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Partnership with leading TCM Pharmaceutical

Five Branches University is proud to announce a partnership with Sun Ten Pharmaceutical. Five Branches University and Sun Ten Pharmaceutical signed a Cooperative Letter of Intent stating this partnership which will see an increase in teaching faculty from this California and Taiwan-based TCM Pharmacy. Both parties agree to cooperate in the development of clean herbal medicine which includes proper cultivation, development, safety against pollutants and heavy metals, regulation, education, internships for our students and alumni as well as future employment.

By partnering with Sun Ten Pharmaceutical, Five Branches University is looking to be the leader of education in TCM Herbology in addition to many other of the traditional modalities such as Acupuncture, Tui Na Massage, Qigong, and Dietary Therapy. TCM Herbology is as important as any of these other modalities and is part of our five branches.

Sun Ten Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a renowned GMP manufacturer of concentrated herbal extracts conforming to international standards. For over six decades, we have dedicated ourselves to the development, manufacturing and marketing of the safest, highest quality and most effective herbal products. Their products includes Chinese herbal supplements and herbal pet-care products of which distribute to over 20 countries around the global.

Five Branches University aims to set the standards for excellence in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) education and healthcare, develop highly-skilled TCM clinical practitioners, educators and researchers, and advance the practice of TCM as an independent medical modality through clinical practice, education and research. If you’re interested in learning more about our school and our programs, please click on one of following links.

Enrollment Info Session for 2019 Spring (Online Video)

Watch the webinar on YouTube Streaming

Introducing our new DTCM/MTCM Dual-Degree Program: Through a single program, earn your Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine (DTCM/MTCM) Dual-Degree and become a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist. Students earn the Doctorate degree, and are given the Master’s degree that is required to sit for State and National licensing and certification exams.

An Interview with Sarah Holloway, ND

For the second installment of our FBU student, alumni & faculty profile series, we sat down with senior Five Branches student and Naturopathic doctor, Sarah Holloway, at Twin Lakes beach to learn what it takes to be an Integrative Medicine practitioner in 2016.

“I feel like Chinese medicine gives me a great way to treat patients with chronic and complex illnesses because it provides a strong and scaffolded structure in which to categorize symptoms. When patients come in with conditions where no immediate diagnosis can be given, or a definitive answer of what they have and how to treat the condition, you really have to back up, look at the tissue states, the nuances of the presenting disease, examine whether there is excess or deficiency, hot or cold and start from there. It’s best to begin with just balancing what you see out of balance today, because if you try to fix the whole thing at once it can be overwhelming.”


FBU: Hi Sarah, thanks for meeting with us today and giving us the opportunity to learn a little bit more about you. So, where are you from originally?

Sarah: I am actually from rural Oklahoma. I remember saying my whole life, “I am getting out of here. There is something going on out there that I have not seen yet and I am going to go find it.” So, I graduated high school and left at 6:30 the next morning to travel for about a year before I started college. Looking back I feel coming from Oklahoma gives me a good perspective on the health of patients because I can understand where they are coming from and put these new lifestyle and health choices into context better. I didn’t grow up on the west coast with people who have grown up eating organic food, doing yoga, and especially not eating kale. Hahaha… So, I feel like it is easier for me to understand how absurd some of these ideas might seem and where people are coming from. I think it is a good thing for healthcare professionals to remember that for the average person, a little change in their diet and lifestyle is a big deal.

FBU: Tell us a little bit about your educational background.

Sarah: I studied pre-med in undergrad at the University of Texas, Austin, you know, pursuing the conventional medicine route. While I was there, I didn’t know anything about Naturopathic medicine, Chinese medicine or even alternative medicine in general. During my studies, I did rotations volunteering at a hospital. I discovered that I liked medicine and the science behind it, but the actual experience of being in a hospital, even after just a short time, was not how I wanted to spend my life. So, I took some time off and worked as a research biologist with the Smithsonian Institute in Panama and discovered Naturopathic Medicine. I enrolled at the National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) in Portland, where I would then learn about Chinese medicine. I began studying Chinese medicine at NCNM during my 3rd year, pursuing the Masters of Acupuncture degree.

Ever since visiting Santa Cruz the year before I started college, I had always wanted to live here. So, after I graduated from NCNM, I took my boards in August, went to Burning Man, moved to Santa Cruz, transferred some of my Chinese medicine courses to Five Branches University and continued my studies the next Spring Semester. I also began working at a well-known Naturopathic health center a few months later. My studies at NCNM were a mere drop in the bucket compared to the depth of my studies I began here at Five Branches, because without studying Chinese herbal medicine, it’s completely different.

FBU: So prior to your studies at NCNM you had never heard of Chinese Medicine?

Sarah: No, I hadn’t. While I was there, I had a preceptorship with a doctor who was dually licensed as a ND and LAc, and he exposed me to it for the first time during my second year. I wanted to study it further because it works. It’s one of those things where it worked for me personally, I saw it work in the clinic, and it is a bit mysterious in a way. There are a lot of reasons to like it, but initially I got interested in it because I saw the great clinical impact it was having on patients.

It’s nice to have a service. It’s nice to be able to give something. As a Naturopath, everybody develops their own way of practicing. But, actually being able to touch a patient or give them something is so important. So that was what really stood out with Acupuncture. It was a service that you provided and people left feeling better that day. It wasn’t just a plan and a future promise of you feeling better. It was more like, today you feel differently.

FBU: How did you decide to attend Five Branches in Santa Cruz?

Sarah: Location! Location! Location! Hahaha… While I was in in Panama I worked for a post-doc professor at UT, Austin. I met some post-docs from UC, Santa Cruz and just kind of fell in love with how they talked about Santa Cruz, so I got a car and did my first tour of the West Coast. Immediately after that told myself that I would come back here later. That was over a decade ago. Haha… It’s just been one of those places in the world that continued to resurface for me. So, because I had that connection and because I was networking with some Naturopathic doctors in town, I decided to attend Five Branches because it was the best place for me to go. It was almost too good to be true in a lot of ways.

FBU: Do you have any clinical specialties or areas of interest?

Sarah: Well, I have more of a general practice focus at the moment. In my practice I see a lot of what we see at the Five Branches clinic: anxiety, pain, hormonal issues and gastrointestinal disturbances. What has been coming in a lot recently are super complicated, complex, chronic illnesses, like autoimmune conditions, Lyme’s disease, long-term viral infections, herpes virus, CD57 counts bottoming out, or people that are just really, vaguely ill. I didn’t really vote for these conditions, they just kind of came to me.

I feel like Chinese medicine gives me a great way to be able to treat patients with chronic and complex illnesses because it provides a strong and scaffolded structure in which to categorize symptoms. When patients come in with conditions where there is no immediate diagnosis that can be given or a definitive answer of what they have and how to treat the condition, you really have to back up and look at the tissue states and the nuances of the disease and examine whether there is excess or deficiency, hot or cold and just start there. Just start with balancing what you see is out of balance today because if you just try to fix the whole thing it is overwhelming.

So, Chinese medicine for me does so many things, such as whenever you don’t have a totally clear answer, diagnosis or treatment plan in biomedicine, you can still treat successfully with Chinese medicine according to the symptoms that you see the patient presenting with at the time of consultation. You are not treating because you are guessing, you are treating based off of what you see the patient manifesting. If you know your herbs, your acupuncture channel theory and both of their personalities and traits, then you should have an idea of how they are going to work in this person’s bodily condition. Chinese medicine has been incredibly helpful for the kinds of patients that have been coming into my practice lately. I feel like it takes a village to help these people. You know, it takes their specialists, their hematologist, their rheumatologist, their naturopath and their acupuncturist to really get them back on the right trajectory towards health.

FBU: How do you envision combining both medical specialties in your clinical practice after graduation?

Sarah: I will utilize both systems in order to provide whatever will work for a person at any given time based on what they most need. Some people are not going to be into homeopathy or intense diet interventions, and other people are not going to be up for needles. Whatever will work at the moment for each individual is what I will utilize in order to help them get back on track with their health. Obviously Chinese herbal medicine has to be used though because it so effective. It’s a lot like symphonies in music. You are trying to organize and arrange treatment modalities like notes of a melody in order to make it sound appealing, pleasant and not just overwhelming utter chaos. Some people need homeopathy and others need IV therapy. Some people need 5 acupuncture needles and others need 10. You need to find the balance with each individual and I feel like my training has definitely helped me to understand how to approach the true art of medicine.

FBU: What do you feel is the most rewarding part about being a healthcare professional?

Sarah: Honestly, I really do it because I feel like it is a calling. It’s my way of carving out my little piece of fighting the good fight and helping people get back in their bodies and understand how to eat, how to pick out good food that isn’t poisonous and grown by a company that is destroying the environment, and how to reconnect with themselves. A lot of times I hear people tell me stuff like, “oh, you know, well, I can’t eat that because my family doesn’t eat that.” That’s when I tell them that this is a good time to try something different in order to have a sort of ripple effect on their health. So, it’s really about how do we help save the world person by person. Just helping people be healthier, more connected, enlivened, disillusioned and to get away from all of the gunk that is clogging up everyone’s sensory organs. Haha… the “phlegm” as Chinese medicine says. For me it’s a mission. There are a lot easier ways to make money and be successful than to choose the path of medicine, but I feel like it is extremely rewarding, even if it is an uphill battle the whole time in order to learn more and more to help those in need.

FBU: Tell us about a time during your studies at Five Branches where you had an Aha moment and things just began to click and come together.

Sarah: During my studies, and while working with my own health, one of my herbal professors really helped me break out of my biomedical background. She really helped me to integrate the physical, mental-emotional and spiritual aspects of Chinese medicine and to understand how important each of these components are to health. The interrelationships and interactions of these components are known in biomedicine, but I feel it too often gets brushed aside in favor of other treatment approaches that are not holistically focused.

FBU: Do you have any advice or words of encouragement for other healthcare professionals that are considering studying Acupuncture and TCM?

Sarah: You better like it! Hahaha… I get asked this question a lot and I feel like people are often surprised at my answer. Honestly, I think Naturopathy is a bit harder to explain to people and to make a career compared to Acupuncture. It really excites me to know that biomedicine is currently accepting the fact the gut health plays a crucial role in our psyche and overall health. This was not the case even 5 years ago!

I would say don’t go into just because you think it is a good job. I would go into it because you sincerely want to seriously dedicate your life to studying the art of Acupuncture and medicine in all of its forms. Definitely don’t have any illusions that you are going to become some kind of wizard or make a million dollars overnight or anything like that. Some people might become a little frustrated when they realize that Acupuncture and TCM are not something that you can learn over a weekend. It is a serious and in-depth medicine that one can easily devote their entire life to exploring and going further and further.

You have to be willing to look at this as more than just a job. It’s more than just being a practitioner. You have to let it soak into the very depths and crevices of your being. You have to become an ambassador of the medicine and of a new of way of living and be a model of health. It’s not the easiest of roads, but I say GO FOR IT! If you are going to do anything in life you might as well study philosophy and human physiology. They are kinda the coolest topics ever!

Cupping Therapy: An Ancient Chinese Therapeutic Technique With Modern Day Efficacy

The popularity of cupping has recently exploded with the recent images of Olympians, most notably USA swimming star Michael Phelps, covered in several dark colored circles on their bodies. Besides looking like they were attacked by giant octopi, these elite Olympic athletes and their trainers provide anecdotal evidence that it aids in post workout recovery, rehabilitates injured muscles, and most importantly, gives them a competitive advantage by allowing them to be in optimal physical fitness. Let’s go a little deeper than the superficiality of these marks and testimonials and look at the history and context behind this ancient East Asian medical modality.

Cupping has been utilized as a therapeutic medical modality for over 2,000 years. In the context of Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, this technique warms and unblocks the acupuncture channels, promotes greater circulation of blood and Qi (bioelectromagnetism), alleviates painful muscles and joints, and even enhances the immune system and assists in the treatment of asthma, coughing and the acute stages of a cold. In biomedical science the effects of cupping have been shown to reduce muscle tension and release anti-inflammatory compounds, anti-oxidants, and endogenous pain relievers.

Cupping is only one technique under the broader scope of Acupuncture. Acupuncture, which is the insertion of fine, filiform needles into various acupoints in the body, stimulates and regulates the body’s physiology. It can be performed with filiform needles or with magnets, electrical stimulation (TENS units), acupressure and with lasers. Another technique almost synonymous with Acupuncture is Moxibustion, which is the utilization of the herb Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort) to warm and activate the acupuncture channels. The final technique under the umbrella of Acupuncture is Guasha, which is a scraping technique that is very useful in unblocking stagnation of Qi and blood within the muscles, relieving pain and releasing powerful anti-inflammatory chemicals, such as Interleukin-6.

To fully understand and appreciate the total therapeutic capacity of cupping therapy one needs to study the science and art of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Acupuncture utilizes channel theory to understand the interconnectedness of the entire body and how energy, neurotransmitters and hormones are regulated to maintain homeostasis. Biomedical science is only just beginning to understand the full complexity of this ancient medical practice. Some of the proposed mechanisms of action behind Acupuncture that are gaining a lot of clout are the research investigations in connective tissue by Dr. Helen Langevine, the research exploring the actions and properties of bioenergetics and bioelectromagnetism in humans by Dr. Richard Hammerschlag, and the Growth Control Theory proposed by Dr. Charles Shang.

If you would like to learn more or become a student of this amazing holistic medical system, consider attending Five Branches University, which has been a leader in the field of Acupuncture and TCM education since 1984. With campus locations in the seaside town of Santa Cruz, California and in San Jose, the capital of Silicon Valley, Five Branches University provides unparalleled academic and clinical education.

An interview with Caroline Wilkerson

In this series, we meet with current students and alumni to get a deeper look into why they chose to study Chinese Medicine at Five Branches and dedicate their lives to being of service to those in need of high quality, holistic healthcare.

[Editor]] Hi Caroline, it’s great to meet with you today and learn a little bit more about you. Do you mind telling us a little bit about your background?

[Caroline] Hi, of course. My name is Caroline Wilkerson. I grew up Illinois. When I was 22, I joined the US Navy as a Crypto-linguistic analyst. I went to the Monterey Peninsula Defense Language Institute to learn Russian and then later Chinese. I moved to Hawaii to further learn Chinese language and culture with the Navy. While studying Chinese language and culture I fell in love with it. So many of my teachers were amazing. That was such a great experience. That was where I started digging deeper into Chinese Medicine and learning more. Continue reading »

Preparing Your Enrollment Application Packet

We have created and published videos that will help you complete your Application Packet with us at Five Branches University . If you have any specific questions or trouble with the forms, please feel free to email the admissions department at sjadmissions@fivebranches.edu or give us a call at (408) 260-0208 ext. 217.

The first video is a How-To video regarding the application packet, where to get the information and paperwork as well as what is needed from you to before you begin your time here at Five Branches University.***All the paperwork that is referenced in this video is at the bottom of this page for your convenience.

The second video is discussing financial aid at our school, how much tuition is as well as the general costs that associated with our DTCM/MTCM program.

Video: Filling out the Application Packet

Video: About The Financial Aid

Completing the Application

To be considered for admission to Five Branches University, the following items are required:

  1. Application for Admission – Use your full legal name on all admissions documents. The campus you prefer should be clearly indicated on the application form. If your choice of campus is undetermined, mail your application package to the Santa Cruz campus.
  2. Recent photograph – One recent passport style photograph.
  3. Statement of Purpose – A one-page, typed essay describing your background, how you became interested in TCM and your plans beyond graduation.
  4. Resume – An up-to-date resume listing all previous education, job experience, accomplishments and volunteer work.
  5. Application fee – A non-refundable application fee of $95.00, and $395.00 for international applicants, payable in check or money order.
  6. Health Evaluation – The course of study at Five Branches University includes clinical training. In order to ensure the maintenance of safety precautions and a healthy environment in the Five Branches clinics, we require the completion of a Health Evaluation. This health evaluation must be signed by a qualified primary health care practitioner.
  7. Hepatitis B Vaccination Form – Due to possible occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials, we recommend receiving a Hepatitis B vaccination. A copy of this immunization record or blood test must be provided. If vaccination is declined, a waiver form must be signed.
  8. Tuberculosis Test – Tuberculosis is a common and often deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacterium. It usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other body systems. Tuberculosis is spread through the air, when people who have the disease cough, sneeze or spit. To ensure the maintenance of safety precautions in the Five Branches clinic, we require all applicants to have a tuberculosis clearance test prior to enrollment in the Master’s program. This may be done though a PPD Skin Test or a QuantiFeron TB Gold Blood Test.

Supporting documents-sent separately:

  1. (2)Letter of Recommendation – Provide the Letter of Recommendation form to two references of your choice (teachers, employers, colleagues, and/or healthcare professionals). References are encouraged to provide additional information regarding your strengths and character traits and why they believe you would be a good candidate for our graduate program. The Letter of Recommendation form must be completed in full, placed in a sealed envelope, signed across the flap, and mailed directly from the evaluator to the appropriate campus.
  2. Official transcripts from all colleges and/or universities attended – Academic transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to the attention of the admissions office at the Five Branches campus you are applying to. If you have taken Natural Science AP courses, make sure to contact the College Board at P.O. Box 6671 Princeton, NJ 08541-6671.
    Please note: Education obtained abroad at an institution not accredited by the U.S. Department of Education must go through a credential evaluation agency. For more information go to: International Applicants

For personal service please call or email our Admissions department :

San Jose campus applicants

Mail information to:
Five Branches University- San Jose
Attention: Admissions Office
1885 Lundy Ave, Suite 108
San Jose, CA 95131

(408) 260-0208
sjadmissions@fivebranches.edu

Santa Cruz campus applicants

Mail information to:
Five Branches University- Santa Cruz
Attention: Admissions Office
200 Seventh Avenue,
Santa Cruz, CA 95062

(831) 476-9424 Ext 31
admissions@fivebranches.edu

International Applicants

Five Branches University welcomes international applicants from all over the world. We support a bicultural and bilingual environment, offering our Doctor and Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and our postgraduate Doctorate program in English and Chinese.

Five Branches defines an international applicant as someone who is a citizen or permanent resident of a country, other than the United States, who wishes to pursue a Master’s or Doctoral degree at our university. Five Branches University is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant alien students and complies with all federal guidelines and directives of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

International applicants follow the same application and admissions procedures as required of resident students, in addition to meeting the international application requirements. We recommend international applicants begin the admissions process six months to one year prior to the desired priority application date. International students are not eligible for U.S. federal financial aid.

International Application Requirements

If you are an international applicant applying for an F-1 student visa through Five Branches University, you must submit the following documents along with the completed application. It is important to write your name (as it appears on your passport) on your application and all supplemental documents.

  1. A photocopy of the first page of your passport
  2. Transcript evaluation
    If you have completed college or university level education in another country, you must have your transcripts reviewed by a credential evaluation agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. Transcripts need to be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. The evaluation, containing the total number of earned credits and cumulative GPA, should be sent directly to Five Branches University by the evaluating agency. We recommend World Educational Services (WES),www.wes.org
  3. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
    If you are an international applicant and have completed at least a two year (90 semester credit or 135 quarter credit) baccalaureate level education from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or from an equivalent English language institution in another country, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) may not be required.

    Applying for DTCM and the English-speaking DAOM, MTCM, and Mac Programs

    You are required to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) internet-based test (iBT) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.

    The minimum scores to achieve on these tests are as follows:

    TOEFLIELTS
    iBT   
    80  Level 6

    When taking the TOEFL, please enter the appropriate Five Branches assigned code on the

    Score Report Request Form:
    Santa Cruz campus assigned code: 4459
    San Jose campus assigned code: 5881
     

    Applying for Chinese-speaking DAOM, MTCM, and MAc Programs

    You are required to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) internet based test (iBT) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam prior to entering the internship clinic level.

    The minimum scores to achieve on these tests are as follows:

    TOEFL IELTS
    iBTSpeaking ExamListening Exam 
    451815Level 5

    When taking the TOEFL, please enter the appropriate Five Branches assigned code on the

    Score Report Request Form:
    Santa Cruz campus assigned code: 4459
    San Jose campus assigned code: 5881
  4. Financial Statement
    A Financial Statement, certified by a financial institution, verifying the availability of at least $35,000 in U.S. dollars. This amount should cover your education and living expenses for one academic year. If you need the university to issue an I-20 for your dependents, you will need to calculate an additional $4,000 for each dependent. In addition, you may want to consider having additional funds for off-campus months and miscellaneous expenses. We recommend having approximately $7,000 for this purpose. If your tuition or living expenses are going to be partially or fully paid by a sponsor, the Financial Statement must be signed by your sponsor, stating they assume financial responsibility for the designated amount.
  5. Health Insurance
    International students must provide proof of health insurance coverage prior to student registration. Due to the high costs of medical insurance in the United States it may be advantageous to purchase health insurance coverage in your home country. We recommend you purchase a healthcare policy for yourself and any dependents, with a minimum coverage of 250,000 per incident, and a deductible of no more than $500 per person, per year.Prior to your arrival into the United States we recommend you obtain from your primary physician, medical records for you and your dependents. These should include a medical history describing previous illnesses, surgeries, and records of all immunizations, including those received in childhood. In addition, since dental costs in the United States tend to be considerably higher than most other countries, you are advised to have any necessary dental work completed in your home country prior to your arrival in the U.S.

International Applicants Currently Studying in the U.S.

If you are an international student who is currently on an F-1 student visa, enrolled at another college or university, you must submit the following documents along with your application materials:

  1. A photocopy of your visa, contained in your passport
  2. A photocopy of your I-20 Form

Once you have been accepted to Five Branches University, a Transfer Release Form must be signed by your current school’s admissions office, verifying you have maintained your visa status and are eligible for transfer. Please contact the Five Branches University admissions office to receive a copy of this form.

For personal service please call or email our Admissions department :
San Jose – (408) 260-0208 or sjadmissions@fivebranches.edu
Santa Cruz – (831) 476-9424 Ext 31 or admissions@fivebranches.edu

Thank you for your interest in Five Branches University!


Transfer Students

If you are a student at another TCM/acupuncture school and are considering transferring to Five Branches, you can apply for our Doctor and Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine program as a Transfer Student. Five Branches University offers one of the best TCM educational programs in the United States. Our transfer policies ensure that a transfer student’s training from another school will meet the high standards of our DTCM program.

Five Branches accepts transfer students who will be completing at least 50% of their Doctorate degree at the University. If you have only one year remaining before graduation, we recommend you graduate from the school you are currently attending if possible.

Transfer Student Application Procedure and Requirements

Transfer students follow the same application and admissions procedures as required of new students, in addition to meeting the transfer student requirements as listed below. If you are a Transfer Student, transferring to Five Branches University from another TCM college, you must submit the following documents along with the completed application:

  1. Cover letter stating your reasons for seeking a transfer from another TCM college, and a list of the courses you wish to transfer.
  2. A letter of recommendation from a previous TCM/Acupuncture instructor, located at the TCM school you attended.
  3. Catalog from your previous TCM college, stating its approval agencies and accreditation.
  4. Syllabus outlining the course content for each course you wish to transfer.

You must submit your admission application by the priority application dates of May 1 (Fall trimester), and September 1 (Spring trimester). If you are interested in admission during the Summer term your application must be completed by or before March 1st.

Upon acceptance to Five Branches, you will be informed of your placement in the DTCM program, and an evaluation of your transfer credits will be completed by the admissions director. An equivalency exam may be required. Only coursework completed prior to enrollment at Five Branches, and awarded a letter grade of C or above, is transferable.

Transferring TCM Courses

Transfer credit will be accepted for TCM courses taken from a nationally accredited TCM college, approved by the California Acupuncture Board, if the courses are equivalent in content to Five Branches courses.

TCM-related courses from a TCM college not approved by the California Acupuncture Board will only be accepted within the 50% limitations of the Board. TCM courses from tutorial or apprenticeship programs are non-transferable.

Transferring Western Medicine Courses

Western medicine courses taken prior to enrollment at Five Branches may be transferred to fulfill part or the entire DTCM Western medicine track, including natural science requirements. If the natural science courses: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Human Anatomy, and Human Physiology have not been taken prior to enrollment, students may take them concurrently, within their first two years of study. These courses can be taken from a community college, a university, or online. Western medicine courses are transferable only from regionally accredited, degree-granting colleges, universities, or TCM schools. Natural science credits from non-accredited or vocational schools are non-transferable.

Transferring Complementary Studies Courses

Five Branches accepts the transfer of classes from non-accredited schools or colleges for courses such as Qigong and Taijiquan, if equivalent in content and duration. A copy of a certificate of completion or diploma, or a letter from a teacher or school will serve as a transcript.

Transferring Credit Earned through Challenge Examination or Achievement Tests

Students may petition to receive credit for one course per department via a challenge examination, with the exclusion of the Clinical Training department. You may qualify to take a challenge examination only under the following circumstances: (1) The course was previously taken and passed at another institution with a grade lower than C, and did not qualify for transfer credit or (2) The course was previously taken and passed at another institution, but the course material was not sufficient to qualify for full transfer credit.

Upon qualification, you will be provided with the course syllabus to aid in preparation for taking the examination. The examination must be taken prior to the start of the program term in which the course is required. The passing score for a challenge examination is 80%. A course can be challenged by examination only once. If you fail to pass the examination, you will be required to enroll in the course in the appropriate term at the full tuition cost.

Credit earned through assessment or achievement examinations at other Traditional Chinese Medicine schools are non-transferable. Transfer credit is not available for work or life experience.

Transfer Fees

A transfer fee will apply to the evaluation of all courses transferred into the DTCM program, with the exception of the five natural science courses. The transfer fee is 15% of the current tuition, per unit, up to a maximum of $200. If an equivalency exam is required, an additional fee of 30% of the current tuition, per unit, will apply.

For personal service please call or email our Admissions department :
San Jose – (408) 260-0208 or sjadmissions@fivebranches.edu
Santa Cruz– (831) 476-9424 Ext 31 or admissions@fivebranches.edu

Thank you for your interest in Five Branches University!


Using TCM as Dietary Therapy

What is Dietary Therapy? Diet is one of the key contributions to the body’s health in Chinese medicine. What we should and should not eat depends not only on our body types and activity, but also our lineage as well as the roll the local environment and weather has on our bodies.

By taking into account our body types, environment and other factors, TCM can help balance the influences one’s food intake has on the body by adjusting a patient’s diet, whether it be through educating patients on how to adjust what food they eat, or adding herbs to help balance the dynamics of yin and yang. Dietary advice is individualized based on numerous factors such as age, sex, activity level, environment, constitution and the season of the year. We are honored to have Dr. Jeffery  to give us an introduction on  how to use TCM as Dietary Therapy.



00:04 Speaker 1: Hi everybody. Today I will be talking about, the topic is TCM dietetics. So everything, we have to be noted with their background and the history. So for the dietetic things in the Chinese medicine, that is have long history. On the Chinese history, I think everybody knows something who, like the Qin Dynasty, that will be the king built the great wall? But actually, it’s before that. It’s called Zhou Dynasty.

00:51 S1: So on that time, already set-up in the king system had four kind of doctors. The dietetic doctor is the first important doctor in that system. Why? Because on that time is many people get sick and the dietetic doctor serve in the palace. The duty for them, they need to make sure the royal family had to be healthy. So then another three doctors will be, the second one will be now the physician, the family doctor. Then another one will be later, because at that time is have many war. So then, they need to be make sure the soldier get treat after they get injury. Then the last doctor, that will be now, the veterinarian, the animal doctor. Because on that time, they have many war, they make sure to keep the horse or something working in the war.

02:38 S1: Okay, so that’s what the history… Then on the book, we’re on the Tang dynasty is already the dietetic book. I just give you the general feeling of the dietetic thing. In the Western medicine, they… Nutritionists there. They very research and study in the, what will be the compound inside each food. So, can’t be more than 100 or they had many mineral or had many nutrition thing, but the TCM dietetic is not the study like that way.

03:23 S1: So mostly we will be talking about the… Mostly it’s how the nature, how the human being… For the simple things. We just say in the… A human being, inside will be like a weather system. So then people, some will be very hot, or some will be very cold, some will be very damp, okay? Like raining all the time, okay? Then some will be very dry.

04:09 S1: So the main concept in the TCM thing, the dietetic thing, we want to be what? We will adjust the body by the dietetic, by the food, to make the body just like nature. The body will be have too dry or too hot, so we need to be have certain food to be keep the body, cool it down or we can be have the body moisture. If the body is imbalanced, so then will be what does the sick will be come from.

04:54 S1: We talked about the main, the dietetic preparation. Some will be similar to Western nutrition, some will be have very special in the diet. For example fresh juice, that will be involve in the Chinese medicine, we have that. Then in the Western, the modern nutrition we selling many carrot juice in America.

05:25 S1: So then they just make sure to… They’re listing all the ingredients inside. For example, like carrot juice. Then they will be say, “Oh! Beta-carotene, that will be good for the body.” But in the Chinese dietetic, we will be study a little bit different way. We say the fresh juice will be what, is cooling, okay? And moisturing will help the body, like a dryness. Then another kind, like the tea like now I drinking. So later on we’ll be talking more, so that will be… Even though now, the lesson study that we’ll be talking about, the tea will be very good for everybody.

06:16 S1: So even though the study say, inside we have many, many different ingredient. But then, like I mentioned in the TCM we study, the tea will be a different way, so we see how major group in the tea. One will be green tea, that will be more cooling. Okay, that’s what good for the cool the body we’ll be have heat. So then another tea that will be one is like a fermented, like a black tea. So that will little bit like warming. So that’s what the idea, we talk about all the food. We not really exactly to be learn every individual ingredient. That’s very complicated. We mostly study and mostly want to be, just say the whole, the nature, how to feed the human body.

07:19 S1: Another example, like the medicinal alcohol we call Yao Chu. So that will be what? We soak, for example ginseng, we soak it in the alcohol. Then what will be the function then? So then in the Western study they will be looking for the very detailed, you know the ginseng inside, if you had something, the ingredient. But for us, we will be mostly say, “Okay, ginseng in the TCM system, that will be very warm and very we call tonify, the Qi.” Then we put it in the alcohol, then will be what? Then even though make the stronger. That’s what now in the market, I think many companies, they’re selling the ginseng extract or alcohol. But they just say, “Oh, that’s be good for your energy, or something.” But they didn’t know, not everybody is good to drink those kinds of ginseng alcohol. Because the regeneration the body had, the heat. But if some people, they have very cold nature in the body, that will be very good.

08:39 S1: So then another example, we talked about like congee. So we put the rice to cook with the water, so become congee. One of the idea will be people will digest easier. But also, we have mentioned too that will be good for people who had chi deficient, but also had yin deficient. One of the example, like children, when they got like a diarrhea, there will be dehydration. In the western system, the fast way the doctor, like pediatric, how they do that? They will put the IV or something or cause immediately to help the body, the fluid. But that’s expensive and also not everybody can do that. But in the Chinese dietetic, one of the easy way, we will be put the rice to make congeal. That means that they put more water. Then we put a little bit salt or something. Then we be help the body, after drink it, then we will help the body. The balance, the mineral and the body fluid, the level.

10:16 S1: So now we will talk about another topic. In the dietetic, when we eat the food we need to match the season. For example, now in Spain, it’s summer, so then if you are outside, it’s very hot. So then, we need to find out some kind of food in the TCM nature they are cool, okay. That will be what to help the body to balance out. But we eat too much cold kind of food in the summer time, that can be also a problem. So that’s why in the Huangdi Neijing, we had the sentence say, “On the spring and the summer we need to be cultivating the Yang.” Because for example, people when summer time, they feel very hot, then they will be drinking a lot of ice cold water. Or even though the ice, that will be hurt the body, the Yang. So that’s what that sentence, the idea.

11:39 S1: We say on the spring and the summer, we need to be cultivating the Yang. Opposite on the autumn and the winter. Same thing too on the outside is very cold, so then we’ll be eat a lot of warming food. For example like a hot spicy, okay, like barbecue, those kind of things. Then after that, then will be what? The Yin and Yang will be out of balance. That’s why in the Huangdi Neijing we say nourishing the Yin in the autumn and the winter. But just say anyway, the other concept, we will be say the… Generally speaking, the human being is just like an animal, the human being. So need to be coordinated with all those kinds of, like the four season.

12:31 S1: So we need to be select the different kind of food then to match that season, so there will be help the body balance then we could avoid to be get sick. Another approach now I think everybody know like in the modern dietetic, they talks about people need to eat the salad or vegetable, will be have different color. As many color is good.

13:08 S1: Now I will take a little bit time to explanation how the Chinese medicine to be talking about those kind color, because we approach is different category. Here we be used as something like a fire element. That kind of idea, to how to match the human being. For example, now, say, like a green kind of food. For example, now just like I drink the green tea, okay, so then in the Chinese medicine is related with the liver.

13:48 S1: We say liver is detoxify all those kinds of toxicity in the human body. Same thing, if you know the liver is good, the function is good wellbeing, so then the human being, the health is good. Then we talked about any kind of green… Or even though we just, not necessary to taking, you just watch, okay, to more green like a tree or a grass. This still will be affect to the liver. Okay? Because in the TCM system we say the liver will also, not only detoxify, it’s also related to the eyes, too. That’s why all recommendation says, now we use a computer a lot, so then once in a while we need to be look at the outside, the green tree or the grass or something. That will be help the liver.

14:57 S1: Then another color, we talked about the red color. So then I can show you one of the fruit like a lychee, you see how red, okay? That will be what? Generally speaking, we say that will be something associated with the heart. Now, the Western study, they say, “Oh, okay. So now the red wine or whatever.” We talked about the grape juice if they are red is good for your heart, okay? But that kind of idea in the TCM system we say is, a couple of thousand years ago is already saying that, okay. Then they talked about all the food, if they are very red, it should be more connecting with your heart.

15:48 S1: Then, yellow color. So in the five element, in the TCM we say, is associated with the spleen and stomach. Okay then, for example, now carrot. Everybody will be now say is good. So after some people will be drink too much. Then what happens then? The skin, or the eyes even will become a jaundice, it’s a yellow. Okay? Everything should be balanced. Not say good then you’ll be, take every day, That’s not good. Because in the TCM we say those five different color, they for each organ, is good. But we need to be make sure every organ, not only just one organ. Okay? Then another example, like pumpkin. If they look yellow. It’s very good for the spleen and stomach in the TCM system.

16:52 S1: Another example there will be what, the color related with the white. Then the white in the five element is associated with the lung. I give you one of the example. Now, not only just the TCM say that. It’s also approved by the Western study, too. Like garlic, okay? It’s white. So then now some people will be make the garlic inside the ingredient to sell in the market, say it will be help your immunity. In the immunity, in the TCM will be what is associated with the lung. It’s related, we call “Wei Qi”, defense Qi. I think, later on the modern study and the TCM study, it should be matched together.

17:43 S1: Then the last color we talk about is black. Many food, if the color has dark will be entering the meridian in the Chinese medicine, will be kidney. Then the kidney will be what? They also will control the bone, control the hair. One of the simple and the good food, that would be black sesame. That’s what many people will be take that for help the hair. But also will be help the brain because the kidney, we say will be associated with the marrow, will be associated with the brain.

18:31 S1: Now we will be talking a little bit simple things. We talked about the main starchy things, like the rice. In the dietetic things, we say because the colors, white will be associated with the lung. Before I mention already, so then the rice, know how to cook that, they can be very rich nutrition things. You’ll be tonify the lungs to be help the immunity. Then the wheat. In the TCM system, wheat will be also related with the liver. I give you one of the example, simple dietetic things. We have one formula called Gan Mai Da Zao Tang. Okay, then mai, that will be also wheat. So we can pick them as simplified. You can put the whole wheat including the shell. Then you can put a little bit roast it, then you can just put it in like a real… You put the hot boiling water, just make a tea. Then you constantly to drink it as a tea. Then what will be help you that. We talked about the TCM diagnosis says liver chi congestion, or we call “dry organ”. But we use it the Western study, so what you be that kind? It’s more menopausal, then the people will be feel hot flashes, sweating, you’ll be feel very uncomfortable. So then one of the simple dietetic treatment, so then you can be just drink those whole wheat roaster, whole wheat as like a tea. That it will be help you a lot without any kind of side effect.

20:54 S1: Potato. We talked about one of the kind of easy way to be treat the disease one will be what? We pick a potato. After we use it, make the raw juice. Use the machine to squeeze it, to make the juice. Then we drink it. Then what will be happen then? That will make the stomach cooling. One of the kind of dietetic method some people will be have a stomach ulcer or stomach acid too much, because we say that is the Western diagnosis. We need to make sure they belong to we call stomach in-deficient. So then we just drink those type of raw potato juice. Might help the symptoms, also be help to the lining. We’ll be sitting and also might be… Because the lining’s the ulcer. I give you another example, very simple too. Your skin is different things. The skin have ulcer or the skin have rash, feel burning or crack. One of the kind of simple treatment, you can make the raw potato to make juice. Okay, then you put the gauze or something to put on that area. Then will be what? That will be help the symptoms. Even though the stomach is inside, but the same thing, had lining. It’s like a skin, will be have the same effect.

22:49 S1: Now I give you another example. It’s corn. So the corn will be what? I think everybody know what the corn in the Western studies. It’s very good for the eyes and have many good nutrition things, but the corn silk, mostly people will be throw away. But one of the Chinese dietetic, you just collect those kinds corn silk to boiling, become a soup to drink. Then what happens? You’ll be help the body eliminate of the dampness. It will help the urination increase in order to take out the toxicity inside the body. The yam, same thing too. Read now many people in the Western study, they talk about very good food. Okay, but it’s different way to study. In TCM Dietetic, we say the yam will be what? Depend on the color too.

24:00 S1: For example, now will become very popular, is the purple yam. Then will be what? They will be help the body, the bowel movement, and inside if we have many ingredient, it can be help the arthritis pain too. Actually one of the Shan Yao we grow is the herb, but they actually is kind of yam related, mountain yam we call that. Okay. It will be help many way to be tonify the spleen in the TCM system. But then I think now in the Western study, they find out they have many things, even though has something like female hormone related. So then will be help the people menopausal, but it’s in general good for everybody.

24:50 S1: Because actually in the dietetic things, we will be what? We will be such a daily basics. We eat the food. We need to see what kind your body’s imbalance. Then we will be choose what kind of strong effect, the kind of vegetable or fruit or something to have. So now, I’ll just give you some example. One of the squash we call ku gua is bitter melon. So then will be what? It’s very… Kind of bitter, but actually that will be help the body, very cooling. For example, sometime we have, we call the fire, in the stomach. What happen then?

25:51 S1: Sometime we will have gum swollen and sore throat. When we eat too much like now the fast food, Kentucky Fried Chicken, all is deep oil, deep fry. Then will be generating, the body have a lot of fire, we call it just heat. Then will be what? That bitter melon will be what? It looks like certain kind of very strong medication in that herbal medicine, like Huang Lian or Huang Jing, those kinds of herb, but it’s without that kind of bad taste. Then we can be using the bitter melon to be cooked with something then in order to help the body take out the heat.

26:41 S1: And also, I think you can see in the Power Point, we have something that look like the root, that actually on the first picture, that actually we call Shan Yao, is the mountain yam. We mentioned that before. It’s very good for the body. Now I think it’s become popular. Not mainstream, the supermarket yet, but all those kind of Oriental supermarket will be selling that fresh. We call fresh mountain yam. That will be tonify the spleen Qi. So it will be help the body, you know, the energy, and help the digestion very much. And we mentioned before, it’s kind of yam. So then every nutrients recognizing that will be what is good food.

27:40 S1: Then another one on the picture we talked about, look like kid of green leaf. Actually, I took those picture in China. It’s in the market. Then there, we’ll be just go to market to buy food everyday, so then will be what? One more, the fruit we call Goji tsu or whatever, call wolf-berry, but that is the leaf. Then we will be also eat the leaf too. This one the picture, we call goji. So it will be very good for the eyes and also will be help the body, like anemia, those kind of things.

28:25 S1: And I will be especially to mention one of the vegetable selling here too in the farmer’s market. But it’s grow in everybody like a backyard, especially springtime. It’s called Purslane. I think in here, I saw it they sell it in the farmer’s market, but also in the Mexican market, too. Then the Purslane, in the Ping Yi, we call Ma Chi Xian, how good this herb? In the herbal system, we say that it will be help diarrhea, but I think there are studied by the Western very good already. They say can be help to detoxify the body. Now, everybody use the plastic things. We be had one of the kind of chemical things phenol, yeah. One of the chemical thing.

29:24 S1: That’s what people now in the United States not only, I think everywhere, because people will be use that plastic bottle as a content to be more the food, any kind of food actually is now is used mostly plastic thing. Then they can be slowly to be by that type of chemical things. They somewhat look like female hormone. Then will be what? People drink too much those things, whatever the water, the bottled water, or especially if the inside has something like acid, those kind of liquid. Then they will be slow melt down into that liquid. So then people drink too much those kind of water. You be have something risk to make more breast cancer or the female system cancer. Then that Purslane actually we can detoxified that.

[pause]

30:42 S1: Now we will be take a little bit of time to be talk about something like fruit. Every fruit is something too beside the color. Also we be have many different kind of nature, some will be very hot, okay? If your body is very cold, it’s good. But if your body is very, has something fiery, for example, you always feel like burning, or you feel something like very hot body, so then some of the fruit will be not good for you. For example, a lychee, we mentioned. That is tropical fruit. Mango, those kind of thing. Or even though the grape, it be a red wine, so now we say, “Oh, you know, red wine’s good for… ” Now many people say red wine is good. But, it depends on. That’s what the main idea in the Chinese medicine. Your body is cold, then the red wine is good. But then if you already have many heat in your body, then you drink the red wine, then you’ll be generous to the fire. Then later on you’ll be out of balance. Then what happens then? Then you can be get a sore throat, or later on you might be get an infection or something.

[pause]

32:04 S1: So now I think you received a picture. Looked like a parfait. [laughter] I don’t know why you choose that, but I can say something about that thing, okay? I know everybody knows now, the parfait that will be increase your body’s cholesterol, so it’s not good. But actually, you know what? In the Chinese medicine, or dietetic things, one that’s called red rice yeast. That’s what mostly now the drug company to make something, that category or lower the cholesterol of the body, called Statin system. Where they come from? Actually, the original comes from the study of the red rice yeast. Then you know the idea, they get that, because people find out when they eat just a parfait, like the picture is showing, then they will be feel congestion and they feel difficult to digestion. But then they don’t. They find out, they use the red yeast kind of sauce. They make something, cooked together with that red yeast, red rice yeast, but it makes a soy sauce, those kind of things.

33:38 S1: Then to make the parfait, the colors, the red. But beside that, after they taking, they feel it. Not that congestion. It’s something inside. That’s what the scientists, they will be, “You know, we need to find out, see what will be the kind of the red rice yeast inside has something interesting thing?” Then later on they find out, actually that’s what the Statin system. So now we be what? The drug company make that, selling everywhere. Everybody, the patient, who had high cholesterol, they will be prescribed those type of Statin. Okay? Then you probably know some patient will be have very strong side affect with the Statin, with the muscle. We be feel very weak, some people will be feel, actually they can be melt [chuckle] the muscle. We talked about that, use the food, to be correct the body, the imbalance.

34:57 S1: Okay, now we be had a little more time to talk about the tea again. Before they say the coffee is not good, but now they say that coffee is good [chuckle] Why that? Actually, because the coffee, some ingredients is like tea. One of the ingredients, like caffeine, so then they say it can be prevention, the Alzheimer or something, those kinds of things. Okay. But in the TCM Dietetic, we talked about the kind of tea, the function is very, very long history already. Say you have your Shen. Shen actually, in another sentence would be say is the mind, or the brain.

35:55 S1: Okay then we be what? People, if they know how to be select good category of the tea? Then we’d be what. Every day we need to drink water, tea or coffee, then we be keep a kind of medication. We mentioned if the body is heat kind, then the green tea would be the best choice. But didn’t say the black tea is no good. In the Western study because they are use a different system. Then they would be say, “Green tea is good.” Why that? Because inside would be more nutrition things, because they didn’t destroy. But then we study is different way. Then even black tea is good too. Because some people they have cold. Then the black tea, even they put a little bit milk, even though sugar. It’s still good. But then, the coffee is good. But if you put too much sugar and too much milk or something, then it will be what? . Then it will be candy, not necessary very healthy. But if you eat, say, general like Chinese drink the tea they didn’t put any things inside. That should be more healthy. I think you can see it in the Power Point, the tea is already studied very completely by the Western. It is considered very good diet thing. Okay.

37:56 S1: Now we talk about a little bit the milk. Oh, okay, we probably have time. [chuckle] Anybody have any question, you can be asking. We really don’t have time to be finished all the content, okay.

[pause]

38:22 S1: By the way, I have published two books. Okay.

38:37 Speaker 2: While Dr. Pang recovers from drinking tea a little bit incorrectly, Dr. Jeffrey Pang has actually written two different books that are highly recommended on Chinese medicine dietetics. This one right here is Chinese Medicine Dietetics Remedies. You can see it up on your screen right now. Super good, incredibly cheap. I am an acupuncturist, I’m a doctoral fellow right now and to find this kind of information, as you can see it’s pretty thin, but it means that everything has been super condensed. And it’s very difficult to find really good quality information out there, as there’s so much dietetics type of information, but these are amazing. And he has this second book too, that he recently put out, Volume One of Chinese Medicine Dietetics. And so we’re looking for… There’s a third one coming out too.

39:32 S1: Yeah, it will be take time. We will be planning to do that, okay.

39:37 S2: Definitely plenty more to come out. If you are a practitioner already, if you are an acupuncturist, I definitely recommend checking out some of the CEUs that Dr. Pang has as well in Chinese medicine dietetics, those are really great. So you can get a little bit more information. As you can see, we weren’t able to get through all of the material. It would take a lifetime to actually study all the material on Chinese dietetics and the subtle nuances of it. So now we just wanna open up the virtual floor to any questions that any students might have. Feel free to write any kind of questions on the right side of your screen, and then you can ask those questions there.

[background conversation]

40:34 S2: Go ahead and just feel free to ask any questions. I mean you have a living legend sitting right next to me. With any kind of questions that you might have in relation to any kind of therapy conditions. Again, we were able to only go over just a couple brief topics. And so if there are any acupuncturists out there… We also will have a poll as well that will be coming up in just a little bit, that will explain some more. The poll is happening right now? Sorry, the poll is actually happening right now. [chuckle] Let’s see here. The first question here, you guys have already kind of figured out is, “What additional health care topic would you like us to address?”. And it looks like, wow. It’s actually tied. Actually we have a pretty good thing: Tied 43% for mental health and women’s health, and GI disorders are another really interesting topic. I actually chose those myself today, so you’re welcome. Yeah, so we’ll go ahead and go on to the next poll question. This is actually talking about our open house that’s coming on. If anybody is interested in going to that, go ahead and either say, yes or no. Okay. It looks like all of you have voted.

[background conversation]

42:19 S2: Okay. We’ll go ahead and go to the next question here. The next question is, “If you’re not an acupuncturist and if you’re just getting a little bit more information, are you interested in enrolling in our graduate degree program, studying acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine and actually getting an opportunity to study with Dr. Pang in person, live?” It’s pretty great. So, 10 more seconds.

42:52 S2: Alright. Thank you, and the final poll question. Okay. So, the final poll question is, “Are you interested… Would you like to have an admission advisor contact you later today… ” Sorry, not later today, “… Later this week or very soon, to find out a little bit more information?” Okay. Just a couple more seconds, everyone else can finish that. Okay. Thank you. Okay. So now, we’re gonna open this up just a little bit and Dr. Pang is sitting here next to me. So we’ll scoop this over. Feel free to take advantage of this opportunity to ask the master on any kind of dietetics-related questions that you might have. Do we have a question?

[background conversation]

44:00 S2: So, our first question that we have is: What is a good tonic or an herb to help with hot flashes?

44:05 S1: Okay. There will be one is, we mentioned before, the Shan Yao meaning wild mountain yam. Okay, because the inside has somewhat, associated somewhat like a female hormone. But actually, it’s not exactly the same. People don’t need to worry about and say, “Oh, it might be a stimulation to cancer or something.” It’s not exactly the same like a drug. Okay? So then, that’s one of the recipes. You can eat more the wild mountain yam. Another thing I think I mentioned before, if you use whole wheat, even though including the shell, then you be roast it a little bit or not necessarily roast it, depends on your body, the constitution, okay? Then, you make tea. Then you drink it, okay? Another thing, because generally speaking, the hot flashes, we say is a Yin and Yang is in-balanced. Mainly is the Yin is not enough, so then the heat will be come up. Then you’ll be make the hot flash.

45:28 S1: Generally speaking, green tea is good, too. And also, because people get the menopausal therapy, had something like Qi will be blocking in the body secretion. It’s not so good. So then, we will be try to use some kind of flower to open up. The flower can be used food, for example, something like rose flower or jasmine, okay? So, like jasmine tea or we can be combine with the tea like rose, we can combine with the black tea. The jasmine, we can usually combine with the green tea, okay?

46:26 S1: So, that’s the common food. But we mentioned the main things that you need to find out your body, what kind of imbalance there, okay? Even though it’s hot flashes, but sometimes they just not necessarily always heat. Some people can be like Yin and Yang is both deficient too. So the better way, we need to be find out the pulse or tongue or combination. Then, we can be have more detail. But just say generally, those kind of food it’s generous good.

47:09 S2: Okay. We have another question. What types of fruits and meat will not worsen heat symptoms? So, in other words, what types of foods and fruits will cool the body down?

47:23 S1: Okay.

47:23 S2: Cool the body down, especially, heat that’s on the facial scale.

47:26 S1: Yeah. All the meat, red meat considered is a heat in the body. So then, we’ll be what? Only then people, and that’s what we say, need to be associate the season. Like wintertime, then people generally can be take red meat, okay. But then, depend on the body. If they already have heat then the red meat will be have to be avoid. They need to be eat more fish or something. Fish generally, because they is in the water especially when they in the cold water. Those kinds of fish will be considering, kind of the nature is cooling. That would be good for the people.

48:13 S2: What about facial heat. People that have itchy or inflamed…

48:17 S1: Like a acne or something.

48:18 S2: Yeah, I think maybe acne is kinda what they’re going towards.

48:21 S1: Yeah, that usually is the heat on the body. So they will be need to be eat more, like we mentioned before, even the bitter melon or more green, those kind of salad, or those kinds of things. Okay. The carrot juice is considered kind of cooling too.

48:39 S2: Okay. Okay. Do we have any other questions? Okay, well while you’re drumming up a couple of questions, I just want to talk a little bit about our upcoming webinars that we have coming up soon. I just wanna remind you also, we’re kinda gonna shift a little bit more and shift directions for our upcoming webinars. What we’ve been doing the last nine webinars is having more of a lecture format with a little Q and A at the end. But we wanna change it up a little bit to where it will be more of a seminar format, so that way the professor can talk a little bit and then give some time in the middle to kinda have more dyadic information going on. So that way the students can ask questions, pose inquiries and then get that feedback. It’s kind of a seminar style, a classroom in the middle.

49:33 S2: We think that’ll be a little bit more interaction, and a little bit more dynamic of an experience. So let us know if you like that. And some of the upcoming webinars that we have are on… Today is June. July 18th there’ll be a topic on treating insomnia with TCM. And insomnia as you know is different things, like it would be difficult falling asleep or actually waking multiple times. So we’ll be talking about all sort of topics on insomnia. That will be done by one of our professors Dr. Jacqueline Bird. On August 15th, we’ll be discussing treating allergies with traditional Chinese medicines, so that’ll be good too. And so it looks like we have another question that came in. Let me just scroll up here. [chuckle] Okay. Normally this is the one people want to know. Oh, yeah, okay no, this is very good. Yeah, so what about some super yummy damp-clearing foods? What are your favorite foods that clear damp, or dampness? [chuckle]

50:37 S1: Yeah, okay, one of kind of food, even those selling in the main stream store too, is Yi Ren

I mean about Yi Yi Ren.

50:50 S2: Oh, Yi Yi Ren. Job’s tears.

50:51 S1: Yeah, I think called Job’s tears.

50:53 S2: Job’s tears, yeah.

50:54 S1: That will be a very good food, so that will be help the body to take out the dampness. I think even too they serving in the health store, so everywhere. But when we eat that food, you will be expecting, very fast can make things happen. They just gradually, okay, because they will be the dampness will be promote. I mean make the urination more, then they come out from the body little by little. But that definitely is very good food. Yeah, I think not only the TCM thing, too Western studies. That’s what they selling in the health store. It’s very good for the dampness. Even for the skin condition too, okay, like the eczema or acne or even the arthritis. So it’s very good food. I would be recommendation that for the dampness.

51:53 S2: Did you say corn silk too? Is that what you were gonna kinda mention?

51:56 S1: Yeah, yeah you can put together, but the corn silk you cannot eat them, because is fiber thing. You might use the corn silk to be make the tea first, then you cook with this, that Yi Yi Ren.

52:11 S2: Oh, that’d be really good. Very good.

52:13 S1: Because that things like rice, you can eat them.

52:16 S2: Okay.

52:17 S1: So that is good for the dampness.

52:20 S2: Okay, okay. So another question. For cooling, is it better to cook the vegetables or does it not matter if you’re trying to invoke…

52:32 S1: If very strong, you want to cooling sometimes, fresh juice, it’ll be warm, okay? Yeah. You can make vegetable juice, put in the machine to be make the like a raw juice. But if some people, they have stomach… Every food we need, when we take into the stomach, the stomach is like a cooker, you have to be cook little bit, okay? So then if they are… The stomach function is not that strong, so even though is heat, but then you take too much those raw vegetable, it still cause problem so we need to be see how little by little or something.

53:16 S2: Maybe like warm, like room temperature?

53:18 S1: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

53:19 S2: Room temperature, raw? Okay, we have another question here. For a patient that’s undergoing chemotherapy and having a difficult time eating, would you recommend something for that kind of a patient? I guess it’s been…

53:34 S1: Yeah, for that things, usually, radiation therapy, that usually in the TCM system you’ll be generation the body very heat. Because the radiations look like sun light or thing. Then chemotherapy usually is like the toxicity thing. Then they will be work to be damage the stomach Qi. That will be make people cannot eat, throw up, things like that. Then we need to be like mention to use something like wild mountain yam, or we use the Dang Shen, some kind of Ginseng, but it’s not Korean Ginseng, okay? So then will be what? You know, they sell in the market, even to make like crystallize, like a tea. So then be can easier to take, okay? And also even though like something simple things in your garden grow, like a mint leaf with something like lemon juice little bit and green tea. And also another important things can be used, ginger. Because people, they throw up very easily after chemo. Then you can use a little bit ginger, then put a little bit orange peel or something to be made like a tea, to drink that will be subside, side effect suck that from the chemo.

55:01 S2: Okay. Yeah, that’s really good.

55:11 S1: Do you have any other question? [chuckle] It’s almost 6 o’clock.

55:17 S2: The one last question that we have, so this person wants to know about soy products and kidney function, weak kidney function. A lot of like protein powders and things have soy in there. Do you recommend that to people with kidney function diseases or kidney problems?

55:36 S1: It is, if the kidney function a problem, too much protein is not so good for them. But in our systems, same thing, we need to be find out, the Po Zan Tong then to see how the kidney, yin or yang, which part is more disharmony. Then we need to be select some kind of food to be eat. Same thing, like if we say all black beans is good for kidney, but it depend on too. Everything we want to be is balanced.

56:09 S2: Right.

56:10 S1: Actually, one of the major things we talked about on the very beginning, we say the congee making, we say we have five different kinds of veggie, five different kinds of fruit, or five different kind of grain things, that just meaning, we eat things… Even though some is good. We not where we can eat them all the time. Then we be make the body in-balance. Even though they start to say “Oh, it’s very good”, you know that saying, “Soy beans good, okay.” But if you eat soy beans all the time, you still have problem, okay? [chuckle]

56:45 S1: So everything needs to be balanced. That’s why before, one of the kind, called Atkins diet, not good. Because they just say, “Oh, you want to lose weight?”. One of the methods, right, you don’t eat any carbohydrates, so you just eat meat. Some people accept that. Then they eat all the meat, I think they get problem, okay, because it’s imbalanced. So then later on, they will be get high cholesterol, or very something problem or heart disease or any kind. So that meaning to say, everything we need to be… That’s what the main idea to the TCM things, we need to be everything make a balance. And the human body needs to be matched like nature, like season, everything go together. Then the body will be more balanced, including the mantle too, now exercise. That’s what they put the congee making to talk about five different kind of things, or even just say you get six different kinds, okay? But just the idea, say want to be not… Is they have to be many different food to be balanced, to eat everyone. Okay.

58:08 S2: Great, well thank you so much Dr. Pang, for coming here and sharing your wisdom with us.

A Great Place To Become A Doctor & Acupuncturist

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TCM for Cancer Symptom Support

Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that if you replenish the Blood/Qi you will tonify the body and also fortify the organs. Using herbal prescriptions and acupuncture, customized for the patient, Chinese Medicine can improve the body’s ability to fight cancer, relieve complicated symptoms and control cancer progression. It also helps to reduce complications that arise in conventional therapies and increase the body’s tolerance towards radiotherapy and chemotherapy. We are honored to have Dr. Joanna Zhao LAc.,MD China, NCCAOM to give us an introduction on how TCM for cancer symptom support.

00:00 Speaker 1: So good evening and thanks for joining in. We are going to have this webinar TCM for Cancer Support with Dean and Professor Joanna Zhao. Today we’ll have a little introduction by myself in the webinar series, we’ll then begin the TCM for cancer support symptoms, then we will have a poll, and after that, Dr. Joanna Zhao will have time to answer your questions. This is the eighth webinar of our TCM webinar series. In this series, we will look into how TCM can help heal many of the common diseases that Americans face today. So please join us to learn more. Our next webinar is June 13th at 5:00 PM, and that is our TCM for Dietary Therapy. And an exciting news, in July our TCM webinar series will have a new spin on the webinar. So July we will have TCM for Insomnia, but we will do it in a different format. In July, TCM for Insomnia will feature a live demo between the doctor and the patient. So you’ll get to see a live interaction between that.

01:11 S1: So in that you’ll get to see on our homepage here, if you click ‘Reserve your seat in our free webinar’, right here underneath ‘University News and Events’. If you click on that, it will go to this page. And this is where you can sign up for all of our different things, open houses, webinars, and seminars. And you will see down here, our live webinars. So this is our webinar today. And in July, as I said, we will now be doing an online clinical demo, which is really cool. Like I said, you’ll get to see more doctor-patient interaction within that. Alright, and just so you guys know, if you have any questions, please feel free to, on the side of your screen, there is a go to webinar pop up and you can ask the professor questions which she will answer at the end of the lecture.

02:13 S1: So just a little bit about Joanna Zhao. She received her education from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the People’s Republic of China, where she trained in both western medicine and TCM. Professor Zhao teaches in the departments of TCM Acupuncture and TCM Herbology, and is a faculty member of the Five Branches DAOM program. Joanna has spent more than a quarter of a century teaching and practicing TCM in China and the US, working with local oncologists and developing specialties in cancer, immune diseases, and mental and emotional disorders. Joanna has lectured at Five Branches International Symposium on women’s TCM and on pediatric TCM. She’s also been the lead speaker at national conferences on female reproductive cancer and leukemia. So please welcome her and enjoy her lecture. This is our esteemed Professor and Dean of Five Branches University, Joanna Zhao.

03:27 Joanna Zhao: Hi, everybody. My name is Joanna Zhao and Faye already introduced me. For the supporting the healing, supported the healing, when I got this topic, I said that that’s very important for everybody. So that’s why I like to spend a little bit of time with you and then to discuss how Chinese medicine acupuncture can help support the cancer patient and support the healing. Okay. So talk about the cancer. In most people’s minds is related with death. Of course, many different diseases can also relate with death, but the most frightened of all diseases is cancer. You know the cancer, the words, actually is a crab. You know the crab, if you think about the crab, we always say who is the first person eat the crab in this world is very brave because the crab has eight legs and it crawl everywhere, and the cancer, just like that, goes everywhere in person’s body if we’re not taking care of it, if somebody get it.

05:02 JZ: But the problem is, the cancer patient is not getting less and less like other diseases, certain other diseases. The cancer, recently, the number of cancer patients has increased. Some of the cancers are due to pollution of the modern industry area and some because of the chemical using, toxic, and also, for example, like the fertilizers and the preserved food, they all become a problem. So because today we talk about the traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, how do we help? Do you know in China, in traditional Chinese medicine, we always talk about the yin and the yang, five elements, eight differentiations, and where this come from? Actually, if you look at the old Chinese history book, even just history book talk about, about 3,000 years ago, we already start using Chinese herbs and some acupuncture treatment help the diseases, include right now the modern medicine called cancer.

06:31 JZ: So in Chinese medicine, since today I’m talking to the public, so it’s not like you already… And some of them maybe already studied acupuncture, but some of them really know acupuncture herbs, what are you actually talk about. So actually, acupuncture and the herbal treatment has been in this world for 3,000 years, but the cancer treatment, how do you treat or how do you support? Do you know that cancer actually in Chinese medicine, we talk about the inflammation. And reducing inflammation is one of the very strong tool in Chinese medicine and acupuncture. We talk about earth, we talk about the human being, we talk about the sky, which is heaven. So we have the one we talk about called heaven and the earth, human being in between heaven and earth.

07:36 JZ: We dance with the heaven and the earth, which is if we’re living in this area, living in this world, we breathe the air, we eat the food, we drink the water, everything related with our health. If the water is polluted, if the air has got a whole bunch of pollution, and what happened to our body? So that’s why increase the cancer patients now. This is the one thing we have to actually deal with. I like to use today’s chance to actually talk about that. And also if a patient got a cancer, they have a pain. So how do we stop the pain? Now we talk about, now people use pain medicine, painkiller and even people use opium. What happened after that? Many patients, they actually got trouble from the addiction. So that also I like to share some of them with you.

08:42 JZ: How do we see as Chinese medicine doctor, how do we see these diseases? How do we reduce patient’s stress? Because the minute somebody had a cancer, first thing we think about, “Oh my God, I don’t wanna get that. Why it’s me?” All these things will come out. What happened is stress. Of course, you go see the doctor, doctor will give you some good ideas. For example, maybe you need operation, maybe you need chemotherapy, maybe you need radiation or hormone therapy, anything you can mention, right? So what happened? A cancer patient become very stressful, “I really have the problem. Now, I have to think about if I deal with chemo, I will have the chemo side effect. If I deal with the hormone, I don’t know what’ll happened with me. Yeah. If I do radiation, lots of heat. And all these can help me are just temporary.”

09:52 JZ: So I met so many patients, they come to me and this is their question, want me to answer. Of course, very difficult for as a practitioner to answer that question. I can’t say, “Oh, you don’t do radiation.” “Oh, you have to do chemo.” I’m not MD in America, so I’m an acupuncturist and Chinese medicine doctor. So I had to work with the patients and work with the oncologist sometimes to find the good way for patient can actually, first thing important is reduce the stress. Because in Chinese medicine, stress can cause lots of problem. For example, we said the stress cause liver Qi stagnation, stress cause the spleen Qi deficiency and etcetera, etcetera. So if you have a stress, you also can cause stagnation. The stagnation of the Qi, which is a vital energy, Q-I, Qi which is vital energy and also can affect the blood circulation causes stresses So, how do we reduce that? I will talk about that.

11:01 JZ: And also if the cancer patient, now they just say, “Okay, I got a cancer, I am waiting for die.” No, that is very negative. When you get a cancer, maybe the doctor will tell you, “Oh, so and so, you only have how many years to live or you have months to live.” I told the patient, of course you had to listen what the doctor told you, but you have to listen to yourself, your own body. How do you fight? If you already have a cancer, how do you dance with the wolf? The cancer is a wolf, he’s going to eat you. You try to run away, he’ll still follow you. Or you dance with the wolf, you work with the wolf and maybe you will survive. So that is the one, how to increase living quality. Yeah. That’s also our Chinese medicine doctor and acupuncturist want to work with patient.

12:11 JZ: And also, I would just talk about the reduced side effect, right? And the chemo radiation, and whatever, whatever. So, for example, somebody who has breast cancer, and maybe the doctor think you had to do the chemotherapy, which can save your life, and you did the research, you found out that this is a good thing for you to do it. So most of the people will use the 5-FU IV, right? So what happened, it might help you to reduce the cancer, and get rid of cancer, if this is the initial stage, beginning stage. But then what happened is, you will have… Because of this medicine, we had to face it. It is a medicine. It’s a medicine, and eliminate bone marrow. So what happens if you eliminate bone marrow? Your white blood cell is going to go down. You have no energy.

13:13 JZ: And also, you have another side effect, which is a stomach and the intestinal reaction. Gradually, gradually, you can’t eat what the food that you like to eat. So these two side effects… Because the 5-FU works for breast cancer, but we had to face to these two side effects, as Chinese medicine doctor and acupuncturist, I’m working for many, many breast cancer patient, and help them to work with us and work with the oncologist, and many of them have very good results. And some patients living with… Until now, about 20 years or 30 years, and they are doing very well. So we can work with the patient to actually help them to reduce the side effects, can overcome the side effects.

14:21 JZ: And number four, we talk about that alleviates the pain, because in some cancer, especially the later stage, and will have some pain, can be very excessive pain. So how do we do it? We also still want to keep their life quality, and then we don’t want them to be miserable and take the pain medicine, and morphine, and finally can’t really actually function. So, the Chinese medicine, acupuncture, actually, especially the acupuncture really works for eliminate the pain and help the patient and overcome the pain. Okay. So right now I like to… Because the time is very short, I like to give some examples. I choose the three examples, one is the gastric carcinoma, and a one is liver cancer, and a one is lung cancer.

15:28 JZ: Because, I come from China, I see the patient and these three cancer is very common. And also I came to this country, and I practice in Five Branches University in the clinic and in my own clinic, too. I see some patients have the stomach cancer, and the liver, and the lung cancer. Of course, many other cancers, but today the time I just give examples, how does acupuncture, how does traditional Chinese medicine help these patients? Talk about the gastric carcinoma, the manifestations I listed here, many of you already know. Epigastric discomfort and the pain, this is one of the very common feeling the patient in the beginning, and vomiting, nausea, and vomiting with the blood, and also you see the stool has black color.

16:40 JZ: And then later the patient will feel the mass in this epigastric area, epi means above. So above, in the gastric area, feel the mass. Why I want to list that? Because Chinese medicine not only just help to support the cancer patient treatment, also preventing is our main purpose. How to prevent? Find the things early and just try to avoid it is possible. So for example, if you see somebody who vomiting without reason, or after eat, vomit it right away, you had to think about, something not right if the patient is not pregnant. Something not right, and it doesn’t matter for a man or woman, the vomiting with the blood. Of course, vomiting with the blood can be stomach ulcer, stool black can be stomach ulcer. So sometimes can be confused.

17:52 JZ: But I do wanted to tell you the gastric carcinoma, the early stages. The early stage, patient can have no obvious symptoms. That’s scary. And also early stage, I just said before, confused with gastritis and confused with people who dislike food and the stress, whatever and anorexia and the gastric ulcer. I just said the gastric ulcer can have bleeding, yeah, it can have black stool. So how do you distinguish it? How do you find out? And how do you help? What I do is, if the patient come to my clinic, if they have these symptoms, I would do acupuncturist treatment, acupuncture treatment, and I also will give the herbs to help to stop the symptoms. If these symptoms after my herb for a week or two, is still there, I would put a question mark and discuss with patients.

19:12 JZ: From that, I wanna talk a little bit, go to the ideology, to how the gastric carcinoma sometimes will happen. As far as we know, they are related with something, so I did a research when I was in China in Ningguo City, that city is near by the ocean. It’s very famous, fishing, and now it become very modern city, and a long time ago it’s country side… I mean, the ocean side. And what happened the people in one of the ocean village, they have so many stomach cancer, and they don’t know what’s going on. Is it a genetic reason? We found out it’s not really. If you wanna see genetic, you can see that, because the family, generation to generation to generation, maybe they are eating similar food, maybe they like certain food, by generation it transferred to another generation, look like as a genetic reason, but actually, sometimes it’s not.

20:33 JZ: And also this village, they love to eat very salty fish, dry fish. That salty dry fish we found out too much salt intake, it’s one of the actually cause stomach problem, ulcer, it became cancer. Of course, carcinogenic substance also is another thing, such as nitrosamines, sodium nitrate, hydrocarbon, etcetera, etcetera, so we have many food having that. Now I wanna talk of one of my patients, actually not with cancer in the stomach, the cancer become leukemia, a child, yeah. What happened is, one child and he loves hotdogs, he almost eats hotdog everyday. Of course, if it’s organic hotdog, it’s different. I don’t know what kinda hotdog he’s eating, I think it must have a large sodium nitrate. So for years and years, hotdog is his food and later I treated him because they come for leukemia. From my knowledge, I think, that might be the reason. Yeah.

22:10 JZ: Gastric carcinoma, it’s the same thing, if you eat too much chemical stuff, we have to be careful, that’s the prevention, okay? Some TCM diagnosis, I put over here in Chinese but I also translated it. ‘Fanwei’, somebody… If you see the Chinese doctor, maybe they tell you, “Oh, you have a fanwei.” What is that? Regurgitation, yeah, after you eat, suddenly, you wanna throw up. Another one is ‘wei wan tong’, epigastric pain. Another one is called ‘yi ge’, difficult in swallow the food, you feel something there in the esophagus or in the way, you feel not drinking water even, have problem. Another one is ‘xin fu pi’, which is fullness in the epigastric, this not necessarily a cancer but it possibly related.

23:15 JZ: In Chinese medicine, the pathogenesis cause of disease is emotional disturbance, it’s very important, emotional disturbance. We also did some research, we found out, today I don’t have time to talk about it. Another one is improper diet, we just talked about it in a whole bunch and some salt and sodium nitrate, whatever. Of course, if you eat hotdog once a month, no problem, even sodium nitrate, I don’t think it will hurt you, right? Long-term deficiency of the spleen, the stomach, that’s the one we talk in Chinese TCM terminology, we think the channel, the meridian, the stomach and spleen channel deficiency, it will cause digestive function problem and if too long that also can cause ulcer and become cancer.

24:13 JZ: And number four, the liver channel. I’m talking about liver, it’s called the liver channel fails to maintain the free flow of the Qi. We said that in Chinese medicine, the liver channel helps the free flows of the Qi. Why? If the free flow of the Qi is not good, and the Qi is not free fluid, means the stress, and the stagnation. Hopefully, I use a little bit of TCM terminology and hopefully not to confuse you. Because if you come to see the Chinese medicine doctor, they might tell you that and then you know what it about. And the stomach Qi fails to descend. It means poor digestion, you’re always belching, belching. And you say, “Why?” Because the Qi is not go down, stomach Qi, it’s supposed to go down. As it goes up, now you vomit.

25:04 JZ: And dampness, we talk about the inflammation is the dampness in TCM. And inflamed, toxic heat inflammation and blood stasis accumulates in the stomach, which is cause gastric cancer, leads that. So how do we support that treatment? Soothe the liver channel and regulate the function of the stomach channel. Because today we talk about how do we support, I will give you one example, which is I use a lot for the patient to protect, or to prevent, or even you have some problem you can start to use it, Zhi Gan Cao, which is roasted licorice. It’s very simple. You go to health food store, or some other store, they will send you some licorice candy. So that’s the licorice. Why would they do that? It’s good for the digestion and good for the Qi. Yeah, it’s roasted one, okay, you can use. And also, how do we move the Qi, help the Qi and we relieve the pain? There’s another two things which is you can find everywhere you want. Green tea. Yeah, green tea.

26:22 JZ: Green tea also have many functions. Of course, they can help your stomach. And I think green tea is very good for relieve the pain. And also Chen pi is orange peel. But they put a Chen Pi means the old orange peel, very old. But if you don’t have old orange peel, that’s okay. You can use fresh one, but have to dry it and put in the green tea and you see, and help release the pain. TCM supported treatments, support chemotherapy or other treatments. For example, I have two formulas I like to introduce to you. But these formulas are very simple and very useful. One is called… I call the green tea formula. I have green tea, you have roasted licorice we just talk about, then we have orange peel, you have already introduced to you these three.

27:23 JZ: The last one, is also hawthorn fruit. It’s a fruit for digestion. It’s very good. Chowder the hawthorn and together, and put together and make tea for you. Then you ask, “How much you want me to put in?” Okay, the green tea only need like 10 pieces, 10 to 15 piece of leaf, that’s good enough. And roasted licorice, orange peel, and also the hawthorn. Yeah, it’s like one teaspoon each, for the whole day cup of the tea. You can drink the whole day, you just put water in, hot water in. And increase immune energetic system, because we talk about cancer treatment we’ll also need to have the immune energy. And also if preventing the immune energy even more important. So we have a couple herbs that I’d like to introduce to you. You can make a formula.

28:36 JZ: One is astragalus Huang Qi, one is American ginseng, another one we call the Ju Hua chrysanthemum. A beautiful chrysanthemum, but it’s the one for the herbal. Not everywhere chrysanthemum, colorful chrysanthemum you can use. It’s a small, small yellowish-white chrysanthemum. And the dong quai Angelica. And these are for increase immune energy, okay? If you have a question later about the gastric cancer, we can talk about later. So now, the second one that I want to introduce to you how do we treat, is the liver cancer. The primary type of those originate in hepatitis problem. Hepatic cells enter hepatic duct. The second one, we talk about the metastasize type. Those originate in other regions and moving to the liver, that’s happened a lot from different organs, cancer goes to the liver.

29:51 JZ: And number three, is history of a chronic vital… Actually, I always talk about it in the first, actually just in the last one, viral hepatitis, especially hepatitis B… Once I went to Stanford Hepatitis, not treatment, the Preventive Center and we had a talk about hepatitis. Hepatitis B, I see many actually China is treating many patients who have the history, hepatitis B become liver cancer, unfortunately. So if somebody in your family have hepatitis B, you should really help them and get treatment and reduce the inflammation, try to avoid a delay liver cancer problem. Okay. And also cirrhosis, hepatitis cirrhosis, that’s also the liver, hard the liver. So liver cancer the manifestations, the pain in the right gastro area, but a lot of time we’ll think about, “Oh it’s a stomach pain, no problem.” Actually, if it’s the right side, you have to pay attention. Okay?

31:09 JZ: And people lose weight very fast and they dislike food, no energy. And also liver enlargement progressively. In Chinese medicine, we call it Zang Jie, abdominal mass. That, on the right side you can feel it. And a ‘huang dan’ because if it’s in the loop, and jaundice happens. Liver cancer in TCM tradition. TCM is Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis. We have a disorder of Qi, blood, dampness, and heat. That’s why we would do diagnosis to help you. And blood stasis and toxics. And also deficiency of the Qi and the blood and the emotional upset with mental depression. So if somebody who has a liver problem and liver cancer and that TCM doctor would tell you part of the diagnosis.

32:16 JZ: And this also the diagnosis to us if somebody doesn’t have a liver cancer, you have all these symptoms, we will say, “Okay, you have to be careful. You don’t wanna get it.” You know, deeper problem. Liver cancer TCM is supporting treatments. I also have four for you. You can use it. And the preventing and also for actually treatment support. Support for example, somebody already doing chemo or some other treatments, and you can have a black tea. So before you remember I talk of green tea. Now black tea is a fermented tea and more enzyme. It’s good for the liver cancer patient. And sang ye, which is mulberry leaf. It’s a very light leaf and very cooling. And a Huang Qi as well there is, and a Gou Qi Zi, which is goji berry, or called wolfberry. Okay?

33:17 JZ: Next one is the lung cancer manifestations. The patient who has a lung cancer, you will see the short of breaths and its irritable cough. I’m talking about the irritable cough. That cough is very unusual. You don’t have phlegm. You don’t have a reason. You didn’t get a cold. You didn’t get any, like some pollution, whatever happened. You suddenly have, not the pollution. Talk about like a phlegm from the nose goes to the throat. And no, it doesn’t have all this drainage or whatever. So people start a cough without anything. That we have to be careful. And blood-stained mucus sometimes come out, of course, you say, “Oh TB can have that, too.” Yes, but we have to be careful. If anything cough out blood, of course, bronchi also can cough out blood probably, but we just have to be careful.

34:22 JZ: Yeah, prevent and a fever. That’s important. If somebody have irritable cough with fever, short of breath, I will pay more attention. Lung cancer ideology that I have to just go fast, the disease is related to inherit factors of the body and/or environmental factors. For instance, cigarette smoking. And secondary cigarette smoking, which is you smoke and somebody else get problem. Air pollution, occupational carcinogenic factor. And for example, the radiation we talked about, right? Other factors, immunology hypo, which is the hypo function of the immune energy. That’s why we always say, “You have to increase your immune energy.” Why? Because you want that against the cancer cell. Everybody has cancer, grow or not grow. Right? Cancer cell. Yeah.

35:24 JZ: Metabolism disorder, that also can cause problem. And endocrine dysfunction are inherited, too, possible. Lung cancer TCM differentiation. You’ll just see on the screen. In deficiency and toxic heat, maybe if somebody you see, the doctor, the acupuncturist will tell you. Lung and the spleen Qi deficiency, accumulation of phlegm in the lungs. Qi stagnation, blood stasis and deficiency of the Qi in the yang. Okay? How do we support it? So first, in Chinese medicine, because this one’s related with heat, you have lung cancer sometimes, you have low grade fever. Clear away heat and resolve the phlegm, have to clean this airway and activate, clear throat and dissipate blood stasis. So that’s very important, too. You don’t want to have blood stasis in the lung and bronchi.

36:31 JZ: Acupuncture treatment, which we use for lung cancer a lot and prevention, too, herbal treatment. I put the three of them Qi Xing Cha. I put the Latin name in… And bai he, the bulbus lilii, and the ching hao, called the sweet wormwood, which ching hao written today become very famous because of a Chinese researcher. Tu Youyou found out also, it’s good for malaria, treat a lot of patients. But ching hao in Chinese medicine, we use for thousands of years also for supporting the treatment for like liver cancer type of disease and lung cancer type of disease.

37:20 JZ: Conclusion: Chinese medicine increase the immune energy and helps to control the growth of cancer cells. Chinese herbs increase the efficacy of a chemo and radiation therapies. That’s already have learned and researched in China. Lowering the toxic and lowering the side effect from a chemo and the radiation, which is, I just said it, dance with the wolf. You can work and we use it together and to reduce the cancer cell growth and to stop the cancer. And Chinese medicine stops pain without opiate addiction. Remember, a strong immune system is your best protection. Shen Qi, which is we call the positive Qi, positive vital energy reduces stress and calm your spirit is your best investment. Thank you.

38:21 S1: Alright. Thank you so much, everyone. And now it’s time for the professor to answer your questions. So if you’ve asked a question in the question box on the ‘go to webinar,’ we’ll ask it now. So Joanna Van Knight asks, “If a patient is not interested in Western therapy for cancer and wants only Chinese medicine, what is the protocol and how do practices like Dragon and Tiger Qigong work to eliminate cancer?”

38:55 JZ: Okay. Yeah, thank you for the question. Of course, the question you just asked, actually, I was going to put in my lecture, because the time is so short, so I didn’t. That’s very good question. About the Qigong, is very important and I would really suggest this patient to do it. Even now in Stanford University Cancer Center, they have a Qigong teacher help this patient and to practice Qigong against the cancer, to fight with the cancer. So yeah, whatever what kind of Qigong you do, it’s good for your patient or whatever, your family or your friends. Even if you don’t have no cancer, the Qigong is good. Qigong Tai Chi always good circulation practice. And the second one is, I see many patients… Actually, your question I almost met every week. “If I don’t wanna use chemotherapy, no radiation, no such thing, I don’t wanna do it. How do you help me?” This is very difficult questions, critical questions and then also very easy question.

40:23 JZ: Why I wanna say that? Because patient knows their body than anybody else. So of course, we have to discuss with them and help them to evaluate. What the oncologist wanted to do maybe is the best, or if you can wait or we can do something else. But it’s really have to discuss with patients and design a very important plan for them. And I do have some patients, it doesn’t matter who’s telling them you have to do chemo and they just don’t wanna do it. And of course in China, I use Chinese medicine, acupuncture to help as much as we can. And here, too. But really it depends on patient’s wish. Some of the patients actually, they do live very happy life what they want, without chemo and the radiation. They don’t want the side effect. Okay.

41:36 S1: Alright, thank you so much, Van Knight. Grace Liu asks, “What are some good TCM formulas that are relied on for raising and protecting WBC during chemotherapy?”

41:52 JZ: Yeah, the white blood cell during chemotherapy is very critical because… Not only white blood cells, sometimes platelets also related. So what you can do is, yeah, we have good herbs. For example, I just mentioned the Huang Qi, that is a very good herb you can use for the… I don’t know which page I can show you and it’s good for your treatment to which it increases immune energy and protect the patient’s immune energy. Yeah, and also I talk about the green tea, it’s another antioxidant and the… Keep going, yeah, another antioxidant so you can use it. It’s very important and, yeah. Let me see. I just wanted you to see. The number four down there is the Huang Qi, astragalus, that’s the one, yeah. It’s very important. Okay, thank you. Yes.

43:00 S1: Alright.

43:00 JZ: Thank you.

43:01 S1: And Grace also asks, “For chemo-induced mitosis, how is it best to protect the mouth and intestinal mucosa lining?”

43:13 JZ: Yeah, that’s also the question, actually, I see some patients because the mucus become a problem and they can’t even eat very properly because of that. So, do you see I have this over there American ginseng on the screen that increase and immune and energetic. I put a film in there, it’s American ginseng for the immune energy and also American ginseng, the Ju Hua, the chrysanthemum, these two can help increase the mucus, okay? Thank you.

43:50 S1: Alright. Thank you, Grace. Peter asks, “What herbs/supplements should I be taking for ovarian cancer, and is acupuncture effective for this type of cancer?”

44:03 JZ: Okay, ovarian cancer is… Yeah, a little bit, we call this cancer is sometimes a very… It’s a serious sometimes can be, not like a skin cancer, it’s easier to treat. Ovarian cancer, it depends if you… Somebody already had it, of course the doctor want you to do certain treatments and then we have a herbal formula we can have to help the patient increase your immune energy, your energy, and the circulation and blood circulation to have. For example, the Chen Pi, the orange peel and the Shan Zha, which is hawthorn, and I also use for ovarian cancer patient. And of course, in this one you also had to be… Sometimes had to be careful about what kind of hormone products you want, you wanna avoid it. Okay, yeah. Thank you.

45:05 S1: So Grace asks, “Do you use every insomnia or yang formulas for immuno protection?”

45:15 JZ: Yeah, the yang formula. We talk about the yang formula, insomnia and the yang formula. Yeah, it depends of the patient who’s… How old is that. You really have to do the diagnosis and if they have less yang Qi or more yang Qi and use different herbs to formulate it. Okay.

45:34 S1: Alright. Thank you so much everyone. We don’t have any more questions and it’s at the end of the webinar formula… Or the webinar, TCM for Cancer Support Symptoms. So we’re gonna go ahead and close this webinar. Thank you so much for joining us and Professor Zhao, thank you so much.

45:53 JZ: Thank you and if you really needed some help and they can come to Five Branches University Clinic. We have many good practitioners who can help you or if you want to be our student to help a cancer patient, that’s great, too. Thank you.