Shi Jinghua, President, Canadian Anti-Cancer Rehabilitation Association | FOUNDERS Part 2
https://youtu.be/PLeAkfKUXUM
(Transcript from the episode's English subtitles, translated from the Chinese interview; speakers not labelled. Host: Sarah Yu.)
(The views expressed are the guest's own experience and opinions and do not constitute medical advice. Please consult a licensed physician about any health concern.)

[0:00] Highlights
Let me ask about the point Zusanli (ST36). It seems to get needled for almost everything. What's that about? So it's a treatment point, an all-purpose point for conditioning the body and treating. An all-purpose point. It's also a point for health and longevity.

[0:22] What acupoint names tell you
within Chinese medicine, there's a lot of subtlety. Let me give one simple example. Take the many acupoints: in modern terms, they're labelled with a letter for the meridian and a number standing in. But that carries no meaning. For instance, this point on our head, Fengchi. Since it's called Fengchi, 'wind pool', the name itself tells you: people readily picture a pool of water, a place that stores water. So a wind pool is naturally where wind gathers. You see, many women come in with headaches now, and this spot, Fengchi, is extremely sore. Many of these women have long hair that covers this spot, yet it still catches the wind. So names like Fengchi, Fengfu and so on, these, compared with just an Arabic numeral standing for a point, have far deeper meaning.

[1:22] Why Zusanli is a cure-all point
Let me ask about the point Zusanli (ST36). It seems to get needled for almost everything. What's that about? Zusanli mainly regulates the stomach and intestines. In TCM, the kidneys are the foundation of the innate; the spleen and stomach, of the acquired. The innate you have no way to decide. If your parents' genes are good, you get a good inheritance. If your parents have flaws in some areas, then in many ways you too carry the corresponding flaws. But TCM says, whether your innate constitution is good or you depend on the acquired, TCM stresses looking after the acquired. It can help make up what's lacking. So it's a treatment point, an all-purpose point for conditioning the body and treating. An all-purpose point. It's also a point for health and longevity. And when needling, the technique matters a great deal, right? If I want to tonify, I direct it upward, and with the right force plus some warmth conducted into it, it tonifies. So in Chinese medicine, these points can all regulate in both directions.

[2:35] His own acupressure method
Besides needling, something I've developed myself is an acupressure therapy. Could you tell us a bit about it? Acupressure therapy basically means I combine acupuncture and tuina together. Acupuncture works by needling: the needle goes into your skin to stimulate the acupoint on the meridian. But I apply the force of my fingers or a tool directly onto the acupoint. Then you'll feel, sometimes you'll feel the same effect as acupuncture, and sometimes even a stronger effect than acupuncture. Let me use an analogy; it may be easier to grasp. Say you're a teacher, a piano teacher, teaching a student. You teach them how to play: technique, rhythm, pitch and so on. After that, once the student has learned it, they go home, don't practise, come back a week later for another lesson. Ordinary results, that's what you get. But if through your teaching you've sparked their love and interest in the piano, they really want to learn. They go home and not only review as you asked, they'll add more practice on their own. They've come to love it. Then it produces a really good result. So that's the difference between local treatment and whole-body treatment. Local treatment's effect is temporary, localized, short-lived and limited. But after whole-body treatment, it's activated; after whole-body treatment it can keep on treating you.

[4:02] What makes a great doctor
But some people will say, you shouldn't use too many needles, too many and you get depleted. Right, yes. How many needles is normal? That depends on the doctor's skill. And when he's actually treating a patient, the doctor has to have strong skill of his own. And during treatment he stays present and focused, because he has energy too, right. He channels his energy in. Also, during treatment he basically stays close to the patient, not far away; only then can it work. So there are many specific techniques involved.

[4:42] Practice first, then theory, then practice again
Basically, my path was practice first, then theory, then practice again. Because the teacher is an experienced doctor or has decades of accumulated experience, and for a certain type of problem has formed a set approach, some fixed ways of doing things. So some things, you may not understand the deeper reasoning behind them, but if you follow the teacher's method and copy it, your results will be far better than fumbling your way through on your own. Thank you so much for sharing today; we've learned a great deal.