with chest pain I refer them to their doctor. After we find out what is going on, we can proceed. One gentleman came back with a clean bill of heath, after all the tests his cardiologist odered, but the chest pains persisted. We cleared the phlegm from his chest and the pains went away. Another woman was told she was not a candidate for heart surgery, due to her age, but Acupuncture, Chinese herbal, and nutritional supplements, decreased her discomfort and increased her energy and quality of life. 

     With cancer patients TCM works so well together with western medicine, that most oncology departments in hospitals now employ Acupuncturists. By keeping the digestive and immune systems strong, patients typically come through surgeries, chemo, or radiation much better and with fewer side effects, often increasing life span and quality of life. While waiting for surgery there is Acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas that can help reduce masses and tumors.

     After surgeries TCM can dramatically reduce pain and recovery time. A patient that went in on a Friday to have posts implanted, to replace teeth, returned to her surgeon for a check up on Monday. During the surgery, it was discovered that she had so much bone loss that a major reconstruction of her jaw was necessary. On Monday, when the surgeon saw her, he exclaimed "Why aren't you bruised? Why aren't you swollen?"  There are Chinese herbal formulas for acute injury that address inflammation, bruising, bone and soft tissue regeneration, even disc inflammation and injury, for cases with back injuries. All of them effectively address pain by treating the root cause of the problem.     

      What does Acupuncture / TCM treat?  The question with the briefer answer would be to ask what it doesn't.     

  

                                                               Health & Happiness,

                                                                       Nancy Burton, L.Ac.

                                                                               534 Washington St.  Ashland, OR  97520

                                                                                                  For Appointments Call:   541-646-0134

Vegetable Pate

Vegetable Pate

      Many people wonder how to incorporate as many vegetables in the diet as I advocate, aside from the trusty stir fries and steamed vegetable medleys. Vegetable pates are a good way to do it. Great as appetizers, or snacks, the fresh vegetables give quick energy, vitamins and nutrients to hungry people and the nuts or seeds, and olive oil, in the recipes slow down the metabolism of the glucose, (that everything we eat is converted into except protein), and the good oils supply the building blocks for hormones, that are the messengers  for everything in the body. Coconut oil would be a nice addition, since it quick brain food and  easily assimilated by the body.    

      To make a vegetable pate, chose a wide range of vegetables, and an assortment of nuts and seeds. You can keep it simple, or throw anything and everything in. The main way to master vegetable pates is to experiment and have fun!  

       My latest concoction included, cauliflower, carrot, broccoli stalk, pea pods, a little green onion, roasted red pepper, one garlic clove, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, sea salt, Tamari, ( or you can use Braggs Amino Acids), Lemon juice from one lemon and about 1/4 cup olive oil. Two small packages of a roasted seaweed snack, cut into small very squares (available in Health Food Stores), and a very small amount of minced fresh ginger. Flax seeds or sesame seeds would be lovely additions as well. Put it all a food processor and blend until smooth. You might need to add more olive oil.    
       Serve on brown rice crackers, celery, or for added color and flair, cut mini red, yellow and orange peppers in half and stuff with pate. You can also spread the pate 1/4 inch thin and dehydrate it to make a delicious cracker. 

        There is no wrong way to make it. Taste it as you go and see what you like. The main way to master vegetable pates is to experiment and have fun.  Enjoy!

                                                        Health & Happiness,

                                                                  Nancy Burton, L.Ac.

                                                                           534 Washington St.  Ashland, OR   97520

                                                                                             For Appointments Call:  541-646-0134