Hello Again Everyone and Happy Holiday Season!

This month I am talking about skin problems and Chinese Medicine, educating you on pearl, a commonly used "herbal" substance, and profiling two acupuncturists in the San Francisco area, one a veterinarian who works with race horses, and the other the acupuncturist for the San Francisco Giants.

I want to remind you all again that I am currently practicing the NET Technique along with my regular treatments. Also, I can now accept any of your insurance that will cover acupuncture. I have recently been accepted as an in-network provider with Blue Cross Blue Shield and with United Health Care and that should help some of you too. 

 Have a fabulous December, and

Best as Always,

Beth  

Acupuncture and Herbs for Dermatological Conditions     

After having a few of these cases come my way in the past several weeks, I am talking today about skin conditions and how they can be helped with both acupuncture and herbs.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a comprehensive medicine that can successfully address most of what ails a human being. A symptom is seen as a part of a whole diagnostic picture which includes emotions and mental state as well as physiological imbalances and lifestyle and environmental factors.

Bearing this in mind, skin conditions, or dermatological issues, have been recognized as a sub specialty in this medicine as long as TCM has been around.

The skin in Chinese medicine is considered the "third lung" and is an organ of elimination. Thus, it is subject to both internal disharmonies, often venting a condition of heat or other pathogen outward, and to external factors as well, a case of poison ivy or a sunburn illustrating this clearly.

Skin issues are often unsightly and uncomfortable and can be a source of great stress.

Western pharmaceuticals, although fast acting in the short term, (and life saving for the more serious problems), often come with issues of toxicity. They are generally suppressive therapies as well, and can push a pathogen working its way out of our systems back in to pop up later as the same or even a different problem, creating what TCM calls a "latent pathogen".

TCM seeks to identify and treat those imbalances that are responsible for these dermatolgical issues. Acupuncture is apropriate for most of these cases and herbs can be used both internally and externally too as a wash or an ointment.

Commonly treated conditions include but are not limited to:  acne, rosacea, allergic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, and just plain old dry and itchy skin. For a bit more info click here.

The term "herb" used to describe substances in the Chinese Pharmacopeia is a bit of misnomer, as most people think of an herb solely as a plant substance. Anyone more familiar with Chinese Herbology will know, however, that the term in this context is used more broadly, and that anything useful, animal, vegetable, or mineral has historically been, and is currently fair game. The term "medicinal" is a more accurate description. 

A classic decoction of Chinese medicinals will often look like what we consider a witches brew:  eye of newt and so on. Some of the more exotic substances used are scorpions and bugs, worms, deer antler, and musk glands. Minerals are commonly used and even charcoalized human hair and dried human placenta (though not commonly so don't worry). 

One of the more elegant non-plant substances used in Chinese Medicine is our common and much loved pearl.  It's Chinese name is zhen zhu, and the Latin name is margarita.  Its powdered form is often used, both internally and externally to beautify the complexion and skin over all. It is the main ingredient in Margarita Acne Pills, which work quite well for both teenage and adult acne as well as for some other skin conditions, and is the central star in Pearl Cream, a commonly used daily beauty ritual for many women around the world.

Some of margarita's other functions include its use as a mild sedative. It can also be good for tremors, palpitations, blurry vision, and can help to heal ulcers of the gums or throat.

Don't start powdering your pearls yet, however, as (mostly) all Chinese medicinals are used in formulas, and are prescribed on an individualized basis after a  proper diagnosis. If you think you could be helped by this "herb", see your local practitioner! And, if you want to know yet more, here is your link. 

I ran across these two acupuncturists' profiles recently, and as they both work in the San Francisco area, I am including them here together.

The first is a veterinarian (from Texas) who works with race horses at Golden Gate Fields, and the other is the staff acupuncturist for the San Fransico Giants (which sounds like a good job to me).   

These profiles illustrate the variety of settings acupuncture can be of service in and on my opinion are great and interesting reading.