The principles of Chinese medicine, with its focus on balance and harmony, have long offered effective treatment methods for respiratory disorders, by both fighting pathogenic influence and by allowing the essence of health to flow freely. Our treatment modalities are steeped in time-tested methods and in experience carried forward from one generation to the next.
Our experience of the past three years has revealed gaps in our knowledge, fractures in our social fabric and the influence of toxic social media. It’s been a pandemic that has not only affected our bodies, but our minds as well.
In this conversation with Beau Anderson, we look at long Covid through the lenses of Western and East Asian medicine, discuss the flexibility and adaptability of Chinese medicine for systemic disorders like long Covid, and the shortcomings of attempting to validate the ancient healing practice using modern scientific methodologies. We also explore possible ways of harnessing and positioning our medicine for the future.
Listen into this discussion on the state of long Covid research, including where we’ve been, what lies ahead of us, and the role of East Asian medicine in navigating the terrain.
The clinical research on acupuncture has shown that the benefits associated with acupuncture are more than just the needles. There are many therapeutic components associated with the complex intervention we call acupuncture. Of course there are the other interventions – cupping, tui na, moxa etc. But the ones we may think are less important, like the relationships we develop with our patients, and the relaxation and time for introspection that we create for our patients, are equally as important to the deep and lasting therapeutic benefits of acupuncture therapy. Our capacity to be a healing presence for our patients involves everything we do and starts from the very first moment of interaction.
Beau Anderson
I am Associate Dean and Professor at Pace University, NYC, in the College of Health Professions, Associate Clinical Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Research Professor at Pacific College of Health and Science. Recent areas of research include acupuncture clinical trials, applying research to clinical practice, and the use of East Asian medicine for COVID-19.
I served on the NIH National Advisory Council for Complementary and Integrative Health from 2018 to 2021 and am Deputy Editor for Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. I am a licensed acupuncturist and certified Chinese herbalist and work in the practice of Lara Rosenthal in NYC. Our focus is women’s health and fertility, with a special interest in the use of East Asian medicine to improve in vitro fertilization outcomes.
Visit Beau on LinkedIn.
