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Show Page 12 The Ogden Valley news Volume XVI Issue IX May 1, 2009 Understanding Chinese Medicine—Or Not By Beth Kristenson We’re all familiar to some extent with western allopathic medicine. So it’s natural to try to understand Chinese medicine using western medicine terminology. The problem is, western medicine is physical/science based, using terms like nerves, cells, tumors, etc. and when you speak of the spleen, you are referring to the actual organ. Chinese medicine is energetic/philosophy based, using terms like yin and yang, qi and blood, excess and deficiency, and the spleen is discussed in terms of its energetic function, which doesn’t match with the western medicine function at all! The concept of yin and yang can be explained by describing the classic yin/yang symbol. First, it’s about opposition, white/black, fire/water, outside/inside, dry/moist and warm/cold. These opposites are dynamic, constantly in motion, ever changing, but ultimately in balance with each other and in many cases transforming into each other. For example, a hot desert afternoon changes/transforms into a cold clear night. The common cold (Chinese diagnosis windcold) can transform/progress into pneumonia (lung-heat). There is also a bit of yin (black dot) inside of yang (white swirl) and yang (white dot) inside of yin (black swirl). In oriental martial arts, you never fully extend your arm or leg, you always have a bit of flexion/give to it for ‘balance.’ Several thousand years ago, there was no concept of bacteria or infection, no concept of stress or mental health as we see it today. Nevertheless, the Chinese observed these phenomena and described them in their own terminology, consistent with their philosophy. There were “external pathogens” of wind, cold, heat, damp, and dry. Wind “carried” many of these pathogens, i.e. wind cold, is the common cold; viral infection, wind heat is a sore throat/fever/flu syndrome more characteristic of a bacterial infection. Wind damp cold might be joint pain that is worse in cold damp weather, or osteoarthritis. Internal pathogens were things like emotional excesses. Too much anger, the emotion associated with the liver, causes qi stagnation leading to liver yang rising, or in western terminology, high blood pressure. You can see the relationships even with your western medicine thinking cap. Chinese organs are energetic and functional, classified as yin or yang, and paired with each other: lung with large intestine, spleen with stomach, heart with small intestine, kidney with urinary bladder, and liver with gall bladder. They also have an organ with no western equivalent, the Triple Burner/or San Jiao that is paired with the Pericardium. All these energetic organs have energy channels or meridians associated with them that reflect their internal function. This is why placing a needle on a point on the kidney channel can treat a Chinese energetic kidney function. The Chinese kidney is in charge of growth and development. Aging is a natural decline of Chinese kidney function. Therefore symptoms of menopause can be diagnosed as a kidney yin deficiency and treated by needling a point on the kidney channel. So a Chinese diagnosis is more a description of the pathogens, or the imbalances of energy. A hypothyroid condition could be called a spleen yang deficiency, menopause a kidney yin deficiency, and pain, a qi and blood stagnation in a particular energy channel or meridian. In western medicine, a certain diagnosis will usually get treated a certain way. Hypothyroidism will be treated with thyroid replacement. Insomnia will be treated with Ambien, or another sleeping medication. In Chinese medicine, insomnia is a symptom or chief complaint, but its Chinese diagnosis could be Liver qi stagnation, Kidney yin deficiency, Heart-Kidney disharmony, or Gall bladder insufficiency. The actual Chinese diagnosis is based on other symptoms that make up that particular pattern. Things that seem totally unrelated to each other in Western medicine make perfect sense in Chinese medicine. Treatments are then individualized for that particular pattern in this patient. One patient with insomnia will have a different Chinese diagnosis and receive different placement of needles than another patient with insomnia. And yet, at the same time, the Chinese diagnosis for your low back pain from degenerative disc disease may be the same as your wife’s diagnosis for menopause (Kidney yin deficiency). Which particular acupuncture points are used, will still be individual to each patient. Now if this all seems terribly confusing to you, don’t feel bad. I felt that way for the whole first year of my acupuncture training! If you’re interested in learning more, I recommend a couple of books: Between Heaven and Earth by Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold, and The Web That Has No Weaver by Ted Kaptchuk. Beth Kristenson is a Licensed Acupuncturist with a Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Shan Yao Mountain Medicine, an Acupuncture and Chinese Herb Clinic is located in Old Town Eden building. Appointments can be made by calling 801783-2094. Raindrop Therapy and Rituals of Rejuvenation Event You can experience the simplest form of By Michelle Cunninghame essential oil extraction, which is expression, Oregano… Thyme… by pressing the peel between your thumb and fingers. For all citrus fruits, the essential oil Basil… Marjoram… You may be thinking that I is found in the rind. Simply pressing this rind am about to conjure up one of will yield an essential oil! Our sense of smell is the strongest of our my favorite Italian recipes; however, this is a senses. It is directly connected to the limbic recipe for rejuvenation. system, also known as the primiAlthough these herbs are tive brain, which is the first part used to make a delicious meal, of our brain to develop. It is the the oils that come from these emotional and memory center of plants are also used along with the body. What makes smell so Cypress, Wintergreen, White unique and powerful is that the Angelica, and Valor in a massense of smell has a direct consage called Raindrop Therapy nection to this part of the brain. that is being offered at the Notice the stream of memories Free Spirit Massage and Body that come up for you when you Therapies Studio in Old Town Eden. Why is it called Raindrop Therapy? smell a certain flower, spice, or fruit. Each individual is so unique in their The essential oils and essential oil blends are sprinkled one by one like drops of rain from preference to aroma, especially during a about six inches above the body along the therapeutic massage or facial service and spine. The 80-minute therapeutic massage each day is different as we are always in a that you receive in conjunction with the oils state of change. That is why before each treatment begins at Free Spirit Massage & is euphoric and sublime. Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Clary Body Therapies, you are taken on an “Aroma Sage, Neroli, Frankincense, and Vetiver—the Journey” where through your sense of smell, you choose very names evoke the essential oil wonder. Where do Rituals of Rejuvenation Event or combination of they come from? “Spring Renewal” oils that is uniqueThere are well over ly appropriate for a hundred different Friday May 22, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. you in the moment essential oils, and they come from Old Town Eden building, main level while you receive your massage, plants that grow throughout all The blending of essential oils is the perfect way to body treatment, or get in touch with your inner mad scientist! facial. By choosparts of the planet. Bring a friend and enjoy an evening of Spring ing your own For instance, cinRenewal. Event cost is $12.00. blend of essential namon bark is produced in Indonesia Participants will experience a fun and interactive oils, your experiintroduction to essential oils and then ence is customized and eucalyptus is harvested in move on to the blending bar to create your own especially for you. personal blends organic body oil or salt/sugar When applied Tasmania with scrub with the essential oils of your choice. through massage, jasmine in Egypt, To sign up, please e-mail Michelle at the molecular lavender in France, and chamomile in freespirit313@hotmail.com or call 801-673-7977. structure of essential oils, already Morocco. I know of a special lavender patch and chamomile blended with a carrier oil, are so small that flowers that bloom wild right here in our they can easily penetrate the fatty layers of majestic mountain valley! You may have the skin, entering swiftly into the bloodstream. This may explain why essential some growing in your own garden. Essential oils are defined as the subtle, oils soothe the central nervous system and volatile liquids distilled from plants, shrubs, enhance circulation, and why massage with flowers, trees, roots, bushes, and even seeds essential oils can be so beneficial. and they are literally the “life blood” of the Michelle Cunninghame, LMT, is Nationally plant. Just like our blood, the essential oil has Certified in Therapeutic Massage and the function of carrying nutrition to the plant Bodywork and licensed in Utah and Hawaii cells. In our body, essential oils contain oxy- with thirteen years of experience in therapeugenating molecules that transport nutrients tic massage, natural skin care and Ayurvedic to our cells, increasing oxygen. Antioxidant and immune-stimulating essential oils may spa body therapies with the use and applicaenhance brain wave function, improve spiri- tion of essential oils. Free Spirit Massage & tual awareness, and bring about a balance to Body Therapies office is located in the Old the body with an electrical frequency that is Town Eden building, main level, Suite C. For more information about scheduling a several times greater than the frequency of herbs or food. Raindrop Therapy experience or to sign up There are several methods for extracting for the Rituals of Rejuvenation Event, call an essential oil—distillation, solvent extrac- Michelle at (801) 673-7977 or e-mail freetion, and expression. The next time you are spirit313@hotmail.com> at the market, buy an orange and peel it open. The Ogden Valley News is looking for Ogden Valley and Ogden Canyon historical biographies, stories, and photos to use in its publication. Please mail, email, or call Shanna at 801-745-2688 or Jeannie at 801-745-2879 if you have material you would like to share. Subscriptions available for out of area residents at $18.00 annually. 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