Diseases Acunpuncture has been Recognized as Treating by the World Health Origanization

 The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture as having been shown capable of treating the following diseases as evidenced NIH studies. See https://chiro.org/acupuncture/FULL/Acupuncture_WHO_2003.pdf #acupuncture #dragonrisescollegeoforientalmedicine

Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proved— through controlled trials—to be an effective treatment: 

• Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
• Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever) 
• Biliary colic 
• Depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke) 
• Dysentery, acute bacillary 
• Dysmenorrhoea, primary 
• Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm) 
• Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders) 
• Headache 
• Hypertension, essential
• Hypotension, primary 
• Induction of labour 
• Knee pain 
• Leukopenia 
• Low back pain 
• Malposition of fetus, correction of 
• Morning sickness 
• Nausea and vomiting 
• Neck pain 
• Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction) 
• Periarthritis of shoulder
• Postoperative pain 
• Renal colic 
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sciatica 
• Sprain 
• Stroke 
• Tennis elbow

Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which the therapeutic effect of acupuncture has been shown but for which further proof is needed:

• Abdominal pain (in acute gastroenteritis or due to gastrointestinal spasm) 
• Acne vulgaris 
• Alcohol dependence and detoxification 
• Bell’s palsy 
• Bronchial asthma 
• Cancer pain 
• Cardiac neurosis 
• Cholecystitis, chronic, with acute exacerbation 
• Cholelithiasis 
• Competition stress syndrome 
• Craniocerebral injury, closed 
• Diabetes mellitus, non-insulin-dependent 
• Earache 
• Epidemic haemorrhagic fever 
• Epistaxis, simple (without generalized or local disease) 
• Eye pain due to subconjunctival injection 
• Female infertility 
• Facial spasm 
• Female urethral syndrome 
• Fibromyalgia and fasciitis 
• Gastrokinetic disturbance 
• Gouty arthritis 
• Hepatitis B virus carrier status 
• Herpes zoster (human (alpha) herpesvirus 3) 
• Hyperlipaemia 
• Hypo-ovarianism 
• Insomnia
• Labour pain 
• Lactation, deficiency 
• Male sexual dysfunction, non-organic 
• Ménière disease
• Neuralgia, post-herpetic 
• Neurodermatitis 
• Obesity 
• Opium, cocaine and heroin dependence 
• Osteoarthritis 
• Pain due to endoscopic examination 
• Pain in thromboangiitis obliterans 
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (Stein–Leventhal syndrome) 
• Postextubation in children 
• Postoperative convalescence 
• Premenstrual syndrome 
• Prostatitis, chronic 
• Pruritus 
• Radicular and pseudoradicular pain syndrome 
• Raynaud syndrome, primary 
• Recurrent lower urinary-tract infection 
• Reflex sympathetic dystrophy 
• Retention of urine, traumatic 
• Schizophrenia 
• Sialism, drug-induced 
• Sjögren syndrome 
• Sore throat (including tonsillitis) 
• Spine pain, acute 
• Stiff neck 
• Temporomandibular joint dysfunction 
• Tietze syndrome 
• Tobacco dependence 
• Tourette syndrome
• Ulcerative colitis, chronic 
• Urolithiasis 
• Vascular dementia 
• Whooping cough (pertussis)

Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which there are only individual controlled trials reporting some therapeutic effects, but for which acupuncture is worth trying because treatment by conventional and other therapies is difficult:

• Chloasma 
• Choroidopathy, central serous
• Colour blindness 
• Deafness 
• Hypophrenia 
• Irritable colon syndrome 
• Neuropathic bladder in spinal cord injury 
• Pulmonary heart disease, chronic 
• Small airway obstruction

Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture may be tried provided the practitioner has special modern medical knowledge and adequate monitoring equipment:

• Breathlessness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
• Coma 
• Convulsions in infants 
• Coronary heart disease (angina pectoris) 
• Diarrhoea in infants and young children 
• Encephalitis, viral, in children, late stage 
• Paralysis, progressive bulbar and pseudobulbar

Finger Qigong Strengthening the Fingers

Finger strength is so very important to our daily lives, from opening a lid to climbing up on a tractor to rising up from sitting on the floor. Qigong offers a number of movements, flows and exercises that can significantly improve finger strength. Kevin talks about three simple Qigong and TCM based exercises you can do in a chair, or the floor or in your bed. Strong and flexible fingers and hands are a predictor of improved health as we age. The YOQI® Yi Jin Jing flow incorporates a number of hand and finger exercises Kevin uses on a daily basis. Finger strength is very important to navigating the aging process.

Making the Floor Our Friend, Qigong for Seniors & the Disabled

Feeling comfortable on the floor is the first step in training our aging, disabled bodies on how to navigate standing back up off the floor.  Kevin suggests spending time sitting on the floor several times each day, finding your comfort level so as to moderate anxiety from a fall or from inability to stand up from being on the floor.  Kevin shares his preferred method of standing up and also discusses the importance of making the floor/ground a friend - developing a comfort level with being on the floor.

Punching With Focused Eyes Activating the Liver

Great Seated Therapeutic Qigong flow for Seniors and Disabled Persons.  Punching With Strong Focused Eyes flow is from Ba Duan Jin, Eight Silk Brocades and benefits the liver, eyes, memory and our Yin Organs.  This flow activates Liver 13 and Small Intestine 6acupuncture/acupressure points while moving QI.  We also work with Liver purging using the Liver Sound from Qigong's Six Healing Sounds.

Seated Prayer Hands Qigong for Seniors

This seated Qigong flow, known as Prayer Hands, was taught to me by my YOQI® teacher, Marisa and truly facilitates moving the flow of Qi through the sides, back, neck, shoulders and down the arms into our hands. Prayer Hands is a wonderful meditative flow that moves Qi potential through Lao Gong, Pericardium 8 point in our palms while stretching all three important deltoid muscles. Keeping the deltoids stretched and free from stagnation is key for managing shoulder health and minimizing frozen shoulder risk as we age. Be Blessed with Qi!

Therapeutic Qigong, Daily Band Work

Qigong's healing benefits are most often seen associated with daily consistency of flow and breath. This one minute raising arms flow can be done with or without a band or stick. I like using the band because the band allows me to stretch/expand my hand distance as the Qi rises and falls with my arms.

Storm's A Coming & Chasing Coccoloba Leaves

 

Chasing Coccoloba Leaves, Storm's A Coming

I love the ocean breeze, even the stormy days as long as they are not too terribly blowy. Here's my fun "Catch the Coccoloba Leaves If You Can" (Storm's-a-Brewing) piece. Florida nature is so healing! #Sarasota #Florida #Seagrapes

Qigong-based Finger Spirals for Periphery Cardiovascular & Neurological ...

 #Qigong-based Hand Eye therapy is an important part of stroke management. I like to spiral my fingers in rhythm to music beats, and in doing so creating new neuronal pathways. 

Qigong for Seniors, Fisherman Casts A Net

Moving Qi on the Beach as though we are casting a fishing net.  Circulates blood & qi throughout our shoulders, waist and back.  Massages our internal abdominal organs.  Be blessed with Qi!

Tree of Life Block Print

 Here is my (rather large) Tree of Life wood block print as a good wish to all for an adventurous 2025. I made the paper from a large fig blown over on the Edison Ford Estate in Fort Myers during Hurricane Irma. I boiled the wood pulp in lye for days and pressed out one large sheet of paper. The block took months to carve out and I did a two step press - one for the windy background using Cranfield Gold Oil then after the gold dried for a week I had just one opportunity at a hand press of the Live Oak Tree of Life press. Holding my breath when I removed the block I was inspired by the finished one of a kind print. The art is multilayered too in breath. A small swing invites one to come to the oldest of ancient life forms - plants - a tree, a Florida Southern Live Oak, Quercus virginiana. The human belief systems, from the eons of age Taiji disc & Buddha leaf & those symbols of early African-Persian times to the more nascent world views of Christianity & Social movements are all nourished, nurtured and given refuge by the Tree of Life. Plants have been the major life form on our planet for mostly 500 million years (500,000,000) whereas our homo-humans probably about 200,000 years. The Trees of Life have been around 2500 times longer than humans. I think it is an honor for a tree to be the host of our existential spiritual/cosmic art. I was blessed in doing the research for each world symbol during the preparation of the block. I literally made energy connections with peoples from around the world and from ancient of times. But I found my grounding in the tree. Perhaps this is why I love 站樁, Zhan Zhuang. May you be blessed and filled with Qi. Kevin - Yuan-Xiu Song

Unexpected Mysterious Find, Qigong on the Bay

Headed to do Qigong on the Bayfront for Aortic Dissection Survivors series and came across a mysterious holiday surprise. What a way to end 2024! 

Ischemic Stroke Risk Management with Qigong Spinal Cord Breathing

Ischemic Stroke Risk Management with Qigong Flow Spinal Cord Breathing, Lido Beach, Sarasota, Florida December Sunrise. Spinal Cord Breathing flow is one of my go-to Qigong flows for minimizing blood & Qi stasis or stagnation in the shoulder and neck area. After being on the heart-lung bypass machine for many hours during aortic dissection surgery I've been challenged with embolistic ischemia problems with symptoms ranging from forgetfulness, slurred speech, eye control and other stroke typical health patterns. Qigong gives me gentle, easy to do movements that help motivate, move and keep my circulatory & nervous system functioning as it should. Always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Be Blessed with Qi! Kevin

Playful Qi, The Many Directions of Qi Flow

Playful Qi Flow. Once we tune our body to oneness with Qi flow we can playfully move along with our energy flow patterns. Qi moves in many directions! Moon in Scorpio tonight - water element! Play with the kidney & lung channel Qi flow! Our YOQI® training teaches us to be cognizant and sensitive to how Qi moves in, out & through our body. Love this fun flow that opens out Lung and Kidney Channels.

Dragon Claws the Earth, Moving Qi on the Island, Sarasota, Florida

This YOQI® Qigong flow, known as Dragon Claws the Earth dynamically energizes my Yang Qi, especially flowing through my chest area. I love this flow because of opening lung, heart, stomach, gallbladder, urinary bladder and liver channels as well as the other arm Yin & Yang channels, especially focusing Qi flow in the chest. Lido Beach Qigong for Senior Citizens and everyone else. Inhale claws come up, exhale claws push out and drop! Be blessed and filled with Qi!

Sunset on the Island

Qigong & sunset on the island. #YangSheng #Qigong #Yin #Yang #YangXiu-Song

Trauma Surgery Survivor with Shoulder Pain? Lets Move Healing Qi!

Last week we discussed the three deltoids muscles and how we can keep them mobile and manage shoulder pain. This week we discuss the four muscles beneath the deltoids - and these are commonly referred to as the rotator cuff muscles; the Teres minor, Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus and Subscapillaris.  Lets look at some easy, fun Qigong flows to help manage the health of our shoulders and their supporting muscles.

Regulating the Qi and Microcosmic Orbit, Two Qigong Flows to Start Any Workout With

Qigong for Seniors. Start moving the Qi in any workout with these two flows, Regulating the Qi and Microcosmic Orbit. Regulating the Qi facilitates the rising, expanding and falling of Qi while the Microcosmic Orbit balances Qi flow up the Du Mai, over Bai Hui and down the Ren Mai, integrating Qi throughout the Triple Warmer. These two Qigong flows are a good way for Seniors to keep their shoulders flexible and energy flowing.

Ba Duan Jin Eight Silk Brocades

Ba Duan Jin 15 min this morning here is sunny South Florida. What I am learning from videoing myself is 1. Need to work on transitions 2. Practice narratives for each flow based on a thorough understanding of the movement and how the movement affects the body 3. On Shake the Head Wag the Tail I am working on a much smoother sweeping down and up motion. Daily practice!

Healing Power of Nature Sounds

 You need these cosmic sounds! My thoughts on why nature bathing is so very important.

I go to swamp for many reasons & one healthy reason is for my body to take in the vibrations made by Frogs; mostly Leopard Frogs, Lithobates sphenocephalus, this time of year (winter solstice). Vibrations commonly associated with sound reach our brain through several different paths; through our ear's auditory canal and also through bone and body fluid vibrations. Humans evolved over time integrated into nature's cosmic vibrations. Our body uses nature vibrations for many purposes, especially for managing,-balancing moderating and healing. Filling ourselves with these vibrations on a regular basis is key to avoiding industrial revolution-type machinistic frequencies that depress parasympathetic responses and stimulate fight or flight sympathetic cortisol production. Simply put nature's vibrations usually are healing. I've written often about how frog vocals have had a part in fashioning our DNA over millennia (as long as frogs were calling out at night predators were not adjacent and our body could more easily relax). Frog's vocal vibrations (as well as night birds, crickets and other wildlife) down-regulate our nervous system. When our body is bathed in these sounds our auditory cortex within the temporal lobe processes vibrations not only from our ears but also from vibrations resonating through our bones and body fluids. This is the fundamental basis why forest bathing is so healing (as a native Floridian I like 'swamp bathing' or spring/ocean bathing'). And I'll leave you with this tidbit to stoke your wondering; try turning your head so different ears face the direction of the wildlife calls. Our right ear sends 'sound' to the left hemisphere of our brain & alternatively the left ear sends signals to our brain's right side for processing. Evolution has fine tuned this diurnal auditory processing to be practically simultaneous however my supernova-like right hemisphere constantly is at odds with the more logical approach of left brain's OCD logic. By alternately turning my left/right ears towards the frogs I can experience a multi-dimensional sound bath, infusing me with powerful cosmic frisson. Read the internet about this word frisson. Frisson is a gift form the cosmos, a process within our body similar in many ways to powerful dopamine-like healing responses we are most familiar with. Swamp bathing is healing in so many ways. Nature freely provides this medicine for us.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBd14MZzXYuS6PGJoAgMwVA/community?lb=Ugkxm1UVfgXLNbUMNE6D4OtxFG_5A1bvuPJr

Nature Sounds Provide Healing Power