Portland is the New Hub for Chinese Medicine & Fertility Research

Acupuncture may be the only form of medicine whom science has tried to take completely out of the treatment room and focus on the biophysical reaction to just one point for one symptom for all patients.  You have heard this story before in the podcast with MD Anderson Oncology.  Today’s episode looks at what is becoming the hub of fertility and acupuncture research in Portland, Oregon.  Dr. Lee Hullender Rubin is heading up wide reaching research studies looking at how to optimize in-vitro-fertilization (IVF) outcomes with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Dr. Hullender Rubin who graduated from Bastyr's Acupuncture Program in 2001 and then followed that up with her Doctors of Acupuncture in Oriental Medicine from Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in 2009. She is investigating what may be a relatively new term for acupuncturists, whole systems TCM. It encompasses the understanding that when a patient visits an acupuncturists they are potential experiencing a multitude of health care strategies including the actual interaction between healthcare provider and patient, a TCM diagnosis, a TCM treatment plan, acupuncture, moxa, cupping, herbs, dietary recommendations, exercises, lifestyle changes, and meditation/relaxing techniques. It may seem like regular TCM to those who practice acupuncture but in the science community all those data points and variables are important and potentially quantifiable if looked at in the correct light.

Click here to see an abstract of her articled "Impact of whole systems traditional Chinese medicine on in-vitro fertilization outcomes" in the Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine.

A Children's Book Brings Acupuncture To Life

Just in case you have been hiding in a hole since November of 2014, a kids book about acupuncture was released last year titled:  Maya and Friends Visit the Acupuncturist.  The author, Samara White, is an acupuncturist in Seattle, Washington while her husband, Troy White, is the illustrator.  Together this married couple has created a new and lively book for kids, acupuncturists, and patients.

(images above showcase just a part of the design process)

The story is about Maya, a free thinking, independent girl and her animal friends (Ellie the Elephant and Bobby the Bear).  Maya starts out the book with a great big sneeze "Achooo Achooo".

From there, her and her animal friends set out on an adventure to fix this cold.  Instead of going to a doctor at a hospital, they take a sleigh down the hills of their snowy town to Dr. Meow's acupuncture clinic. The story then dives into the full particulars of how Traditional Chinese Medicine works, with words and pictures a kid can understand.

We will not give out details to exactly how Maya rids herself of her cold.  No spoiler alerts here. You can watch the animation below and listen to children play the role of the characters. Guaranteed to make any acupuncturist smile throughout.

To own a copy for yourself you can buy Maya and Friends Visit the Acupuncturist at:

http://acupuncturekidsbook.com