•6 Steps to Finding the Best Acupuncturist For You
6 Steps to Finding the Best Acupuncturist For You by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc6 Steps to Getting the Best Chinese Medicine (CM) Practitioner for You1. Use The Pulse of Oriental Medicine's Acupuncturist Finding Resource (http://pulsemed.org/findacupuncturist.htm), and look for your town. If you don't see it, click on the "general databases" link, then choose "National Certification Committee for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine," then search by your city. If that doesn't work, try state-wide,...
•8 Natural Health Beauty Tips
8 Natural Health Beauty Tips by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcThe number one natural beauty tip I can give you is to take your health seriously. In Chinese medicine, we know that natural external beauty is a reflection of inner health and well being. Often, the solution to external beauty problems is an internal one. That means foods and herbs. In the case of skin problems, herbs can be use to create creams or wraps and applied directly. In Chinese medicine, we treat problems like acne, blemishes,...
•9 Ways to Nurture Your Emotional Health
9 Ways to Nurture Your Emotional Health by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcI think we need to break Chinese medicine's wisdom down into bite-sized, practical pieces. Though I think they are rather cliché and simplistic, the popular magazine style, "5 Tips to Make Your Life Perfect in 5 Minutes Without Lifting a Finger!" piques the curiosity, and gets in our heads. If we can pick up one useful thing, we've learned and can live better. On the other hand, it does no good to overwhelm people with...
•A Better Flu Home Remedy
A Better Flu Home Remedy by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcWhen Chase-Manhattan lender David Givens began to feel some of the early symptoms of the flu - fatigue, muscle aches and pains (not from exercise), and a slight fever - he had no reason to expect he'd be, as he put it, "amazingly better within 2 days" because of a flu home remedy.Fortunately for him, one of his basketball-buddies, the author of this article, is a Chinese medicine acupuncturist and herbalist. When he called me about his...
•Acupuncture and Pain Relief
Acupuncture and Pain Relief by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcIn my later years of medical school, I thought that pain treatment was below me. Even though acupuncture was best known for its effective pain relief, I thought that the Western medical world was simply behind as usual. We were amazed to learned all the other diseases we could treat with acupuncture, like neurological problems, immune system dysfunction, anxiety, and depression, and I thought, "Anyone can treat pain. I'd rather focus on...
•Acupuncture Weight Loss with 5 Step Plan
Acupuncture Weight Loss with 5 Step Plan by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcI remember back in my senior year of high school - my best friend since 5th grade was living in France. He wrote that they didn't like Americans much. "They think we're all fat," he said. With his own skinny frame, of course, he confounded their belief. But, he added a funny, or perhaps ironic capstone to the issue. "I went to a store, and they were selling statues of these fat people, and, at the base of each one was...
•Acupuncture, Massage, and Chiropractic for Fibromyalgia
Acupuncture, Massage, and Chiropractic for Fibromyalgia by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcQ: Can accupuncture help with pain of fibromyalgia? About how many treatments can it take to see results and is it helped along if you combine it with massage therapy and chiropractic care? How do I find a reliable one in my area? Thank you,Debra A: Thanks for the question, Debra.There's just one 'c' in the spelling of acupuncture. I'm not sure where this double-c misspelling came from.Acupressure & Tui NaThe...
•Acupuncture: Questions and Answers with an Expert
Acupuncture: Questions and Answers with an Expert by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcQuestions and Answers about Acupuncture In April 2003, I was interviewed by Anupam Sharma, a journalist with the magazine from India, Fourth Dimension, which reaches 171,000 readers monthly both there and abroad. I thought you’d like to read it, because I answered a lot of the commonly asked questions about acupuncture that I haven’t written about on the Pulse of Oriental Medicine (PulseMed.org), and because you...
•Alternative Massage Medicine You Can Do At Home
Alternative Massage Medicine You Can Do At Home by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcYou may have only experienced the most common types of massage- circulatory or Swedish, deep tissue, maybe even shiatsu. But you should also know about a more powerful form of alternative massage medicine you can practice on yourself at home. Tui Na, The Chinese Alternative Massage MedicineTui Na, pronounced 'twee nah', literally means 'push grasp'. The push and grasp refer to two techniques you do with your hands...
•Can Western Medicine Accept Chinese Medicine?
Can Western Medicine Accept Chinese Medicine? by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcQ: My doctor is skeptical of Chinese medicine. Is there a way to make it acceptable to the western medicine way of thinking?A: This is a complicated issue. Ideally, we could use scientific research to make this possible. This has been done to some extent. However, there are still problems with research and its acceptance.Not Testing Authentic Chinese MedicineStudies often diverge from authentic Chinese medicine...
•Cold Flu Treatment, Antibiotics, and Herbs
Cold Flu Treatment, Antibiotics, and Herbs by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcAntibiotic overuse (especially for the common cold) has led to antibiotic resistance. Natural antibiotics and anti viral herbs that may boost immune system are discussed, plus the types of cold and flu, and cough and cold in a weak immune system.Most people don't realize that western biomedical understanding didn't include the immune system until very recently. The first vaccine was developed in the late 1800's, and most...
•Does Acupuncture Hurt?
Does Acupuncture Hurt? by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcI understand the fear of needles. What most people are familiar with is the hypodermic needle of western medicine. They use it to draw blood or inject fluids, so they have to be hollow, and as a result are much bigger than our needles. Ours are solid, and much, much thinner. In fact, they are only about twice the thickness of hair. It's probably more accurate to describe them as filaments, but needles are the usual word. When I show them to...
•Healing Without Side Effects: Drugs vs. Herbal Formulas
Healing Without Side Effects: Drugs vs. Herbal Formulas by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc"How can you say that an herbal formula will alleviate multiple symptoms, and yet have little or no side effects? How can there be a good effect without bad effects?"- Dr. W.H., MD, Great Falls, MTI understand your question, Dr. H., and the reason for it. Most doctors expect herbs to act just like pharmaceuticals. If there is a beneficial healing effect, they reason, there must also be side-effects....
•Herbs and Natural Supplements for Breast Cancer
Herbs and Natural Supplements for Breast Cancer by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcA returning patient called me yesterday. She was a breast cancer survivor when I saw her as a student intern in Chinese medical school. If I had been more confident at the time, I would have suggested she be diligent in preventing a recurrence of breast cancer, and explained how she might attempt that with Chinese medicine. Even if I had, however, she might not have followed my advice, because Chinese medicine's...
•Herbs for Addiction Withdrawal
Herbs for Addiction Withdrawal by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcHelp! I'm Addicted to the Painkillers I Bought Online! Q: Hi. I am definitely addicted to tramadol (Ultram). I have tried to stop the drug several times, but the withdrawal symptoms are so unbearable (depression; diarrhea; lethargy; sweats; aching body much more worse than ever before taking the drug, especially upon wakng up in the morning; irritability; increase in tremor), that I get through a day or two and then I know that just...
•Home Herbal Migraine Remedies
Home Herbal Migraine Remedies by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcThis is one of my favorite topics! Wanna know why?Because I've suffered from migraines for 2 years, and my unique position as an herbalist and acupuncturist has allowed me to learn about and experiment with a number of home migraine remedy you may not have heard of. Chinese herbal medicine is still new and unknown to most westerners. I've found some effective solutions from China that few people know about.And now I get to share them...
•How to Avoid Dangerous Drug-Herb Interactions, Part 1
How to Avoid Dangerous Drug-Herb Interactions, Part 1 by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcNegative drug-herb interactions (side effects as the result of taking drugs and herbs at the same time) have been over-hyped because of fear, lack of knowledge and sheer speculation. Although there are some negative interactions, research has also discovered positive interactions between drugs and herbal formulas.Drug-drug interactions are a much more serious problem than either herb-drug or herb-herb...
•How to Avoid Dangerous Drug-Herb Interactions, Part 2
How to Avoid Dangerous Drug-Herb Interactions, Part 2 by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc11. ValerianValerian should not be combined with barbituates.12. KelpKelp as a source of iodine may interfere with thyroid replacement therapies.13. EchinaceaEchinacea could cause liver toxicity and therefore should not be used with other known liver toxic drugs, such as anabolic steroids, amiodarone, methotrexate, and ketoconazole14. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may negate the usefulness of feverfew in...
•How to Live Well By Achieving Balance
How to Live Well By Achieving Balance by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc That Elusive "Balance":A Great Tool to Help You Achieve It I used to hear people discuss trying to achieve "balance" and I had no idea what they meant. I wasn't very busy, wasn't married, didn't have numerous commitments to numerous people, didn't have a mortgage, and wasn't even getting paid much to do what I did. That's all changed now. I have many responsibilities - a wife, a mortgage, several jobs, many career goals, half...
•How to Treat Allergies and Prevent Frequent Colds in Children
How to Treat Allergies and Prevent Frequent Colds in Children by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcAllergy medications like Allegra and Nasacort are one way to go if you need an allergy medication. Another general allergy relief product is the Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jade Windscreen. Traditionally, it is indicated for allergy prevention and frequent colds. This Q&A about child allergy gives information about all of this, and discusses the plum flower brand herb formula made by the Mayway Corp....
•How to Treat Your Migraines Yourself with Acupressure
How to Treat Your Migraines Yourself with Acupressure by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcAcupuncture and Migraine is a sophisticated medicine for a complicated disease.Acupuncture is good not only for the headache, but for the various types of migraine auras, AND for preventing migraines. Also, you can use the points I'll suggest below to give yourself acupressure at home for free!Acupuncture and migraine treatment, like all acupuncture, is based on the principles and theories of Chinese medicine....
•How to Write a Speech in 13 Steps
How to Write a Speech in 13 Steps by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcYou can see my credentials in my bio. You should also know that I love to write speeches. In fact, I've been accused of being a better speech writer than speech giver! I'm working on that. ;-)I'll tell you how to write a speech the way I do it, and I'll tell you how to make it great. Plus I'll give you some tips on what to put in, and what to leave out. I love this topic. How Good Do You Want Your Speech to Be?From the outset, you...
•Informative Speech Topic Ideas
Informative Speech Topic Ideas by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcNeed an Informative Speech Topic?I've never had trouble choosing an informative speech topic- I started speaking after I was already learning alternative health, and there's plenty that people don't know about that. What makes a good or bad informative speech topic? I was already part of the way there- my speech topic was interesting. So when you choose your informative speech topic, don't pick something your audience is going to...
•Is Acupuncture Safe?
Is Acupuncture Safe? by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcAcupuncture is much safer than most western medical treatments.To support that statement, I will cite such phenomenally credible sources as:The National Institutes of Health (NIH) The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - several places The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) The British Medical Journal (BMJ) The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists 7 peer-reviewed medical...
•Lifestyle Advice for Angry Type-A Action People
Lifestyle Advice for Angry Type-A Action People by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcThe Wood Personality Type (Inspiration and Strategic Planning for Success without Coffee and Espresso)Chinese Medicine has a system of five body-mind-emotion types. This article explains one of those types.Strategic planning for success is a trademark of Wood Personality Types in Oriental Medicine. They are driven with the ambition to win. One unhealthy fuel for inspiration is coffee (espresso, caffeine). The effects...
•Memory Herbs: Why Gingko Doesn't Always Work
Memory Herbs: Why Gingko Doesn't Always Work by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcQ: When reading, I can't seem to focus or retain information as I once did. I was wondering if you had any suggestions, herbal remedies, or insight to offer. I appreciate your assistance. A: Memory function is a complex issue that an overly simplistic herbal approach cannot solve.Why Gingko Doesn’t Always Work For MemoryPopular magazines said that gingko was the herbal memory cure, but people's experience and science...
•Recovering From Stroke with Acupuncture
Recovering From Stroke with Acupuncture by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcQ: I had a stroke 7 years ago. It was due to a blood clot in the brain. I am making a good recovery, but I am curious to know if acupuncture would benefit me. TimA: Tim, the best time to get acupuncture for stroke is immediately afterwards - ideally while still in the hospital, if the docs will allow it. Seven years is a long time to wait for acupuncture. But it still may help you… You won't know unless you try it.Scalp...
•Research-based Fertility Acupuncture That Works
Research-based Fertility Acupuncture That Works by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcA 2003 study proved that acupuncture increases in-vitro fertilization success rates nearly two-fold. Maybe you saw the October 2003 'Sex in the City' episode that talked about fertility acupuncture. It's true, there is now a good research study from Germany that showed how a specific acupuncture treatment could raise the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) from 26.3% to 42.5%. Is Fertility Acupuncture the...
•Sinusitis and Hoarseness Natural Health Q&A
Sinusitis and Hoarseness Natural Health Q&A by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcQ: I had my spleen removed because of Hodgkins Disease. What should I use for stuffy sinus and constant hoarseness? - PatrickA: In my opinion, you shouldn't "use" anything, but go see a Chinese medicine (CM) practitioner (acupuncturist/herbalist) for the appropriate herbs for your condition, which I cannot diagnose over the internet. I wonder if you are hoarse because of over the counter decongestants? - BQ: I went to the...
•The 3 Keys to Changing Your Health
The 3 Keys to Changing Your Health by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcMotivation, Discipline, & PersistenceThis book is meant to be primarily practical. It contains theory and philosophy as well, but its main function is to be a tool to improve your life. But most of the solutions in this book are not one-time magic bullets. You must continue to apply many of these frequently in order to bring yourself back into balance, and to maintain that balance.NEW HABITS, NEW LIFESTYLEBut, as imperfect humans...
•The Miraculous Tape Worm Diet Pill
The Miraculous Tape Worm Diet Pill by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcThe Miraculous Tape Worm Diet Pill and the Fabulous All Chocolate Weight Loss PlanThis article is a joke, ok? Just want to make sure you don't take me wrong! Gotta keep your trust for my serious articles... :-) It's amazing that it took medical science this long to put it together. The Western world has known ever since we first landed in the tropics about how effective tape worms can be for losing weight. And we've tried so many...
•The Real Truth about your Sweet Tooth
The Real Truth about your Sweet Tooth by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcQuestion: My mom always said my sweet-tooth was to blame for my weight problem (I can't seem to lose weight!), but my best friend says I should listen to my body and eat whatever I want because it knows what I need. I'm not sure what to do! Does Oriental Medicine have any wisdom about diet that could help me? - Candice M Dear Candice,A common dietary misconception is that if you crave a food or drink, then it must contain a...
•The Research Proven Supplements for Adult-Onset Diabetes (Type II)
The Research Proven Supplements for Adult-Onset Diabetes (Type II) by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcQ: What are some good herbs for diabetes?Answer: All of the following info is based on research. See the references at the end of the article.Typical Western (M.D.) Diabetes Treatments and Side EffectsAlong with the usual lifestyle recommendations for Diabetes Type II (exercise, weight control, and diet therapy), MD's prescribe glucose-lowering drugs and insulin injections. Glucose-lowering drugs...
•The Yin and Yang of Social Phobia
The Yin and Yang of Social Phobia by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcQ:I feel that I am experiencing social phobia symptoms (red face, racing heart, sweating) and don't want to take a prescription drug with a bunch of bad side effects that will only mask these symptoms. I'm very interested in Chinese medicine but feel that I may be the person it has no effect on. I'd like some more information on overcoming anxiety and social phobia so I may live again. I'm probably yang deficient but no one would...
•Top 10 Ways Chinese Medicine Can Help You, Part 2
Top 10 Ways Chinese Medicine Can Help You, Part 2 by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc#6 It's InteractiveChinese Medicine students learn about how every aspect of our lives (from bowel movements to emotions) relate to one another. We learn to relate to every kind of person.Patients Can Push Your ButtonsPatients sometimes push our buttons, and this give us the opportunity to interact with ourselves. This is not always easy. We don't always like what we find! But if you commit to growth through...
•Treating AIDS with Acupuncture and Herbs
Treating AIDS with Acupuncture and Herbs by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcAIDS Symptoms and Related DiseasesAIDS has many different kinds of symptoms. The average time between HIV infection and the manifestation of symptoms is 10 years. Then a combination of non-specific symptoms show up. Symptoms can be subgrouped (these are symptoms from all stages of AIDS):1. Systemic Symptoms: Fever, dehydration, night sweats, weight loss (but losing more muscle than fat), low or no appetite, nausea, vomiting...
•Truth and Lies about Menopause Herbs
Truth and Lies about Menopause Herbs by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcMenopause Herbs Don't Work?by Brian Benjamin Carter A couple years ago, a study of herbs and other natural remedies for menopause got a lot of press. Particularly of note were its assertions that black cohosh is the only herb shown to help in menopause.We could incorrectly assume then that no herbs help for menopause. However, there are some problems with that conclusion. Let's take a look at them:1. Most herbs have not been...
•What is Qi? (How to Get More Energy)
What is Qi? (How to Get More Energy) by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAcThis is one of the most common questions Americans ask about Chinese Medicine, and not an easy one to answer. Qi (pronounced "chee" and sometimes spelled 'chi') is possibly the most essential and the most controversial aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Biomedicine often feels it can quite easily dismiss parts or all of TCM by maintaining that modern science cannot verify the existence of qi. The false idea that qi is...
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