Basketball Acupuncture Makes a Splash on National Television
As acupuncture makes its presence known outside the health care market, it is becoming a frequent subject in commercials, radio ads and other aspects of popular culture.
In the episode of "Sex and the City," the character Charlotte, played by Kristin Davis, visited an acupuncturist known as "Dr. Mao" to increase her chances of becoming pregnant. In addition to receiving acupuncture, Dr. Mao also taught Charlotte concentration techniques to tune out unwanted noise.
Eight days later, New York Giants defensive lineman Michael Strahan was seen being treated with acupuncture needles on national television. During the halftime segment of the game between the Giants and the Dallas Cowboys, Strahan showed viewers what it was like during a typical week in the National Football League. On an off-day, Strahan visited an acupuncturist and received a series of treatments to his upper legs and lower back to treat a recurring back problem, along with a massage and adjustments to his neck and spine.
Nielsen ratings for the week of Sept. 15-21 show the football game featuring Michael Strahan's acupuncture treatment was watched by more than 18 million people. Another five million people watched Kristin Davis see an acupuncturist on "Sex and the City."
Bastyr Joins Dietary Supplement Education Agency
Bastyr University has joined the board of directors of the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance, a not-for-profit coalition that provides education and information on the benefits of dietary supplements in optimizing health and preventing disease. Bastyr will be represented on the board by Dr. Thomas Shepherd, the university's president. "
We are pleased to support the DSEA and their critical mission of providing accurate and objective scientific information about nutritional supplements to consumers," said Dr. Shepherd. "... Consumer education is a vital part of our mutual mission."
"We're very proud to be aligned in this effort with Bastyr University," said Elliot Balbert, chair of the DSEA Board. We also believe having Tom Shepherd representing Bastyr on our board will be a great asset."
Five Branches Welcomes New Faculty Members
Five Branches Institute has added three new practitioners to its faculty. They are:
- Daniel Blumberg, MD. Dr. Blumberg will teach psychology and counseling at Five Branches, having previously worked in psychiatry at Stanford University. He also has a private practice in Santa Cruz, Calif.
- Bill Schoenbart, LAc. Mr. Schoenbart will teach traditional Chinese medical clinical training. He is a graduate of Five Branches, and has contributed to several books on Chinese and American herbs.
- Yueru Weu, LAc. Wu will teach internship rounds at Five Branches. Wu has been a professor of traditional Chinese medicine since 1989, specializing in oncology, pediatrics and internal medicine.
In addition, Janice Walton-Hadlock, LAc, will return to the institute to supervise its internship program. Ms. Walton-Hadlock graduated from Five Branches in 1994, and is the author of a book on Parkinson's disease.
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