AOMA Blog

Fu Fang Ban Lan Gen Chong Ji (granule of Isatis root formula) contains Nan ban lan gen (Southern Isatis Root), Pu gong ying (Dandelion), Zi hua di ding (Herba Violae), and cane sugar. It’s primary function is to clear toxic heat, or in lay terms flu symptoms like fever, sore throat, yellow phlegm, etc.

For acute symptoms you should take the formula 3-4 times daily for 1-2 weeks. For prevention, it is best if you can start 1-2 weeks ahead, but definitely as soon as you notice those around you displaying symptoms. Herbal treatment for children can start as young as 3 months old, but they would need to see a licensed practitioner and get a prescription based on age and body weight.

Some brands of Fu Fang Ban Lan Gen Chong Ji are packaged in easy-open, one dosage packets. All you need to do is dissolve the granules in hot water and drink up. Some patients may experience loose stools or poor appetite after taking it.

Written by:

Dr. Violet Song offers acupuncture and herbal treatments for female disorders, stress, insomnia, digestive disorders, the common cold, cough, as well as pediatric herbal consultations.

1. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

2. Rest.

When you are tired, your body is susceptible to illness. Stay home and rest when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. Rest is some of the best medicine around!

3. Cover your mouth and nose.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Remind others to cover their mouth and nose, too.

Washing your hands for 10 seconds will often help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

5.  Drink a lot of water. 

When colds and the flu are going around, one of your best defenses is to keep your body fully hydrated so that your respiratory tissues aren’t easily irritated.

6. Stay warm and cozy. 

Oriental medicine believes that wind invasions can weaken your body and make catching a cold more likely.  Cover your neck and chest, and keep your feet warm and dry.

7.  Try Chinese medicine. 

Treatments can help strengthen your body’s immune system.  Oriental medicine includes things such as acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

Tips compiled by Song Luo LAc, PhD, MD (China)

Regional Accreditation

AOMA is the first single-purpose school of acupuncture and Chinese medicine in the nation to receive regional accreditation. AOMA is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award the master's degree. Regional accreditation makes it easier for AOMA students to transfer credits and degrees to other universities and programs. Because the institutional standards for regional accreditation are rigorous, regional accreditation also ensures a level of educational quality for AOMA students. More information about masters degree, job placement rates and program costs.

Rigorous Comprehensive Curriculum

AOMA's Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAcOM) program is rigorous and comprehensive and includes over 900 hours of clinical internship. Students receive education in acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, biomedical sciences, mind-body exercise, Asian bodywork, practice management, case management, and clinical communications. AOMA’s herbal program is one of the strongest in the nation and AOMA is one of the few professional programs to integrate taiji and qigong. Check out the curriculum.

Internationally Recognized Faculty

AOMA recruits and employs highly qualified and experienced faculty, many of whom are from China and other countries. The cultural diversity of the faculty adds another dimension to the educational experience of our students and the quality of our faculty assures students a sound knowledge base for practice. Our faculty includes PhDs, physicians, doctors of osteopathy, chiropractors, naturopaths, and pharmacists in a variety of areas. Our faculty hold degrees representing institutions in China, Israel, India, as well as the United States. Meet our faculty.

Successful Alumni

AOMA graduates have discovered a life of passion and purpose – a life where professional achievement meets personal fulfillment. They have gone on to become private practice acupuncturists, herbalists, authors, university faculty, entrepreneurs, as well as pursuing doctoral degrees in acupuncture. They speak at national conferences, author books and journal articles about Chinese medicine and go on to teach at the graduate level. AOMA graduates are at the forefront of medicine, practicing in clinics that integrate Eastern and Western medical traditions. Read AOMA alumni spotlights for insight into real life practice after graduation.

Community in Austin, Texas

Austin is a vibrant city with a host of entertainment options for visitors. Austinites enjoy hiking, cycling, swimming, local food, and listening to live music. AOMA is fortunate to find itself encircled by many diverse communities in which our students actively participate. Students find ample avenues available to sustain their growth both personally and professionally as healers in a city noted for supporting a healthy lifestyle. Get helpful tips and information about travel, accommodations, and finding your way around the city to make planning your visit to Austin easy.

Master Li Junfeng is the founder and principal teacher of Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong, known as the qigong of unconditional love. Master Li tours the US, Canada, Asia, and Europe throughout the year sharing his wisdom, his understanding, his love. He has taught in more than 20 countries and has been teaching medical qigong at AOMA since 2002.

In this video, Master Li Junfeng demonstrates the first qigong technique of this series, a movement that begins every Sheng Zhen Qigong practice. You can follow along at home. In addition to the physical fitness benefits of most exercise routines (improved circulation, weight loss, etc.) Sheng Zhen Qigong also offers mental and spiritual benefits such as stress relief, a calm mind, and an ability to handle stressful or painful situations.

Each month we will be featuring fun information about a faculty and/or staff member to introduce the wonderful community of people behind AOMA's graduate program!

This week, we'll introduce you to Estella Sears, Director of Financial Aid.

Where are you from?

        "McAllen, TX"

 List 3 hobbies/ activities you enjoy:

        "Volunteering in community events such as educational extra-curricular events, eating out, beach trips."

 What's the best thing about working at AOMA?

        "Serving the best Chinese medicine students in the nation!"

 What's your favorite/ most memorable 'AOMA moment'?

        "My first acupuncture experience was at our AOMA South Clinic and it was wonderful!"

 What's your favorite thing about Austin?

        "Austin is an innovative, open-minded culture."

Favorite website?

        "Upromise.com"

To learn more about AOMA's financial aid office, please explore our website at www.aoma.edu/financial-aid/.

 Remember to check-back soon to meet someone new!

Zheng Gu Shui (juhng goo shway) is a Chinese herbal liniment known for its analgesic properties. The Chinese word "zheng gu" means "bonesetting" and "shui" means water. So, Zheng Gu Shui means "bonesetting water" or liquid. This external analgesic is known to relieve blood stagnation, promote healing, and soothe pain. As the name suggests, this herbal remedy can help promote the healing of broken bones. If the skin is not broken, it can be applied topically to the area of injury to relieve pain until the bone is set at the hospital.

 Well known in many athletic and martial arts circles, this “miracle” balm can be used for all sorts of injuries, including those involving muscle and nerve pain.  The most common indications are traumatic injuries, bruises, and sprains. Many people have found Zheng Gu Shui helpful for all kinds of pain from carpal tunnel to arthritis.

The Chinese medical explanation of how it works is by dispelling blood stagnation, moving qi, opening the channels, and invigorating the blood which will help to relax tendons and muscles, and reduce swelling.

The herbal formulation contains mostly camphor and menthol. Other ingredients include: alcohol, polygonum cuspidatum, camphor wood, fragrant angelica, moghania, zedoary, san-qi ginseng, and water.

The medicinal effects of the herbs are as follows:

Polygonum cusidatum rhizome (Bushy Knotweed): relieves pain, reduces inflammation, stops bleeding

Camphor Wood (Radix Crotonis crassifolii, Chinese Ji Gu Xiang): increases local circulation, relieves pain

Frangrant Angelica (Bai Zhi): anti-inflammatory, relieves pain, treats muscle spasms and cramps

Moghania (Yi Tiao Gen): relieves musculoskeletal pain, stiffness, and soreness

Zedoary rhizomeor curcuma (a different species than Turmeric): anti-inflammatory relieves pain (especially shoulder pain)

San-Qi Ginseng (Tian Qi): stops bleeding, reduces bruising, swelling, inflammation and pain, relieves trauma

The suggested use is to apply the ointment directly to the (external) area of pain 2-3 times a day or as needed. Wrap the area with gauze, as it may stain clothing. Wash hands thoroughly after applying. Do not use Zheng Gu Shui on open wounds. Do not use Zheng Gu Shui near an open flame as it is flammable.

by Joshua Saul, AOMA student

“If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.”

                                                                                                -Sir Isaac Newton

The path by which we travel is neither always clear nor firm and certain.  The ancient masters of medicine upon whose shoulders we stand today could never have imagined the complexity that faces us as healers of the modern world.  Thousands of years have passed and we find ourselves at the junction of traditional and contemporary, energetics or science and technology, and the decision of what to take with us.  Rather than steer our respective ships towards the bow of the other, it is important that we find mutual passage to a place that allows for the best of care to all mankind.  While some claim that the modern health care system is broken, out of touch with the individual, others may claim that Oriental medicine is antiquated, anecdotal and unscientific.  It is my opinion that each has much to learn from the other and the use of herbs and botanicals can serve to bridge the gap in forming truly integrative medicine.

The healthcare delivery system in America has experienced remarkable changes in a relatively short period of time with the development of new technologies, drugs, medical devices, tests and procedures¹.   In the process of advancement, modality specialization and the pursuit of perfect care, the role of the patient as the ultimate center of focus has been lost.  The growing public sentiment of mainstream healthcare often includes a perception that the patient is rarely enrolled in the decision making process of their own treatment while profit is placed before need in an effort to balance the rising costs of insurance-driven managed care³.  More importantly, dissatisfaction of care surrounds the prevalent philosophy that “one size fits all”.  As drug therapies have become the standard of care for many conditions, patients are increasingly concerned about the harsh side-effects of synthetic pharmaceuticals engineered for a theoretical standard patient.

It is here that acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioners have the greatest advantage in bringing herbal medicine and botanicals to the developing field of integrative medicine.  For the acupuncturist, each person is seen as a unique individual, a whole entity created from the sum of his parts, influenced by lifestyle, emotion, diet, and environment.  Chinese herbal therapy draws upon a pharmacopeia of several hundred herbs allowing for the practitioner to engineer a custom-made therapy to suit the distinct needs of each patient.  Both herbal therapies and pharmaceuticals can be used to focus on the root cause of disease or its symptoms but only an herbal formula can be tailored to address each unique presentation in a clinical setting.  It is important that herbal medicine be marketed to the patient population with continual emphasis on the merits of its ability to be individually modified for each patient and continually altered as the condition in question changes. As a practicing intern, I use this approach with my own patients. Compliance improves as my patients feel empowered by individualized aspects in their plan of care, outcomes are enhanced, and health is restored more effectively.

As with any major change there are obstacles to overcome.  The most important fundamental challenge that must be addressed is the pursuit of corporate profit in the healthcare industry. Like many others, the pharmaceutical industry must walk a fine line between providing a valuable resource to the public and answering to shareholders.  Rather than threaten the bottom line as a competitor in this industry, herbal medicine must work in conjunction with pharmaceutical therapies.  In particular, conditions requiring a life-long regimen of drug therapy can benefit from the action of herbs in managing long-term side effects.  This is applicable for both chronic conditions such as reduction of inflammation in multiple sclerosis⁷ and acute situations such as alleviating nausea during cancer chemotherapy⁶. As herbal medicine proves its efficacy as a low-cost, natural option in the treatment of disease there will also be opportunities to promote its use in the prevention of disease itself.  The inclusion of herbal medicine in the practice of integrative medicine allows for primary care providers to consult and work directly with herbalists in the name of providing truly patient-centered care that offers the best aspects of both worlds.

As we look into the future of integrative medicine it is hard to see where we will go.  What we have before us is endless possibility to create a new way of caring for the ill, an opportunity to choose the very best knowledge from East and West, join together different philosophies and write a new definition for the concept of integrative medicine.  It is now our responsibility, like our fathers before, to stand upon the shoulders of giants and dare to look forward in the direction of a blindingly bright future.

References:

1. CDC. Healthcare in America: Trends in Utilization. Centers for Disease Control. Washington, D.C, 2004.

1. Olsen and Whalen MD. ” Public perceptions of the pharmaceutical industry and drug safety: implications for the pharmacovigilance professional and the culture of safety.” Drug Safety (2009): 805-10.

1. Jha, et al. “Patients’ perception of hospital care in the United States.” The New England Journal Of Medicine (2008): 1921-31.

1. YM, Cai, et al. “Research on frequency of application with modern Chinese herbal medicine.” Chinese Journal Of Integrative Medicine (2011): 64-70.

1. CZ, Wang, et al. ” Effects of ganoderma lucidum extract on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in a rat model.” The American Journal Of Chinese Medicine (2005): 807-15.

1. M, Namaka, et al. ” Examining the evidence: complementary adjunctive therapies for multiple sclerosis.” Neurological Research (2008): 710-19.

1. Hao, Xu and Yin HJ. ” Reflections on the research status of Kampo medicine: a most rewarding visit to Japan.” Chinese Journal Of Integrative Medicine (2010): 357-60.

4. C, Hudon, et al. ” Measuring patients’ perceptions of patient-centered care: a systematic review of tools for family medicine.” Annals Of Family Medicine (2011): 155-164.

Dr. Qianzhi Wu speaks about the origin of Yin Yang theory and its role in Oriental Medicine. Qianzhi (Jamie) Wu, LAc, MD (China), MS. studied acupuncture from a veteran barefoot doctor, starting his practice of traditional Chinese medicine in 1977 and later enrolling in TCM schools. He maintains in active clinical practice in Austin, specializing in treating internal medical disorders, sports injuries, pediatrics, and pain management.

Each month we will be featuring fun information about a faculty and/or staff member to introduce the wonderful community of people behind AOMA's graduate program!

This month, we're happy to introduce Robert Laguna, L.Ac., Dean of Students! In addition to being an academic and transfer advisor, Robert also teaches Clinic Theater, is a supervisor in the AOMA student clinic and oversees the tutoring program for students. 

"Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico"

"Playing music, conducting the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble, and composing/ arranging music!"

 "The camraderie amongst the staff and students; it's a real family atmosphere."

"When I graduated from the master's degree program here!"

"The climate- I like that the winters aren't too cold."

"Austin Wonder Brass - www.austinwonderbrass.com  and the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble's site - www.acwe.org."

To learn more about Robert's background and role at AOMA,  log on to https://aoma.edu/students-alumni/academic-support/academic-advising/.

 Remember to check back soon to meet someone new!