Feb/Mar 2008

Table of Contents:

    International News
  1. International Links

    State Legislative Activities
  2. New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Suspend Acupuncture Benefits to 9-11 Victims
  3. Colorado Report

    National AOM Issues
  4. Herbal Medicine Past and Future
  5. Integrator Blog News & Reports

    Practice Management
  6. Energy in Motion: The Marriage of Acupuncture and Breathwork
  7. Interview with Dr. Zhou Hong

    AAAOM Activities
  8. News from the AAAOM

    Links
  9. Links to recent AOM articles online

    Continuing Education and Events
  10. Classical TCM Study Tours in China 2008
  11. March Seminars with Michael Gaeta
  12. NCCAM'S Advisory Council Welcomes Six New Members
  13. Record Number of Medical Students Visit Northwestern Health Sciences University

    AAAOM Student Organization
  14. AAAOM-SO Progress Report
  15. Great River Symposium and AAAOM-SO Student Caucus

    Products, Services, and Member Savings
  16. Advertising Opportunities

 

Greetings OM Members and Colleagues:

We are pleased to bring you another quality issue to the Qi-Unity Report. In this issue we offer an article from Al Lee about the importance of breath in acupuncture. Read also about Zhou Hong, a master of QiGong, in an interview exploring his lineage and practice. John Scott elucidates the history of herb use and their regulation in the United States. Additionally, you will find information about the upcoming AAAOM conference in Chicago, learn about the latest integrative medicine links from John Weeks, check in with our ever-growing AAAOM Student Organization, and much more!

We now offer the opportunity to endorse your ideals and reach your market through sponsorship of this newsletter. See the Products, Services and Member Savings section for more details.

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

This Issue Sponsored By:

As the largest and oldest provider of acupuncture insurance in the country, we offer the benefit of experience, enabling you to enlist the protection of the industry’s leading carrier backed by a veteran legal defense team — at the lowest premiums you’ll find anywhere. You deliver peace-of-mind to your patients. Find out how we can do the same for you. Visit www.acupuncturecouncil.com.

International News


International Articles

Here is a set of international links to connect you to the global community, as well as to news and events that affect the AOM profession:

London Times and Guardian both report on acupuncture vis-à-vis fertility rates:
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article3327648.ece
www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-7292901,00.html

The international market for herbal supplements continues to grow.
www.emediawire.com/releases/herbal_supplements/herbal_remedies/prweb707734.htm

AOM doctor’s heroics help students cope with food poisoning on flight from China to Scotland
www.arbroathherald.co.uk/news/DOCTOR39S-HEROICS-ON-FLIGHT-FROM.3825790.jp

Skeptical MD becomes acupuncturist seeking cures to his own migraines.
economictimes.indiatimes.com/Starting_Up/A_doctors_journey_from_pain_to_entrepreneurship/articleshow/2823881.cms

The following book review outlines a recent publication from England on AOM policy: Traditional, complementary and alternative medicine: policy and public health perspectives
www.cybermed.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17345&Itemid=134

Positive reports of German study on acupuncture and menstruation reported also in Iran:
www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=44987§ionid=3510210

Acupuncturist famous for having freed addicts from drug addiction in Vietnam:
www.thanhniennews.com/features/?catid=10&newsid=36289

Correction:
The interview with Jeannie Kang in last month’s Qi-Unity Report incorrectly stated that Eric Brand is chair of the Terminology Committee. In fact, Miki Shima and Eric Brand are co-chairs of this committee. We apologize for the error.

State Legislative Activities

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Suspend Acupuncture Benefits to 9-11 Victims

Acupuncturists from all over the country flooded to local police departments, fire stations and the Javitz Center where FEMA staged its primary support effort, in the aftermath of 9-11. These acupuncturists provided daily emergency relief to those helping with this national trauma. Their heartfelt care helped sustain our local heroes through the emotional and physically grueling months that followed.

For the next 6 years the Red Cross provided funds through the 9-11 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Program to all those affected by this calamity. This included families who lost loved ones, survivors, roommates of survivors, those who worked in the immediate area, those who lost work because of 9-11, teachers at schools near Ground Zero, police, firemen, and those construction workers who dealt with all aspects of clearing and cleansing the site. One of the many benefits included in this Program was the ability to receive up to 32 sessions of Auricular Acupuncture. This benefit could be used for either depression, anxiety, or Substance abuse related to mental health issues caused by the effects of 9-11. The primary form of acupuncture was auricular treatment that followed the NADA protocol.

Red Cross funding for this program recently came to an end on December 31, 2007. Since this program was so successful, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) recently decided implement their own similar program and adopt many parts of Red Cross model. However, the DHMH has decided not to insure acupuncture in any form as part of its benefits. They note that auricular therapy and acupuncture is not a proven mode of treatment and is poorly researched. The Department cites 12 studies since 1998 that show that auricular acupuncture is not definitive in treating PTSD, anxiety, depression, or substance abuse. Below is part of their published statement:

While we understand your belief in the usefulness of acupuncture, when developing this benefit program, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene decided to cover only services for which there was evidence of effectiveness in peer-reviewed scientific literature for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression or problematic substance use, the psychological conditions most prevalent among people who were directly affected by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Appropriate use of taxpayer dollars requires this standard.

Peer-reviewed scientific literature does not support the use of auricular acupuncture as an effective treatment for PTSD, depression and problematic substance use. Though there was little evidence of harm or of substantial side effects associated with auricular acupuncture in the literature search that yielded 12 relevant studies published since 1998, which are attached to this email, there also was little evidence of relevant benefit. We offer these studies as objective evidence in support of the Department's judicious use of municipal funds.

The Acupuncture Society of New York (ASNY) now supports an effort to help convince the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to continue to provide acupuncture services to those suffering from the traumas of 9-11. In order to help convince the DHMH, both testimonials on the benefits to anyone who has been treated with acupuncture for PTSD or substance abuse and any research, published or unpublished, that can validate our claim that acupuncture is helpful for anxiety, depression, substance abuse, PTSD, loss or other psychological trauma are required for evidence. We believe that if the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene receives this information is a timely manner, they will reverse their decision to drop the acupuncture benefit.

This is an open request for all to submit any citations or research that you know of that may help our cause. You can submit those citations to President@asny.org or to Wendy Henry at acupuncturemobile@yahoo.com. Included at the bottom of this is a sample petition that you can circulate for your patients.

Thank You,

Peter D. Lichtenstein, D.C., C.C.S.P., L.Ac.
President, ASNY

Sample Petition:

Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
125 Worth St., 3rd Floor, room 331 cn38
New York, NY 10013

Dear Dr. Thomas Frieden,

We the undersigned implore you to include acupuncture as a covered benefit as part of the “9-11 MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE BENEFIT.”

The “9-11 MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE BENEFIT” that was funded through Red Cross resources included auricular acupuncture as a covered benefit. Unfortunately this benefit ended Dec. 31, 2007. In addition, other programs which offered the auricular acupuncture have been discontinued as funding has run out.

We have discovered that acupuncture has been highly effective in helping recover from the traumas of “9-11”. Acupuncture has improved our sleep, reduced our anxiety, reduced our cravings for alcohol and other substances and has helped us feel more calm. Auricular Acupuncture has notably improved our quality of life and helped us carry out our activities of daily living.

Having the “9-11 MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE BENEFIT” extended to include acupuncture coverage would enable us to continue treatment when we experience the need. Experiencing acupuncture, a non-verbal treatment method, has often prepared us to have more productive counseling sessions for those of us who have also chosen a more traditional counseling approach.

Please reconsider your decision to include acupuncture as a covered benefit in the “9-11 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Benefit.” You will be helping many people and New York City!

Sincerely,

Name | Signature | Address/Affiliation/comments

Colorado Report

January 31, 2008

Denver, Colorado

The Acupuncture Association of Colorado, represented by president Nancy Billelo and treasurer Jeanette Rockers, promoted the benefits of AOM to the general assembly of the Health and Human Services Committee in Denver. After listening to the final report from the 208 Commission and to questions from legislators about the finer points of the report, the public was invited to comment.

AAC treasurer Jeanette Rockers spoke to the assembly on behalf of more than 1000 licensed acupuncturists in Colorado. Her remarks focused on the efficacy and cost effectiveness of the medicine delivered by Colorado’s licensed acupuncturists and asked the legislators to put Colorado among the states offering this integrated health care advantage to its citizens as part of any reform to the current system. Jeanette cited a current report in Acupuncture Today describing Florida’s successful three-year trial with 2500 Medicaid clients using acupuncture and massage. This trial demonstrated the total healthcare cost savings realized when clients integrated these modalities with their Western medical care.

The chairperson of the Health and Human Services Committee, Representative Anne McGihon, sent this email to her Denver constituents:

“After four years of analysis and finding a path toward health care reform, the 208 Commission today released its report to the joint House and Senate Health and Human Services Committees. The 27 members of the group, also called the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform, diverged widely in ideological perspectives, but they were in lock step with each other in both intention and effort. For that, I join my colleagues on the joint HHS Committees in thanking them for their hard work.”

The underpinning of the commission’s recommendation is that the status quo does not work. Nearly one-fifth of the state’s population is uninsured. Health insurance premiums continue to soar to cover the cost of extending care to those who cannot pay. With that basis, the commission aimed to find ways to reduce health care costs while enhancing quality of care.

The report emphasized several points. Among them:

To view the full report, visit www.colorado.gov/208commission

Look for several bills to be introduced in the House and Senate as a result of the 208 Commission report. Solving this crisis may not be possible in one legislative session, but this year we are committed to putting Colorado on the road to health care reform.

I hope you will continue the long-needed conversation that has begun, so that we can all improve health care access and services across our state.

National AOM Issues

Herbal Medicine Past and Future

By John Scott, DOM

ABSTRACT:
John Scott, DOM, takes the reader on a short, intriguing journey describing the history of herbal medicine in the United States, then emphasizes the importance of herbs in contemporary pharmacology. He argues that those who prescribe and use herbal medicines must now strive to create a non-drug status for herb use in order to maintain their responsible role in medical treatment in the United States.

Herbal or botanical medicine is the oldest modality of healing known to humanity. All cultures have employed it, and modern pharmacology could not have progressed without the knowledge of plant chemistry. In the year 1900, medicine in the United States was substantially different than it is in the 21st century. During that time, one was very likely to encounter an eclectic physician, naturopath, chiropractor or homeopath, as opposed to a medical doctor as we know them today. Herbal and homeopathic remedies were in common use. What has become “Western, modern, or allopathic” medicine was just in its infancy. It was said that if you went to see an allopathic doctor you would die of the treatment, and if you went to see one of the other practitioners mentioned you would die from the disease.

In 1900, there were no regulations governing the sales or manufacturing of herbal and homeopathic products. These products were known to contain substances such as opiates and cocaine that are illegal today. The original Coca Cola recipe contained cocaine. Many of these products were sold by making fantastic claims about their effects. “Snake oil salesman” was a pejorative term used to describe the peddlers of these products.

The early years of the 20th century saw the beginnings of modern “evidence-based” medicine and the decline of herbal remedies and other more traditional therapies. In 1904, the American Medical Association created a Council for Medical Education. Following this, on June 30, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Pure Food and Drug Act. This act was a reaction to reports from activists such as Upton Sinclair who wrote about tainted food produced in horribly unsanitary facilities. One of the concerns addressed by this act is the lack of accurate labeling on food, drugs, and herbal products. Coca Cola was allowed to keep cocaine in their beverage, but they had to list all of the ingredients on the label. In 1909, they received some attention from the U.S. government for the excessive amount of caffeine in their product.

In 1911, Abraham Flexner issued a voluminous report on the state of allopathic medical education, funded by the Carnegie Foundation for which he personally visited all 155 medical educational facilities in the U.S. Flexner’s family had emigrated from Germany, and he considered medical education in Europe far superior to what was being offered in the U.S. His report was considered a scathing indictment of the inadequacies of medical education in this country, and it sparked dramatic changes in medical education.

Wikipedia states: When Flexner researched his report, many American medical schools were "proprietary," namely small trade schools owned by one or more doctors, unaffiliated with a college or university, and run to make a profit. A degree was typically awarded after only two years of study. Laboratory work and dissection were not necessarily required. Many of the instructors were local doctors teaching part-time, whose own training left something to be desired. The regulation of the medical profession by state government was minimal or nonexistent. American doctors varied enormously in their scientific understanding of human physiology, and the word "quack" flourished. There is no evidence that the mass of Americans were dissatisfied with this situation.

In 1938, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was created by the U.S. Congress. This was a response to criticism that pharmaceutical products were not efficacious. This agency was created to insure that pharmaceutical products were actually as effective as their labels claimed.

Over the decades since 1900, we have witnessed the establishment of the modern medical monopoly and the evolution from a totally plant based medical healing system to a system more and more reliant on synthesized chemicals. As modern medicine became more developed, natural healing modalities and herbal medicines became increasingly marginalized, until finally there was no legitimate place for herbal medicine in conventional medical practice.

Starting in the 1970s, there has been a reawakening of interest in herbal medicine. This occurred around the same time the U.S. president, Richard Nixon, visited the People’s Republic of China, sparking a new interest in acupuncture. This coincided with the counterculture, back-to-the-earth movements, and a rejection of industrialized medicine by some Americans. Since that time there has been a growing awareness of many of the dangers of pharmaceutical drugs and the increasing expense of modern medicine.

The FDA is responsible for regulating and providing safe products in interstate commerce. The categories of the products under their regulatory umbrella are: food, drugs, cosmetics, and since 1994, dietary supplements. Dietary Supplements include vitamins, minerals, and all herbal products. These substances are items designed to be added to one’s diet to address nutritional deficiencies due to modern lifestyle choices and depleted soil. The law states that for herbal products, one may only legally make claims or statements that relate to how these substances promote a beneficial change to either the structure or the function of the human body. Under these regulations, dietary supplements cannot make claims to cure disease or ameliorate symptoms unless those claims have been proven by a scientific testing process approved by the FDA. Those of us who practice Chinese herbal medicine find these legal guidelines to be extremely inadequate to describe the realistic use of the herbal products as employed by our medical tradition for over two thousand years.

In April of 2004, the FDA placed a ban on ephedra alkaloids that has effectively removed ma huang from use by trained acupuncture and Oriental medicine (AOM) practitioners. That event has brought an acute awareness of the inadequacies of the current FDA laws and regulations in the manufacturing and usage of herbal products.

While herbs in the Chinese Materia Medica are safe when correctly prescribed, practitioners are aware of a number of substances in the Materia Medica that should not be available for consumption to the uneducated public. There have been instances of patients harmed by wrong use of herbs. Some Chinese herbal formulas are not appropriate to be used as over-the-counter remedies, or “supplements,” since they should require prescription by a practitioner knowledgeable in correct OM diagnosis.

While the FDA tries to fit Chinese herbal medicine products into the current regulatory scheme they usually fail. The laws pertaining to medical substances were written to address allopathic medicine. Allopathic medicine developed incrementally as herbal and other traditional medicines were marginalized. It will require the concentrated efforts of the AOM community to create a place in our conventional medical system that respects and values Chinese herbal medicine. The FDA now recognizes complementary and alternative medicine and knows that Americans are utilizing the practices associated with it on an increasing basis every year. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is a part of the National Institute of Health (NIH), not the FDA. The NCCAM recognizes AOM or TCM as a “whole medical system.” Federal agencies are aware that OM and Chinese herbal medicine are a discreet medical system separate from allopathic medicine. However, the current regulatory apparatus within the FDA is not designed to recognize the place for herbal medicines as a legitimate healing medical modality in the United States.

It is clear to myself and others in the AOM profession that what is necessary at the present time is to create a recognized non-drug status for herbal medicine. We must bring herbal medicine, and specifically Chinese herbal medicine, into the pantheon of recognized conventional medical options for all Americans. The mechanism for achieving this is to amend the FD&C (Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic) Act to recognize Chinese herbal medicine and to establish an appropriate regulatory structure for this class of products. Toward this end we must support the efforts of the AAAOM that is working to achieve the goal of securing the rightful role for herbal medicine in the 21st century.

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.

- John Weeks, publisher-editor

Oops, They Did It Again: Open Letter to the New NCCAM Director, Josephine Briggs, MD

On January 24, 2007, NIH Director, Elias A. Zerhouni, MD, named Josephine P. Briggs, MD, as the director designee of the NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Briggs has expertise as a researcher. She's an NIH insider who ran a division at another institute. However, she has not evidently had any professional relationship to integrative medicine or complementary and alternative health care. For the second time, the NIH has saddled the $123-million Center with a greenhorn. Everyone with whom I speak asked that she be given time. I agree. I send this open letter to Dr. Briggs regarding her new responsibilities and what she might do to limit the adverse effects of this error of omission.
More ...

Your Comments: 12 Voices on NIH Appointing, to Direct NCCAM, a Scientist Inexperienced in CAM

My open letter to Josephine Briggs, MD, who was appointed to direct the NIH NCCAM despite having virtually no experience in complementary or integrative medicine, produced a dozen, printable responses. Here are comments from Harvard Associate Professor Michael Cohen, JD, naturopathic medical leader Bruce Milliman, ND, Integrated Healthcare Policy Consortium chair Sheila Quinn, holistic medicine pioneer Bill Manahan, MD, nurse-coach Linda Bark, RN, natural product consultant Michael Levin, publicist Rhonda Benfield, Georgetown law professor Sherman Cohn, JD, Kaiser Permanente physician Lydia Segal, MD, Healing Quest TV producer Judy Brooks and some who preferred to remain anonymous. This piece concludes with an excellent report from CAM entrepreneur Taylor Walsh on Briggs' comments at her first NCCAM meeting, February 1, 2008.
More ...

IH NCCAM Responds to Integrator Open Letter Regarding Briggs Inexperience

The Integrator Open Letter to NIH NCCAM's incoming director, Josephine Briggs, MD, stimulated many comments. Many asked me to share any response from Dr. Briggs. On February 9, a response arrived, not from Briggs, but from NCCAM's public liaison, Chris Thomsen. The letter references Briggs' perceptions and plans relative to her taking over a position of tremendous influence for the field despite having no background in complementary or integrative medicine. Here is the letter, some musing on hope, and on colonization.
More ...

IHPM Conference to Cross-Fertilize Employer and Integrative Health Care: March 31-April 2, Orlando

Are you a clinician, researcher, integrative clinic leader, CAM network manager or professional association leader who wishes a crash course on employer-think to explore an d network possible relationships with employers? Are you an employer, union leader or government manager who is curious about how complementary, alternative and integrative medicine (CAIM) might enhance the health and productivity of your work force or members? If so, the March 31-April 2, 2008 meeting of the Institute for Health and Productivity Management offers an exceptional immersion for both stakeholders. Cathy Baase, MD. corporate medical director for Dow Chemical and I will be co-moderating an interactive, CAIM track at the state of the art of development. Take a look at what we've assembled.
More ...

CAM Educators Respond to MD-Created "Competencies for Integrative Medicine"

Running into a buzz saw. That may be the best description of what happened to the MD-led integrative medicine educators when they told some CAM educators that they were about to publish an articles in Academic Medicine on competencies in integrative medicine. The CAM educators, organized now as the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care, decided to conduct a formal, researched response which was published this fall in Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Here is a short report on a complex exchange between these educators, plus a response from Ben Kligler, MD, lead author of the Academic Medicine article.
More ...

Resources

Integrator Archive by Subject for January-June 2007
More ...

Integrator Archive by Subject for 2006: All Hot-linked
More ...

Practice Management

Energy in Motion: The Marriage of Acupuncture and Breathwork

The breath plays an integral role in the practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. From the first anxious breaths of a new patient entering the treatment room, to the calm, rhythmic breathing of the practitioner inserting and removing a needle, the breath is a powerful force for both healing as well as anchoring our minds and emotions as we are faced with the myriad challenges of living in the modern world.

Both acupuncture and breath work are considered by many classically trained practitioners as forms of QiGong, which translates from Chinese as “energy work,” and both are gaining tremendous ground in Western medicine and science. There are many ties between the two from a QiGong point of view. Both seek to improve health and well-being through the manipulation and movement of energy from within and without.

Acupuncture especially emphasizes the movement of energy and according to QiGong philosophy, breath is one of the most important vehicles for the movement of energy. Qi is believed to move the blood, and it is breath that moves the qi. In fact every move in QiGong is centered around the breath and that can be true for acupuncture as well.

Dr. Siamak Shirazi, director and CEO of the 2bwell clinic in Portland, OR (www.2bwell.net), states that the breath plays a crucial role for both him and his patients throughout the entire treatment cycle, beginning with TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) diagnosis. He explains that from an energy perspective there are a number of ways to diagnose a condition. “One is to determine whether the condition is, from an energy perspective, excess or deficient in nature. For example, chronic cases of lupus, arthritis, or cancer are generally considered to be deficient conditions as they tend to weaken the patient. In theses cases the treatments are designed to “tonify” or build the energy. Fever and migraines are general examples of acute or “excess” conditions and one of the goals for treatment is to decrease or reduce the excess energy.”

Whether the condition is determined to be excess or deficient can dictate the treatment and even at what point in the respiration cycle the needle is inserted. For excess conditions the needle is inserted on exhale to decrease the energy and conversely for deficient conditions the needle is inserted on the inhale to build the energy.

In addition to guiding the actual application of the treatment, the breath plays an even more basic role in the doctor/patient relationship. Dr. Shirazi observes, “I’m very conscious of my own breathing when I’m working with patients. Sometimes patients are nervous about their treatment for whatever reasons. Maybe they’ve never had acupuncture before or there are other issues or stresses in their life. When I’m working on a patient like that I usually start with dantien (abdominal) breathing to calm myself down and to project that calmness to them. Nine out of ten times they follow my breathing without my mentioning it to them. I breathe deeply and get quiet as I start working on them, as I do that, they pick up on my rhythm, and become much calmer within seconds.”

Although Dr. Shirazi emphasizes the importance of breathing to all his patients, not everybody is open to that information, especially in the beginning. For many people, especially in the West, acupuncture is a foreign and mysterious practice. Too much information can be overwhelming to some. Calm, diaphragmatic breathing is as contagious as a yawn, and can go a long way toward allaying the fears of a new or nervous patient.

The breath is also an excellent method of staying focused and “in the moment” when working with a patient. When you become aware of your breath, it becomes much more difficult to think about the next breath or the last one, or to wander off into the past or future. This is the same quality of the breath that makes it such as valuable tool in sports, performing arts, and meditation. It keeps you present.

“Sometimes when I’m treating a friend or a regular patient, and we have a lot of things to talk about, or we are talking about life and politics, I can easily get caught up in the conversations,” Dr. Shirazi reflects, “and suddenly I find that the needle I’m inserting might hurt them a little more, or my technique is not as efficient, or it takes me longer to find the point, and so on. In those cases I realize that I need to focus and tune in, and just by breathing deeply I find myself much more focused and then the needles don’t hurt as much and the patient quiets down. It becomes a much more calming experience for both of us.”

Once the patient becomes comfortable with acupuncture and the concept of energy movement, Dr. Shirazi finds that his treatments are much more effective if he can enlist the efforts of the patient in continuing the “energy work” on their own. He explains that “in this culture we spend a lot of time analyzing everything, every second. We have this endless internal conversation taking place inside our brain at any given moment. We spend a lot of time judging ourselves in relations to others and other situations, rehashing past memories and worrying about the future. It doesn’t matter if these thoughts are happy or sad, it is just this constant ongoing mental conversation that, according to energy medicine, drags a lot of energy up from our body into our head and disconnects us from our bodies.”

Conscious breathing is a very effective method of directing this energy back down into our body and reconnecting the mind and body. By developing the practice of slow, deep abdominal breathing and visualizing the energy traveling down into the abdomen, they can keep the energy moving and avoid stagnation. Dr. Shirazi uses the metaphor of the breath as an elevator that they must consciously direct all the way down to the bottom floor, or a waterfall that they must follow all the way to the calm pool at the bottom so that it does not evaporate half way down.

By helping his patients to develop this practice of conscious breathing and awareness of their breath, he empowers them with an effective “energy medicine” of their own. As they become more and more comfortable with the technique and build the habit of using their breath, it augments his acupuncture treatments and can also serve as an effective antidote for the stress, anxiety, and frustrations of everyday living, long after they have walked out the clinic door.

Don Campbell and Al Lee are the authors of Perfect Breathing (Sterling Publishng/2008). They tirelessly write, speak, train, and blog on the subject. Discover more ways you can improve your health, performance, and well-being at www.perfectbreath.com. Reach them at info@perfectbreath.com.

An Interview with Dr. Zhou Hong

Dr. Zhou Hong is a QiGong master and doctor of TCM. He resides in the Huang Shan (Yellow Mountain) area in the Anhui province of Southern China. He is the seventh generation in his family lineage to practice traditional Chinese medicine.

QUR: To start, based on your experience and opinion, what is qi? What is QiGong?

ZH: Qi is a kind of energetic matter. It is the sign of the energy level of the physical body. It drives blood circulation and other movements of life. Qi is the governor of blood circulation, and blood is the tenor / carrier of qi power. Qi pushes the movement of blood circulation and whenever qi pauses, the blood stagnates.

Qi originates from the plants of nature--from heavenly bodies like the sun and the moon. Human beings breathe it to survive. If it is guided and controlled by yinian (will power), it will transform to qi energy. QiGong is an important part of the traditional Chinese way of healthcare. It refers to any of the various ways of healthcare practice, including neigong (the practice of internal energy), waigong (the external energy), tuna (breathing practice), za-zen, jinggong, and donggong.

All of these have three features in common: the first is to train the physical body (postures), the second is to practice breathing, and the third is to train the mind. It takes a lot of effort, but constant effort produces success. To send qi is to concentrate the sender’s life energy in ten minutes and give it off in one second. The receiver will respond in different ways ranging from feeling hot, tingling, cool, pinched, jumpy, to slightly painful. These different reactions correspond to the energy power sent by the giver to the receiver and the physical conditions of the receiver. So the practice of QiGong is very beneficial. A high level of qi means a better life quality.

QUR: In what circumstances did QiGong enter your life? Was there something that particularly fascinated you with this practice? What keeps you motivated to continue?

ZH: I started QiGong practice at eight years of age. Children are blessed with their innocence, and thus they easily concentrate on what they are taught. After four years of constant practice, I began to feel the benefits of QiGong practice. I felt my physical strength grow daily, and the energy levels went higher and higher. Since I was extremely interested in QiGong and martial arts, I kept practicing it; that is to say, interest is my motive to keep going on with my practice.

QUR: Can you tell us about your teacher or teachers? Does your QiGong come from a particular lineage?

ZH: I have been apprenticed to three masters. The first one was an old monk from the Shaolin Monastery. He was a friend of my grandfather. He taught me Shaolin QiGong and martial arts when I was eight. My second teacher is Master Li Xueyan, a great martial arts master, QiGong master and healer. Master Li Xueyan learned his gongfu from Master Chen Zhiyou, widely known as the Great Master in the Southern Yangtze Region. He spends most of his time traveling abroad. Master Chen’s teacher is still alive. His name is Shi Daolong, and he now living a reclusive life in the mountains. To go one more generation further, Master Shi has followed Master Wang Jinbiao, whose traces are hard to find now. My third teacher is Dr. Ge Mingtan, director of the massage section of the National TCM Healthcare Center.

In China, altogether we have all ten schools of QiGong and martial arts. The school that I belong to is the largest, the Gen Jia school, and its estimated membership amounts to between 20,000 and 30,000. Each school is loosely organized. Not much contact is maintained among them except for the annual meeting in Huangshan. Of course, only the representatives of each school and great master’s delegates attend the meeting. Usually they discuss issues of common interest and bring to justice those who have violated the rules.

QUR: As a QiGong master, how does your level of energetic cultivation affect your daily life? What can QiGong do for the public?

The high energy level in my body does me no harm, and instead benefits me a lot. I firmly believe that QiGong is an integrated part TCM. It has unique functions as distinct from other TCM methods. The QiGong cultivation can help improve the immune system of the practitioner. It emphasizes first cultivation of the mind, which corresponds to the nurse of nerve system, especially the central nervous system. Then it emphasizes breathing exercises, which correspond to the strengthening of neiqi (vital energy). The smooth movement of neiqi will increase the energy level and thus, consequently, the driving force is empowered.

QUR: What complaints can be treated with your QiGong treatments? Is there a particular set of syndromes or symptoms that this kind of treatment is more suited to?

ZH: My QiGong treatments can help heal insomnia, convulsions, gout, headaches (migraine), prostatitis, dysmenorrheal, frozen shoulders, neck and spine pains, lower back pain and leg pains. I would say that my treatments for insomnia and headaches are particularly effective.

QUR: Also, could you describe your theory on what the qi is actually doing to the patient’s body both on a physical as well as energetic level?

ZH: The TCM theory holds that the disharmony of yin and yang, biao and li, xu and shi, re (heat) and han (cold), huo (fire) and shui (water) will result in excessive storage of xie (evil), du (poison), blood stagnation and virus. They block the normal movements of qi and blood. Consequently, the patients will lose their balance, resulting in the outbreak of ill health. If the patient’s root cause for the loss of balance is found, I can help smooth qi movement and blood circulation, adjust his/her energy level and improve the immune system. Then the patient will recover on his / her own.

QUR: Have you been involved in any kind of QiGong research studies?

ZH: I used to be a member of the National Physical Training Organization on QiGong Studies, but the increasing demand of patients has taken up my time. And now I am no longer a member of that organization.

QUR: Please give an example of any case studies you would like to share regarding research, or patient histories with your QiGong treatments.

ZH: Here is a case of successful healing of chronic insomnia with QiGong and herbs. A wealthy middle-aged Indonesian woman suffered for 26 years of insomnia because of an unhappy marriage arrangement at the age of 18. She came to me through a friend of mine. At first glance, I knew she had something hidden in her heart and that she felt it was hard to reveal it to others. She told me that she had been on medication for her insomnia for the past 26 years, and she that she had to keep increasing the dosage every few months. Without them, she could barely sleep at all.

I examined her and noticed that she had been severely addicted to these sleeping pills. In her acupoints such as dazhui, zhiyan, ganyu, danyu, shenyu, and weiyu, heavy blood stasis / stagnation and poison were found. Having found the root causes, I cupped her on these points for 20 minutes first to take out the poison qi. When the cups were removed, the cupped area was deep dark and tough. Then I sent my qi worthy of 10 days life energy into her body in a couple of seconds; she did not show apparent response. Then I sent her again qi worthy of 20 days of life energy, and she started to respond. And finally I sent her qi for the third time, worthy of 30 days, and she reacted very strongly. After sending her qi, I cupped her again on the point where I sent her qi. In another ten minutes when the cup was removed, the cup was filled with dark poison and blood stasis. I covered the point with a black plaster, a mixture of 36 kinds of herbs. By this time, she said she was feeling tired and sleepy. I let her lie down and she slept soundly for 2 hours. And for the first time, she did not have to take any sleeping pills.

QUR: These treatments appear to be extremely strong. Do your patients ever experience negative side effects?

ZH: Different patients react to my treatments differently. Some react very strongly, some very peacefully, and some even feel shocked. But none has been reported having negative side effects.

QUR: At what point did you start studying forms of Chinese medicine other than QiGong?

ZH: TCM has a long history. Our ancestors have left us invaluable legacies over the centuries, including The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period, Shanghan Za Bin Lun by Zhang Zhongjin in the Han Dynasty, Qian Jin Yao Fan by Sun Simiao in the Tang Dynasty, and Compendium of Materia Medica by Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty. Many of these great medical masters are also masters of literature, martial arts, and QiGong. Their high morality serves as a great guidance in their diagnosis and healing practices with herbs and QiGong. As a descendent of Chinese dragon, how could I turn a deaf ear to these legacies?

QUR: You treat visiting foreigners with acupuncture, herbs, and QiGong. Could you tell us more about your current activities?

ZH: Yes, I am running two tuina clinics in China. I opened the first one three years ago, and it was an immediate success. So I decided to open the second one the very next year. Now both of them run well. Apart from my time I spend collecting and cultivating my own qi, I now spend some time training TCM massage skills to my technicians. and I treat patients from home and abroad.

QUR: What is the difference between your QiGong treatments compared to your regular acupuncture treatments? In your opinion, is one modality generally more effective than another? Or do you usually combine different therapies during one treatment?

ZH: There is no fixed way in my treatment. When needling and cupping does not produce the desired healing effects, I will resort to herbs and QiGong, which will usually bring out surprisingly good results. I would compare treating patients to fighting a battle. To win the war is our goal. In this sense I have no prejudice against any treatment, whether it is Western medicine, Chinese medicine, Indian medicine, or Tibetan medicine. It is good if it helps healing the patients.

QUR: You have current plans to come to the Unites States. Please let us know more details about that.

ZH: In 2002, I visited the United States and stayed there for 2 months. The limited time I spent left me with many regrets behind because quite a few people I did not have a chance to meet. So this time I plan to stay longer. First, I will check out my old friends and help get rid of their unsolved health problems. Then I hope to know more people and introduce to them the mysterious QiGong treatment.

It is my wish that my service to the American people can contribute to the natural health movement. Thanks to Dr. William Wood who has been helping us with the tour. We will arrange activities like demonstration treatments, QiGong performances, QiGong treatments, TCM tuina, TCM foot massage, TCM guasha, cupping, and needling. Special thanks to Charles Wang for translating this interview.

AAAOM Activities

News from the AAAOM

This month, like most months, has buzzed with AAAOM activity. Read on for details.

We sent out the following alert informing you about our new public members.

The American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM), is pleased to announce two new appointments to its Board of Directors. In accordance with the AAAOM Bylaws, Michael McGuffin, President of the American Herbal Products Association was elected as the public voting member to the Board, and Michael Taromina, Esq., was elected as alternate public non-voting member. “This is the first time the newly reunited AAAOM has elected public members to its board, and we’re excited about the depth of expertise and acumen that they will contribute to the strategic direction of the association,” states Martin Herbkersman, AAAOM’s President.

 


Michael McGuffin
Public Member
AAAOM Board of Directors		Michael McGuffin is President of the American Herbal Products Association. He has been active in the herbal industry since 1975, having owned and managed both retail and manufacturing businesses in this field. He is the Managing Editor of Botanical Safety Handbook (1997) and of Herbs of Commerce, 2nd edition (2000). He also serves on the boards of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, United Plant Savers, and the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance, and as Chair of the Industry Committee of the Plant Conservation Alliance / Medicinal Plants Working Group. Michael has been quoted in a variety of news publications such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek. He has made appearances on ABC's Nightline, National Public Radio, and ABC Radio, and authored several published articles.

 


Michael Taromina, Esq.
Alternate Public Member
AAAOM Board of Directors		Michael Taromina, Esq. has an extensive background representing and educating Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine practitioners, institutions, organizations and students. As the Chair of NCCAOM’s Professional Ethics & Disciplinary Committee he co-drafted the Code of Ethics and Grounds for Discipline and oversees the adjudication of misconduct cases from all over the country. As legal counsel to New York State Acupuncture Coalition (NYSAC) he has served an integral role in the drafting and lobbying effort to amend the New York State Acupuncture statute. He is also legal advisor to AAAOM’s Herbal Medicine Committee, NCCAOM’s Regulatory Affairs Task Force, TCM World Foundation, Acupuncture Society of New York (ASNY) and Chinese Medical Science Foundation (CMSF).Michael earned his undergraduate degree from Fordham University and his juris doctor from the City University of New York Law School.

In addition, The American Acupuncturist Spring Volume will go to press soon, featuring some of the best recent research articles in AOM available. Here’s a sneak-peek of the articles to be featured in the forthcoming Spring issue:

All Disease Comes From the Heart, by Heiner Fruehauf, PhD

Writing a Case Report, by Sivarama Prasad Vinjamury, MD (Ayurveda), MAOM, MPH(c)

The Pulse and the Individual, by Leon Hammer, MD

AA Interviews Gene Bruno, LAc, OMD

Hospital Acupuncturists: Are We Ready for the New Trend? by Jeannette Painovich, DAOM, LAC, MA

To Heal a Broader Community: Interview with Jordan Van Voast, LAc

The American Acupuncturist continues to provide quality articles for our membership and for the AOM community at large.

Attention all exhibitors: The AAAOM Expo 2008 Booth Map is online!

Chicago awaits you! Click on the following link for more information

http://www.aaaomonline.org/45075.asp

Our call for speakers is officially closed. Speakers for the Chicago 2008 event will be notified by March 10, 2008.

Links

Links to recent AOM articles online

“The move to nontraditional treatment is encouraged by AARP. "It's people who are willing to shed the old mantra of what is medical care and what isn't," said Cheryl Matheis, director of health strategy for AARP.”
More ...

German study on acupuncture and menstruation gets mainstream attention from Fox News and elsewhere:
More ...
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“U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Approves NCCAOM Certification Examinations for Veterans’ Reimbursement”
More ...

Choosing alternative medicine when given a choice: UCLA students fill acupuncture schedule at Ashe and John Wooden Centers
More ...

Integrative medical center includes preventative research center, working with Yale University.
More ...

Continuing Education and Events

Classical TCM Study Tours in China 2008

Zen Classical TCM July 2–12, 2008
At this annual Zen Classical TCM event we will live in the Buddhist monasteries of the Emei Mountain and study the tradition of the Sudden Enlightenment School’s External Energy Diagnosis and Treatment System. This system is very powerful yet very easy to learn. After students learn how to see and feel qi energy, they can use it to diagnose and treat disease. For acupuncturists, body workers, tai chi and QiGong practitioners their skills will be greatly enhanced. Daily practice in the monasteries and hiking through the rainforest makes everyone who journeys to this magical wonderland a more healthy, intuitive and powerful TCM practitioner. There are four levels to the system, which include:

Emei Mountain is one of the four sacred mountains of China and one of the most majestic holy mountains in the world. Rising above the sea of clouds at 11,000 ft. on the Tibetan borderland, it is a dense rainforest with many monasteries, crystal clear waterfalls, hot springs and exotic herbs. That’s why so many famous masters such as Lao Tsu, Sun Si Miao, Shennong, Puxian and Libai all made this their home. It is also why we have been organizing this amazing journey for twenty-four years!

For more info click:

  • Sacred Journeys
    53 Continental Ave. Forest Hills, NY 11375
    email: sacredjourneys@msn.com
    Tel: 718 268-3153

    March Seminars with Michael Gaeta

    March 5th, Huntington, NY

    Transformational Detoxification: Letting go of what needs to pass away
    I am Books 315 main street Huntington, NY
    7:30pm-9:00pm $20
    Call 631-271-5683 to register

    March 8th&9th, Knoxville, TN

    Saturday: Wholistic Approaches to Cancer Support and Prevention and Preventing & Treating Cardiovascular Disease
    Sunday: Integrating Key Western Botanicals in Clinical Practice
    Hilton Knoxville Airport
    2001 Alcoa Highway
    Knoxville, TN
    Call for more info 501-745-6696

    March 15th 2008, Columbia, MD

    Saturday: Integrating Key Western Botanicals in Clinical Practice
    Hilton Columbia
    485 Twin Knolls Road
    Columbia, MD 21045
    8:30- 5:30PM
    Call for more info 804-370-8166

    Wholistic Approaches to Cancer Support and Prevention

    According to the American Cancer Society, cancer, not cardiovascular disease, is now the number-one cause of death for Americans under the age of 85. One of the greatest unnecessary diseases of our time, about 156 Americans learn they have cancer every hour, and there are about 563,000 cancer-related deaths each year. One in two men and one in three women will develop cancer at some point in their lives. Cancer-related costs in the US are almost $200 billion per year. Exploding disease management costs in the US are one of the greatest barriers to national economic health.

    In most cases, cancer is essentially a lifestyle disease—a deficiency and toxicity condition that is usually preventable. Conventional treatments such as chemotherapy are symptomatic interventions that do nothing to address the source or cause of this disease, and often have effects on life quality worse than the cancer itself.

    Because of the staggering prevalence of this mostly needless disease, this is one of the most important and practical lectures available today. What you will learn will help you prevent cancer in yourself and others, possibly avoiding suffering and premature death for perhaps thousands of people. We will also explore natural options for supporting health in those who have cancer.

    Preventing & Treating Cardiovascular Disease

    Cardiovascular disease is the number-one cause of death in the world. The greatest unnecessary disease of our time, it affects 61.8 million Americans. There are over one million deaths per year (one every 33 sec.) in the US alone. The World Health Organization estimates 12 million deaths per year worldwide–every second death globally is cardiovascular in men and women. It includes hypertension (30 million people in the US), coronary artery disease (which includes heart attack and angina pectoris), stroke (3 million people in the US), congestive heart failure, and congenital cardiovascular defects. Costs to manage this disease in the US are well over $300 billion annually. Exploding disease management costs in the US are one of the greatest barriers to national economic health. Cardiovascular disease is essentially a deficiency condition that in most cases is correctable and preventable.

    Integrating Key Western Botanicals in Clinical Practice

    Western herbal medicine has much to offer the Chinese medicine practitioner. Rather than attempting to teach how to integrate the entire Western material medical into an AOM setting, this presentation will explore the clinical relevance of incorporating a limited range of essential Western herbs. We will begin with an overview of Western herbal medicine, including the energetics of Western herbs, and issues of efficacy and quality. We will continue with a short review of key Western herbs that have major relevance in the AOM clinic. Echinacea, for example, emerges as a key herb for immune system function that has no counterpart in TCM. You will learn of groundbreaking new research, which will significantly change what you know about Echinacea's effects on the immune system and how it actually works. The seminar emphasizes a practical way to introduce Western! herbs into the AOM clinic—based on the presenter’s clinical experience and validated with case histories, which demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.

    NCCAM'S Advisory Council Welcomes Six New Members

    February 1, 2008

    The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) welcomes six new members to the National Advisory Council for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NACCAM). The Council serves as the principal advisory body to NCCAM, the lead federal agency for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) research and a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

    The Council is composed of physicians, scientists, licensed CAM practitioners, and members of the public who contribute their time and expertise over a 4-year term. Members meet three times per year offering advice and recommendations on prioritization, conduct, and support of CAM research, including research training and communication of evidence-based health information.

    New NACCAM members include:

    The AAAOM has issued a statement (PDF) protesting the appointment of Lupo Carlota to the NCCAM Advisory Council.

    Record Number of Medical Students Visit Northwestern Health Sciences University to Learn More About Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

    BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — More than 180 students from the University of Minnesota medical school met with students and faculty from the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MCAOM) for an interactive seminar on the campus of Northwestern Health Sciences University on Jan. 25. This is the sixth year for the seminar, and had the highest attendance rate ever. The field trip was designed to introduce medical students to other modalities in health care.

    The event gave medical students an opportunity to ask questions and see Oriental medicine in action. MCAOM students and faculty offered demonstrations of acupuncture, herbal medicine, pulse and tongue diagnosis, as well as techniques like moxibustion, tui na and cupping.

    “It’s been a fabulous experience,” said Karen Lawson, MD, who helped organize the U of M student field trip. Dr. Lawson is also a lecturer for the U of M Center for Spirituality and Healing. “This is usually the top-rated rotation, with 95 percent of our students participating, which is unheard of. It’s been very well received, and students have the realization that Northwestern students are their peers. They gain a whole new level of understanding and respect for them.”

    Dr. Lawson said U of M students who become interested in Oriental medicine have the opportunity in their third year to have a more in-depth experience with practitioners.

    “Five to 10 percent do more intensive training, and two have actually taken a specialty acupuncture course,” Lawson said.

    Sarah Weaver, a T7 MCAOM student and Corrie Vihstadt, a T8 MCAOM student, were two of the volunteers at the event. “I think this is really fun,” Vihstadt said. “The U of M students are pretty open-minded when they visit. Last year they had lots of questions.”

    Weaver agreed, saying she thinks allopathic and Oriental medicine are beginning to complement one another more and more, as instructors and students on all sides begin to work together. “The medical doctors are very encouraging and excited about this opportunity and the relationships it can form,” Weaver said.

    Mark McKenzie, MOm, LAc, dean of MCAOM, said it is a great opportunity for his students as well. “We engage almost our entire student body, from T2 to T9 students,” McKenzie said. “This gives them an opportunity to share their excitement and knowledge; I think it’s a transformative experience for them.”

    Northwestern Health Sciences University offers a wide array of choices in natural health care education including chiropractic, Oriental medicine, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, human biology, and integrative health and wellness. The University has more than 900 full-time students on a 25-acre campus in Bloomington, Minn.

    Condolences

    Jan Jensen, DC, LAc, of Elm Grove, WI, passed away late February. She was a member of the AOM Alliance for some years. She practiced in a multi-disciplinary group, using a mixture of Clinical and Applied Kinesiology, Bioset, NAET, homeopathy, NET, cranio-sacral therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese herbology, nutrition, performance enhancement and functional medicine testing.

    AAAOM Student Organization

    AAAOM-SO Progress Report

    The AAAOM_SO has been hard at work, and we thought you might be interested in what we have been doing for you, our valued members!

    All members of the SOC (Student Organization Council) have been getting ready for the Half Price Student Membership Drive that will take place the month of March: AAAOM-SO Announcement

    Special thanks go to Margo Schaeffer and Niall Sheehan who co-chair the Membership Committee.

    Margo is the AAAOM-SO regional director coordinator and a senior flight attendant for Midwest Airlines. As such she spends a lot of time in many cities, taking the time to visit with schools and students of acupuncture and Oriental medicine to let them know about our great student organization. Niall Sheehan, AAAOM-SO vice-president, is a valuable addition to the SOC.

    Co-president, Amanda Troelsen, and Jolene Habeck, co-president elect, have been busy leading the Election Task Force and sorting our election process- no small task. Last year was the first big election for the SOC. The main goals of the Election Task Force include notifying all student members about available election opportunities well in advance of the conference and to create a system for receiving nominations to ensure receipt of all nominations. We will allot plenty of time for elections during this year’s national student caucus at the Chicago, 2008, conference.

    Co-president, Patty Fullin, attended the AAAOM February board meeting. It was a great honor for the parent board to include the SO co-presidents at their annual event. The AAAOM-SO will have its own spring board meeting during the Great River Symposium at the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in March.

    Jolene Habeck, co-president elect, also serves on the SOC Media Committee with Melissa Monroe, SW Pacific regional director. They have been busy recruiting and providing content for the student section of the Qi Unity Report as well as The American Acupuncturist. This year, the AAAOM has graciously given the student organization its own section in both publications, and we couldn’t be more pleased or grateful. We are seeking out students willing to submit articles. This is a fantastic opportunity to build your reputation as a practitioner and/or researcher before you are even out of school! If interested please contact Jolene or Melissa at jhabeck@nwhealth.edu or mmmonroe2000@yahoo.com.

    Jolene has recently created a postcard to send to all AAAOM-SO members when they join or re-new their membership. Check for these in the mail and kindly take the opportunity to update your contact information with us. Your membership in the AAAOM-SO includes receiving the on-line Qi-Unity Report and other alerts from the AAAOM. We realize that some students have not been receiving the Qi-Unity Report, so, again, please contact us to update your contact information.

    As she scours the recent press on acupuncture, Melissa Monroe has been reporting to AAAOM on all “bad press” and inaccuracies she finds regarding acupuncture and Oriental medicine. This enables AAAOM to clarify or correct this misinformation. She will also be making a site visit to Academy of Oriental Medicine in Austin, Texas, in mid-March.

    Also, look for the brand new AAAOM-SO brochures that have been shipped to all schools in mid-February. We are very proud and excited to use these brochures which provide a brief description of what we do, who we represent, and how to get involved. They can be used to recruit members to your local chapter. Thanks to Jolene for her ability to write things at the speed of light and to the AAAOM graphic designer, Melinda Lang, who took our copy and made it look outstanding!

    We have exciting news for Koala Moore, our president emeritus and AAAOM-SO liaison to the AAAOM-BOD. In January he became a first-time father to a boy. Congratulations to Koala and his wife Nadia!

    Thank you all for your continued support, and we look forward to hearing from each and every one of you. AAAOM Forums

    For the love of Oriental medicine,

    The AAAOM-SOC

    Great River Symposium and AAAOM-SO Student Caucus

    By Robert Lowe, Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

    All acupuncture and Oriental medicine students are invited to attend the 2nd Annual AAAOM-SO Student Caucus on Friday, March 28th held during the Great River Symposium, hosted by the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MCAOM), in Bloomington, Minnesota. This symposium will also serve as the meeting place of the second 2007-08 AAAOM-SO Council board meeting.

    The student caucus will begin at 6pm, Friday, immediately after the last lecture of the day. Marilyn Allen, an AAAOM-SO member-at-large, and one of the symposium’s lecturers, will address the caucus as the keynote speaker. There will also be a presentation on current potential national legislation applying to acupuncturists. After the presentation, the floor will be opened for discussion with the Student Organization Council. This is a perfect time to share your views, get involved in the future of the AAAOM-SO, and consider running for a national position at the Chicago AAAOM national conference in October. (Those who attend will be provided with a light meal. There will be time to get to know members from other schools.)

    If you plan to attend the caucus, consider staying for the entire Great River Symposium. The featured speaker is Richard T. Tan, OMD, LAc, with presentations covering technique, facial diagnosis, the eight extra meridians, practice management, and much more. Between sessions, make sure you stop by the AAAOM-SO booth, just to talk or perhaps make a bid in the silent auction.

    The student rate to attend the symposium is $99, which includes meals. To find out more information on speakers at the GRS check out the schools website, www.nwhealth.edu. To register, please contact Kathy Allen at kallen@nwhealth.edu.

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    In closing,

    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!

    General Feedback

    In health,


    Rebekah Christensen,
    Executive Director
    Douglas Newton,
    Managing Editor