I haven’t been this grossed out in a long time.  I just got back from a long weekend trip to the east coast for a family reunion.  I don’t fly a lot, but I do take a handful of trips each year.  On this particular trip, for some reason, going barefoot through airport security had me totally disgusted. At the airport on the way home, the light hit the floor just right as I was heading through security. I could see the damp footprints of the thousands of people who before me had walked barefoot through this same line. I ambled through the line on the sides of my bare feet, trying to come into...

My ears ring when I get tired, and this week, I’m tired.  A little bit like a canary in the coal mine, when I’ve overdone it, my ears start ringing, signaling me to slow down, take it easy , and take better care of myself. Ringing in your ears, called tinnitus, affects about 50 million Americans.  While some, like me, have mild or occasional ringing, others experience noise loud enough to interfere with their everyday activities, including sleep. Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom, and it can be temporary or permanent.  Ringing in your ears is basically a phantom noise—you’re hearing...

I have no problem saying the F-word in front of my patients.  In fact, many want to say it too.  They’re getting Fat and many can’t understand why.  Yes, the obvious culprits are eating too much and not exercising, but many of my patients are eating appropriate portions and exercising, but still seem to be gaining weight. Here’s a list of some reasons you may be gaining weight; some may surprise you: Stress.  In Chinese medicine, weight gain due to stress is considered a Liver and Spleen disharmony.  In its simplest form, it’s the result of strong emotions (stress, anger, sadness) messing...

Can acupuncture and Chinese medicine treat migraine headaches?  This is one of the most frequent questions I am asked.  The person asking either is a sufferer or is asking because someone they know suffers, and either way they are all too familiar with the agony associated with migraines. I have treated my fair share of patients who suffer from bad headaches.  However, the pain of a migraine plus accompanying symptoms equals its own special kind of hell. While stress headaches are triggered by…um, stress, migraines can be set off by a variety of triggers, including certain foods, missing a meal,...

Ah choo!  It’s not a Chinese phrase, but it may mean that you’re coming down with a cold.  We’ve all had them.  You’re miserable, but not sick enough to stay home from work.  You think your runny nose is finally getting better, but then the whole thing sinks into your chest or you lose your voice.  You’re achy, your throat hurts, and you can’t sleep.  Life really bites when you have a cold. So what does Chinese medicine have to offer in the way of cold relief?  Well, it really is true that there is no cure for the common cold.  But the Chinese do have some tools up their sleeve in...

In our quest to be ever healthier yet drug-free, more and more Americans are turning to herbal supplements in unprecedented numbers.  Ginko for memory, St. John’s Wort for depression, Milk Thistle for the liver, and Saw Palmetto for prostate health—all can be found on the shelf at your local grocery or drug store. The idea of choosing your herbs while pushing a grocery cart seems a bit contrary to some of the principals behind the use of Chinese medicinal herbs. So here are a few items explaining their use and dispelling some myths behind Chinese Herbology. Myth:  Herbs are prescribed based on a...