Dec 21

Medical Acupuncture Gaining Acceptance by The US Air Force

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US Air Force uses acupuncture in treating its staff

“Medical acupuncture, which is acupuncture performed by a licensed physician trained at a conventional medical school, is being used increasingly for pain control. Richard Niemtzow, MD, PhD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief of Medical Acupuncture, a peer-reviewed journal (www.liebertpub.com/acu) and the official journal of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, is at the forefront of these efforts in the military.

The technique developed by Dr. Niemtzow has been so successful that the Air Force will begin teaching “Battlefield Acupuncture” to physicians deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan in early 2009
. “Battlefield Acupuncture” can relieve severe pain lasting several days.”

Dec 16

Cooking with herbs

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Cooking with herbs that have medicinal properties is a long tradition in Taiwan. Liu Yuan, a restaurant in Tapei, takes this to a new level:

Serving nourishing herbal meals that have been specially formulated to help the body ward off the winter chill and welcome the arrival of winter is a deeply rooted Chinese tradition. The Chinese firmly believe that adding Chinese herbs to produce nourishing dishes is absolutely guaranteed to keep oneself healthy and balance the body’s yin and yang and improve blood circulation.

The Westin Taipei’s Liu Yuan Shanghainese Restaurant Executive Chef Qiu You-Bin has specially selected various herb ingredients that include the deer antlers of a young stag, erxian jiao, Hua Qi ginseng and other nutrient Chinese herbs.

Over 10 various kinds of Chinese herbs are used in the “Warming Winter with Chinese Herb Set Menu” including lobster, soft-shelled turtle, eel and prepared in the most authentic Shanghainese cooking. The Westin Taipei welcomes guests to sample this nutritious Chinese herb set menu offered at the price of NT$2,500 + 10% per person.

Dec 12

Stress busters

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Stress is a fact of modern life, and even more so lately. Sometimes when we get stressed out, we don’t take care of ourselves, overeat, drink too much, and don’t get enough sleep. According to traditional Chinese medicine, this kind of uncertainty and anxiety are commonly classified as the unbalance of the “zang-fu” organs: the heart and liver.

Imbalance of the heart

In TCM, one of the main function of the heart is “the residence of the spirit” (Chapter 71, Miraculous Pivot). The word, “spirit” (shen) not only means the spiritual path, that is, consciousness and thinking, but also the outward appearance of the vital activities of the whole body. Hence, mental activities, thinking, memory, consciousness, and sleep are all related to the function of the heart housing the spirit. The main material basis for mental activities is blood. It is controlled and regulated by the heart. Common complaints associated with the unbalance of the heart (insufficiency of heart blood or heart yin deficient) are insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, restlessness, emotional disturbances, fidgetyness, and palpitation with fear. The main reason for these symptoms is the inability for the heart to house the spirit (shen). When “shen” is not tranquilized and the blood fails to nourish the heart, it is difficult for one to calm down. For these symptoms the following products nourish the heart blood/heart yin and calm the spirit.

Suan Zao Ren Tang
Gui Pi Wan
Daan’s Relaxing Tea Tien Wang Pu Xin (Shin) Tan

Imbalance of the liver

Two of the main physiological functions of the liver are storing blood and maintaining the free flow of qi (energy). The liver stores blood and regulates the volume in circulation. As explained in the tenth chapter of the Plain Questions: “The liver stores blood…the blood circulates in the vessels during exertion and remain in the liver during rest.” A characteristic of the liver is its dislike for anxiety and depression, which hinders the unrestrained, harmonious flow of chi. When the liver chi is stagnant, one is likely to be restless, depressed, anxious, and easily angered. There are three commonly used formulas that work specifically in calming the liver and redirect a good flow of qi:

Shu Kan Wan
Hsiao Yao Wan
Jia Wei Hsiao Yao Wan

The herbs in Shu Kan Wan are mainly used to soothe and maintain a good flow of the liver chi. Hsiao Yao Wan and Jia Wei Hsiao Yao Wan are formulas that not only deal with liver chi stagnation, but also restoring blood back to the liver. Hence, for those who have capricious mood swings and trouble sleeping, these two formulas might be what you need. In this modern day world, it is difficult for us to control the events that happen around us. With this in mind, it is even more important for us to strive a better balance of our internal being.

I addition to these products, we carry a number of other products designed to reduce stress and restore balance.

Dec 06

DAAN’s Hemotune

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DAAN’s Hemotune helps cleanse the blood, reduce cholesterol, fight the damaging effects of free radicals, and improves the flexibility of joints and muscles.

Hemotune was developed by DAAN’s Dr. Yen and is designed to help cleanse the blood, reduce cholesterol, fight the damaging effects of free radicals, and improve the flexibility of joints and muscles.

DAAN’s Hemotune is comprised of different antioxidants which work in different sites of the body to combat damaging oxidants caused by countless pollutions like auto exhaust, food preservatives, etc.

There are a wide spectrum of benefits in taking DAAN’s Hemotune. For example, one of the ingredients, the 95% OPC is an antioxidant that is more effective than vitamin C or E in scavenging free radicals. It also has pronounced anti-inflammatory actions due to a flavonoid called proanthocyanidin. It is especially good for vision problems, nerve inflammations, water retention and cardiovascular conditions. It has the ability to stabilize collagen and retard skin aging.

Another ingredient, Thioctic Acid is a powerful antioxidant compound which has recently emerged as even more effective than other antioxidants due to its water and fat solubility. Thioctic Acid plays a vital role in energy reactions in mitochondrial electron transport. This function is intrinsically related to the metabolism of glucose into energy (ATP).

DAAN’s Hemotune is a health food supplement. Like all health food supplements, it should be taken at least 2-3 hours apart from any medication and the recommended dosage should be followed. We advise against taking Hemotune if you are on a low-dose aspirin regimen. If you are pregnant, or taking a variety of medication, consult your physician before taking any health food supplements.

 
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