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Winter 2006 |
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Happy Chinese New YearFrom Dr. Mao Shing Ni
January 29, 2006 begins the Chinese New Year of the Dog. It is Year 4,704 of The Yellow Emperor’s reign. With 2005 Rooster year leaving us, let us do a retrospective on my predictions at the beginning of last year. Economically, I forecasted that the industries sure to benefit from the year of the rooster included real estate, commodities, energy, transportation, travel and healthcare. By most accounts, with the exception of several high profile airline bankruptcies, all the other industries I listed had posted good growth and returns. I also mentioned many potential conflicts and arguments arising from the “cocky” nature of the rooster. We saw political conflicts in the U.S., the Middle East, South America and Asia ranging from nuclear threats to unfriendly socialist regimes to ever-widening trade deficits. I also cautioned to be on the lookout for spinal problems, neurological diseases, liver and gall bladder diseases, and the year saw an upsurge in Parkinson’s disease, neuropathy and hepatitis C. Now, you might ask what is going to happen in the Year of the Red Dog 2006. First, I must add a disclaimer that despite my predictions, how you handle opportunities and crisis can change the outcome of circumstances in your life. So, do not despair from any negative predictions or get too excited by any positive forecasts. Everything in life is relative to the context of the situation. The new year of the dog is “red” to represent the color corresponding to the year’s energetic element of Fire. It also possesses the Earth elemental energy in a supportive role. Fire, symbolized by the sun, gives forth light, warmth and openness. The earth, with its contained quality causes introspection and the yearning for spiritual meaning. Therefore, the year 2006 shall bring more open dialogue among nations and between people, as well as a collective drive for spiritual meaning. In nature, potentially disruptive fire and earth events, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes may be more prevalent in 2006. The weather pattern in North America, smarting from a record number of hurricanes in 2005 may exhibit more scorching, dry weather punctuated with dramatic lightening storms and landslides. On the economic front, the first half of the year will be marked by optimism, but the latter half may experience substantial set backs. The sectors that should do well are finance, entertainment, energy, utilities, publishing and transportation. The M&A activities will continue to outpace the last few years. In health, people will be more prone to diseases relating to the fire and earth elements including cardiovascular diseases, digestive problems, muscle inflammation (especially shoulder pain), kidney disease, diabetes and cancers. Here is my advice for your health in the upcoming year: Prevent illness by balancing your fire and earth elements through appropriate dietary choices and lifestyle changes. A diet rich in whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, beans and legumes, poultry and fish should form the foundation of your eating program. Make sure to have plenty of specific foods for heart and digestive health, such as the bran from rice, oats and wheat, ginger, garlic, turmeric, squash, pumpkin, yam/sweet potato, cherry, grape, garbanzo/ chickpea and adzuki beans. Lower your intake of fats and sweets. Stress is a big cause of heart disease and digestive disorders. Therefore, work on reducing your stress through meditation, exercise, tai chi, journaling and artistic expressions. I strongly recommend the Emotional Tranquility Tea or Calmfort formula to keep you tranquil and serene. Naturally, seek treatment at the earliest opportunity if you suspect any of the conditions above in order to take care of problem while it’s still small. In summary, the year of the Red Dog should bring more spiritual awareness and prompt communities to come together for common causes. Be on the lookout for cardiovascular conditions as well as digestive disorders. Work on your diet, exercise and stress reduction programs, smile a lot and move forward in your endeavors with optimism. Also, remember that the qualities of a dog - loyalty, fidelity and commitment - will win you friends and influence people at the end of the day and bring harmony to all. Don’t forget to stay flexible and adapt to all changes. You will find that health, happiness and success are within your grasp. We wish you a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year! |
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New Members of Our Family
Please join us in welcoming Ms. Jessica Chen to the Tao of Wellness. After 4 rounds of grueling interviews and tests, Ms. Chen was selected out of 12 candidates as the finalist for the Tao of Wellness Fellowship. The Fellowship is designed as a postgraduate residency whereby Ms. Chen will be practicing under the direction of Drs. Daoshing and Mao Shing Ni in her first year. After successfully completing her residency, she will become a full associate at Tao of Wellness. Ms. Jessica Chen graduated with a Master’s degree in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine from Yo San University with highest honors. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Boston University. Ms. Jessica Chen is a Board Licensed Acupuncturist in California and is also a Nationally Certified Diplomat of Oriental Medicine. She is a member of the California State Oriental Medical Association and holds a Certification for Cosmetic Acupuncture from the Mei Zen Institute.
We are pleased to announce the arrival of Adriana
and Ted Amondsen’s baby girl, |
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Goodbye to SmokingDr. Qineng Tan
As you all know by now, tobacco is a big killer. More than 50 million Americans smoke. According to the Center for Disease Control, it kills more than 440,000 people every year in the U.S. If you are a current smoker, quitting is the biggest favor you can do for yourself. You might have already tried to do so and failed several times before. Please realize that your past failures do not mean you are unable to quit smoking this time. Instead, view them as part of the process of successfully quitting for good.
Once you plan to quit smoking, arm yourself with these four tools - be ready, get support, learn new skills and behaviors and be prepared for relapse.
You have my best wishes for your success. Call us at Tao of Wellness—we stand ready to help. If you can stop smoking, you have proved that you have the power to make anything possible. |
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How much do you know about Your pulse?Dr. Xiaomei Cai
Each pulse position can reflect different phenomena in different situations. For example, in a state of health, the left middle pulse (Liver) will be relatively soft and smooth, neither superficial nor deep. Therefore, we can say the liver and gall bladder energies are balanced or that the Yin and Yang within the Liver/Gall Bladder sphere are balanced. If a patient is experiencing migraine headaches and her pulse feels wiry (harder or tighter than normal) and more superficial and pounding, then we may diagnose this as Excessive Liver Fire (Yang) Rising (up the Gall Bladder channel to the head). The pulse reflects the rising energy. Again, the pulse is assessed at three different depths: a superficial, middle and deep level. These three levels of the pulse give an immediate idea of the level of Qi in the pulse and, therefore, the kind of pathological condition that might be present. In particular, the superficial level reflects the state of Qi (and the yang organ); the middle level reflects the state of Blood; the deep level reflects the state of Yin (and yin organs). Thus, by examining the strength and quality of the pulse at these three levels, we get a better idea of the pathology of Qi, Blood and Yin, and of the relative state of Yin and Yang. |
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Acupuncture Effective in Turning Breech BabiesDr. Xiaomei Cai
Acupuncture and moxibustion is applied to only one point on the body to help turn a breech baby – Bladder 67, the last point on the Bladder channel. Bladder 67 point is on outside corner of the little toe on both feet, right next to the nail bed. Moxibustion can be administered by the patient or a family member at home. Using a moxa stick, apply heat to the Bladder 67 point daily for 15-20 minutes for seven days. Take a two-day break. If the baby has not turned yet, continue with the moxa for another seven days. It is even more effective if the patient does the “knee to chest” position in conjunction with acupuncture/moxa treatment. To do the “knee to chest” position, get on your knees with your forearms in front of you on the floor so that your bottom sticks up in the air. Do not lie on your belly. Maintain this position for 15 minutes, twice a day. By positioning the body so that the head is lower, gravity encourages the baby’s head to “float” toward the fundus of the uterus, flex her chin onto her chest and start to turn under. Acupuncture treatments should be performed every other day for up to 2 weeks to assist with the process of turning the baby to the right position. |
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Jessica
Chen, L.Ac., Dipl OM
You
have many reasons to quit smoking - for your health, your loved ones,
your sex drive, and even for the money in your pocket. The earlier you
quit the better your body will recover. 
Most
people already know that the pulse reflects heart rate, which is
normally between 60-90 beats per minute. Whether it is too slow, too
fast or irregular, it can indicate a possible heart problem. However,
according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the pulse reveals more than
just heart rate. Chinese pulse diagnosis is an extremely complex subject
and an important diagnostic tool. This is why we take pulse readings
much longer than you normally experience at a western medical office.
The following will introduce some brief concepts of Chinese Medical
pulse diagnosis.
When
labor begins, close to 97% of babies born assume the head-down position.
The rest are mostly breech babies. There are many ways to encourage a
breech baby to turn. Acupuncture, especially using moxibustion, which is
the application of heat from burning the herb, Mugwort, is a
non-invasive and safe method to help turn the breech baby. The success
rate in studies from China is 80% and if treated before 32 weeks of
pregnancy, it can be even higher.