Jennifer Moffitt, L.Ac. and AcuNut.com: San Diego's Acupuncture Medicine Resource

Back to Basics - Spring and Summer page 2

But our advances in science and medicine have not translated to better health or a better quality of life; in fact, many of us feel
worse than ever before. We are a nation struggling with obesity. Endocrine, autoimmune, and cardiovascular disorders are
widespread. Chronic degenerative conditions like Alzheimer's are on the rise, and almost 10% of our children have been diagnosed
with attention deficit or behavioral disorders. Where has science failed? Why hasn't technology led to true healing?

It's not a lack of information; we're more knowledgeable about the importance of sleep, nutrition, exercise, and prevention than
ever before. But for some reason we don't really get what that means on a daily basis in the form of action. We can't believe it could
be so simple as what we put in our mouths, or how we structure our day. The dazzling power of emergency medicine has blinded us
to the subtle (and even obvious) signs of a body moving out of balance, of impending illness or injury. Then, when we fail to
overcome that bad cold, or the muscle strain becomes chronic, we wonder why.

It Begins With Qi

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is the presence of qi (pronounced chee), which governs all the functions of the body, and
allows healing to occur. Qi is defined as vital air. In Chinese kanji, the character is pictured as the vapor coming from grains of rice.
It is a great image, and it illustrates the easiest way to cultivate it: from the food that we eat and drink. When I teach TCM to
medical students, I describe qi as a qualitative expression for all the cellular processes in the body: ATP production, protein
synthesis in the mitochondria, DNA and RNA replication, mitosis and meiosis, and endocrine balance, all of which result in a
measurable quantity of vital substances for the body. Blood chemistry panels including blood sugar, hormone levels, CBC, liver panels
are all quantitative ways of measuring how effectively the body is doing its job.

But we are more than the sum total of our blood chemistry - there is a synergistic process by which all of these separate reactions
come together to sustain the body. It is how we function reasonably well even when we haven't had enough rest, or we've eaten
too many tacos. But what about when there's no discernable problem, and the body still breaks down? What has happened then?

This is when it helps to understand both eastern and western medicine. TCM allows us to consider not only the measurable aspects
of qi in the body (in the form of blood, cellular chemistry, etc.), but also movement - how and where it flows, and how too much
here and not enough over there can result in pain, chronic disease, and fatigue. It explains the relationships between the different
organ systems, and how disharmony in one can lead to disharmony in the entire system. TCM provides a way for us to restore proper
balance by using acupuncture, herbs, supplements, foods, etc. - either alone or in combination.

Admittedly, many people find the concept of wellness a little nebulous, so I try to keep it real for them. Everyone recalls, even
dimly, a time when they felt great, full of energy, and free from pain. It's not esoteric. Pain-free and full of energy equals good.
Tired, stressed, sick all the time, and in pain equals bad. My job as a practitioner of TCM is to figure out where your wires got
crossed, where you got unplugged, and reset the circuits your body needs to begin the healing process. That is an important point
to remember - no treatment or practitioner can fix you - all physicians, no matter what style of medicine they practice, merely help
make it possible for your body to heal.

As an acupuncturist in my first years of practice, I think I lost sight of this - newly credentialed, ready for action - let the healing
begin! I was incredibly results-driven: if everything wasn't neatly wrapped up for a patient in a month or two, somehow I had not
done my job. This was partly out of compassion - having suffered from debilitating chronic pain for more than a decade (what drove
me to alternative medicine), I did not want anyone else to suffer like I had. I wanted it over quickly, so that they could resume their
lives - business as usual. But my own healing process wasn't that way. It took much longer due to my resistance to basic laws of
nature that I could not, or would not, believe made a difference in the process, and which my training as a scientist caused me to
dismiss as superstition.

So all that said, what are the basics? What are the natural laws that seem to support health and how can we use the season to help
support those changes?

No magic here, I'm afraid and most of you already know the answer: qi gong, tai chi, diet and cellular nutrition, bodywork, sleep,
exercise, play, prayer, and acceptance. While this may seem like yesterday's news (been there, done that), some of the details
added by Chinese medicine might surprise you.

In this series of articles, we'll re-examine the "basics" necessary for health by including both eastern and western biomedical
concepts, in time for you to take full advantage of the spring and summer season. Stay tuned for my next article!