Your Placebo and Nocebo Effect

Published Sunday, July 17, 2011

Elizabeth Carpenter, MS, L.Ac., CEFP
Oriens Founder, Director

Our minds are so powerful; our beliefs so pivotal.

Most of know about the placebo effect -- the phenomenon in which healing occurs in patients or research subjects because they expect it, though they have received a sham or substitute treatment incapable of promoting the healing that in fact occurred. Fully one third of positive treatment outcomes in all branches of medicine, complementary as well as biomedical, are attributed to the placebo effect.

But do you know about the nocebo effect? Here, the subjects manifest symptoms of—or worse, actually contract—an illness because they believe they have been exposed to it, have the genes for it or have other increased risk. “Worried sick,” literally.

Yes, our minds are that powerful; our beliefs are that pivotal. And so, the fundamental questions become, why are we not more eager to manage our minds to create abundant, optimal health and wellbeing? And how can we tap into the opportunity?

Our health and our beliefs generate one another as they are expressions of the same energy in different form.

This is what mind-body medicine is about, or at least, can be about. For example, in Chinese Medicine we have profound teaching and tools that invite integration of mind and body, with all the emotional and spiritual benefits of the integration. Mind and body are considered fluid forms of energy that co-produce one. They are an energetic continuum, rather than a duality.

The enormous opportunity here is to consciously leverage the energy continuum. In this approach both the patient and the practitioner,engage the multiple levels of mind, body, emotion and spirit simultaneously, as energy is manipulated with the intent and strategy of the continuum.

Where is your mind leading your body? Are you ready to lay claim to your full power, to thrive, to invite the full measure of your healing capacity into your life?

Call or email Oriens to learn how yoga, meditation, spiritual counseling, acupuncture, massage or other mind-body approaches could benefit you!
212-213-5785 or info@oriensliving.com

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Hormone Balance in Your 40's to 50's by Elizabeth Carpenter, MS, L.Ac., CEFP

Published Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Speak privately with Elizabeth about your Women's Health & Hormone needs.

“It’s all in your head.” Only recently, this was not uncommon thinking and the professional medical response to women suffering from the hormone instability natural to the decade or more prior to menopause.

Even now we see patients being given anti-depressants first and questions asked later. Sometimes she is offered birth control pills. But many women in their 30’s and 40’s either don’t want to be on medication or they are hoping to conceive.

Just as we think of puberty as the ramp UP to hormone stability and peak fertility, peri-menopause is the ramp DOWN. We've spiraled around for a second run on the same issues: cycle changes, mood swings, wired-tired, insomnia, concentration issues, acne, anatomical changes, body image issues, attention span shifts, metabolism & weight changes and more.

And, just like in puberty, with all of these changes we're invited to deep pondering and reflection…another opportunity to ask, “Who am I? What do I want in my life? How do I want to DO my life? What turns me on? What isn’t working for me?”

If the menopausal years are the Driver’s Seat—you’ve cracked your career and are enjoying the privileges, or you are making a career change that expresses your talent and interest more authentically, you know who you are, your self-expression is full, you’ve made some money, your kids are independent—then the decade or so leading up is your Learner’s Permit.

You’re in a maturity transition. :)

This is a natural stage of life. The physical changes in your cycle, energy, cognition and other aspects of your health are NOT just about aging. They are largely about – and can largely be controlled by—your attention to yourself!

In these years we tend to be gunning hard. We’re full throttle professionally; we’ve earned our place. We’re multi-tasking like sorceresses—family, career, aging parents, children, pets, household. And very often we’ve depended on will-power and the regenerative mojo of youth to sustain the pace!

But now the piper needs a payment. And while it may seem like an inconvenience after so many years of doing as we pleased, she’s not exacting a very high price. But default on your payment at your peril!!!

To enjoy the abundance of this time of life and minimize or ELIMINATE many of the symptoms, we need to pay attention to our bodies through nutrition, exercise, sleep. We need to make alone time for introspection to ask those key questions. We need to prioritize and attend to ourselves! “Work smarter not harder”—genius and true. And for goodness sakes, we need to lighten up and PLAY more.

There is SO much you can do to have an easier and much more enjoyable hormone transition! Talk to us! Get off the hormone roller coaster!

Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine, Maya Abdominal Massage, Nutrition, Counseling and Yoga – every single one of these has been changing women’s lives for thousands of years.

You’re hitting your prime! . . . Enjoy it!

Call or email Oriens to find out how You can be supported through your transition!
212-213-5785 or info@oriensliving.com

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Fertility ~ Research Shows New Hope for POF by Elizabeth Carpenter, MS, L.Ac., CEFP

Published Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Speak privately with Elizabeth about your fertility journey.

“Looks like science may show that women with POF aren’t ‘running out of eggs’ after all…” That was the opening line in my colleague’s email. The next person on the thread wrote, “I love when science proves Chinese Medicine right!” This volley comes from The Clinical Excellence in Fertility Professionals group brought together by Dr. Randine Lewis’ (author, The Infertility Cure: The Ancient Chinese Wellness Program for Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies).

So we now find that not only are the “best” eggs not going first, in youth—nature’s mechanism for egg selection remains a mystery—but that even in extreme situations such as POF (Premature Ovarian Failure, sometimes called Primary Ovarian Insufficiency) the possibility of conception often still exists.

“The researchers were surprised to find that 73% of 97 women with primary ovarian insufficiency had ovarian follicles. In addition, they found that the follicles could produce reproductive hormones.”

This exciting new research revelation points us toward what we often find true in Chinese medicine when treating POF. The woman may be experiencing the signs (hormone profiles, lack of menstruation) and symptoms (dryness, night sweats, heat flushing, brain fog) of menopause, but the reproductive life can be revived!

Often with the right herbs and nutrition to nourish those follicles along with acupuncture and Maya abdominal massage to correct structural and energetic imbalances undermining how energy is used in the body and driving it to the reproductive system, the menstrual cycle is restored and conception is achieved. Pregnancy often occurs naturally in these cases!

I find the language of this diagnosis particularly devastating: “Failure,” “Insufficiency.” As if experiencing infertility wasn’t painful enough! Isn’t it time we come up with a naming system that doesn’t blame the patient? Especially in medicine--a “science” that is more of an art, a service profession, a refuge for those in need.

Speak privately with Elizabeth about your personal fertility journey.

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2 Studies Suggest Acupuncture Works for Menstrual Pain

Published Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Interesting study published in the British Journal of Obstetrics finds acupuncture may be effective at reducing the pain and discomfort experienced by women who are going through their menstrual period. Researchers evaluated 27 studies that included over 3,000 participating women. From these, the they concluded that there is "promising evidence" concerning the viability of acupuncture in treating menstrual pain.

“The Kyung Hee Medical Center research team that conducted the study found that patients who underwent acupuncture treatment experienced a greater reduction in pain than did those who relied on drug treatments. They were unable to verify, however, whether or not the treatment actually affects women's nervous systems when providing relief.”

Separately, research was published in the journal, Brain Research, verifying that acupuncture treatments legitimately work neurally to deactivate the portions of the brain that process feelings of pain. Their scientific analysis gives tangible credence to what many already recognize as a reality concerning the effectiveness of acupuncture. Their study will also likely increase the acceptance of acupuncture as a viable treatment among mainstream medical professionals.”

Try Acupuncture if you are experiencing painful periods. Or give us a call to explain your situation and learn if acupuncture could help! 212-213-5785

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Eliminate PMS with Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine

Published Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is a group of symptoms that start one to two weeks before your period. Most women have at least some symptoms of PMS, and the symptoms go away after their periods start. In recent literature it is noted that as many as 80% of women experience some form of PMS at some time or another. 30-40% of these women have PMS severe enough to interfere with their day to day lives!

One reason why Traditional Chinese medicine is so beneficial in treating symptoms of PMS is because the therapy involved focuses on treating the root of the problem rather then just the present symptoms. Because most of the symptoms related to PMS are subjective many Western practitioners are at a loss when it comes to treating PMS and are quick to prescribe medications or recommend over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen.

Please be aware that you do not need to be experiencing this pain and discomfort every month! When the symptoms of PMS are reduced or eliminated, women feel more energetic -- physically, mentally, emotionally and creatively.

Some of the symptoms related to PMS include but are not limited to:
Abdominal bloating and cramps, breast tenderness & swelling, mood changes (irritability, frustration, depression, anxiety), acne, back pain, fatigue, food cravings, headaches, insomnia, joint pain, water retention, dizziness.

Please read an Oriens article we hope you'll find useful.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment: Treating the Root

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs have been widely and successfully used to treat PMS.
The symptoms of PMS may defer from woman to woman; what is unique and special about TCM treatments are that the variations in each woman's condition are acknowledged. Most women respond very well to acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatment in combination with dietary changes, exercise, and working on their emotional well being.

In traditional Chinese medicine, groups of symptoms, or syndromes, are typically classified into patterns that involve the internal organs and/or energy pathways of the body. The major organ systems that are primarily involved in the PMS pattern differentiation are the Liver, Heart, Spleen and Kidney

Liver Qi Stagnation pattern: Emotional stress is one of the main contributors to the Liver Qi Stagnation pattern of PMS. Other clinical manifestations include headache, breast tenderness, depression, irritability, and a feeling of distention or pain under the rib cage.

Heart Blood Deficiency pattern: Chronic illness or excessive menstrual blood loss contributes to Heart Blood Deficiency pattern of PMS. Other clinical symptoms include: Heart palpitations, dizziness, insomnia, emotional upset, speaking incoherently, sadness, fatigue/sluggishness, poor memory and dull-pale complexion.

Spleen Qi or Yang Deficiency pattern: Poor diet and emotional stresses are the main causes for Spleen qi and yang deficiency pattern of PMS. Clinical manifestations include: feeling weak and lethargic, edema of the lower body, easily able to bruise, bearing down sensation of the abdomen/ uterus, pale face, shallow breathing, loose stools.

Kidney Qi or Yang Deficiency pattern:
A pattern of menstrual disorders with Kidney Yang Deficiency will often include back soreness before and during menstruation, fatigue, watery menstrual blood, diarrhea just before menstruation, cramps after menstruation begins, ringing in the ears, or a feeling of cold in the body.

*It is important to note that most women have more then one pattern diagnosis as the cause of their PMS symptoms, therefore you may have symptoms from one or all patterns described above.

Come into the clinic 1-2 times per week for acupuncture. If you like, we will also prescribe a Chinese herbal formula for you to take as well. To effectively treat the root cause of the PMS, it takes approximately three menstrual cycles. Some women will see a reduction in their symptoms right away while others it may take a longer period of time. Stress levels, lifestyle, and general health are important factors involved in response time.

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Your Placebo and Nocebo Effect

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Hormone Balance in Your 40's to 50's by Elizabeth Carpenter, MS, L.Ac., CEFP

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Fertility ~ Research Shows New Hope for POF by Elizabeth Carpenter, MS, L.Ac., CEFP

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2 Studies Suggest Acupuncture Works for Menstrual Pain

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Eliminate PMS with Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine

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