Gary Chan
Registered Acupuncturist & Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Q&A

We sat down with Gary to get his migraine relief secrets and to find out more about Traditional Chinese Medicine.

1) You used to work as a computer programmer. How did you become an acupuncturist?

It’s always been my passion to discover how things work. I opened up my toys when I was a kid. I studied computing science and built virtual worlds bit by bit (pun intended).

Then I had this unique opportunity to experience acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Western healthcare professions insisted I do an expensive invasive procedure but I was able to overcome a painful tooth condition with acupuncture and herbal therapies. The experience showed me how my sight has blinded me my entire life.

Instead of having to undergo something extreme like surgery, I learned the universe (most of the time) already has a solution that’s readily available. The meridian system of Traditional Chinese Medicine opened my eyes to a much more resourceful aspect of the universe. That’s when I ditched my childish virtual creations and got myself into the world of Chinese medicine.

2) What sets you apart from other acupuncturists?

Acupuncture comes in all shapes and sizes thanks to thousands of years of history and development. I studied the Miraculous Pivot (770-476BC) way of acupuncture. It is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) forms of acupuncture that uses metallic needles.

My acupuncture focuses on energy balancing instead of emphasising acupuncture points and stimulation techniques. Just like light can be observed as a particle or wave, our body also has a physical bio-shell and a more subtle energy body residing in it. The Miraculous Pivot school of acupuncture works on the subtle energy body rather than the tangible molecular body that bio-medicine specializes in. As the name suggests, it can be quite miraculous even when used on tough conditions that don’t respond to other treatment methods.

Pivot school of acupuncture works on the subtle energy body rather than the tangible molecular body that bio-medicine specializes in. As the name suggests, it can be quite miraculous even when used on tough conditions that don’t respond to other treatment methods.

3) It’s estimated over two million Canadians suffer from severe headaches. What can people do at home to ease the pain?

Headaches can be a symptom of serious medical conditions. Emergency care is needed (according to Mayo Clinic) if your headache is severe and accompanied by some of the following symptoms:

• Confusion and difficulty understanding speech
• Fainting
• High fever (39⁰C+)
• Numbness
• Weakness or paralysis of the body
• Stiff neck
• Trouble seeing, speaking, and walking
• Nausea and vomiting

See a doctor if your headaches are frequent, strong, and hindering your way of life.

You should visit an acupuncturist if your doctor has failed to diagnosis your headache or deliver adequate treatment options.

I recommend a gentle pricking technique for emergency headache care when no other options are readily available. Read this blog and watch this YouTube video to learn how to administer this technique.

There are also some acupuncture points you can stimulate on your hand to relieve headaches. I’m happy to show you them – just come in for a free Discovery Visit and I’ll demonstrate the procedure.

There are also a number of ways to prevent headaches from happening in the first place. The best way is to manage the big four:

• Stress
• Hunger
• Fatigue
• Lack of sleep

This is not rocket science however, most people overlook or ignore these important factors. It’s not hard to understand why. For example, we know we should go to bed early but how many of us do that regularly? We choose to spend our evenings working, doing chores, or relaxing with different forms of entertainment. Our days are a constant juggle of fulfilling responsibilities, achieving a pleasurable life and getting the rest we need. This sums up why many headaches happen: life is difficult, especially when trying to satisfy the big four.

Is there a solution I can offer you? Yes, but I can’t deliver it here. Every last Tuesday of the month, I host a talk in our clinic called “Heal Naturally – The Extraordinary Benefit of Harmony and How to Achieve It Using Chinese Medicine Philosophy”. I invite you to join us if you’re seeking harmony and balance in your life.

4) Nutrition is a big part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. What TCM diet tips should we be following if we want to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle?

Chinese medicine, just like today’s weight management plans, puts an emphasis on the amount you eat and the energy you consume. However, you often hear people complaining about not getting the results they want from their weight loss program. This is where Chinese medicine can help.

Weight loss programs are not easy. Most of us do not have the freewill to make such drastic changes in our life. To cultivate freewill, I recommend doing meditation as it can give you the strength you need to make lasting changes and break bad habits.

Your body also won’t respond to your diet and exercise program if it’s not in balance. Chinese medicine and acupuncture are a great way to restore your body’s balance. On the opposite of the spectrum, lack of sleep is one of the easiest ways to throw your body off balance. If your weight loss regime is not giving you the results you want, consider getting more sleep and going to bed earlier.

According to the natural rhythm of your body, you’re more prone to store energy as fat in the winter and in the evenings. Because of this, it’s a good idea to have your largest meal earlier in the day so the energy ingested is used rather than stored. You can also try consuming all food in an eight-hour window during the day and fast for the remaining 16 hours. This will increase the efficiency of your fat metabolism and use up your stored energy.

Lastly, I recommend eating smaller meals, balance your meal composition and flavours, and avoid cold food and beverages.

5) Many people are hesitant to try acupuncture because they don’t like needles. What would you tell those people?

There are a few things about the needles I use that make acupuncture rather pleasant. For one, the needle is really small. It’s actually ten times smaller than the needles used in the hospital. Second, instead of a sharp edge like a syringe needle, acupuncture needles are rounded at the tip and designed to slide through your skin tissue instead of damaging it. Lastly, many modern acupuncture needles have a slippery coating to make insertion quick and smooth.

I understand the idea of witnessing a needle going into your body may be intimidating. I tell patients to just close their eyes. Most of the time, they don’t even feel the needle going in.