Roots of ancient medicine could have answers for modern-day disease

Modern eating habits have caused Americans to develop modern ailments, but ancient Chinese medicine could be the answer to getting the body back into balance.

So says local acupuncturist Dr. Kyo Mitchell, who spoke on the topic of Alzheimer’s disease and Eastern medicine Dec. 11 at Sun City Summerlin’s Desert Vista Community Center, 10360 Sun City Blvd.

Mitchell was an associate professor at Bastyr University’s Department of Acupuncture & East Asian Medicine in Seattle. He said his interest in studying ancient medicinal practices began when his sister, Jennifer, became ill in her 20s.

“My parents took her to doctor after doctor,” he said. “They took her to Duke University and spent thousands and thousands on tests, and nobody could figure out what was wrong with her. I had a friend whose mother saw an old Chinese doctor on the north side of Chicago, and I said, ‘Why don’t you go see him?’ He did acupuncture and herbs on her — she’d been sick for, like, three years — and in three or four months, she was right as rain.”

Eastern medicine takes a different perspective on the body, he said.

“Western medicine is based on biochemistry,” Mitchell said. “And biochemistry is important. But the Chinese (method), because it’s so old, they understand that there’s biophysics involved; they understand how relationships are involved; they understand how environment is involved; so it’s a lot of pieces coming together. It’s about looking at the person as a whole person.”

About 35 residents attended the talk. Janice Schrumm said she came because she wanted to learn more about Eastern medicine.

“My mother had dementia, but she lived to be 95, so it’s not a (big) concern for me,” she said, adding that she knows a few people with Alzheimer’s.

Barry, who asked that his last name not be used, teaches tai chi and plans to try Eastern medicine for persistent back pain he has had after surgery.

“It’s easier to get acupuncture than marijuana,” he said. “We’ll see if it makes any difference.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, most individuals with the disease are 65 or older. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles about every five years after 65. After 85, the risk reaches nearly 50 percent. More women than men will get it. There may be a strong link between serious head injury and future risk of Alzheimer’s, especially when trauma occurs repeatedly or involves loss of consciousness, such as with football players.

It’s thought that environmental factors also can lead to Alzheimer’s, such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, a sedentary lifestyle and lack of brain stimulation.

Mitchell first explained what Alzheimer’s is and how it affects the brain. He likened it to Microsoft headquarters trying to maintain operations while machines were broken and its Internet was down; email messages just weren’t getting through.

Just as vitamins help our bodies, he said, so can herbs specific to brain health. Hung bai is believed to stop neurotoxicity and Ginseng to promote the proliferation of neural stem cells. Tian ma (gastrodia root) has been shown to prevent the development of plaque and promote neuroregeneration.

Mitchell said it is believed that herbs and acupuncture can disrupt the domino effect of Alzheimer’s. He said the worst thing people can do is ignore their symptoms and take a “Maybe this will go away” mind-set. Also bad is continuing to eat unhealthily when it is clear the body is signaling for help.

Just as bad, he said, is turning to Eastern medicine without giving up Western ways.

“If I give you herbs, and you go eat a box of Twinkies every day, I’ll lose,” he said.

For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, visit alz.org.

Contact Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 702-387-2949.