Week 11: Biochemistry

Discussion

 I went camping this weekend with some friends, one of them a doctor at La Clinica, one of the largest
community health centers in California.
I asked her what she thought about TCM integrating with conventional Western Medicine and there
were a couple key points she made that I thought were worth sharing.  1st, she agreed that integration
usually equates to dominance by the institutionally-favored model. In the United States, conventional
Western medicine is the institutionally-favored model.
She referenced her close friend who had been an acupuncturist for Kaiser Permanente, and although
she applauded KP for allowing their patients access to an alternative pain treatment to opioids, her
friend ultimately did not stay due to the fact that she was completely unable to practice her actual
craft. Her friend was forced to comply with a limited number of set and contrived needle protocols,
and absolutely no herbal medicine.
She also said that although integration usually equates to dominance (and thus, submission, as in the
Kaiser example above) she thought that it didn’t have to.  She suggested a model that allowed for
equal integration would have to set all practitioners on equal grounds (ie equal pay for MD's and TCM
practitioners), care selection subjected to patient-choice, and the clinic to not take insurance.

She mentioned another successful integrative clinic model, in which all the MD's were trained in other
modalities. Although she admitted that oftentimes alternative certifications for MD's are only cursory
workshops that do no real justice to the modality, and more often are utilized simply as a marketing
ploy.

By the way, here's how Integrative Medicine is officially described by the guru himself, Dr. Weil, from his website.

Mind the quote: In other words, integrative medicine “cherry picks” the very best, scientifically validated therapies from both conventional and CAM systems."

Oh man, well, there goes Qi since that is definitely NOT scientifically validated, and TCM as well, for that matter (hear the dry needle practitioners chuckling?).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uh7ibgJIi8&feature=youtu.be

Image result for dry needle nerve maps

[from Acupuncture vs Dry Needling/The Pain Relief and Wellness Clinic]
Biochemistry Definitions

I took a look at the first three...
  1. Biochemistry is a discipline that is central to all the life sciences and biomedical sciences. 
  2. Biochemistry is the study of the chemicals, chemical reactions and chemical interactions that take place in living organisms. 
  3. Biochemistry is the study of the fundamental mechanisms of life at the molecular level.
My understanding is that "Biochemistry is the study of the chemicals, chemical reactions and chemical interactions that take place in living organisms".  And thus, these are the "fundamental mechanisms of life at the molecular level" (in case you thought they were something else).  And therefore that is why these chemicals, reactions and interactions, are "central to all the life sciences and biomedical sciences".

I disagree with Def #3 - and think it should be written "Biochemistry is the study of chemical mechanisms of life at the molecular level."  "Fundamental mechanisms" in the quantum age has an entirely different meaning.

I also disagree with #1's use of the word "central" and think it should be written, "Biochemistry is a discipline that is part of the life sciences and biomedical sciences".  Then we can expand life sciences and biomedical sciences beyond the biochemical model.

I agree with #2.  That is the most apt and standard definition of biochemistry. 

Comments

  1. Nucleus NutritionJuly 30, 2019 at 3:01 PM

    When TCM people choose to go into conventional medical institutions it is best for them to go in open-minded, not have high expectations and not be attached to any outcomes. In other words, follow the precepts of the Tao Te Ching, so to speak. Part of what it means to be a holistic practitioner is not trying so hard and going with the flow.

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