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Laura

About Laura

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Quitting Smoking with Acupuncture

Using acupuncture for quitting smoking is challenging for people. We have heard of many quick amazing “cures” but we have not seen it in our clinic.

Here at Acupuncture of Iowa, we follow the concepts presented by the National Acupuncture Detox Association. They say that the idea behind using acupuncture to treat addictions is that we help you stay off cigarettes after you stop. We help with the cravings, the nail biting, the nerves, eating too much and all the other things that make people break down and smoke again. We also coach you for success. At each visit with us, we will give you a few more hints about how to be successful in not smoking again. This treatment involves a few needles in the ears, and in the scalp. You will be seated in a chair so you don’t have to remove clothes or climb up on a table. We suggest that you plan to stop on a certain date, make your preparations, and then attend weekly acupuncture for six weeks after you stop. That will help you get through the hardest time. We cannot promise that you will not smoke again; that is your part. You will have to continue to choose not to smoke. We invite you to call for more information and schedule an appointment in our clinic. 319-341-0031

 

Acupuncture, Toxins, Toxicity, and Detoxification

For many years I avoided the words “toxicity, and toxins”. I told my friends to avoid using that word because it was too inaccurate. I thought it raised the specter of unclear health-foodie irrational thinking, and I never wanted to be associated with that stuff.

Then I learned about the function of the liver in detoxifying the body, learned about the very precise mechanisms by which detoxification takes place, and learned about the exact nature of where toxins come from, both outside of us and inside us. I learned specific foods and nutrients that are critical for maintaining the function of detoxification in the body, and I learned about testing to assess this function. I saw in my own practice the power of nutrients to help people lose weight and feel better. I became obsessed, for a while, with helping everybody become better at detoxification.

I sent some patients home with detox kits of various kinds, from drink powders and supplements to homeopathic approaches. I saw people get sick on many of those programs and learned how to help when that happens.  I even stayed on a detox program from Orthomolecular products for 8 week sat one point.

Later I learned that toxicity can come from even the gut microbes inside us, and that we have great difficulty breaking down our own estrogen in a way that does not produce carcinogenic by-products, and I felt overwhelmed by it all. For myself, I resolved to eat lots of veggies every day, a bit of natural meat and fish, reduce toxic chemicals in my home and workplace, and take supplements. But it is still a constant process and still gets overwhelming at times.

A few years ago, in a course with my teacher Miki Shima OMD, he said that acupuncture naturally increases the body’s detoxification process but in a gentle way. This seemed like a wonderful addition to my detoxification toolkit. And I saw in many patients the detoxification actually taking place.

People who have acupuncture can sometimes feel tired and a little sick the day after their first treatment. Dr Shima said this is evidence that they are detoxifying. Over time, people having regular acupuncture can have more energy, sleep better, have fewer symptoms of all kinds, and lose weight. They can lose cravings for unhealthy foods and substances, and they feel healthier. They get sick less often, and they recover faster from sickness and stress. All of this can be seen as evidence of the body being less toxic.

In specific cases, we will find signs of liver compromise on abdominal examination. There are many different systems of abdominal assessment, but my primary one comes from Kiiko Matsumoto and her teacher, Dr. Nagano. In this system the upper right quadrant, especially along the edge of the ribcage and between the ribs, can get tender or tight to the touch. This is a sign that the liver is not working as well as it might. Sometimes it also indicates gallbladder problems. We might find a person with these signs also has labs that show problems with liver enzymes, or even fatty liver. I assume that these people would also have difficulty with some of the liver detoxification pathways.

Relatively quickly, with a few acupuncture treatments, we can see these signs of liver compromise getting better. Less tenderness and tension along the right rib margin is easy to detect. This shows that general liver health is better, and often goes along with people having fewer headaches and other signs of toxicity.

In the spring, many people begin naturally thinking about detoxification. They have been sitting all winter eating “treats” and they are feeling sluggish. They are ready to get outside and move because they sense the body’s rhythm of the seasons. In Chinese 5 phase theory, spring is the season of wood, and wood is the phase related to Liver and Gallbladder. It all makes sense. So, in anticipation of the season of wood, we feel the call to detoxify. Of course.

Certainly the western medicine kidney is also involved in detoxification, but in Chinese medicine, this is not so much discussed. And I believe that liver is much more often the culprit in people who are toxic.

Toxicity is a complex issue. You can chase it with lots of supplements and powdered drinks, but acupuncture can be a much simpler and more efficient way to support detoxification naturally.

Affordable Acupuncture for Everyone on Wednesdays

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IMG_1763If you’ve been turned off by the high prices of acupuncture, you can now have this effective natural  treatment at a very affordable price. Community Acupuncture is a model in which a group of people receive treatment together. This is actually the most common way acupuncture is done in China, by the way. When the group is resting with needles, amazing healing energy shows up and everyone benefits. Nobody takes off clothes here; we just use ears, arms legs, and scalp points. Also it is quiet and peaceful. Nobody talks and people are just soaking it up. We have 6 chairs and two treatment tables so we can accommodate folks. This model has become very popular in larger cities where acupuncture can be really expensive. Affordable Acupuncture also a good way for patients to continue treatment when they have had some one-on-one treatments and want to keep it up for a lesser price. Clients choose their own fee for the series of visits, ranging from $25 to $40. Punch cards are available to make your visit even less stressful; just stop in and grab a chair. Clinic is Wednesday afternoons. Call the office to schedule your slot. The first visit will involve filling out a little paperwork and having a brief interview with Laura. We suggest that most people attend at least 4 sessions to get a good beginning. Preferably a series of 8 or more would be best for most conditions to get the best benefit. Consider buying a series for a friend as well. Affordable Acupuncture is great for everyone. Held at The Sycamore Rooms, 2414 Towncrest Dr. Iowa City, IA. Call for appointment at 319-341-0031.

We look forward to seeing you.

CUPPING is here

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DSC09539Cupping at Acupuncture of Iowa is safe and effective. Laura Christensen is a Licensed Acupuncturist who practices cupping and all other asian medical therapies professionally and safely. Cupping is effective for many types of pain and muscle tension. This interesting and unusual therapy is common in homes throughout East Asia. It has become more well known in the past few years due to the use of it by Michael Phelps, the Olympic swimmer who showed up with cupping marks when he began his races.

Cupping at Acupuncture of Iowa helps with pain by stretching muscles and fascia or connective tissue within muscle and under the skin. It improves blood flow in the area, and is said to strengthen the immune system as well. It is a fascinating therapy that is used all over the Eastern hemisphere.

Cupping, when performed by a licensed professional acupuncturist, is safe and effective. Treatments can be repeated once per week or so. Call today to schedule your appointment. 319-341-0031

July 4th Weekend and FOOD

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purple-flowerFor those of us managing autoimmune conditions, a big holiday weekend like this can be challenging. As I am currently on AIP, I am not eating grains, dairy, legumes, nuts, seeds, or nightshade veggies. That means no bun with my burger, no ice cream, no chips, no potato salad, no tabbouleh, no hummus…..

So, I’m getting prepared for my weekend eating events. Making my own AIP friendly ice “cream”, preparing a sweet potato salad to take along to share, and getting a few little things ready to take along in case there is nothing I can eat at one of the events. I love Epic bars for my protein, but I also love Nick’s Sticks. My special recent favorite is the Salmon sticks with maple flavor. Wow. I’ll have a couple of those in my purse.

I’ll also choose not to have beer, which has gluten in it, and greatly limit the wine. I’m already off of coffee, but I might take along a green tea iced tea to share. It might have lemon and perhaps even ginger for flavor.

I’m getting excited planning all the food for the weekend. And looking forward to a nice time with family and friends.

By planning ahead and anticipating the kinds of foods that will be offered, I can keep myself on track and have no regrets on Tuesday morning.

Sycamore Rooms Available for Classes and Groups

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We are now ready to rent beautiful Sycamore meeting rooms. These are two spacious newly remodeled professional the meeting rooms, one with kitchenette. Sycamore East is 24 x 30 with warm colors and carpet. Nice quiet space for a class or meditation group. Sycamore West is 30 x 30; a bright room with vinyl floor and kitchenette including microwave, coffee maker, hot pot, and sink. Meeting room chairs, tables, projection screen, digital projector, and white boards are available. Must reserve rooms 1 week in advance. Hourly and daily rentals available. Plenty of Free parking. Located in the Towncrest area. Two blocks from bus stops. Call us at 319-341-0031 to discuss rental.sycamore-rooms-photo-12compressed sycamore-roomsWestcompressed

Community Acupuncture for Iowa City

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Beginning in late September of 2016 we will have a Community Acupuncture Clinic at the Sycamore Rooms of Acupuncture of Iowa and Towncrest Natural Health Clinic.

This clinic model will allow students, seniors, vets and others access to acupuncture, who would not otherwise be able to attend due to financial constraints.

The clinic will be held every other Wednesday afternoon from 3 to 5 to begin. We will increase clinic dates depending on interest.

Acupuncture will be delivered in a group setting, focusing primarily on auriculotherapy (ear acupuncture) and hand and foot acupuncture styles that can help pain fast. Additionally we will focus on PTSD using scalp acupuncture.

Clients will be seated in recliners in a quiet, calm, relaxing, and warm environment. All initial interviews will be done in a private room to preserve confidentiality.

Cost of the treatments is on a sliding scale basis. Suggested is $25 to 40 per session.

Appointments can be made by calling 319-341-0031

Research shows acupuncture is as effective as Claritin for dust mite allergies

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Acupuncture has been found equally effective as loratadine (Claritin®, Alavert®, Shionogi®) for the treatment of dust mite allergies. Researchers from the Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology at the University Hospital Dresden (Germany) conclude that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of allergy related rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis. The researchers document that acupuncture relieves symptoms of rhinitis including nasal congestion, runny nose, post-nasal drip and sneezing.

The researchers compared an acupuncture treatment group with a medication group receiving loratadine, a pharmaceutical antihistamine. A total of 87% of acupuncture study group patients and 67% of loratadine study group patients showed improvements by the end of therapy. A 10 week follow-up after completion of therapy documents that 80% of acupuncture study group patients and 0% of loratadine study group patients demonstrated lasting improvement. The researchers note, “Both in the acupuncture and the loratadine group a significant improvement was gained under therapy. In the ten-week period following the therapy, a significant deterioration which led to the recurrence of the allergic symptoms was shown in the loratadine group, while the significant improvement of the symptoms persisted in the acupuncture group.”

Objective measurements included rhinoscopy examinations for nasal concha size and mucosa condition. This included evaluations of mucosal reddening and swelling of the nasal concha. IgE levels and interleukin (IL-4, IL-10, IFN-y) levels were also evaluated. Subjectives included evaluation of nasal obstruction, nasal secretion and sneezing attacks. Based on the results the researchers note “that the effectiveness of acupuncture is comparable to that of loratadine.”

Acupuncture exhibited the unique ability to stimulate the endogenous production of IL-10, an interleukin that blocks histamine release from activated mast cells. Reduced IL-10 in the nasal mucosa is associated with an increase in nasal allergy symptoms and acupuncture successfully increases IL-10 levels. The researchers note of acupuncture, “The results indicate the probability of an immunomodulatory effect.” This helps to explain, in part, the ability of acupuncture to provide lasting relief from allergies.

The researchers conclude, “Acupuncture is a clinically effective form of therapy in the treatment of patients suffering from persistent allergic rhinitis.” The researchers standardized the acupuncture treatments to include a protocolized selection of acupuncture points based upon Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles. The acupuncture points used for all patients were: LI 20, Bi Tong, Yin Tang, BL 2, GB 20, LI 4, LI 11, SI 3, ST 36, auricular 78, auricular 55.

Acupuncture needles were retained for 20 minutes per each session. Patients received a total of 12 acupuncture treatments at a rate of twice weekly. Seirin® brand stainless steel disposable needles were used of 0.3 X 0.30 mm size for body acupuncture and 0.2 X 0.15 mm size for auricular acupuncture. Seirin® was the first single use disposable needle originally developed in 1978. This brand is commonly used in medical research and is regarded as a premium brand acupuncture needle amoung licensed acupuncturists worldwide. Patients taking the drug loratadine received 10mg doses every morning. University Hospital Dresden

The new research conducted at the University Hospital Dresden confirms that acupuncture is effective for the relief of rhinitis. In related research, investigators documented a 96.5% success rate of acupuncture for the treatment of rhinitis. A total of 61 persons had a total recovery, 21 showed marked improvement and 3 showed no improvement.

Rhinoscopy and absence of symptoms was used to confirm the results. A 2 year follow-up confirmed the recovery rates. At a rate of 1 treatment per day, 15 acupuncture sessions consisted of 1 course of treatment. The 96.5% effective rate was achieved within 2 courses of treatment.

The acupuncture needles used in the study were 0.35 mm (28 gauge) in diameter and 40-50 mm in length. The acupuncture points chosen were: GB 20 (Fengchi), LI 4 (Hegu), and ST 36 (Zusanli). Supplementary acupuncture points were UB 12 (Fengmen), UB 13 (Feishu), Yintang (Ex-HN 3), and DU 14 (Dazhui). Supplementary acupuncture points were chosen dependent upon TCM differential diagnostics. In many cases, 20 minutes of manual needle manipulation were applied at each acupuncture session. Tonification and reduction acupuncture needle techniques and moxa were chosen dependent upon excess, deficient, heat and cold diagnostic patterns according to TCM principles.

The Dresden study differs from the second study in that a standardized set of acupuncture points was used for all patients in Dresden while customization of acupuncture point selections was made in the second study. In a third research project, investigators at RMIT University in Melbourne (Australia) studied 80 patients with chronic rhinitis. They concluded that acupuncture is an effective treatment therapy for rhinitis.

Acupuncture points LI 20, Yintang and GB 20 were the primary acupuncture points. Supplementary points included LI 4, ST 36, and CV 6. The acupuncture group had significantly better outcomes than either the control group or the sham acupuncture group. Each acupuncture session was 25 minutes and patients were given 16 acupuncture treatments at a rate of twice per week. Results were tabulated after a three month follow-up. Both nasal and ocular symptoms associated with chronic rhinitis improved significantly for the acupuncture group. Members of the acupuncture group were also able to reduce consumption of relief medication. The study concluded that acupuncture is “safe and effective” for the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR).

References:
Hauswald, Bettina, Christina Dill, Jürgen Boxberger, Eberhard Kuhlisch, Thomas Zahnert, and Yury M. Yarin. “The effectiveness of acupuncture compared to loratadine in patients allergic to house dust mites.”

Reference: An Hua, Qinhuangdao Port Hospital, Hebei, China. “Treatment of 85 Cases with Chronic Rhinitis by Acupuncture.” J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci. 2010, 8 (5): 318.

Reference: Evaluation of efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis. An, X 2006, Evaluation of efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis, Masters Thesis, School of Health Sciences, RMIT University.

– See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1310-acupuncture-matches-drugs-for-dust-mite-allergy-relief#sthash.VPlncw65.dpuf

President Obama Supports Acupuncture

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on 14 January 2010.

1-14-2010: Healthcare reform may include alternative medicine therapy language. In a recent town hall meeting in St. Louis, MO, President Obama noted that he supports acupuncture. A licensed acupuncturist noted that the National Institutes of Health and the Wold Health Organization have “discovered through their studies that alternative medicine is often more cost-effective and very effective”. The President replied, “it is pretty well documented through scientific studies that acupuncture, for example, can be very helpful in relieving certain things like migraines and other ailments — or at least as effective as more intrusive interventions”. He also discussed the challenges of integrating preventative medicine into policy making noting that the new Secretary of Health and Human Service, Kathleen Sebelius, former governor of Kansas, is charged with the task of implementing effective healthcare solutions.
In the St. Louis 4-29-09 meeting, Obama noted that policymakers are reticent to invest in preventative medicine because the political payoff is long-term and therefore does not help with immediate re-election concerns. The President further commented that “in the private sector insurance system, oftentimes insurers make the same calculation. Their attitude is, well, people change jobs enough for us to pay for the preventive medicine now when the problem may not crop up for another 20 years and they’ll be long out of our system, so we don’t want to reimburse it because it will make things more costly. That’s the logic of our health care system that we’re going to have to change”. Obama went on to state that the “recovery package put a huge amount in prevention”.

Acupuncture first received national attention in 1972 when President Nixon went to China and New York Times reporter James Reston successfully received acupuncture resulting in successful post-operative pain control. In 1997, the US National Institutes of Health published a report supporting the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture treatments for a wide range of healthcare issues. Under the Clinton administration, the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy was formed and The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) became part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Great Britain recently added acupuncture into its national healthcare system. Private insurers in the US including AETNA, United Healthcare, Blue Cross, and Blue Shield offer acupuncture insurance coverage options in their policies. However, it is unclear at this stage whether or not acupuncture and alternative medicine regulation will appear in federal law. Technically, the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) does not list acupuncture as a unique profession in the US Standard Occupational Classification codes. Rather, acupuncture is listed only as a modality. This technical glitch prevents acupuncture by licensed acupuncturists from inclusion into Medicare and Medicaid along with insurance coverage for federal employees. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) has collaborated with other national organizations to fix this omission.

Acupuncture is already practiced in several major hospitals including Cedars Sinai, UCSF, Maui Memorial, Clifton Springs, and Novato hospitals. The Harvard Medical School Osher Institute also supports the use of acupuncture and conducts ongoing studies. The advent of healthcare reform sheds light on the cost-effectiveness issue. Given the research and practical application supporting acupuncture as an effective means to control pain and treat illness, the federal government may open the door to alternative therapies in an attempt to reduce healthcare costs.

– See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/222-obamaacupuncturestlouis56398#sthash.2diz8HYe.dpuf

A Little History of Acupuncture

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I’ve been reading a lot lately on the history of CAM or Complementary and Alternative Medicine in order to prepare for my class next semester at the University of Iowa. One of the things I’m interested in is history of CAM, and in that research, have learned that Acupuncture actually came to Europe in the 1600s when European traders brought it back from their trips to China. The first person to write about it in European literature is a Dutchman. It spread around Europe and was practiced by physicians in Germany, France, Holland, and England (among other places). Writings from the time show it was widely used until the late 1800s and early 1900s, when it fell out of favor due to the “scientificization” of medicine at that time.

Another “CAM” therapy that was commonly used during that time was homeopathy. It was invented by a German doctor, Hahnemann, and was very desirable for patients because it was not painful or frightening, as were the common treatments of the 1800s like bleeding, emetics, and purges. Homeopathy involves giving an infinitesimal dose of a drug. A lot of the medicine practiced in those days was truly horrific and the patients were looking for gentler things to try and they loved homeopathy.

Acupuncture and Homeopathy were both widely used in Europe in the 1800s and were strongly embraced by the public. Acupuncture was practiced not according to the traditional Chinese methodology, but from a more “Western” perspective, based more on anatomy and just putting needles into painful muscles. Even when separated from the TCM theory that we use now in our practices, it was effective.

However, during the early 1900s, the Flexner Report came out, along with the organization of the AMA. The Flexner Report was funded by Rockafeller, and attempted to show that synthetic and naturally derived potent drugs were more safe and effective than the traditional methods and snake oil cures of the time. It was very convincing and began the era in which it came to be believed that the experience of a few patients and doctors was not as valid as large research studies with good controls. This was certainly an advance over the many frightening and bizarre medical procedures people regularly underwent at the time. Western Europe followed the United States in embracing scientific medicine at that time. And the tremendous developments in medicine during WWI and WWII advanced medicine greatly in the first half of the 20th century.

Acupuncture was forgotten until the 1960s and 70s when “hippee culture” brought people’s attention back to the idea that natural healing methods might be more desirable than chemical and surgical treatments. Homeopathy continued to be practiced widely in Europe and even in India, along side their traditional healing, Ayurvedic medicine. Homeopathy was paid for by the National Healthcare System of England.

Acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal medicine were certainly practiced in Chinese communities in the US during the time that Chinese migrated to the US to help build the railroad across the country in the 1800s. But it was not until Nixon went to China in 1974 that we heard about acupuncture in the press. One of his press corps developed appendicitis and had acupuncture as a pain control therapy after his surgery. He returned to the US and wrote about it in national publications. This was also the time that the “iron curtain” was coming down and we began to learn much more about life in “red China”.

My acupuncture school, The New England School of Acupuncture, began as a small group of students studying under Dr. James “Tin Yao” So, meeting in the back room of the Shambala book store in Harvard Square, Cambridge in 1975. It was the first acupuncture school to be formally organized in the US. Those first few students became the first teachers at the school, alongside Dr. So. I was in the 5th graduating class at that school.

Dr. Miriam Lee practiced acupuncture in California in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s She was arrested for practicing medicine without a license during the Reagan days in California. She served a couple of years in jail, and was pardoned by Governor Jerry Brown. Shortly after that time, licensing laws came to California which allowed practitioners of Chinese medicine to practice their art without fear of legal ramifications. Dr Miriam Lee is venerated as one of the early pioneers in the field of acupuncture in the US. She practiced a style of acupuncture handed down through the family named Tung.

I studied Tung’s style acupuncture with Miriam Lee’s student, Susan Johnson who practices in Santa Cruz. I feel honored to share some of that lineage and to have the very effective methods that were so powerful in Miriam Lee’s practice.

I hope this little bit of history may be interesting. I have certainly enjoyed learning more about the medicine of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries in our country and Europe.

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