SUMMER 2010

Chinese MedicineIn Practice

The American Academy of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

By Changzhen Gong, Ph.D.As the old saying goes, "If you give a man a fish, you help him for aday. If you teach a man how to fish, you help him for a lifetime." Iwould add: "If you show a man an invention for a new method of fish-ing, you will help him to be a master in the fishing business." The pro-fessors and instructors at the American Academy of Acupuncture andOriental Medicine understand this concept well, and they incorporateit as a fundamental part of their teaching responsibilities. "We teachour students to be masters of the acupuncture profession. When theygraduate it is not just that they are awarded a master's degree, but theyare actually a master of the skills and experience accumulated over

several thousand years of acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice," says Dr. Yubin Lu,the Academy's Academic Dean.

Through ten years of effort, the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicinehas assembled a team of world-class professors in the field of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). Each professor is a master in his or her field. These fields include acupuncture,Chinese herbal medicine, TCM gynecology, TCM dermatology, TCM immunology, TCMneurology and TCM orthopedics. Ten of the Academy's professors have both their Master'sand Ph.D. training in their specific field. "This is the strongest acupuncture and Chinese med-icine team to be assembled in the United States," commented one of the site visitors whenthe Academy's accreditation review was conducted. In training their students to be masters,our professors are innovative in their approach to education: both classical and contempo-rary needling techniques are demonstrated to students; an allegorical teaching approach hasbeen developed to enhance herbal medicine teaching; cold febrile disease and warm febriledisease traditions were integrated to explain and deal with the H1N1 flu crisis.

Our professors are not only superior teachers, they are also great practitioners, continuouslyupgrading their approach to patient treatment. Dr. Yubin Lu broadened the application of theclassical Chinese herbal medicine formula Xiao Chai Hu Tang to modern conditions such asIBS and bipolar disorders. Dr. Wei Liu invented a special multiple-needle technique aroundthe uterus for effective treatment of infertility. Dr. Hong Chen masterfully demonstrates herskill in contemporary herbology in her treatment of psoriasis and eczema. Dr. Imaim NengThao founded the Academy's specialty clinic for the treatment of multiple sclerosis patients.Dr. Brian Grosam is an expert in acupuncture treatment for perimenopause.

A Chinese proverb says, "Black comes from blue, but is darker than blue." We are dedicatedto seeing our graduates match and surpass their teachers; seeing them in the forefront of theacupuncture profession and the leading edge of integrative medicine in the 21st century.

Inside AAAOMAcupuncture Training 1Qi Gong Treatment 2Open Houses 3The Five Spirits 4Faculty Spotlight 5TCM Emotional Health 6-7Releasing Anger 7Chinese Legends 8TCM Health Centers 9Acupuncture for Stress 10Food as Medicine 11Schizophrenia Diagnosis 11Dates To Remember 12

For more articles and information, visit our website at: www.AAAOM.edu

Training Master Practitioners

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Treating Spiritual and Emotional IssuesBy Peng Her, AAAOM Student Intern

I have been a practitioner of QiGong for 15 years, with a specialinterest in using it as a healingmodality. Studying traditionalChinese medicine has greatlyexpanded my knowledge in thefield of energetic healing. When Iwent into clinic practice as anintern, my decision was to leave QiGong out of the acupuncture treat-

ment. I wanted to experience the two modalities as sep-arate entities so I could clearly distinguish between them.I found that both are based on the same fundamentalprinciples, and that my ability to work with either oneimproves with patience, diligence, and experience.

Qi Gong is founded on the concept of attaining aware-ness and developing intuition. After years of practice, I'vedeveloped different levels of awareness that are almostimpossible to express with words. In my Qi Gong prac-tice I use this intuition in one way; as an acupuncturist Iuse my intuition primarily to find acupoints and tune in toaffected meridians. As I learned the principles of TCM,many things began to fall into place for me. In the past, Ihad an awareness of energy patterns, but I could notalways "name" them or put them into a coherent struc-ture. TCM theory gave me the tool I needed to do this.

In treating emotional or spiritual problems with Qi Gongor Chinese medicine, I have noticed consistency of treat-ment principles and acupoint combinations. In healingqigong, we express the treatment principle by saying thepatient needs "rooting" or "grounding." The concept is toanchor and sedate the mind, therefore allowing mentalclarity. In Chinese medicine, we speak of such treatmentprinciples as "calming the Shen," "purging fire" (fire flaresupward and disturbs the mind), "opening the heart ori-fice" and tranquilizing the mind by unblocking the merid-ians and allowing pure yang qi to ascend to the head.

The most effective approach for me in choosing anacupuncture prescription is to use my Qi Gong intuitionto choose the acupoints I want to use. Even though eachpatient is different, I still find that the same acupoints"pop up" with some regularity. These points are: BL 60,BL 57, BL 40, ST 36, ST 40, GB 34, GB 43, KI 6, SI 3, LU7, LR 3, DU 20, RN 4, and Shenmen (auricular).

The effectiveness of the Stomach (ST), Gall Bladder (GB)and Urinary Bladder (BL) acupoints is related to meridian

theory. Since these three yang meridians begin on thehead and end on the feet, energy can be directed down-ward from the head to the feet by needling points at thedistal end of these meridians. In accordance with QiGong treatment principles of "rooting" and "grounding,"stimulating distal points of the ST, GB and BL meridianswill anchor yang qi from the head and ground it into thelower limbs. From the moment I begin locating the point,I'm visualizing qi from the head being pulled down to thepoint. This intention process is important, and I've foundit to be most effective.

The use of LU 7 and SI 3 is also based on meridian theo-ry, as they are confluent points used to open the Ren andDu channels. KI 6 is the confluent point of the Yin Heelextra meridian. RN 4 and DU 20 are key points on theRen (Conception) and Du (Governing) meridians. Theytravel upwards from the perineum, along the spine to theupper jaw (Du meridian) and along the front midline tothe lower jaw (Ren meridian). People familiar with Indianspiritual practices will recognize that the seven majorchakras are positioned along the Ren and Du meridians,and that kundalini rises along the Du meridian.

Today, many people are in pursuit of spirituality. AllEastern spiritual practices I am familiar with have someform of meditation that focuses on the body's centerline,whether it is called "Dantien" or "Chakra." To me, theparticular system of spiritual practice which peoplechoose is irrelevant. What I see as a Qi Gong healer,however, is that many people have done damage tothemselves due to improper practice. We in the Westhave a tendency to "push the stream uphill" and think wecan master ancient spiritual growth systems in three orfour weekends. This can result in stuck qi, uncontrolledqi, chakras that have been "blown open," etc.

Acupuncture can be used to rebalance people who areout of alignment due to improper practice, and may evenpromote or accelerate spiritual growth (by means ofopening the Ren and Du meridians, which run exactlyalong the Dantien and Chakra systems). In my opinion,adding acupuncture to one's spiritual practice provides asafety net and promotes optimal physical, mental, andspiritual health.

Peng Her is currently a clinic intern at the AmericanAcademy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. He isalso a longtime practitioner of Qi Gong healing and canbe reached at 612-708-0753 for appointments.

American Academy

of Acupuncture and

Oriental Medicine

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Highlights of the afternoon will include:• Information about our Master’s Degree

and Certificate Programs• A Tour of the School• An Acupuncture Presentation• Visiting our Library, Herbal Pharmacy and

Student Clinic• Answers to Your Questions• Refreshments

Y o u a r e i n v i t e d t o a t t e n d a n

O P E N H O U S ESunday, July 11, or Sunday, July 18From 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

AAAOM School &Student/Faculty Clinic1925 W County Rd B2

Roseville, MN 55113

To RSVPVisit AAAOM.edu

Or Call 651-631-0204

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By Yubin Lu, TCMD, Ph.D., L.Ac.Shen (spirit), Hun (ethereal soul),Po (corporeal soul), Yi (intention),and Zhi (will-power) are collectivelycalled "the five spirits" in Chinesemedicine. The five spirits representthe understanding of the ancientChinese people about human psy-chological activities, and are a cen-tral concept in Chinese medicinetheories about diagnosis and treat-

ment. For the purposes of medical diagnosis and treat-ment of mental diseases, each of the five spirits isassigned to one of the "zang" internal organs.Depending on the translation, the organs are said to"dominate," "regulate," "house," or "support" the spiritassigned to them.

Shen (spirit) is a general term for all mental or psycholog-ical activities. The Heart dominates Shen, and ancientChinese people believed that the Heart is the organ pri-marily responsible for mental activities. When externalstimuli are collected by the sensory organs, they are sentto the Heart for analysis. The Heart directs stimuli to theappropriate organs, triggering a series of psychologicalactivities. Because the Heart is central to psychologicalactivity, many mental disorders are Heart-related. Forexample, "phlegm heat disturbing Heart spirit" is a TCMdiagnosis for what we call schizophrenia.

The ethereal soul and corporeal soul are classified basedon yin and yang. The corporeal soul, as indicated by itsdesignation, is body-based and is mostly concerned withthe sensory functions of the body such as the ability tofeel pain, cold, or heat, as well as instinctive and reflexivereactions. The corporeal soul is born when the body isborn, is supported in life through the processes of eatingand breathing, and dissipates when the body dies. It issaid that Lung Qi supports the corporeal soul becausethe Lung dominates Qi, and Qi is involved in all theprocesses that support bodily life. In TCM diagnosis LungQi deficiency could be associated with decline of thesensory functions and with a lack of drive or resolution.

The ethereal soul is associated with higher psychologicalactivities and perceptive abilities. It takes the informationcollected by the sensory organs and attributes meaningto them. For example, the corporeal soul is responsiblefor sight, but the ethereal soul has vision. In Chinesemedicine, the ethereal soul is stored in Liver blood and isthe basis of "advanced" mental activities which include

dreams. If there is Liver blood deficiency, a major symp-tom of that would be the inability of the ethereal soul torest quietly in the Liver at night, resulting in dream-dis-turbed sleep, restless sleep, and sleep-walking.

Intention (Yi) indicates the development of an initial ororiginal idea, triggered by external stimulation. It is thestarting point of the rational thinking process. The abilityof Yi to function properly is based in "Ying," which is thebody's nutritive Qi and Blood. Since the Spleen gener-ates and stores Ying, deficient Spleen energy will eventu-ally result in general Blood and Qi deficiency. Spleen Qideficiency will impact Intention/Yi in the area of mentalclarity and focus. It would be difficult to concentrate,remember things and carry out long-range planning.

Will-power (Zhi) can be considered the last or complet-ed stage of the thought process. It forms a solid, finalizedidea about something. The Kidney stores Essence, or Jing- that part of us which comes into being at conception. Itis Jing which supports will power. If Kidney Qi is defi-cient, Jing will be affected and will reduce the force ofWill-power, resulting in timidity, indecisiveness and a gen-eral inability to formulate and carry out decisions.

It is a characteristic of Chinese medicine that mental andemotional states are somatized, or diagnosed in terms ofbodily symptoms, and are then treated according to thesymptoms exhibited. The concept of correlating the fivespirits with the five zang organs was formulated byancient Chinese practitioners to explain the somaticbasis for the different psychological activities. Inacupuncture treatment, each of the five zang organs hasa special point on the back, along the Urinary Bladdermeridian, where the energy of that organ can beaccessed. These "back shu" points can be used to treatdisorders of the corresponding organs, including emo-tional disorders. For example, BL 52 (Zhishi) is called"house of will-power" and can be used to treat both func-tional kidney disorders and disorders of the will-power.

The Five Spirits of Chinese Medicine

By Leila NielsenDr. Sun began teaching at AAAOMin the fall of 2009. He has a Ph.D.degree in TCM Orthopedics fromShanghai University of TraditionalChinese Medicine, a degree inOrthopedic Medicine from theMedical College of QingdaoUniversity in China, and is currentlycompleting a Ph.D. degree in

Occupational Medicine from Towson University inMaryland.

L.N.: How did you choose Chinese medicine as a career?

Dr. Sun: Until I was 18 years old I had no career plans.Finally one of my teachers said, "Learn Chinese medi-cine." Since my grandfather and my father's brother wereTCM practitioners it was a reasonable idea, but I had notthought of it seriously before.

L.N.: Why did you decide to go on and specialize inorthopedics?

Dr. Sun: At Shandong University of TCM, where I earnedmy TCMD degree, about one-third of our classes wereoriented to Western medicine diagnosis and treatment. Ipracticed in a hospital as a TCM doctor for five years, butI always had the idea I wanted to do more than acupunc-ture and herbs. The course work in Western medicinegave me the idea I could have a more direct impact onmy patients through Western medical modalities. Itseemed to me then that surgery was a good way to havean immediate effect on people's health. After sevenyears working in a hospital clinic as a TCM orthopedicsurgeon, I spent two years getting a Master's degree inorthopedic surgery. But then I changed my mind again.

L.N.: You mean you decided to stop doing surgery?

Dr. Sun: I continued to do surgery, but I decided to get aPh.D. in TCM orthopedics and focus more on acupunc-ture and herbs. I saw that surgery could heal people, butit was also a painful experience for them. TCM modalitiesare non-invasive, safer, and are actually better at treatingmany orthopedic conditions. I saw TCM from a new per-spective and had more appreciation for the power ofTCM. I went to Shanghai University of TraditionalChinese Medicine for my doctoral studies.

L.N.: What kind of research did you do for your Ph.D.?

Dr. Sun: My research was in the area of treating muscu-lo-skeletal disorders with acupuncture and Chineseherbs. At the Ph.D. level, most of the research is doneaccording to Western scientific standards, so I workedwith cell cultures and measured biomechanical respons-es with scientific equipment. The trend is to use Westernstandards to prove the efficacy of TCM, such as usingWestern medical theory to explain why a Chinese herbworks. And in treating orthopedic problems theapproach is to combine acupuncture, herbs and tuinamedical massage with Western physical therapy andrehabilitation methods. In fact, working on my Ph.D.finally made me realize my goal in life. I want to find aperfect marriage or a blend of Chinese medicine andWestern medicine, so people all over the world will beable to have the best medical care possible.

L.N.: Is that why you came to the U.S. - to work on thatgoal?

Dr. Sun: Yes. Chinese hospitals do not haveOccupational Therapy departments the way hospitals inthe West do. They have large Physical Therapy and phys-ical rehabilitation departments, but there are not well-developed facilities for re-training people in occupation-al tasks. I decided to expand my education in that direc-tion because there was a lack of that aspect of rehabilita-tive medicine in my training. That is why I came to theStates in 2006 to study occupational science at TowsonUniversity.

L.N.: What have your experiences living in the U.S. beenlike?

Dr. Sun: Living and working in the U.S. has been a verygood experience for me. I had a part-time job in thetown while I was studying at Towson, and made friendsat my job and in school. I was lucky that my wife was ableto join me there, so it was not so lonely for me. Shereturned to China before I moved to Minnesota, so shedid not have to go through the first Minnesota winterwith me. I told her about it, though. I hope she will cometo live in Minnesota very soon. Living in the U.S. andmaking friends with Americans has changed my point ofview and given me a broader way of looking at differentcultures. I can understand the American way of thinkingmore now. All my experience here helps me with mygoal of combining Eastern and Western medicine. Nomatter what country I live in, I can use my expanded per-spective to advance that goal.

AAAOM Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Peng Sun

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By Yubin Lu Ph.D., TCMD, L.Ac.If you asked one hundred people tochoose between happiness andmoney, I guess 80% would choosehappiness over money. Another19% would say they want both hap-piness and money, and 1% wouldchoose money over happiness. Weall want to feel good; we would alllove to have more happiness in ourlives. What is your answer when

someone says, "How are you today?" Do you answer thisquestion by saying how you honestly feel, or do you gen-erally say "I'm fine"? Most of us will say we are finebecause we place such a high value on happiness we notonly want to feel, we want others to think we are happy.But the truth of our lives is that we encounter all kinds ofstress every day - paying the bills, satisfying our employ-ers and spouses, dealing with loss, etc.

If you asked the same one hundred people how to behappy, there might be less agreement, but I bet themajority would say, "Peace of mind." Chinese medicinehas recognized the importance of a calm and peacefulmind in maintaining health for thousands of years. InChinese medicine theory, the emotions of fear, anger,joy, sadness and worry are identified as a major group ofpathogenic factors (even joy can cause health problemsif it is out of control).

In the first published medical textbook, the YellowEmperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (the Nei Jing),written 2300 years ago, there is some discussion of theeffects of stressful emotions on longevity. The Nei Jingsays that endless expectation and desire followed by end-less anxiety and stress is the main reason that people inthose times only lived to 50, as opposed to a previousGolden Age when people lived to 100 because they ledbalanced lives. How are emotions understood in Chinesemedicine theory? How can we maintain balanced emo-tions so we can enjoy a healthy life, and how do we treatdiseases related to emotions?

Chinese medicine explains emotions as the reactions ofthe body to different external stimuli. When people arekind to us, we feel satisfied and happy. When we seesomething that threatens our life, we feel scared. Whenwe loose a good friend, we feel sad. Emotions are notonly what make us human, they actually ensure our sur-vival by giving us a way to deal with life situations.

In contrast to modern psychology, which focuses onmental states, Chinese medicine bridges the mind (emo-tions) and the body (physical manifestation of emotionalstates). The Nei Jing states that "human beings have fivezang organs supported by five kinds of qi, from whichthe different emotions are generated." In other words,specific emotions are generated based on the differentfunctions of the internal organs. TCM theory says theHeart is the ruler of the other organs. When externalstimuli are collected into the body by the sensory organs,they will enter the Heart first and be analyzed by theHeart Shen/spirit. A stimulus seen as favorable to us willcause us to want more of it. A stimulus seen as bad for uswill cause us to react against it (for example, fear wouldmake us run from a threat, while anger would make usfight what threatens us).

It is probable that the connection between emotions andinternal organs was based on observation of changesproduced in the body by different emotional states. Howdoes a person react when they are joyful? They feel theirhearts beat faster; they have more motivation to dothings; they feel they want to share the good news withthe whole world. This indicates that joy is associated withthe Heart. Feelings of anger can produce distending painin the chest and hypochondria area. That suggests theconnection between anger and the Liver. Fear can causepeople and animals to loose control of their bladder.Since the Kidney controls the bladder, fear is associatedwith the Kidney.

Emotions are essential to our experience of life, and ahealthy person will express emotions as they come up.However, excessive emotional states, including persist-ent, violent and strong emotional stimuli, will producechanges and imbalance in the corresponding organs, dis-turbing the normal functioning of the body and causingdiseases. For example, excessive joy may cause Qi andBlood to flow too fast and become scattered, making itdifficult to concentrate the mind. Excessive anger maycause Liver Qi to become "stuck," or may cause it to flareupward into the Heart and the head.

Because of the correspondence between emotions andorgans, the pathology can also work the other wayaround, meaning that a diseased organ can cause emo-tional imbalance. For example, many women suffer frompremenstrual syndrome, with its emotional componentof feeling more irritable. The Chinese medicine explana-tion for this is that before the period, the Liver gathersblood to prepare for menstruation.

Chinese Medicine and Emotional Health

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If there is an existing condition of Liver Qi stagnation, thegathering of blood will make the congestion of Liver Qieven worse, causing the corresponding emotional mani-festation of anger or irritability to appear. As the menstru-al blood is shed, the stagnation is relieved and the moodimproves.

The fundamental connection between body and mind inChinese medicine theory enables practitioners to diag-nose and treat disease and emotional disturbance on areciprocal basis. They treat pathological changes in anorgan to anticipate and avoid possible excessive emo-tional response; or they treat emotional conditions bydiagnosing changes in the corresponding organ and cor-recting the imbalance.

Depression can be used as an example of analyzing a dis-ease from both the emotional and the internal organ per-spective. At the emotional level, Chinese medicine seesdepression as the result of frustration, which is defined asfailure to achieve the expected goal. A person can dealwith this type of frustration by either reducing his expec-tations, or by establishing more realistic goals for himself.At the physical level, symptoms of depression includingsluggishness and negative thought patterns are generallydiagnosed by TCM practitioners as Liver Qi stagnation.The use of Chinese herbs and acupuncture can helpLiver Qi to move freely, which will tend to resolve thedepression symptoms. It is interesting that the Liver con-

trols the eyes, and also the quality of having vision. WhenLiver Qi stagnation is treated, a depressed person can getthe vision to create more realistic goals for himself.

The ability to approach health conditions from an inte-grated mind/body perspective is a major strength ofChinese medicine. On one hand, emotional problemscan be analyzed and treated by diagnosing internalorgan dysfunction. On the other hand, diagnosing andtreating a physiological problem will often clear up relat-ed emotional problems. I believe that Chinese medicinehas some advantages over modern psychology in thisregard. The Chinese medicine model tends to be morepractical in both theory and practice, since it is theoreti-cally based on the patient's reaction to different stimuli,and since clinical practice has proven that it is a veryeffective way to treat emotional disorders.

So does Chinese medicine promote happiness? Sinceeveryone is different, there is no absolute answer, but Ithink it can help a lot of people to get balance in theirlives. Acupuncture and herbs can calm Shen and let peo-ple find more realistic goals for themselves.Strengthening the function of our internal organs enablesus to manage strong emotions better, avoiding furtherdamage to the body. By helping us to deal with mentaland physical stress, Chinese medicine can definitely pro-mote our long-term happiness.

By Leila NielsenWhen I was an acupuncture intern looking for people topractice on, my friend Carol came to see me. Carol didnot think there was anything in particular wrong with her,but she wanted to support me in my studies. I diagnosedCarol with Liver Qi Stagnation, one of the commonestTCM diagnoses, which often has its roots in frustrationand unexpressed anger. (In TCM theory, the Liver isresponsible for "smoothing" the emotions. If emotions,especially anger, are habitually bottled up, the Liver's qibecomes stuck and the emotional frustration begins toexpress itself in such symptoms as depression, fatigue,loose stools, uncontrolled outbursts of anger, a feeling offullness or suffocation in the chest, etc.)

Carol had been an R.N. for thirty years, and was highlycompetent and professional. She was so competent thatthe head nurse habitually put her in charge of the shiftand assigned extra patients to her, because she knewCarol could handle anything. No matter if her patientload was excessive or even unfair, Carol would always

agree to take the assignment. Then she would spend therest of the shift in a state of chronic stress, mutteringangrily to herself. In fact, I could just as easily have diag-nosed Carol with a bad case of "Minnesota nice."

I began giving Carol acupuncture treatments designed tounblock the stuck Liver qi. After several sessions, Carolstarted to say things like, "You know, the head nurse triedto give me two new admissions last night, but I told herto give them to somebody else because I was just toobusy." Or, "So-and-so kept asking me to help her dosomething, and then disappeared and left me to do thewhole job. I finally told her to ask somebody else."

To me, these statements of Carol's were signs that theacupuncture was having an effect: the anger and resent-ment that had been bottled up inside her were nowbeginning to be channeled in a useful direction. Irejoiced to see my friend standing up for herself, and wasamazed that a few needles could have such a noticeableeffect on such an ingrained behavior pattern.

Releasing Righteous Anger: A Small Case Study

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By Xiangdong Yu, TCMD, Ph.D., L.Ac.Many years ago, in a village beside TaiMountain, a retired government offi-cial named He lived with his family. Inimperial China, where governmentofficials were highly trained andrespected, retired officials were giventhe title "Yuanwai." When Yuanwai Hewas old, he and his wife had their firstand only child - a beautiful girl namedHuan Xi ("happiness"). Huan Xi was

the apple of her father's eye.

One day when Huan Xi was eighteen years old, she went tothe temple on the south side of Tai Mountain to burn incensein honor of the Tomb Sweeping festival. When she returnedhome, she seemed different. As her parents watched in hor-ror, Huan Xi began a slow decline in health. She was absent-minded. She had no interest in food or drink and becamethinner and thinner. Yuanwai He summoned many famousdoctors to cure his daughter, but the medicines they gave herhad no effect. Yuanwai He's precious daughter was dying. Asa last resort, Yuanwai He posted a public notice: anyone whocould cure Huan Xi's mysterious disease would receive onethousand ounces of gold.

The notice was seen by a poor young scholar who lived in avillage on the west side of Tai Mountain. Although he waspoor, the young scholar was refined and cultivated, as well asbeing very handsome. He was a serious student, spendinglong hours over the classical texts, and he also excelled in thepractice of medicine. His goal in life was to go the capitol,take the civil service examination and achieve a high-levelgovernment position. But his family's poverty condemnedhim to waste his talents in the backwaters of a small town.The opportunity to earn a thousand ounces of gold was likea gift from heaven.

The young scholar examined Huan Xi carefully, taking herpulse, looking at her tongue coating and observing her com-plexion. He said, "Miss He's illness has been caused by fail-ure to get what she wants. Her emotional distress, frustrationand depression have resulted in constraint of her Liver Qi."How could they cure this sickness of frustrated desire? Thescholar said, "A tree grows on Tai Mountain called the lovetree. At night, the leaves of this tree fold together like loversmeeting face to face.”

“The fragrant flowers of the love tree can clear heart fire, dis-pel depression, calm the spirit and tranquilize the mind. LetMiss He drink a tea made from these flowers and she will

soon be restored." And that is exactly what happened. HuanXi recovered, and a grateful Yuanwai He rewarded the poorscholar with a thousand ounces of gold.

However, there was more to the story than that. The youngscholar diagnosed Huan Xi's disease correctly. She wantedsomething she could not have, but he did not know that hehimself was the source of her love sickness. When Huan Xiwent to the temple for the Tomb Sweeping festival, she hadseen the handsome young man and fallen deeply in lovewith him. When he appeared at her bedside, she was alreadymore than halfway cured, even without drinking the restora-tive tea. Soon the young scholar was as much in love withHuan Xi as she was with him.

With the money he received from Yuanwai He, the youngscholar traveled to the capitol and sat for the examination.His future was assured when he received the highest scoreon the test and was recognized throughout the country forhis achievement. The young scholar returned to TaiMountain to marry Huan Xi, and then they moved to thecapitol to begin their life together. Huan Xi joined her hus-band in his practice of medicine, and they successfully treat-ed thousands of patients, especially people with troubledminds.

The tree which had cured Huan Xi was named after her - theHe Huan tree - and the sweet-smelling flower is called HeHuan Hua. We know Huan Xi's tree as the mimosa tree, orAlbizzia tree. In Chinese herbology, He Huan Hua has thefunction of dispelling depression and tranquilizing the mind.It is used with great effectiveness to treat heart spirit distur-bance, depression and insomnia.

Legends of Chinese Medicine: The Happy Flower

The "happy flower," He Huan Hua, on the mimosa tree.

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Dr. Yubin Lu Dr. Xiangdong Yu Dr. Wei Liu Dr. Daiyi Tang Dr. Hong Chen

Dr. Li Gu Dr. Wen Jiang Dr. Cheng Chi Dr. Xingron He Dr. Yifan Liu

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Minnesota is well-served by the acupuncturists atTCM Health Center clinics. With six convenientlocations, TCM Health Center clinics are commit-ted to providing high quality acupuncture andChinese herbal medicine at reasonable rates. Ourpractitioners are fully-licensed and highly-trainedprofessionals who bring specialized knowledgeand years of experience to bear on patient treat-ment. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicineare known to be exceptionally effective at address-ing a variety of diseases, as well as being provenpreventive medicine.

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Acupuncture's "Happy Points" for Stress ReliefBy Wen Jiang, TCMD, Ph.D., L.Ac.

These days it seems like everyone iscomplaining about being stressed,not just in their work, but even intheir daily activities. In my experi-ence, acupuncture can actuallyhave a positive effect on people'smoods, promoting an improvedoutlook on life. I will tell you my five"secret" acupuncture points forpromoting happiness.

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory,depression and anxiety are categorized as a form of Shen(spirit) disturbance. The internal organ principally respon-sible for housing Shen is the Heart. A basic principle ofTCM theory is that body, mind and spirit operate recipro-cally: disturbed or unregulated emotions will cause dys-function of the internal organ associated with that emo-tion; and unbalanced or diseased internal organs willcause disturbed emotions. When someone always feelsdepressed or anxious, after a while the Heart functionwill be affected. Since part of the Heart function is to reg-ulate Shen, the smooth flow of Shen is disturbed, becom-ing "turbid".

Over time, such symptoms as fatigue, depression, insom-nia, and poor memory will arise and get worse. For some-one with a diagnosis of "disturbed Shen," the treatmentplan is to "calm the Shen." Acupuncture is one of the

most effective ways to calm Shen - it has an immediateeffect on a person's mood, and it has no undesirable sideeffects like psychoactive medications can have.

The secret points I call the "five happy points" are DU 20(Baihui), and M-HN-1 (Sishencong). These points arelocated close together on top of the head. DU 20 is thehighest point on the body. Its Chinese name, Baihui,means "one hundred meetings" because most of theprincipal meridians pass through this point. Yang qi,which rises by nature, converges at this point and can bestimulated by needling Du 20.

Other functions of Du 20 are to regulate the flow of qiand blood in the meridians and calm Shen. One transla-tion of Sishencong is "four alert spirit." They are fourpoints, spaced equally around Du 20, at a distance of 1cun (one fingerwidth). Sishencong can calm Shen andenhance memory. Recent scientific research has demon-strated that needling these five points increases bloodflow to the brain. Patients in controlled studies reportthat needling these points helps to reduce their anxietyand release stress.

For serious mental disturbance, people should definitelysee their doctor. But for less-severe depression due to thestresses and strains of daily life, I recommend seeing theacupuncturist first. Maybe these "happy points" are oneanswer to the search for a peaceful mind.

Student Intern Half-Price CouponThe Student Clinics at our AAAOM Rosevilleand Uptown locations are an inexpensive wayto invest in your health. Supervised by our fac-ulty, you will receive high quality treatmentfrom 3rd- and 4th-year student interns. Inreturn, you will assist students in gaining valu-able first-hand clinical experience. Treatmentsmay include acupuncture, herbal medicine,Tuina massage, dietary recommendations, andeven Qi Gong. Faculty members carefullyadvise and review all patient diagnoses, pre-scriptions, and follow-up visits to ensure themost effective treatments.

Treatments from student interns are generally$32 per session, but coupons are availablehere for either the Roseville or Uptown loca-tions to print out and bring along with you fora $16 treatment.

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In Chinese medicine theory, there area number of patterns which can resultin a person feeling depressed. Thetwo recipes here address two patternsof depression: depression due to defi-ciency of Spleen and Heart energy;and depression due to an excess orstagnation of Liver energy.

I. Lotus Seed Bud with Dates (Lian Zi Xin Da Zao Tang)Ingredients:Seed bud of lotus (Lian Zi Xin) 3 gramsChinese date (Da Zao) 10 pieces

Preparation: Grind the lotus seed bud into powder. Add lotusbud powder and Chinese dates to 300cc (2 cups) water.Bring water to a simmer and simmer for 1 hour. Divide liquidinto two parts and drink twice a day after a meal.

TCM Functions: Tonify Qi and Blood; clear Heart fire; calmShen. Treat depression from Spleen and Heart Qi deficiency.

II. Pork with Sliced Bitter Melon (Zhu Rou Ku Gua Si)Ingredients:Bitter melon (Ku Gua) 300 grams/ 2 cupsLean pork meat 150 grams/ 1 cup Vegetable oil, sufficient to stir-fry ingredientsSalt to taste

Preparation: Bitter melon resembles a cucumber. Cut cross-wise into 2-inch sections, then cut sections lengthwise, into"matchsticks." Immerse melon slices in boiling water for oneminute to reduce its bitter taste. Discard water and set asidemelon slices. In a wok, fry sliced pork in vegetable oil overmoderate heat until cooked through, then remove pork to aplatter and discard oil. Add new oil to the wok, heating wokon high heat until the oil begins to smoke. Add pork andmelon slices, stir-frying rapidly for 30 seconds. Salt to taste.Serves two.

TCM Functions: Purge fire from Heart and Liver meridians;tonify Qi. Treats stress-related depression from Heart andLiver disharmony.

Food as MedicineTwo Recipes to Treat Depression by Cheng Chi, TCMD, L.Ac.

Diagnosing Schizophrenia in TCMBy Daiyi Tang, Ph.D., TCMD, L.Ac.

In traditional Chinese medicine,Jing (natal Essence), Qi (vital ener-gy) and Shen (mind or spirit) formthe basis of life. The integration ofthese substances determines therelationship of body and mind.When Essence and Qi are insuffi-cient or disturbed, mental (Shen)disorders may arise. Western medi-cine sees schizophrenia as severe

psychopathology within several domains including cog-nition, emotion, and behavior. There are five types ofcharacteristic symptoms: delusions, hallucinations, disor-ganized speech, disorganized behavior, and the so-called"negative" symptoms. Negative symptoms are associatedwith depressive behavior such as social withdrawal andlack of motivation. Not every person with schizophreniawill have all the symptoms listed here, and they vary dra-matically from person to person.

In Chinese medicine theory, mental disturbance is cate-gorized in terms of Yin and Yang. The term "Dian" isapplied to depressive symptoms and belongs to Yin;"Kuang" is applied to excitation, anxiety and manic symp-toms and belongs to Yang. In TCM practice, the clinical

manifestations of schizophrenia fall mainly into two pat-terns: (1) Phlegm and Qi stagnation; (2) Phlegm-Fireaccumulation. There are other possible patterns, includ-ing Yin-deficiency Fire, Phlegm-Damp obstruction andYang deficiency, but these are rarely seen in the clinic.

Phlegm and Qi stagnation can also be called depressivepsychosis, Dian, or Yin syndrome. It is characterized bygradual onset, apathy, lack of emotion and mental dull-ness at the initial stage, followed by incoherent speech,inappropriate mood swings, lack of appetite, sleepiness,trouble concentrating, flat affect, social withdrawal, andlack of motivation. Phlegm-Fire Accumulation is alsocalled manic psychosis, Kuang or Yang syndrome. It ischaracterized by sudden onset, irritability and hostility,flushed face and blood-shot eyes, headaches, insomnia,mania, restlessness, inappropriate or violent behavior,hallucinations and delusions.

Acupuncture and herbal treatment for schizophreniafocus on regulating Qi, clearing heat, resolving phlegmand calming Shen. Although schizophrenia is a difficultcondition to treat, clinical studies of acupuncture andherbal treatment show promise, especially for patientswho are unable to tolerate the powerful drugs common-ly prescribed for this condition.

AAAOM Open HousesOpen Houses for prospective students will be held on July 11th and July 18th from 2-5 p.m. Read moreon page 3, visit AAAOM.edu for full details and to RSVP, or call 651-631-0204 ext. 2 with any ques-tions and to RSVP. We hope to see you there!

First Day of Fall TrimesterThe first day of classes for 2010’s Fall Trimester will be Tuesday, September 7th. Applications are nowbeing accepted and prospective students are encouraged to register soon. For application informa-tion, visit AAAOM.edu or call 651-631-0204 ext. 2.

Tai Chi and Healing Qi Gong ClassesAAAOM offers ongoing 12-week Tai Chi classes on Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. beginningSeptember 8th and 10-week Healing Qi Gong classes on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. beginningSeptember 9th. For class and registration information, please call 651-631-0204 ext. 1.

Continuing Education Seminars - Fall 2010Held at our Roseville, Minnesota campus each fall, the AAAOM Continuing Education program isavailable for practitioners who have completed an accredited degree program for Acupunctureand/or Oriental Medicine, or for advanced students. Generally, these courses qualify for CEU credit,and full details are provided upon class registration. Topics and dates are available online atAAAOM.edu on the Continuing Education page. For more information call 651-631-0204 ext. 2.

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