In the current world of medicine, we have access to a variety of treatment methods when working with our patients, but there is one common purpose we share as medical professionals, which is to heal people. Through this experience at Kakikofu, I realized the importance of this idea.

I spent 3 weeks training in Japanese acupuncture and Yakuzen (medicinal cooking). Even though I already have a background in Chinese medicine, I learned a new perspective about using medicine, whether it be Chinese, Japanese, Western medicine, etc.; there are different ways to help others. No one way is the superior method, but you have to figure it out for yourself and see what works for you and your patients.

I only recently started practicing as an acupuncturist so I have felt overwhelmed with all the techniques out there and which ones I want to take on in my practice. Hiroshi said that there will always be different techniques you can learn. It’s okay to mix techniques, but you need to understand where things come from such as learning about the history or purpose of something. For example, you can use Chinese needles with Japanese techniques, but you need to understand both of those ideas separately before you can combine them. I was given this same advice when I went to Chinese medicine school. I have a western medical background as an occupational therapist and I was getting confused when learning about eastern medicine. I was told to put my western background aside and focus on just learning about eastern medicine. Once I understood these eastern theories, I could put it into practice and then slowly start to merge the two worlds together. Also, you must practice techniques in order to know what works for you. If you just read books, take classes, and study theories, you’ll become easily lost and you’ll lose sight of the true purpose of medicine. If you want to learn to swim, you must jump into the river.

Acupuncture is used all over the world and has been adapted to fit the needs of its people. For example, there are different reasons why a guide tube is used during needling. China is known for free hand needling, but has recently started using a tube. It’s typically used for protecting the needle and making it less painful during insertion. Japan has a long history of using a guide tube when needling and uses it as a means of treatment. The tube is used to create vibrations, which can help relax the tension in the body and move the qi.

Food is also an important aspect of healing since food is what gives us the energy to do our daily tasks. It also has the power to take away your energy if you don’t eat the foods that are based on your body’s constitution. You can find the right foods that will help to strengthen your body and naturally treat the imbalances in your body. Yakuzen is a more gradual treatment approach compared to taking a formula or doing acupuncture, but when working in harmony with other treatments, I feel the results are significantly improved. I was able to better understand how food affects your body by using myself as a case study.

We can help people in various ways, but our goal remains the same: to heal people. You must find the techniques that you connect with, learn and understand them, and train yourself so that you can best help your patients in your practice.

Jessica Brophy