Is Physiologic Reserve the Biomedical Equivalent of Jing?

Tu Jin Sheng probably has a lot of Jing...

I just found out about this concept called "physiologic reserve." From the New York Times:

Physiologic reserve refers to excess capacity in organs and biological systems; we’re given this reserve at birth, and it tends to decrease over time. In an interview, Dr. Lachs said that as cells deteriorate or die with advancing age, that excess is lost at different rates in different systems.

The effects can sneak up on a person, he said, because even when most of the excess capacity is gone, we may experience little or no decline in function. A secret of successful aging is to slow down the loss of physiologic reserve.

“You can lose up to 90 percent of the kidney function you had as a child and never experience any symptoms whatsoever related to kidney function failure,” Dr. Lachs said. Likewise, we are born with billions of brain cells we’ll never use, and many if not most of them can be lost or diseased before a person experiences undeniable cognitive deficits.

Sounds a lot like Jing, right? Also similar to the function of the extraordinary vessels. Take a look at the full article here.

Recommended Reading for Beginners

If you're new to Chinese medicine, I recommend the following books:

• The Web That Has No Weaver An excellent introduction to Chinese medicine for Westerners.
  
• Between Heaven and Earth A bit more emphasis on 五行学 Five Phase theory and constitutional types than the previous book.
  
• Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine This is a translation of the first year textbook used by students in China studying TCM. More technical than the previous two books. In addition to systematically covering the basic theory, it includes names and functions for all acupuncture points. Also includes a list of the most common Chinese herbs with their names in pinyin, Chinese characters, Latin and English names, with functions and dosage.
  
• Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica Probably a bit more money that most civilians will want to spend, but if you're interested in Chinese herbs, this is a great way to get started. Simply reading the introductory chapters will give you a good introduction to the world of Chinese herbology. The herb monographs also contain information on chemical composition of each herb. Also in this category: Chinese Medical Herbology & Pharmacology and Concise Chinese Materia Medica.

Also, the Blue Poppy blog is a great place for information on the internet. Blue Poppy is an herb company based in Colorado.

Doctor Steven Park

Here's an interesting website - doctorstevenpark.com. He's one of those open-minded western-trained doctors. Much of what he says in this article about anti-aging medicine resonates with me -

Here’s my personal advice – do what feels right. If you truly believe in something, do it with all your might. Science actually invalidates one individual’s experiences and can only generalize based on large population studies. Since everyone responds differently, your only way to know whether or not it’s going to work is to try it (within reason, of course). Rather than trying to exclude the placebo effect that most studies try to do, take advantage of your body’s natural ability to heal itself, no matter which option you choose.

However, realize that that one pill, supplement or exercise regimen is not going to make you younger. Eventually, something will work for you, but without changing your mindset and daily habits, your health problems will return and you’ll be back to square one.

For some reason he reminds me of Doctor Pai. I don't know why. Maybe it's the tie?

Deepak Chopra

Today's post is from Deepak Chopra, a stirring defense of "alternative" medicine and Oprah Winfrey's embrace of same.

The medical profession is burdened with a host of problems that Oprah addresses with more candor and force than the AMA. She promotes wellness and prevention, two areas that drastically need improvement. She brings up creative solutions to problems that medical science is baffled by, such as the healing response itself and the role of subjectivity in patient response. These are issues that few M.D.s are willing to explore, yet she has done so for decades.

Full article here...

Chinese Medicine Saves Hawaii Parasite Victim

Graham McCumber is on the mend after several months in a coma caused by an infestation with rat lungworm. According to this article in the Honolulu Advertiser, McCumber used a combination of Western medicine, acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and energy healing to make his highly unexpected recovery.

Dr. Myles Spar

I worked with Dr. Myles Spar at the Venice Family Clinic last year, when I was an intern at the Pain Clinic. I just found out he has a blog. Take a look! You can also follow him on Twitter.

From an article he wrote in the L.A. Times, about when he started to get curious about alternative medicine:

At her next appointment, three months later, she was worried about feelings of dizziness. I asked about the abdominal pain, and she seemed to strain to recall it. Then she remembered that the medicines I had given her had made her sick, so she had tried acupuncture. The acupuncturist said something about deficient spleen qi, or something, she said, and whatever it was went away after a few treatments. But, she said, about this dizziness... Read the full article.

Acupuncture at Children's Hospital L.A.

Here's a great article about Yosan's acupuncture program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. The highlight:

Although [director of the Pediatric Pain Management Clinic Jeffrey] Gold was unsure how his colleagues would react when he announced the new program at a faculty meeting on its first day, he admitted to being startled when they all "burst into cheers" and wanted to know when their departments might be able to take advantage of the service. Although the program is currently only affiliated with the pain clinic, there are plans to eventually roll it out to the rest of the hospital. Read the full article.

Anyone who has seen or experienced what acupuncture can do for patients wants more of it. It doesn't surprise me at all that everyone burst into cheers!

Everyday Health blogger Nini Mai was selected for the Children's Hospital externship next semester and will be treating patients starting in May. Check back, she may post about the experience.