By Eric Brand I'm en route to Hong Kong for some herbal medicine field research so I'll be posting a full blog tomorrow. Interestingly, the Hong Kong airport has a branch of Eu Yan Sang (a famous herbal medicine chain store in Hong Kong) that has a… more »

By Eric Brand Gynecology is considered to be one of the most successful fields within Chinese medicine. The importance of fertility in traditional Chinese culture made gynecology a focal point for centuries, so the literature and expertise within th… more »

Q. Hi Honora, A few years ago I came to a seminar you taught. During that weekend, I remember you suggested an interesting treatment for anxiety disorder. A patient came in last week with anxiety attacks as a major complaint and I wondered if you could… more »

By Eric Brand Pathomechanisms offer a description of the dynamic process through which disease develops and transforms in the body. When assessing a patient, we generally use pattern identification as the basis for determining treatment; however, we u… more »

Question: "I've been told that my website need search engine optimization and there seem to be about a zillion companies in all different price ranges that do these services. What should I look for in a service? Can I do anything myself?" Answer: Searc… more »

Qing Hao Bie Jia Tang is a fascinating formula because it draws upon an interesting combination of medicinals.  The heavy, sinking nature of Bie Jia guides the formula deep into the interior while the light Qing Hao outthrusts heat.  The formula was ori… more »

Yesterday I shared a link to an incredible article on pao zhi by Prof. Zhao Zhongzhen of Hong Kong Baptist University.  Dr. Zhao is a prolific expert in herbal pharmacy and I find his work to be absolutely inspirational.  This article, published in Apri… more »

By Eric Brand During a recent research session, I found a link to an incredible article by Prof. Zhao Zhongzhen et al. on medicinal processing.  This article, published in December 2010 in Thieme's prestigious journal Planta Medica, is a must-read for… more »

Blue Poppy author Philippe Sionneau recently did a major update to his website, and the new version is fabulous.  While Philippe's most prolific work remains in French, he has a section of his website with English-language articles, available at this li… more »

by Malia Kirby So...this all started out as what was supposed to be a "quick" rant on tradition in our field, which then promptly turned into a monster of a post.  If you missed Part One, CLICK HERE to catch yourself up if you're interested. Citation… more »

It’s the end of the semester at Southwest Acupuncture College and as the Practice Management class teacher, I've looked at lots of projects: websites, presentation folders, business plans, biz cards, and patient information brochures. The last of these,… more »

by Shawn Kirby, L.Ac. He had begun his practice long ago, in the early morning hours, sitting Zazen.  Seated on his cushion, his legs in half lotus and his hands in the mudra shown to him by his Roshi, he gazed at the floor in deep meditation.  The sme… more »

By Eric Brand The British Medical Journal recently published a study that consisted of a systematic review and meta-analysis of research on chocolate and cardiovascular health.  The link is here.  Chocolate is an ancient herbal product that originat… more »

By Eric Brand Continuing on the topic of curcumas, I found a book that has some interesting comments about Jiang Huang vs. Pian Jiang Huang.  The book is Zhang Ting-Mo's lectures on clinical Chinese materia medica. Zhang Ting-Mo is an important and wel… more »

By Eric Brand The botanical sources of Chinese medicinals in the Curcuma family are rather complex.  The medicinals Yu Jin, E Zhu, and Jiang Huang are derived from the roots and rhizomes of similar plants, and in many situations the same botanical spec… more »

By Eric Brand Bai Tou Weng Tang (Pulsatilla Decoction) is a famous formula for dysentery from the Shang Han Lun.  It primarily treats heat toxin dysentery and is often discussed in comparison with Shao Yao Tang (Peony Decoction), which treats damp-heat… more »

By Eric Brand One of the greatest treats in the middle ground between food and medicine is hot pot.  Hot pot is a popular dish throughout East Asian countries, and many regions have their own variations in ingredients.  In China, hot pot (huo guo) has… more »

by Malia Kirby (This is part one of a three-part series) Tra•di•tion, noun. An inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior. A newlywed couple, preparing for their first family Thanksgiving, started determining whether… more »

By Eric Brand Ingredients Lóng dǎn (龙胆gentian, Gentianae Radix) [wine-fried] 6 g Huáng qín (黄芩scutellaria, Scutellariae Radix) [stir-fried] 9 g Zhī zǐ (栀子gardenia, Gardeniae Fructus) [wine-f… more »