What's Your Kung Fu?
Your Practice / Business

What’s Your Kung Fu?

One can achieve gong fu or kung fu in any endeavor: art, music, martial arts, medicine, athletics, writing, or any activity that brings one inspiration and passion. Kung fu implies a high level of mastery forged via hard work over a long period of time; a literal alchemy of one’s life. What is your kung fu? What is your passion and inspiration? What brings you deep nourishment physically, mentally and spiritually?

Craig Williams, LAc, AHG
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Chinese & Asian Medicine  |  DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
Texts Unearthed from Ancient Han Tombs Reveal the Anatomical Origins of Meridians
Texts Unearthed from Ancient Han Tombs Reveal the Anatomical Origins of Meridians

Based on detailed studies of the texts about meridians written on silk and bamboo slips unearthed from the Western Han dynasty tombs (collectively referred to as Meridian Book), Dr. Li Yongming, a licensed MD and acupuncturist in the U.S., proposed a groundbreaking view that the theory of meridians arose from ancient anatomical observations and originally reflected the body’s vascular and nervous systems. This is the summary of his recent published article.

Willow JH Liu, PhD; Guanhu Yang, PhD
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Acupuncture & Acupressure
Exposing a Culprit of Impaired Knee Extension After ACL Reconstruction
Exposing a Culprit of Impaired Knee Extension After ACL Reconstruction
The Crucial Muscle Being Trained to Stay Tight and Contracted

In our office, the majority of ACL patients will experience some kind of posterior knee pain. Every patient’s timeline is different, but the revelation is common at some point over the course of rehab. I’ve learned to check every popliteus I come across in ACL patients who seemingly plateau at certain phases of rehab. Most times after a few sessions of acupuncture, the patient is able to gain more steady mobility and stay on track toward meeting their range-of-motion goals.

Alyssa Risi, DTCM, Dipl. Ac., LAc
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Lasers & Tens
Illuminating Health: The Therapeutic Power of LED and Red Light Therapy
Illuminating Health: The Therapeutic Power of LED and Red Light Therapy

Light-emitting diode (LED) therapy, once a futuristic concept developed through NASA’s exploration of space-based healing, has become a foundational treatment in clinical, cosmetic and wellness settings. Initially studied to aid plant growth and accelerate wound healing in astronauts, LED therapy has evolved into a noninvasive, highly versatile modality that treats a wide range of concerns – from skin issues and hair loss to pain relief and general vitality.

Michelle Gellis, AP, Dipl. Ac.
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Featured

Acupuncture for Vulvodynia: Rigorous Evidence

Study Suggests Long-Lasting Relief, Outlasting Even Placebo

Vulvodynia, chronic vulvar pain of unknown origin lasting at least three months, affects approximately 7% of American women and has no consistently effective treatment. In its most serious form, vulvodynia can lead to physical disability and suicidal ideation. This is the clinical landscape a rigorously designed, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial  addresses, providing the most methodologically robust evidence to date that acupuncture offers real and longer-lasting relief for those who respond to it.

Sandro Graca, MSc, Lic TCM, FABORM
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Chinese & Asian Medicine
TCM’s Role in Palliative Care
TCM's Role in Palliative Care

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) aligns with the holistic philosophy of palliative care and can be integrated with conventional modalities for comprehensive treatment. As TCM encompasses diverse therapeutic practices based on theories of qi, yin-yang balance, and the five elements, these modalities can offer support that benefits patients with complex illnesses and strengthen their care plans.

Chris Ruth, DAOM, LAc, Dipl OM
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Nutrition / Detoxification
Food Therapy for the Lungs and Stomach
Food Therapy for the Lungs and Stomach

One of the most important aspects of my clinical practice is teaching patients the importance of food therapy for both prevention of and recovery from health challenges. Chinese medicine in particular has unique perspectives on food therapy, which can help inspire patients to see the kitchen as a sacred space for cultivating health. With that said, let’s discuss four foods I use to help patients prevent lung issues and stimulate recovery from lung issues when infections resulted in antibiotic use, which damaged the spleen.

Craig Williams, LAc, AHG
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Women's Health
A Harmonious Point Combination to Treat Constipation During Pregnancy
A Harmonious Point Combination to Treat Constipation During Pregnancy

Acupuncture can provide constipation relief while maintaining a healthy pregnancy. A combination of San Jiao 6 (Zhi Gou) and Stomach 36 (Zu San Li) is excellent for treating constipation during pregnancy. San Jiao 6 is the shu-stream and fire point of the San Jiao channel. It can regulate the qi of the three jiaos, unblock the qi of the fu organs, descend counterflow fire, open the orifices, activate the collaterals to disperse stagnation, and eliminate distention to stop pain.

Jacky Zhu, MAOM, LAc
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Herbal Medicine
Herbal Formulas for Ulcerative Colitis: A Clinical Consideration
Herbal Formulas for Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) presents significant therapeutic challenges, with conventional treatments often producing incomplete responses and adverse effects. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers complementary approaches through time-tested herbal formulas that address both acute inflammation and underlying constitutional imbalances. This article documents five TCM formulas approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA, formerly State Drug Administration/CFDA) for UC treatment. 

William Morris, DAOM, PhD, LAc
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Your Practice / Business
May I Be the Medicine: How to Find Deep Motivation in Practice
May I Be the Medicine: How to Find Deep Motivation in Practice

The motivation behind our practice of medicine is important, impacting not just our experience but also the experiences of those we treat. It is perhaps for this reason that the aspiration to help not just some, but all beings heal, has historically been an important part of the medical tradition. To explain this, we need to consider how medicine is interwoven with other social domains.

Aidan Keeva, DACM, LAc
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