From Herbs To Acupuncture

12:00AM / Friday, May 18, 2001Print Story | Email Story

LENOX -- After twenty years of running a popular herb store in Lenox, Naomi Alson is selling her business and opening a private practice in acupuncture. She joins a handful of other established acupuncturists who practice in South County and Pittsfield. Naomi's Herbs will close on May 16, and reopen under the ownership of Kim MacDonald, a long-time employee, as a flower and gift shop. Some of the non-medicinal herbs and teas that Naomi sold will continue. Naomi hopes to continue selling medicinal herbs through mail order soon. In the meantime, she is enjoying her new practice. "Right now I feel really good about selling the store, but I alternate. It's a wonderful community. I'm selling in order to do a really good job as an acupuncturist. Owning a store is more than a full-time job." Alson became interested in acupuncture when she went for treatment herself. "I had very good results with acupuncture myself when I was healing from a broken leg. It was good for pain, for my overall health and for my emotional well-being. " Herbs figure prominently in Chinese medicine, and are often used in acupuncture treatment, though the concepts of Eastern medicine and Western couldn't be more different. Instead of zeroing in on one part of the anatomy and fighting a bacterial invader or degenerating organ, "Acupuncture treats a pattern of disharmony. Several diseases could have the same pattern and you would treat them in a similar way. In a way, you're treating more than one thing at a time, althought the focus is on one thing." Most people are familiar from movies or the news with the fact that needles are inserted into the body for treatment. The needles are very thin, are disposable, and they usually don't hurt. "Sometimes there's a little pinch," said Alson. The needles are inserted along invisible pathways called meridians that are believed to regulate the flow of "chi" or life energy. New of acupuncture's usefulness was brought to Western attention when New York Times journalist James Reston had an emergency apendectomy in the early 1970's and was given acupuncture anaesthesia. His subsequent article introduced the topic and many (mostly) young Americans began seeking training. Naomi studied at the New England School of Accupuncture in Watertown, Mass. for three years, and then spent a year there working in a Chinese pharmacy, which she said was "fun." Acupuncture has a wide variety of uses, and according to an article in Parade Magazine on March 18, "the World Health Organization has stated that acupuncture is suitable for treating eye, ear, nose, throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and muscular disorders as well as problems with the nervous system. Acupuncture also can relieve nausea caused by morning sickness, chemotherapy or anaesthesia." Many people use it for pain management, headaches, back pain and gynecological disorders, according to Alson. A series of treatments are usually needed, although one-time visits are good for overall health "tune-ups," cold and flu. Most of the needles are inserted below the knees and elbows, so clothes stay on, unless there are points needed on the client's back. Alson wants to keep her treatments affordable, and has a sliding fee scale.

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McCann Recognizes Superintendent Award Recipient

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:32PM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Landon LeClair and Superintendent James Brosnan with Landon's parents Eric and Susan LeClair, who is a teacher at McCann.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Superintendent's Award has been presented to Landon LeClair, a senior in McCann Technical School's advanced manufacturing course.

The presentation was made last Thursday by Superintendent Jame Brosnan after Principal Justin Kratz read from teachers' letters extolling LeClair's school work, leadership and dedication.

"He's become somewhat legendary at the Fall State Leadership Conference for trying to be a leader at his dinner table, getting an entire plate of cookies for him and all his friends," read Kratz to chuckles from the School Committee. "Landon was always a dedicated student and a quiet leader who cared about mastering the content."

LeClair was also recognized for his participation on the school's golf team and for mentoring younger teammates.

"Landon jumped in tutoring the student so thoroughly that the freshman was able to demonstrate proficiency on an assessment despite the missed class time for golf matches," read Kratz.

The principal noted that the school also received feedback from LeClair's co-op employer, who rated him with all fours.

"This week, we sent Landon to our other machine shop to help load and run parts in the CNC mill," his employer wrote to the school. LeClair was so competent the supervisor advised the central shop might not get him back.

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