AOMA Blog

Fat is Flavor!

Posted by Joel Cone, DC on Mon, May 23, 2022 @ 01:43 PM

By Dr. Joel Cone

Gordon Ramsey said it best when he said, “Fat is flavor.” And it’s true. Some of the best things are entirely made of fat or supremely enhanced by it. Think of truffle-buttered eggs, olive oil-rich tapenade, the Brazilian fish moqueca with its rich coconut flavor, or the ever-classic beverage: Hollandaise Sauce! But fats don’t only add a richness and flavor to our foods, they also pack in powerful metabolic regulation, for better or worse. You all know the adage you are what you eat, and a lot of who you are is fat: your brain, your stored energy reserves, your cell membranes and myelin. The type of fat you eat is important, as the regulatory cascade that it sets up can determine whether an injury resolves quickly without pain, or becomes chronic and unresolving and debilitatingly painful. Remember most pain-relieving medications, NSAIDs and corticosteroids, are drugs that influence the manufacture of eicosanoid particles. These molecules are directly pulled from fat in your cell membranes and the type of fat available can influence these molecules. Fat Is Flavor Images (2)

So how do we assess inflammation? We can get a thorough history and look for inflammatory indicators: smoking, sedentary lifestyles, poor food quality in a diet diary, and symptoms of pain, repetitive injury, allergies, etc. These can all be important clues to gather and assess. We can also look to blood tests. Frankly, some patients won’t trust you until they see a test in hand. You may have told them what they need, but they had to go spend the $100 on the lab tests to adopt your ideas. Such is human nature. So, what lab tests could you get? C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate often come to mind, though I very rarely see these elevated on blood tests, even with other signs of inflammation in the history or physical exam, so they aren’t very usefully in the general ambulatory population, in my opinion. They are still an option. I do think the Omega 3-to-Omega 6 ratio is a good test, and available through Quest Diagnostics, CPL, or other blood diagnostic labs. It gets to the dietary roots of what your patients look like internally. It looks at the roots of the inflammatory cascade and how the person is relatively set with regards to fats, and thus inflammatory processes.

Fat Is Flavor Images (1) The typical Western diet contains a considerably increased ω-6 fatty acid relative to the ω-3 fatty acids (FA). Essential fatty acids (EFAs), taken in via diet or supplements, are essential components of cell membrane phospholipids, and appropriate membrane fatty acid content is pivotal for optimal membrane fluidity, receptor activity and cellular metabolism. The same FAs eventually give rise to hormone-like substances (eicosanoids) that are involved in the regulation of blood pressure and coagulation, lipid levels, immune response, allergy and asthma, tumor growth and inhibition (1), the inflammatory response to injury and infection, and they may play a role in seizure disorders, depression, and dementias such as Alzheimer's disease (2). Increased blood flow to the brain is seen with persons with improved ω-3 FA levels. Talk about an important group of molecules!

Historically, evidence is indicative that early hunter-gatherer diets had ω-6 to ω-3 fatty acids ratiosclose to 2:1. Estimates of modern ratios are now 10:1(3) to 18:1 to 50:1(2) by some estimations! And throw in the novel trans fatty acid isomers and we have a disaster on our hands (4).

Needless to say, we (...most persons anyway) need considerably more ω-3 fatty acids and considerably less ω-6 fatty acids than we currently are getting. It’s probably safe to assume the patient has a ratio greater than 2:1. High levels of ω-6 fatty acids are found in refined grains and vegetable oils, such as safflower, soy, corn, peanut, and canola oils… think fried foods, chips, crackers, cookies, chain restaurant type-foods. The ω-6 fatty acids are found in green leafy vegetables and ocean fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, or krill and other sources from plankton. Fat Is Flavor Images (3)

There are other ω-6 fatty acids, such as flax seed oil, that can convert to essential fatty acids like EPA and DHA. However, flax seed conversion can be as low as 2%! This is a hard-to-rely on source for EPA and DHA.

Another category of fat is arachidonic acid. Small amounts are needed, but elevated levels can be unhealthy, if not balanced with other fats. High concentrations of arachidonic acid are found in dairy, eggs, meats and shellfish.

The trouble with ω-6 fatty acids is when they are elevated, they convert to arachidonic acid, which drives up the arachidonic levels, and the unhealthy and proinflammatory effects can be quite high. Vegetarians and vegans, in some studies, have been shown to have higher levels of arachidonic acid than omnivores, due to elevated consumption of ω-6 fatty acids coupled with lower levels of ω-3 fatty acids and elevated insulin levels due to higher consumption of carbohydrates! Crazy, right? Conversion of ω-6 fatty acids to arachidonic acid is slowed by the presence of eicosapentanoic acid (in fish oils) and sesame seed oil (raw).

Although often women have elevated ω-6 fatty acids, estrogen from female physiology or estrogen-containing birth control pills can inhibit the formation and use of ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acids (lenolenic and linoleic) and sometimes women can benefit from additional types of ω-6 fats (such as found in Evening Primrose Oil, Black Currant Seed Oil, or Borage Oil) along with EPA (fish or krill oil). Severe cramping around the menstrual cycle can hint at this being an issue(5).

Fat Is Flavor Images

All of this sound confusing? Well, it’s not as confusing as I’m probably making it. A simple rule is to try to balance your fat categories. Here are some simple ideas that can help:

Increase fruit and vegetable consumption! Green and leafy vegetables are low in omega-6 fats and arachidonic acid and often contain omega-3 fats, too
Reduce your refined carbohydrates, total carbohydrates, and sugar, as increased insulin drives the conversion of ω-6 fatty acids to arachidonic acid.
Reduce take out, restaurant foods, and packaged foods (as these often contain higher levels of ω-6 fatty acids). Look at the oils used in potato chips, crackers, fried foods, shelf stable packaged foods… they all have ω-6 fatty acids in common.
Consider adding more salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and herring to your diet, and/or add around 1,200mg or more Eicosapentanoic Acid (EPA) to your diet in a pill form (I like Nordic Naturals brand fish oils).
Low protein diets can drive up arachidonic acid levels (as protein is typically replaced with carbohydrates). Take in adequate protein for your body mass. General recommendations are 0.8gm/kg and up to 1.6 gm/kg body weight, with 1gm/kg bodyweight being a good recommendation generally. Athletes and very active persons need on the higher end of this range (4).
Eliminate or considerably reduce vegetables oils, and consider cooking with either coconut oil or olive oil as your first choice.
Arachidonic acid conversion to pro-inflammatory end products is inhibited by ginger,turmeric, bioflavinoids and boswellia, FYI.

I always try to consider what will make the biggest impact on my patient's physiology with the least cost or annoyance. Fatty acid ratios and consumption patterns are an approach that has very broad effects on a person’s physiology and can be a good place to start when inflammation may be involved.

Work Cited:

Omega-3 fatty acids, membrane remodeling and cancer prevention. Natividad R. Fuentes et al. Mol Aspects Med. 2018 Dec.
Omega Fatty Acids – Proper Ratio is Key. BrainMD Life. June 13, 2017.
Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century. Loren Cordain, S Boyd Eaton, Anthony Sebastian, Neil Mann, Staffan Lindeberg, Bruce A Watkins, James H O’Keefe, and Janette Brand-Miller Am J Clin Nutr 2005;81:341–54. 2005 American Society for Clinical Nutrition
The Big Book of Health and Fitness. Phil Maffetone. 2012 Skyhorse Publishing.
Clinical Nutrition for Pain, Inflammation and Tissue Healing. David Seaman,1998 NutrAnalysis, Inc.

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Topics: Traditional Chinese Medicine, nutrition, integrative medicine, holistic healing, acupuncture, aoma, tcm, ATX

An Interview With The President: Dr. Mary Faria

Posted by Maxwell Poyser on Mon, Sep 20, 2021 @ 02:38 PM

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we recently sat down with AOMA President and CEO Dr. Mary Faria to learn more about how she came to be at AOMA, her commitment to creating a more diverse and inclusive environment on campus, and how the power of acupunture has helped her to be a better runner.

Hi Mary! What is your role at AOMA and how long have you been with the school?

Hi Maxwell. I serve as the President and CEO of AOMA. I joined AOMA in January of 2018.

What initially drew you towards how the study of Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine is practiced here at AOMA?

I worked for a large healthcare system for close to 25 years. We worked with AOMA in our community clinics. The value this medicine brought was extraordinary. The integrative model that was created not only demonstrated better patient outcomes through an integrative approach, but also reduced emergency room visits, hospitalizations and provided a more holistic approach to patient care that patients respond to very well.

I also have utilized an integrated approach for my own health. Through an active lifestyle, good nutrition, mindfulness and taking advantage of acupuncture and herbal treatments I’ve never needed to take medications or more invasive procedures. I’m passionate in my belief that integrative care models that include acupuncture, herbs and other alternatives can transform healthcare in this country.

AOMA has a diverse set of faculty, staff, and students from across the globe, and as one of the only Hispanic-American Presidents within the field of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, how important has creating a more diverse and welcoming environment on campus been to you?

It has been very important to me. I’m a believer in the richness that comes from diversity. It was important to have a role at AOMA dedicated to helping us find ways to be more inclusive and I’m so pleased we have that in place with our Sr. Director of Student Services and Inclusion and Diversity. Our Governing Board has embraced this, and we have begun the process of intentionally inviting new members who better represent people of color.

Pre-Covid Community Wellness Hours were a very popular event at AOMA and were a wonderful way for individuals of more vulnerable communities to receive free or reduced-cost treatment for topics such as pain or stress. As a longstanding and active Austinite, what have been some of your favorite moments during these engagements with your community?

I very much miss our in person community wellness hours. I participated as often as I was able. There is something so special about group meditation. Energy (Qi) shared is powerful. At the end of each wellness hour we go around the group and everyone shares something they want to share about the experience, if they choose. It is so gratifying to hear how much this time we offer is transforming lives through stress reduction, help with addiction, and providing peaceful time. It is clear for many it is the only outlet they have. How wonderful that we can help in this way.

Holistic Medicine has long been a standing practice in Hispanic Culture, have you noticed any similarities between how holistic medicine is practiced in Hispanic Cultures and Traditional Chinese Medicine during your time at AOMA?

I think there is a deep care for the person being treated that is common among all medicines. With traditional practices as in my culture (Mexican) and with TCM the mind body connections are much stronger. There are also generational aspects, things passed from grandparents to parents to children and so on.

As some may know, you are an avid runner and acupuncture has been known to help elevate some of the pressures that come with running and other forms of exercise. How have you noticed a difference in your running practice since incorporating acupuncture & TCM into your routine?

Yes, I’ve been a competitive age group runner for about 30 years now. I was actually introduced to acupuncture when I was dealing with a running injury and quickly became a fan. It was so effective in helping me overcome the injury. I’ve incorporated it in my integrative approach to staying healthy for running over the years. I’m training for a marathon now and getting acupuncture each week up to the marathon in October to help with some hip flexor strain I’ve been experiencing.

Lastly, when you are not at AOMA how do you like to spend your free time?

I love to spend time with the love of my life, my husband, even if it is just enjoying the back of our property in a hammock. We love to find new places for hiking and enjoying the outdoors. Running of course, but I also swim and bike. I love reading, especially historical fiction and I love being creative through artwork and flower arranging.

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Topics: integrative medicine, AOMA community collaborations, acupuncture, chinese medicine, Mary Faria, CEO, ATX

David Ring, MD-PhD: why are there so many medicines?

Posted by David Ring, MD PhD on Wed, Nov 20, 2019 @ 08:31 AM

Dr. David Ring MD PhD

I’ve always been confused about why there are so many “medicines”. Why an alternative or complementary medicine? Let’s think about that.

Medicine is defined as the science and practice of the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.

But as all of you know, relatively little of what people seek out our help for—the reasons why people come to our office—relatively few of those reasons resemble problems that are as easy to solve as PCN for strep throat.

It is estimated that more than half of all symptoms brought to the attention of a PCP are never associated with a discrete pathophysiology. They remain “idiopathic”. Cause unknown. Nonspecific.

It’s important to remain curious and open-minded here. When I was a teenager, peptic ulcers were due to stress. It was a psychosomatic illness. A hole burned in your stomach or intestines can kill you. It can erode an artery and you can bleed to death. And the accepted cause of this potentially dangerous illness was stress. Back in that time we started talking about the Type A personality.

Then some crazy Aussies isolated a bacteria, H. Pylori, and one of them swallowed it and got an ulcer. Their experiments proved that ulcers are not due to stress. Ulcers are an infection. They found the discrete pathophysiology. Now ulcers are treated with antibiotics. I don’t think anyone would have guessed that we would so drastically change how we understand and how we treat peptic ulcer disease.

If more than half of all symptoms that bring people to a clinician are nonspecific, then we’d better be ready for a lot of other surprises. We need to be curious and open. Flexible in our thinking.

There are quite a few named illnesses that have no identified pathophysiology. Illnesses for which we do not have an “H. Pylori”. Or a vitamin deficiency. Or a structural abnormality. Let’s think about one that most of you are probably aware of.

Many people have pains in several areas of their body. Pains that limit their ability to be themselves. To think about doing something and then do it. Think of a person you know who has this sort of an illness. Maybe some of you are living with this illness yourselves. It is estimated that between 3 and 6% of the world’s population lives with this illness. That would be as much as a third of a billion people.

Psychiatrists have recognized this illness for some time. They use to refer to it as somatization disorder and now as somatic symptom disorder. Soma means body. This diagnosis means that stress is being expressed physically as well as emotionally. The technical description of this disorder is “physical symptoms that suggest illness or injury, but which cannot be explained fully by a general medical condition”.

But the illness that I described to you. The one I gave numbers for. Third of a billion worldwide. That illness is not diagnosed and treated as somatic symptom disorder. It is diagnosed and treated as fibromyalgia. That technical term suggests that we know the pathophysiology and that it has something to do with fibrous tissues in the muscle. In the UK it is was traditionally called myalgic encephalomyelitis which brings the brain and inflammation into the mix. But the fact is we have yet to find the H Pylori for this illness.

We don’t know which theory is correct: is this more about stress, or is it more about needing to do that Nobel prize winning research to find the problem so that we can fix it with something as simple as a brief course of antibiotics. I suspect there’s a little of both. Actually, there is always a little of both. Humans respond to illness with emotions.

We can see our souls, our minds, as separate from our bodies. And there is a stigma associated with mental health. As if symptoms of depression only occur in flawed minds. As if stress means you’re not one of the strong ones. The shame associated with mental health is part of what leads to somatization. It’s more socially acceptable to say “I hurt” than it is to say “I’m down”. Or “I’m overwhelmed”. Or “I’m not sure I matter.”

I’m 50 now and several parts of my body hurt every day or don’t work as well as they used to. These are normal changes in the human body, and my health depends on adapting to them. If I see one or more of these as a problem needing to be fixed, that may or may not take me down a useful path. Resiliency can be a powerful way to manage the body’s changes. Resiliency is good for your health.

Now, this is a graduate school of integrative medicine. We’ve been talking about a division between the mental and physical aspects of health, which is not a part of the world’s wisdom traditions. In traditional Chinese medicine the mind is a part of the body.

Some have envisioned that in modern society the words mind, brain, and spirit will be eventually become synonyms. They will all mean the same thing. The wisdom traditions already have this in place.

And integrative medicine finds it natural to talk about healthy eating. Healthy activity. We know that a substantial and growing proportion of illness and death is related to unhealthy behaviors. So we can talk about food as medicine. And activity as medicine. And many of the world’s wisdom traditions also emphasize a healthy mindset. That just like healthy eating and healthy activity, healthy mindset requires attention, effort, training, and practice. You have to work at it. You have to tend to your mind. To your mental health. We all benefit from this.

So why is there an “integrative medicine”? Shouldn’t everything that helps people get and stay healthy be considered medicine? No divisions. Just options.

I see us working together: collective efforts to show people how much they can do for themselves, how much they depend on themselves, to help get and stay healthy. The efforts to pay as much attention to the psychological and social determinants of health as the physical and pathophysiological. I see these efforts as a sort of last mile problem. We know the right things to do, but we don’t always do them. It’s a matter of implementation science. Of figuring out how to make the healthy choice the easy choice.

They day when everyone has these skills may still be a long way off. And there will always be some form of penicillin for strep throat. But as you move forward in your studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine, I hope you’ll see in it your dedication to improving the world’s health.

David Ring, MD PhD is Associate Dean for Comprehensive Care and Professor of Surgery and Psychiatry at Dell Medical School and newest member of AOMA's Board of Governors. Trained as a hand and orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Ring’s extensive research, patient care, and quality and patient safety leadership contributed to an understanding of and a passion for the ways that mindset and circumstances affect human illness. Getting people interested in innovative ways to get and stay healthy depends on effective communication strategies that establish trust and make healthy habits appealing. Dr. Ring’s current work focuses on ways to use existing knowledge, diverse expertise, and innovative applications of technology to help people choose healthy options consistent with their values.

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Topics: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Complementary Medicine, integrative medicine, AOMA leadership

What is Integrative Healthcare?

Posted by Lauren St. Pierre, LAc on Fri, May 08, 2015 @ 03:53 PM

integrativehealthcare

Some people think of acupuncture and Oriental medicine as alternative healthcare, shying away from Western medicine. While it is true that in the modern world of Traditional Chinese Medicine a holistic approach to care is at the heart of our practice, we like to think of our approach at AOMA as integrative healthcare. When we feel the radial pulse we are differentiating between choppy, slippery and dai mai, to name a few, but we are also looking for red flags like tachycardia and hypertension so we also take blood pressure.

Integrative healthcare as defined by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, "combines mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies for which there is some high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness." So we get the best of both worlds while providing the best possible care for our patients. We take into account the whole person's mind, body and spirit.

Providing care that's within our scope and utilizing the other medical fields as would best serve the patient needs: pretty straightforward. In using an integrative approach, we are not limited by one therapy because we access both alternative approaches as well as conventional ones. A good example is using acupuncture to help with post surgical pain and inflammation. Acupuncture alone wouldn't be sufficient treatment for a structural issue, like a broken bone or severely torn muscle. But after the x-rays have been taken, the bone set back into place, the use of acupuncture can be instrumental not only to reduce physical pain but also the care for the emotional component of the injury.

The Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco describes that "integrative medicine seeks to incorporate treatment options from conventional and alternative approaches, taking into account not only physical symptoms, but also psychological, social and spiritual aspects of health and illness."

As acupuncturists, we might ask why it matters to be integrative. Well, it may mean jobs for one. According to the American Hospital Association, the percentage of U.S. hospitals that offer complementary therapies has increased dramatically in less than a decade, from 8.6% in 1998 to almost 42% in 2011. That's good news for practitioners but it's great news for patients.

Part of being a good integrative healthcare practitioner is understanding the health landscape for that patient and being able to speak intelligently about it with other practitioners that may have a background different than our own. Qi, yin and yang are incredibly important to us but if we're working on a case and the patient primary wants to understand what you are treating and herbs you intend to prescribe, we need to be able to have that conversation. Not to say you can't use terms like zang fu and xue xu, just back it up.

AOMA is hosting our own integrative healthcare symposium with the Southwest Symposium, May 5-9, in Austin, TX. One of the best ways to understand TCM and how to speak about it with patients and other healthcare providers is to get many different points of view. Be sure to check out this year’s line-up! aoma.edu/sws

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Topics: acupuncture school, integrative medicine, acupuncture clinics

East West Forum: Integrative Sports Medicine Discussion [video]

Posted by Sarah Bentley on Mon, Sep 08, 2014 @ 01:50 PM

AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine and Austin Fit Magazine co-sponsored the East West Forum on Integrative Sports Medicine on July 24, 2014 with prominent sports medicine specialists. Part of AOMA’s vision is building bridges. The East West Forum is one of the ways that AOMA brings together biomedical and integrative medical practitioners.

Sarah Bentley, Director of Community Relations at AOMA, facilitated the discussion of cutting-edge techniques and holistic solutions for injury recovery and prevention with guest speakers Martha Pyron, MD, Ann Mowat, LAc, and John Tuggle, DC.

Watch and share the video of the event!

About the speakers:

Martha Pyron is board certified in both family medicine as well as sports medicine and is the founder of Medicine in Motion, a Sports Medicine & Physical Rehabilitation Clinic in north Austin with an integrated care approach to injury and illness.

Dr. John Tuggle, doctor of chiropractic also known as the “Tri Doc” has an integrative practice in Cedar Park.

Ann Mowat is a licensed acupuncturist and certified Sports Medicine Acupuncture specialist. She’s the founder of 512 Wellness in central Austin.

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Topics: integrative medicine, east west forum, sports medicine

Integrative Medicine Videos: Acupuncture, Qigong, and Meditation

Posted by Sarah Bentley on Tue, Apr 15, 2014 @ 02:38 PM

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health produces videos about the research on complementary health approaches. The three videos presented here explain some of the most popular integrative medicine practices: acupuncture, qigong, and meditation.

What happens during an Acupuncture session?

This video narrates the basic historical and theoretical background of acupuncture while also giving a step by step guide on what to expect during an acupuncture treatment such as possible physical sensations, different acupuncture techniques, and the importance of finding a qualified practitioner.

Qigong

This video explains how the practice of Qigong can enhance the flow of energy in the body through movement, meditation, and regulation of breathing; and in turn, how it can benefit your daily life.

Meditation

This video shows the practice of meditation and how it can result in a state of greater calmness, physical relaxation, and psychological balance.

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Topics: acupuncture research, qigong, integrative medicine, meditation

Acupuncture & Integrative Pain Care Round-table Discussion, March 21

Posted by Sarah Bentley on Wed, Feb 12, 2014 @ 01:26 PM

On Friday March 21^st, AOMA will sponsor a round-table discussion about the role of acupuncture & Oriental medicine (AOM) in integrative pain care. Licensed acupuncturists can earn one free Continuing Acupuncture Education (CAE) credit (*pending) by attending.

Speakers will identify challenges within AOM research, integrative practice & pain care, and discuss opportunities for advanced clinical practice. Speakers include Dr. John Finnell, Dr. Daniel Weber, and Dr. Rosa Schnyer.

John Finnell, ND, MPH, LAc

Dr. John Finnell is an accomplished researcher and skilled health care practitioner with a rich academic and professional background. In addition to being an active practitioner of naturopathic & Chinese medicines, he has completed a post-doctoral fellowship with the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), and served as the acting Director of Research for the True North Health Foundation. He is currently the Director of the Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (DAOM) program at AOMA.

Daniel Weber, PhD, MSc

Daniel Weber is a pioneer in complementary medicine committed to fostering dialogue between all types of health care professionals. His extensive academic history spans over 3 decades and includes in-depth study in Japan, the UK, and China. In addition to serving as the vice-chair of the oncology section of the World Federation of Chinese Medical Societies, he is a Visiting Professor at TianJin University, and President of Panaxea International. His research is conducted at Guang 'Anmen hospital in Beijing and at TianJin Unversity.

Rosa Schnyer, DAOM, LAc

Dr. Rosa Schnyer has two decades of clinical research experience and is a leading figure in the development of methodologies for the study of acupuncture & Oriental medicine. She is a faculty member within AOMA's Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Program as well as UT Austin's College of Pharmacy & School of Nursing. She maintains an active clinical practice in Austin, Texas and has completed extensive training in both Toyo-Hari Japanese Acupuncture and acupuncture treatment for pain management.

Attendees will have the opportunity to present questions to the panel and participate in this important discussion about the future of acupuncture research & integrative pain care. Information about AOMA’s doctoral program, which has a clinical specialty of pain management and the accompanying psychosocial concerns, will also be available.

In addition to the engaging discussion with one free CAE credit, participants may also receive 10% off the registration cost of Dr. Daniel Weber’s Integrative Oncology CE Workshop on Saturday March 22.

Join us in the dialogue that will shape the advancement of TCM.

Friday, March 21:
7:30pm – 8:30pm - Roundtable Discussion
8:30pm – 9:15pm - Questions, Comments, and Cocktails

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Topics: acupuncture research, doctoral program, Dr. John Finnell, integrative medicine

Alumni Success: Sadie Minkoff, Class of 2003

Posted by Sarah Bentley on Sun, Nov 03, 2013 @ 02:58 PM

AOMA alumna Sadie Minkoff was a modern dancer in a company based in New York City when she injured her sacrum in a rehearsal. Minkoff says, “I was studying Eastern philosophy and Shiatsu and was petrified of needles so I was hesitant to try acupuncture until I got injured.” Minkoff finally mustered the courage to travel to New York’s Chinatown to try out acupuncture.

Most “needle phobic” patients are generally surprised to find out that acupuncture needles are a thin metal filament about the width of a human hair and cannot deliver the same kind of impact as a needle used for a flu or tetanus shot. Minkoff, being terrified of needles, was no different. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the sensations from the needles were minimal and the treatment itself was very enjoyable and effective. Minkoff says, “The injury resolved quickly but what was even more exciting to me was how good I felt after my acupuncture treatments. So I continued getting acupuncture and started learning about Chinese Medicine.”

Eventually Minkoff found herself at AOMA studying acupuncture. Her journey as a practitioner has taken her many places including an interdisciplinary clinic in Washington, DC and a western medical clinic in Austin. She has also worked in a couple of integrative settings with IUI and IVF patients. In 2012 Minkoff received hospital privileges when a local doctor invited her to do acupuncture during fertility treatments in the hospital where he worked.

Currently, Minkoff owns a private practice with her partner Michelle Schreiber in Austin. Sage Acupuncture focuses on both fertility and oncology. Minkoff reflects, “We have created a beautiful sanctuary where people can feel comfortable and supported in their healing process.” As Minkoff’s clientele grows she holds the intention to continue to work from her heart and serve her community.

Since Minkoff has been in the acupuncture field she has learned that listening and compassion promote success in her practice. She has also learned that no matter how many tools she has to share with her patients she does not heal the patient, the patient heals herself. This philosophy has kept patients coming back to her years after they get pregnant and have their children.

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Topics: alumni, alumni spotlight, integrative medicine

Integrative Medicine: On the Shoulders of Giants

Posted by Sarah Bentley on Wed, Sep 19, 2012 @ 01:14 PM

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:

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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Topics: integrative medicine, healthcare system

Alumni Success: Kirsten Hurder-Karchmer, Class of 2000

Posted by Sarah Bentley on Mon, Aug 01, 2011 @ 01:25 PM

kirsten hurder karchmer Kirsten Hurder-Karchmer was teaching linguistics at the University of Texas when she began having some serious auto-immune health issues. After seeing several medical doctors and having surgery she turned to AOMA faculty member Jamie Wu for acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments. Amazed by the results, Kirsten started looking into acupuncture as a career choice. She recalls, “I was already a teacher and thought that to be a good doctor, it required a great deal of patient education, so it seemed like a good match for me.”

Kirsten states, “I was instantly interested in gynecology because I saw that when you regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle, so many other problems are also resolved.” Upon graduation from AOMA in 2000, she was invited to help open the first women’s clinic in the AOMA professional clinic with faculty member Dongxin Ma. In 2001 Kirsten opened her current business in Austin, the Texas Center for Reproductive Acupuncture (TCRA), where she and her team specialize in infertility, ovulation disorders, and recurrent pregnancy loss. Success led to additional locations in San Antonio and Plano. Kirsten said, “Last year alone the clinic in Austin saw 220 patients, had 159 pregnancies and only 4 miscarriages. That is less than a 4% miscarriage rate in a risk population that should be more around 40%.”

The Austin and San Antonio clinics are fully integrated with western medical doctors, operation and recovery rooms, and technology such as ultrasound machines. In the Austin center Kirsten and her team collaborate with reproductive embryologists and urologists to help couples create families, and with Reproductive Medicine Associates of Texas to conduct research. Kirsten says, “We are currently conducting three large scale studies on the effects of acupuncture on in vitro fertilization (IVF), acupuncture anesthesia for oocyte retrieval or egg collection and recurrent pregnancy loss.” This research will be collected and published in the scholarly journal Fertility and Sterility in the next year or two.

Kirsten furthers her mission to change the face of health care through membership in the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine, doing research and developing training at one of the most successful reproductive acupuncture clinics in North America. She is becoming a leader and pioneer in her field of recurrent pregnancy loss. Her tip for success is, “The more I learn Western medicine the better I understand Chinese medicine. We can pioneer a new kind of medicine, but acupuncturists have to learn as much or more, if they want to integrate, than most doctors.”

After thoroughly studying OB/GYN and reproductive embryologist medical texts, Kirsten has been able to strengthen her ability to communicate with medical doctors and overlap Eastern and Western medicine. This deeper understanding has allowed her to build some amazing relationships with the physicians in her field. She responds, “Now they come to us when they get stuck for a bit of voodoo opinion.” Dialogue with medical doctors has helped Kirsten to speak in layman’s terms about Chinese medicine to make it more accessible to people of all backgrounds.

In conjunction with Dr. Francisco Arredondo, Kirsten and her team plan to open the nation’s first fully integrated center for underserved women experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss. The Hope Center will open in Austin and San Antonio in 2012.

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Topics: women's health, alumni, alumni spotlight, integrative medicine, reproductive medicine

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