Living Longer, Living Better

An educational film that explores how to energize yourself and stay physically active.

UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine
1701 Divisadero St.
Suite 150
San Francisco, CA 94115

All events are located at the Osher Center unless otherwise noted.

The UCSF Osher Center would like to thank Varda and Irving Rabin for their generous, $20,000 gift of support for the Jin Shin Jyutsu Integrative Medicine Training Program for nurses at UCSF.  

The UCSF Osher Center is a leader in both required and elective curricula in integrative medicine for medical students and other health professionals. Every medical student who graduates from UCSF now knows something about integrative approaches to care. This year, with support from Varda and Irving Rabin, the Osher Center is training UCSF nurses in the use of Jin Shin Jyutsu.

Varda Rabin shares her story:

Jin Shin Jyutsu, "the Art of Knowing Thyself " can help patients maintain the health of their bodies in spite of chronic disease by bringing back harmony to the body.

Jin Shin Jyutsu has been an incredible tool in my own fight against chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) for the past 23 years.

By receiving treatments and applying them to myself frequently I have been able to maintain the health of my organs (kidney, spleen, and liver) that typically get weakened in the course of the disease. I was also able to increase my immunity to normal levels after treatments of chemotherapy. The most important aspect of the art is the ability of self help. We were thrilled to support the training of nurses to bring this wonderful treatment to others fighting disease.

–Varda Rabin

If you would like more information about the UCSF Osher Center's Educational Fund, please contact: Maureen Smith.

Special thanks to Varda and Irving Rabin.

Many people are unfamiliar with this ancient practice, but Donald Abrams, MD hopes to use it to support post-operative healing for patients at UCSF Mount Zion.

Jin Shin Jyutsu is an ancient art of harmonizing life energy within the body. It involves gently and artfully placing one's hands on the body in order to balance the life flow of energy. It is different from massage and other healing practices because it is not a physical manipulation of tissue and uses only minimal pressure. The hands are used to redirect, or unblock, the flow of energy along its pathways. It has no known side-effects or negative attributes.

Dr. Donald Abrams, an Integrative Oncologist at the UCSF Osher Center, is in the early phases of developing a new Jin Shin Jyutsu program at UCSF Mount Zion. He is working with UCSF Medical Center Patient Care Services to offer Jin Shin Jyutsu to post-operative cancer patients. This new initiative will begin with an education and training program for UCSF nurses. Nurses have an increasing amount of interaction with patients, especially during in-patient hospital stays, and thus play a vital role in health and healing. The nurses will learn to utilize the Jin Shin Jyutsu energy therapy to enhance the recovery process for their patients.

A typical Jin Shin Jyutsu session lasts about one hour. A nurse can facilitate the energy therapy while a patient remains in bed. The program will provide nurses with another tool to promote healing for patients. Great potential lies within this simple, artful, mind-body practice.

Recent reports from the NIH state that:

Over 70% of office visits are the result of stress-related illness. Mind-body medicine is proven to effectively reduce stress-related illness at a projected annual cost savings of $700 billion.

Integrative medicine holds great promise in addressing our nation's healthcare recovery. The Osher Center’s clinical programs support individuals to make informed healthcare decisions and take control of their own health.

In April, the Center is launching three new programs to further expand our ability to help you prevent disease and preserve your health. These programs include the One-Day at Osher Program, Complete Care Program, and the Corporate Wellness Program. We invite you to learn more about the Complete Care Program on our website: www.osher.ucsf.edu. Information about the other programs will be available online soon.

What can you do to de-stress and take control of your own health today? Exercise, meditate, keep a gratitude list, sing along to your favorite song. Simple choices each day can make a world of difference in your health and overall quality of life—especially in times of stress. Today, I choose to focus on gratitude.

During my commute to work this morning, I reflected on the Osher Center’s goals and initiatives for the next year. I am grateful for you and your support.  It makes it possible for the Osher Center to lead the way in care that brings healing and wholeness to the practice of medicine, the prevention of illness, and the preservation of health.

Thank you for your partnership.

-Maureen Smith

Friends of the UCSF Osher Center have an unprecedented opportunity to ensure the continued growth and enrichment of the Center. Contributions to the Osher Center priorities are growing: