Because a review of multiple studies carries more weight than just one study. It's easier to convince people with a review.

The major issue with research reviews is that if studies were inadequate in first place, then review's conclusions will be wrong. Until methodology and study designs are improved, what's point?

Again, we suggest researchers review Chinese medicine literature. Rotchford advocates outcome studies rather than drug-style RCT's. In outcome studies, no placebo is used, but there is no satisfactory placebo for acupuncture research.

When acupuncture studies are done well, why aren't results always positive?

Rotchford says, "Dr. Naeser has shown that extent of CT demonstrated destruction does make a distinct difference in response to acupuncture. Why are Western studies equivocal when those from China and Japan so heavily support a role for acupuncture treatment in thousands of cases?

"First, acupuncture approach is different. In Orient, acupuncture is done daily to twice daily for maximum stimulation of nervous system. Various experts recommend treating 3 times weekly as a minimum; more would be better. "Second, Western studies use standard major Yang Ming and Shao Yang points. Chinese studies indicate that using scalp points alone or in addition to provide a stronger input. A newer approach, Xingnao Kaiqiao (A consciousness awakening), generated by Dr. Shi Xuemen and co workers, appears extremely attractive. They treat PC 6, GV 26, SP 6, BL 40, HT 1 (a bit distal to usually designated point), LU 5, and LI 4 in sequence each to point of tears (GV 26) and muscle jerking. In a series of 3200 patients, an essential cure is claimed in 58% and 90% effective improvement to point of reasonable self sufficiency. Other points are added for pseudobulbar palsy, where good results are reported in over 300 patients. Comparing this technique to traditional Yang points and to scalp acupuncture, they denote excellent results in 76% versus 36%. "I suggest a study such as done by Johansson's group, using Xingnao Kaiqiao, and with treatment given at least 5 days a week. Third, we must consider Qi transmission from healer to patient in any therapy, especially in acupuncture. I believe intent is essential; and intensity of interest and empathy might create a much improved healing. Considering this, background and training of involved acupuncturists in a study should be noted." - from his review of "Acupuncture For Dysphagia Following Stroke." (see link below)

So, people doing acupuncture research don't study Chinese medical acupuncture, but rather their own strange version of it - who knows where it comes from. I have no idea who's teaching them (are they teaching themselves?), or what books they are reading, if any. I'm not usually so bluntly critical of people's work, but as a body of work, I'd say that American acupuncture research has earned distinction of being mostly useless.

If you choose not to decide -- you still have made a choice! - Neil Peart

Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who decided to stand their ground. - Unknown

The doors we open and close each day decide lives we live. - Flora Whittemore

To decide, to be at level of choice, is to take responsibility for your life and to be in control of your life. - Abbie M. Dale

5. PERSISTENCE & WILLPOWER If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever field, I would pick trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off floor saying, "Here comes number seventy-one!" - Richard M. DeVos

After you've made your decision, you must persist with a will. Without persistence or willpower, there is no change. Actually, in larger context of humanity, without willpower, nothing can be achieved. If we are completely subject to our whims, we are like children - we want what we want when we want it, we're unable to subjugate our desires, we're incapable of paying now and playing later.

The Kidney-system is responsible for our willpower. It includes adrenal glands, which produce cortisol, a natural steroid hormone that gives us a burst of intense strength. It's source of strength of proverbial supermom who can lift car that's sitting on her child. The Chinese said essence of Kidney is Zhi, or Will.

Philippe Sionneau summarizes Chinese writings on Zhi (pronounced 'jur') by saying that it is "the emotion of self preservation, but also prudence and attentiveness." The Kidneys are also associated with Kong and Jing, which mean fear and fright. We know from WM that when we are scared we go into a sympathetic nervous system stress reaction that involves release of cortisol from adrenals.

On disease side, Will (Zhi) can turn into recurrent phobias, nervousness, and panic. But, Kong or fear can also be normal and useful in form of "caution, fear of unknown, and danger signals." For example, at times when I am rock climbing and about to make a risky move, feel some fatigue while taking risks, or suddenly get scared, I get a burst of cortisol along with a certain amount of caution. Some extremists ignore these danger signals and end their careers dead. I always listen to Kidneys' warnings and make a decision about whether or not risk is manageable and worthwhile. It's not always easy to make rational decisions with a bunch of cortisol in your veins, so I when I lean toward not taking risk, I oscillate between thoughts of my wife dealing with my dead or broken body, and insecurity feelings that I'm not daring enough. The latter, of course, are irrational, and I know that because overall I'm not limited by irrational fears.

One of reasons world was so fascinated with Michael Jordan in 1990's was that he seemed to be able to will a win and make it happen, to "put rope in his teeth and drag his team across finish line." Of course, it became clear later in his career that he also had to work very hard every day. And Larry Bird became one of most reliable free throw shooters of all time by shooting hundreds of shots every morning in college.

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. - Confucius

I learned that above quote was true for trudging, arduous journey. All of my life, I've been more of a sprinter- give me something to do and I want to get it done quick and then relax. In high school track and field, I preferred to run 100-yard dash than 5000 meter. I just thought long runs were too painful. Little did I know that persistence is like a muscle, and mine was atrophied.

Not long ago, my friend Arthur and I began training to hike up Mt. Whitney. Whitney is tallest mountain in lower 48 U.S. states. It's 14,495 feet high. We knew altitude would affect us, so we started by hiking up smaller mountains. The first one we attempted was 10,804-foot high Mt. San Jacinto in Idyllwild, Ca. We planned an overnight, but we were unprepared in some ways. Not only did we run into a fair amount of snow (without boots or gators to keep snow out of our shoes), but we each experienced altitude symptoms way before reaching our camp place at 9,500 feet. We had to descend next morning (after poor sleep due to altitude and Arthur's snoring).

Six weeks later, we did it again, but this time with boots, and after taking a week of a nasty tasting preventive Chinese herbal formula for altitude sickness. You can already tell we were determined. Fortunately, we experienced little or no symptoms (and when I almost got nauseous, I immediately layed down and napped for 10 minutes), and made it all way to top. But it wasn't easy. The lack of air even at 10,000 feet makes your heartbeat one and a half or twice as fast as normal, and your body keeps saying stop, sit down, rest, go back down. This is where your willpower comes in.

As someone who was quite undisciplined earlier in life, someone who loved to sleep in, to indulge himself, to revel in selfishness, I wonder if I'll ever feel that discipline and willpower come naturally to me. But I am determined to improve myself, to experience whatever human beings can experience, to prevail… some of that comes from conviction that God wants us to do that, and that doing God's will is most important thing in life. And some of it comes from anger - my unwillingness to be loser. And a little bit comes from ego, but truly less and less over time.

So I didn't listen to my body. I kept going. I rested when I had to, then kept going. And it truly didn't matter how slow I was going- so long as I didn't give up. That's how we made it to top, at times less than 1 mile per hour. The hardest part was on way down when we lost trail in snow and had to go back up again to find trail that took us down. I had thought we were done with going up. I had relaxed. So it was that much harder to bring back willpower to go back up.

But there was no real choice. I couldn't just lie down in snow. No one was going to come pick me up. I wasn't a little kid. I was a man who had to do what I had to do because there was no choice, and so no matter how hard it was, I would do it. And exhilarating thing about it was that I not only had will power to do it, but later I felt like I could have done more. I felt so free because I had broken through what I thought were my limitations, and felt like I could have gone further. It made me wonder what a human being is capable of.