The Urban Corridor’s (UC) neighborhoods are attracting large numbers of people who yearn for a healthy sense of community, yet seek something a little different than cookie–cutter subdivisions. Like me, they have a desire to live in a quiet location they can call home, while being close to the variety a city offers. And also like me, many of those people have delightfully, slightly-off-center viewpoints and value things and ideas that are different or new.

 

If you already live in the UC, you may be congratulating yourself on being so smart and savvy. I wouldn’t disagree with you. I love this area like you can only love what you’ve genuinely chosen. To those who feel the same, I ask you to consider if you’ve incorporated this ‘out of mainstream’ philosophy into your healthcare.

 

When you or your loved ones have medical issues, do you immediately turn to more conventional, Western approaches? Or have you explored the complementary healthcare options available? Tampa’s UC has many wonderful practitioners from whom to choose. I always say, “unless you need emergency care you should be looking at alternatives!”

 

Women’s health is one of my favorite topics because it is a wonderful example of the shift taking place in our culture’s approach to healthcare. Women and men are different animals, even if we are of the same species. I mean this tongue in cheek of course, but it’s true that the healthcare issues women face are different than those for men. Although women are more likely to go to a doctor, they are disproportionately focused on in modern medicine research studies. (Thankfully, this gap is beginning to shrink and treatments for women-only issues are becoming more specialized and prominent.)

 

Chinese medicine, on the other hand, has long seen women as patients who provide more information than men by which to diagnosis and evaluate health. The fact a woman’s body ripens every month with fertility and then, if not pregnant, expels this physical preparation is a prime example. Women’s menstrual cycles and any variation in their normal processes, indicate the state of chi (pronounced “chee”) or life energy that flows within our bodies. Because chi, along with blood, are two of the most fundamental aspects of health in Chinese medicine, it is easy to see why knowing if you bleed too much, too little, too often, very irregularly or with significant amounts of pain, is important and vital information.

 

I am constantly amazed that the prevailing view of what we call pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) is seen as normal and inevitable for most women. PMS’ host of uncomfortable symptoms – which can include severe mood swings, food cravings, bloating, abdominal and/or back cramping, and overall foul disposition – is not normal, inevitable or something to just bear! It is possible to have a period that involves none of those things.

 

Menopause is another great example. Every woman you know is going to experience menopause. Some will do it smoothly and without much difficulty; but a majority will at some point (generally between 45 and 55-years-old) have to deal with the uncomfortable array of symptoms that characterize the ‘change of life.’ These include hotflashes, nightsweats, loss of libido, fatigue, increased body dryness, insomnia and especially emotional sensitivity.

 

So why do we get these symptoms and what are our options for dealing with them?

 

Traditional Western science states a woman’s ovaries have simply aged. Producing fewer young eggs to mature causes the menstrual cycle to become irregular. Eventually, the hormone cycle that causes ovulation ceases and the level of estrogen in the blood drops.

 

This reduction of estrogen is what gives rise to the hormonal fluctuations that cause so many aggravating symptoms. For the last several decades, the treatment strategy of Western doctors has been hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

 

From that viewpoint, the loss of estrogen is seen as a problem and replacing it makes sense. But what if it’s appropriate and natural for women to run out of estrogen and stop being fertile? We are finding that after several decades of women taking these hormones, excessive estrogen in the system can greatly increase the chance of many cancers.

 

From a Chinese medicine point of view, menopause is simply a natural part of a woman’s lifecycle.

 

Yin and yang are two of the fundamental ideas in Chinese medicine. Yin is everything cool, dark, heavy and that has substance; while yang is everything warm, bright, light and electric.These two forces balance one another and keep everything in check. Women are more yin in nature, but slowly lose it over a lifetime; especially when we have our periods and children. And with less yin, yang appears in excess.

 

The main symptoms of menopause support this idea. Hotflashes and nightsweats are expressions of unbalanced yang rising and bringing heat up to the surface of the body. Treating menopause by nourishing the yin through acupuncture and herbs is fairly straightforward. Some respond quicker than others, but generally symptoms are greatly diminished within a month or two of treatment.

 

There are many more examples, too lengthy for this column, but don’t take my word for it. Whether male or female, look at Western and Chinese options no matter what health ailment you are experiencing. It’s important to understand both and your proactive research may wind up being your best medicine.

 

About the Author:

Becky Rubright is owner of Living Harmony Healing Center (4203 N. Central Ave.) and has been an acupuncture physician since 2002. She received a Masters of Traditional Oriental Medicine from Emperor’s College, Santa Monica, Calif. After establishing a successful clinic in Apollo Beach, Fla., Becky moved her life and office to the UC in 2006. To contact Becky, call (813) 892-6909 or visit www.myspace.com/LivingHarmony.