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K-Pop Demon Hunters Laryngitis Cure

By David Foster | Published April 29, 2026

 

 

If you have a daughter between the age of 4-7 there’s a good chance you’ve seen the 2026 Academy Award winning movie, K-Pop Demon Hunters. I’ve seen (part of) it many times.

For those who haven’t, it’s about a group of adorable, young, female K-Pop stars—by all appearances as big and famous as Taylor Swift—whose side gig is to periodically battle and destroy a species of underworld demons. I like to joke to my wife to imagine if Taylor or Beyonce moonlighted as fierce, violent warriors. Childhood is fantastic.

The hook is that the group’s lead, Rumi, is secretly half-demon. As a result, parts of her body are covered in constitutional skin patterns that she shamefully conceals from her best friends and the world. Early in the movie, near the peak of her success (which somehow promises to help finally eradicate the demon realm) she begins to intermittently experience bouts of laryngitis that are supposedly due to her heritage—not her career. As outlined by Mayo Clinic, this is an extremely common symptom and challenge for singers, most of whom have no demon blood. Desperate for a resolution, her friend and bandmate, Zoe, refers her to a local “healer” in town.

I have been an acupuncturist and Chinese medicine clinician in New York for thirteen years. Herbal medicine is a huge part of my practice. I teach it at Pacific College of Health and Sciences and Virginia University of Integrative Medicine, and study Chinese medical texts every night. However, I frequently feel like the polarizing charge around the Covid vaccine during the pandemic has, in the minds of the “science is real” crowd, given us a bad, or at least an inadequate rap.

The local “healer” Rumi goes to ends up personifying many modern stereotypes about alternative medicine. His personality is kooky. On one hand, he can accurately “see through” each of Rumi’s friends, Mira and Zoe, into their souls, and tell them things about themselves they were barely aware of. On the other hand, he turns out to be a charlatan when they later peel away the label from the herbal potion he gives Rumi, revealing it to be grape juice.

I was fine with the idea of Taylor Swift and Beyonce working days as demon slayers, even with the proposed etiology of Rumi’s laryngitis being her demon heritage, as opposed to the more scientifically logical one of being a singer. But I must take exception to us (Eastern) herbalists being consistently portrayed as quacks—not to mention a contradictory one in this case, where said charlatan concurrently possesses a very impressive psychic intuition.

Chinese medicine is not inherently opposed to western medicine. Many generations ago, Chinese medicine doctors once crushed up smallpox scabs to then blow up the noses of people with the intention of inoculation. Most Chinese hospitals of our present generation contain and administer both western pharmaceuticals and Chinese herbs equally, sans contentious ego, depending on what they deem the best option for a patient. I’m confident if any layperson or doctor were to read the medical texts I do or listen to the scholars I do, they would see that those of us who study diligently think every bit as critically as MD’s—that the majority of us are neither frauds nor “insta-famous,” and we can diagnose as well as any internal paradigm.

For what it’s worth, if Rumi’s voice problems were due more to her professional career, Chinese medicine has a lot to offer.

Our throats and voices derive functional fluids from our stomachs, which means singers are logically prone to dehydrating the digestive enzymes and healthy mucosal fluids of their microbiome. There are many ways to approach, depending on each patient’s unique body type.

If they are prone to general weakness and/or being thirsty for warm drinks Chinese or American ginseng can help. If they tend to low blood pressure and these same symptoms one might consider high doses of licorice, prepared with honey if they tend to feel more sensitive to cold, unprepared if more sensitive to heat. If they tend to nausea, sinus congestion, and/or a lack of thirst for water, pinellia root may help. If there is pain in the chest and phlegm in the throat, platycodi root can. There is also a classical formula from the Han Dynasty, “Jie Geng Tang,” which contains platycodi and licorice, a presentation no doubt combining phlegm trapped in the chest preventing functional fluids from reaching the throat.

Rumi would also be well advised to minimize the kimchi, as from a Chinese medical perspective both raw and spicy foods may cause vasoconstriction in the throat, the latter of which additionally dries out stomach fluids. Conversely, she should double down on the ramen and white rice, as “geng mi,” or rice can help generate stomach fluids.

I have no knowledge of herbal medicine or acupuncture reversing demon blood, but we can absolutely treat laryngitis, pharyngitis, and a whole host of chronic internal conditions. I am yet to meet a colleague with true psychic powers who can see through to patients’ souls, nor to know one who attempts to pass of grape juice as medicine.

Posted in Acupuncture, Allergies, Herbal Medicine, Holistic Health, Immune System | Comments Off on K-Pop Demon Hunters Laryngitis Cure

Topical Liniments for Acute & Chronic Pain

By David Foster | Published April 22, 2026

Since the beginnings of (Chinese) medicine, partially founded upon the demand to heal soldiers from warring states thousands of years ago, the use of topical liniments to treat acute and chronic pain has been integral to the practice.

Since becoming a patient just over 20 years ago, I’ve been aware of countless brands and combinations, at any given time one being supposedly a cut above the rest, hence the most popularly used by colleagues in clinic. For the past ten years, to my knowledge, that brand has been Evil Bone Water.

The ingredients are not novel—mostly common herbs we use to promote blood circulation, reduce inflammation, and stop pain—but my understanding is the quality of the herbs and manufacturing process by owner, Dr. Mark Brinson, is superior to any brand like it thus far. Most of the herbs are ones that can be equally drank, taken internally, although this is an exclusively topical medicine, only to be used externally for pain.

If you or someone might benefit from Evil Bone Water at home, my newest shipment is in, and I am proud to be one of New York’s many retailers. Please message me or just let me know at your next visit if you are interested in purchasing, or if you’ve purchased a bottle in the past and just need a (new) spray nozzle!

Speaking of visits! Beginning next week my Wednesday office hours will now be extended. Instead of the last appointment being at 2:45pm, it will now be at 4pm. Monday and Friday evening hours remain the same, with last appointments being at 7pm and 6pm, respectively.

Posted in Acupuncture, Arthritis, Back Pain, ElectroAcupuncture, Pain, Pain Management, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Comments Off on Topical Liniments for Acute & Chronic Pain

In-Person Herbology Class, NYC

By David Foster | Published April 13, 2026

I am humbled and excited to have been invited to teach my first live, in-person class next week for NYC Acupuncture School on the correspondence between particular pulse “qualities” at any of the six­—that’s right 6—pulse positions along the radial artery of each wrist. That’s a grand total of twelve pulse positions if ever you’re wondering why I’m sitting there for so long with three fingers along your radius.

Directionality is everything in Chinese medicine, and specific herbal medicines and the formulas they command, induce physiological responses, which, put simply, have either excitatory or inhibitory, restorative or draining effects on the body.

When a certain herb (or supplement) is considered to stimulate immune function what it means is that it directs (immunological) molecules upwards, both vertically towards our sinuses and upwards to our dermatological surface. For about half the population, whose physiological pattern requires more upward movement, these medicinals should support their immune function. For the other half, including myself, who need more downward movement, this will do more harm than good. In holistic medicine we have the gift of pulse diagnosis to determine who is who and what is right.

The pulse for astragalus for example would be weak and/or “hollow” at the first and second positions on the right wrist. Why?

These positions correspond to the lungs and stomach—the respiratory and gastrointestinal microbiomes, respectively—and their inter-connection revolving around immune function. If the arteries here feel constricted and tight this indicates cold-natured inflammation in the region, which astragalus will do nothing for. If the arteries feel strong and congested this might indicate “hot-natured” inflammation, which astragalus will equally do nothing for—in fact in this case, would probably hamper immune optimization. Only a small, weakened artery in this position informs us that it is appropriate to use a medicine that will generate fluids in the gut and ship them outward to the exterior. This same mechanism applies to many people who experience spontaneous sweating, yellow or sticky sweat, or joint pains.

There are countless other examples like this in Chinese medicine’s pharmacopeia and diagnostic process that aid us towards being increasingly more specific and effective holistic clinicians. While it helps to still do our due diligence, asking the appropriate questions, inspecting each patient’s tongue and abdomen, my present understanding is no diagnostic tool is more reliable than the feeling of the radial artery.

When someone misses a shot in basketball trash talkers on the opposing team often say: “Ball don’t lie.” In Chinese medicine we say—well, I say: “Pulse don’t lie.”

Obviously, this event will be of greatest interest to students and practitioners, but anyone wishing to become a more educated patient around the workings of their body is welcome!

Posted in Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Holistic Health, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Comments Off on In-Person Herbology Class, NYC

Treating Post-Partum Night Sweats with Chinese Medicine

By David Foster | Published April 8, 2026

 

Yayyy, you had a baby! Congratulations! But… now you don’t sleep, your body hurts in any multitude of ways, and another one that probably no one warned you about: When you do actually sleep at night, you’re occasionally woken up by not your baby’s tears, but your sweat. If only your husband could bleed, he’d at least be contributing somehow to the trifecta, am I right?

Why does this happen?

Simple. And most of you already know the answer: Hormones. The concept of “blood” and “vital fluids” in Chinese medicine encompasses  hormones as well as neurotransmitters, the latter of which might also explain why Postpartum Depression or Anxiety is so rampant.

Subjective amounts of blood loss begin from the 1st week of pregnancy, when Mom’s vital fluids are being allocated no longer to herself, but to her fetus and placenta. So ladies, your blood is never yours again. Actually it can be, once you stop nursing, but then stress depletes the blood as well, which is apparently unavoidable in parenthood. Fortunately the best means to supplement beyond early bedtimes, are steak and red wine… and herbs.

Sweat loss is not insignificant. While it often offers our bodies a beneficial cooling effect, our perspiration contains within it vital nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, amino acids, and anti-microbial peptides, some of which cannot be replaced by supermarket-grade electrolyte beverages.

It is a well-known fact that our body’s detoxification process happens through the liver and kidneys, not sweat glands, so any kooky yoga teachers who ever recommended hot yoga or HIIT training to “detoxify,” could more or less be brought up on malpractice. That is unless you don’t consider exercise the physiological modality it is proven to be.

In Classical Chinese medicine it is said that excessive sweating depletes our body’s “Yang,” which might be partially defined by things such as our amino acids and anti-microbial peptides. So let’s not lose our Yang, because losing Yang eventually leads to losing blood, which perpetuates the cycle!

Acupuncture would use points to calm the hypothalamus and stimulate the adrenals to produce hormones to slow the vicious cycle. Commonly used Chinese herbs might include Gypsum stone (if Mom is very thirsty for cold drinks), Rehmannia root (if there is also still any bleeding and Mom’s feeling emotionally disturbed), or Oyster Shell actually (if there is tightness at the ribs and/or chest, and Mom’s having trouble sleeping).

Please don’t self-prescribe. Consult a real herbalist.

Posted in Acupuncture, Fertility, pregnancy care, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Women's Health | Comments Off on Treating Post-Partum Night Sweats with Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture Point for Cardiovascular Health

By David Foster | Published April 7, 2026

As someone who comes from a family with cardiovascular issues on both sides it is important for me to be attuned to heart health, not only as a practitioner, but also as a patient.

Unfortunately, as is the case with nearly every condition under the sun, in Chinese medicine there is no one size fits all prophylactic prescription, whether of needle or herb, to prevent cardiac issues. We must due our diligence, understand the full body pattern, and treat every part of it, lest the one neglected will eventually find its way to aggravate the one originally targeted.

Lisinopril is the hypertension medication I see most commonly prescribed, and one of its primary side effects is dizziness. While this is preferable to a heart crisis, it should be understood that this kind of dizziness is exemplary of inadequate blood reaching the head, which means inadequate neurotransmitters reaching the head, which over time may bring with it a whole host of more serious neurological complications.

One way to target support in hypertensive patient and/or those looking to wean off of their medications is to regularly bleed the point, “Lung 5,” or “Cubit Marsh,” located at the crease of the elbow, a bit lateral to the vein we’ve mostly come to know as the blood drawing point.

Why would this work?

First of all, in a lot of people it won’t. Lung 5 is known as the lungs “water point,” partially because its job is to unblock fluid retention in the chest to allow it to descend into the kidneys, then in turn be sent back upwards to calm and help control the heart. If fluid retention in the chest and/or lungs are not present—that is if that is not our etiology—then bleeding this point will likely offer little to no help. Further assessment is required to determine which points and vessels can and should. If fluid retention is present we will likely see dark or distended veins, or spider veins, or fluid amassment in the region of the point around the elbow.

Garlic, ginger, and onions might be advisable. As would Chinese herbs such as Pinella Root.

Another cause for a failure for the lungs to “descend” vital substances into the kidneys is just plain weakness. Call it old age or genetics—whatever floats your boat—but the lungs in this scenario are lacking “qi,” or ample functional gases, to enable them to do their job. In this case we’re more likely to use (“earth”) points such as “Lung 9,” “Great Abyss,” and/or “Heart 7,” “Spirit Gate,” and/or dermatomes on the upper back that correspond to these organ systems.

Lemon water and bitter greens might be advisable. As would Chinese herbs such as Peony Root, Astragalus, Cinnamon, or Schizandra Fruit.

As far as I know, the best ways to prevent heart disease are through regular exercise, stress reduction, and cooked, dark, leafy greens. Beyond that, if it’s in your gene pool and you note congestion at your elbow crease, by all means holler, and I promise to not bleed you out.

Posted in Acupuncture, Heart Disease, Hypertension, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Comments Off on Acupuncture Point for Cardiovascular Health
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