International News
• Chinese Herbs "More Helpful" Than Drugs for Menstrual Pain
  
  State Legislative Activities
• Dry Needling and Acupuncture: Emerging Professional Issues
  
  National AOM Issues
• North American Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Day
• The Quality Control Crisis in China and Our Profession
  
  Practice Management
• Dental Qi
  
  AAAOM Activities
• Celebrating our Heritage: The AAAOM 25th Anniversary International Conference and Exposition
• AAAOM Activities Introduction: September 2007
• Pioneers and Leaders: Honoring The Vision
  
  Links
• Keeping Tabs on Public Perception of AOM
• Integrator Blog News & Reports
  
  Continuing Education and Events
• Enhancing Fertility
• ACTCM Master’s Program
• Simon Mills is on Tai Sophia Board of Directors
• Michael Gaeta Seminars
• Honso Sponsors Seminars
• nuherbs Announces Scholarship Recipients
• ACOM Open House Dates
• Pacific Symposium 2007
• ACTCM Open House
  
  AAAOM Student Organization
• Collaboration = Change!
• Dynamic Opportunities for Acupuncture Students
  
  Products, Services, and Member Savings
• Positions Available/Wanted

Expo 2007 Sponsors:

We extend our gratitude and thanks to our platinum sponsor, The American Acupuncture Council, our gold sponsors, Kan Herb Company and Golden Flower Herbs, and KPC, our conference bag sponsor. Working together, we create a better future for alternative medicine. Much appreciated!

Greetings AOM Members and Colleagues:

Qi-Unity Report: This issue of Qi-Unity Report delivers overviews from Expo speakers as well as a wealth of articles that directly influence AAAOM practitioner and member concerns. We are pleased to announce that staff, in concert with the Media and Publications Committee, is re-designing many of the features of Qi-Unity Report to enhance its use and value. You’ll see changes with this issue! Please enjoy it as you explore and deepen your understanding of the resources available to you here.

The AAAOM is interested in your feedback. We invite you to use our General Feedback page to let us know your opinions and insights.

International News

Chinese Herbs "More Helpful" Than Drugs for Menstrual Pain
A study involving nearly 3,500 women in several countries suggests that Chinese herbs might be more effective in relieving menstrual cramps than drugs, acupuncture or heat compression.

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/1a.html

State Legislative Activities

Dry Needling and Acupuncture: Emerging Professional Issues
The AAAOM has been monitoring the spread of legislative proposals in several states to include dry needling in the scope of practice of non-acupuncturists. The following article outlines the background and current trends regarding this controversial scope of practice problem. The AAAOM recently issued a statement in support of acupuncturists in Colorado, a copy of which may be found here (PDF).

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/2a.html

National AOM Issues

North American Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Day
It is estimated that as many as 43% of Americans have used or are currently using some form of complementary medicine, and that 1 in 10 Americans have tried acupuncture.

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/3a.html

The Quality Control Crisis in China and Our Profession
This letter from Ted Kaptchuk was recently published in AT. The AAAOM supports efforts to assure the safety and quality of herbal products. Please see our accompanying document regarding the final GMP regulations from the FDA here. (PDF)

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/kaptchuk_open_letter.pdf

Practice Management

Dental Qi
During your last dental visit, did you experience some pangs of anxiety? Have you ever had a toothache and rummaged through your herbal stash for a more natural remedy? Do you or any of your acupuncture patients exhibit Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ) pain?

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/4a.html

AAAOM Activities

Celebrating our Heritage: The AAAOM 25th Anniversary International Conference and Exposition
Dusk has fallen on yet another Expo Event – Strength through Unification, held at the Portland Hilton, October 18-22, 2007. We always remark that each event grows stronger and better, and this year is no exception. Beyond the ever-increasing growth of our profession which naturally results in increasingly strong events, the 25th Anniversary of acupuncture and Oriental Medicine as an organized profession in the United States was rejoiced and celebrated collaboratively by the ACAOM, CCAOM, NCCAOM and the AAAOM.

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/5a.html

AAAOM Activities Introduction: September 2007
In the past month the AAAOM office has been buzzing with a beehive’s activity, coordinated into the complex geometry of a honeycomb’s order. Much as we who support the queen (Bekah Christensen, Executive Director) would love to do, it’s impossible to fully disclose the litany of events that passes through this office each day. That said, we are actively moving towards a greater transparency to our membership. The “AAAOM Activities” category in the Qi Unity report provides a new feature where, if you cannot see the whole hive, you can at least taste some of the honey. In this Activities section you can read what your representation has been doing for you, lovingly and diligently updated each month. The truth is out: we’re sweet on our members!

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/5b.html

Pioneers and Leaders: Honoring The Vision
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the AAAOM. Auspiciously it heralds the unification of the former Alliance and AAOM. In reflecting upon the ways in which we might celebrate our silver anniversary there were many ideas. In chatting with a friend, I mentioned an idea about compiling small books of interviews of teachers and leaders in Oriental medicine and how this medicine has unfolded in the United States. My friend is a public historian, an author of two books and an avid reader. This is a person serious about history. She said simply and powerfully: “There is an African saying that when an elder dies a library burns to the ground. ‘Best capture those libraries before they burn.’” There is vast life experience and wisdom riding around in those who have gone before, and it is prudent to honor it.

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/5c.html

Links

Keeping Tabs on Public Perception of AOM
We have been compiling field-related articles, gathered far and wide, on acupuncture and OM for the benefit of AAAOM members. Recent mainstream articles bring into focus an aggregated picture of how the media presents alternative medicine. We ignore this at our peril. We may also consider these articles a barometer of public understanding and acceptance of alternative modalities, in America and beyond.

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/6a.html

Integrator Blog News & Reports
Integration, by nature, asks us to open our peripheral visions. We are served to look at the whole of the field. We need to develop new fascia, new connectivity. Opportunities crop up in new places. The Integrator Blog News and Reports is meant to provide you with information, insights and tools to enhance integrated care in the environment you serve.

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/6b.html

Continuing Education and Events

WORKSHOP: Enhancing Fertility with Acupuncture and Chinese Patent Medicines
http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/7a.html

ACTCM Now Offers Master’s Program in Evening/Weekend Schedule
http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/7b.html

Tai Sophia Institute Names Simon Mills to Board of Directors
http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/7c.html

Michael Gaeta Seminars
http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/7d.html

Herbal Medicine Company Honso Sponsors Seminars in Portland and Los Angeles
http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/7e.html

nuherbs Announces Scholarship Recipients
http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/7f.html

American College of Oriental Medicine 2008 Open House Dates
http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/7g.html

Pacific Symposium 2007: Annual Opportunity for Intellectual Growth in Traditional Chinese Medicine
http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/7h.html

ACTCM Open House
http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/7i.html

AAAOM Student Organization

Collaboration = Change!
Students at the National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM), in Portland, Oregon, have historically been advocates for their respective professions, Chinese Medicine and naturopathic medicine. The National College of Natural Medicine was founded in 1956 as the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, and recently underwent a name change to be inclusive of our Chinese Medicine program. The Chinese Medicine program was founded by Heiner Fruehauf in 1992, with a vision to educate students in the practice of Oriental medicine as illustrated by the classics and to share the holistic spirit of Oriental medicine. NCNM’s Chinese Medicine Program is one of the few Oriental medicine programs to offer a degree in Classical Chinese Medicine. NCNM recently celebrated its 50 year anniversary, a huge milestone, and with such institutional stability students are more ready than ever to be advocates for natural medicine.

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/8a.html

Dynamic Opportunities for Acupuncture Students
Stanford Medical School reaches out to Five Branches University for co-residency program in South Bay area

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/8b.html

Products, Services, and Member Savings

Positions Available/Wanted

http://www.aaaomonline.info/qiunity/07/10/9a.html

In closing.

We have worked hard to improve and expand the quality of the Qi-Unity Report for our members. I do apologize about the delay in getting this to you. As many of you have seen, it takes a considerable amount of time and energy to put on a conference. We hope you all gained much from that event, and feel energized in taking our medicine forward.

As always, we welcome your feedback to improve and enhance this publication and its benefits to you as we continue to galvanize our common interest to rise and meet the marriage of challenges and opportunities that lie ahead!

The AAAOM is interested in your feedback. We invite you to use our General Feedback page to let us know your opinions and insights.

Best Wishes,

Rebekah Christensen, Executive Director

Douglas Newton, Managing Editor