Leon I. Hammer, MD

Dr. Leon I. Hammer began a study of Chinese medicine in England from 1971-1974 with Dr. J.D. Van Buren. In 1974, he began following a Chinese master, Dr. John H. F. Shen, in New York City weekly for eight years, emphasizing what is now referred to as Shen-Hammer Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis. In 1981, he spent four months studying TCM in Beijing, China. In 2001, he helped found Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine (DRCOM) and recently also the COM Foundation, which owns DRCOM and promotes his contribution to the medicine called COM (Contemporary Oriental Medicine). He is also an author of eight books and over 40 articles on the subject of Chinese medicine. Learn more about his work and background at http://comfoundation.org/leonhammermd.html.

Previous Articles

Qi and Astrophysics Converge (Pt. 2)
November 2021 (Vol. 22, Issue 11)
Qi and Astrophysics Converge (Pt. 1)
October 2021 (Vol. 22, Issue 10)
Marijuana, Apathy and Chinese Medicine, Part 2
June 2015 (Vol. 16, Issue 06)
Marijuana, Apathy and Chinese Medicine, Part 1
May 2015 (Vol. 16, Issue 05)
The Lamb and the Lion
April 2009 (Vol. 10, Issue 04)
Chinese Medicine at the Crossroads
June 2008 (Vol. 09, Issue 06)
Trending
Acupuncture & Acupressure
Open the Orifices: Point Combinations for Allergy Presentations
Open the Orifices: Point Combinations for Allergy Presentations

Acupuncture can be highly effective in cases of nasal congestion so common in allergy presentations; so much so that I often treat such issues using acupuncture protocols alone. In cases of seasonal allergies with highly predictable causes such as obvious elevations of environmental allergens, I use a skeleton acupuncture prescription that can easily be fleshed out to target potential underlying patterns and effectively customized to the patient.

Craig Williams, LAc, AHG
Lasers & Tens
The Laser Learning Curve for Light-Based Fertility Treatments
The Laser Learning Curve for Light-Based Fertility Treatments

Low-level laser therapy is having a moment in acupuncture circles for good reason. With a growing body of research supporting its role in reducing inflammation, enhancing circulation and stimulating mitochondrial activity, more practitioners are exploring its application in fertility care. But in the nearly 20 years I’ve used laser therapy in clinical practice, I’ve seen a wide range of outcomes. It’s not because laser therapy doesn’t work. It’s because many of us don’t realize how much the details matter.

Marcy White, LAc, Dipl. Ac., MAc, CFMP
Evidence / Research / Science
TEAM Dietary and Herbal Therapies for Cancer Patients
TEAM Dietary and Herbal Therapies for Cancer Patients

“Integrating Traditional East Asian Medicine Dietary and Herbal Therapies for Supporting Cancer Treatment and Survivorship in the West,”published in Perspectives on Integrative Medicine (2025), provides a detailed exploration of how traditional East Asian medicine (TEAM) can support cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. This article summarizes findings from the two case reports included in the study.

John Chen, PhD, PharmD, OMD, LAc