Dr. Angelica Kokkalis, O.M.D L.Ac.

Signature HealthCARE of Lafayette Wellness Fair 2015

Angelica Kokkalis recently attended Signature HealthCARE of Lafayette’s wellness far. She was super excited about the wellness event that happened, Wednesday, June 17th, 2015 at Signature HealthCARE of Lafayette.

Neurochemical Mechanisms of Acupuncture Book Review

In Neurochemical Mechanisms of Acupuncture, writers Dr. Song-Ping Han and Dr. Ji-Sheng Han present the first book of a collection of studies on the neurochemical mechanisms of acupuncture that have been conducted by Dr. Ji-Sheng Han and his associates at Beijing Medical University This alternative therapy with its 3,500 year old history, is now gaining credibility and respect. The authors offer a unique blend of knowledge having a combined clinical and research acupuncture experience of over 70 years.

This book is a scientifically supported explanation of the basic neurochemical mechanisms and processes underlying the practice of acupuncture. This may well be one of the most valuable books of acupuncture you will ever read. It is also a teaching manual by which an evidence based, highly effective no-drug method of treatment can be used to treat pain, psychiatric and other chronic illnesses.

This is a book that belongs in the library of every physician, medical school and school of Chinese medicine. Several other studies of Dr. Ji-Sheng Han will be introduced in subsequence to this book including his recent research in the considerable successful treatment of autism and assisted reproductive medicine.

“A compilation of a leading researcher’s work, in any field, would be an excellent single point of reference for future generations to build upon. In order to accelerate progress, knowledge of what has already been discovered is of the utmost importance and would be invaluable to current researchers and practitioners if this knowledge were compiled into a life-work compilation.” -Cari Skaggs, Philosopher

Dr. Angelica D. Kokkalis is the editor and President of the Han Institute. She is a graduate of Beijing Medical University class of 1989 and currently resides in Indiana USA.

Herbs Maintain Body’s Synergy & Balance

Five thousand years ago in a tranquil basin of the Yellow River, a civilization was born deep in China. The people and culture that emerged from this region eventually inhabited much of the Asian continent.

They had no formal religion, so instead their lives were governed by an abiding respect for nature and a fundamental reverence for the powers of creation. As they observed nature, they built a philosophy and patterned their lives upon the natural laws of the universe.

Life, along with its many challenges, is a puzzle. Rather than creating solutions, the early Chinese instead sought answers. They observed and imitated nature, a model already perfectly designed. Their philosophical base was deep and became defined to their generation.

The numbers one through five have a symbolic meaning in the Chinese philosophy.

For man and nature there is but one origin, a creator of peace and harmony. The first dimension, heaven, served to remind man of a divine realm beyond the tangible earth, and that all things physical also have a spiritual nature. Two represents balance; the competing and complementary forces of Yin and Yang, one inward/one outward, one positive/one negative, but whole when in balance.

The number three stands for heaven, earth, and man. Human beings exist to live on, and of, the earth. Four illustrates variety and is exhibited by the four seasons of nature. In variety is found difference, changes, and the joy of the earth. The number five represents the five elements that comprise all of the universe: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood.

For harmony to exist, all five elements must be present in man, fish animals, plants, trees, and flowers. In all creations, the five elements are working in constructive tandem in what is called the “cycle of quinary”.

The Chinese have believed for thousands of years that true harmony is achieved only when balance exists. To achieve harmony in their lives, the Chinese sought to master the laws of nature and the laws of the universe. Because they had no understanding of an afterlife, the quality of their present life became their primary focus.

The ancient Chinese summed their belief with a saying, “to live long and to live well”. Health and longevity were achieved out-
wardly through exercising and inwardly through proper nutrition and meditation. To the Chinese, health was a product of the foods they ate, the air they breathed, how they exercised their bodies and how they exercised their mind. The quality of their food reflected directly upon the quality of their lives.

Food must be natural, fresh, and wholesome. It must be in great variety, and always in balance. Herbs and vegetables, the natural gifts from the mother earth, were the foods that the Chinese historically relied upon to promote health. They believed in pure and natural foods which, when eaten in proper quantities and in the right combination, kept the body nourished, balanced, and cleansed. With thousands of herbs, there is an incredible variety, and, as with all whole foods, herbs maintain the natural synergy and balance so vital to the human body.

The ‘Gods of Herbs’

A man named Shen Nan experimented with plants and herbs to understand how the body could be nourished. He studied and recorded the effects on his body of eating as many as 70 different herbs each day. Hence, he discovered the herbs as food. Shen Nan taught his people how to identify, cultivate, and utilize herbs beneficial to the body and became known as the “God of Herbs”.

The legacy was continued by Huan Di, the Yellow Emperor. He subsequently assembled the finest doctors to study and document the many benefits of herbs as food.

This article was originally printed in the Zionsville Times Sentinel on 12/27/06.

Angelica Kokkalis, O.M.D., is a local Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with training and expertise in Eastern and Western medicine. Her professional mission is to relieve suffering through the use of time-honored techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine to bring the body back into balance, thus facilitating its natural ability to heal itself.

Do Supplements Really Contain What They Say?

Recently, Anahad O’Connor wrote “What’s in Those Supplements” for the New York Times. In the article she reports on how the New York State attorney general’s office accused four national retailers of, “Selling dietary supplements that were fraudulent and in many cases contaminated with unlisted ingredients.”

The authorities said they had conducted tests on top-selling store brands of herbal supplements at four national retailers — GNC, Target, Walgreens and Walmart — and found that four out of five of the products did not contain any of the herbs on their labels.

Even though dietary supplements are exempt from the strict regulatory oversight applied to prescription drugs, that doesn’t mean that retail and drugstore chains can deliberately sell misleading herbal products. “And at GNC, the agency said, it found pills with unlisted ingredients used as fillers, like powdered legumes, the class of plants that includes peanuts and soybeans, a hazard for people with allergies.”

“Mislabeling, contamination and false advertising are illegal,” said Eric T. Schneiderman, the state attorney general. “They also pose unacceptable risks to New York families — especially those with allergies to hidden ingredients.”

At first it was assumed that only small companies on the fringes of the market were culpable, but “If this data is accurate, then it is an unbelievably devastating indictment of the industry,” said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and an expert on supplement safety. “We’re talking about products at mainstream retailers like Walmart and Walgreens that are expected to be the absolute highest quality.”

The F.D.A. requires that companies verify that every supplement they manufacture is safe and accurately labeled. But the system essentially operates on the honor code. That’s why we are so particular about the supplements that we recommend to our clients.

Pacific Symposium 2014

Dr. Angelica Kokkalis will be attending the Pacific Symposium in San Diego, California this November 4-11, 2014. It is an opportunity for her to experience a community of healers while learning from innovators in the field. It will showcase 73 exhibitors eager to present new products that can help you and your health.

This event draws acupuncturists, massage practitioners, chiropractors, nurses, medical doctors and traditional Chinese medicine students from all over the country. She will earn continuing education credits while listening to this year’s speakers present current research, unique methodologies, and explore new techniques to integrate into your daily practice.

Since 1987, this event has served as an interactive environment for brilliant minds of the Eastern medical profession to come together and thrive. A renowned conference with worldwide recognition, this annual event unites acupuncturists, massage therapists, students, and professors by opening the gates to the exchange of industry information.