Acupuncture & Massage Blog

Four healthy lifestyle factors–never smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and following a healthy diet—may be associated with as much as an 80 percent reduction in the risk of developing common chronic diseases, according to a recent study in JAMA’s Archives of Internal Medicine. Cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes–chronic diseases that together account for [...]

Physical activity performed in midlife or later appears to be associated with improved cognitive function, according to a report in the January Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Mild cognitive impairment can occur with age and dementia, affecting normal thinking, learning and memory. Each year, 10 to 15 percent of individuals with mild [...]

It’s Sunday in Miami and the weather is quite unusual for us this time of year. It our dry season yet it has been raining just about every day. Lately we have experienced more cold spells than I can remember in the 32 years that I have taken up residence here. Today the air is [...]

As the health care debate continues, the current edition of America’s Health Rankings has identified trends that support the need to ensure disease prevention is part of the health care reform. Based on two decades of consistent tracking, the rankings survey calls for the nation to change unhealthy behaviors that are contributing to preventable, chronic [...]

More than 37 percent of U.S. households now use complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) for therapeutic or preventative health care, according to a recent Thomson Medstat consumer health care survey of 23,000 adults. Alternative medicine practices include acupuncture, massage therapy, herbal medicine, homeopathy, naturopathy, and chiropractic, among others. Key points about complementary and alternative medicine: [...]

For an investment of 20 minutes each morning, the payback is reduced stress, a sense of calm and peace, improved strength, limberness, better immune function, and lower blood pressure. It’s not too good to be true. The investment is practicing yoga or tai chi, which were developed and revised over many centuries. The October issue [...]

A form of alternative medicine, aromatherapy utilizes essential oils and other plant compounds to treat and prevent disease and optimize mood. These compounds are often included in topical lotions and creams, massage therapy oils and other health care products. Aromatherapy can affect overall health through the influence of aroma on the brain through the olfactory [...]

According to statistics released in July 2009 from a nationwide government survey, U.S. adults spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket over the previous 12 months on visits to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners and purchases of CAM products, classes and materials. CAM is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products such [...]

Individuals who consume excess amounts of cheese, low-fiber grains, eggs, fried potatoes, tomato products, and red meat have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in Diabetes Care. Study results found that a diet pattern containing these particular foods can produce increased levels of two proteins in the [...]

If you’re one of many exercisers having trouble sticking to an exercise routine, you’re not alone. Linda Shelton, a fitness and wellness authority and author, has a solution: Work with, not against, your fitness personality type. Shelton has identified five distinct personality types that exercisers can use to develop personalized long-lasting fitness regimens which also [...]