David Bruce Leonard, LAc

David Bruce Leonard is a practitioner and teacher of all five branches of traditional Chinese medicine: acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, dietary therapy and martial arts exercises. He has studied with traditional medicines with healers in Asia, North and South America, Europe and Hawaii. With a master's degree in traditional Chinese medicine, he has a working knowledge of more than 400 traditional Hawaiian, Chinese and Western plants.

David is the Director of Herbal Studies at the Traditional Chinese Medical College of Hawaii. He is also co-director of Awapuhi Health Sanctuary, a residential treatment facility on the big island of Hawaii. A deep ecologist and Hawaiian native plant specialist, he has been a student of Hawaiian medicine under Kahu Kawika Ka'alakea, Na Kupuna 'O Maui, and Kaipo Kaneakua since 1992. He studies, lectures and teaches widely on herb-drug interactions; cross-cultural uses of plant medicines; environmental concerns; traditional plant gathering practices; and pragmatic approaches to health care. He is currently writing two books.

Previous Articles

Science: Good Servant, Poor Master
August 2004 (Vol. 05, Issue 08)
Visiting Old Friends: Plant-Gathering Protocols
March 2004 (Vol. 05, Issue 03)
A Gathering of Old Friends
November 2003 (Vol. 04, Issue 11)
Everything You Know Is Wrong
August 2003 (Vol. 04, Issue 08)
Trending
Billing / Fees / Insurance
The State of 21st Century Acupuncture in the U.S. (Pt. 3)
The State of 21st Century Acupuncture in the U.S.

Whether you accept it, avoid it or live somewhere in between, insurance coverage has become a defining issue for our profession. Patients increasingly expect to use their benefits, practitioners want to be compensated fairly for their time and expertise, and the system itself remains – at best – fragmented. The encouraging news is that coverage has expanded in meaningful ways. The challenging news is that reimbursement, across the board, remains inadequate.

Clasina (Sina) Leslie Smith, MS, MA, LAc, MD, Dipl. Ac., FAAMA
Chinese & Asian Medicine
Vesicle Formation After Cupping: Clinical Insights & Management Considerations
Vesicle Formation After Cupping: Clinical Insights & Management Considerations

While the formation of erythema and ecchymosis is an anticipated skin response to cupping therapy, the appearance of post-treatment vesicles remains less discussed in clinical literature. This article presents a case study of vesicle formation following cupping therapy, explores underlying pathophysiology, and offers management guidelines to support practitioners in addressing this phenomenon safely and effectively.

Roman Slavinskiy, LAc
Acupuncture Techniques
Understanding Facial Spasms and Tics
Understanding Facial Spasms and Tics

Facial movements are essential for communication, expression and function. But when these movements become involuntary, they can lead to conditions that are not only physically uncomfortable, but also socially and emotionally distressing. Today, we’re taking a closer look at three common facial motor disorders – blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm and facial tics – and how both Western medicine and TCM view and treat them.

Michelle Gellis, AP, Dipl. Ac.