Holistic Health Program

Pain is so real to all of us yet very little is actually known about it. There is no physiological explanation that accounts for all the different kinds of pain conditions we experience, but it is often physical pain which drives us towards seeking health solutions.

For centuries, ancient doctors and healers had a deep understanding of the energetic body. The healing traditions from around the world understood that the flow of energy along channels such as nadis and meridians was essential to maintaining balance. Life exists because of life force energy running through and animating the body so that we can move, breathe, think and feel.

This life force energy, or qi, flows along a complex network of energy pathways. In Chinese medicine, all disease, including pain conditions, is believed to be caused by a blockage of energy flow in these channels. Acupuncture or acu-point therapy is one of the principle means of restoring balance.

It is important for all therapists to understand something about the acupuncture anatomy of the human body and how to select points which can address the body as a whole. Addressing pain conditions is a part of this, as are emotional factors and the entire mind/body relationship. We cannot disconnect the mind from the body, no matter what we do. Honoring this connection through working with the body’s energy blockages will address so many imbalances including chronic pain.

This acu-point course will showcase 21 major points within the Chinese medicine system and fully enable the practitioner to use the points therapeutically with a variety of tools including lasers, gold plated magnets and seeds, Moxabustion and essential oils.

Many of you know me as a BodyTalk practitioner and Acupuncturist and may not be aware that herbal medicine was the start of my holistic career. I literally fell in love with a plant on an island off the coast of Maine almost 30 years ago and have never looked back.

At that time, intuition was a mostly untested concept and what a surprise I got when the Master Herbalist sat me in front of a small innocuous looking dark, leafy plant and told me to spend a few minutes focusing on it and that “the plant would talk to me, it would tell me what it was used for.” Highly skeptical, I did as he asked only to learn half an hour later that the plant had spoken. It had communicated that it was good for urinary tract infections and that was exactly right.

Becoming an herbalist was easier than I had thought. I started with just a few remedies. We call it establishing a “kitchen practice.” There are so many different and amazing herbs out there. Herbs for particular conditions, herbs for prevention, herbs that change with the seasons. There are many methods of preparation: teas, infusions, syrups, decoctions, tinctures, etc.

Healing herbs existed long before human beings discovered their curative powers. There are sites in the middle east that show herbs, such as marsh mallow, were used by Neanderthals more than 50,000 years ago. The herbs have not changed since the time they were first used. Plants, in their whole form, are dug, dried and brewed and healing elixirs are made from them.

A simple is one herb used at a time, usually chosen specifically for an individual and the issue at hand. The history of both western and European herbalism is based on the use of simple herbs. People used a single plant that grew close to them: nettles leaf, red clover blossom, dandelion root, etc. and that plant adapted itself to the issue and person. In this way, herbalists developed a very personal connection with the plant and when the patient improved, they knew exactly what got them better.

Each plant has a specific personality and developing a good, close relationship with an herb depends on using it singly and often. It allows the practitioner the opportunity to observe the subtle differences, both within the plant and how it effects the client.

Herbal medicine works best when practiced holistically with an intent to heal the entire body. Traditional herbalists use combinations of herbs to help the body to heal itself. This means that herbs are inherently health promoting rather than disease killing. Taking herbs on a daily basis is one of the best forms of preventative medicine.

Traditional Western herbal medicine evolved from ancient Greek, Egyptian and Middle Eastern civilizations. Well known physicians such as Hippocrates and Galen are thought to have used herbal medicines in their practices. The combinations and uses of western herbal formulas is an ancient and widespread system that has survived until today.

The current movement towards western herbal use emphasizes the use of European and Native American herbs. Research is being conducted in the use of these herbs for various health related conditions. In some studies, the whole herb or an herbal combination is given to a patient, in others, isolated chemical constituents are extracted and used.

When a combination of plants is used that grows close to home, it can have powerful healing effects. Even though we are sometimes intrigued by botanicals which can come to us from far away, the fact is that herbs grown close to home have the most powerful effect. This is why developing knowledge of our own plants and the best ways in which to use them is vitally important to health.

Did you know that the earliest existing book on Chinese herbal medicine, Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing was written in the Qin and Han dynasty. The book recorded 365 types of medicine, some of which is still used and it was a beginning of the establishment of this most valuable eastern medicine tradition.

Fast forward 2,000 years: Scientists working in China and other parts of Asia during the last several decades have demonstrated that herbs contain active components that account for their actions. Many pharmaceutical drugs have now been developed from the stems and roots of Chinese plants.

The Chinese system of medical herbalism is one of the most sophisticated in the world. It has been enhanced by thousands of years of experience and research. Wisdom extracted from the past can be applied to the present. Even though there is a disparity between lifestyles of the ancient Chinese and modern civilization, the history of herbal practice in China is based on a very dynamic system of continual observation and modification of theories and practices. Each client is able to receive exactly what they need which is revealed at the moment the Chinese herbalist applies their knowledge to the individual at hand.

Chinese medicinal plants are categorized by the four energies and the five flavors. The four energies are hot, warm, cold and cool and they indicate the basic action of the herbal formula on the body. The Five Flavors are related to the Five Elements. Together, these categories and the meridians associated with them form the foundation Chinese herbal therapy.

Learn more about the synergistic application of the 21 most commonly used Chinese herbal formulas!

According to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, there are over 90,000 chemicals commonly circulating in our lives. Medical experts often talk in terms of the “Body Burden” of environmental stressors. Think of a glass of water full almost to the top. The amount of liquid in the glass can decrease or increase according to our toxic exposure at a given time. When there is too much psychological stress or the body becomes overwhelmed with physical contaminants, the glass becomes full. We are usually not aware of the specific toxins filling up the glass until it spills over and we develop symptoms.

We live in a chemical soup. The air we breathe, what we’re eating and drinking, our water sources may all be contaminated. In holistic medicine, we are aware of our environment and how it affects us. Prevention of illness from toxins is an important first step to maintaining health. This includes strategies for cleansing toxins from the blood as well as supporting the upright qi/energy systems of the body.

This section on toxins includes the most prominent exposures in our daily lives. If we become aware of them, we can make the proper adjustments to our lifestyle and our activities, resulting in a much healthier biochemical system. This is true preventative medicine.

Micronutrients, often referred to as vitamins and minerals are important! Although the body requires only small amounts, they are vital to physical development, disease prevention and the maintenance of a strong body and mind. Micronutrients cannot be produced in the body and must be derived from diet or supplements.

Certain micronutrient deficiencies can have serious consequences. Iron is an essential mineral for motor and cognitive development. It is also key in preventing anemia. Iodine is important for the brain and endocrine system. Vitamin A supports healthy eyesight and immunity. Zinc is essential to the functioning of the nervous system. The list goes on. It is estimated that over 2 billion people worldwide suffer from nutrient deficiencies.

An estimated 30% of the calories that Americans consume daily from food contain very few vitamins including soda, chips, sweets and alcohol. Without essential nutrients, our body has a hard time functioning. These micronutrients regulate cell growth, act as antioxidants and keep cells functioning at their peak. Every part of our body including our cells, skin, bones and tissues rely on vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.

There is controversy over whether vitamin supplements are the best way to make sure we’re getting our necessary nutrients. Many nutritionists believe that essential nutrients need to come from food. The jury is still out.

What we eat is essentially important to our health and wellbeing. Good diet is associated with a long lifespan and a decreased risk of disease. Almost everyone knows this but what we aren’t sure about is exactly what constitutes a good diet. There’s low fat, low carb, low glycemic, Mediterranean, vegan, macrobiotic, Paleo… the list goes on.

One of the keys seems to be eating food that comes directly from nature. If we eat real food that comes from the ground, from an animal or fish or plant, then the nutrients tend to be guaranteed. One of my cardinal rules in establishing a healthy eating pattern is: If your grandmother wouldn’t recognize it, don’t eat it!

Macronutrients are the carbohydrates, proteins and fats that are contained in food. But, just what are the best foods? We’ve compiled a list of Superfoods which contain a wide range of essential nutrients, both macro and micro and we’ll explain why we like these particular foods so much.

In Chinese medicine, the face reflects the body.  Practitioners of Chinese medicine can read symptoms of many body conditions by observations of the face.  In ancient China, there were professional face readers, who understood the concept that the face represents the energies, health and fortune of a person.

We all have a blend of the elements and the face reflects this.  Each face is a map of the past, present and future.  The past includes our inherited constitution, what happened during our mother’s pregnancy and other childhood factors.  The present concerns our state of health right now.  This is something that we have created.  Toxins, stress, drugs, emotional factors and poor diet all contribute to the lines and congestion in the face.

In Chinese medicine, the future is something that can be shaped, meaning that conditions of imbalance indicated by the face are not set in stone.  Through working with our inner health factors and our emotional issues, we can resolve many internal issues.  Your face then becomes a map of your life reflecting positive changes to diet, lifestyle, and the cultivation of  inner happiness.

In the midst of almost 400 acupuncture points there are 10 special points called Windows to the Sky points. The points are basically located on the neck and throat and are used when there is disharmony between the qi of the body and the qi of the head. The points are considered to have major psychological and spiritual applications when used if the “head and body are not properly connected.”

“All the Yang energies come from Yin, for Yin engenders Yang. These Yang energies always arise from the lower body towards the head, but, if they are interrupted in their trajectory, they cannot rise further than the abdomen. All Yang energies have their source below, towards the earth and are directed above towards the sky.”

For example, on a psychic level, Lung – 3 action has to do with regulating ascending and descending of qi to and from the head. As such, it has a mental/ emotional effect. It is mentioned in the classics, that “this point treats forgetfulness, sadness and weeping by stimulating the ascending of qi to both the lungs and heart.”

All 10 Sky Windows points will be explored including their locations and uses.

In all valid healing modalities, the role of the therapist is to use positive energy to promote healing in the body, mind, heart and spirit. With holistic therapy, we do not use the word “cure” because we recognize that the person doing the healing is the recipient. True therapists generate healing energy to assist the client but it is recipient who receives it and uses it to heal themselves.

The qualities of a therapist are expressed as empathy and the ability to be fully present. Empaths are intuitive and highly aware. They are also following an internal map in working with the client. The energy healer is oriented to provide deep listening, appropriate responses to the client’s words and helpful feedback, always informing while observing correct boundaries.

The strength of the client’s response is dependent upon their body’s energies. Holistic therapies have great potential but the ability of the client to heal emotionally, from physical pain or from trauma is dependent on their body’s ability to absorb the session.

The chakra system is unique in the sense that it is able to transform physical, hormonal and cellular energy into consciousness and vice-versa. In order to understand how this happens, we have to look at the nature of chakra energy as an electromagnetic system located in the middle of the body. In other words, the chakras are not located anterior or posterior but communicate to both the front and the back of the body through yin and yang connections. These relationships explain the amazing clinical results that are seen when acu-points directly corresponding to the area of the chakra are stimulated.

For example, the fifth chakra is linked to the acupoints GV 14 located just below Cervical 7 on the back and the points CV 22-23 located on the front of the body in the upper and lower neck are. All fifth chakra issues relating to voice, speech, neck pain, lymphatic congestion and thyroid issues may be addressed through accessing this chakra – acupoint connection.

Learn more about the seven chakras and their relationships to the acupoints in this online seminar.

The Shang Han Lun, an ancient Chinese text, referenced a concept of disease progression called the “Six Disease Stages.” Essentially the idea involves weighing the relative strengths of pathogenic factors vs. the individual under attack. If a person is in a healthy state, balance is generated through their inherent strength. When the wei qi is weakened or the root (source) qi becomes depleted, invaders can cause illness. It is like a battle taking place in the body between the good guys (healthy qi, blood and immune system) and the bad guys (invading pathogens).

Learn more about the Six Stages and specific approaches to balance them.