Acupuncture & Massage Blog

There is a strong association between the consumption of red meat—particularly when the meat is processed—and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a new Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) study. The study also shows that replacing red meat with healthier proteins, such as low-fat dairy, nuts or whole grains, can significantly lower the risk.

An Pan, Frank Hu and colleagues from the HSPH analyzed questionnaire responses in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study I and II. They also conducted an updated meta-analysis, combining data from their new study with data from existing studies that included a total of 442,101 participants, 28,228 of whom developed type 2 diabetes during the study.

The researchers found that a daily 100-gram serving of unprocessed red meat (about the size of a deck of cards) was associated with a 19 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes. They also found that one daily serving of half that quantity of processed meat—50 grams (for example, one hot dog or sausage or two slices of bacon)—was associated with a 51 percent increased risk.

Symptoms of diabetes:

• Excessive thirst and appetite.
• Fatigue.
• Increased urination.
• Unusual weight gain or loss.

“Clearly, the results from this study have huge public health implications given the rising type 2 diabetes epidemic and increasing consumption of red meats worldwide,” says Hu. Worldwide, diabetes has reached epidemic levels, affecting nearly 350 million adults. In the U.S. alone, more than 11 percent of adults over age 20—25.6 million people—have the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Acupuncture & Massage College’s Community Clinic offers acupuncture, massage therapy and herbal medicine for the treatment of a wide range of health conditions as well as for overall wellness. To schedule an appointment call (305) 595-9500. For information about AMC’s Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs ask for Joe Calareso, Admissions Director.

Behavior-oriented interventions can help overweight adults achieve meaningful weight loss, suggests findings of an Archives of Internal Medicine systematic review. As an alternative therapy, acupuncture can help you to lose weight, when combined in a comprehensive weight loss program with diet modification and exercise.

“Experts recommend that primary care clinicians offer overweight adults interventions that promote weight loss,” says Erin LeBlanc and colleagues from the Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon. However, evidence on the effectiveness of primary care-relevant weight loss interventions for overweight adults is insufficient, they add.

To address this, the team performed a systematic review of 58 trials assessing the benefits of weight loss intervention. Of these, 38 (13,495 participants) involved behaviorally based interventions, 18 (11,256 participants) involved orlistat treatment plus behavioral interventions and three (2,652 participants) involved metformin treatment plus behavioral interventions. The researchers say that most trials showed that behavioral interventions had a significant effect on weight loss.

Unlike over-the-counter weight loss products and fad diets which cause weight to cycle, acupuncture is a natural means to achieve weight loss. Acupuncture has no adverse side effects or addictive stimulants.

Acupuncture for weight loss:

• Improves digestion and absorption.
• Has a calming effect.
• Regulates metabolic rate.
• Curbs overeating and bingeing.

Your acupuncture physician will assess your diet and eating patterns and any existing health conditions you may have.  A structured acupuncture treatment plan will address triggers such as stress or anxiety, which can cause overeating. Biweekly treatments until the target weight is reached are recommended.

Acupuncture & Massage College’s Community Clinic offers acupuncture, massage therapy and herbal medicine for the treatment of a wide range of health conditions as well as for overall wellness. To schedule an appointment call (305) 595-9500. For information about AMC’s Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs ask for Joe Calareso, Admissions Director.

Stress management programs like Transcendental Meditation should be implemented to help manage coronary heart disease in patients, according to a new editorial written by a Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute physician, C. Noel Bairey Merz, M.D., and published in Archives of Internal Medicine. Acupuncture and other TCM therapies can treat symptoms of stress including: Headaches, pain, fatigue, sleep disorders, mood swings, allergies, sinus conditions, and reproductive disorders.

Bairey Merz is calling upon medical centers to institute stress management programs to improve health in heart patients. Effective stress management programs could be as effective as beta-blocker drugs in improving health outcomes for the more than 13 million coronary heart disease patients in the U.S.

The commentary is in response to a new, nine-year trial that concluded coronary heart disease patients who practiced the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation technique had nearly 50 percent lower rates of serious coronary heart disease events compared to patients enrolled in a health education group. The study was conducted at the Medical College of Wisconsin in collaboration with the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management in Iowa.

A comprehensive treatment plan including relaxation, exercise, lifestyle changes, and acupuncture therapy can be very effective in managing stress-related health conditions. Acupuncture alleviates stress by:

• Releasing endorphins, the body’s natural pain-killing chemicals.
• Decreasing heart rate and blood pressure.
• Relaxing muscles.
• Improving blood circulation and oxygenating tissues.

In comparison to conventional therapies and medications for stress management, acupuncture is a safe, non-invasive and drug free therapy.

Acupuncture & Massage College’s Community Clinic offers acupuncture, massage therapy and herbal medicine for the treatment of a wide range of health conditions as well as for overall wellness. To schedule an appointment call (305) 595-9500. For information about AMC’s Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs ask for Joe Calareso, Admissions Director. July 31.