Chinese Herbalist/acupuncturist

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Okay, I am getting so fed up with the medical system (or should we call it the slash'n'drug system)!! Someone I know suggested an alternative--a Chinese woman (who used to be a nurse) who switched to acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. She did get a big write-up (very positive) in our local paper a couple of years ago.

I am seriously considering trying this, but need to research first. When I first heard of her a couple of years ago, the only problem I had was my thyroid, and I thought, "Gee, I can keep this under control for $10/month, why spend any money on something I don't understand?"

But now, my thyroid medication costs $35/month, and it is NOT under control, and I'm questioning the validity of the treatment anyway.

Has anybody ever tried this? Does anybody know anyone who did or does? Does anybody know anything about this?

We never hear about Asians with celiac unless they have been on a Western diet--but Northern Chinese do consume a fair amount of noodles and dumplings. Why don't they get celiac? Is the Chinese medicine the difference here? What if Chinese herbal medicine could fix the reason our bodies are reacting to Gluten? Then again, what if the Chinese herbal medicine contains gluten?

????????? ???????? ????????????

[MySuicidalTurtle]

Every culture in the world sees Celiacs.

[rache]

Fiddle-Faddle:

im sure im not much help, but i did try accupuncture. even though i am gluten free, i still get sever nausea everyday. im willing to try anything to cure it, and my nutritionist suggested to try accupuncture. it was no help to me at all. little 90lb me gave birth to a 7lb baby all naturally- yet i thought the needles hurt!! i think i was too focused on how uncomfortable it was (such as the needles in my feet and ears) to even pay attention to anything else. i wish it would have worked for me. it was worth a shot! but no luck here... im desperate though- ill take any suggestions for nausea if anything out there has any. i am also fed up with the medical system, i feel your pain!

[frenchiemama]

I had accupuncture for a back injury, it was fab. I would do it again and in fact, I'm thinking about going once a month just to de-stress (my ins. covers 50% for "alternative" medicine). I went once when I had a cold and she stuck a few needles around my face and head and I could breath for the rest of the day! Never tried it for stomach issues though.

[jnclelland]

Well, my acupuncturist was the first person to tell me - on my first visit to her - that I needed to stop eating wheat and dairy (which eventually led to eliminating all gluten as well), so I think she's more in tune with my body than my regular doc! She can't cure celiac - and I have no idea if it would help with thyroid problems - but I do seem to feel like there's less stress on my system when I get regular acupuncture.

Jeanne

[shayesmom]

Has anybody ever tried this? Does anybody know anyone who did or does? Does anybody know anything about this?

My sister was just telling me about a woman in her school (alternative medicine) who was a nurse, got fed up with the level of care in the hospital she worked in and decided to switch fields for Eastern Medicine. So at least we aren't the only ones who are fed up with the system and how it is run!

I would say give this woman a shot. Do a little bit of research on alternative therapies for thyroid on-line and try to get a feel for how long it would take to see some benefit. If it's reasonable, then set that as a time limit to see benefit with this woman. Like any other medical professional, she should earn your trust and continued patronage.

Also, I wanted to comment that it is better that you are considering going to someone who practices tweena (the cross between acupuncture and herbology) and also has a background in nursing. I have found that the very best people in the alternative fields have a very solid background in Western medicine. They are also much more adept at explaining why they are doing certain things and applying certain Eastern principles. I've met some very good alternative practioners but didn't continue with them due to sweeping generalities and not being able to clearly communicate the rationale behind what they were doing or treating. It's great that their methods work sometimes and all, but I want to know WHY! lol!! The homeopath that I take dd to, is VERY good. But he was an MD fed up with the system and learned acupuncture and nutrition along with the homeopathy. I've seen him do amazing things with people who weren't being helped by top specialists in the field. I've seen him turn around stage IV cancer after oncologists had given up and given a person "weeks to a couple of months".

As far as Celiac not being in Asia. Yes, it is. But I will say that the frequency may not be as often for a few simple reasons. The first being, the Chinese are told to hold off on introducing wheat until a child is two and their immune and digestive systems are more mature. Wheat (gluten), being a major allergen, is treated just like peanuts there. (My sister's professor at the alternative school was an MD in China for over 20 years and told her this after correctly diagnosing my dd with Celiac via a phone interview. That woman changed our lives in 20 minutes flat! lol!!). Secondly, wheat and other gluten grains are just not the staples that they are here. A work associate of mine who has Celiac (as do 3 of his 7 children) just moved back to China for work. The children were ecstatic going back to China to live and all of them mentioned it was a lot easier to eat in school and out in restaurants there. They enjoyed not having to explain their condition everywhere they went.

But as our SAD diet moves over there, more celiac cases are cropping up. Acupuncturists there were thinking that a spleen/pancreas deficiency is present in Celiac. Have that woman explain that to you (as it is beyond my ability ). While not being able to cure the condition, there are some ways of lessening it. My dd responded very well to acupressure therapy when it came to her food allergies and gluten issues. The trace accidental exposures aren't anywhere near as bad as they were prior to therapy. And I have heard of a group of acupressurists who are having some success with treating Celiac....but logically, I just don't quite "buy it". Not without better methods of testing which could confirm this. I am the first to admit that the acupressure helped in my dd's case. But it did not cure the condition.

Good luck at whatever you try.

[Green12]

Has anybody ever tried this? Does anybody know anyone who did or does? Does anybody know anything about this?

I have been to several acupuncturists over the years for treatments related to allergies, hormones, and other health issues, as well as just for stress release. I find it to be relaxing and the needles don't bother me.

Chinese medicine is a very different approach, based on balance (yin and yang) and the energy flow (called Qi) throughout the body. All over our bodies there are points that connect to meridians or channels that the Qi energy flows through. I believe that their concept of illness is when the balance of the yin and yang is upset and energy flow is blocked, underactive, or overactive. Acupuncture works to restore this balance and energy flow. In a session typically they will ask you some questions, look at your tongue and your face, take your pulse, and decide on a treatment based on the information you give them and their physical findings.

If you are going to try it out, I would suggest you find an acupuncturist with good, valid credentials. I don't believe they can cure celiac, but they might be able to assist with related symptomology and other prominent health issues.

As far as chinese herbs having gluten ingredients, my acupuncturist is looking into that right now for me.

[Generic]

I have been going to an acupunctureist for about 4 months now and have seen amazing results. She has all but cured my allergies (usually by this time of year I would be a hay fever mess). When i get an accidental glutening she is able to get rid of the d and minimalize my reaction. I started seeing her originally because when I got glutened the reactions were getting severly worse. I would end up in the hospital within hours with severe dehydration, etc. Now even if I get a cold or the flu, she is able to minimize how sick I have gotten. She is working on building my immune system up etc. I see her once a week, it cost $30 but it is worth it. She also uses herbs. She is a caucasion american women (in other words no language barrier), who has a background in nutrition. She studied in China.

If any one in the Seattle area is interested in trying this, send me a message I will get you her contact info.

[BRUMI1968]

I have been going to an acupunctureist for about 4 months now and have seen amazing results. She has all but cured my allergies (usually by this time of year I would be a hay fever mess). When i get an accidental glutening she is able to get rid of the d and minimalize my reaction. I started seeing her originally because when I got glutened the reactions were getting severly worse. I would end up in the hospital within hours with severe dehydration, etc. Now even if I get a cold or the flu, she is able to minimize how sick I have gotten. She is working on building my immune system up etc. I see her once a week, it cost $30 but it is worth it. She also uses herbs. She is a caucasion american women (in other words no language barrier), who has a background in nutrition. She studied in China.

If any one in the Seattle area is interested in trying this, send me a message I will get you her contact info.

I'm in Bellingham and would love to get the info. I see an Ayurvedic Doctor....actually, I'm of to the doc right now to get a B12, so will post later. But if you can send me this woman's info, that would be great. Thanks.

[Generic]

I sent you a p.m. with her contact info to this board. If anyone else sent me an e-mail my outlook crashed and I was unable to retrieve your message to reply back.

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

Interesting thread. Thanks for posting it.

In the last few days everything I read or see is pointing me in the direction of acupuncturist and celiac disease. There was a TV show on last night (I never watch TV the chiropractor told me to go home and get mindless in front of a TV. And I did.) It kinda helps...Surfing I found something and it was about acupuncture. They spoke of it for a form of treatment for food alergies. They didn't name celiac disease or anything, it was more general. My Chiropractor is helping me a great deal, but it think with these diseases we need several methods of treatment together in combinations to be effective. Acupuncture sound interesting...

[Katie O'Rourke]

WHat are the other types of alternaive therpay apart from acpuncture? I am really interested but ahve a needle phobia. Thanks

[BRUMI1968]

accupressure is similar to accupuncture - but without the puncturing. There are also things like hands-on healing, naturopath, homeopath, ayurvedic medicine, chinese medicine.

[jerseyangel]

I have tried Accupuncture--the needles were painless. There is also Kinesiology--I also did that and they identified gluten as a problem food for me and said I should avoid it--that was long before my actual diagnosis. They don't use needles--just muscle testing.

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

I for one, am going to try acupuncture in combination w/other things. I'm going to go to one last mainstream doctor at Harvard in Boston and then thats it! I feel the same way Fiddle-Faddle feels. I first have to find an acupuncturist I trust. You see, I live in the land of scams (south Florida) so I have to investigate to be sure.

In my post earlier I mentioned things are pointing me in the direction of acupuncture.

The TV show about food allergies in general, suggested acupuncture as a form of treatment.

Then I meet a nurse practitioner with 30-years experience told me to get off coffee (oh, yeah right!) and she talked about something the western world is different Open Original Shared Link she also talked to me about acupuncture. And stressed it to me.

They the other day I was reading a book called Open Original Shared Link An interesting book, not the end all be all, but good useful information. Nothing about celiac disease, it was written in 2000 I think. He goes into Colitus, IBS, Digestive Disorders, and he recommended many helpful things I've be implementing in, but most of all he said acupunture. Also for thyroid he suggests acupuncture too. If you noticed in my profile I developed a problem with mine about several years DF & gluten-free.

Not to get too far off topic, but -- Katie O'Rourke -- asked about "other types of alternaive therpay"...

On that natural TV show they were profiling several other cleansing and healing treatments.

1.) The HYPERBARIC CHAMBER. Open Original Shared Link

2.) CHELATION THERAPY - the use of a chelating agent to bind with a metal in the body to form a chelate so that the metal loses its toxic effect or physiological activity

3.) IONIC CLEANSING FOOT BATH

4.) REI·KI - a system of hands-on touching based on the belief that such touching by an experienced practitioner produces beneficial effects by strengthening and normalizing certain vital energy fields held to exist within the body.

Anyone try any of these things yet?

[rinne]

I have been seeing an acupuncterist twice a week since the end of January. I do not have a diagnosis just a lifetime of knowing that wheat hurt me, a sudden dramatic weight loss accompanied by severe digestive /intestinal distress and a sister who is a Celiac.

I went to my western doctor in January and she did not even have the time to listen to my symptoms let alone diagnose them properly; further she gave me a prescription for medication that can lead to brain damage. I decided not to place my confidence in her.

My acupuncterist says that I have a very weak digestion and maybe not the enzymes to digest certain foods and he is working to strengthen my entire system. What he is doing for me is amazing and I am enormously grateful to him.

To explain, throughout my life I have clearly understood messages from my body about wheat yet many times I ignored them and usually I could tell when I was getting into trouble and I would modify my diet and I would get better. Then one day about a year ago I realized that no matter how I modified my diet I still didn't feel well and then I started to feel worse and then I couldn't hear anything through the pain. It was as if the pain blanketed and confused me and things I once ate because I knew they were good for me seemed to make me nauseous and then everything hurt. The acupuncture has allowed me to read my body and what my body needs through the pain. Much of the upper gastric distress I began with has all but gone though the middle and lower are not fully resolved. I am not looking for a cure from him for the Celiac, I see that what he has done is lean my body toward healing by unblocking channels of energy. I now experience my body much more directly, and yes it is painful but there is also a feeling of vitality.

An example: One morning last week I made a vegetable juice with carrots and beets, when I drank it it tasted very sweet, immediately after I felt a sense of fatigue followed by nausea. I threw up about a third of the juice and the nausea and fatigue were gone and I was fine. When I told him about this he said good, very good, self-protection is coming. I've been thinking about this "self-protection" and what that really means if you are a Celiac and from the very beginning you are being poisoned, from the very beginning your sense of self protection is compromised. And though I wonder how will I ever develop a true sense of self-protection, of health and well-being without that reference point I get the sense from Dr. Yan that it is not the reference point that is important it is the decision to, moment by moment, commit to loving the body. He says that often, "we must love the body, we must understand the body".

I am very new to this and am not sure if it is a politically correct to define someone as a Celiac, I just know that I am reluctant to say that I have Celiac Disease because I see no disease I see only poison. I think it is a little like saying someone has "Peanut Disease".

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

-

[BRUMI1968]

I've been thinking about this "self-protection" and what that really means if you are a Celiac and from the very beginning you are being poisoned, from the very beginning your sense of self protection is compromised. And though I wonder how will I ever develop a true sense of self-protection, of health and well-being without that reference point I get the sense from Dr. Yan that it is not the reference point that is important it is the decision to, moment by moment, commit to loving the body. He says that often, "we must love the body, we must understand the body".

This intrigues me. Self-protection would be something that evolves. First, we let our parents care for us; then we slowly take the lead, testing out the waters, then finally being our own self protectors. I've clearly had digestive problems since I was a very young child - probably Celiac from that ae (I know I have it now). When we're children, we cannot make decisions like what to eat - we cannot respond to our bodies as we might naturally because our parents control what goes on the dinner table. What sense of self protection we have is often, especially in a family like mine where children were heard and not seen and most importantly didn't cause any inconvenience, quashed.

And how much is self protection a part of the overall development of the self? If we can't trust ourselves to protect ourselves, what else about our 'selves' can we not trust? And by not trusting it, not investing in it, do we lose it? How else do we not protect ourselves (jobs we hate, relationships we know are not nurturing, etc.)

I think philosphy is invaluable in the healing process, and I'm glad you've found someone to give you some ideas to chew over (pun intended). Take care and good luck. I'm going to think about this one some more.

[Green12]

He says that often, "we must love the body, we must understand the body".

I love this saying rinne.

I just started going back to accupuncture this last week, after a 2 year hiatus and I am excited about it. I really appreciate and respect the approach and philosophy of Eastern Medicine when it comes to the body and disease.

[rinne]

This intrigues me. Self-protection would be something that evolves. First, we let our parents care for us; then we slowly take the lead, testing out the waters, then finally being our own self protectors. I've clearly had digestive problems since I was a very young child - probably Celiac from that ae (I know I have it now). When we're children, we cannot make decisions like what to eat - we cannot respond to our bodies as we might naturally because our parents control what goes on the dinner table. What sense of self protection we have is often, especially in a family like mine where children were heard and not seen and most importantly didn't cause any inconvenience, quashed.

And how much is self protection a part of the overall development of the self? If we can't trust ourselves to protect ourselves, what else about our 'selves' can we not trust? And by not trusting it, not investing in it, do we lose it? How else do we not protect ourselves (jobs we hate, relationships we know are not nurturing, etc.)

Bully4You, this is what I am wondering too. Reflecting on my life I can see that I often did not behave in a ways that demonstrated self-protection, really much more like I've lived my life feeling like I didn't have any value and it made little difference if I was dead or alive. I have been given to the dramatic moment too. The thing is, so much of this damage is done before we speak, so much of this is buried in a place our spoken memory doesn't go. This may sound funny, okay take out the may, but I have been talking to my stomach much like I would talk to a small baby that was upset. I realize now how much grief, anxiety and rage I have held in my gut and the damage it has done.

"We must love the body..." Me too Julie, that phrase comes back to me again and again and I think what does that mean? I see how badly I have treated my body, as if it was some broken thing that I wasn't too happy about having but would make do with. I wouldn't really take care of it because that would mean paying attention to it and paying attention would mean knowing the pain, easier to have a slightly more distant relationship than that.

There is a Japanese story about four horses, the first just had to see the shadow of the whip to move, the second a light tap, the third a firm smack but the fourth had to be whipped to the bone to get to move. I once thought I was like the first horse, (smart *** that I am) but now I know that I am the fourth horse. The pain flattened me this winter and it took that to get me to really pay attention. I am grateful now to be waking up to good health and with it a feeling of joy that I have not had in many years, as someone said, I think it was Lily Tomlin, "it is never too late to have a happy childhood".

[Green12]

"We must love the body..." Me too Julie, that phrase comes back to me again and again and I think what does that mean? I see how badly I have treated my body, as if it was some broken thing that I wasn't too happy about having but would make do with. I wouldn't really take care of it because that would mean paying attention to it and paying attention would mean knowing the pain, easier to have a slightly more distant relationship than that.

There is a Japanese story about four horses, the first just had to see the shadow of the whip to move, the second a light tap, the third a firm smack but the fourth had to be whipped to the bone to get to move. I once thought I was like the first horse, (smart *** that I am) but now I know that I am the fourth horse. The pain flattened me this winter and it took that to get me to really pay attention. I am grateful now to be waking up to good health and with it a feeling of joy that I have not had in many years, as someone said, I think it was Lily Tomlin, "it is never too late to have a happy childhood".

rinne,

I have had a similar "awakening" I guess you could call it. I didn't intentionally harm my body over the years, I just was not connected to it, or grounded in it, in order to notice or hear the signs/signals and messages it was sending me. I think this is a necessary part of healing, having that connection and being in tune with body, mind, spirit. Accupuncture has helped me a lot in this regard, i.e. clearing blocked stagnant energy, using herbs instead of pharmeceutical drugs, also eating food in it's purest form and practicing yoga- all this combined has allowed me to break free from, looking back, what was a cloudy, unclear, disconnected state of existence.

[BRUMI1968]

RE talking to your stomach -- my therapist has long wanted me to do "guided imagry" work. This would be where I would go inside myself and see what was there or what/who wanted to talk. We talked about finding out why my stomach is so tender all the time. (My therapist has celiac, by the way). I've always been afraid to do it, like something terribly embarassing or vulnerable will come out. Of course it will ... and therapy is an appropriate place for that to happen.

On a different note but along the same lines, I once had some Hellerwork done. It is deep tissue massage that is very organized..they do one thing first, then another. Anyway, it was my second visit and it was time to do the ribcage area. the woman started to do her thing and I started sobbing uncontrollably. She just stood there and told me that was fine, but of course I let me socialized side stop the crying early. I think this whole thing was: I have things to say that I'm afraid to say. I don't want to say anything that might make someone else uncomfortable or inconvenienced. I have a hard time saying what I need - and stating your needs is part of self protection. My ribs were tight from holding in my anger, fear, frustration, sadness, etc. It's something I'm working on.

I'm sure glad you posted this...I'm going to consider the guided imagry...and I'm also going to start meditating on my digestive system - asking it what's up and telling it that all is going to be alright.

[fairydust]

Alternative Medicine has helped me heal my own celiac. I have had accupuncture, reiki, psychic healing, and more. I also belong to a forum on a website called The Healing Directory Open Original Shared Link which is a forum discussing alternative health

Their homepage for the site is www.alt-healthsearch.com The site is a directory of Alternative Practioners, Classes etc. for Alternative Medicine

[randils]

Okay, I am getting so fed up with the medical system (or should we call it the slash'n'drug system)!! Someone I know suggested an alternative--a Chinese woman (who used to be a nurse) who switched to acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. She did get a big write-up (very positive) in our local paper a couple of years ago.

I am seriously considering trying this, but need to research first. When I first heard of her a couple of years ago, the only problem I had was my thyroid, and I thought, "Gee, I can keep this under control for $10/month, why spend any money on something I don't understand?"

But now, my thyroid medication costs $35/month, and it is NOT under control, and I'm questioning the validity of the treatment anyway.

Has anybody ever tried this? Does anybody know anyone who did or does? Does anybody know anything about this?

We never hear about Asians with celiac unless they have been on a Western diet--but Northern Chinese do consume a fair amount of noodles and dumplings. Why don't they get celiac? Is the Chinese medicine the difference here? What if Chinese herbal medicine could fix the reason our bodies are reacting to Gluten? Then again, what if the Chinese herbal medicine contains gluten?

????????? ???????? ????????????

[randils]

Look into NAET. This is an allergy treatment that is usually done by acupunturist. I have family members who have had excellent results from it. There is also a method that uses acupressure if you're not into needles. Look it up on naet.com and you can also find practitioners in your area.