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Jean

Mary Elizabeth

I have just recently returned from a trip to Europe - France to be exact. At the hotel, I constantly heard the phrase, “ask the concierge.” After the first several days of hearing this over and over again, I began to think that this phrase is used in that country…

In this series of articles, I will examine ways to effectively blend Western herbs with TCM medicinals/formulas to effectively target painful menstruation. I will also discuss some important natural supplements that are critical for resolving chronic dysmenorrhea and can work in tandem with herbal protocols to reestablish patterns of harmony…

After doing fertility work for a number of years, I was thrilled to encounter the book Mind-Body Fertility Connection by James Schwartz. He truly brings together the mind/body/spirit connection in his work, and I believe many couples have greatly benefitted from his years of dedication.

Both my parents smoked when I was growing up and I hated it. Abhorred would be a better word. No matter how I ranted and raved, nothing changed. In the car, at the dinner table, in bowling alleys and restaurants, and at birthday parties. Cigarette smoking was pervasive. It wasn’t…

Confidentiality and boundaries are stringent when working with chemical-dependency clients and especially when working with HIV, AIDS and hepatitis patients. All the regular confidentiality issues exist. The hardest rule to follow is when you run into a client/patient outside the hospital. Confidentiality regulations require you to ignore that person unless…

In Western science, the study and treatment of emotion belongs to the fields of psychology and psychiatry. As far as I know emotion in current medical science is still largely a subjective matter. If someone is in grief, it is mainly a subjective feeling. It is difficult to have an…

Most acupuncturists have a rather stark resistance to marketing. The stereotype suggests that the very definition of marketing connotes overhyping one’s message or claim in a way that causes a breach of integrity. As world-famous marketing genius Seth Godin has been known to say: “All marketers are liars.”

Q: I am getting numerous requests for records from patients, attorneys and third parties. I believe I can charge for this but how much, and are there codes? A: Request for records may be made by the patient, insurance carriers, attorneys or others, as long as they have a written…

Often, when a patient presents with lower back pain, we can expect to see some amount of sideways tilt - often referred to as an antalgic lean. It is understood that this lean is both a conscious and a reflexive protective mechanism of the body to reduce the pain and…

April 29, 2009, brought to the forefront the vivid and tangible goal of including AOM in U.S. health care reform when President Obama responded to an inquiry by an acupuncturist in one of his town hall meetings: “My attitude is that…we should do what works. I think it is pretty…

When my calendar has a notation for an acupuncture appointment, I am elated. I’ve never felt like that about visiting any other type of medical practice. I don’t smile at the thought of going to the gynecologist or the dentist. But acupuncture makes me happy. I think my enthusiasm for…

These past several months have been a true testament of passionate people who want to help soldiers. Previously, I’ve talked about studies that have shown clear cost in dollars of treating our returning veterans, as well as the value of using solid evidence-based research to treat them. Below, I’ve given…

When a research article in JAMA reported “Acupuncture treatment no more effective than sham treatment in reducing migraine headache,” it raised doubts in the minds of the general public and the medical/scientific community as to acupuncture’s efficacy. The online science news journal Science Daily printed what appeared to be a…

There’s no doubt that interest in traditional Chinese medicine is on the rise, not just among consumers, but within the allopathic Western medical community. In order to keep up with this growing demand, more and more medical schools are including discussions of integrated medicine and various CAM therapies.

What keeps a professional athletic team playing at the top of its game? Ask the San Francisco Giants baseball team and part of their response would include giving credit to acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Haro Ogawa, MSOM, LAc, CMT, ATC, serves as the team acupuncturist for the Giants. In addition,…

My understanding of Chinese medical philosophy begins with the rather optimistic belief that, in general, we begin our life in a state of health or harmony. Although this constitutional starting point is relative for each individual, it is our bodies natural inclination to work to sustain this grounded state of…

It is my experience that more and more practitioners of Oriental medicine have left behind the pulse as a method of diagnosis. The reason I hear over and over is this: “Honestly, I don’t know how to do it. There wasn’t a pulse course at my school, and I just…

Acupuncture continues to gain momentum as more of the general population pursues alternative and integrative methods of treatment. Over the past 5-7 years, there have been many legislative bills concerning acupuncture; its definition, who can practice, insurance coverage and the absorption of acupuncture into other medical specialties in order to…