“The body has the ability and innate desire to heal itself.”
-Dr. Cheng “Charlie” Yang
The Chinese Acupuncture & Herbs Center has proudly served the Pittsburgh community since 2001, delivering professional, friendly, and holistic care. The husband and wife team of Cheng “Charley” Yang, L.Ac., and Xuan “Maggie” Liu, L.Ac., have been treating patients with an extensive range of acute and chronic conditions, from pain management to weight control. They have used their extensive training from China in Traditional Chinese Medicine to help individuals of all ages to overcome injury and imbalances, allowing clients to reach and restore optimum health.
“I find it very important to stress that Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine have both a 2,000-year-old documented history, as well as extensive and numerous peer-reviewed studies in the modern scientific community. Acupuncture has made its way into the American “mainstream” of medicine, which has already been gaining great momentum toward a more holistic approach to healing in general.“
In addition to acupuncture, the center employs other medical and health-enhancing treatments, including electric stimulator, Chinese herb treatment, infrared therapy light , and cupping. Each session is individually tailored to meet each patient’s unique needs.
“In Traditional Chinese Medicine in general, and in acupuncture specifically, we focus on the flow of Qi, the vital energy that flows through the body, enlivening and allowing the organs to interact with each other as a team. The body has the ability and innate desire to heal itself. We can see this quite readily in everyday life, such as when a cut in the skin develops a scab. The human body has a very advanced and complex immune system, as well as many mechanisms to help us deal with pain and so many other ailments. Acupuncture aims to unblock and rebalance the natural flow of energy (Qi) in the body that may have been interrupted by a multitude of potential causes.“
“Some clients have certainly asked me before if the relief and positive results they experience from the acupuncture is “all in their own heads?” I always try to point out that the well-known idea of a “placebo effect” is something that is built into all approaches in medicine. Mindset, when it comes to healing, is crucial. Certainly, anything could all be “in our own heads,” and placebo has a valid basis in medicine, and it is part of any healing process. The positive feeling one has toward their healing is part and parcel of that process.“
Practitioners of TCM treat the whole person, not just the disease. Through the stimulation of well-defined acupuncture points using fine, sterile, and disposable needles, the practitioner opens energy pathways to correct imbalances and blockages that can cause disease or pain. Acupuncture can stop the transmission of pain signals to the brain and increase circulation in the problem area, promoting tissue regeneration.
It also stimulates the production of endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers. Herbal formulas used in TCM enhance and support acupuncture treatment. Specific combinations of herbs contain active, complementary alkaloids and other components that work synergistically to ignite positive changes in the body. They correct imbalances, target illnesses, and harmonize and integrate bodily systems.
Conditions Treated
GENERAL HEALTH
Pain (Back/Neck/Shoulder)
Stroke Recovery Therapy
Stress/Depression
Headaches/Migraine
Arthritis/Joint Pain
Allergies/Asthma
Insomnia
Carpal Tunnel
Fatigue
Constipation/Diarrhea
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
WOMEN’S HEALTH
Infertility
Menopause
Irregular Cycles
PMS
Postpartum
Pre-conception
Labor Induction
Morning Sickness
Breech Presentation
Dysmenorrhea
MEN’S HEALTH
Fibromyalgia
Infertility
Anxiety
Sports Injury
Urinary Issues
Dizziness
Prostate
Depression
Health Maintenance
Impotence
“Philosophically speaking, the Yin and Yang, the balance of seemingly opposite yet interrelated energies, has major implications for how we view medicine and healing. In TCM, thinking cannot be categorical or dismissive; when it comes to health, there is no one right way. The only constant thing is change, and there exists no one proper way alone to approach a healthful life.“
“Modern Western medicine and I intend absolutely no disrespect toward it in the least, has a historically more categorical approach toward wellness and healing. Certainly, as a practitioner of TCM, I cannot take an “all or nothing” approach towards a client’s health, I must tailor my treatment to each individual and work with them to try and unlock their own inner healing powers. Western Medicine is becoming less categorical and more inclusive, and this can be seen by the growing broad acceptance and employment of acupuncture in hospitals across America.“
Fertility:
In a study published in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility, twice as many women who received acupuncture, in addition to medically assisted reproductive therapy, had documented clinical pregnancies. In 2007, the results of seven randomized control trials published in the British Medical Journal concluded that acupuncture improved the rates of pregnancy and live births with embryo transfer among women who received in vitro fertilization.
Acupuncture can boost fertility by:
> Regulating the menstruation cycle and improving ovulation.
> Increasing blood flow to the uterus.
> Reducing stress hormones.
>Balancing Qi of liver, kidney, and spleen.
> Normalizing dysfunction of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.
Acupuncture for fertility and conception is most effective when received for several months before insemination or in vitro fertilization or egg transfer. Although acupuncture and herbal medicine can be effective on their own, clinical evidence suggests that a combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western medicine works best.
As the many baby pictures and thank you notes on the walls of our office attest, Maggie has had the pleasure of many successes in assisting women who were unable to become pregnant or carry a baby to term before receiving treatment with Chinese medicine.
“I came to you after my husband and I had difficulty conceiving. We were only 28 and were surprised that after nearly two years of trying- no baby. We were uncomfortable with the idea of fertility drugs and even discussed adoption. After reading numerous articles on acupuncture, I called you. You treated me during the three fertile days of my cycle, and two weeks later, we had a positive pregnancy test! Our beautiful baby daughter was born on March – gorgeous and perfectly healthy! Words cannot express my gratitude.“
– Kristyn and Tom
“I came to you after my husband and I had difficulty conceiving. We were only 28 and were surprised that after nearly 2 years of trying- no baby. We were uncomfortable with the idea of fertility drugs and even discussed adoption. After reading numerous articles on acupuncture I called you. You treated me during the 3 fertile days of my cycle and 2 weeks later we had a positive pregnancy test! Our beautiful baby daughter, was born on March -gorgeous and perfectly healthy! Words cannot express my gratitude.“
– Megan
“While we do have extensive experience, study, knowledge, and practice with herbs in the context of Traditional Chinese Medicine, it remains an aspect of our work, which is in low demand. I would certainly love to expand and be able to offer the full scope of our practice, but at this point, it just remains a financial incapability. It is something I can offer on a very small scale, and some clients have specifically asked me about herbs, but it would not be possible, currently, to offer much more than my knowledge and advice.“
“Nothing in the world can simply be seen as bad or good, the world is not black and white. Everything is a delicate balance of energy, including, of course, the body. Acupuncture is a tool that aims to unlock within a person his or her natural and specific Qi. We are not putting any substances into the body, we are not giving any supplements with regard to acupuncture, we are simply unlocking that which is inherent and innate to the body.“
I am not the body by Paramahansa Yogananda (Photography by Linda Divincemoore)
I am not the body. I am invisible. I am Joy. I am Light. I am Wisdom. I am Love. I dwell in the dream body through which I am dreaming this Earth life, but I am ever eternal Spirit.
Photography by Linda Divincemoore
I am beyond everything finite … I am the stars, I am the waves, I am the Life of all; I am the laughter within all hearts, I am the smile on the faces of flowers and in each soul. I am the Wisdom and Power that sustain all creation.
Paramahansa Yogananda
Switch for better by Coach Edwin
BY COACH EDWIN
Switch your life for better.
You are not happy change.
You upset take a break.
You been trying hard and it’s not working, change the technique. Ask for some outside help. Do not get stagnant. Switch and bring the change in you.
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Bobby Mcferrin
Bobby Mcferrin has been a musical hero of mine ever since I watched a recording of a concert he gave in 1986 called Spontaneous Inventions. I had heard of him of course because of his 1988 hit “Don’t Worry Be Happy” , but at the time I found this video I had most likely only heard that one tune. I fell in love with this artist through that concert and further more through the help of a close friend who introduced me to much more of his music. I am choosing Bobby Mcferrin for a spotlight because he stands out out to me as a musician, artist, and performer who seeks to use his craft to bring goodness, kindness, and positivity into the world. Thank G-d, I’ve been blessed to see Bobby Mcferrin live and it certainly was a beautiful and uplifting experience. Music has the ability to tap into our underlying unity and I feel that Bobby brings people together through his music and his music and performances give us an opportunity to delve into our simplicity, innocence, and joy!
Here is a link to his wiki Bio and a link to a great interview with Bobby Mcferrin
“Music is so powerful it needs to be used for some type of redeeming work”
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong:
About three years ago, I read a Louis Armstrong biography and while I was reading I began to listen to suggested recordings offered by the author (Thank G-d it was all available on youtube, incredible!) I fell in love with the sound of his horn and his phrasing, and his singing, and the child like joy he expressed when he played and sang. I’ve been listening to a lot of Louis since then and learned a good bit about him. Louis believed strongly that the audience was very much a part of the show, in this regard he is sometimes viewed more as an “entertainer” but i’ve gotten the sense that in many ways he felt that this is what he was put on this earth to do, to bring others happiness and joy through his music!
Below is a wiki bio as well as a beautiful story about Louis
