Subhuti Dharmananda
Encyclopedia
Subhuti Dharmananda is an herbalist
and acupuncturist who founded the Institute for Traditional Medicine and Preventive Health Care, Inc. (ITM), which operates two clinics in Portland, Oregon
and engages in a variety of educational and charitable projects related to traditional medicine. Dharmananda has traveled to China several times, between 1977, when travel became possible, and 2001 in the interests of studying traditional Chinese medicine. He received his Ph.D. in Biology
from the University of California
in 1980. He taught in Santa Cruz
, at the Platonic School of Herbal Studies founded by Dr. Paul Lee
with noted herbal faculty members Michael Tierra
, Christopher Hobbs, and Grace Marroquin. before moving to Portland, Oregon. He has exerted a significant influence upon the practice of Oriental Medicine through his monographs, clinical studies and training programs.
as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization in 1979, incorporated it in 1983 in Santa Cruz, California
. He moved it to its current location in 1988. It has been a significant support to Chinese medicine in the United States, and has moved to support a variety of other indigenous medicines including Ayurveda
, Latin American indigenous medicines, Tibetan medicine and Eastern European traditional medicine. ITM has a mission to enrich the lives of people seeking traditional medicine knowledge and services by clarifying the nature of traditional medicine and demonstrating how it can be utilized in the modern setting.
Part of ITM's activity involves the training of practitioners and charitable administration of Chinese medicine. ITM operates two clinical facilities, the charitable Immune Enhancement Project (IEP) and the multimodal An Hao Natural Health Care Clinic which demonstrates a model for integrative health care by combining naturopathic medicine, chiropractic, acupuncture, shiatsu, Chinese herbs, and modern medicine. IEP is a low cost treatment center providing acupuncture, herb therapies, and shiatsu primarily for patients with serious ailments such as cancer and HIV. The clinics are also training centers for acupuncturists from schools in the Portland area, especially the National College of Natural Medicine
.
ITM sponsors clinics or donates materials where people are in need. One project is funding of the Drepung Gomang Monastery
clinic run by Tibetan monks
in exile in Mundgod
, south India
. The clinic is run by a Tibetan doctor in the refugee camp. ITM has aided Chinese, Indian, Tibetan, Native American, Central and South American clinics that represent potential reservoirs of traditional medicine culture and resources. Herbs have been donated to Honduras
, Guatemala
, East Europe, Sri Lanka
, India
, and New Orleans to provide traditional Chinese health care relief after disasters or to areas in need. ITM has funded the International Trust of Traditional Medicine in India.
In addition to running clinics, Dharmananda has collected a large library of books and journals involved with traditional medicine and supports a variety of research translations on traditional herbal medicine. Dr. Fu Kezhi in Harbin
, China
provides ongoing translations of Chinese medicinal research, much of which is disseminated through the START Group by subscription to practitioners of Oriental Medicine.
traditions. He was also one of the earliest to test raw Chinese herbs for heavy metals
and pollutants, which allowed American practitioners a comfort level in dealing with Chinese grown herbs.
Herbalist
An herbalist is:#A person whose life is dedicated to the economic or medicinal uses of plants.#One skilled in the harvesting and collection of medicinal plants ....
and acupuncturist who founded the Institute for Traditional Medicine and Preventive Health Care, Inc. (ITM), which operates two clinics in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and engages in a variety of educational and charitable projects related to traditional medicine. Dharmananda has traveled to China several times, between 1977, when travel became possible, and 2001 in the interests of studying traditional Chinese medicine. He received his Ph.D. in Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
from the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
in 1980. He taught in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
, at the Platonic School of Herbal Studies founded by Dr. Paul Lee
Paul Lee
Paul Lee may refer to:* Paul Lee * Paul Lee * Paul Lee * Paul Lee...
with noted herbal faculty members Michael Tierra
Michael Tierra
Michael Tierra is an herbalist and acupuncturist who has been in clinical practice in Santa Cruz, California for nearly thirty years. He integrates Chinese, Western and Ayurvedic herbal medicine and acupuncture...
, Christopher Hobbs, and Grace Marroquin. before moving to Portland, Oregon. He has exerted a significant influence upon the practice of Oriental Medicine through his monographs, clinical studies and training programs.
Institute for Traditional Medicine
Dharmananda established ITMITM
ITM may stand for:*ITM-IFM, Mumbai*Irish traditional music*IATA Airport Code of Osaka International Airport, Japan*IBM Tivoli Monitoring, an IT management tool*In The Morning, a catch phrase from the popular podcast No Agenda...
as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization in 1979, incorporated it in 1983 in Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
. He moved it to its current location in 1988. It has been a significant support to Chinese medicine in the United States, and has moved to support a variety of other indigenous medicines including Ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
, Latin American indigenous medicines, Tibetan medicine and Eastern European traditional medicine. ITM has a mission to enrich the lives of people seeking traditional medicine knowledge and services by clarifying the nature of traditional medicine and demonstrating how it can be utilized in the modern setting.
Part of ITM's activity involves the training of practitioners and charitable administration of Chinese medicine. ITM operates two clinical facilities, the charitable Immune Enhancement Project (IEP) and the multimodal An Hao Natural Health Care Clinic which demonstrates a model for integrative health care by combining naturopathic medicine, chiropractic, acupuncture, shiatsu, Chinese herbs, and modern medicine. IEP is a low cost treatment center providing acupuncture, herb therapies, and shiatsu primarily for patients with serious ailments such as cancer and HIV. The clinics are also training centers for acupuncturists from schools in the Portland area, especially the National College of Natural Medicine
National College of Natural Medicine
National College of Natural Medicine is a school of Naturopathic Medicine and Classical Chinese Medicine located in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1956, it is the oldest programmatically of the six accredited naturopathic medical schools in North America. Until July 1, 2006, NCNM was...
.
ITM sponsors clinics or donates materials where people are in need. One project is funding of the Drepung Gomang Monastery
Drepung Monastery
Drepung Monastery ,, located at the foot of Mount Gephel, is one of the "great three" Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet...
clinic run by Tibetan monks
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
in exile in Mundgod
Mundgod
Mundgod is a panchayat town in Uttara Kannada district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It lies en route to Hubli from Sirsi. It is a Main road town.-Tourist attractions of Mundgod region:* Tibetan colony Mundgod...
, south India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The clinic is run by a Tibetan doctor in the refugee camp. ITM has aided Chinese, Indian, Tibetan, Native American, Central and South American clinics that represent potential reservoirs of traditional medicine culture and resources. Herbs have been donated to Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, East Europe, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and New Orleans to provide traditional Chinese health care relief after disasters or to areas in need. ITM has funded the International Trust of Traditional Medicine in India.
In addition to running clinics, Dharmananda has collected a large library of books and journals involved with traditional medicine and supports a variety of research translations on traditional herbal medicine. Dr. Fu Kezhi in Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
provides ongoing translations of Chinese medicinal research, much of which is disseminated through the START Group by subscription to practitioners of Oriental Medicine.
Herbal medicine
At the time Subhuti Dharmananda started practicing, little was known about Chinese medicine in the United States and people were suspect of Chinese patent medicines. Raw herbs were questioned for their unfamiliarity, possible pollution and difficulty of preparation. Dharmananda helped initiate Dharma Consulting International, the All-The-Tea Company, and the low cost People's Herbs Incorporated. He had been a consultant to several major herb companies, including Fmali Herbs (maker of Good Earth Teas), Sen (maker of Sen traditional herbal products)and Health Concerns (maker of Chinese Traditionals herbal medicines pills.) As such he has been a significant influence on American made medicinals based upon Oriental medicineOriental medicine
Oriental medicine is a collective term for several types of medicine practiced in the Orient and/or the East.Under Oriental medicine is understood:* Traditional Chinese medicine* Traditional Korean medicine* Kampo...
traditions. He was also one of the earliest to test raw Chinese herbs for heavy metals
Heavy metals
A heavy metal is a member of a loosely-defined subset of elements that exhibit metallic properties. It mainly includes the transition metals, some metalloids, lanthanides, and actinides. Many different definitions have been proposed—some based on density, some on atomic number or atomic weight,...
and pollutants, which allowed American practitioners a comfort level in dealing with Chinese grown herbs.
Publications
Although Dharmananda has been a writer with some 2000 pages of writings on his web page, most of his work is in the form of articles, and his book output has been fairly minimal for someone who has been active since the early wave of modern American herbalism. He has been an editor, reviewer, and contributor to several journals including Herbalgram, the International Journal of Oriental Medicine, the Oriental Medicine Journal, the Chinese Medicine Times and the Protocol Journal of Botanical Medicine and online journals like JCrows.com, HIV Resources Homepage and the San Francisco Medical Society Homepage. Dharmananda has spoken extensively at conferences of Oriental and alternative medicine including the Pacific Symposium, Herbs and AIDS Conference and the California Acupuncture Association.- Chinese Herbology Workshop 1985
- Natural Healing With Herbs (editor) with Humbart Santillo 1985
- Tibetan Medicine: A lesson for us all (Update on Herbs) 1985
- Chinese Herbs for Optimum Health 1986
- Chinese Herbology 1986
- Frontiers of Chinese Herb Research 1987
- Chinese Herbal Therapies for immune disorders 1988
- Pearls from the Golden Cabinet: The Practitioner's Guide to the Use of Chinese Herbs and Traditional Formulas 1988
- Prescriptions on Silk and Paper: The history and development of Chinese patent medicines 1989
- Kang Wen "Defeat the epidemic": The role of Chinese herbal medicine in the defeat of the AIDS epidemic 1989
- The Golden Mirror of Chinese Medicine 1992
- Foundations of Chinese Herb Prescribing 1992
- Chinese Herbology: a Professional Training Program 1992
- The Key Link: A detailed analysis of an epidemic disdease 1994
- A Bag of Pearls 2000 2000