Verma Zapanta's ACCHS Blog

Acupuncture as Effective Energy Healing I found my way to acupuncture by way of a friend who saw me struggling with burn-out. I knew nothing about acupuncture, except for the use of needles and went into my first session with no expectations. Upon the first needle insertion, I immediately felt a surge of energy unlock (probably on Lv-3).  I was curious, anxious, and relieved all at the same time.  I didn't understand what was happening to my body, but kept going to session because I was feeling energized.  Over the course of several months, my acupuncturist would also access points that (re)activated my spirit. In addition to the restoration of my physical body, I also felt an energetic purging of some sort.  I am grateful to TCM for giving me the tools and language to understand the energetic body and how it important it is to maintain, just like the physical.  As a future practitioner, I don't think it'll be necessary for me to explain or justify why the ...

Ultra Processed American Diet The chart above seems to be the common view on what processed foods look like. But what fails to be seen in this image is the increase in ultra processed plant-based food items.  I don't know how many times I've written about the Impossible Burger in my blogs, but I just find it relatable to many topics that have surfaced in both biochemistry and biology. I think its also because I am one of many consumers who were tricked into believing that the being vegan is an healthier and ethical alternative to eating meat. 😩 I have come to learn....HELL NO! With the mass push to sell processed and ultra processed food in order to save a buck, it is imperative that all folks (no matter what diet you have) should have the agency and knowledge to know where their food comes from. But back to the Impossible Burger... I read an article published just two months ago by the Center for Food Safety  who found that the Impossible Burger is genetically m...

Public Health Policy + Vaccinations I think compulsory vaccination is effective, especially if there is a major breakout of a disease that historically has been under control, such as small pox.  I think because I don't have any children there is a bias, disconnect, and misunderstanding I have of parents who are willing to place the children (and the risk of other peoples children) by not vaccinating them.  Throughout history, our society has been able to sustain and survive crazy epidemics.  There was a point in time when vaccines weren't available or accessible in the U.S. There are developing countries today who continue to have little to no access to vaccines that people in this nation are PRIVILEGED to obtain.  Perhaps anti-vaxxers would have a change of heart if they lived in an environment where they see scores of children being decimated from preventable diseases like the measles.  I honestly don't know how to accommodate parental choice if I were dr...

Life & Living Systems Before answering the question if I am a living system, I would need to identify my own set of criteria that determines whether I am alive or not.  😓 Chemically and biologically, I am a living system because of the molecules, organisms and cells that allow me to physically function. I am also a living system because I am part of a larger ecological system that is needed to function, however will continue to flourish even when this physical body reaches its end.  But what if there is a separation between the mind (consciousness) and the physical body. Am I still considered a living system then? Organizations and corporations have characteristics of living systems, yet don't have a physical body.  I also think about the other aspects of the human body, i.e. the energetic body.  How does the subtle body fit into our views on a living system? 

Cell Biology + Radioactivity I never really understood the extent of my exposure to radiation outside of a microwave oven or my own cell phone.   The biggest surprise was the chart that showed how much radiation we are exposed to when traveling on an airplane. It never crossed my mind how being at higher elevations make you more susceptible to exposure to radiation from the sun. Wild! I was also left with such heavy thoughts about individuals in constant contact with high doses of radiation like those tasked to clean nuclear waste or those who work at power plants.   The story one of our classmates shared about employees dying of cancer at a plant in Wisconsin was just heartbreaking. Is there a conversation happening around ethics and our excessive exposure to radioactive material?   It seems that every scientific discovery and/or creation by humankind is easily bastardized by greed and power.   Things seem to be worsening with the Trump administration’s push ...

Aspirin and Overuse of Supplements I believe Americans in particular rely heavily on supplements to provide anti-oxidants. Taking pills to "instantly" solve health issues, rather than making systemic changes to our health has been the culture around wellness in our country for decades. I am guilty of this! 😫 Instead of eating more fruits and vegetables, lessening my intake of processed foods and incorporating an exercise routine, I overcompensate with taking Chinese herbs and supplements daily.  I am trying my best to shift this pattern before serving others as a health practitioner, so I can practice what I preach! "Aspirin a day could dramatically cut cancer risk" My step father and grandmother who suffer from heart disease and high blood pressure take aspirin daily as prescribed by their doctor. As two aging relatives that suffer from various serious health conditions, I pray that aspirin will truly keep cancer from developing. I'm generally he...

My E-Prime Day I arrived class a little late this day, so was a bit confused with the E-Prime exercise we were doing in class. 😑 After searching Dr. Google, I found this definition: "The term E-Prime (short for English Prime) refers to a dialect that completely removes the verb 'to be' in all its forms from the English language."   I haven't been able to practice the E-Prime exercises from our packet, but I guess they could offer alternative ways to push our thinking and language development. According to a blog site called Litemind, we commonly use the verb to be  quite often and it hinders our critical thinking skills.  They compiled this list of how E-Prime can make you a better thinker:  1. It exposes opinions disguised as facts 2. It promotes higher accuracy and exposes hidden assumption 3. It reveals the (fallible) observer 4. It avoids premature judging and labeling 5. It brings the role players back 6. It makes language more colorf...

Chemistry of Life Discussion + Reflection Our discussion on air pollution particles found in hearts of city dwellers was alarming.  I was aware that air quality in massive cities like Mumbai and Beijing had poor air quality, but the article we read in class stated that more than 90% of the world population lives with toxic air. We are so fortunate in the Bay Area that our air quality is great, though the fires have had a significant impact on it these past few years.  I didn't realize how sensitive my lungs were to the fires. I had asthma growing up and it hasn't bothered me until the fires.  I started thinking about that business that sold canned air in China.  What started off as a gimmick selling a ziplock bag of air for about a dollar, their sales sky rocketed after Chinese consumers began to buy it online. You can find the article here .  It boggles my mind that our society is at a point where they are harvesting and profiting off air. AIR?...

Restoring the American Bison to its Rightful Range I would work prioritize working from a legislative level to establish policies that protect the American Bison and the work around re-populating them.  I think working from an institutional level will provide protections for organizations like the Inter-Tribal Bison Cooperative, Native American tribes and their allies to sustain this work unscathed from greedy politicians and corporations. I think that political and ecological leaders in the United States should allow Native American leaders to guide the work in restoring the natural ecological balance for bison because they inherited that ancestral knowledge. 

Sacred Geometry & Physics Based on the very little I know, both quantum physics and sacred geometry are based on the idea of symmetry.  I think quantum physics provides us with the scientific tools to understanding the universe and nature, while sacred geometry reinforces our spiritual and innate interpretation of life.  It seems as our understanding of physics evolves, we continue to find stronger connections to sacred geometry. In a 2013 article published by Quanta magazine, physicists discovered a jewel-like geometric object called an "amplituhedron."  The object "simplifies calculations of particle interactions and challenges the notion that space and time are fundamental components of reality." Essentially, it can provide physicists with a quantum theory of gravity. There is also a hypothesized complex symmetrical structure called E8, which some scientists believe contains the key to many quantum mysteries like black holes and their ability to creat...

Kitchen Sink Cabinet Findings We have a quite a range of cleaning products and materials underneath our kitchen sink.  The most environmentally friendly product we have is dish soap from Costco named, "Kirkland Signature Environmentally Responsible Ultra Liquid Dish Soap."  Through this blog assignment, I actually questioned what constitutes "Environmentally Responsible" from Costco's perspective. I found a review on a blog called, "Apartment Therapy." Here's what the author wrote: "Costco is forthcoming about what’s  not  it the detergent: phosphates, dyes, optical brighteners, or bleaches. They’re also not tested on animals, and they “feature” biodegradable cleaning agents and plant-based formulas. But are they entirely free of petroleum products? Other than the bottle, which is still (petroleum-based) plastic, it’s hard to say." We try our best to be environmentally conscious with other cleaning products, but still have a long ...

8-Point Deep Ecology Platform and Social Ecology I have never heard of the deep ecology movement and think the 8-point deep ecology platform is a great starting point to understanding its framework and purpose.  What I appreciate most about the principles is the ideological, internal, interpersonal and institutional approach to understanding how human's affect the world around them.  I really like #7: "The ideological change is mainly that of appreciating life quality (dwelling in situations of inherent worth) rather than adhering to an increasingly higher standard of living.  There will be a profound awareness of the difference between big and great." As I continued to read the platform, I was getting anti-capitalist vibes which was really intriguing. Then as I researched where the 8-points of deep ecology came from and learned that deep ecology has its roots in anarchism.  Check out this cool article  from the Anarchist Library. This excerpt from he...

Newton's Three Laws & Me First Law: Inertia An example of inertia in my everyday life is the physical effort and FORCE to get out of bed in the morning. 😫 The law of inertia states that an object (me) remains at rest of continues in uniform motion unless it is compelled to change by the action of an external force (my anxiety kicking in that I'll be late to work or school). Second Law: Force and Acceleration The relationship between the change in the speed of a moving object (acceleration) and the force acting upon it. This would be my dog Maia, pulling and taking ME for a walk, while I struggle to pull her 14 pound body back by her leash.   Third Law: Action and Reaction For each force that exists, one of equal magnitude and opposite direction acts against it: action and reaction. I assume this would be me briskly walking from my car to class.  Every hurried step forward is met with backward, frictional force from the ground! 

pH Balance: Acids + Alkalis + Anti-Oxidants I believe there is a correlation between the development of certain health conditions and mild acidosis.   However, I don’t completely buy into fad diets; the alkaline diet being one of them. It’s just another way to sell products and ideas, which prey on people’s insecurities about their health.   I doubt lowering pH levels in your body can completely deter you from developing chronic illnesses, which oftentimes is how diet fads are sold to people. A “cure all, end all” solution.   There also needs to be a conversation about lifestyle choices, genetic inheritance of health issues, environmental factors, socio-economic conditions and other key factors that also play an integral role in maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.  This article on Healthline broke down the science behind the alkaline diet and helped me understand why it became so popular.

Cell Biology: HIV + AIDS How do you feel about western approaches to HIV/AIDS? What are your thoughts on PreP treatment? Can TCM strengthen our immune systems? Much like my reflection in my blog entry from the previous week about the western understanding to cancer, I think the approach to HIV/AIDS is also reactive, rather than responsive. In the West, we continue to heavily focus on medication that treats AIDS related illnesses, rather than looking at how to holistically care for a person living with AIDS. I'm not surprised because there is no capital to be gained if people continue to rely on pharmaceutical drugs.   I think investing in PreP treatment is a useful method of preventing the spread of HIV, however investment in culturally responsive health education on the disease should be matched. In reference to the articles on stigma as a barrier to using PrEP among women written by Carline Vrana, how can health care institutions integrate educational programs/lit...