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High blood pressure is often treated with lifestyle recommendations associated with diet, exercise and weight loss in combination with drug therapy. However, some individuals seek out alternative therapies due to an inability to enact healthy lifestyle changes or who continue to experience high blood pressure although they lead a healthy lifestyle. Acupuncture is a holistic therapy which can effectively regulate blood pressure. … Read More
Integrative and mind/body therapies can be effective in pain management for patients. Integrative medicine emphasizes a full range of personalized healthy lifestyle approaches that tend to physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. … Read More
Diet can be responsible for a lack of the so-called ‘sunshine vitamin.’ Vitamin D deficiencies can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of cancer and osteoporosis. Researchers from London’s Kingston University have developed a new, highly accurate blood test that can detect associations between diet and low levels of vitamin D. This enables them, and other healthcare professionals to access the levels of, and use, vitamin D for disease prevention in their clients. With the new test, developed by Declan Naughton and colleagues, the different forms of vitamin D the body absorbs from diet and sunlight, known as vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 respectively, can be individually distinguished from closely related compounds. “Many people know that the main source of vitamin D is from exposure to sunlight because humans produce a type of vitamin D naturally from the action of sun on the skin,” says Naughton. “But what’s perhaps less well known is that another type of the vitamin can be found in foods. Our new test can measure all the forms of vitamin D, and potentially help us to understand what is causing the deficiency. Perhaps people just need more sun, or maybe they should be looking more closely at their diet too.” … Read More
Those recovering from knee injuries might do well to take note of research from the American College of Sports Medicine. Findings indicate that those who pedaled backward on treadmills and elliptical machines tended to do better than those who pedaled forward. Acupuncture can treat knee pain, swelling and stiffness while improving muscle strength. “The results were very encouraging,” says lead author Elmarie Terblanche, Ph.D. “Participants who used backward locomotion showed significantly greater gains in quadriceps and hamstring strength. Additionally, they had greater aerobic capacity than the forward-locomotion group. Many people suffer knee injuries, whether through sports participation or activities of daily living. It can be a significant aid in rehabilitation to know how to most efficiently strengthen the joints and muscles after injury. When exercise and over-the-counter medications are ineffective in reducing knee pain and swelling, other options should be considered. Acupuncture can reduce knee pain by increasing the production of neurotransmitters and endorphins, which naturally minimize pain. Acupuncture activates the body’s pain-modulating system, changing the processing and perception of pain information at various levels of the nervous system. Acupuncture can help to unblock qi, the body’s vital energy, which aids in healing and overall health. … Read More
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), created by Richard Bandler, is a behavioral method which can empower you with a set of guiding attitudes and principles about behavior. NLP can be combined with acupuncture to create an effective approach to mind and body. NLP places an emphasis on the relation between thoughts, language and behavior. Techniques used in NLP teach people to modify beliefs, reach personal goals, eliminate addictions, and improve communication with others. By adopting more successful ways of using the mind, negatives can be changed into positives. “Often, I only need to see people a couple of times to reprogram their thinking and give them a whole new outlook on life, success and happiness,” says Bandler. “I don’t look at where people went astray, what they did or why. I teach them to get back on the rails and not to look back.” Once people realize that they create their own internal beliefs, memories and experiences, they become aware that they have the power to change their behavior and health. There are now more than 3,000 NLP institutes in 70 different countries, using Bandler’s techniques to cure everything from phobias and lack of confidence to traumatic association from past events. NLP benefits: • Allows you to shape your future. • Provides optimism about the present. • Teaches how to use determination and calm in adverse situations. • Improves personal and professional decision making. NLP and acupuncture treatment combine the powerful mind techniques of NLP with the body and meridian work of acupuncture to promote mental and physical health. Many health conditions have mental and physical components that can be effectively treated by integrating NLP with acupuncture therapy. … Read More
Women with menstrual cramps are often offered either nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or oral contraceptives. Many women find that these treatments are not effective or they cannot take the drugs, and more women would prefer a non-drug alternative, such as Chinese herbal medicine. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been used for centuries in China, being used in public hospitals to treat abdominal cramping that occurs prior to or during menstruation (primary dysmenorrhea). CHM results in significant improvements in pain relief when compared to pharmaceutical drugs. Chinese herbal medicine reduces overall symptoms and is better at alleviating pain than heat compression and NSAIDs. Herbal interventions for the treatment of menstrual cramps are most effective when started 5 to 7 days before menstruation and continued for about 10 to 15 days—until the second day of menstruation or throughout menstruation. Chinese herbal medicine can: • Yield better pain relief than conventional pharmaceutical therapies. • Relieve pain better than over-the-counter herbal health products. • Improve overall symptoms more effectively than conventional treatments. • Reduce dependency on medications. Chinese herbal formulas are often more beneficial than single herb remedies because the herbs work synergistically for conditions such as menstrual cramps. Chinese herbal formulas can regulate the menstrual cycle, relieve cramps, nourish and strengthen blood circulation, and enhance the flow of qi, or vital energy. Replacing NSAIDs with Chinese herbs can minimize the risk of adverse side effects, such as upset stomach, heartburn and ulcers while keeping you pain-free. … Read More
Tai chi exercise appears to be associated with improved quality of life, mood and exercise self-efficacy in patients with heart disease, according to a study in JAMA’s Archives of Internal Medicine. Historically, patients with heart disease were considered too frail to exercise and, through the late 1980s, avoidance of physical activity was a standard recommendation. Meditative exercise may have benefits for patients with heart disease. Gloria Yeh, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, and colleagues evaluated 100 outpatients with heart disease. Fifty patients were randomized to a 12-week tai chi-based exercise intervention group and 50 were randomized to an education group. The tai chi intervention group consisted of one-hour group classes held twice weekly for 12 weeks. The education sessions were also held twice weekly for the same duration as the tai chi lessons. At completion, there were no significant differences in change in six-minute walk distance and peak oxygen uptake when comparing the tai chi and education groups; however, patients in the tai chi group had greater improvements in quality of life. The tai chi group also showed improvements in exercise self-efficacy (confidence to perform certain exercise-related activities), and related feelings of well-being. Tai chi exercise, a multi-component, mind-body training modality that is safe and has good rates of adherence, may provide value in improving daily exercise and quality of life. Health benefits of tai chi: … Read More
Tocotrienols, which are members of the Vitamin E family, are effective in lowering the levels of triglyceride, a form of fat in the blood. High levels of triglyceride are closely linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Gamma and delta tocotrienols, derived naturally from palm oil, are potent in lowering triglyceride levels in the blood by 28 percent after two months of supplementation, according to a new Singapore study. Tocotrienol-treated individuals also show decreasing trends in average weight, body fat mass, body fat percentage, and waist measurement. This form of Vitamin E has potential as a natural remedy in combating obesity. Tocotrienols in Vitamin E do not have any observable side effects. An elevated triglyceride level is one of the risk factors for the identification of metabolic syndrome, which is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke. Tocotrienols in Vitamin E may also inhibit the development of atherosclerosis, a medical condition in which fatty plaque builds up inside the arteries, by enhancing the removal of LDL-cholesterol from the blood. In addition to Vitamin E supplementation, acupuncture can assist dieters with their weight loss plan when combined with a reduced calorie diet and exercise. Acupuncture normalizes both the digestive and hormonal systems, regulates metabolic rate and reduces food cravings, which can aid in curbing binge eating. Tips for weight loss: • Make gradual changes in diet and exercise. • Reduce overeating with smaller and more frequent meals. • Balance food intake according to the season. • Avoid over-the-counter weight loss products which can cause weight to cycle. … Read More
An April 15th vote in favor of the House Republican budget ends Medicare and slashes Medicaid spending by $1.4 trillion. This will have a major, adverse impact on seniors. Medicare is primarily intended for people over 65 years of age, and the Medicaid program is the largest single payer of long-term care, including half of all nursing home costs. “The Republican budget ends Medicare, raises the cost of prescription drugs for seniors and cuts nursing home care for seniors and the disabled,” says U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), explaining why he voted against the Republican Budget and for the Democratic budget alternative. “It makes college more expensive for America’s students, kicks children out of Head Start, and makes us more dependent on foreign oil. It then takes all the money it ‘saves’ from those lopsided cuts to the middle class and the poor and shovels it to the biggest oil companies in the world, the wealthiest American taxpayers and corporations that ship our jobs overseas.” Republican budget key points: • Ends Medicare. • Gives tax cuts to oil companies and the wealthy. • Takes money from middle class and low-income seniors. • Reduces resources for children and the disabled. “The Republican budget is unfair and unbalanced and makes the wrong choices for our economy and our future,” says Miller. While seniors bear the brunt of the proposed Republican health budget cuts, many millions of children will also be harmed. Middle-class families will be denied real help that they need for health insurance to protect themselves. “It is ironic and outrageous that these cuts are included in a budget that also extends huge, unneeded tax cuts for the wealthiest people in America,” says Miller. … Read More
From 1965 to 2007, the percentage of people who smoke 10-20 or more cigarettes per day declined significantly, with these declines greater in California than in the rest of the U.S., according to a new JAMA study. Acupuncture for smoking cessation can help you manage the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms. Since the first surgeon general’s report on smoking and health (1964), there has been a major decline in smoking prevalence. During this period, California has consistently led the United States in using public policies to reduce cigarette smoking, and there were faster declines in lung cancer rates in California compared with the remaining United States. “The rapid decline in prevalence of 10 or more cigarettes per day smoking is consistent with the increased incidence of cessation that occurred following the dissemination of early reports that smoking caused cancer,” the authors say. If you feel it’s time to finally kick the habit, but don’t have the willpower, you should consider acupuncture treatment for smoking cessation. Acupuncture can ease breathing, improve circulation and normalize blood pressure. Benefits of smoking cessation with acupuncture include: Reduced cold and flu illnesses, decreased rates of pneumonia and bronchitis and improved health. Acupuncture effectively manages withdrawal symptoms such as: • Increased appetite. • Sleep disturbances. • Concentration difficulties. • Irritability. Acupuncture & Massage College’s Community Clinic offers acupuncture and herbal medicine for smoking cessation as well as a wide range of other health conditions. 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. … Read More
