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Breath can stimulate relaxation, alertness, agitation and more. Difficulty in breathing brings anxiety and unrest. Those who have come to me in severe pain typically demonstrate irregular breathing, wincing faces and bodies braced from the pain. Teaching different, simple breathing techniques during their acupuncture appointments helped empower them to trust…

Mitochondria, the cell’s “powerhouses,” generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), regulate oxidative stress, and coordinate vital cellular functions. When mitochondrial health declines, patients may experience widespread effects, from impaired muscle recovery to cognitive decline. The mitochondrial theory of aging even suggests progressive mitochondrial deterioration is a central mechanism in chronic disease and…

Jacky

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.…

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…

Collectively, much of the population has been struggling with a form of “heart pain”: difficulty managing events occurring in the external world. COVID was one example of this; climate change is another; and let’s not overlook geopolitical and social upheaval. We can term this “difficulty with the ‘global palace’ of…

Darren

In 2025, a new blood test, developed by LabCorp, was released – the Metabolic Vulnerability Index or MVX Plus. The MVX Plus was established through research, aimed at quantifying combined metabolic and inflammatory vulnerability. It is a novel, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based approach to evaluating mortality risk through the…

Ischemic stroke causes motor dysfunction and disability that significantly impact recovery and quality of life. Current rehabilitation approaches have limited efficacy. Recent research has focused on understanding how electroacupuncture activates specific neural circuits that regulate motor control and promote brain plasticity. This study investigated the precise mechanisms by which electroacupuncture…

The global population is aging at an unprecedented rate. By the 2030s, individuals ages 80 and older may outnumber infants, while the number of people ages 65 and above is projected to reach 2.2 billion by the late 2070s, according to United Nations estimates.¹ This phenomenon, driven by lower birth…

A student stands over a patient, needle poised. They have a “perfect” prescription: a textbook combination of points harvested from a lecture slide on chronic lower back pain. But as the needle meets the skin, the student hesitates - the symptom of a quiet habit that has taken hold of…

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…

Those of us who survive metastatic cancer through various forms of integrative medicine welcome working with colleagues with hospital experience, eager to address gaps in training at both undergrad and CE levels. To this end, I’ve been brainstorming with Steve Rogne, Dipl. ABT (NCBAHM), AOBTA-CI, director of Zen Shiatsu Chicago;…

As the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues to modernize how veterans access care, a growing collaboration between the National Certification Board for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (NCBAHM) and the American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) is helping ensure NCBAHM nationally board-certified acupuncturists are well-positioned to serve within the VA…

For 2026, relative value units (RVUs) for acupuncture services have increased under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). These changes result in higher reimbursement potential for acupuncture procedures and extend beyond traditional Medicare. You must bill the higher rate to receive the increased payment. Failing to update your fee schedule…

Hypervigilant behavior may be a result of acute or chronic trauma that was experienced in the past, often in childhood. Since we cannot change the past, we must change how we respond to the results of these chronic stress patterns in the present and learn behaviors that help us integrate…

“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…

Jennifer

In the evolving field of integrative healthcare, Dr. Hua Bing Wen stands as a respected voice advocating for acupuncture’s rightful role in modern medicine. Classically trained as a physician in China and now a practicing acupuncturist and educator in Los Angeles, Dr. Wen draws from decades of clinical and academic…

Marcy