Elizabeth Moose, LAc, (Beth) has been a Licensed Acupuncturist since 1988 and has been practicing full time in Austin since 1992. She has traveled and studied in China, and was on the faculty of the Academy of Oriental Medicine, Austin for eleven years where she taught the Theory and Philosophy course and was a clinical supervisor. For more info click on the website link below.
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Hello Again All,
Welcome to the dog days of Austin, I hope you are all
staying cool and that your summers have been
wonderful!
Here I am with
my monthly newsletter again and I hope
you continue to find it
informative and interesting.
I am featuring a bit about PMS (premenstrual syndrome)
and a great herbal formula for it in this
month's issue. PMS
is a common problem and Free and Easy Wanderer is a
great formula that is often used for PMS.
I am also reminding you once again of the class I will be
teaching at Unity church of the Hills on four Monday nights
starting Sept 13. It will be a fun class that will cover the basic theoretical structure of Chinese Medicine and much practical
information. See below for more details.
And, as always, if you have specific questions or interests
be sure to let me know. Thanks for forwarding this on to
others who might be
interested, and look at the bottom of this
email for a special offer.
Best as Always,
Beth
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PMS and Chinese Medicine
 Did you know that Chinese Medicine has understood and been
able to treat the symptoms of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) for many hundreds of
years? Yes, it is true, and the good
news is that PMS is relatively easy to treat!
Although PMS is common in western women and often
assumed a normal part of life, it is not a healthy sign and signifies imbalance. Severity of symptoms can run the continuum from very mild to downright debilitating. It can also overlap with other, more serious menstrual-related problems.
So, why not get relief, and a reassurance that later
menstrual and reproductive problems are less likely to happen?
The particular constellation of symptoms associated with PMS
in Chinese Medicine relate to the Liver and Spleen energies. (Always remember that when referring to
organs in Chinese Medicine we are not referring specifically to the western
organs but to a group of energetic functions the organs represent peculiar to this system,
so, it does not mean there is anything wrong with one's organs!)
The Liver energy initiates the menstrual cycle and the
Spleen controls the creation of blood. When the Liver is out of balance it can manifest symptoms of irritability, anger, sadness, weepiness, breast distention
and menstrual pain. When the Spleen is
involved, issues of sugar cravings, bloat, foggy headedness, irritable bowel,
and anemia are also possible.
Emotional issues, lifestyle and diet can be big contributors
to PMS so a look at these factors is always called for. Otherwise, acupuncture and Chinese herbs are
usually a gentle, easy, and effective treatment for PMS and a great way to go!
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Herbal Formula: Free and Easy Wanderer
 This commonly used Chinese herbal formula is also known as Relaxed Wanderer or by its Chinese name, Hsiao Yao Wan.
I have included this formula this month because it is often
quite successful at treating mild to moderate cases of PMS among many other
symptoms.
This formula is used widely because of its ability to take care of many issues that come from
an imbalance of the Liver and Spleen energies (which are very common), and
because of its safety and availability.
The name takes itself
from one of the functions of the Liver energy which is to regulate the
smooth "free flow" of circulation throughout the
body. When it is doing its job
correctly, the Liver is the Free and Easy Wanderer.
One does not have to have PMS or be a woman per se to
benefit from this formula. Among the symptoms this formula treats include
irregular and/or painful menses, PMS,
headache, dizziness, depression, anxiety, constipation, nausea, allergies,
breast lumps, menopausal symptoms and more.
It is important to
know when reading the above list of symptoms
that there may be multiple causes for each. So, to be effective for
headache, for example, the headache would need to be from an imbalance
of Liver energy. Discerning this is where a licensed
practitioner comes in to do a differential diagnosis, and give you the
most appropriate formula for what is specifically ailing you.
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Chinese Medicine Class at Unity Church of the Hills
 Happy and Healthy with Chinese Medicine: Principles
and Self-Care
Have
you ever wondered about the foundational ideas of Traditional Chinese Medicine
and how you might put them to greater use in your everyday life to keep you
balanced, healthy, and happy? This four week class introduces you to the
basic theories of this life science as well as to much practical
information. Theoretical topics include Yin Yang and Five Element
theories, fundamental substances, and causes of disease. Ear acupressure
will be introduced as a self-care modality, and several simple patent medicines
will be covered as well. There will be much information about diet and
lifestyle issues and a lot of fun as well! Of course I am biased, but I
think this is valuable information we should all know! Let me know if you have any questions, and to register on the Unity homepage click here.
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World Health Organization List
of Treatable Conditions
I want to include this list from the World Health
Organization in all my newsletters just to remind you of everything acupuncture
and Chinese medicine can treat. As a
practitioner I know this is just a partial list, but it is official and great
PR! To see the list again click here.
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