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Hi, Brian.
Back from the dead. It's so hard to work with limited
energy, and I've been working really hard lately. Actually,
been talking to some producers about doing a documentary
on Hep C and I'd love it if you consulted on it, but that's
in the future,
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I really liked the acupuncturist that you recommended to me,
Al Stone out of Santa Monica.
Al Stone told me that it'll really be the herbs that act on
hepatitis, and that the acupuncture really is more for my menopause
and anxiety. Although it can help the liver a bit. Do you agree
with this analysis?
Angie
Angie,
I can only guess, because it really depends on too many factors
for me to review without seeing you as a patient, going through
your medical history, etc. I would trust Al's clinical judgment.
Using Multiple Therapies for More Healing
I can tell you that sometimes I divide the healing work amongst
several therapies. You can use the acupuncture for one chief complaint,
and the herbs for another. This is a way to get more done, since
you often can't effectively treat everything at once with one
therapy. From what we know so far, herbs are more effective against
Hep C than acupuncture, so it makes sense to use the acupuncture
for the other complaints.
How does acupuncture work on the liver, in layman's terms?
In a few sentences?
I can answer that, but it'll take more than a few sentences.
;-)
One Life Two Livers
There's the western medicine (WM) liver, and the Chinese medicine
(CM) Liver system (the liver organ, plus associated areas of the
Liver meridian, and tissues governed and maintained by the Liver
system such as the eyes, and the tendons or sinews).
When Al talks about the liver in relation to the anxiety and
menopause, he's most likely talking about the Chinese medicine
Liver system. There is some overlap- the WM liver is included
in the CM Liver system. That may be confusing- sorry.
I assume that your question is about the WM liver, since we're
talking about hepatitis.
How Acupuncture Works
The short answer is that each acupoint has a specific significance
to the brain, and directs the brain through the nervous and immune
systems to change activity in specific parts of the body. The
points are like keys on a keyboard- we use them to input new information
and instructions to the central nervous system.
The body is set up this way- acupoints are both diagnostic and
therapeutic. If there is a bodily problem that indicates the use
of a certain acupoint, it is often more tender on palpation (pressing)
than other points.
The CM system uses the anology of qi and a complex system of
physiology (qi, xue, yin, yang, etc.) and pathology to describe
and use this amazing aspect of our bodies.
Scientific Information from Acupuncture Research:
- Acupuncture treated liver injury in rats.
(Am
J Chin Med. 2001;29(2):221-6)
- Electroacupuncture on hamsters with gallstones (the
gallbladder is related to the liver in CM) reduced the contents
of cholesterol in plasma and bile, and increased the volumes
of secretion of cholic acid, thus inhibiting the crystallization
of cholesterol from bile
(Zhen
Ci Yan Jiu. 1996;21(4):68-72)
- A specific acupoint (Du 26) changed enzymatic activity and
energy metabolism in the liver in rabbits.
- After chronic treatment with electroacupuncture of B23, B25,
and ST36,
- (a) protein, RNA, phospholipid, and cholesterol contents
of whole liver and liver microsomal fraction increased significantly,
- (b) liver microsomal G-6-Pase activity increased significantly,
- (c) microsomal lipid peroxidation value decreased,
- (d) lipase activity increased. After acute treatment,
- (e) phospholipid, and cholesterol contents of the whole
liver and liver microsomal fraction increased significantly,
- (f) liver microsomal G-6-Pase activity increased significantly,
- (g) liver microsomal lipid peroxidation value decreased,
- (h) GPT and lipase activity of liver increased. The parameters
unchanged in acute treatment were as follows:
- (i) protein, RNA content,
- (j) GOT activity of the liver,
- (k) SGOT and SGPT activity, (1) hepatic triglyceride.
The parameters unchanged in chronic treatment were as follows:
- (m) GOT and GPT activity of the liver,
- (n) SGOT and SGPT activity,
- (o) hepatic triglyceride.
(Acupunct
Electrother Res. 1983;8(2):111-26)
Also, I remember taking this supplement powder, and it made
my right kidney ache. Then I took a blood test and my uric levels
were slightly off balance. So I stopped the powder and that went
away. Have you heard that herbs can stress the kidneys at all?
Were you taking that powder under the direction of an herbalist?
It's rare that that would happen when the herb formula is indicated
by your pattern discrimination (diagnosis). There were some cases
of kidney problems due to the use of the wrong species of herbs
(companies without experts bought the wrong kind) that had aristolochic
acid in them. Reliable herb companies run by specialized Chinese
herb experts don't make those mistakes. For more, see this
page at Mayway.
All the best!
B
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