Summer 2010

Happy Summer Solstice!

We have some great news to share with everyone! 

Mary Helen had a paper published in the current issue of the Oriental Medicine Journal titled “Detoxifying the Body: Integrating Naturopathic Remedies into the TCM Practice.” The article is a summary of the annual Detox Class we offer each spring to acupuncturists, health professionals and the general public.  It contains a lot of useful self-care information everyone can practice to prevent and heal chronic health issues.  Please share this with your family, friends, co-workers, and everyone you know who maybe open to it. http://whitemoonhealingcenter.com/detoxarticle.php

We also want to share several recent and very positive changes for the acupuncture community!

In our Spring newsletter, we sent out information regarding the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act—HR 646.  This bill mandates that acupuncture will be provided for all recipients of Medicare, Medicaid, and all Federal employees.  History shows that when these institutions cover a service that all major insurance plans follow suit.  This is the first step for acupuncture coverage by all insurance companies, and would lead to having acupuncture included into the future National Health Care Plan.

The legislation is closer than ever as there are now only 6 states without an acupuncture practice act (Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming). The national acupuncture organizations are pushing hard to help these states put an Acupuncture Practice Act in place.  Once all 50 states are on board, the committee will put the bill up for vote. 

We’ve been waiting for this for many years, and it looks as though there is a good chance that it will pass as both parties have responded favorably to the bill.

Another important piece of legislation related to greater accessibility of alternative medicine can be found in the new National Health Care Act.

(To read more go to“AAAOM Lauds New Health Care Bill” at acupuncturetoday.com): http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32207

This non-discrimination law would allow anyone with health insurance to access any licensed health care provider and receive coverage.  This means that patients can choose to receive their health care from not only acupuncturists, but also massage therapists, nutritionists, dentists, optometrists, nurse midwives, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, etc.  

In other words, if the health care practitioner is licensed for it, the law states that it must be covered.

It also states that you can see any licensed practitioner you wish—no more groups where you are restricted to a handful of practitioners within your plan.

This non-discrimination law goes into effect in 2014, but the American Medical Association (AMA) and the pharmaceutical industry is already mounting a massive lobbying effort to oppose this aspect of the bill so that they can maintain their monopoly on health care.

Therefore, we must start contacting our elected officials and let them know that we support the non-discrimination law, and we don’t want the AMA to alter it.  It’s about time we have equal access to the choice of healthcare we receive!

Meanwhile, the Department of Labor is finally reclassifying the status of acupuncture from a “modality” to the more appropriate “profession.”  We are currently in the requisite, transitional year of being an “emerging profession.”  This terminology is important because once it becomes official this may affect the laws governing who may practice acupuncture.

Currently, there are many medical doctors, chiropractors, and osteopaths who practice acupuncture with little or no training.  While there are some states where chiropractors are not allowed to practice acupuncture without board certification, these are in the minority.  For example, most board certified acupuncturists have a minimum of 3000 hours of training, while most doctors, chiropractors, and osteopaths have a maximum of 200 hours of training in acupuncture—although legally they are not required to have any training at all!.

This change may require a more complete training before non-acupuncturists can legally practice acupuncture.  Just as in any other area of medicine, one should be board certified, and meet state licensing requirements to be able to practice in that field or specialty of medicine.  This is the only way to ensure patients are getting treated by properly trained practitioners.

We are excited and inspired by this news, and will keep everyone updated on the progress of these changes.

As always, we are happy to offer free phone and e-mail consultations for all of your healthcare needs.  We can e-mail updated copies of our pharmacy catalog, restaurant list, nutritional handouts, or any other informational materials we have available at your request. 

We mail herbs out from the pharmacy every week, for those who want to place orders but can’t make it by the clinic.  We hope you enjoy the Detox Article and incorporate some or all of these ideas into your life.  Feel free to give us your feedback, comments, or questions.

Have a Happy and Healthy Summer,
Mary Helen and Conan
773-743-5229
www.whitemoonhealingcenter.com

Spring 2010

Happy Spring Equinox and Happy New Year!

Spring begins today, Saturday, March 20th at 12:33pm!

2010 is the Chinese Year of the Tiger.  The Lunar New Year always begins on the new moon—this year it began on 02/14/2010, Valentines Day!  The tiger symbolizes a dynamic force of nature that brings massive change. The stripes of the tiger represent the balance of yin and yang.  Tigers are respected as magical guardians of the home, they protect against fire, thieves and ghosts.  Negative aspects of the tiger include selfishness, egotism, arrogance, aggressiveness and unpredictability.  Tiger’s can make impulsive decisions that prove to be unwise in the long run. Positive aspects of the tiger include ambition, charisma, courage, dependability and loyalty.  Tiger’s are full of stamina, they love fun and adventure.  They seek out new life experiences and social gatherings.  Tigers are also tender and loving toward their family and children. 

Please contact your Congressional Representative and ask them to cosponsor HR646. The Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act.  This bill mandates that acupuncture will be provided for all recipients of Medicare, Medicaid, and all Federal employees.  History shows that when these institutions cover a service that all major insurance plans follow suit.  This is the first step for acupuncture coverage by all insurance companies, and would lead to having acupuncture included into the future National Health Care Plan.  To learn more and obtain a sample letter go to http://www.rallycongress.com/aaaom/1944. Bills are introduced for a two year period and we are entering the second year for HR646 so time is of the essence.  This bill has been stuck in committee for many years previous.  To find your congressperson go to http://www.house.gov/zip/ZIP2Rep.html and type in your zipcode.  Of the 19 districts in Illinois only Jan Schakowsky and Jesse Jackson are co-sponsors of this bill.  Please thank them for their support.  Bobby Rush and John Shimkus sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee to which HR646 has been referred—we really need their sponsorship.

Mary Helen will be teaching her third annual detox class this spring. Go to http://whitemoonhealingcenter.com/detox.php for more details. This is a great opportunity for anyone with chronic health issues.  In one day they can learn almost everything they need to know for self healing.  This class can literally be life changing—detoxing the body reverses the aging process and the symptoms of all chronic illnesses.  Detoxing techniques can be utilized by anyone to bring the body to optimal health. Mary Helen will be publishing a paper entitled “Detoxifying the Body:  Integrating Naturopathic Remedies into the TCM Practice,” based on this class.  It can be found in the spring issue of the Oriental Medicine Journal.

Mary Helen and Conan have recently attended the following continuing education classes:  “Regulating the Thyroid, Adrenals and Blood Sugar Through Restorative Endocrinology,” taught by renown practitioner Dr. Janet Lang.  This class covered the brain-hypothalamus-pituitary axis, saliva tests for adrenal hormones, hypoglycemia, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, tests for glucose and hemoglobin A1c, hypothyroid, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, hyperthyroid, vitamin D levels, hair analysis for heavy metal toxicity and mineral imbalance to check for endocrine disorders, gallbladder problems, leaky gut, acid reflux, Celiac disease, H. Pylori, EFA’s and microwave hazards.

We also attended a second seminar by Dr. Lang on “Balancing Hormones in Cycling Women Through Restorative Endocrinology.”  This class covered topics such as pituitary, adrenal, and ovarian hormones; perimenopause and menopause; blood tests vs. saliva tests; hair analysis; synthetic hormones vs. transdermal hormone creams vs. bio-identical hormones; endometriosis; functional ovarian cysts; polycystic ovarian syndrome; uterine fibroids; migraines; PMS; adrenal fatigue; infertility; estrogen dominance; iodine loading; and copper toxicity.

Paul Pitchford, the author of “Healing with Whole Foods” taught a class based on his well known text book. We were both very excited to see him after recommending his book to our clients for many years. His approach to nutritional healing combines the time-honored guidelines of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with the latest nutritional research.  He focuses on a plant based diet, detoxification and proper food combining. He covered treatment of children, the elderly, autoimmune disease, infectious disease, gluten intolerance, heavy metal toxicity, chemo and radiation, addictions, Lyme disease and parasites.

Mary Helen attended the seminar “Red Flags in Common Conditions” with Dr. Michelle Sergel, an E.R. doctor at Cook County Hospital.  This covered common symptoms that could possibly indicate emergency situations such as headaches, abdominal pain, back pain, cough, upper and lower extremity pain, fatigue, colds & flu, dizziness, diabetes and hypertension.  The second half of this class was “Red Flags in Pregnancy” taught by registered nurse, acupuncturist and midwife Judy Schlaeger. Conditions covered were hemorrhage; miscarriage;  incomplete abortion; urine, blood and ultrasound tests for complications; ectopic pregnancy; hydatidiform molar pregnancy; cervical insufficiency; placenta previa; placental abruption; preterm labor; hyperenesis graviderum; hypertension and preeclampsia.

Giovanni Maciocia taught “The Psyche in Chinese Medicine.”  He presented a fascinating overview of the Chinese concepts, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness and psychological imbalances, exploring how these imbalances correspond to changes in the physical body.  This class covered the mind, soul, spirit and emotions associated with each organ system. Sleep disorders, mania, depression, anxiety, anger, sadness, grief, worry, fear, shock, shame, guilt, envy, despair and pensiveness were some of the major emotions studied. Mary Helen also took Maciocia’s “Tongue Diagnosis” class.  Maciocia wrote the most widely used textbook on tongue diagnosis, full of great color pictures and pathologies.  Chinese medicine observes the color, shape, coating, moisture, cracks, swelling, peeling and topography of the tongue to see what’s happening in the organ systems and internal environment of the body.

Mary Helen attended “Infertility and TCM: Clinical Pearls from Nanjing—IVF and TCM, PCOS, Ovarian Failure and Autoimmune Infertility.”  This was taught by Richard Blitstein, Lic., Ac., after his recent trip to China learning the cutting edge techniques for infertility treatment.  Richard presented his research on the latest advances from around the world in both Western and TCM treatment for IUI (inter-uterine insemination), IVF (in-vitro fertilization), the basics of ART (assisted reproductive technology), blocked fallopian tubes, POF (premature ovarian failure), PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), OVAB (ovarian antibodies) and autoimmune infertility.  This class reviewed all of the medications, procedures and side-effects reproductive endocrinologists and TCM practitioners encounter in the current treatment of infertility.

Mary Helen also attended “TCM and Lab Interpretation” taught by Dr. Kenneth Park., MD, Lic., Ac.  This class reviewed blood chemistry and urinalysis. Panels covered included basic and comprehensive metabolic, electrolytes, renal function, hepatic function and lipids. When values were out of normal range all possible symptoms and diseases were explained.

Make sure to fan our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/home.php##!/pages/Chicago-IL/White-Moon-Healing-Center/92958207296?ref=sgm

It offers the same insightful articles on health and wellness featured on our blog.

www.whitemoonhealingcenter.com.

Check out our new list of services on our website:  http://whitemoonhealingcenter.com/services.php

We are now offering discounts packages for multiple acupuncture treatments and three different options for the first time medical history appointment depending upon the complexity of the case.

Please call and email us with any of your health concerns and have your friends, family and coworkers do the same.  We are always happy to give you a free phone consultation. 

We hope you have a New Year full of great health, happiness and prosperity!

Mary Helen and Conan

Spring 2009

Dear Clients and Friends of White Moon Healing Center,

Mary Helen will be teaching a detox class again this month—Sunday, April 26.  Although it is offered to health professionals, this class will be easily understood by anyone with no previous experience in natural medicine; it covers important information that will be valuable to everyone.   Please review the attached flyer and pass it along to your friends, family, and co-workers, or anyone you know who’s suffering from chronic health problems.  This is an easy and inexpensive way to learn a lot of crucial, natural healing methods we can all use to prevent and heal disease for a high quality of life.

Thank you for all of your support.

Happy Spring,

Mary Helen and Conan

Spring 2008

Happy New Year!                                                                  

2008 (2/7/08- 1/25/09) is the year of the Rat in the Chinese Zodiac—a time of renewal, activity, and hard work.  The Rat is the first sign in the cycle of the 12 animal signs of Chinese Astrology.  It is a good time for new beginnings, opportunity and prosperity. 

Spring is also a time for new beginnings and renewal. Spring is the time to cleanse the body, especially the liver and gallbladder.  We are excited to offer a class on detoxing (see enclosed flyer).  Most courses of this level are only open to health care professionals, but we are offering this course for everyone.  This is important information we all need  on how to prevent and treat chronic disease and stay healthy in today’s toxic environment.  We’d like to encourage you to attend the class and bring anyone you know who would like to lead a healthier life.

We have a brand new website, but we’ve kept our same web address: www.whitemoonhealingcenter.com

It has lots of new photos and pages to check out.  This is a great place to refer your family and friends for information on what our clinic has to offer.

In the past few years Mary Helen has taken the following continuing education classes:

Treating Emotional and Psychiatric Disorders with Oriental Medicine by Dr. Mary Rogel.  Mary is one of the teachers of the Detox Class Mary Helen will be teaching.  She has a PhD in Psychology and worked in that field for many years before becoming an acupuncturist.

Mary Helen attended a seminar by Giovanni Maciocia—one of the most internationally known acupuncturists and author of several Oriental Medicine textbooks.  His seminar dealt with the Treatment of Male Disorders as well as Acupuncture Using the 8 Extraordinary Vessels.  Mary Helen’s other seminars included: Cosmetic Acupuncture and Dermatology with Dr. Shu Yuan Hung,  Tibetan Medicine I & II with Dr.  Tenzig Dakpa and Acupuncture and Associated Reproductive Therapy—a class on treating infertility.

Conan joined Mary Helen in taking the following courses:  Hormonal Imbalance and Psychosomatic Disorders Treatment with Physiological Regulating Medicine.  Dr. Alessandro Perra from the Academy of Biological medicine in Italy taught this course.  This is a type of homeopathy working with the principles of homotoxicology and Psycho Neuro Endocrine Immunology (PNEI). We attended a seminar on The Pros and Cons of Pharmaceutical Drugs and Chinese Medicine with Dr. John Chen— a PhD Pharmacist and Oriental Medical doctor.  This seminar covered possible herb/drug interactions and herbal safety. We also took Herbal Applications for Female Hormone and Endocrine Disorders with Dr. Angela Hywood— a Naturopath from Australia.  We are eager to share all of the new information that we have learned with you.

We are always happy to talk to people on the phone about health concerns.  Feel free to call or email us for all you health needs.

Blessings for a Healthy New Year,
Mary Helen & Conan
773-743-5229
whitemoonacu@yahoo.com