Ginger has been cultivated and taken as a medicinal by numerous cultures for thousands of years to address symptoms such as upset stomach or nausea, to expel cold from the body and to stop a cough. In addition, recent studies have confirmed and expanded our understanding of this herb's healing abilities, including ginger's ability to protect the stomach lining and inhibit the secretion of gastric acid. Ginger's botanical name is Zingiber officinale, with the genus name Zingiber deriving from a Sanskrit word meaning "horn-shaped" in reference to the shape of the protrusions on the ginger rhizome. While the exact origins of Ginger are not known, we do know that it has been cultivated in China and India for millennia, and it reached the West over two-thousand years ago.
Numerous studies have demonstrated ginger's anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger's nausea-reducing actions are attributed to its ability to increase digestive fluids, as well as neutralize stomach acid and toxins. Ginger has been shown to increase the action and tone of the bowels, as well as increase bile secretion. Ginger also reduces the stickiness of blood platelets, and may therefore help reduce one's risk of atherosclerosis.
It is interesting to note, too, that ginger has been employed in Chinese herbal medicine for thousands of years due to its numerous beneficial properties. Called Sheng-jiang in the Chinese pharmacopoeia, ginger used alone as a single herb is considered to alleviate nausea, dispel pathogens by inducing sweating, expel cold, as well as stop coughing and reduce excess phlegm in the lungs.
In Chinese herbal medicine, Sheng-jiang, or fresh ginger, is considered to have very different properties than Gan-jiang, or dried ginger. Gan-jiang is useful for "cold" pain of the stomach and abdomen, diarrhea due to "cold" in the abdomen, cough, and rheumatism, among other uses. Dried ginger has also been shown to inhibit vomiting.
Additionally, fresh ginger is considered in Chinese herbal medicine to have a moderating or detoxifying effect on other more harsh herbs. For this reason, ginger is found as a component of many different Chinese herbal formulas (clusters of herbs combined together for their overall synergistic effects) for the treatment of symptoms ranging from the common cold, to allergic rhinitis, influenza, chronic nephritis, headache, and chronic laryngitis. It should be noted that ginger won't directly treat the symptoms listed above unless combined with other herbs in the proper formula for an individual patient's particular case.
A recent study published in Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine concluded that ginger protects the gastric mucosa from stress-induced mucosal lesions and inhibits gastric acid secretion, due in part to inhibiting growth of h. pylori as well as offering anti-oxidant protection against gastric damage. This seems to clearly confirm the popular use of ginger in Ayurvedic, eastern, and folk medicine traditions for its medicinal properties.
Sources for this article:
http://stevenfoster.com/education/monograph/ginger.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16117603
http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/nep060v1
Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd edition, by Dan Bensky, et al.
Handbook of Oriental medicine, 3rd edition, by Hyunbae Kim.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Treating Insomnia with Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is a traditional form of healthcare with a documented history going back for centuries. As an example, a book entitled Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic was written 2000 years ago, and is considered the oldest book on CHM. Insomnia, or the inability to fall asleep or remain asleep, has been and continues to be treated using CHM to the present day. A recent study in Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine evaluated and reviewed the use of CHM for insomnia treatment in Taiwan. The study showed that there were 16,134 subjects who visited traditional Chinese Medicine clinics for insomnia in Taiwan during the year 2002. In addition, several studies have demonstrated that CHM treatments effectively benefit sleep quality, improve sleep duration, and exhibit reduced side effects in comparison to Western medicines.
The most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formula for insomnia was Suan-zao-ren-tang. This formula consists of 5 individual herbs grouped together for the most beneficial synergistic effect. The primary herb in this formula is Ziziphus spinosa, or Suan-zao-ren (a.k.a., sour jujube seed). This herb has been shown to cause a sedative effect at higher doses and an anxiolytic effect at lower doses. Another study found that the formula Suan-zao-ren-tang produced an increase in non-rapid eye movement sleep, and it is believed that the mechanism was by the stimulation of serotonin receptors. The other herbs in this formula include Chuan-xiong (Szechuan lovage root), Fu-ling (poria), Zhi-mu (anemarrhena rhizome), and Gan-cao (licorice root).
It is important to note that whereas Western medicine attempts to treat insomnia as an isolated symptom, traditional Chinese medicine examines the condition of the body as a whole system, taking into consideration signs and symptoms ranging from appetite, thirst, mood, tongue color, and the quality of the pulse to reach a diagnosis. For this reason, not all patients suffering from insomnia will be given the same formula – some people will receive the Suan-zao-ren-tang formula mentioned above, while others could receive any one of a handful of other herbal formulas more appropriate for treating the underlying imbalance causing their insomnia.
Acupuncture treatments are usually given in conjunction with the herbal medicine mentioned above to enhance the effect of the treatment. Needles are inserted in carefully chosen points on the body depending on the traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis for each patient. Two acupuncture points often used in the treatment of insomnia include Yin-tang, which is located on the forehead between the eyebrows, as well as Shen-men, which is a point located on the ear. Both of these points have the effect of calming and sedating the patient.
The Insomnia study mentioned above concludes that our understanding of the mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine treatment for insomnia will benefit from further examination through continued clinical studies. However, the long-term application and popularity of this method of treatment in Taiwan and other Asian countries gives a strong indication of the potential benefits Chinese herbal medicine can offer for people throughout the world.
Sources for this article:
http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/nep018v1?rss=1
Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd edition, by Dan Bensky, et al.
Acupoints & Meridians, edited by Liu Gongwang, et al.
Author: Adrian Baume, L.Ac., practices Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine at Traditional Acupuncture Health Center (http://www.acupuncturechico.com) in Chico in Northern California. He also practices Tai Chi and nutritional medicine.
The most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formula for insomnia was Suan-zao-ren-tang. This formula consists of 5 individual herbs grouped together for the most beneficial synergistic effect. The primary herb in this formula is Ziziphus spinosa, or Suan-zao-ren (a.k.a., sour jujube seed). This herb has been shown to cause a sedative effect at higher doses and an anxiolytic effect at lower doses. Another study found that the formula Suan-zao-ren-tang produced an increase in non-rapid eye movement sleep, and it is believed that the mechanism was by the stimulation of serotonin receptors. The other herbs in this formula include Chuan-xiong (Szechuan lovage root), Fu-ling (poria), Zhi-mu (anemarrhena rhizome), and Gan-cao (licorice root).
It is important to note that whereas Western medicine attempts to treat insomnia as an isolated symptom, traditional Chinese medicine examines the condition of the body as a whole system, taking into consideration signs and symptoms ranging from appetite, thirst, mood, tongue color, and the quality of the pulse to reach a diagnosis. For this reason, not all patients suffering from insomnia will be given the same formula – some people will receive the Suan-zao-ren-tang formula mentioned above, while others could receive any one of a handful of other herbal formulas more appropriate for treating the underlying imbalance causing their insomnia.
Acupuncture treatments are usually given in conjunction with the herbal medicine mentioned above to enhance the effect of the treatment. Needles are inserted in carefully chosen points on the body depending on the traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis for each patient. Two acupuncture points often used in the treatment of insomnia include Yin-tang, which is located on the forehead between the eyebrows, as well as Shen-men, which is a point located on the ear. Both of these points have the effect of calming and sedating the patient.
The Insomnia study mentioned above concludes that our understanding of the mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine treatment for insomnia will benefit from further examination through continued clinical studies. However, the long-term application and popularity of this method of treatment in Taiwan and other Asian countries gives a strong indication of the potential benefits Chinese herbal medicine can offer for people throughout the world.
Sources for this article:
http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/nep018v1?rss=1
Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd edition, by Dan Bensky, et al.
Acupoints & Meridians, edited by Liu Gongwang, et al.
Author: Adrian Baume, L.Ac., practices Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine at Traditional Acupuncture Health Center (http://www.acupuncturechico.com) in Chico in Northern California. He also practices Tai Chi and nutritional medicine.
Relieving Trigeminal Neuralgia with Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical technique that involves the insertion of extremely fine needles on carefully chosen points throughout the body for therapeutic benefit. A recent study in the journal Medical Acupuncture demonstrated a significant beneficial effect when acupuncture treatments were administered to patients who were suffering from Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN). Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) manifests as a severe stabbing or electric shock-like pain along the path of the trigeminal nerve. The discomfort is usually felt on only one side of the face, generally in the area of the cheek, eye, and lower portion of the face. The mechanism of pain production is not fully understood, but studies suggest that TN is often associated with demyelination of trigeminal sensory fibers.
While some patients respond to moderate doses of single-drug therapy and microvascular decompressions (MVD’s), many others suffer through prolonged unsuccessful treatment approaches. This includes large doses of medications with adverse effects, complications related to surgery, and postoperative relapse of symptoms. The side effects of the various antiepileptic medications often prescribed for TN patients include dizziness, ataxia, nausea, vomiting, hematological abnormalities, and cardiac arrhythmia. In addition, a high proportion of TN patients take pain medications including narcotics.
All 7 female participants and 4 of the 5 men in the study responded favorably to acupuncture. Five of the patients were even able to discontinue their medications following complete remission of the TN. One of these 5 participants required only 2 acupuncture treatments to reach complete remission, while the others required from 3 to 9 treatments to get this result.
Acupuncture has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a scientific therapeutic modality with an effective pain-relieving ability. The beauty of acupuncture treatments is that they are virtually devoid of side effects, non-invasive and extremely safe. It is postulated that the insertion of acupuncture needles causes enhanced blood flow to the affected area. With multiple acupuncture treatments, the cumulative effect may actually lead to nerve repair in the case of the demyelinated trigeminal sensory fibers mentioned in the first paragraph.
Herbal medicine can also be used together with the above acupuncture protocol to enhance the effect. An often used Chinese Herbal Formula for TN patients is known as xue fu zhu yu tang. This combination of 11 Chinese herbs includes peach kernel (Persicae Semen), safflower petals (Carthami Flos), Szechuan lovage root (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), and Chinese angelica root (Angelicae sinensis Radix) as the first 4 herbs. These herbs are considered in the Traditional Chinese Medicine theory to have a strong invigorating or circulating quality, and serve the role of alleviating pain by eliminating blockages or stagnations in the body.
The TN study mentioned above concludes that acupuncture treatment should be considered before more invasive intervention is attempted. This agrees with clinical results that many acupuncture clinics have been reporting. However, it should be noted that this particular study had a relatively small group of participants, and did not employ a randomized, double-blind format. It will be useful to seek further scientific validation of the effect of acupuncture in TN treatment.
Sources for this article:
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acu.2008.0640
Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd edition, by Dan Bensky, et al.
Handbook of Oriental Medicine, 3rd edition, by Hyunbae Kim.
Author: Adrian Baume, L.Ac., practices Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine at Traditional Acupuncture Health Center (http://www.acupuncturechico.com) in Chico in Northern California. He also practices Tai Chi and nutritional medicine.
While some patients respond to moderate doses of single-drug therapy and microvascular decompressions (MVD’s), many others suffer through prolonged unsuccessful treatment approaches. This includes large doses of medications with adverse effects, complications related to surgery, and postoperative relapse of symptoms. The side effects of the various antiepileptic medications often prescribed for TN patients include dizziness, ataxia, nausea, vomiting, hematological abnormalities, and cardiac arrhythmia. In addition, a high proportion of TN patients take pain medications including narcotics.
All 7 female participants and 4 of the 5 men in the study responded favorably to acupuncture. Five of the patients were even able to discontinue their medications following complete remission of the TN. One of these 5 participants required only 2 acupuncture treatments to reach complete remission, while the others required from 3 to 9 treatments to get this result.
Acupuncture has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a scientific therapeutic modality with an effective pain-relieving ability. The beauty of acupuncture treatments is that they are virtually devoid of side effects, non-invasive and extremely safe. It is postulated that the insertion of acupuncture needles causes enhanced blood flow to the affected area. With multiple acupuncture treatments, the cumulative effect may actually lead to nerve repair in the case of the demyelinated trigeminal sensory fibers mentioned in the first paragraph.
Herbal medicine can also be used together with the above acupuncture protocol to enhance the effect. An often used Chinese Herbal Formula for TN patients is known as xue fu zhu yu tang. This combination of 11 Chinese herbs includes peach kernel (Persicae Semen), safflower petals (Carthami Flos), Szechuan lovage root (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), and Chinese angelica root (Angelicae sinensis Radix) as the first 4 herbs. These herbs are considered in the Traditional Chinese Medicine theory to have a strong invigorating or circulating quality, and serve the role of alleviating pain by eliminating blockages or stagnations in the body.
The TN study mentioned above concludes that acupuncture treatment should be considered before more invasive intervention is attempted. This agrees with clinical results that many acupuncture clinics have been reporting. However, it should be noted that this particular study had a relatively small group of participants, and did not employ a randomized, double-blind format. It will be useful to seek further scientific validation of the effect of acupuncture in TN treatment.
Sources for this article:
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acu.2008.0640
Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd edition, by Dan Bensky, et al.
Handbook of Oriental Medicine, 3rd edition, by Hyunbae Kim.
Author: Adrian Baume, L.Ac., practices Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine at Traditional Acupuncture Health Center (http://www.acupuncturechico.com) in Chico in Northern California. He also practices Tai Chi and nutritional medicine.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Treating Diabetes with Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
With an estimated 150 million people world-wide currently diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, and a continuously rising prevalence of this disease in the general population, acupuncture and herbal medicine have become attractive alternatives to the side-effects and high cost of currently used treatments. (1) Researchers continue to study the effects of numerous herbs in an attempt to locate a single treatment that addresses the multiple facets of symptoms usually seen in diabetic patients.
Acupuncture, especially when combined with herbal medicine and diet/lifestyle changes, has become increasingly popular as an effective aid in treating diabetes mellitus. As an example, one approach to treating diabetes is to use the 5-Elements Theory: for a diabetic patient who is overweight, we can insert acupuncture needles in specific points corresponding to the Fire Element and the Earth Element. Because Fire nourishes and strengthens Earth in this theory, and an imbalance or weakness in Earth often correlates with a condition of being overweight, this approach 
can be quite effective.
An often used Chinese Herbal Formula for diabetic patients is liu wei di huang wan, or “Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia.” One of the main herbs in this formula is the root of the rehmannia plant that has been specially prepared through a cooking process to attain the needed properties. (2, 3)
Another promising herbal treatment is the herb gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre), 
a large, woody climbing plant from tropical Africa, southern and central
In treating diabetes with acupuncture and herbal medicine, however, a flexible treatment plan is required such that we can tailor the herbs and acupuncture points selected for the constitution and imbalances unique to each individual patient.
(1) Gymnema Sylvestre for Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review, by Mathew Leach; The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, V13, #9, 2007, pp.977-983
(2) Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd edition, by Dan Bensky, et al.
(3) Chinese Herbal Medicine Formulas & Strategies, by Dan Bensky, et al.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Studies Confirm Health Benefits of Tai Chi
It has long been suggested that the practice of Tai Chi can produce numerous health benefits, so the recent findings in scientific studies don't come as a complete surprise to many of us who practice this ancient Chinese form of conditioning and self-defense. However, it is interesting to know that this increasingly popular activity is showing positive results under the lens of modern science as well. In a 2008 study from the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, a study with a five-year follow-up found that individuals practicing Tai Chi for this period of time showed a reduced decline of aerobic capacity, as well as a smaller increase of one’s body-fat ratio compared to more sedentary participants. Previous studies by the same researchers on elderly participants have demonstrated that Tai Chi also benefits muscular strength and flexibility.
The deep breathing and mind concentration required during the practice of Tai Chi help to produce a balance between our body and mind, and when performed in a long-term practice routine, the benefits continue to accrue. Tai Chi is truly a marvelous form of low-impact exercise that costs very little to study and participate in, and can also be learned for its martial or self-defense applications. In numerous cities across the globe, one doesn’t have to look far to find a group or class practicing in a park on a weekend morning.
A 2007 study from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine details other potential benefits of practicing Tai Chi. They include improved balance, increased psychologic well-being, sleep enhancement, lower blood-pressure, and reduced tension, depression, and anxiety (due to increased noradrenaline production and decreased salivary cortisol following Tai Chi).
I personally began my study of Tai Chi following the breakage of my left ankle in 2001. Within weeks of having the cast removed, I began participating in a Tai Chi class. It proved to be an excellent method of gently regaining strength, flexibility, and balance without the jarring impact associated with other forms of exercise. I’ve continued my practice to this day, and find it to be very helpful in stress-relief, relaxation, and overall health maintenance. Taking a 30 or 40 minute break from the busy routines of daily life to perform Tai Chi does wonders for both increasing my enjoyment of life as well as allowing me to function optimally, with a clear mind and plentiful energy. My recommendation? Get out and give it a try!
Sources:
Lan C, Chen SY, and Lai JS. Changes of Aerobic Capacity, Fat Ratio and Flexibility in Older TCC Practitioners: A Five-Year Follow-Up. American Journal of Chinese Medicine 36(6):1041-1050.
Ho TJ, Wen-Miin L, Lien CH, Ma TC, Kuo HW, Chu BC, Chang HW, Lai JS, and Lin JG. Health-Related Quality of Life in the Elderly Practicing T’ai Chi Chuan. The Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine 13(10):1077-1083.
Author: Adrian Baume, L.Ac., practices Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine at Traditional Acupuncture Health Center (http://www.acupuncturechico.com) in Chico in Northern California. He also practices Tai Chi and nutritional medicine.
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