Oriental Ginseng

Oriental ginseng is also called Korean ginseng, Asian ginseng, Chinese ginseng, red ginseng and white ginseng, and Panax Ginseng. It is imported from either China or Korea. white ginseng refers to untreated ginseng and is "less warm" than red ginseng. Red ginseng is steamed and cured with other herbs in the Korean tradition. In Chinese medicine ginseng root is believed to promote Yang energy and is Yang in nature.  This improves circulation and stimulates the body and improves the immune system. Oriental ginseng tonifies the lungs and spleen, nourishes vital fluids, builds stamina and strength, and rejuvenates the glandular secretions of the endocrine system. Other uses are to improve vision and hearing, normalize high blood sugar content, combat fatigue and stress. It increases energy and helps people who suffer from cold hands and feet.
There is a strong qi boosting quality and is not recommended for people with high pressure or heart conditions.

Because of its strength, traditional herbalists rarely use ginseng by itself. It is combined with other herbs to increase clinical benefits and reduce negative reactions.

Siberian Ginseng

Siberian ginseng is a hardy, tolerant herb that grows in coniferous mountain forests as undergrowth. Siberian ginseng is not a ginseng. It belongs to the plant species known as Eleutherococcus Stenticosus. Its active chemical ingredient is eleutherosides, not ginsenosides which is found in ginseng roots. Siberian ginseng shares many qualities with Chinese and American ginseng. It acts as an adaptogen, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune tonic. It can also help with sore muscles and dark under eye circles. Siberian ginseng contains many essential nutrients including sodium, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium and vitamins A, B3, B12, C and E.  In folk medicine it is referred to as the root of life.

American Ginseng

American ginseng is the Yin that complements the Asian ginseng Yang.

The American ginseng plant has green leaves that grow in a circular formation, with large yellow flowers. It is similar to to Asian ginseng in appearance. In Chinese Medicine American ginseng is associated with tranquil Yin energy. It has a milder qi boosting effect and is suitable for all ages. American ginseng  is used primarily for clearing the body's inner heat and tonifying the qi. The body accumulates inner heat when we consume too much fried or spicy foods or from lack of sleep. It has been used to reduce blood sugar levels, to treat colds, anemia, insomnia, stress and fevers, and strengthens the immune system and improves circulation. American ginseng works on the spleen and lungs and generates body fluids.

Types of Ginseng

There are three main species of ginseng. Oriental ginseng (panax ginseng) is grown in both China and Korea. In Korea it is called red panax. During the processing it turns red. White Oriental ginseng occurs because the root is allowed to dry naturally. Siberian ginseng (eleutherococcus stenticocus) is a distant cousin to panax ginseng. It is also known as the santa root and is native to East Asia, China, Japan, and Russia. American ginseng is a member of the ivy family and grew wild. It takes the root approximately five years to reach harvesting maturity.

Each type of ginseng possesses different qualities and healing properties. We will cover each type and its healing uses as this series continues.

A Series on Ginseng

Ginseng is the most widely used and most respected herb in the Orient. It is a short, perennial plant that grows on the slopes of ravines and shady, well drained mountainous hardwood forests.  It has five compound leaves on a single stalk with a gray bloom that turns into a cluster of crimson fruit from which the ginseng seed is extracted. The Chinese have been using the ginseng root for over 5000 years. The name means "Man Plant". Its' botanical name is Panax derived from the Greek for All Healing or Cure All. There is a variety of ginseng native to the North Americans continent that was used by the native peoples for healing. In this series we will cover the properties of ginseng.

Introduction to Chinese Herbal Medicine

Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) use herbs derived from plant, animal, and mineral substances. Plant derived herbs are the most common, such as ginseng and ginger. Minerals and animal parts such as oyster shells, deer antlers and bear gall bladder are also used in China.

Herbs have four basic qualities and properties: nature, taste, affinity, and primary action.
An herb's nature is described as cooling or heating, moistening, relaxing or energizing. The herb's taste is categorized by five tastes. These are sour, bitter, sweet, bland, spicy, and salty.  Affinity is the connection the herb has to a particular organ network. Primary action refers to the effect of an herb to move, restrain, expel or strengthen.

The History of Acupuncture in the United States. Part 2 Nixon and the New York Times

James Reston in background

"At that precise moment, or so it now seems, the first stab of pain went through my groin," Reston wrote in a story titled "Now Let Me Tell You the Story of My Operation in Beijing" printed in the New York Times on July 26, 1971.

James Barrett Reston (Scotty) was a journalist for the New York Times and served as the associate editor from 1964 to 1968, executive editor from 1968 to 1969 and vice president of the Times from 1969 to 1974. Reston interviewed many of the world's leaders including Kennedy and Khrushchev.

Reston suffered an appendicitis while in China in 1971. His appendix was removed through surgery at the Anti-Imperialist Hospital in Beijing. The post operative pain was treated with acupuncture which was immediately effective. James Reston was so impressed that he wrote an article for the Times about this experience. This was the first time most Americans had heard of acupuncture.

For years it was thought that Dr. Li Chang-yuan, was the acupuncturist who treated James Reston. It was recently discovered that the misspelling of the acupuncturist's name by Reston had left him in oblivion for more thatn 30 years. He name was Dr. Li Zhanyuan.

The History of Acupuncture in the United States - Part 1

The practice of acupuncture was brought to the United States by the Chinese and Japanese in the 1800's. It was not an accepted practice outside of their communities. Acupuncture was considered barbaric and banned in most states.

 Miriam Lee, author of Insights of a Senior Acupuncturist, and founder of the Acupuncture Association of America, was one of the pioneering acupuncturists in the United States and was responsible for the legalization of acupuncture in California.

Dr. Lee was a nurse, midwife and acupuncturist in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War.  She escaped to Singapore in 1949 and lived there for seventeen years, studying emotionally-based illnesses. In 1966 Dr. Lee moved to California. At that time Acupuncture was illegal and Dr. Lee took a job in a factory.
Dr. Lee used acupuncture to treat a friend's bed-ridden son and after several treatments he completely recovered. This was the beginning of her practice in California. Through word of mouth, Dr. Lee was treating as many as 75 to 80 patients a day.

In 1975 Dr. Miriam Lee was arrested for practicing medicine without a license. Her patients rallying in support of her filled the court room. Dr. Lee was permitted to continue to practice acupuncture as an "experimental procedure." One year later acupuncture was signed into California law as a legal medical practice, making Dr. Lee one of California's first licensed acupuncturists.

 In 1977 acupuncture was recognized by the U.S. National Institutes of Health as a mainstream medicine healing option with a statement documenting the procedure's safety and efficacy for treating a variety of health conditions.

The Effects of Acupunture on Stress.

We have accepted stress as a normal part of our lives and spend countless dollars and hours on books, tapes, DVD's and workshop to help us overcome stress. Stress weakens our immune systems making our bodies more susceptible to illnesses and diseases. It is estimated that 80% of all illnesses are brought on by stress. Acupuncture has been shown to induce a relaxation response and strengthens the immune system by reducing the negative effects of stress on our body.

Stress activates our survival system, increases the heart rate and lung function and reduces movement of our large intestine and increases blood pressure. This puts our bodies into a constant state of flight-or-fight. When stress persists over an extended period of time, our sympathetic nervous system remains constantly stimulated and becomes depleted. The constant state of stress produces an unbalanced nervous system which can produce a variety of health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, high cholesterol, irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerated colitis. Our risk of infections, colds and flu increases. Stress increases the production of cortisol which suppresses our immune system. Cortisol acts as an immunosuppressant by reducing the number of white blood cells which produce antibodies and destroy viruses, bacteria and tumor cells.

Acupuncture works to reverse the effects of stress by suppressing the sympathetic nervous system and activating the parasympathetic nervous system.  The sympathetic nervous system controls our body when we are stressed and the parasympathetic nervous system controls our body when we are relaxed and calm. Acupuncture changes the messages being sent from our nervous system to our endocrine system and immune system.

Simply put: the metal acupuncture needle is a conductor of energy. Acupuncture points are surrounded by a greater concentration of nerve endings than in other areas of the body. The nervous system uses energy to send messages. Acupuncture conducts and adjusts the flow of energy.

What is Acupuncture.

The intent of acupuncture therapy is to promote health and alleviate pain and suffering. An acupuncturist views health and sickness as concepts of "vital energy," "energetic balance" and "energetic imbalance." The acupuncturist assesses the flow and distribution of this "vital energy" within its pathways, known as "meridians and channels".  The acupuncturist is able to influence health by stimulating key areas along these "meridians" called "acupoints", with fine, slender needles.  The procedure adjusts the "vital energy" so the proper amount of energy reaches the proper place at the proper time. This helps your body heal itself.

Acupuncture is just one form of therapy used within a coherent system of healing known as Oriental Medicine which includes herbology, physical therapy, dietetics and special exercises (such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong).   This is a complete medical system unto itself.  Acupuncture evolved from principles and philosophies unique to Oriental thinking and Oriental Medicine over thousands of years.

The 7 Mountains Story

I am often asked how I came to call my acupuncture practice 7 Mountains. Of course there is a story in the answer.

When I was in acupuncture school I was also a father of three young girls, a husband, and a respiratory therapist. Often the best time for uninterrupted study was about 4:00 am to 6:00 am. Over time I noticed that as the sun came up it would illuminate, one by one, seven large mountain tops around our home in the Colorado foothills.

Fast forward to 2004 and Beijing China where I was studying herbal medicine. One day one of my herbal teachers asked me about Colorado and my home town.  I showed him a picture of our house with ice-icicles hanging off the roof. Then I shared the story of the seven mountains being illuminated by the sun.  At my Chinese herbal graduation I was presented with my diploma. It actually had two names hand printed on it - my English name, Bruce Ayers, and in Chinese characters was written "The Man From 7 Mountains."

When I returned home to Colorado and started my acupuncture and herbal practice, 7 Mountains seemed like the perfect name.

The Origins of Acupunture.

The oldest known book on Chinese medicine is the "Neiching", also known as "The Yellow Emperor's classic of internal medicine". It is written in the form of a dialogue between the Yellow Emperor "Huang Ti" and "Chi Po" a Taoist teacher and physician. It is believed that the Yellow Emperor lived around 2700 B.C. The book indicates that acupuncture was widely practiced in China much before the time it was written.

During archaeological excavations in China, various types of gold and silver acupuncture needles were found in the tomb of Prince Liu Sheng who died around 200 B.C. This confirms that these different types of needles were in use over two thousand years ago.

Acupuncture originated in the cold north-west parts of China where herbs and other medical remedies were scarce. Acupuncture spread from there to other parts of the world through travelling physicians, scholars and pilgrims.

One of these was a famous Chinese physician called Pien Chueh who lived around 400 B.C. While visiting the province of Quo with some of his students, he arrived at a town there the people seemed very sad since their beloved prince had suddenly become unconscious. His doctors had been unable to revive him and it seemed that he was going to die.

Hearing that Pien Chueh was a great physician, the people asked him if there was anything he could do to help their prince. Pien Chueh agreed to examine the prince. Arrangements were made and he was received by the king, who willingly allowed him to examine the unconscious prince.

Pein Chueh made a thorough examination of the prince and arrived at a diagnosis. He treated the prince with acupuncture who soon regained consciousness. Pein Chueh continued to treat the prince with acupuncture, heat treatment (moxibuxtion) and various herbs till the prince recovered completely. It is said that the king rewarded him richly and directed the physicians in his Court to learn acupuncture and thus the practice of acupuncture spread.