Study shows value of food diary in losing weight

“Keeping a food diary — a detailed account of what you eat and drink and the calories it packs — is a powerful tool in helping people lose weight, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.”

“The study involving 1,685 middle-aged men and women over six months found those who kept such a diary just about every day lost about twice as much weight as those who did not.”

Click here for full article.

Acupuncture, myofascial pain therapy alike

“A U.S. physician suggests ancient acupuncture and modern myofascial pain therapy treat pain similarly.”

“Studies by Dr. Peter Dorsher, a pain expert at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., indicate the acupuncture points of acupuncture are anatomically and clinically similar to the trigger points used in myofascial therapy and he recommends either therapy to help those seeking relief from musculoskeletal pain.”

Click here for full article.

Acupuncture: the lie of the needle

“Acupuncture is gaining credibility in medical circles, but Simon Singh is not convinced by the evidence.  This weekend there was yet another piece of research trumpeting the benefits of acupuncture; in this case, needling was said to relieve hot flushes in breast cancer patients by up to 50 per cent.”

“The new study, unveiled at a conference in Berlin, follows similar claims that the ancient treatment can benefit those with arthritis, back pain, migraine and infertility. But is acupuncture really the miracle treatment it seems?”

Click here to read full article.

Sex hormones ‘hit smoke success’

 ”A successful attempt to quit smoking may depend on where women are in their monthly cycle, say scientists.  Those trying before ovulation were more likely to reach for a cigarette again than those trying at other times, US scientists claimed.”

Click here to see full article.

Acupuncture may ease migraines

“Acupuncture, as practised in traditional Chinese medicine, may offer some relief from migraine pain, a new study suggests.

Italian researchers found that regular treatments with “true” acupuncture helped improve symptoms in 32 patients whose migraines had been resistant to standard preventive medication.”

Click here for full article.

Acupuncture to be publicly insured.

“British Columbia will be the first Canadian province to pay for acupuncture with public health insurance money, the province’s health minister announced on Sunday.”

Click here for full article.

Study: Acupuncture Works for Back Pain

“Acupuncture represents a highly promising and effective treatment option for chronic back pain,” study co-author Dr. Heinz Endres of Ruhr University Bochum in Bochum, Germany, said in an e-mail. “Patients experienced not only reduced pain intensity, but also reported improvements in the disability that often results from back pain and therefore in their quality of life.”

For full article click here.

Back Pain and Acupuncture

“Seven years ago, Margerie White had such severe back pain that she was forced to rely on a cane, limit her activity and often remain hunched over. Her doctors told her that she would need back surgery to get back to her former self. Back surgery was not something White was willing to do at her age. Instead she decided to look into alternative medicine.”

To read article click here

Older Americans begin to embrace nontraditional medicine

“More than half of the 75 million adults who use some form of complementary and alternative medicine believe it helps in concert with conventional treatments, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. NCCAM is an arm of the National Institutes of Health.”

Click here for full article.

Acupuncture on the Today Show!

Congrats to my colleague Bianca Beldini as she was the featured acupuncturist on the Today Show.

To see Natalie Morales receiving acupuncture click here.

Herbs “more helpful” than drugs for period pain

“A study involving nearly 3,500 women in several countries suggests that Chinese herbs might be more effective in relieving menstrual cramps than drugs, acupuncture or heat compression.”

Click here for full article.

Studies find acupuncture cuts post-surgical pain

“The use of acupuncture before and during surgery reduces patients’ post-operative pain as well as the need for pain-killing medication, researchers said on Tuesday.”

Click here for full article.

Acupuncture - Real or sham, it beats drugs for back pain

“Fake acupuncture works nearly as well as the real thing for low back pain, and either kind performs much better than usual care, German researchers have found.”

“Almost half the patients treated with acupuncture needles felt relief that lasted months. In contrast, only about a quarter of the patients receiving medications and other Western medical treatments felt better.”

Click here to see full article. 

Janet quits her 20-a-day habit

Janet said: “I found acupuncture that worked best for me and it came as an enormous relief to stop smoking for good.”

Read about how acupuncture helps with smoking cessation.

Click here.

Acupuncture gives Troy man relief from severe headaches

Traditional treatment hadn’t helped, so Paul Weber gave the needles a try; he’s happy with the results.

Click here for full article.

Needles ease pets’ pain

“Imagine, for a minute, that you’ve been a healthy and highly competitive athlete for years, then suddenly find it difficult to stand or walk without pain. Plus, your adventurous spirit has done a disappearing act.”

“That’s what confronted Sue Fox when she began taking her graying, 12-½-year-old golden retriever, Quackers, to the VCA Animal Hospital in Kent about two years ago.”

Read more to learn how acupuncture helped Quackers! Click here.

Acupuncture and massage helpful after cancer surgery

“A combination of acupuncture and massage may help ease pain and depression symptoms after cancer surgery, a new study suggests.”

“Acupuncture has been shown in many studies to ease pain, and there’s growing evidence that it helps quell post-surgery nausea. Massage, meanwhile, has been shown in certain studies to aid cancer patients’ anxiety.”

Read all about it here.

Mobile vet brings alternative healing to local pets

“Dr. Jackie Casanova is one of a few mobile veterinarians in the Gainesville area, but she operates a little differently than most. She practices integrated medicine, which is medicine that mixes modern Western medicine with holistic Chinese practices.”

“Each type of medicine has its advantages,” Casanova said. “The more you know and can draw from that, the better for your patient.”

To view full article click here.

At Mercy Hospital, acupuncture meets antibiotics

“Two years ago, Ivan Toirac was admitted to Mercy Hospital in a coma following a drug overdose.”

“All the doctors told us he was going to die, or was going to be like a vegetable for the rest of his life,” recalled his father, Arturo Toirac.

See how acupuncture helped, click here.

Diet and diabetes

This article is about a young boy with diabetes and the positive effects of dietary change.

Check it out.

More parents are exploring, using holistic therapies

“When Joey developed a chronic cough, Arnold decided to visit a homeopathic pediatrician in Morristown. She left with a prescription for herbal pellets, not pills.”

“That night, her son slept soundly for the first time in weeks . . . ”

Read more about parents seeking holistic therapies.

Click here.

Acupuncture for aches and pain

It’s so wonderful to see acupuncture on the front page of Yahoo! Check it out.

“Scientific research has shown acupuncture to be helpful in the following musculoskeletal conditions and ailments:”

  • Arthritis
  • Back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Sciatica
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Tennis elbow
  • Other “pinched nerves”
  • Other “chronic pain” situations

“A recent study published in the November 2006 issue of the medical journal Arthritis and Rheumatism also got my attention. It was a well-done study from Germany that looked at the role and effectiveness of acupuncture for individuals with chronic hip and knee pain related to arthritis.”

“A very large group of patients were treated with usual traditional medical care for their arthritis for three months. Following that time period, acupuncture was added as an additional therapeutic intervention for one portion of that patient group, while the others continued with medical care only (i.e. no acupuncture).”

“The results of the study revealed that those patients who had acupuncture added to their treatment regime had significant and persistent improvements in not only their arthritis symptoms, but also in their overall quality of life. They did much better than those patients receiving medical care only for the arthritis, without acupuncture.”

Alternative therapies slowly gain medical community’s respect

Always great to see success stories in the news.  Read about this man’s respiratory problems being helped with Chinese medicine.

Click here.

Alternative therapy put on trial

“An experiment in allowing NHS patients easier access to alternative and complementary therapies has been launched by NI Secretary Peter Hain.”

“The £200,000 year-long trial will run in two health practices in Londonderry and Belfast. The main focus will be on anxiety and musculoskeletal problems.”

To see full article click here.

Acupuncture for controlling diet

“Doctors are now turning to the ancient art of acupuncture to treat all kind of maladies.

Now, doctors are prescribing acupuncture for those who need help with their diet and nutrition.”

“Studies show that acupuncture works for headaches, nausea, depression, stress, anxiety, addiction and more.”

To see full article click here.

Acupressure may ease dementia patients’ agitation

“The ancient practice of acupressure may be able to calm the aggressive behavior that often results from dementia, a small study suggests.”

Click here for full article.

Chinese herb may lower high blood pressure

“A Chinese herb called danshen could one day be the foundation of a new treatment for high blood pressure, scientists say.”

“In a new study, researchers report that an active ingredient in the herb reduces hypertension in hamsters and appears to work by widening blood vessels.”

To see complete article click here.

Alternative medicine rarely discussed with doctors

“Most Americans age 50 and older use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), such as herbal products or acupuncture, often unbeknownst to their doctor, according to a survey conducted by AARP and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.”

Full Article

Acupuncturist treats illness, relieves pain

“More than 2,500 years of traditional Chinese medicine - or TCM - has revealed key points that channel the flow of energy throughout the body. The placement of needles at these points directs that energy where it’s needed most.”

See full article, click here.

Sweeping smoking ban takes effect in Hong Kong

Seems like the whole world is on a stop smoking kick!  Do you want to jump on board but don’t know how?  Check out “Beat the Butt: Your Stop-Smoking Action Plan”
Hong Kong article. 

Hormone replacement therapy in the news

Some say reduction in the use of HRT has helped in the fight against breast cancer. Others say the two are not significately related. Here is some information for you to decide:

HRT article link 1

article link 2

link 3

NIH grants $1.9 million for acupuncture research

At the University of Vermont College of Medicine Dr. Helene Langevin is dedicated to discovering the scientific basis behind acupuncture.

Article link click here.

Some vets turn to acupuncture

This is an interesting article about a dog with facial paralysis and the benefits of acupuncture.

For full article click here.

Level 7 Zheng Gu Tui Na a smashing success!

Thank you Tom Bisio and Frank Butler for a fantastic advanced class in Zheng Gu Mobilizations. For more information about these fantastic training opportunities visit: zhenggutuina.com

Teaching at Tri-State College of Acupuncture

Abbey was featured in this month’s TSCA alumni newsletter.
Year 1 Acupuncture students practicing QiGong:

qigong at TSCA

Photo by Maureen Goss.