You've made the decision to embark on a career in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. You've graduated from school and are now a licensed practitioner. So, what's your next step? Where can you go to find information on the latest products, continuing education programs, and other goods and services that will help your practice grow?
"What Are My Choices?" is here to answer all of those questions and more. What Are My Choices? is an occasional column that gives you the information you need straight from the experts - the companies themselves. This issue's column focuses on supplements, herbs and teas - items that are vital to having a successful acupuncture and Oriental medicine practice.
Albert Max, Inc.: Provides high-quality herbal medicines to practitioners with affordable price. We provide external-use pain relief herbal remedies including plasters, patches, creams, ointments, sprays and poultices. We also offer single and formula-concentrated herbal powder extracts, all of which are pharmaceutical grade manufactured under GMP standard. Tel: 800-617-2021; e-mail: albertmax@verizon.net; Web: www.maxrevive.com.
Arbor Int'l, Inc.: Offering Yin-Care, a topical formulation for damp, damp-heat, toxic-heat and wind type gynecological & dermatological complaints. Effectively prescribed for over 20 years in China alongside TCM protocols for vaginitis, yeast infection, eczema, shingles, acne/rosacea, dermatitis, athlete's/fungal foot, and poison oak/ivy. Our licensed health professionals invite your calls to assist you and hear your feedback. A classical solution with proven, clinical results. Make your online purchases through www.acumarket.com. Tel: 866-272-6745; e-mail: info@arborusa.com; Web: www.yincare.com.
Blue Poppy: Manufactures a variety of herbal products, including concentrated powder capsule formulas, liniments, ointments and oils for pain relief. We also carry needles, sponsor both live and distance learning CEU courses, and clinical texts. Founded in 1979 by Bob Flaws, today the business has nine full-time and two part-time employees. Blue Poppy is considered the pre-eminent provider of distance learning CE courses on all facets of Chinese medicine. Tel: 800-487-9296; e-mail: info@bluepoppy.com; Web: www.bluepoppy.com.
Brion Herbs: Established in 1974, Brion Herbs is the leading distributor of Sun Ten Chinese herbal formulas for health care professionals. Sun Ten's TCM Classic includes 260 single herbs and 250 formulas. ProBotanixx™ includes special formulations designed for Western practitioners. Popular products from Healthy & Natural include Arthroplex, Three Ginsengs, & Ladies' Internal Beauty. All Sun Ten labeled products are Proposition 65 compliant to provide you with confidence in dispensing our products. Tel: 800-333-HERB (800-333-4372); e-mail: service@brionherbs.com; Web: www.brionherbs.com.
CAI Industries: We strive to provide our valuable customers with the top quality products, competitive price and excellent service, always. Tel: 800-234-8583; Web: www.caicorporation.com.
Chinese Tea Imports, Ltd.: A cross-cultural family-owned company based in Dalian, China, specializing in superior grade Chinese Green, White, Red, Oolong, and Jasmine teas on a wholesale basis. Brenton Harvey (Lic.Ac.,Lic.C.H.) and wife Hong Ji travel throughout remote areas of the tea-growing region learning about tea cultivation and processing, with particular interest in the folkloric uses of different tea varieties for their unique health benefits. Tel: 303-355-5257; e-mail: hongtea2003@yahoo.com; Web: www.chineseteaimports.com.
Get Healthy Again: Tel: 800-832-9755; Web: www.43lac.com.
Golden Flower Chinese Herbs: Is committed to offering the highest quality herbal products including own our extra-concentrated tablets, pharmaceutical-grade granulated herbs from KPC and Andy Ellis' exceptional line of raw herbs and topicals. In addition, we offer acupuncture supplies, needles, books, full-spectrum essential oils and a diverse professional education program. Tel: 800-729-8509; e-mail: info@gfcherbs.com; Web: www.gfcherbs.com.
Green Earth Life Spring: Famous for its super-concentrated herbal products, processed and manufactured by a Chinese traditional pharmaceutical factory, all selecting 100% natural, highest quality, Chinese herbs, extracted and produced in strict accordance to the modern research and traditional formulas, manufactured by state-of-the-art equipment, earning the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification, meeting the industry's highest quality standards. Excellent for immune system, cancer, healthy liver and general well-being. Tel: 888-999-3938; e-mail: greenearth89@aol.com; Web: www.lifespringusa.net.
Health Source Products: Tel: 866-626-5666; e-mail: hspherbs@aol.com.
Honso USA: Honso's GMP pharmaceutical facilities in Japan offer unrivaled high standards, from selection of the highest-grade materials to perfection of proprietary processing techniques that ensure maximum quality, efficacy and safety. Tel: 888-461-5808; Web: www.honsousa.com.
Kampo Northwest: We offer high-grade Japanese Kampo formulas that meet the highest pharmaceutical standards in Japan. Sold only to health professionals. Tel: 800-690-2024.
K'an Herb Company: Tel: 800-543-5233; e-mail: customer@kanherb.com.
LIFEnhance Inc.: A company with a strong pharmaceutical background, designs botanical extract formulations that are all-natural, non-toxic, potent, fast-acting and fast dissolving. The products are processed in licensed and state-of-the-art GMP facilities and tested for safety, efficacy and quality. The main products include Leucozepin ® for strengthening immunity and alleviating fatigue; Relazovac® for reducing anxiety, mild depression and easing insomnia; Eezapein™ for pain management; and Apazin® for GI problems. Tel: 888-777-9621; e-mail: info@lifenhance.net; Web: www.lifenhance.net.
Life Rising Formulas: Providing herbal formulas that are intricately formulated by 7th generation master Herbalist, Zhengang Guo, an oncologist for 12 years (China) and well respected, yet modest, in the medical community around the world. Successful clinical results are the key, utilizing 300 potent formulas, yummy herbal teas and herbal cookies, etc. We are happy to guide you with more information. Tel: 888-282-8862; Web: www.liferising.com.
Nature Healing Acupuncture: World's first Certified organic cosmetics and skin care products from Australia discounted to health care practitioners. Business opportunities available. Fabulous products made without adulterated ingredients. Tel: 310-473-7474; e-mail: denise@naturalhealingacupuncture.com; Web: www.naturalhealingacupuncture.com.
Nature's Healing Solutions, Inc.: Tel: 800-550-9285; Web: www.osteoking.com.
Nature's Roar: Liquid herbal extracts. Utilizing Super Critical extraction equipment, we manufacture an array of great-tasting highly effective liquid herbal extracts according the GMP's. We offer great service with reasonable prices. We will help you setup a liquid pharmacy that your patients will love. We carry classic formula, herb modules, single herbs, and custom made formulas. Tel: 310-493-6162; e-mail: info@naturesroar.com; Web: www.naturesroar.com.
Nuherbs Co.: Nuherbs, the future of Chinese medicine, is the premier one-stop source for patent formulas, bulk herbs, needles, and books. We proudly recommend our Jade Dragon and Herbal Times patent formulas that are crafted from the best herbs according to traditional formulas at an Australian GMP certified facility. These two lines are tested by independent laboratories for pesticides, heavy metals, and micro-bacteria. Tel: 800-233-4307; Web: www.nuherbs.com.
NutriPlex Whole Food Formulas, Inc.: NutriPlex provides 100% whole food formulas for clinical use, without isolates, synthetics, GMO ingredients, sterilized foods or artificially high potencies. Patients already consume too many chemicals. What they need are real, raw, whole, pure foods. Formulas are based on sound, current food science research from leading universities. We're a small, personal company big on service, and committed to Nutrition rather than Pharmacology. Tel: 888-595-4752; e-mail: nutriplexformulas@yahoo.com; Web: www.nutriplexformulas.com.
NutriWest: Nutri-West is a nutrition supplement company whose sole focus is helping healthcare professionals optimize the well being of their patients. Tel: 800-443-3333; Web: www.nutriwest.com.
One Person Health Sciences Inc.: Manufactures custom-made vitamins based on free health assessments and genetic analysis. By assessing deficiencies created by individual lifestyles a personalized vitamin is designed - one person at a time. Scientific assessments evaluate diet, medical conditions, drug interactions, environmental influences, age, immunity, activity and genetics . A 35-page report is provides guidance on: nutritional deficiencies due to drug interactions, health conditions, health risks, disease management tips, diet, cooking, exercise, hydration and toxin build-up. Tel: 866-797-7661; Web: www.onepersonhealth.com.
Radiant Pearl: Radiant Pearl manufactures a high-quality hydrolyzed pearl in both capsules for internal use and powder for external use. This is not just crushed pearl. Radiant pearl is refined with a special process that makes the minerals and amino acids highly absorbable. Radiant pearl has many health promoting nutrients that can be used for the complexion as well as calming spirit. Practitioner pricing available. Tel: 800-830-3404; Web: www.radiantpearlskin.com.
Secara: Secara partners with recognized experts to create holistic healing products combining ancient traditions and modern thinking. Tel: 888-SECARA-1 (888-732-2721); Web: www.secara.com.
Standard Process: Since 1929, Standard Process has grown from a company with one product, Catalyn®, to a company that now offers health care professionals three lines of high-quality products: Standard Process whole food supplements, Standard Process Veterinary Formulas™, and MediHerb® herbal products. Standard Process is and always will be dedicated to growing high-quality ingredients on their certified organic farmland, so that your patients will receive the best in whole food nutrition. Tel: 800-848-5061; e-mail: marketing@standardprocess.com; Web: www.standardprocess.com.
If your company offers products or services to the acupuncture/Oriental medicine profession and you would like to be listed in "What Are My Choices?," contact the marketing department via e-mail at marketing@mpamedia.com.
Chronic pain afflicts over 20% of the adult population. Sadly, most MDs have essentially no education in treating pain, beyond offering a few toxic medications. Then they tend to steer people with pain away from those health practitioners who are trained. This puts the acupuncture community on the front lines for addressing this epidemic.
When the body is going through a stressful event, the sympathetic system is activated. This activation will help the body with a life-threatening situation. If this state is activated for prolonged periods of time, it starts to consume energy. These traumatic events that generate stressors in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) will eventually become internalized.
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One of the things that makes acupuncture so difficult to measure is that the medicine actually does contain some esoteric aspects. There have been numerous studies that demonstrate the neurochemical reasoning behind why acupuncture points stimulate the autonomic nervous system to enact change However, not all the benefits of TCM can easily be measured by randomized, controlled trials. But does that make them fundamentally and definitively untrue?
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