Medicine can sound like a detective story sometimes, you have to find the one detail or figured out what changed to make an event happen.
I’ve been treating a 95 year old woman with Alzheimer’s. In the past, she’s depended on her daughter to take care of her and manage her affairs as she drifts more and more into an endless present. However, with the Shutdown orders during the Covid pandemic, she was suddenly forced to take more responsibility for her daily tasks. This was a struggle for her, as she would often set things down, then forget where she had placed them, one time searching for her posture brace for several minutes before realizing she was wearing it! I started her on a standard formula for memory (gui pi tang), and she seemed to improve. She had more focus, and could manage her daily tasks on her own, she even began teaching herself to use a smartphone! However, amidst the pandemic, we had difficulty getting the same brand of herbs for her, so we substituted the same formula from a different brand. The difference was immediate. Suddenly, and quite dramatically, she went back to the way she was. She would forget not only to do her tasks, but where her tasks were written. This was frustrating, and disappointing for both her and her daughter, especially since she had recently been so much better. So, I had to get to the root of the problem. And well, the root of the problem turned out to in fact be a root. The two formulas were identical in their composition, and 11 of the 12 herbs were exactly the same. But what about that one herb difference? The first brand had used Ren shen (Panax ginseng), while the replacement used a cheaper substitute Dang shen (Codonopsis pilosulae). Since everything else was the same, I deduced that this was the key that had resulted, first in her improvement, then in her decline. I had the daughter get her mother some ginseng tablets, and sure enough, she started to get better again. When the order for the original formula finally arrived, she improved a little more. Herbs haven’t been a miracle, but they do allow her to manage her daily affairs, and take some of the burden off her daughter. Sometimes improvements in medicine come from a combination of many factors working together, but sometimes, a single herb can make all the difference! David Dick, L. Ac., DAOM
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Covid-19 has changed the daily routine for many people, I would say probably most of us, and while it is quite challenging in many ways, there are some gifts to be found in the new opportunities being presented. One of them is to establish good eating habits. With much less access to restaurants, we have the opportunity to embrace the abundance of beautiful local food produced right here in our area. And, as many suddenly had the time to plant gardens, now Covid-19 is giving us the time to cook wonderful dishes with the fresh vegetables. We are being given the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of our labor and feed ourselves well. Even if you did not make a garden, it is still possible to jump on the bandwagon of cooking your own fresh food using locally grown ingredients. We are blessed to live in a major agricultural area. Helping people increase their health and wellness are my main goals. The first line in great health is to eat great food. It may be cliché to say “you are what you eat” but isn’t it really true? If we eat junk, we feel like junk. If we eat vibrant food full of energy, we are more vibrant and energized. Just like the fuel we put in our cars, if the fuel isn’t clean, the car is not going to run well. We need to give our body the building blocks necessary for not only daily functioning but also for repair and for strength to protect us from invading pathogens. A healthy immune system depends on proper nutrition, which is essential right now. The best way to get that nutrition is to eat a variety of fresh plants, fruits, fish and meats, all of which we are lucky enough to have access to in this area. Summer is the season where fresh fruits and vegetables are in abundance and we have a large assortment of them produced locally. Many of you might even have put in a garden during the shelter-in-place order. Hopefully, you are reaping the benefits of your labor of love. That love can be tasted in the food you eat. The vitality of our food supports the vitality of our body, mind and spirit. All are dependent on what and how we eat. (If you need ideas on how to use all your zucchini and tomatoes, come talk to me!) So, we understand why to eat fresh food. What is the freshest we can get? Well, from our own garden of course. If you don’t have a garden, fret not, get a CSA box (Community Supported Agriculture box). Local farms prepare boxes at regular time intervals, usually weekly, for us to buy. The ingredients in the boxes change from week to week, being filled with the food that is most ripe and abundant in that moment. Hence, we eat with the season. By eating with the seasons, we are in harmony with the rhythms of the world--following the Dao--and are helping our system function more optimally thereby strengthening our immune system. It is imperative that we do what we can to stay healthy such as exercise regularly, sleep well, get acupuncture, get massage (even if it is from yourself), and eat well. Now, eating well is going to vary from person to person (I am also happy to help you figure what that is for you), but you really can’t go wrong with eating what is fresh: in season and local. By eating from food produced locally, we are also reducing the need for as much travel all along the food chain (or the production chain anyway). Many farms deliver or have pick up locations, which also helps to reduce the excess exposure of going to large markets. Less travel equals more time to cook these fabulous foods. Many meals can be made simply and quickly. When products are so fresh, long cooking is not necessary, unless you enjoy getting fancy with elaborate recipes. We can revive the “slow food” revolution and feel like we are gaining more time because it is time spent on self care. We are nourishing ourselves and our families. We are nourishing our local communities and we are nourishing the planet. With this we become stronger and things like pandemics have less fertile ground in which to flourish. So lets stay vital with immune boosting acupuncture, and nutritious fresh food. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By Leia Sutton-Barnes, L.Ac A 20 year old college student went to a local urgent care clinic with severe back pain and numbness going down into his thigh. In the Before Times, he had taken regular walks in between his studies. However, since the Shelter in place, he had stopped walking and spending most of his time in doors, studying on a computer with bad posture. Then, a few weeks ago, he went to sit in his chair, and his back spasmed. At first he started stretching and took some painkillers, but it got progressively worse over the following weeks. He also started having burning nerve pain down into his thighs.
Finally, out of desperation for relief, he went to a local urgent care. Unfortunately, they had nothing to offer him. He wasn’t severe enough for stronger medicines like cortisone injection or surgery, and the other alternatives they had to offer - heat, stretching, over-the-counter painkillers - he had already tried without success. Fortunately, they sent him to us for Hurgent Care. A quick examination (straight leg raise) showed he did have mild sciatica, but at his age he should have recovered faster. He likely got caught in a cycle of inflammation from his lack of usual activities, that built up over time until it became too painful. But improving circulation and reducing inflammation is what acupuncture does best. A needle behind his knee (UB 40) relieved the pain in his lower back (L4 Jia ji), a needle in his mid-calf (UB 57) relieved the pain in his sacrum (UB 54), and a point on the side of his calf (GB 34) relieved his hip pain (GB 30). A few more points to promote circulation and reduce pain, and I was ready to let him rest. At first he was worried he wouldn’t be able to lay down for the full 30 minutes without his back starting to hurt. I checked on him after 10 minutes, and he said he had relaxed enough he was now fine, and I could try again in 10 minutes. When I checked again after 20 minutes, he had fallen asleep! At the start of his treatment, this 20 year old had had to crawl onto the bed like an old man, after the treatment he leaped off like a young, healthy man should. After just this one treatment, he was out of pain. The shelter in place is putting a toll on all of use. Be sure that you wear a mask, wash your hands, and clean surfaces regularly. Also make sure that you take care of yourself and your body. Continue to get regular exercise, eat well, and stretch regularly, especially if you do a lot of computer work. But if things do go wrong, we are here to help, for regular office visits, and Hurgent care. Hurgent Care is now mobile! We now have a dedicated Sprinter van that can treat you anywhere, at your office, home, sports field, or anywhere else you need us! For non-life threatening emergencies, instead of Urgent Care, think of Hurgent care, we can give you better options, at a fraction of the price. David Dick, L. Ac., DAOM Stay cautious, even as the shut-down eases.
After a long shut-down, the Bay area has gradually started to open up, and more people are returning to their normal (well, the new normal) lives, including coming for acupuncture. This comes after months of staying at home, and people are more than ready to get back out again. However, we need to be cautious, and not get complacent. Of course the desire to get back to our lives is very strong, but the pandemic is very much still at large, and recent re-openings have also led to a surge in new cases. HeCares stayed open during the shut-down, and we are still here for you now. Even though the restrictions are lifting, we will continue to do our best to provide you a safe, clean and sanitary environment. We are continuing to wipe down tables before and between patients, and regularly clean all surfaces. We also have hand sanitizer at the front desk and all treatment rooms. All practitioners wear masks, and we ask that you wear one as well (we can provide you with one if you don’t have or forget yours). We also ask that you be mindful of social distancing in the waiting room, and while waiting to check out. If you have a cough or fever, please cancel your appointment and stay home. Also we are now offering COVID-19 serum tests! This can check for COVID antibodies, and let you know if you’ve been infected. Call us if you would like to get tested! Things have improved, but we’re not out of the woods yet. With your patience and cooperation, we are committed to providing you with quality care, no matter what course the pandemic takes. David Dick, LAc., DAOM |
AuthorsAcupuncture Specialists at Integrative Medicine Center Archives
April 2023
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