The Relaxation Response

By David Treviño, L.Ac.

Several years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Herbert Benson M.D., research cardiologist, professor, author, and founder of Harvard's Mind/Body Medical Institute. Dr. Benson coined the term Relaxation Response. It was through his work that I learned about the scientific benefits of relaxation.

According to Dr. Benson, eliciting the Relaxation Response is extremely beneficial as it counteracts the physiological effects of stress and the fight or flight response. In his book The Relaxation Response, Dr. Benson explains that regular elicitation of the Relaxation Response has been shown to be an effective treatment for a wide range of stress related disorders. The Relaxation Response in essence is the opposite response to the fight or flight response.

The "fight or flight" or stress response was originally discovered by the Harvard physiologist Dr. Walter B. Cannon (1871-1945). It occurs naturally when we perceive that we are under excessive pressure, and it is designed to protect us from bodily harm. Our sympathetic nervous system is instantly engaged in creating a number of physiological changes, including increased metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, dilation of pupils, constriction of our blood vessels, and our blood becomes more viscous and ready to clot, enabling us to fight or flee.

It is not uncommon for individuals eliciting the fight or flight response to describe such physiological changes as muscle tension, headache, upset stomach, racing heartbeat, deep sighing, or shallow breathing. The fight or flight response becomes harmful when elicited frequently, as high levels of stress hormones are secreted and have been found to contribute to a host of stress related ailments such as cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, and others.

Luckily, the Relaxation Response turns off the fight or flight response, returning the body and its biochemistry back to pre-stress levels. Dr. Benson describes the Relaxation Response as a physical state of deep relaxation, which engages the other part of our nervous system called the parasympathetic nervous system.

Harvard researchers have found that regular elicitation of the Relaxation Response can help any health problem that is caused or exacerbated by chronic stress such as fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal ailments, insomnia, hypertension, and others.

In a 2004 news interview, Dr. Benson explained that when the Relaxation Response is elicited "our brain waves actually change to an alpha state, our blood pressure and metabolism goes down, and any condition made worse by stress will diminish."

There are many methods to elicit the Relaxation Response including visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, acupuncture, massage, breathing techniques, prayer, meditation, tai chi, qi gong, and yoga. True relaxation is commonly cultivated by breaking the train of everyday thought by choosing a word, sound, phrase, prayer, or by focusing on our breath.

It is important to note that the Relaxation Response is a deep state of relaxation and is not equivalent to sitting with our feet up and watching television, listening to music, or reading a book. These forms of distraction are useful, yet they do not induce alpha brain wave activity the way deep relaxation does.

One of the most valuable tools we can learn in our life is to stimulate deep relaxation. The key is making an effort to spend some time every day to learn to calm our minds and create inner peace. Learning to relax is a great skill that may enable us to be better equipped to deal with life's unexpected stressors.

According to Dr. Benson, the best time to practice the Relaxation Response is first thing in the morning for ten to twenty minutes. Practicing once or twice daily is sufficient to counteract the stress response and bring about deep relaxation and inner peace. The following is the Relaxation Response technique reprinted from Dr. Herbert Benson's book The Relaxation Response.

Steps to Elicit the Relaxation Response

1. Sit quietly in a comfortable position.

2. Close your eyes.

3. Deeply relax all your muscles, beginning at your feet and progressing up to your face. Keep them relaxed.

4. Breathe through your nose. Become aware of your breathing. As you breathe out, say the word "one"* silently to yourself. For example, breathe in, and then out, and say "one"*, in and out, and repeat "one."* Breathe easily and naturally.

5. Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. You may open your eyes to check the time, but do not use an alarm. When you finish, sit quietly for several minutes, at first with your eyes closed and later with your eyes opened. Do not stand up for a few minutes.

6. Do not worry about whether you are successful in achieving a deep level of relaxation. Maintain a passive attitude and permit relaxation to occur at its own pace.

When distracting thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not dwelling upon them and return to repeating "one."*

7. With practice, the response should come with little effort. Practice the technique once or twice daily, but not within two hours after any meal, since the digestive processes seem to interfere with the elicitation of the Relaxation Response.

* Choose any soothing, mellifluous sound, preferably with no meaning or association, in order to avoid stimulation of unnecessary thoughts.

Breathe easy, and feel your body relaxing.

References:

Benson, Herbert. The Relaxation Response, New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. 2000.

Treating Headaches with Chinese Medicine

By Joshua Herr, L.Ac.

Headaches affect many Americans. The frequency can vary from daily, weekly or monthly. The intensity varies from a mild nagging headache that interferes with normal tasks to debilitating headaches that can leave an individual bedridden. Medications can sometimes resolve a headache, but don't eliminate the root cause.

A practitioner of Oriental medicine is not only concerned with alleviating the headaches when they occur, but also understanding the root cause of the headaches. Correcting the cause of the headaches can eliminate their occurrence.

Chinese medicine understands the symptom of a headache to be one part of a myriad of symptoms that creates a pattern of disharmony that is present in the patient. Whether the headache is located in the back, top, side or front of the head all point to different clinical significance.

Identifying the headache location is a beginning step in making a differential diagnosis. After collecting further information about the headaches, like medical history, diet and lifestyle, the practitioner determines a diagnosis.

Common syndromes that lead to headaches are Liver Yang Rising, Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency, Liver Blood Deficiency, Stomach Heat, Qi and Blood Stagnation as well as others. Diagnosing the clinical syndrome enables the practitioner to create an acupuncture and herbal medicine plan that best fits the individual.

At the 56th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ, 2004;328:744-747) on the use of acupuncture for headaches was highlighted. The study had 401 participants with predominately migraine-type headaches, who received 12 acupuncture treatments over 3 months. At 12 months, headaches were less in the acupuncture group, patients used less medication and made fewer visits to their primary care physicians.

The above study illustrates the usefulness of acupuncture as a therapy for the clinical management of headaches. Often patients experience an immediate elimination or reduction of headaches with acupuncture therapy. The use of food diaries is another useful tool that can help to identify dietary factors that can be contributing to the occurrence of headaches. Wheat, dairy and sugar are common ingredients in an American diet that contribute to an internal imbalance that gives rise to headaches.

Herbal therapy remedies can also correct the internal imbalance that contributes to the reoccurrence of headaches, as well as treating acute episodes of headache. For mild headaches, placing White Flower Oil on the temples can resolve the pain. White Flower Oil is a Chinese medicine liniment that is great to have in the medicine cabinet. As well as treating headaches, it can also be used topically for sinus congestion, arthritic pain, sprains, strains, and bug bites. Use caution when applying White Flower near the eyes, because it can irritate them if placed too close.

If you experience mild, infrequent headaches, explore how dietary factors may be contributing to their occurrence. Try White Flower oil and/or the acupressure described in our Fall 2009 Newsletter. If the problem is more severe, Chinese medicine offers many natural therapeutic resources for you to consider.

Cupping Therapy

By Ann Wolman, L.Ac.

Many patients have experienced cupping as part of their treatment at the Chinese Acupuncture Clinic and have expressed curiosity regarding its origins and uses. Cupping has been widely used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. In ancient times, it was known as "horn cupping" and/or "bamboo jar therapy." Now cups are almost exclusively made of glass.

Early treatments focused on swellings and purulent swellings; however, over the years, cupping therapy has been expanded to treat a wide variety of complaints including arthritis, muscle tightness, sports injuries, sciatica, the common cold, post-stroke hemiplegia, abdominal and epigastric pain, menstrual cramps, intestinal spasm and even obesity. The use of cupping therapy has spread around the world and is now commonly seen in places as diverse as Cyprus, the Philippines and Turkey.

Cupping is done by creating a vacuum in a cup or jar, usually by means of heat, and applying the cup to the skin to draw up the underlying tissue. The amount of suction can be relatively great or mild depending upon the condition being treated. Usually a cotton ball is held in a pair of hemostats and dipped in alcohol. The cotton is ignited and inserted into the mouth of the cup while it is burning. The cotton ball is withdrawn quickly, and a vacuum is created as the cup is placed firmly against the skin at the desired location.

Cups can be moved (put an oil or liniment on the skin before applying) or left stationary over a particular area, for example, over the lungs to help decongest and ease breathing. Cupping can be combined with the application of liniments and with acupuncture. To remove cups, simply press against the skin at the base of the cup to break the "seal."

There are a few cautionary measures to keep in mind while using cups. Cupping should not be applied where skin is not smooth, or where there is a lot of hair, as it may be difficult to maintain suction under cups. Cupping should also not be applied over any abrasions or cuts. Smaller cups are often used around joints because they have rounded or angular surfaces. Too many cups placed closely together may pull surrounding tissue and cause pain. Cups should not be moved over bony prominences like the spine. Cups should not be left on for long periods of time (more than 15 minutes) to avoid blistering. Cupping should be avoided in areas where it would not be appropriate to have mild discoloration of the skin, like the face. Do not try to pry cups off from the top when removing them.

Cups can create bruising depending on the strength of the cupping process. This is normal and will resolve like any other bruise, disappearing without special treatment. Be careful not to apply a second group of cups until the skin has returned to its normal color.

Cupping has several advantages. It is safe, as long as it is properly administered, simple to perform, cost-effective and can be done at home as part of a self-care program. Cupping feels good, because it warms the area, releases heat and stagnation and relaxes muscles. I have one 5-year-old patient who regularly requests that "we do that cupping thing" on his back. Cups can be inexpensively purchased at the clinic, and your practitioner will happily go over an individualized treatment plan that can include cupping at home. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.

Yeast Infections, Antibiotics and Chinese Medicine

By Eric Aufdencamp, D.O.M., L.Ac.

Chinese medicine is very successful at treating yeast infections. The most effective way to treat yeast infections is to create an environment in which the yeast cannot reproduce. An overgrowth of a yeast-like fungus, called candida albicans, can result in conditions such as vaginal yeast infections, fatigue and digestive disorders.

Candida are naturally occurring cells found on the skin and on the mucous membranes. They only cause infections when they multiply due to the absence of beneficial bacteria. When found in the mouth, usually in infants, it is called thrush. It can occur on the skin in infants as "diaper rash" or in the vagina as vaginal yeast infections.

A primary cause is the use of antibiotics, which are used to kill harmful bacteria, but also end up eradicating beneficial bacteria. Other medications that contribute to yeast overgrowth include: hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, chemotherapy, and cortico-steroids.

Anti-fungal medication is usually prescribed, and the use of antibiotics, as well as any medications that contribute to this condition, are discontinued during this time, if at all possible. Often, once anti-fungals are discontinued, the symptoms will recur. This illustrates the necessity to approach not just the symptom of the yeast, but also the underlying cause.

Chinese medicine always aims at treating the source of disease. Any overgrowth of heavy, thick fluids is "phlegm" or "dampness." When it combines with "heat," it is called "damp-heat" or "phlegm-heat." Dampness or phlegm is always considered a symptom, and the root cause of the dampness needs to be addressed for effective treatment.

In Chinese medicine, the Spleen transforms and transports the foods and fluids we eat. When it is weak, the normal fluids of the body become pathological, creating dampness or phlegm. If the discharge is thick and white, with little smell, then it has not yet combined with heat. If it is strong-smelling, yellowish and burning, then it has become "hot."

Acupuncture, herbs and dietary therapy all work toward strengthening the body so that heat is cleared, dampness is eliminated, and the food and fluids are transformed.

Dietary Therapy

Foods that contribute to dampness include:
alcohol, greasy and fried foods, sugar, juices, fruits (especially tropical), peanuts, dairy products, fermented foods, and wheat-based products such as pasta and breads.

Foods that help eliminate dampness include: vegetables, especially dark, leafy greens; beans like mung beans, adzuki, and lentils; grains, including millet, basmati or jasmine rice, and barley.

Herbal Therapy

Once a diagnosis is made, a formula can be prescribed to address the specific cause of your condition. Additionally, a vaginal herbal douche can be made and applied at home for more immediate relief. Yin Care wash, a pre-made herbal solution, can also be used as a vaginal douche at home.

Stress, whether chronic or acute, weakens the immune system, disrupting the natural balance of the body. This may be a contributing factor for recurrent yeast infections. Relaxation techniques and slowing down are important for strengthening the immune system.

Acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietary therapy are all important components for effectively treating and preventing yeast infections.

Gardening: What Is Cultivated By Us Is Also Cultivated Within Us

By Rachel Nowakowski, L.Ac.

After a long winter indoors, many of us are ready to reconnect with nature and get the garden started. In addition to creating beauty around us, we can use gardening as an opportunity to cultivate a balanced life. Self-cultivation comes through awareness of our daily thoughts and actions and the simple act of tending a garden can be one way to practice. Think about how you feel when in a beautiful garden: relaxed, quiet, tranquil. Gardening can help us achieve that feeling in our daily lives.

For centuries, gardens have been sacred places of meditation and prayer. In the spiritual traditions of the east, Taoist gardeners use garden design as a means of self-development through their connection with nature. The Tao Te Ching, written in the 6th century BC, discusses the cycles of yin (dormancy) and yang (action). In the garden, we see the yin aspect of this cycle as plants hold their energy inward at the roots to rest for winter. As the days warm up, the yang energy is seen in everything blooming and coming back to life. When we observe nature’s phases, we are reminded that we should balance our hectic schedules with time for rest and renewal.

Gardening slows us down so we are able to see the Five Elements in action. As we work the soil (earth) with our tools (metal) we are able to grow our plants (wood) with the help of the rain (water) and sun (fire). Early gardeners and farmers recognized that the elements we see in nature also exist inside our bodies. This idea of the body as a microcosm of the universe is the basis of Chinese medicine theory.

Gardening puts us more in touch with nature and reminds us about:
Balance. Find time to rest between activities to balance the yin and yang energies.
Patience. There are things we cannot rush. We need to slow down and let it happen.
Gratitude. Be thankful for the beauty around us, in the garden or wherever we find it.

Exercise: Breathing in Beauty
(From The Inner Garden, by Diane Dreher)
The next time you are in the garden (or anywhere outside), practice this simple exercise.
1. Pause, take a deep breath, and look around you, slowly breathing out.
2. Look for something beautiful: a tree, a flower, the sky overhead.
3. Take a deep breath and breathe in its beauty. Then slowly breathe out.
4. Smile and open your heart as you take another deep breath and release.

Chinese Acupuncture Clinic To Participate in USDA Research Project Growing Chinese Herbs in the US

By Mary Cissy Majebe, O.M.D.

High Falls Garden, one of the leading producers of Chinese herbal products grown in the United States has requested assistance from the Chinese Acupuncture Clinic for a United States Department of Agriculture Research project. M. Cissy Majebe will be on the Advisory Board for this 5-year project focusing on Specialty Crop Research.

There is a strong movement to grow Chinese herbal medicines in the United States. As one of the leading private clinics in the United States, the Chinese Acupuncture Clinic will share information and expertise guiding this project towards cultivation of herbal products in the U.S.

Yin Qiao, a basic formula that many of you may use for Wind Heat invasions, has many ingredients that you are already familiar with, as they are plants that grow in our area. Some of the ingredients of Yin Qiao are bo he, jin yin hua and lian qiao. These names may seem foreign and exotic, but when we translate them, we see that they are simply mint, honeysuckle and forsythia, which are familiar to most of us.

It is not that the Chinese have entirely different ecosystems from the U.S., but the Chinese do have a highly developed system of medicine that has developed herbal remedies over a period of thousands of years. It is our hope that by participating in this project, the Chinese Acupuncture Clinic can help to create more opportunities in the United States for the cultivation of medicinal plants.

Due to our new computer systems put in place by Joshua Herr, we are now able to track which herbs are being used the most in our clinic. We are excited about our clinic's participation, as well as Cissy's role on the Advisory Board, for this United States Department of Agriculture project. Hopefully, it can lead to more cultivation and farming of Chinese medicinals in the United States.

The Balance Method

By Joshua Herr, L.Ac.

In Chinese medicine, there is a continual dialogue about how to achieve balance. One of the laws of nature is represented by the tai qi symbol, which is more popularly known as the yin yang symbol. The tai qi symbol represents a natural law of dynamic balance that is found in nature. For example, as the earth spins, there is a dynamic balance between night and day, and hot and cold, as the sun's position changes.

When you come to an extreme point of the day (the least or most amount of sunlight), the balance shifts, and the less dominant element becomes the predominating element. This is one basic concept that Chinese medical practitioners use to help patients. By assessing the state of the internal environment of the body and the balance of the meridians, a practitioner can choose the best herbs, foods, and acupuncture points to create harmony for the patient.

One common area of acupuncture study is called Microsystems. Microsystems is a term that is used to describe a unique map of acupuncture points that are distributed over a small area of the body. Microsystems use the concept of yin and yang to explain why an area of the body that has an anatomical resemblance of another part of the body can be used to treat that other area of the body.

You may have seen the ear acupuncture charts that we have around the office. In these diagrams, you can see that the points are distributed in a manner that represents the body parts of a person. The lobe of the ear is visually and structurally similar to the head. This is why acupuncture points found on the lobe of the ear effect illness of the head, including nose, ears, eyes, etc.

The Microsystem of the hand can also be seen as visually and structurally similar to the human body. In this system, the middle finger down to the wrist joint is the trunk, neck and head of the body. The 2nd and 4th fingers are the upper limbs, and the 1st and 5th are the lower limbs. The palm of the hand effects the internal organs of the body, while the back of the hand effects the back of the body and skeletal-muscular disorders of the shoulders, hips and back. There are additional Microsystems found on other areas of the body including the scalp and foot.

Another way of using acupuncture to send a message of balance to the body is by using the Primary Meridians to find which point will send the best message to that part of the body that is in distress. These points are usually very tender or sore when massaged. This technique of finding treating tender points on areas of the body that reflect illness located at another body site is commonly referred to as the Balance Method.

Primary Meridian is the term used to describe the 12 Primary Meridians that travel the length of the body, beginning or ending at the tips of the fingers or toes. These are the full body meridian charts that can be seen in the treatment rooms. When using the primary meridians to find a therapeutic balance, points along the entire arm and/or leg are used to heal other parts of the body. The practitioner first diagnoses which meridian has an imbalance (this is the meridian that travels through the area of the patient's illness). The second step is to determine which primary meridian will best balance the out-of-balance meridian by using the natural laws of yin and yang. The third task is to find points along the primary meridian chosen for treatment that will send the most effective signal to the distressed area of the body.

With this system, like the Microsystems, it can be observed that there is a visual and structural similarity between two distinct areas of the body. For example, the inside light skin area of the elbow can be used to treat the light skin area of the knee on the opposite side of the body.

At the end of this article I have listed the names and point locations for four acupuncture points of the hands that can be massaged to relieve a headache. The best point to choose is based on the location of the headache. When using these concepts to select the best point to treat the headache, the wrist of the person represents the neck and the hand represents the head and face. Have fun experimenting with the Balance Method and the next time you hurt your ankle, search for the very tender point that can be found in your wrist on the opposite side of the body.

Acupuncture Points To Relieve Headaches:

後洗"Back Stream" Small Intestine 3 - Trace the outside border of the pinky where the light and dark skin meet. This point is found in the depression that can be found on the hand just after you trace over the knuckle. Press deep to find the tender spot and massage to treat headaches located on the back of the head where the head rests when lying on a pillow.

少府 "Lesser Palace" Heart 8 - This point is found where the tip of the little finger rests when a fist is made. Press deep to find the tender spot and massage to treat headaches located on the side of the head and face.

合谷 "Joining Valley" Large Intestine 4 - This point is found on the back of the hand in the fleshy muscle found between the thumb and the first finger. Press to find the tender spot and massage to treat headaches located on the forehead or face.

When using these points, check to see which point is more tender. Is it the point on the left or right side of the body? When pain is located on one side of the body, generally the acupuncture point on the opposite side of the body in relation to the pain will be more tender and effective for treating the pain.