Qiological Podcast

What gets you started at the beginning of your career is not what keeps you going in the middle part of your career. And as we move into later stages of life and practice, the questions change yet again. Listen in to this conversation between some seasoned practitioners considering the trajectory of practice across the span of decades. 

It's not uncommon today for top level athletes to use acupuncture as part of their health care, to enhance performance and treat injuries. And even though you didn't hear about acupuncture in the 1984 Olympics, it was there.Our guest in this episode has been working with sports acupuncture for almost 40 years.Listen in to this conversation that touches on topics that range from the importance of precise needle location to the value of stillness in your acupuncture practice.

Lots of strange and curious patterns get chalked up to wind and phlegm in Chinese medicine. In this episode we take at look at the "curious organ" of the brain, as our guest of this episode gives us a glimpse into the power and usefulness of understanding modern functional neurology as a way to better understand and treat the effects and often hidden pathologies of concussion and traumatic brain injury.  

In this episode we discuss anatomy, orthopedic assessment,  the treatment of joints, sinew pathways, and ligaments.  Our guest takes a deep look, both literally and figuratively  at the anatomy and clinical use of the jing-jin, the “sinew” or “myofascial” pathways. Especially as they relate to joint stability or dysfunction.  Listen in for a conversation around the clinical power of the sinew channels and why brushing up on your anatomy will help you get better clinical results and improve your confidence with deep needling.

Chad Bong is one of the organizers of the Sports Acupuncture Alliance's conference. He's a busy guy, but we managed to grab a few minutes to talk about acupuncture, community and the inspiration and effort behind this conference. 

Needles are an essential aspect of our practices that most of us don’t know much about, other than we have some brands or types we like to use. What goes into a needle and how needle technology over the years has changed is a bit of a mystery to many of us. So I’m delighted to have Matt Pike here with me. He’s been involved with the sourcing and manufacture of acupuncture needles for a long time.We are going to get into the backstory on this essential tool that we use everyday in the work we do. And we’re going to talk a little about a new needled being introduced here at the conference that has been specially designed and  manufactured for sports and orthopedic acupuncture. 

As practitioners we all work with a mix of theory, clinical sensibilities developed through years of practice, and the immediate moment of encounter with our patients. What we feel with our hands can deeply help to inform our treatments and ground our mental models into the physicality of the present moment. Our colleagues on the shiatsu side of the house have a bit of an advantage in connecting and working with the channels and points in a sensate way, as they spend much more of their time in physical contact with their patients. Listen in to this conversation with a shiatsu practitioner whose practice has been steeped in decades of clinical work as we explore the differences between intention and attention, working with the sensing of the hands along with the ideas of the mind, and the important difference between maps and compasses.  Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this episode we discuss the Jing Fang, the classic formulas, as they are being used by Dr. Huang Huang in the modern clinic, along a look at how some of our oldest medicine helps to throw new light on the importance of the digestive system and human biome.Listen in for a wide ranging discussion that covers the challenges and rewards of studying in China. How some simple formulas from the Shang Han Lun are not so simple once you begin to dig into them, and what it is like to do a Ph.D. in China.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Children are full of yang qi and respond quickly to the methods of East Asian medicine. There is a lot of good you can do in using our methods to treat kids, especially in treating some conditions that conventional medicine can only offer symptomatic relief.Our guest in this episode got started with treating children by working through some health issues with her own kids.Listen as we discuss the common issues that children present with in the clinic, how to enlist the help of parents, how to help children feel comfortable with needles, and a few things about treating kids that you won’t find in books. Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

One of the great things about podcasts is that it’s not difficult to find one that lines up with your particular interest. Chinese medicine practitioners are fortunate to have podcasts like Heavenly Qi that allow us to listen in to conversations that go deep into the workings of our medicine and bring you the perspective of experienced clinicians.This conversation in this episode is with the creators of the Heavenly Qi podcast where we explore how this new medium allows us to learn from other practitioner’s and some ways in which this new on-demand technology might change  the ways we can provide learning and continuing education. Storytelling has always been an essential element in how people learn and share information. Listen in for the story of how Heavenly Qi got started and where podcasting fits into within our long tradition of discussing medicine. Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Research can be a problematic area for practitioners of East Asian medicine.  While many acupuncturists are keen to share research with patients that paints acupuncture in a positive light, especially for marketing purposes, there are not many of us that are generating that research. And there is the issue of double-blind studies, which are the gold standard in conventional medical research, but difficult to apply to East Asian medicine, as the practitioner is an integral part of the treatment.This episode is a conversation with a full on Western style Ph.D. researcher who also is a dedicated practitioner of East Asian medicine. She has some unique views on how to apply research methods to our particular methods.Students of doctorate programs will find this episode especially helpful, as it will give you tools and perspectives to engage researching your area of interest and contributing to our profession.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Many of us were exposed to guasha in our schooling, but it was more like a footnote than anything else. Over in Asia guasha is a well-used aspect of the folk medicine. Hardly a grandma or auntie that doesn’t know how to raise a rash with a soup spoon. But most docs over there don’t use it. So it is understandable how in teaching “medicine” here in the west we’d get the minimal exposure we do.In this episode we sit down with the “Guasha Queens” and learn why this simple technique should be part of your pain relief toolkit. Additionally we learn how it can be helpful for a variety of internal health conditions such as digestion, various inflammatory conditions, respiratory illness and even psycho-emotive issues.This is an aspect of our medicine that we really should own and use, as it’s simple, safe and effective. Listen in as we discuss how to raise a rash and make your patients love you.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

There are many ways to attend to our patients in clinic. We can work through mental models that we’ve acquired from our schooling, study, and clinical experience. We can also use our innate human ability to touch, palpate and sense. In this episode we discuss the importance of down-regulating our nervous system. Along with the use of palpation and sensing references to anchor our ideas about what might be going on for a patient, and to track the progress of the treatment as it unfolds.Additionally we touch in on the use the eight extraordinary vessels and their relation to internal cultivation, take a look at the relatively new emergence of using the divergent channels, and discuss the difference between intending and attending during the treatment process. Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Plenty of people seek out acupuncture in particular as they have heard a few needles in the ear will break their cigarette habit, or cause their appetite and cravings to completely transform. We’ve all heard stories of someone’s cousin who got needled once and never smoked again or they lost a lot of weight. But how many of these people have you seen get these results in your clinic?Often patients seek out Chinese medicine for weight loss, weight control or smoking cessation. Many of us don’t have training in dealing with addictions and it can be a challenge for the practitioner to know how to approach someone who suffers from a troublesome life habit, is not sure if they really want to change it or not, and furthermore has a lot of experience with failing to live up to the image of the life they want. Do they need to be pushed, like in the now popular boot camp, gently supported, encouraged and educated or perhaps they need something else?In this episode we discuss some ways of opening up this kind of difficult conversation with our patients. And bringing some reality to the situation, which can be helpful in changing expectations and a patient’s experience of themselves in our Internet world that constantly promises quick fixes Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Using acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are helpful modalities in the treatment of veterans who have served our country and suffer from injuries and the aftermath of trauma. But, treating veterans is not as simple as treating what we see in the clinical setting. There are aspects of military life that are invisible to the average civilian. And while acupuncture increasingly is being used by the military and the veteran’s administration, it has its own flavor and protocols. In this episode we speak with an acupuncturist, who is also a veteran. We get a look not only at the current opportunities for how acupuncture is used to treat the soldiers and veterans of our nation, but also glimpse into the challenges involved in working within the military.Listen in as we explore how acupuncture and Chinese medicine are used in the treatment of military personnel and veterans. And learn about the various credentials and certifications that will allow you to work within the system and help those who have served our country.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

We learn in acupuncture school that the body, mind and spirit are woven together into the tapestry of one’s life. We learn that each of the yin organs has a spirit aspect, and that we can’t touch the body without touching the mind and vise versa. And yet there are blockages that are lodged more in the psycho-emotive realm and can at times prevent healing on the physical level. In this show we explore the healing of emotional trauma. Investigate some ways of thinking about how to interact with the spirit aspects of the organs, how facial diagnosis can help both with understanding where a patient’s problem is lodged and if our treatment is having an effect, and how channel palpation can lead us directly to blockages and help us make choices about choosing effective points. In addition we discussion some self-care practices for patients and get an overview of CT’s thoughtful and clinically based book on healing emotional trauma.Listen in for a wide ranging discussion on working with emotions, trauma and some useful diagnostic tools that both allow you to diagnose and check the effectiveness of your treatment. Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Dr. Wang Ju-Yi was ever curious about why some treatments worked and others did not. He deeply studied the classical literature along with his own clinical experience, and somewhere along the way started putting his hands on patients to simply see what the channels had to say. For those practitioners who find palpation to be a key part of their practice, the work of Dr. Wang opens a whole new way of interacting with patients. And for those who are interested in how to puzzle through confounding clinical cases, Dr. Wang has some ways of clarifying complex situations. Pull up a cup of tea and listen in to this conversation that gives you a personal view of Dr. Wang and his work through the eyes of his apprentice Jason Robertson, co-author of Applied Channel Theory in Chinese Medicine, Wang Ju-Yi’s Lectures on Channel Therapeutics. Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

When I first went to Taiwan I noticed that around most of the larger temples there was a street of 算命師, fortune tellers. Some would use the ba gua, others attended to your birthdate, palm or some combination of numbers. Others would look at the face. The Chinese medicine section in bookstores would also have books that explained hot to use maps of the face to diagnose health concerns. In East Asia, it's common knowledge that there is more written on the face than we in West attend to. Our guest in today's episode learned to read faces at her grandmother's knee, she in turn had learned from her father, a successful businessman. Listen in and learn how paying attention to certain aspects of the face not only will help you better diagnose and treat your patient's, but give you clues in better understanding and communicating with them based on how they see the world and process information. Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

CBD, cannabidiol, has been making the rounds lately in the natural medicine world. Almost overnight it seems this botanical has popped onto the scene and there are lot of claims as to it health benefits. As Chinese medicine practitioners we are already familiar with some of the benefits of hemp seed, and as practitioners in the modern world we might like to incorporate something as useful as CBD. But how does this botanical fit into our thinking and practice? And where is the research, that is so readily touted, come from given that cannabis is still a Schedule 1 drug at the federal level?Listen in to explore not only the modern research on CBD along with the differences between hemp and cannabis, but more importantly how to consider this medicinal from a Chinese medicine point of view. Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Practice acupuncture long enough and one of your patients is bound to mention some issues their pet is having. They might ask for some herbal advice, or see if you'd be up for treating their furry friend.Perhaps you've tried your hand at treating your own critters. Found that your cat is more frisky after acupuncture or that the dog's hips aren't such a bother after a few needles.In this episode we talk with a veterinary acupuncturist about the legal considerations,  training programs  and safety considerations for working with animals.Listen in and explore the world of animal acupuncture.

In this episode we take a look at marketing and practice building from the perspective of new practitioner who is excited and looking forward to building a business. No, you don’t need to go back and reread that last paragraph; you got it right the first read through. In this conversation we hear from a newly minted acupuncturist who is happily looking forward to building a business. Yes, this is a minority point of view, as many of us believe ourselves to be healers, but not “business people.” For many this aversion to engaging the “practice of practice” can be the source of emotional, financial, relational and spiritual struggle. We grudgingly do something we hate in order to get something we want. How’s that supposed to work?Listen in and update your perspective on marketing and business! Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Precious and rare medicinal mushrooms like reshi (ling zhi) and cordyceps (dong chong xia cao) used to be available only to royalty, or those who knew how to spot them in the wild.These medicinals have a long history of use in East Asia and are associated with vitality, longevity and a connection to the spirit world. Even today it is said of the wild forms that "those who buy it don't eat it, and those who eat it don't buy it" as it is often gifted in a attempt to curry favor or influence.Fortunately for us "lao bai xing" (common people) these incredible fungi are available to us via cultivation. Or are they?In this episode our guest takes us on a deep dive into cultivation and extraction methods, and more importantly, how to read test results so you can better understand the potency of the products you are buying and giving to your patients.If you use medicinal mushrooms in your practice this episode will help you to better understand the important differences between polysaccharides, beta-glucans, and triterpenoids.Listen into to this conversation with an etno-mycologist who has been studying and working with mushroom cultivation for over 45 years.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

According to conventional medicine, macular degeneration is a progressive, incurable, degenerative disease. As good as modern medicine can be for some opthamological problems, it does not have much to offer those with macular degeneration other than say "take your vitamins and await the inevitable."While macular degeneration is indeed progressive, it's progress can be slowed and in many people some amount of function restored.Not only macular degeneration, but Stargardt's disease, retinitis pigmentosa and other eyes conditions can improve through the use of acupuncture using particular points on the palms and soles.Our guest in this show is fired up about helping prevent people from going blind. Listen in as we discuss how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help to make a big difference in the quality of life for people with degenerative opthamological conditions.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Tung style acupuncture is known for its curious collection of points that can be a challenge to the mind for those of us that learned to think about acupuncture strictly from a channel or function perspective. The methods handed down from Master Tung invite us to think about the resonance between points, structures, locations and tissue. It encourages us to consider not just the Spleen channel, but why its helpful to think of it as the leg tai yin as well. As well as why the shoulder is like the hip, and overlapping areas of influence can make for a more potent acupuncture treatment. Listen in as we discuss the power of resonance, how unlearning is part of learning something new, and why you don't have to understand everything from the beginning, but it's helpful if you keep pushing yourself to find the threads that connect.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.