Allen's words

Allen Wang has been the director of Pain Relief Clinic and a registered Chinese Medical doctor and acupuncturist of The Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Association of Canadian since 1997.  He had practiced in Japan and the United States for many years and has licenses in both countries before he moved to Toronto.  Now he is the president of Zhi Neng Qi Gong Association.  He has unique views to the health and the human body based on his experiences. 

Allen’s view to the Health

In 1977, I completed my master's degree in pharmaceutical chemistry and worked as an assistant professor at the Shanghai Medical University in China.  When I found so many chemicals in pharmaceutical medicine, I believe those chemicals would jeopardize the human being’s health.  It was during this time spent in research laboratories that I made the decision to opt for a more holistic approach to health care. I embarked on an alternative profession in holistic health and began studies in China and Japan in Traditional Chinese Medicine specializing in Acupuncture, Shiatsu & Herbal remedies. 

After practicing for the past 15 years in Canada and internationally, I have received two nationwide awards in Japan.  I have been invited as a guest speaker on Acupuncture at the 3rd World Conference 1993 in Kyoto, the 4th World Conference 1996 in New York, the 6th World Conference 2002 in Gold Coast and the Toronto Traditional Chinese Medicine Conference 2000.

High success rate of diagnosing and treating in our clinic is to treat the balance of body and mind, consciousness and subconsciousness.  All kinds of symptoms are related to whole body, such as headaches, neck and back pain, stress and fatigue and other ailments, we treat a different type with a different method.  For example, there are four different types of herniated disk back pain: 

(1) Herniated disk back pain from lack of blood and energy type
We would suggest patient to get acupuncture and herbs for tonification

(2) Herniated disk back pain from abdominal distention type
We would use acupuncture and shiatsu to treat front body

(3) Herniated disk back pain from degeneration type
We would use biofeedback therapy and practice Qi Gong to enhance the vital energy

(4) Herniated disk back pain from toxic and dampness type
We would use acupuncture and herbs to help detoxification


If we ignored the whole body balance and treated the symptoms only, it does not get a good result.  Our special methods affirmed our many years of clinical experience are beneficial for maintaining healthy conditions within the body and making people look and feel their best.     

Today, with our modern day pressures and work stress, it is all the more important to find inner health and balance.  Acupuncture, shiatsu, biofeedback therapy, herbs and Qi Gong physiotherapy are excellent guides to help you discover and restore your own natural healing system.  I hope to see you at our clinic to discuss all kinds of concern to your health.                                                                                  

The shortest day and longest night of the year, winter solstice – December 21st will soon be upon us.  In traditional Chinese medicine the short days and long nights are equivalent to the principle of balance between yin and yang.  Darkness is yin.  Lightness is yang.  The winter season is a time in which yin dominates yang.  The change of season from autumn to the colder, darker days of winter can cause mental and physical changes, such as moodiness, depression, and fatigue.  So, what can we do to adapt?  We can look to the theory and practice of traditional Chinese medicine.

The oldest book in Chinese health and healing, The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine is 2,000 years old.  According to the ancient knowledge of Chinese medicine one’s health is determined by one’s harmony with body and nature.  In this book a dialogue is documented between the Emperor and his health advisor, Qi Bo. 

In the first chapter the Emperor asks his advisor why people at fifty years of age have become weaker and slower, then our ancient ancestors who once lived to a hundred years old without signs of aging.  He asked if this was from the environment or the change of times.  His advisor answered that the ancient people understood the law of the universe.  Most of them knew how to prevent aging by following the law of yin and yang balance.  Eating, sleeping and exercising regularly.  They didn’t overwork or overindulge so they could let their body and mind harmonize.  They lived to the end of their lives peacefully.  But now people are different, they drink alcohol like water.  Life has become so good they have become lazy and too inactive.  Even after over consumption of food and alcohol they overindulge in sexual activity.  They exhaust their bodies of essence and qi.  This kind of vital energy is lost and they do not know how to contain or conserve this kind of important spirit and life essence.  They just think of immediate gratification.  They have forgotten the real happiness of a balanced life and good health.   Today’s lifestyle has become irregular.  At fifty years old they have depleted the body of its true vital essence, resulting in premature aging and illness.  That is why.

This conversation tells us the root of a long and healthy life lies in the balance between yin and yang.  Follow the law of nature and one can prevent aging and illness.  Yang energy in the human body is like the sun.  Energetic and radiant.  If the sun does not rise and set from east to west, not everything on earth could be energized.  The human body is the same.  Without radiant yang energy the body loses its ability to move and transform essential nutrients, the body will then age or die earlier.  Yin is calm and restorative energy.  Without yin energy the body could not rest and replenish.  The human body cannot exist without yin and yang balance.

In the winter the body’s yang energy is easily injured by cold and icy conditions.  If one doesn’t sleep and awake regularly the yang energy will diminish.  The spirit will then weaken.  When the yang energy becomes deficient the body’s limbs will collect fluids and toxins.   Edema (water retention) can result from the lack of yang energy moving fluids through the body.  Pain and lack of energy will be felt.  The body’s yang energy is affected by stress, overwork and overthinking. 

In traditional Chinese medicine it is believed that one’s health will benefit or suffer from the current season to the next.  Deficient yang energy causing edema during the winter season, could further result in plugged ears, blurry vision, and stored anger during the hot, sticky summer months.  Excessive stored anger will diminish yang energy even more and will rise to cause headaches, insomnia, irritability, tinnitus, and skin problems.  Because blood will follow anger and rush to the face and head.  This can also cause muscle weakness, acne and fainting.  Difficulty walking and daily activities can also be affected. 

In the winter if you overexpose yourself to the cold environment, especially when overworked or fatigued, dampness will invade the body, causing injury to the body’s natural defense system.  We become ill easily with the common cold or flu.  Winter is the season that is easy to become ill.  If we pay attention to our lifestyle we can build up our yang energy against environmental change.   Experience from thousands of years shows us how to enhance our yang energy to prevent disease. 

The ancient people discovered meditation, acupuncture, moxibustion, aroma treatment, herbal remedies and healing music.  All these kinds of healing methods can help the yin and yang balance and enhance the immune system and make you stronger.  If the yang energy is blocked from anger we can use traditional methods to sedate and expel the blocked energy.  If the qi is deficient we can used tonifying herbal remedies to enhance qi.  Of course lifestyle, proper nutrition and exercise can make yin and yang balanced in the body. 

Generally, the concept of yang is a functional, preventative energy.  While the complementary yin energy is a calming inner material.  Yin material or life essence comes from food.  Proper nutrition is key to a strong yin constitution.  If yin becomes weak, yin cannot be balanced with yang.  Our internal physical organs will not be harmonized, our sensory organs blocked.  Thus, leading to digestive, circulatory and nervous problems, symptoms of disharmony in the body.  This kind of imbalance in the body can be treated with traditional Chinese medicine. 

In most cases after a treatment yin and yang become rebalanced.  One feels stronger, more relaxed, senses are keener, qi and blood flow better and the body more harmonized with mind and spirit.   The body becomes more resilient to external sources of illness.  Energy flow is balanced.  The body’s yin and yang imbalance is likened to the balance of seasons.  There cannot be winter without a summer.  The ancient people said, if you can balance yin and yang you are a saint.  Yin and yang is one of universal law.  Traditional Chinese medicine believes change is based on the relationship between yin and yang.  At our clinic work is based on the yin yang balance.  

By Allan Wang, CMD, Acupuncturist & Director of Pain Relief Clinic
427a Queen St. W., 2nd Fl
Toronto, On M5V 2A5
416 977-9853