Our Work
Holistic Health Care
Herban Health provides holistic health care for its clients who are primarily
low income and uninsured. Holistic health care doesn¡¯t just focus on disease
but considers the connections of mind, body and spirit. As Illich suggested
in Medical Nemesis: the Expropriation of Health (1982), those with the
least resources are most in need of support for self-help. Herban Health is
predicated on this model.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a complete system of care based on
these connections, and is unique in its low cost, focus on self-help, and
view of the whole person within his/her environment. Each patient
receives a diagnosis based on TCM principles and his/her treatment includes a
discussion about how the person¡¯s health is tied to the choices that he/she
has. Once a diagnosis is given one or more of the following modalities are
prescribed.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture refers primarily to the pain-free insertion of sterile,
disposable, hair-thin needles through the skin at specific points. The
needles are then manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation to
alleviate pain and treat diseases. Stimulation of these areas by
moxibustion, pressure, heat, and lasers may also be used. The fundamental
theory behind acupuncture stipulates that energy travels in invisible
channels through the body, different but similar to electrical currents
discussed in Western medicine. Theoretically, any disease, physical or
mental, that involves the functional and vital processes in the body can be
helped by acupuncture, depending on the diagnosis. The majority of
patients improve over a period of time until the stage is reached where the
improvement lasts.
Auricular Acupuncture
Auricular acupuncture is one of the more widely used microsystems within
eastern medicine. Microsystems use one aspect of the body ¨C e.g., the ears,
hands or feet - to treat conditions present anywhere in the body. In
auricular acupuncture needles are inserted into certain points on the ear to
treat disease, and may be used alone or in conjunction with other TCM
treatments. Auricular acupuncture has been widely applied in treating
substance abuse, particularly for addictions to drugs and alcohol. Its use in
a group setting for purposes of providing low cost, effective health care was
pioneered in the United States by Lincoln Clinic, Bronx, New York, in 1972
using the NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol.
Treatments last from 30-60 minutes with people receiving treatment while
sitting in a chair fully clothed. The NADA protocol has also been found
to be effective not only in treating addictions but also in treating stress,
anger, frustration, depression, fatigue and other emotional and physical
pain.
Community Acupuncture
Full body acupuncture is usually performed with the patient lying on a
treatment table in a private room setting, which is effective but costly,
limiting access. A modified group form, called community acupuncture,
emphasizes making acupuncture affordable by providing full body treatment to
4-6 patients in recliners in one large room. This enables patients to
afford to come in for more frequent treatments over a longer duration, thus
enabling the frequency of treatments necessary for improving health.
Herbs
The prescription of Chinese herbal formulas is also based on TCM diagnosis,
and often involves combining 2 or more different herbs to enhance the
ultimate efficacy and safety of these classical herbal formulas. The formulas
that we use are all over-the-counter classic patent formulas, in pill form,
manufactured by companies who have established procedures to screen for
contaminants, toxic substances and heavy metals. Herbal formulas will
only be prescribed when the practitioner has had sufficient opportunity to
diagnose the patient, to identity all western medications taken by the
patient, and to (whenever possible) discuss the situation with the patient¡¯s
western practitioner.
Diet and Nutrition
Nutrition is a major part of treatment with Chinese medicine as food is
considered medicine. Specific foods are recommended or eliminated for
certain diseases and conditions. Recipes for low cost, easily prepared
and healthy meals are also important for improving health when time and
financial resources are limited.
Classes
Herban Health offers a variety of holistic health classes on topics including
diabetes, digestive problems, stress reduction, insomnia, children's health,
exercise, stopping smoking, losing weight, and high blood pressure.
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