Welcome to the Winter 2008 issue of Pathways'
quarterly e-newsletter, WellNEWS!
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Letter from the Executive Director
Kristen Porter, MAc, LAc
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Welcome to the New Year! In the Chinese Zodiac, 2008 represents the Year of the Rat. The Rat year is a year of abundance, opportunity and good prospects. Rat is the first sign of the zodiac, and represents both leadership and initiative.
It is perfect to embrace leadership energy this year as Pathways' board of directors will convene in February for a strategic planning retreat. Over fifty percent of our board is new, with expertise ranging from fundraising development to real estate development. The retreat will define the ways in which Pathways will continue to expand its mission and its services and initiate new ventures and projects.
We are also welcoming new leadership to our staff. Richard Mandell, LAc, a founder of Pathways (when it was called the AIDS Care Project) in 1989, is joining the staff as our full time Clinical Director. Richard's long term dedication to access to care combined with his extensive community health and supervisory experience make us very fortunate to have him join our team.
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Research News
by Beth Sommers, MPH, LAc
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Two articles related to Pathways' study on the combined effects of relaxation and acupuncture have been published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine:
· Relaxation Response with Acupuncture Trial in Patients with HIV: Feasibility and Participant Experiences
· The Combined Effect of Relaxation Response and Acupuncture on Quality of Life in Patients with HIV: A Pilot Study
Pathways' study, which was conducted with partners from Boston University School of Public Health and funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, was designed to evaluate the effects of adding the relaxation response to standard acupuncture care and to determine if synergistic effects of the two treatments could result when these forms of care are used together. While relaxation and acupuncture each have positive, healing effects on the body, one of the purposes of the study was to assess whether the joint effects of both forms of care would be greater than simply adding the effects of each treatment by itself.
Evaluating the effects of combined treatment on quality of life showed significantly favorable results in the areas of emotional health, experiencing calm and peaceful feelings, and both physical and mental health. Adding a formal component of relaxation to acupuncture may enhance improvements in quality of life and encourages us to continue in our efforts to understand how to promote these benefits.
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| Richard Mandell, LAc, Joins Pathways as Clinical Director |
 Richard brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role as Pathways' full-time Clinical Director.
In addition to being a co-founder of the AIDS Care Project, he is the co-founder and executive director of the PanAfrican Acupuncture Project, a program that trains practitioners in Africa in the use of simple acupuncture protocols to address the needs of those with HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB.
More about Richard . . .
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New! Ask the Acupuncturists
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This month we're launching a new column where Pathways' acupuncturists will answer your questions about Asian medicine. If you have a question that you would like to "Ask the Acupuncturists" please send it to us at wellnews@pathwaysboston.org
Q. Although I generally consider myself to be an energetic, positive person, whenever winter arrives, I sleep too much, gain weight, and feel despondent. Can acupuncture help with this?
A. What you are describing may be SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, a form of depression. At any given time, 5% of the people in the U.S. suffer from major depression. According to Asian Medicine, this is due to an imbalance in the body, which frequently can be treated successfully with acupuncture.
More from Ask the Acupuncturist. . .
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Promoting Access to Care
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Pathways' Beth Sommers and Kristen Porter have been asked to contribute a column on acupuncture and public health to the British magazine, Jing Shen, a twice-yearly publication of the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine.
For over five years, Porter and Sommers have written a similar column for the U.S. publication Acupuncture Today. Their work focuses on achievements by acupuncturists throughout the world who make treatment available and affordable in many different settings-hospitals, community clinics, and other therapeutic centers-as well as efforts to make treatment culturally sensitive and appropriate.
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| Staff News |
Beth Sommers, Pathways' research director, was recently re-elected to the post of co-chairperson of the American Public Health Association's Alternative and Complementary Health Practices Group. Beth is also the editor of the group's electronic newsletter, which features member achievements and projects in complementary and integrative care throughout the U.S.
For more information about the work of the Alternative and Complementary Health Practices Group vist the American Public Health Association's web site at www.apha.org
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| Pathways Welcomes New Staff Members |
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    Leo Amelia Whitney Antonio
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In addition to new Clinical Director, Richard Mandell, Pathways welcomes five new staff members.
Leo Cuello is the new front desk supervisor. He comes to Pathways after having spent six years at the Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center.
Joining Leo at the front desk are Amelia Catone and Whitney Hurlbert. In her spare time, Amelia teaches yoga and provides holistic nutrition counseling.
Whitney, who recently returned to Boston after living in Africa, the Balkans and Europe, is also a massage therapist.
Bob Hornstein joins Pathways as part-time marketing coordinator after volunteering in that role for the past three years. Bob brings extensive experience in sales and marketing to his new post.
Antonio R. Teixeira Da Silva, MAc, LAc, a native of Brazil, is the newest member of Pathways' team of Acupuncturists. Antonio practices Dr. Tan's Balance Method of acupuncture, and is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and English. Appointments with Antonio can be made on Wednesdays between 8am and 4pm. |
Pathways Teams Up with the Boston Center for Adult Education
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Now you can learn how Asian medicine can be used throughout the year in a new series of courses offered at the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE). The first two-hour class entitled, Beating the Winter Blues: Move your Energy and Lift your Spirits with Asian Health Care Practices was offered at the BCAE in January.
The second course will be offered on Saturday, April 5, from 11am to 1pm. That class will address the energy of springtime and focus on improving the health of the liver through practices including movement, exercise, nutrition, and acupressure.
For more information and to register for the class, visit the BCAE website at www.bcae.org or call (617) 267-4430.
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Acupressure Point
of the Season
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GV16
By Edie Snow, ABT
This season's acupressure point is GV16, called Wind's Dwelling or Wind Palace. It is one finger-width above the natural hairline, along the center line of the back of the head, below the occipital protuberance.
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Donate
to Pathways
and help us help others
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Click to donate now
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15% Discount for Referrals!
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We greatly appreciate our satisfied clients' making referrals to friends and family and, as a nonprofit, we depend upon it.
As thanks, we offer a 15% discount voucher for each referral you make to Pathways. This voucher is valid with all other discounts. For more information, call us at 617-859-3036, ext 0.
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The season's recipe for wellness:
Carrot Soup
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By Julia Herskowitz, LAc
This recipe can be easily doubled or more and freezes well. Vary it by changing the flavorings, adding a chopped green vegetable, or peas at the end. To increase the protein content, cook with a piece of tofu (Silken works best), chopped and added to the carrots.
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Yoga for Arthritis at South End Yoga
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Our friends at South End Yoga are offering a specialized yoga class that covers a variety of techniques, which are specifically geared to, and have been proven helpful for, those with arthritis-like conditions.
The postures employed utilize safe body mechanics and include seated, standing, standing holding onto a chair, and seated variations to accommodate a wide variety of abilities. Techniques to improve posture and balance, strength training, and maintaining range of motion in hands and feet are employed.
The class is taught by certified Kripalu yoga teacher, Dotty Guild on Wednesdays from 12noon to 1:30pm. For more information visit www.southendyoga.com
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Now, you can support Pathways when you shop online
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