feast and west

the healing powers of complementary medicine

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rustrated with health care on a national level, many Ameri-

cans see the need to take greater personal responsibility for their

own health. for some, that means shifting from conventional

Western medicine to Eastern ways of healing. Integrating the two

forms of medicine—thinking of them as complementary rather

than competitive—is a novel approach that is gaining popularity.

The 2007 National Statistics Health report by the U.S. Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention found that 83 million adults

spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on comple-

mentary and alternative medicine, or CAM.

CAM costs amount to 11.2% of total out-of-pocket expenditures on

health care. These figures support the idea that for many people,

traditional Western medicine, which focuses primarily on treating

symptoms and alleviating pain, is not necessarily the best path to

optimum health. As an alternative, the appeal of CAM is its focus

on illness prevention and maintaining health.

“That’s the future of health care. We named our clinic Preven-

tative Medicine for a reason,” says Morgan Huynh, office man-

ager of Silicon Valley Preventative Medicine

and Natural Medicinary, a newly opened by desiree hedberg

naturopathic clinic in Campbell. “Why

get on an operating table if you can

avoid that entire process?”

Dr. Kevan Huynh and Dr. Tracy Chan,

the doctors who started this small

clinic, also see it that way. “I grew up with the mindset

that I was going to go into conventional medicine,” says

Chan. “After researching naturopathic medicine, I really

resonated with the principles of that medicine, com-

pared to the conventional medical model.”

After talking with other doctors to gather their opin-

ions on conventional versus non-traditional practices,

Chan was surprised to learn that if given a second

chance at their education and training, very few of

them would chose the conventional path.

“It’s the whole politics behind conventional

medicine—not being able to practice what they

intended to practice before they entered medical

school … [they] wanted to help people and treat

people … but they are under strict confines to

do limited treatment times and insurance,”

Chan says. “Looking into naturopathic med-

icine--that was a whole new door for me.

And it opened my eyes and really resonated

with my own philosophy.”

Doctors Chan and Huynh hold the

degree of “ND” (naturopathic

doctor), which in many ways

is equivalent to “MD”. Like an

MD, an ND undergoes a multi-year

medical school program, learning how to

diagnose disease, what standard treatments are

applied, and the proper uses and side effects of

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Practicing Qi Gong may alleviate many health problems. It requires no special attire or equipment, and can be done anywhere—in the office, at home, or at the park.

eastand west

conventional drugs. NDs must be recertified on their

pharmacology education every two years. NDs can pre-

scribe medicines, but typically, they choose not to.

“Prevention is the key,” says Huynh. “Prevention is

within our six basic principles of naturopathic medi-

cine.” Those are:

1. Do no harm

2. Treat the patient as a whole (mind, body and spirit)

3. Treat the cause, not the symptoms

4. Heal thyself: use the power of nature and harness

the body’s natural inclination to heal itself

5. Prevention

6. Doctor as teacher: your doctor acts as your educa-

tor in preventative health

Both Huynh and Chan also hold MS degrees in Orien-

tal Medicine. This means they can mix their own herbal

remedies. Their clinic has a natural medicinary with

more than 250 professional-grade herbs available for

treating patients.

“[Our practice is] unique because we customize all

of our formulas and our herbs. We put them together

for the patient, tailor them very specifically to the

patient, according to their symptoms and pathologies,”

says Huynh.

Qi Gong therapy is another Eastern treatment

offered at Huynh’s and Chan’s practice. “Qi” means

energy; “Gong” means work, so Qi Gong is the method-

ology for the work of energy. Qi Gong is often consid-

ered a form of stress reduction, but according to Chan,

it can also prevent ailments and alleviate physical and

mental health issues from insomnia to hypertension.

The practice is based on the duality of yin and yang. It

harmonizes the yin and the yang, so that the patient

may go from one to another easily.

“[Qi Gong] builds your inner energy, or Qi,” says Chan. “Say someone with

hypertension comes in… we teach them the style of Qi Gong that will help them

ground themselves, and bring down the energy, so that it doesn’t all scatter,”

says Huynh.

The first step in Qi Gong therapy is to treat some of the symptoms. for exam-

ple, sitting in front of the computer too long can lead to fatigue and numbness

in the arms, wrists, or hands. Qi Gong practice can help to alleviate or eliminate

this fatigue, by increasing the blood flow and energy flow within the body.

Huynh says, “first [the patient] experiences symptom release, but eventually,

[we] will teach them a much deeper form that allows them to cultivate their in-

ner energy, their essence.”

A typical treatment visit to Chan’s and Huynh’s clinic is unlike any that you

might experience at a Kaiser facility or Blue Cross provider’s office. The clinic’s

muted colors and quiet space are designed to make patients feel at ease. Unlike

at a Western doctor’s office, a patient’s first visit lasts nearly an hour. Often the

doctors will run a series of tests based on the patient’s symptoms or concerns.

A typical test involves spitting into a vial during different times of the day to

show changes in cortisol levels—a direct correlation to how stressed the body is

during different parts of the day. That information is then discussed in a follow-

up visit to determine the mind and body connection causing the ailment.

Huynh gives an example of a patient suffering from an ulcer. An ND initially

runs multiple tests and talks at length with the patient about symptoms and

causes. In sharp contrast, a Western MD might spend 10 minutes with the

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Dr. Tracy Chan performs an acupressure treatment to

relieve migraine headaches.

Doctors Huynh and Chan mix their own herbal remedies. Their on-site medicinary stocks more than 250 herbs.

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patient, refer him or her for an endos-

copy, then prescribe a strong antacid

and a “wait and see” approach.

An ND looks for what is causing the

problem—why the body became vulner-

able enough to create an ulcer in the first place. “The

goal is to figure out what is going on, what’s causing

this ulcer, and tailor the treatment plan. The long term

[goal] is to heal the ulcer,” says Huynh.

According to the principles of naturopathic medicine,

food reactions and allergies are commonly the cause

of physical maladies or lowered immunity that lead to

larger illnesses. Chan emphasizes the importance of

health-optimizing food; she also focuses on “energetic”

food. Her food recommendations take into account the

energy levels that are found in foods.

“[Eat] whole grains, non-processed foods—preferably

organic when possible… just going with anything green

is a plus,” says Chan.

Both doctors advocate an anti-inflammatory diet,

which steers clear of foods that can cause inflammation—

a forerunner to disease and health issues. Each treat-

ment is tailored specifically to individual patients, but

typically the doctors recommend avoiding these foods:

Wheat Substitutes: quinoa flour, rice flour, tapioca

flour, amaranth flour

Dairy Substitutes: goat milk, rice milk, hemp milk,

almond or any nut milk

Soy Substitutes: any types of beans or legumes

Sugar Substitutes: raw honey (not intended for

children younger than one year)

eggS Although there are few substitutes for eggs,

the doctors say that organic, cage-free eggs are better

than regular eggs.

Despite their years of medical training, Huynh and

Chan are unable to accept health insurance at their

clinic because most conventional medical plans do not even recognize

naturopathy as a valid form of treatment. And although Chan and

Huynh offer naturopathy, Qi Gong therapy, and acupuncture as alterna-

tives to conventional Western medicine, they prefer to view their treat-

ments as complementary

options. Chan emphasizes that if something arises for a patient during

an exam that she cannot help with, she doesn’t hesitate to offer inte-

grative therapy—a combination of Eastern and Western medicine.

“We make an effort to refer out whenever we deem necessary,” says

Chan. “We will gladly work hand-in-hand with [conventional doctors].”

for example, as an ND, Chan will work with cancer patients to alleviate

the uncomfortable symptoms that result from chemotherapy and radia-

tion. The idea is to lessen the side effects, but not interfere with the

Western treatment.

“We want the patient to benefit from both worlds—East and West,”

says Huynh. “We can bridge the gap.”

SILICON VALLEY PrEVENTATIVE MEDICINE AND NATUrAL MEDICINArY,

408.879.8588, SVPrEVMED.COM.

Desiree Hedberg, a writer and editor living in Willow Glen, continually

seeks to lives a healthy and sustainable lifestyle while co-parenting two

toddlers, working as a consultant, and going back to school.

this article was published in Eucalyptus Magazine, November 2009.

Dr. Kevan Huynh mixes a custom tincture for strengthening the immune system.

eastand west