Huang Qi, (otherwise known as Astragalus Root) is a popular Chinese Herb that is currently being tested by scientists at the UCLA AIDS Institute to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and has had great results.

“This has the potential to be either added to or possibly even replace the HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), which is not tolerated well by some patients and is also costly,” co-author Rita Effros, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and member of the UCLA AIDS Institute, said in a press statement…

… Not only did the researchers find that the astragalus-derived TAT2 slowed the shortening of telomeres, but it also boosted the CD8 T-lymphocytes production of soluble factors called chemokines and cytokines. And these substances have been shown in other research to shown to block the replication of the HIV virus.

Source: AIDS Breakthrough: Astragalus Root Could Replace HIV Drugs

Huang Qi could possibly become a much cheaper and safer method of treating HIV and AIDS than ever before. It has no reported adverse effects and has been used for thousands of years in Chinese Medicine for anything from boosting immunity to chronic hepatitis.

I have gone the medical way of dressing for clinic and thought I would make a small endorsement. Barco’s line of Grey’s Anatomy scrubs are simply awesome.

• They are fitted, so they actually look good to wear, unlike most scrubs which give the appearance that you’re wearing a giant pillowcase. They also don’t get in the way when you lean over a patient on a treatment table.
• They come in a line of different earthy and deep colors that are all very professional and pretty. No ridiculous patterns and crazy colors that many scrubs contain and take away from the professional appearance.
• There are two big pockets in the front of the scrub top which don’t seem large, but can fit an amazing amount of material. I’ve carried water bottles in them before.
• They are made of 77% Polyester and 23% Rayon Twill and are the softest scrubs I have ever felt. No more scratchy scrubs, these are so soft that I’ve actually worn them to bed before.

I personally have made my purchases of these off of the site Allheart.com . They often have very good deals but even their normal prices are significantly cheaper than what you’ll pay at a store. I have made other purchases such as a Littman stethoscope off their site and everything has been in great condition and, like I said, *significantly* cheaper than what these items are going for in stores. They ship out their items fairly quickly and have excellent customer service.

Here is a link to the scrub top and to the scrub bottom .

Many people ask me, “How did you decide to become involved in Eastern medicine?”
I tell them “I have an interest in helping people,” but there’s more to the story. A few avenues led me to choosing it as a career.

I have seen family, friends and others suffer through medical issues. At the time I felt some of the diagnoses were vague, the medications prescribed to them were sometimes unnecessary and perhaps even harmful. I felt that there was more to medicine and care than what they were receiving. Unfortunately, many Americans are uninformed about the different aspects of health. Dietary changes, lifestyle changes and other medicine systems can provide help.

I have, for awhile, been interested in medicine and healing. I majored in Biology in college and planned on pursuing a Kinesiology degree. I also considered midwifery, nursing and chiropractic. As I sought out chiropractic schools in the country I was provided information on Eastern medicine along the way, specifically about acupuncture and herbs. This peaked my interest and I investigated it further. I then started a Masters program to learn Traditional Chinese Medicine, one Eastern Medicine methodology.

Chinese Medicine is truly beautiful to me. It treats every person just as they are… an individual. Not a person to be lumped in a group with others. It gets down to the root of the problem and helps the body to adjust back to health. A major principle is preventative medicine. It is always much easier to prevent illness than to treat it. I will go further into these principles in later posts as it is important for everyone to understand them.

I have an interest in helping people. Little is more rewarding to me than helping others. The health of a person is very important and many people often, regrettably, do not count it very high on their list of priorities in life. I feel proud to be someone who can be there for others and guide them on their way to better health.

My name is Lauren and this is the first entry into my blog about Eastern Medicine.