THINK TWICE BEFORE ANY SURGERY ON YOUR BODY

Our body is the single most important wealth everyone owns. Treat it nicely and responsibly. Every single part of our part is there for some reason and benefits ourselves in one way or another. Think twice before removing it by surgery. The most common examples are tonsil and gallbladder, which more and more studies realize their function and contributions to keep a healthy body. Tonsil is the first protection in fighting cold or some respiratory diseases. Without it, the bacteria/viruses/xie qi will go directly to respiratory organs, and often cause more severe symptoms. The gallbladder is even more important to our body. It stores and excretes bile, which helps our body to break down the fat in the food. In acupuncture, gallbladder channel is one of the major 12 channels in our body. Without it, the negative effects are apparent. For example, people who removed it will never be able to enjoy bacon.

Another example is replacement of certain part of our body with metal and/or plastic counterpart, e.g. knee-replacement, hip-replacement. This kind of operation certainly benefits people really need it. However growing percentage of such surgeries seems to be too seductive, especially among younger patients (< 65-year-old). People are often attracted by the so-claimed easy and promising procedures without first looking for other alternatives. Thus the benefits out of such procedures are far less significant in these patients than in those who really need such surgeries. Please remember such operations are not reversible, and think twice before making the decision. In TCM, there are various ways treating the conditions (e.g. arthritis) that may require knee- or hip-replacement, including herbs, acupuncture, Tuina and massage. Please consider such alternative ways before the irreversible surgery.

Useful links:

New York Times article about knee-replacement

 

PRESCRIBE VEGETABLES, INDEED 请开蔬菜处方

Now a days, talking pills seems a thing as natural as having meals for some people. Do they really need that? Probably not. It’s not a doubt that certain drugs save lives. However this is mostly the case for acute diseases, for many chronic ones prescribed medicine is far from curing the disease rather than controlling the reading of some medical indices with side effects of potential damage to one’s liver and kidney. The more effective and safe way might be as simple as eating more vegetables. Well, it is actually not as simple as it sounds to be though. It means in some sense a change of one’s lifestyle. A strong mind is a must, and professional help is often needed to provide safety and effectiveness guidelines on a balanced diet.

In some cases, cancer can be cured by modifying one’s diets and lifestyle. Dr. John McDougall is one of the pioneer who strongly believe the effects of daily nutrients on diseases, and practice “diet and lifestyle medicine” on his patients. You can go to his websites to learn more about his way of curing. Ruth Heidrich is one of Dr. McDougall’s patient, and a survivor of stage IV breast cancer cured by proper diet changes and daily nutrient intakes. Consider to explore alternative medicine for your illness, and you may be surprised on the effects.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is another example of alternative treatment for some chronic health problems. Studies have shown that it can sometimes as effective as medication for reversing the deficits associated with chronic ailments. It is also shown that HIIT can be safe and more enjoyable as well as more efficient in preventing and treating the chronic illnesses.

BPA: ANOTHER REASON TO EAT FRESH FOODS

I still remember the fuzz caused by BPA (bisphenol A) a few year ago, when we rushed to change our baby plastic bottles to glass ones. We also keep shopping BPA-free product since then. BPA has been used widely in plastic bottles, the linings of food and beverage cans. Now new study continues to show that BPA can cause heart disease, and even raise blood pressure just within a few hours. And another question is whether BPA-free really means a more safer product. Alternatives for BPA are often chemically similar to BPA, e.g. bisphenol S. Thus similar effect on our body would be a good guess. Therefore, for the sake of our health, especially our kids, choose fresh foods, and glass bottles instead of cans, plastic ones as possible as we can.

2010 Canadian authority banned BPA from all children’s product

2012 FDA banned BPA usage in baby bottles and children’s drinking cups

New York Article about BPA

D.I.Y MOISTURIZER 自制护肤油

We have been making our own moisturizer for the purpose of preventing and treating diaper rash, eczema, chapped lips, hands and feet. It works great. It is easy to do. All you need is jojoba oil, bee wax, and a pot. Heat the jojoba, then put the bee wax in the pot until the wax melted, then pour it into a glass jar and let it cool, and you are done. We saved the used baby food jar for this purpose. No need for high temperature, just enough heat to melt the wax. The ratio depends on how hard/soft you would like the moisturizer be. You only need a little bit of bee wax to make the jojoba oil into solid phase. Test a few time, and then you will find the right ratio you need.  Now you have a facial/body moisturizer, lip conditioner, anti-eczema and anti-diaper rash moisturizer, all in one.

jojobaAs shown in the left photo, I often use 15-18 gram of bee wax for a bottle of 4 fl. oz jojoba oil (118 ml). And it will fill up a big baby food jar (6 oz). You can also choose other base oil, like argan oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil etc. We tried sunflower seed oil. It worked fine, but if you cannot finish it in time, it would smell like stale sunflower seed. Not very pleasant.

自己制作护肤油,纯天然,无任何副作用,只需要荷荷芭油和一点蜂蜡,加热混合一下就可以了,简单实用,自然美容。两者比例可以自己试一试,让护肤油有一个满意的软硬度。我通常用15-18克蜂蜡和118毫升(4盎司)荷荷芭油混合加热,然后倒入一个大的婴儿食品罐。

荷荷芭油是一种十分优质的基础油,除了可以供给皮肤所需要的营养成分,而且对于皮肤也有一定得理疗效果。我们用自制的荷荷芭油霜作为唇膏,护手霜,预防和治疗尿布疹,湿疹,效果都很好。亲们自己试一试吧!会有意想不到的效果!你也可以选择其他种类的油作为基础油,比如摩洛哥阿甘油(又称为坚果油),葡萄籽油,牛油果油等等。我们试过葵花籽油,效果也很好,唯一的缺点是如果不能及时用完,久了就会有一种过期的葵花籽味,不太好闻。

转载:《做与文化相适应的医生》 作者 袁钟

此文是在2014年12月13日召开的“国际临床科室管理年会”上,协和医科大学出版社社长袁钟发表的《做与文化相适应的医生》的主题演讲,已经被转载了无数次,如果您知道原始链接,请告知,以便写在此处。
“一个人找你看病,把所有隐私告诉你,把衣服脱光了让你检查,把所有痛苦告诉你,把生命都交给你,这种人是仅次于神的人,而不是一般人。
因为爱才有了医疗和医院,如果把这个精神泯灭了就不再叫医疗,那叫交易,它不可能有尊严。
当中央电视台在播“冬虫夏草含着吃”“生命一号”等虚假广告的时候,就说明整条河流都已经被污染,没有哪个鱼能摆脱被污染,治理污染的办法就是治理上游。”
经常有学生问我人文医学有什么用处?我想从两个层面来说,第一个层面是价值观,第二个层面是人文智慧。价值观是道,人文智慧是术。
价值观里的尊严
首先,我想说一下“道”的问题。 现在又到年底了,很多医院都会在这个月开医院总结大会,我听过一些院长开总结大会时说:过去的一年,经过全院职工的不懈努力,我们医院的住院患者增加了 20%,我们的门诊患者增加了30%,我们的收入增加了10%。那么这句话是不是有什么问题?可能在座的主任和医生们都会觉得这是意见很自然的事情。其实 我告诉大家,这不应该是院长说的话,这应该是企业家说的话,我们院长该怎么说?我们应该说的是“我们治愈了多少人,我们帮助了多少人。”
 
我们已经忘了什么叫医 院,这是价值观出了问题。也有医生告诉我说,自己当医生就是为了赚钱。这本身没错,但我想告诉你,只想赚钱,千万别当医生。这个社会上比当医生赚钱的工作 还有很多,卖房子、开矿、做金融、做IT……但是,只有两个行业又有钱又有尊严,一个是医生、一个是教师。在日本,只有两个职业能被成为“先生”,同样是 医生和教师。
 
我有一个朋友,是北京协和医院的科研处长,他是维吾尔族人。他曾经给我讲过一个事情,在维吾尔族人认为人去世了可以升天,但是不是所有人都有机会升天,要经过集体讨论,贪官、坏警察、坏城管要被打入地狱,但只有两个职业可以不经过讨论集体升天,那就是医生和教师。
 
什么叫尊严?我也是一名医生,我非常有体会。一个人找你看病,把所有隐私告诉你,把衣服脱光了让你检查,把所有痛苦告诉你,把生命都交给你,这种人是仅次于神的人,而不是一般人。如果医生不好好看病而是看患者的口袋,患者会恨死你。
 
基督教两个东西很重 要,一是神圣观念,再者是博爱精神。神圣观念告诉我们医生是一群优秀的人。中华中国医师协会的张雁灵会长跟我讲,他九十年代去日本,日本当时有人专门来拜 访这帮医生,这让中国去的医生们很奇怪,“我们不是政治代表团,我们又不是经济代表团,也不是外交代表团,只是医生代表。”最后那位拜访者说了一句“我一 辈子想当医生,可是考不上,我尊敬医生!”
 
北京和睦家医院的董事长李碧菁是个犹太人,她曾告诉我犹太人为什么比其他人好像多那么多聪明、成功的人,其实就是因为犹太人有神圣观念。犹太人认为他们是上帝的子民,所以他们比其他人更努力、更勤奋,也就更易成功。
 
医生应该有神圣观念,都是最优秀的一群人,不管在哪个层面,即使村医也是当地最优秀的人。前两天台湾有个医生很优秀,柯文哲现在成了台北市市长。医生在当地不仅是医生,他是领袖,一个好医生不仅是技术而且他的人品也要得到大家的认可。
 
但是大家也很清楚,这些年我们社会出了很多问题。上海复旦大学医学院的学生投毒杀死自己的同宿舍同学,他说过一句话“我是个‘空人’,没有价值观。”
 
我不知道大家想过没 有,他为什么是个“空人”?想一想这些年还有几个大学生杀人的,比如马加爵、药家鑫。我们这些年创造了巨大的物质财富,但我们创造了精神财富吗?大家可以 扪心自问。我们国家有很多传统美德,爱国家、爱家庭、爱故乡、讲孝尽、讲勤俭、讲以德服人,讲天下为公,讲克己复礼,讲温良恭俭让、讲礼义仁智信,好像现 在这些都没有怎么讲。
人文精神的救赎
主持人孟飞说过,这些年来《非诚 勿扰》相亲最成功的不是大陆,而是台湾和香港的男士。香港很多青年可能参与了占中,但一些美德可能并不比我们大陆差。为什么港台男士现在比我们大陆男士更 受中国女孩的喜欢?我们说看一下马英九、连战,再看一下徐才厚、薄熙来和周永康。谁更有中华美德,谁没有中华美德。
 
前不久中华书局刚刚出 版了台湾的中华传统文化基础教材两本。我所有的台湾朋友都告诉我,他们从小都读《论语》,而我们在干什么?我们的思想品德课在集体掩耳盗铃。有北大教授说 我们这几年培养了很多的“精致的利己主义者”,什么叫精致的利己主义者?“精致”是聪明,“利己”就是所有都是以自我为中心。
 
我们真的应该好好反 省,有一次我和撒贝宁在武汉对话,他问我“医疗行业怎么样?”,我则回应“先别说医疗行业怎么样,当中央电视台在播“冬虫夏草含着吃”“我生命一号”等虚 假广告的时候,就说明整条河流都已经被污染,没有哪个鱼能摆脱被污染,治理污染的办法就是治理上游。党中央习总书记现在正在治理上游,河流也许很快就能干 净。
 
这其实就是价值观。各位都是掌握了各种先进技术的大专家,有了满身功夫可以干两件事情,一是见义勇为,二是拦路抢劫。干好干坏,人内心的文化决定你最终会做出什么样的选择。
 
有位医生告诉我,他在 消化科上班的第一天,他们科室要完成的一个指标还没完成,快要下班的时候来了一个患心血管病的农民因为挂错号找到了他,但是他当天一个病人都没有,因此当 时就违背良心给这位农民看病给开了药,病人抓药再回来问他时,他觉得内心实在过意不去。他就告诉这位农民再去挂一个心血管的号,那个农民突然哭道“我钱都 用光了”。这位医生后来说道,他当时有一种坐台的感觉,从此告别了医院,不再做医生。
 
我们在当医生、院长、干部在制定政策的时候,千万不能让我们的医生去牺牲善良才能获得正当权益。他本来该有一万块钱的工资却只他发两千,另外八千块钱让他自己去赚,这是邪恶的。
 
什么叫医疗?医疗起源 一个同情心,人贵在有同情心。最初人们因为看到受苦受难,有人难受就去帮他,这才叫做医疗。什么叫医院?中世纪的时候,基督教派的社会有很多流浪的、无人 管的乞丐穷人。因此,他们设了一个场所让他们缓解苦难,最后慢慢形成了医院。因为爱才有了医疗和医院,如果把这个精神泯灭了就不再叫医疗,那叫交易,它不 可能有尊严。
 
我们几乎把医院当成一 个企业,我们的领导们在一块开会最喜欢说的是“我们医院5个亿,我们医院8个亿,我们医院9个亿,我们医院12个亿,我们医院20个亿。”我想这医学人文 就是干这个的,塑造医生的价值观。为什么协和的妇产科主任郎景和院士告诉他们科室医务人员每周必须读一本本专业以外的书,就是为了扩大知识面。我们的医生 应该学会和人打交道,我们不能只会和疾病打交道。
 
“有时去治愈,经常去 帮助,却总是抚慰”,总是抚慰,但我们有抚慰能力吗?这恰恰是医学人文要弥补的。中国医生和美国医生的区别在哪?中国医生现在临床经验非常丰富,我们做了 那么多手术。但是中美医生比较下来,我们的差别在于爱。美国医生让病人感到有爱,中国医生感觉不到。
 
不够相信科技,这是我 们民族的传统文化的这种很重要的一部分。全世界大多数民族都认为人死了可以升天轮回有下辈子。但我们这个民族想追求长生不死,所以我们发明了很多长生不老 的办法。我们绝对是一个没有死亡准备的民族,中国人什么都能忍受,家庭矛盾、工作矛盾、社会矛盾能都忍,但是在死亡面前却忍受不了我们没有准备,面对死亡 的第一个心理反映就是愤怒和震惊。因此,我们的传统文化太需要医学人文精神。
 
我讲最后一个问题,也就是怎么当好医生的问题。
 
第一,我不想讲让大家 如何去学雷锋,学白求恩,我只需要给老专家和当老师的讲,你们一定要想到自己老了会落到什么样的医生手里。你先做好医生,你的学生才能是好医生,等你老的 时候,这个老医生就会照顾你,你现在不好好做医生,等你老了你的学生就会按你的方法收拾你。我们不能让学生学雷锋而自己在学和绅。
 
第二,为孩子做个好人。很多事情,中国人只有为了孩子才会做,才会改变。我经常讲戒烟的问题,如果我们学老外在烟盒上印上骷髅和黑肺,但很多人根本不会戒烟。我们什么情况下才会戒烟?只要在香烟包装上写下“抽烟会让你的孙子变为畸形”,我想他一定戒烟。
 
第三,人这一辈子干嘛来了?如果 有机会去新疆的沙漠里面看看,如果有一摊水,就一定要草,有草就有牛羊,有牛羊就有人,人背后就没有东西吃我们了。草的价值就是让牛羊活的好,牛羊的价值 就是让人活的好,人的价值就是让其他生物活的好,这个社会有了你多一份美好,千万不要让这个社会因为有了我而多了一份痛苦或者不好。

BOOKS MENTIONED IN CLASS 课堂上提及的有关书籍

This post  is a collection of the related books mentioned in the TCM class. It will be updated from time to time. 此贴列举了中医课上提到的一些有关书籍,将不定期更新。

经典:《黄帝内经》《神农本草经》

《伤寒论》,《金匮要略》by 汉·张仲景

《针灸甲乙经》by 晋·皇甫謐

《针灸大成》by 明·杨继洲

《四圣心源》by 清·黄元御

现代:

A manual of Acupuncture》 by Peter Deadman Mazin Al-KhafajiKevin Baker

《当代中国针灸临证精要》by 陈佑邦 邓良月等编写

《王光宇精准脉诊带教录》by 王光宇

《赤脚医生针灸手册》

《医学探源》by 陈鼎三

 

2014/11/26

In the past week, all my kids got sick because of the flu that is floating around my eldest son’s school. All had fever, but different other symptoms. I gave plenty of fluid to them when they had fever including water, rice or millet conge. This is always a good practice.

My eldest son was the first one to catch the flu. He had a mild fever and abdominal pain, then the fever was gone. One week later the fever was back with 101.5F. He was tested flu positive, and had to stay out of the school for two days. For him, I tuina his back with my index and middle fingers with the spine in between from the neck all way to the butt. This is one direction massage from top to bottom along the Bladder Channels for 45 minutes to one hour. Then let him sleep. The fever went away.

My younger son did not want to lay flat on his back for me to tuina his back. Thus I have to choose another TCM way to fight the fever. I used a pen with a needle to get some blood out at DU14 (Dazhui). Then let him rest and sleep. The fever went away.

最近孩子们流感发烧生病,用两种中医方法有效退烧:1)沿脊柱从上至下推拿后背,具体操作是用食指和中指夹住脊柱从上至下推拿45分钟到一个小时,可以使用一点润肤油或者痱子粉。2)督脉大椎穴放血。然后让孩子休息睡觉,还要多喝水。

按摩穴位治疗咳嗽

分享一下网上的信息 (the original source unclear)

感冒咳嗽靠按摩 按摩7穴位治疗咳嗽

照海穴  位于内髁尖正下方凹陷处。用指尖掐按,每次3-5分钟

肺俞    第3胸椎棘突下旁开1.5寸。操作:用食、中二指端在穴上按揉。约揉15~30次;治疗咳嗽的穴位用两手大拇指腹自肺俞穴沿肩胛骨后缘向下分推,约分推30~50次。

少商穴   少商是手太阴肺经的最后一个穴位,拇指桡侧指甲角旁0.1寸处,掐之可泄肺中之热。由于穴区窄小, 不好用力,故改用指甲掐按,疼痛感较其它穴位为甚,甚至会出现灼热痛感,均属正常。除掐按外,还可用三棱针刺血,而刺血的方法还可以治疗咽喉肿痛,特别有 趣的是在哪一侧少商刺血,几乎同时,同侧的咽喉疼痛就会明显缓解。

合谷穴   拇、食指张开,使虎口拉紧,另一手的拇指关节横纹压在虎口上,拇指关节前弯曲,拇指尖所指凹陷处就是合谷穴了。将拇指的指肚放在另一只手的合谷穴上,沿着拇指的骨头边缘按压,你会觉得很舒服,但又稍微觉得有点疼,没关系,你可以再加点力气按压。

风池    取穴方法:定位此穴道的时候应该让患者采用正坐或俯卧、治疗咳嗽的穴位俯伏的取穴姿势,以方便施者准确取穴并能顺利实施相应的按摩手法。风池穴位于后颈部,后头骨下,两条大筋外缘陷窝中,相当于耳垂齐平。(或当枕骨之下,与风府穴相平,胸锁乳突肌与斜方肌上端之间的凹陷处即是。

大椎穴  大椎穴是人体三阳经和督脉交会的大穴,有“阳中之阳”之称,能够统领一身的阳气。所以按揉大椎穴不仅能够疏通三阳经的经脉,促进六腑的气血流通,还能够补充人体阳气,增强抵抗外邪的能力。用食指和中指放在该养生穴位处,轻轻按揉,每次按揉15分钟左右。每天可按揉1~2次。对于呼吸系统疾病、感冒、颈椎疾病、乏力、虚劳等都有很好的防治嗓子痒咳嗽等功效。

天突穴    按天突或揉天突、分推膻中、沿肋间隙行推法、清肺经、清天河水、推六腑(退六腑)、揉掌小横纹、揉大椎、分推肺俞、横探肩背。

TCM MASSAGE FOR STOMACH ACHE 按摩治胃疼

2015/03/05

My son had a busy Saturday last week. He went to a swimming class for an hour, then headed to a friend’s birthday party. They made their own pizza and played bowling while waiting the pizza to be baked. Then he finished the whole pizza (about 6 small pieces) plus one piece of birthday cake. After the party, he had a basketball game to play.  That was when the problem came after eating too much. He had a stomach ache half an hour before the game. He didn’t feel well not only because of the abdominal pain but also the possibility to miss the game.

Here is what I did to help him feel well again. I massaged his ST36 (Zusanli), LI10 (Shousanli), LI13 (Shouwuli) and the UB18-21 area on his back (Stomach Shu, Spleen Shu). Each for a minute or two. Then the pain and uncomfortableness were gone. He played the game from the beginning to the end because of their shortage of players. Hooray!

上个周六,我的大儿子去参加同学的生日会,吃了太多的比萨饼和一块蛋糕,还有果汁。这之后他还有一个篮球比赛需要参加。由于吃了太多东西,而且是边玩边吃,食物也不太健康,比赛前半个小时,他告诉我肚子有点疼,很担心不能参加比赛。我赶紧采取措施,按摩了他的足三里,手三里,手五里,还有背部的胃腧和脾腧部位。每个穴位大概一两分钟,按摩结束后他的不舒服没有了,而且因为只有五名队员,他参加比赛从头到尾没有休息。中医按摩很有效果吧!不过还是尽量保持饮食健康好!

ABOUT STUDY NOTES 关于学习笔记

Most posts in the category of study notes are summary from my TCM class taught by Dr. Gong in my son’s Chinese school. To respect and acknowledge his efforts to provide us the opportunity to learn TCM, I list his contact information below. Feel free to seek his help if you have any concern or need of TCM therapy on you. Thank you!

Dr. Ben Gong, Acupuncturist

4921 N. Kimball Ave.

Chicago, IL 60625

Tel: 773-583-2142