What is the connection between Breast Cancer and Emotions?

Traditional Chinese Medicine places equal importance on the health of the body, mind, and spirit. It views them as being part of one complete circle rather than loosely connected pieces to be treated individually.

When most of us think about taking care of ourselves, we usually focus exclusively on the health of our bodies.
Therefore, the steps we take to stay healthy tend to come from the outside, for example, eating certain foods or doing a certain exercise routine.
Yet the most powerful healing comes from the inside.
Our emotions and how we deal with them have just as much effect on our health as the foods we eat and the exercises we practice.
In Breast Cancer for example, many researches prove that the root cause of breast cancer is chronic negative emotions.
Dealing with emotions in a healthy way might be essential for preventing this type of cancer from occurring.
Chinese Medicine views breast cancer as a negative energy pattern that requires certain conditions in the body to take root.
When we are angry or under stress our body’s energy takes on a specific frenetic frequency, one that is hospitable to cancer and other diseases.

By letting go of negative emotions, we can change our body’s energy frequency. Doing this makes it impossible for breast cancer to ever take root. In this sense, taking care of our emotional health is the most effective form of breast-cancer prevention.

Letting Go

Having balanced emotions doesn’t mean never being angry or sad. It is natural to feel angry and sad. However, if we get stuck in these emotions, they can take their toll on our health.

So how do we let go of negative emotions? It is something easier said than done, but it is not impossible to do. We can start by trying to see things that upset us from a different angle. Everything happens for a reason.
There is always a positive aspect to the events we perceive as negative. If something is bothering us, we should try to identify what the positive outcomes are. We have to change our outlook, and the things that used to bother us will bother us less. Soon they won’t bother us at all.

Sometimes, the anger and sadness that sap our energy are very deep-seated.
We may not even be aware they are there at all. For example, few of us would consider ourselves angry or sad people, yet many of us waste our energy dwelling on things that upset us long ago.
The event may have happened in the past, yet we spend our precious energy reacting to them in the present.
Instead of letting go of these experiences, we hold on.
Every now and then, we take them out and look at them, then put them away, saving them for another day.
Whenever we start thinking about the past let’s remember that we don’t need it anymore.
There are other parts of our lives that are more deserving of our energy and attention, right here, right now.

How is sleep understood in Chinese Medicine?

Almost everyone has experienced insomnia at one point or another.
Besides taking sleep aids, which only treats the problem symptomatically, there is another way: Chinese Medicine treats the root of the problem by
focusing treatment on the underlying constitutional imbalances.
This is the best way to treat insomnia.

How is Sleep Understood in Chinese Medicine? In ancient Chinese there is a saying,”work at sunrise and rest at sunset”.
What this saying implies is that human activities should echo the patterns of nature.
This is because the human body follows the same patterns.
When the sun rises, the energy and blood in our bodies move from the organs in the interior to the channels
of the extremities in the exterior and stays there during the day.
This is the time we should work.
In the evening, when the sun sets, the energy and blood in our bodies move inwardly, returning from the channels to organs.
This is the time we should rest.

What do We Need to Pay Attention to for Healthy Sleep Patterns?

First, the most important is to be asleep by 11pm.
This is because from 11pm to 3am is the Gallbladder and Liver channels’ time in the 12 hour meridian clock.
If these organs don’t get proper rest during this time, they will not be able to metabolize toxins properly and the person will feel tired and sluggish the next day.
Next, do not oversleep during the day.
If you need to take a nap during the day – make sure it will be not more than half hour.
Third, soaking one’s feet with warm, salty water
before bed helps energy and blood circulation return to the organs and can have the effect of improving communication between the kidneys and heart. This quiets the mind, warms and relaxes the body, aids falling asleep, and improves the quality of sleep.
Lastly, do not eat too late or too much at night.
If one tries to sleep when her stomach is still bloated from a big meal or late dinner, the body will spend the night digesting the food and sleeping will be difficult.
In Chinese it is said, “when the stomach is distressed, sleep is disturbed”. (Yang Jun-kui /Golden Flower News, Spring 2011).

What is an Energetic Block?

When one of our internal organs (or more) gets weak, the energy will get stuck in this specific meridian and will not be sent by it to the next meridian in the cycle.
Holding on to the energy causes too much pressure in this meridian that now weakens the next organ that does not get enough energy to do its job properly.
Try to imagine a big dam that holds the water on one side, letting only few drops at a time to move over to the other side.
The water on one side will keep accumulating, causing a tremendous pressure, while the other side will remain dry and empty.
This is exactly what happens in the meridian if blocked. Let me give you an example of a very common block that people experience:
Liver – Lung Block:
In this block the Liver holds the energy instead of sending it to the Lungs.
This causes an imbalance between the Wood element meridian, the Liver, and the Metal element meridian, the Lungs.
What does a person with this kind of a block feel like?

On a Physical Level – There will be tightness around the rib cage area, sometimes even pain and pressure at the liver.
Shortness of breath or shallow breathing since the Lungs do not get enough energy to work properly.
There will be deep sighing, and stretching arms to open up the rib cage and let more air in.

On the Emotional Level – Since the Liver stores anger and frustration and the Lungs store grief, the person may feel these emotions rising. They may feel edgy, impatient, angry, jealous, and sad to the point of crying.
There also might be a sense of longing and emptiness that is deeper than the anger or frustration.

On the Mind Level – A difficulty to make life plans and execute them might be evident.
The Liver is in charge of planning our lives while the Gall Bladder is in charge of the decision making.
Since the Liver and Gall Bladder are paired organs they work together and assist each other on a daily basis.
When one of them is out of balance it may affect the functionality of the other.

What can your pulse tell us?

How and why the Chinese started to take pulse diagnosis to evaluate a person’s state of health is not exactly known.
Its use in Chinese Medicine goes back at least a couple of thousands of years.
The skill is completely different, and totally foreign to conventional medicine.

In Chinese system the pulse is read in three positions and at two depths at the radial artery, just
above the wrist.
The acupuncture physician uses his or her index, middle and ring finger tips, placed very lightly side-by-side along the course of the artery to feel the superficial reading.
Then the fingertip is pressed just a slightly bit deeper to get a second reading called the deeper reading.
In total there are six positions: three on the right wrist and three on the left wrist.
These pulses reflect the state of energy in the body and mind, and gather information about the 12 energy channels and organ systems in the body.
Pulse-reading is an aspect of the medicine that, for most, requires many years (decades, lifetimes) of practice in order to master. It requires great energetic sensitivity — a capacity to “listen” very deeply.
It is an art-form as much as it is a science.
There are stories of great physicians spending hours reading a single pulse – and from the information gathered, knowing things about the patient’s life (past, present & future) in such a comprehensive and detailed way as to seem truly miraculous.

Reading the pulses is done by gentle palpation and is done with great concentration.
Each pulse is read separately but all form a cohesive harmonious picture of the whole person.
Each pulse has a sister, which is why two are read in the same position though at a different pressure.
The pulses for the Liver and Gall Bladder, for instance, are read on the left hand.
They are both read with the middle finger at the radial artery area of the wrist.
Both are in the same location, however the deeper pulse is in the Liver.
The pulse for the heart and small intestines are read on the left hand by the index finger and are more distal.
Superficial pressure finds the small intestine meridian while deeper palpation finds the heart pulse.
In a perfectly healthy person all the pulses would present a smooth and balanced wave movement connected to all positions and depths, and it should be presented during the entire year.
While the seasonal energy will have some influence in the pulses, emotions have much stronger and immediate influence.
An Acupuncture Detox treatment can help bringing your pulses to the first stage of their balance.
Contact Dr. Davidson today to schedule your Emotional Detox treatment: 786-768-1999.

What do you know about scars?

A scar on the surface of your body can interfere with the normal regulation of the body’s Autonomic Nervous System.
This interference prevents the body from healing.
It can be the “missing piece” that, when handled, results in miraculous symptomatic relief. Therefore, scars are considered one of the key stressors. Let’s take a closer look.

The ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) has two regulators, sympathetic and parasympathetic. You may have heard the phrases “fight or flight” and “relaxation response”.
The first of these refers to the sympathetic regulator while the second refers to the parasympathetic regulator.

The sympathetic regulator consists of a dense network of nerve fibers that are deployed over your entire body – like a silk stocking. When you cut your skin, you damage this stocking.
When the skin heals, the nerve fibers simply do not knit together exactly the way they were before.
The result is a potential for
intermittent disruption in your nervous system, a disruption that can interfere with the normal regulation of your autonomic nervous system.
The scar treatment is designed to restore the flow of blood, nerves, and body fluid through the scar tissue, and re-establish normal regulation.
Some people notice the scar tissue disappearing over time. This goes for old, as well as new scars. In many instances, chronic pain and other symptoms disappear with the use of these techniques.

Scars are just as important as the other barriers to healing.
They must be actively treated in order to restore proper regulation – the key to getting well.

Seven emotions are usually considered in Chinese Medicine.

Anger- includes several other allied emotional states such as resentment, repressed anger, irritability, frustration, rage, indignation, animosity or bitterness.
Any of these emotional states can affect the Liver if they persist for a long time.
They may cause stagnation in the Liver energy or excess heat in the Liver.

Physical Symptoms – Since Anger makes Qi rising, symptoms will manifest in head and neck as headaches, tinnitus, dizziness, red blotches on the front part of the neck, a red face, thirst, a red tongue, and a bitter taste in mouth.
Someone who is angry may not always display these symptoms, and may appear subdued, depressed and pale.

Invading the neighboring organ – since Liver is also a part of the digestive system its anger or stagnant Qi may invade into the Stomach and Spleen that are the closest neighbors. This act will affect the digestive system, and we may see symptoms such as bloated stomach, belching, poor digestion and heartburn.

Joy or Lack of Joy – Joy can become a cause of a disease when it is excessive.
This leads to excessive stimulation of the Heart and, in time, can lead to Heart Fire, which is excess heat in the heart.
Lack of Joy makes the Heart cramped and agitated, Qi cannot circulate freely, what causes accumulation of heat in this
organ from a different aspect.

Physical Signs – Insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, scatter, excessive excitement.

Sadness or Grief – weaken the Lungs energy and may manifest in a variety of symptoms such as breathlessness, tiredness, depression or crying.
Prolonged sadness and grief will eventually penetrate the Heart.

Worry and Pensiveness – Excessive thinking, mental work or studying weaken the Spleen and cause tiredness, loss of appetite and loose stools. Worry depletes and knots both Spleen and Lungs, leading to anxiety, breathlessness and stiffness of shoulders and neck.
Chronic Worry posture will look like raised or arched shoulders, stiff neck with shallow breathing.

Fear – depletes the Kidneys energy and makes Qi descend.
Fear has a different effect in children and in adults: In children- it makes Qi descend causing nocturnal enuresis.
In Adults – fear and chronic anxiety will cause heat in the face, night sweating, palpitations, and dry mouth and throat.

The Twelve Major Meridians

Without this energy the body cannot function.
Like electricity, vital energy is not visible to the human eye.
This vital energy enables the body to function properly.
When the human body is alive, vital energy flows freely through the energy pathways.
The blood will be circulating through the blood vessels and distributing appropriate nutrients to various parts of the body.
Trained and experienced Chinese Medical doctors are able to trace each meridian, point by point, and make the appropriate evaluation of the energetic condition of a person (Body, Mind, and Spirit).

The blood helps to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide by cleaning up the impurities of the body.
When blood receives proper nutrients, the body and bones grow, and the flesh and nerves can protect the body.
All body parts will work as a unit, like an efficient factory with all functions taking place as scheduled.
When vital energy stops flowing through the energy pathways, the human machine ceases to function and the person is pronounced dead.
Acupuncture meridians are located throughout the body. There are many specific acupuncture points along these meridians.
Most of them connect or inter-link with branches from other meridians.

An energy molecule takes 24 hours to travel through the body, completing its circulation through all 12 major meridians, their branches and sub-branches.
It takes two hours to travel through the meridian.
According to Oriental Medicine principles, the Chi (vital energy) follows the flow of the meridian.
The flow begins at the lung meridian and takes two hours to complete its journey. Each meridian is very strong during its meridian time, including the organ that is connected to this specific meridian.
For example, if the Stomach and its meridian are at their highest level of energy between 7am – 9am, then this is the time for best digestion (breakfast time).
The meridian is at its strongest at the beginning of its meridian time and less effective near the end.
The Stomach meridian will be at its lowest level of energy at 7pm – 9pm, when good digestion cannot take place.
This is the reason why it is Not recommended to have a big meal for dinner.
A small and light meal will be much healthier at this time of the day.

Some of the small branches of the major meridians pass through the gum and dental area.
When a particular tooth gives you discomfort, you should test the related major meridian and organ.
Strengthening that particular meridian may save you an unnecessary trip to the dentist.
(Say Goodbye to Illness/ Dr.Numbudripad)

What are the four branches of Chinese Medicine?

As an Acupuncture Physician I have been asked often how Acupuncture can help us and what exactly does it treat.
I realized that even though Acupuncture has been in use for 5000 years, people still don’t know much about this kind of medicine.
l would like to introduce you the main components of Chinese Medicine including some basic information on each one of them.

There are four main branches to Traditional Chinese Medicine:

Acupuncture is the insertion of needles into the skin at specific points to affect the flow of energy.
By inserting the needles into the specific points, the Acupuncture Physician manipulates the patient’s energy to achieve an overall physical balance.

Herbal Therapy – Herbal formulas have been used successfully to treat a variety of illnesses for over 5000 years.
The herbs used in Chinese Medicine are derived from plants, animals, and mineral substances.
Herbs are used for tonifying, purging, dispersing, warming, cooling, nourishing the yin and yang energies in the body, and clearing heat, as well as moving Qi (the life force energy), Blood, Phlegm, and Fluids within the body.
They cause the Qi in the body to either ascend or descend, affecting the upper or lower parts of the body.
Chinese herbs cure energetically by moving Qi in the body meridians (that are the energy channels).
Different herbs enter different channels and affect different internal organs.

Chinese Massage Therapy (Tui na) – is a generic term used for all tissue manipulation techniques currently used in China.
Tui na works with the energy system in the body (Qi), which flows through the channels. 
By stimulating the energy in the body, practitioners help bring the patient’s body back into balance.
The Chinese believe that Tui na regulates the nervous system so that Qi flows properly, boosts the immune system of the body, and flushes metabolic waste out of the body.

Medical Qigong Therapy – is the oldest of the four branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and provides the energetic foundation from which acupuncture, herbal healing, and Chinese massage oriented.
MQG incorporates posture, movement, breathing, meditation, creative visualization, and spiritual intent to improve health, personal power, and control over one’s own life.
Medical Qigong Therapy offers patients a safe and effective way to rid themselves of toxic pathogens and years of painful emotions that otherwise, can cause mental and physical illness.

How can Acupuncture help you?

Acupuncture is the insertion of thin needles into the skin at specific points to affect the flow of energy.
By inserting the needles into the specific points, the acupuncture physician manipulates the patient’s energy to achieve an overall physical balance. It is a Chinese therapeutic method for changing the flow or quality of the life force and rebalancing body energies.
The Chinese say that Qi circulates within fourteen major meridians, or energy channels, traversing the body from the top of the head to the tips of the fingers and toes. Each meridian is connected to an internal organ.
Specific points on each invisible channel, when stimulated, affect the flow of Qi in that and other channels or in the associated organs. By stimulating these points with extremely fine needles or massage, acupuncture unblocks energy or adjusts its flow.
Inserting and manipulating the needles is believed to correct the imbalances that cause the disease.

Acupuncture has been used to treat a wide range of conditions, such as: persistent pain, arthritis, asthma, infertility, cold and flu, stress disorders, insomnia, fatigue, depression, migraines, skin conditions, irritable bowel syndrome, digestive disorders, smoking, and acute and chronic diseases.

Acupuncture is a safe technique. The needles are as thin as a hair, are made of high quality stainless steel, they are sterile, individually wrapped, and disposable.
Each acu-point has its own location and depth insertion, and acupuncture physician are trained to insert the needles in a safe way to avoid injuries. Since the needles are so thin the patient usually does not feel the insertion.
Once the needle reaches the energy patient may feel some local pressure or tingling, pulling sensation, fullness, numbness, or local warmth that will last up to one second.

What should you expect on your first Five Element Acupuncture Visit ?

On your first classical Five Element Acupuncture visit you and your practitioner will get the opportunity to go over your medical history and current physical, mental, emotional and spiritual state.
This information will assist your acupuncture physician in planning and tailoring your future treatments.
On this visit you will also get a deep detoxifying treatment that will work on the three levels of Body, Mind and Spirit.

It is recommended to come to treatment twice a week for the first two weeks, following with once a week for 10 weeks.
At this point your acupuncture physician will assess your new state of being and will recommend the frequency of your visits.

Health Insurance

Some Acupuncture practices accept Health Insurances that cover Acupuncture treatments or Office Visits.
You may check your Acupuncture coverage with the practitioner you choose to work with before your first visit.

What is the difference between Western and Chinese medicine?

Chinese Medicine is thought of as preventive medicine that is the creation and maintenance of health.
This medicine sees the individual as a body- mind-spirit system, as opposed to Western Medicine that regards each of these elements as separate.

The main difference between Western Medicine and Oriental Medicine is the basic theory of the Chinese that there is a Life Force energy, called Qi (pronounced Chi), and that this Life Force flows within us in a harmonious, balanced way.
This harmony and balance is Health. If the Life Force is not flowing properly, then there is disharmony and imbalance.
This imbalance is Illness.

We know we are ill via symptoms that act as signal of distress that tells us that something is wrong.
The symptoms might appear as migraines, constipation, diarrhea, insomnia, depression, or any other complaint.
The western medicine system will try to eliminate painful symptoms mainly by giving out pain killers first.
However, from the Chinese Medicine point of view these symptoms point out that there is a trouble somewhere in the flow of the Qi in the body, and eliminating the symptoms without treating the cause of the disease would be like covering up the hazard lights in your car that indicate trouble.

There are few diagnostic tools in Chinese Medicine to assess the condition of the Qi in the body and to find the root of the illness.
These tools take into consideration everything about a person: Their medical history, childhood history, traumas, emotional and physical state, energy level, tongue picture, and pulse diagnosis.
The examination gathers all possible information and uses it as a basis for diagnosis.

Chinese Medicine enables the smooth flow of Qi in the channels, so that the body-mind-spirit can then heal itself.
It treats the Person not the Disease.

Today Western Medicine has phenomenal tools to make a correct physical diagnosis for the patient.
The optimal way of treatment will be to integrate both Western and Eastern tools to achieve the highest potential of a treatment.
For example, patients who get chemotherapy can benefit a lot from getting acupuncture and/or Qigong treatments on a regular basis and from taking Chinese herbs along with their chemo.
This may reduce the side effects of the chemo, improve digestion, reduce heat and dryness, reduce pain, dramatically improve the energy level of the individual, and help them stay more positive, keeping their spirit higher.
We all know that any illness one faces, staying positive, mentally and spiritually, will positively affect the process of healing.