The New Chinese Medicine Handbook: An Innovative Guide to Integrating Eastern Wisdom with Western Practice for Modern Healing

STRENGTHENING ORGAN QI AND PROTECTIVE QI

A Comprehensive Program for Basic Good Health and a Strong Immune System

New Chinese Medicine offers each of us the opportunity to resist disease by strengthening the basic energy of the body. Combining Chinese medicine’s ability to reinforce our Organ Qi and Protective Qi so the immune system can resist assaults + Western medicine’s diagnostic technology and helpful medications + alternative therapies, such as Yoga, naturopathic medicine, Shiatsu, homeopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, Western herbs, and aromatherapy = New Chinese Medicine’s program for becoming noticeably healthier and stronger.

PART ONE: SELF-CARE: A SEVEN-STEP PROGRAM FOR STAYING HEALTHY

Step One: Keeping a Daily Journal

At the core of every comprehensive program is the daily journal. This allows you to keep track of your physical and emotional actions and reactions. You should keep this journal for one to two weeks.

As a result, you will become conscious of the relationship between your daily habits and the way you feel in mind/body/spirit. That may indicate areas of your lifestyle that you want to change to support your Organ Systems, Protective Qi, and immune system.

These changes should be gradual. It’s not necessary—in fact, it’s not good for you—to make swift and extreme shifts in the way you live, your diet, or your activities. You want to allow your body and your consciousness to grow so that you are comfortable with the changes you make. This is central to the philosophy of balance and harmony in Chinese medicine.

To keep a journal, you may use any form of record-keeping that works for you. Track it in a notes app on your smartphone, iPad, or tablet or do the old-fashioned, tried-and-true approach and buy a small notebook that fits easily into your pocket or handbag. Whatever method you choose, give a copy of this record to your practitioner and Western physician and keep one for yourself. For one to two weeks, keep track of the following:

• Make note of everything you eat and when you eat it. Don’t leave out that afternoon glass of juice or late-night snack.

• Write down how much physical activity you get, both formal exercise and in doing your daily chores or job.

• Keep track of your sleep pattern: when you go to sleep, if you awake during the night, and how long you sleep. Include information on snoring, night sweats, tingly limbs, nightmares, and dreams.

• List how much you drink, including water, sodas, coffee, tea, alcohol, and sugared drinks.

• Note the time of day you experience any changes in your blood sugar level, such as a sinking feeling, overwhelming fatigue without other causes, headache, a funny taste in your mouth, inability to concentrate, or a craving for sweets.

• Keep a record of your digestion, elimination, and urination. Note times you feel hungry, bloated, gassy, or constipated, or have loose stools, acid indigestion, or reflux, etc. Also note how often you urinate, the quantity, and what color it is.

• Record any prescription, over-the-counter, or recreational drugs that you take. Make note of the quantity and your reaction both during and after the initial sensation. If possible, note why you took that particular drug.

• Write down your emotions throughout the day, including grogginess or grumpiness in the morning (before you have coffee or tea), highs and lows, and feelings of depression, happiness, calmness, anger, frustration, etc. Try to pinpoint the times they occur and the triggers, if you know.

• Make note of your mental acuity—when you feel clear or unclear.

Step Two: Implementing a Diet Program

Review your journal. After keeping your journal for one to two weeks, take some time to review it. Look for recurring symptoms of disharmony that might be associated with your diet. For example, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you become bloated, gassy, tired, or grumpy after eating a particular food? Notice also if this happens several hours later or the next day.

• Notice foods that you eat frequently, foods that you have cravings for, and foods that you avoid. Can you associate those foods with physical symptoms of disharmony or mood changes?

• Do your symptoms of disharmony change depending on your meal schedule?

• Do your food-related symptoms change depending on what time of the month it is?

• Is there a correlation between your eating patterns, the amount of alcohol or caffeine you drink, and any symptoms of disharmony?

Once you’ve examined you daily journal for these and other associations between diet and well-being, you may target certain eating habits that you’d like to change—at least temporarily—to see if they eliminate troubling symptoms of disharmony in your mind/body/spirit.

Start a cleansing routine. Now that you’ve identified those elements of your diet that may be diminishing your ability to fight off disharmony and disease, you may want to give your body a little break. A cleansing diet removes irritants and toxins and soothes the system. The First-Step Diet Therapy (see page 113) can last from one day to one week. If you feel weak or unable to do a Phase, you may shorten it or skip it altogether.

Use the power of food. As you build a new approach to your diet, you want to harness the power of food. Chinese medicine considers diet to be the first line of defense against disease, and Western medicine is discovering new evidence almost daily of the relation between nutrition and disease prevention. This association between food and general health is the result of what the Chinese call “Food Energetics.” This is the power within food that cools or warms the Organ Systems, dampens or dries the Organ Systems, and regulates the flow of Qi, Jing, and Xue. Keeping Food Energetics balanced is essential to maintaining harmony in Organ Qi and Protective Qi.

To protect the Food Energetics in the food you eat, choose organic foods and hormone- and antibiotic-free meats whenever possible and drink only filtered or spring water to eliminate sources of bacteria, protozoa, other organisms, and chemicals now commonly found in municipal water systems. It is important to use a water filter that eliminates all organisms. Keep fat intake between 20 and 30 percent of calories.

Eat a balanced diet. A Chinese medicine balanced diet delivers the right mix of Food Energetics. It includes warm foods, and it doesn’t contain too many raw foods. It will include all five flavors. Eat food primarily in season from local sources. Food should be eaten with proper attitude and relaxation. For most healthy people, a three-meal-a-day plan offers the best sustenance. Breakfast should provide a moderate amount of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and protein. Cooked, warming foods stimulate the Qi. Lunch should be the largest meal of the day, with a wide variety of vegetables, fruit, grains, and proteins in the form of legumes, fish, or meat if desired. For dinner, the smallest meal of the day, you want to avoid stimulating foods, such as a large amount of animal protein and spicy foods.

The traditional Chinese diet recommends 60 to 75 percent of your diet come from grains, vegetables, and legumes. (Of that, grains should account for two-thirds and vegetables and legumes/beans for the other third.) Fruits should be about 10 percent of your daily intake. Protein, including meats, dairy, and all other proteins, should add up to about 20 percent. Glycemic index (GI) and other modern concepts will help you modify these recommendations.

A practitioner will make final recommendations based on your constitution and Chinese diagnoses.

Enjoy food tonics. Therapeutic foods that combine Food Energetics with herbal actions tonify the Qi and Xue. Once a week, you may eat a congee made with American ginseng, codonopsis, or red dates or a serving of San Qi or Dang Gui Chicken. (For recipes, see page 121. For more information on how diet can support your immune system and maintain a well-balanced constitution, refer to chapters 6 and 7 on pages 91 and 112.)

Step Three: Implementing an Exercise and Meditation Plan

Exercise/meditation is as important to a preventive health program as sound nutrition is. It keeps all of the Essential Substances in harmony, and it nourishes the Organ Systems. It also soothes the Shen and keeps the mind clear and alert. To help you figure out how you can use exercise/meditation in your preventive health care program, refer to your daily journal.

First, make note of those days you exercised—what form, for how long, and how you felt before and after. Reflect back and consider: Did some forms of exercise make you feel better than others? Or did you feel better exercising for a shorter length of time? A longer time?

Next, see if there is a correlation between anger, depression, or stress-related moods and maladies and your exercise schedule. Are you tenser when you don’t exercise? Do you have more symptoms of disharmony after you don’t exercise for a while? Does exercise exhaust you and make you feel blue?

Although each person should exercise to suit his or her Qi—so that Stagnant Qi is not encouraged nor is Qi depleted—a generally well-balanced weekly routine may incorporate a minimum of twenty minutes of exercise/meditation a day. Thirty to sixty minutes of moderate exercise and meditation, three to six days a week, is optimal. Your exercise should be a blend of aerobic movement—such as jogging, cycling, tennis, swimming, spinning, or step classes—as well as Qi Gong, weight-bearing exercises, stretching exercises including Qi Gong and Yoga, and breathing and meditation exercises.

SUGGESTED WEEKLY EXERCISE/MEDITATION ROUTINE

DAY 1	15 minutes Qi Gong warm-up (page 182)
DAY 2	1 hour Qi Gong class (page 181) or Yoga
DAY 3	30 minutes aerobics
DAY 4	1 hour Qi Gong class (page 181) or Yoga
DAY 5	30 minutes aerobics
DAY 6	15 minutes Qi Gong warm-up (page 182)
DAY 7	Rest
DAY 1	30 minutes aerobics
DAY 2
DAY 3	30 minutes weight-bearing exercises
DAY 4
DAY 5	30 minutes weight-bearing exercises
DAY 6	30 minutes aerobics
DAY 7
DAY 1	15 minutes cool-down and meditation
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
DAY 6	15 minutes cool-down and meditation
DAY 7

Step Four: Using Soaks, Saunas, and Compresses

Soaks, saunas, and compresses are all effective ways to calm the Shen and keep the Qi and Xue flowing harmoniously. (See “Hot Soaks, Compresses, and Cool Saunas” on page 212 for details on how to use them for preserving your health.)

Once a week, take a twenty-minute sauna at 102°F (39°C) and/or a soak to help ease stress and eliminate Dampness or Excess. Soaks to stimulate Qi are recommended if you’ve had a sedentary week.

Step Five: Using Massage and Moxibustion for Self-Healing

Moxa and many massage techniques can help maintain Organ System harmony and strengthen Protective Qi. (See “Acupuncture and Moxibusion” on page 89 for more information.) All of the various types of massage and bodywork will benefit your health and harmony. For attention to particular trouble spots, use your daily journal as a guide to the type of massage that will benefit you the most. Notice if you have a recurring complaint about neck, shoulder, or back pain and try the routines on pages 193 and 194. If you are bothered by pain with your monthly cycle, try the techniques on page 194. For a complete body massage and general Qi harmony, do the Ten Step Qi-Xue Self-Massage on page 191, and to ease discomfort try the partnered Shiatsu massage on page 204.

Acupressure can calm or invigorate and ease tension. For a listing of acupressure points you can self-massage and the symptoms they address, see page 197. Of particular benefit in a general program are Kidney 3, Ren 4, and Ren 6 (see page 40). Follow the acupressure techniques described for these points on pages 199 and 200. Repeat as often as desired. (Note: Unless you are a professional massage practitioner, do not use points below the navel such as Ren 6 during pregnancy.)

Moxibustion can be a regular part of your tonification routine. Use moxa on Stomach 36 one to seven times a week. Once a week, enjoy Spleen 6, Ren 6, and Ren 12. Ren 4 and Ren 6 are particularly good if you have a tendency toward Cold. Gallbladder 39 is especially good for Deficient Xue and often used for people with chronic immune weakness. For details on how to use moxibustion, see page 171. For the locations of the points, see the illustrations on pages 40 and 163 through 167. (Note: Unless directed by your practitioner, do not use points below the navel Spleen 6 during pregnancy.)

Ear massage can soothe the whole body. For general well-being, sit in a quiet room. Close your eyes and breathe evenly. Begin a general ear massage, using a gentle rubbing and pulling motion, start with the outer fold where it attaches on the top front of the ear and move slowly around the rim, into the inner cavities, and end with the ear lobe. The process should take about two to three minutes. Repeat on your other ear. You may also target specific Organ Systems for re-harmonizing (see the ear massage chart and instructions on page 202). For overall rebalancing, massage the ear points called Shenmen, Lung, and Spleen.

Step Six: Taking Nutritional Supplements

Follow the general supplement plan on page 135. Be sure to take Lactobacillus acidophilus because it maintains digestive flora, which are destroyed by antibiotics, hormones, and a poor diet. Don’t take large doses of any supplement without the advice of a practitioner, doctor, or nutritionist.

SEAN’S STORY

Sean came to the clinic for his allergies after he had given up on standard Western treatments.

“Taking a chance on a new kind of medicine seemed risky then, but I felt like it was riskier not to take the chance,” Sean said. “And it turned me around.”

Over time, Sean’s exposure to another way of thinking about maintaining wholeness produced even greater changes. He began to meditate, improved his diet, and continued regular acupuncture and herbs, when needed.

After some soul-searching, Sean gave up his high-stress job, and he developed his own business. He also took up improvisational theater, which was a lifelong dream. Layers of stress and stress-related disharmonies fell away. Sean changed how he thought about his health care, and he also changed how he thought about himself as a whole person.

“When everything they were doing for me made me feel so much better, I got some confidence in myself,” Sean said. “I started thinking I could probably take pretty good care of myself, or find people who could help me do it.”

Four years later, Sean is healthier in mind/body/spirit.

“As it was happening, all of the changes seemed the most natural thing in the world. But looking back, I see I’ve come a long way,” Sean said.

Step Seven: Stocking Your Medicine Cabinet

To treat colds and flu, minor cuts, injuries, and stomach upset, you want to stock the most effective Chinese and other natural remedies. In this medicine cabinet, you will find, in addition to Chinese first aid, some homeopathic medicines for acute problems. For constitutional problems, I don’t prescribe homeopathic medicine. If clients want to choose homeopathic treatment, I refer them to a homeopathic practitioner. But for acute problems, I often suggest that clients purchase the products listed below.

All of the suggested Chinese and Western remedies are generally safe, but they should not be used by children under twelve or by the elderly without the advice of a practitioner.

Many practitioners stock these formulas, or similar ones, and they can help you put together your Chinese and natural medicine cabinet. Just be careful to use products that have strict quality assurance and testing. (See “Choosing a Qualified Herbalist” on page 144 for more information.) Also, ask your practitioner for the correct dose for you.

THE MEDICINE CABINET

INDICATIONS	Colds, flu
FORMULA	Cold Away
SUGGESTED USES	Early Heat type colds or fevers
SUPPLIERS	Health Concerns
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Yin Chiao
SUGGESTED USES	Common cold, influenza
SUPPLIERS	Many companies
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Loquat Cough Syrup
SUGGESTED USES	Cough (It’s an expectorant.)
SUPPLIERS	Plum Flower
INDICATIONS	Sinus congestion
FORMULA	Pe Min Kan Wan
SUGGESTED USES	Runny or stuffy nose, rhinitis, sinusitis, or sneezing
SUPPLIERS	Plum Flower
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Allereze
SUGGESTED USES	Allergies, sneezing, or itching eyes, ears, and nose
SUPPLIERS	Karuna
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Bi Yan Pian
SUGGESTED USES	Acute rhinitis and sinusitis
SUPPLIERS	Many companies
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	White Flower Oil
SUGGESTED USES	Use a few drops under nose or on chest for congestion
SUPPLIERS	Pak Fah Yeow, distributed by many companies
INDICATIONS	Digestive problems
FORMULA	Quiet Digestion
SUGGESTED USES	Gastric distress, abdominal pain, nausea, abdominal distention, gastroenteritis, motion sickness, hangover, or jet lag (Do not use if appendicitis or intestinal obstruction is suspected.)
SUPPLIERS	Health Concerns
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Ginger Tea
SUGGESTED USES	Nausea, morning sickness, or chemotherapy-related nausea
SUPPLIERS	Can use fresh ginger root or 100 percent ginger tea bags from Triple Leaf
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Curing Pills
SUGGESTED USES	Nausea or diarrhea associated with stomach flu or food poisoning
SUPPLIERS	Plum Flower
INDICATIONS	Trauma
FORMULA	Resinall K
SUGGESTED USES	Stagnant Xue or traumatic injury
SUPPLIERS	Health Concerns
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Zheng Gu Shui
SUGGESTED USES	Traumatic injury, pain
SUPPLIERS	Several companies
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Traumeel Cream
SUGGESTED USES	Muscular pain, joint pain, sports injuries, or bruising
SUPPLIERS	Ask your practitioner
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Dr. Shir’s Liniment
SUGGESTED USES	Injured joints, tendons, or ligaments where the skin is not broken
SUPPLIERS	Spring Wind
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Medicated Plaster
SUGGESTED USES	Muscle and tendon pain, bruising, or traumatic injury
SUPPLIERS	Wu Yang Brand distributed by many companies
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Moxa Stick
SUGGESTED USES	Traumatic injury, including bruise, sprains, and strains (Do not use over open or bleeding wounds.)
SUPPLIERS	Ask your practitioner
INDICATIONS	Stress
FORMULA	Rescue Remedy
SUGGESTED USES	Stress due to traumatic events or emergencies and crises
SUPPLIERS	Bach Flowers carried by many natural food stores
INDICATIONS	Skin irritation
FORMULA	Spring Wind Ointment
SUGGESTED USES	Dry skin, minor burns, sunburn, eczema, or psoriasis
SUPPLIERS	Spring Wind
INDICATIONS	For massage
FORMULA	Warming Oil
SUGGESTED USES	For Cold conditions, increase circulation and warm an area such as the feet or abdomen
SUPPLIERS	KW Botanicals
INDICATIONS
FORMULA	Almond Oil
SUGGESTED USES	General massage on feet, face, or body
SUPPLIERS	Any natural foods store, best if organic

THE HEALTHY TRAVELER

Traveling can cause all kinds of disharmonies, but you can protect yourself with a few easy-to-follow routines.

FOR JET LAG

Before you go: Three days before you depart, begin the overcoming jet lag diet outlined in Dr. Charles Ehret’s book, Overcoming Jet Lag. I’ve found it works to eliminate jet lag even after long flights.

Melatonin, the natural hormone that controls the body’s clock, is available from your practitioner or over the counter. Taken at night for two days before you leave (and for two days upon arrival), it helps adjust your sleep cycle. Ask your practitioner for the dose that is best for you.

On the plane: To avoid dehydration and constipation, every hour you’re in the air, drink a glass of water.

Limit alcohol or caffeine, which make dehydration worse.

Eat small, light meals when flying. Or follow Dr. Ehret’s jet-lag diet.

Exercise on the plane by getting out of your seat and walking around at least once an hour.

Qi Gong exercise is also possible, particularly the exercises where you visualize your muscles tensing and relaxing. (See “Qi Gong” on page 175.) Some airlines offer in-the-seat aerobics on long flights.

Upon arrival: Take Curing Pills or Quiet Digestion (see “The Medicine Cabinet” on page 230) once a day for three days.

Take melatonin for at least two days after arrival.

Acupuncture treatments soon after arrival can reharmonize your system quickly.

FOR DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS

Changes in water, stress, and time zones and bacterial infections can all contribute to digestive problems when you travel.

Before leaving home, take Lactobacillus acidophilus and continue to take it during your travels. At the first sign of cramping or diarrhea, take Curing Pills or Quiet Digestion. (See “The Medicine Cabinet” on page 230.)

PART TWO: ASSEMBLING YOUR HEALING TEAM

When you’re putting together a healing team for a preventive health care program, you want to blend the contributions of Eastern and Western practitioners. Although I practice Chinese medicine, I occasionally employ homeopathic remedies for acute conditions, such as sprained ankles, bruises, and the flu. I often refer clients for treatment to other practitioners, such as Western doctors, naturopathic physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, and massage therapists.

Your Chinese medicine practitioner may provide regular checkups, offer advice on management of common colds and flu, and administer preventive acupuncture and herbal therapy. She may also help you develop a dietary and exercise/meditation routine that is tailored to your individual needs, help you maintain harmony of Shen, and work to rebalance your Essential Substances and Organ Systems before they develop full-blown disharmonies. The practitioner should become familiar with your constitution and medical history so diagnosis is as accurate as possible.

Your Western practitioner should provide regular diagnostic testing and a baseline evaluation. These exams may include Pap smears, mammograms, screening for sexually transmitted diseases, exams for colon and prostate cancers and breast cancers, skin cancer checkups, hepatitis C testing, diabetes screening, and cholesterol and cardiovascular monitoring.

Alternative or integrative practitioners who specialize in homeopathy, chiropractic, Ayurvedic medicine, Shiatsu, or other healing modalities are an important part of a preventive program. The key is to inform each member of your healing team about the various treatments you are receiving.

Integrating Various Therapies

You may want to heed the following guidelines so that your eclectic approach doesn’t create disharmonies either in your mind/body/spirit or among your various practitioners.

Don’t put off seeking a standard Western medicine baseline examination. Western medicine provides many important healing tools, from surgical procedures to life-saving antibiotics and diagnostic tools. Using these modalities within the context of Chinese medicine is the best way to reap Western medicine’s benefits and minimize its risks. For example, if you have a systemic infection from a wound, refusing antibiotics could lead to death. However, antibiotics also cause all kinds of systemic problems, and overdependence has led to bacterial mutations that antibiotics cannot kill. Chinese medicine and natural therapies, if used along with antibiotic therapy, can remove the negative systemic side effects such as yeast overgrowth and bowel disturbances and lessen the long-term need for antibiotics.

In short, Western medicine understands how to treat specific, narrowly defined health problems. Chinese medicine offers the opportunity to improve the strength and health of the whole body so that specific problems can be resolved. That’s why New Chinese Medicine places such an emphasis on using other modalities in the context of Chinese medicine.

Always inform all practitioners of the various healing arts that you are using. Share the results of your Western examinations (and evaluations from other health care providers) with your Chinese medicine practitioner. The tests may help guide your treatment, and in the case of serious illness, they may allow your Chinese medicine practitioner, Western doctor, and other caregivers to work together to provide you the best care possible.

Don’t use yourself as a guinea pig. If you have any questions, seek the guidance of a trained practitioner. Don’t hesitate to get a second opinion on any health-related matter. Remember: You’re the captain of your health care team.

Don’t mix drugs and/or herbal medications without the advice of a trained practitioner. Seek a practitioner who is knowledgeable about drug/herb interactions. When looking for advice on herbal medications, ask a Chinese herbal practitioner, not someone without training in the contraindications, interactions, or possible side effects.

PART THREE: BEGINNING THE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM

Step One: Obtaining a Western Baseline

It’s important to rule out cancer and other life-threatening problems and to identify an illness that can be treated quickly and effectively by Western medicine. The following are Western medicine guidelines for exams and diagnostic testing, adapted from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines of August 2014.

One test that is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention starting in 2014 that is not in the NIH guidelines is one-time hepatitis C testing for all baby boomers (everyone born between 1945 and 1965) without ascertaining risk factors.

WESTERN EXAMS AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING

TESTS	Health checkup
AGES 18 TO 39	If healthy, two exams in 20s and 30s
AGES 40 TO 64	Annually
AGES 65+	Annually
TESTS	Blood pressure
AGES 18 TO 39	Every 2 years
AGES 40 TO 64	Every 2 years
AGES 65+	Annually
TESTS	Cholesterol screening
AGES 18 TO 39	Every 1 to 5 years
AGES 40 TO 64	Every 1 to 5 years
AGES 65+	Every 1 to 5 years
TESTS	Breast self-exam (women)
AGES 18 TO 39	Talk with provider
AGES 40 TO 64	Talk with provider
AGES 65+	Talk with provider
TESTS	Breast exam by doctor (women)
AGES 18 TO 39	During preventive exam
AGES 40 TO 64	During preventive exam
AGES 65+	During preventive exam
TESTS	Mammogram (women)
AGES 18 TO 39	Depends on family history
AGES 40 TO 64	Every 1 to 2 years to age 50, then annually
AGES 65+	Every 1 to 2 years, depending upon risk factors
TESTS	Pap smear (women)
AGES 18 TO 39	Age 21 to 29: every 3 years Age 30 to 65: every 5 years, unless immunosuppressed
AGES 40 TO 64	Every 5 years, unless immunosuppressed
AGES 65+	Stop after three negative tests in 10 years, unless immunosuppressed
TESTS	Diabetes screening
AGES 18 TO 39	If BMI > 25, blood pressure 135/80 mm Hg
AGES 40 TO 64	If BMI > 25, blood pressure 135/80 mm Hg; men every 3 years past age 45
AGES 65+	Every 3 years unless BMI > 25, blood pressure 135/80 mm Hg
TESTS	Stool test for occult blood
AGES 18 TO 39	At preventive exam if strong family history of colon cancer or polyps
AGES 40 TO 64	At preventive exam if strong family history of colon cancer or polyps After age 50: annually
AGES 65+	Annually until age 75
TESTS	Sigmoidoscopy
AGES 18 TO 39	As directed by physician
AGES 40 TO 64	After age 50: every 5 to 10 years
AGES 65+	Every 5 to 10 years until age 75
TESTS	Colonoscopy
AGES 18 TO 39	As directed by physician
AGES 40 TO 64	After age 50: every 10 years
AGES 65+	Every 10 years until age 75
TESTS	Skin exam
AGES 18 TO 39	Annually
AGES 40 TO 64	Annually
AGES 65+	Annually
TESTS	Sexually transmitted infections
AGES 18 TO 39	Screening according to lifestyle and risk
AGES 40 TO 64	Screening according to lifestyle and risk
AGES 65+	Screening according to lifestyle and risk
TESTS	Eye exam
AGES 18 TO 39	If problems, every 2 years
AGES 40 TO 64	If problems, every 1 to 3 years
AGES 65+	If problems, every 2 years
TESTS	Dental exam
AGES 18 TO 39	Annually
AGES 40 TO 64	Annually
AGES 65+	Annually
TESTS	Dental cleaning
AGES 18 TO 39	2 to 3 times per year
AGES 40 TO 64	2 to 3 times per year
AGES 65+	2 to 3 times per year
TESTS	Lung cancer screening
AGES 18 TO 39	As required
AGES 40 TO 64	After age 55, if history of 30 pack years or currently smoke or have in past 15 years
AGES 65+	Until age 80 if history of 30 pack years or currently smoke or have in past 15 years
TESTS	Hearing test
AGES 18 TO 39	As required
AGES 40 TO 64	As required
AGES 65+	If symptoms of hearing loss: annually
TESTS	Bone density test (DEXA scan)
AGES 18 TO 39	As required
AGES 40 TO 64	Men: after age 50 if risk factors, ask doctor Women: risk factors for osteoporosis; post-menopausal women with fractures
AGES 65+	Women: have at least one DEXA scan after age 64 Men: risk factors, ask doctor
TESTS	Prostate exam (men)
AGES 18 TO 39	As required
AGES 40 TO 64	Most men after age 50, African American men after age 45
AGES 65+	Most men after age 50, African American men after age 45

Step Two: Obtaining Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment

When you go to a Chinese medicine practitioner, it’s important to establish communication between the Chinese medicine and the Western medicine doctors. Both practitioners should be aware of what you are doing as director of your own healing process.

At the Chinese medicine practitioner, you can expect to be treated with acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine.

Acupuncture and moxibustion: For maintenance, when you are experiencing no troublesome disharmonies, you can receive an acupuncture treatment with the change of each season. The fluctuations in humidity, temperature, diet, amount of sunlight, and physical activity that happen from season to season make it helpful to get your Qi rebalanced seasonally. One set of points that would provide strengthening includes Large Intestine 4, Lung 7, Stomach 36, Kidney 3, Liver 3, and Spleen 6.

For most people, however, more frequent and more specific treatments may be recommended. Very few of us are so perfectly balanced that we don’t have some complaint or could not improve upon our ability to fight off disease. The best acupuncture schedule can only be determined through individual diagnosis by your practitioner.

Herbs: The basic preventive health care routine is a blend of herb soups and congees and, if your practitioner suggests, a low dose of the supportive formulas Enhance, Cordyseng, Tremella American Ginseng (see “An Herbal Sampler” on page 145), or other formulas. When you are feeling susceptible to colds or flu or other viruses, you may use Cold Away and Yin Chiao (see “The Medicine Cabinet” on page 230) to relieve the onset of symptoms. However, your practitioner will evaluate you according to traditional diagnosis and will most likely provide a formula for whatever specific diagnostic pattern and symptom-sign complex you have.

IMMUNE SYSTEM FORMULAS

FORMULA	CHINESE FUNCTION	INDICATIONS
Enhance	Tonify Qi, Xue, Yin, Yang, Jing; Clear Heat Clean Toxin; clear Phlegm; strengthen Spleen, Stomach, Kidney, and Wei Qi	Fatigue, immune dysfunction, frequent colds and flus, and chronic viral illness
Cordyceps PS	Tonify Kidney Yang, nourish Lung Yin, strengthen Wei Qi, stop Cough, and transform Phlegm	Fatigue, immune weakness, post-illness weakness, chronic cough, health maintenance, general tonic, supports athletic performance
Cordyseng	Tonify Qi and Yin through Fu Zheng action; strengthen Lung, Spleen, Stomach, and Kidney	Fatigue, recovery from serious illness or operation, supports immune function, supports lungs, improves athletic performance
Tremella American Ginseng	Tonify Yin, Qi, Xue, Jing; Clear Heat Clean Toxin; strengthen Wei Qi; strengthen Spleen, Stomach, Lung, and Kidney	Fatigue, immune dysfunction, frequent colds and flus, chronic viral illness, afternoon night sweats and fever, and chronic dry cough

Step Three: Bringing in Other Modalities

Many people will benefit from a monthly Shiatsu massage; visits to the chiropractor when muscle tension or soreness cause alignment problems; dietary or nutritional counseling from a Western nutritionist or registered dietician, macrobiotic, or Ayurvedic counselor; as well as exposure to other Eastern healing traditions such as Tibetan medicine or Yoga.

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS WEAKENED

A comprehensive program of preventive health care is effective for people whose mind/body/spirit is in fairly good harmony. Unfortunately, people may be hit with unexpected assaults on their harmony, such as a car accident or serious illness. Or, if you undermine your naturally strong constitution by living with chronic stress or emotional upheaval, using drugs or alcohol, or engaging in excessive or unsafe sex, you become an easy target for viruses, bacteria, and other organisms.

However it happens, when the body is attacked and the immune system is weakened, people need extra-strong therapy to maximize their health.

If you have a disease that may be associated with a weakened immune system—such as herpes, chronic fatigue, chronic hepatitis, or diabetes or if you are HIV positive—a combination of aggressive Chinese and Western therapy can provide far-reaching benefits. With my colleagues, I have developed a therapeutic approach to managing such syndromes.

This approach relies upon modern herb formulas, traditional Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion treatments, and Western therapy. I have detailed comprehensive programs for hepatitis C in The Hepatitis C Help Book, Revised Edition1 and for HIV in The HIV Wellness Sourcebook.2

AT A GLANCE: THE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR BASIC GOOD HEALTH AND A STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM

SELF-CARE PLAN
Self-monitoring	Keep your daily journal; make note of your diet, physical activity, and body rhythms, including sleep, elimination, emotional changes, and mental acuity.
Implementing a dietary program	Step 1. Use information from your daily journal. Review your journal, look for symptoms of disharmony associated with your diet. Step 2. A cleansing routine. The First-Step Dietary Program removes irritants and toxins and soothes your system. Step 3. Use the power of food. As you build a new approach to your diet, you want to harness the Food Energetics. Step 4. Establish a balanced diet. Eat warm and cooked foods, all flavors, in season. Other recommendations are made according to your constitution and Chinese diagnoses. Step 5. Food tonics. Use therapeutic foods that combine Food Energetics with herbal action to tonify Qi and Xue.
Implementing an exercise/meditation plan	Use your daily journal to help you structure a plan that suits your constitution. The exercise should be a blend of aerobic movement—such as jogging, cycling, tennis, swimming, spinning and Qi Gong—weight-bearing exercises, stretching exercises including Qi Gong and Yoga, and breathing and meditation exercises.
Using massage and moxibustion for self-healing	Moxa and many massage techniques can help you maintain Organ System harmony and strengthen Wei Qi (Protective Qi).
Using soaks, saunas, and compresses	Soaks, saunas, and compresses are all effective ways to calm the Shen and keep the Qi and Xue flowing harmoniously.
Nutritional supplements	Follow the general nutritional supplement plan. Make sure you take a regular dose of Lactobacillus acidophilus.
ASSEMBLING THE HEALING TEAM
Obtaining a Western baseline	It’s important to rule out serious illnesses, cancer, and any life-threatening problems and to identify an illness that can be treated quickly and effectively by Western medicine. Regular diagnostic and screening tests are recommended. This information and information about any ongoing Western treatment should be shared with your Chinese medicine practitioner.
Obtaining Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment	When you go to a Chinese medicine practitioner, it’s important to establish communication between the Chinese and Western doctors. Follow the recommended preventive routine of acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine.
Bringing in other modalities	Most people will benefit from a monthly massage, occasional visits to the chiropractor, nutritional and dietary counseling, and exposure to other Eastern healing traditions.