Although scientists say that it's too soon to recommend that people eat grapes to ward off cancer, a new study shows that cancer cells exposed to grapeseed extract died off at a rate of 76 percent within 24 hours.
Previous research has shown grapeseed extract to be effective against skin, bowel, breast, lung, stomach and prostate cancers.
Grapeseed extract is rich in antioxidants. Click here for more information on how to best absorb any grapeseed extract supplements you might be taking.
Be Well!
Showing posts with label herbal medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label herbal medicine. Show all posts
Monday, January 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Indigo Inhibits Psoriasis
Once again, Chinese herbal medicine beats Western pharmaceuticals in a clinical trial.
WebMD reported today that an ointment made of Indigo Naturalis, also known as "Qing Dai," performed better than corticosteroids to reduce or eliminate chronic plaque psoriasis. Patients in the study reported dramatic improvement over the 12 week time frame - 31 out of 42 patients reported that their bilateral plaques either cleared or nearly cleared.
Patients in the study were chosen because their psoriasis was unresponsive to standard Western drug therapy. Researchers said the Indigo treatment was non-toxic and without side effects, but that the ointment did stain the participants' skin and clothing.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/18/health/webmd/main4613580.shtml
WebMD reported today that an ointment made of Indigo Naturalis, also known as "Qing Dai," performed better than corticosteroids to reduce or eliminate chronic plaque psoriasis. Patients in the study reported dramatic improvement over the 12 week time frame - 31 out of 42 patients reported that their bilateral plaques either cleared or nearly cleared.
Patients in the study were chosen because their psoriasis was unresponsive to standard Western drug therapy. Researchers said the Indigo treatment was non-toxic and without side effects, but that the ointment did stain the participants' skin and clothing.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/18/health/webmd/main4613580.shtml
Monday, November 3, 2008
Licorice Fights Viral, Inflammatory Conditions
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, most herbal remedies contain between three and 15 herbs, each performing a specific function. Most of these remedies contain a small dose of licorice, an herb with many of medicinal properties.
In Traditional Chinese formulas, licorice is used as a harmonizer, which means that a small dose is included in the formula to improve the effectiveness of the formula as a whole.
Perhaps this use is due to licorice's healing effect on the stomach. Recent studies suggest that licorice performs as well as anti-ulcer medications in relieving pain and preventing ulcers from recurring. When licorice root liquid extract was used to treat 100 patients with stomach ulcers, 90 percent improved. An Irish study attributed this to licorice's stimulation of mucous glands in the stomach.
Licorice also prevents inflammation throughout the body. First, glycyrrhizin, which gives licorice its sweet flavor, is an anti-inflammatory agent that works on the lungs, the bowels and the skin. In addition, licorice increases the amount of time that cortisol circulates throughout the body, an adrenal hormone that also has anti-inflammatory effects.
Licorice is also a powerful anti-viral herb. Studies have shown that intravenous licorice can prevent replication of the HIV virus, other studies show that it prevents encephalitis, hepatitis A and B, SARS, and herpes.
I know that it sounds fantastic, but licorice must be used with CAUTION. Individuals who have high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart, liver or kidney problems SHOULD NOT take licorice. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding SHOULD NOT take licorice.
Licorice interacts with some drugs, including birth control pills, digoxin, aspirin, insulin, ACE inhibitors, and more. If you are taking prescription medication, consult your doctor before taking medicinal dosages of licorice.
Oh, and don't take it continuously for longer than four to six weeks.
The best part about licorice - it's delicious! Enjoy the sweet taste in good health.
In Traditional Chinese formulas, licorice is used as a harmonizer, which means that a small dose is included in the formula to improve the effectiveness of the formula as a whole.
Perhaps this use is due to licorice's healing effect on the stomach. Recent studies suggest that licorice performs as well as anti-ulcer medications in relieving pain and preventing ulcers from recurring. When licorice root liquid extract was used to treat 100 patients with stomach ulcers, 90 percent improved. An Irish study attributed this to licorice's stimulation of mucous glands in the stomach.
Licorice also prevents inflammation throughout the body. First, glycyrrhizin, which gives licorice its sweet flavor, is an anti-inflammatory agent that works on the lungs, the bowels and the skin. In addition, licorice increases the amount of time that cortisol circulates throughout the body, an adrenal hormone that also has anti-inflammatory effects.
Licorice is also a powerful anti-viral herb. Studies have shown that intravenous licorice can prevent replication of the HIV virus, other studies show that it prevents encephalitis, hepatitis A and B, SARS, and herpes.
I know that it sounds fantastic, but licorice must be used with CAUTION. Individuals who have high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart, liver or kidney problems SHOULD NOT take licorice. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding SHOULD NOT take licorice.
Licorice interacts with some drugs, including birth control pills, digoxin, aspirin, insulin, ACE inhibitors, and more. If you are taking prescription medication, consult your doctor before taking medicinal dosages of licorice.
Oh, and don't take it continuously for longer than four to six weeks.
The best part about licorice - it's delicious! Enjoy the sweet taste in good health.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Peppermint is Medicine
I don't know about where you live, but it's starting to heat up here in Los Angeles. When the weather heats up my thoughts turn to... peppermint.
When I lived in New Orleans so many years ago, I had a glass jug that used to hold orange juice that I filled up with tap water and kept in the fridge in the summertime. Being tap water, it tasted sort of funny so I started dropping in a bag of peppermint herbal tea to improve the taste. It was so good that I just kept doing it.
I didn't know it at the time, but aside from being a delicious, breath-freshening flavor, peppermint is good medicine, especially in the summertime. It has several medicinal actions, including:
Last, but absolutely not least, peppermint is also used to treat stress and nervous disorders. That's right, peppermint relaxes you. In fact, inhaling the aroma of peppermint can help reduce stress while you are sitting in traffic, and cuts down on road rage.
Need more reasons to choose peppermint? I didn't think so...
When I lived in New Orleans so many years ago, I had a glass jug that used to hold orange juice that I filled up with tap water and kept in the fridge in the summertime. Being tap water, it tasted sort of funny so I started dropping in a bag of peppermint herbal tea to improve the taste. It was so good that I just kept doing it.
I didn't know it at the time, but aside from being a delicious, breath-freshening flavor, peppermint is good medicine, especially in the summertime. It has several medicinal actions, including:
- Releasing Wind Heat. What the hell does that mean? In Chinese Medicine, "wind heat" is a term for contagious diseases - colds and flu. Peppermint has an anti-viral effect in the early stage of such illnesses as mumps, influenza, and herpes. It is also an anti-fungal, and applied topically to the skin can prevent itching, fungal infections, and gum disease.
- Soothes the Throat and Eyes. Peppermint is an expectorant and a decongestant. A German commission noted peppermint's ability to soothe nasal passages when inhaled through the nostrils.
- Improves Digestion. In European herbalism, peppermint is used mainly for its ability to soothe nearly all segments of the digestive tract. Peppermint has been used for centuries to treat heartburn, it relieves upset stomach by calming the stomach muscles and improving the slow of bile; and peppermint improves the pain and irritation associated with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), with statistical improvements ranging from 75 to 89.5 percent in the groups studied.
Last, but absolutely not least, peppermint is also used to treat stress and nervous disorders. That's right, peppermint relaxes you. In fact, inhaling the aroma of peppermint can help reduce stress while you are sitting in traffic, and cuts down on road rage.
Need more reasons to choose peppermint? I didn't think so...
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Acupuncture and Back Pain
If you've been reading this blog for a while, you already know that acupuncture is good for pain.
One of the most common and insidious forms of pain in the U.S. is back pain. There are lots of reasons that this is the case. Your spinal cord, the hub of your central nervous system, is located in your back. The concentration of nerve tissue is greater in this area, which increase the possibility of pain sensation from a local problem, or referred pain from other parts of the body.
Regardless of the cause, back pain is a serious problem. It is:
Even better, a recent study shows that acupuncture is an effective long-term treatment, preventing back pain for six months or more.
In addition to acupuncture, there are plenty of natural remedies for preventing and stopping back pain once it starts.
Bottom line is that you don't have to suffer, you don't have to tough it out, and you don't have to take drugs. You can find relief from back pain naturally.
One of the most common and insidious forms of pain in the U.S. is back pain. There are lots of reasons that this is the case. Your spinal cord, the hub of your central nervous system, is located in your back. The concentration of nerve tissue is greater in this area, which increase the possibility of pain sensation from a local problem, or referred pain from other parts of the body.
Regardless of the cause, back pain is a serious problem. It is:
- the most common reason people seek medical attention
- one of the most frequent causes of missed work in the United States
- one of the most expensive medical conditions in the United States
Even better, a recent study shows that acupuncture is an effective long-term treatment, preventing back pain for six months or more.
In addition to acupuncture, there are plenty of natural remedies for preventing and stopping back pain once it starts.
Bottom line is that you don't have to suffer, you don't have to tough it out, and you don't have to take drugs. You can find relief from back pain naturally.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Acupuncture Prevents Chronic Headaches
As our world becomes more connected through technology, the wisdom of different cultures is spread throughout the world.
For example, in 2004, United Kingdom researchers determined that acupuncture significantly reduced the frequency and intensity of headaches in patients that suffered from chronic headaches. They determined that the government, doctors, and patients would all benefit by offering more acupuncture services throughout Great Britain.
Just how does acupuncture benefit everyone? Well, if the number of headaches are reduced, patients feel better, and they take less pain medication. This saves the government money, and decreases any risk of drug dependence.
In fact, if you read the BBC article in its entirety, you will discover that doctors in Great Britain refer 10 percent of their patients to acupuncture. (Interesting to see what happens in a medical system that's not motivated by profit.)
Interestingly enough, the same study was conducted in the United States in 2004 by the NIH, and is listed on PubMed. They found that acupuncture had persisting, clinically relevant benefits for acupuncture patients.
In 2005, Science Daily reported that the reduction in headaches was as much as 50 percent.
This is huge for people who suffer from chronic headaches. Most pain medications carry risk factors, everything from stomach pain to stroke to addiction. Acupuncture is good for you, it's time-limited, and it's effective.
For example, in 2004, United Kingdom researchers determined that acupuncture significantly reduced the frequency and intensity of headaches in patients that suffered from chronic headaches. They determined that the government, doctors, and patients would all benefit by offering more acupuncture services throughout Great Britain.
Just how does acupuncture benefit everyone? Well, if the number of headaches are reduced, patients feel better, and they take less pain medication. This saves the government money, and decreases any risk of drug dependence.
In fact, if you read the BBC article in its entirety, you will discover that doctors in Great Britain refer 10 percent of their patients to acupuncture. (Interesting to see what happens in a medical system that's not motivated by profit.)
Interestingly enough, the same study was conducted in the United States in 2004 by the NIH, and is listed on PubMed. They found that acupuncture had persisting, clinically relevant benefits for acupuncture patients.
In 2005, Science Daily reported that the reduction in headaches was as much as 50 percent.
This is huge for people who suffer from chronic headaches. Most pain medications carry risk factors, everything from stomach pain to stroke to addiction. Acupuncture is good for you, it's time-limited, and it's effective.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
More on the State of U.S. Health Care
I sort of buried this statistic in the last article, but I want to expound on the subject today.
In 2006, The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health Care System published a study called The National Scorecard on U.S. Health System Performance, which provided the first ever comprehensive, soup-to-nuts evaluation of the U.S. health care system.
Our health care system was ranked based on 37 indicators, including, quality, efficiency, access, satisfaction, etc.
On average, the U.S. scored 66 out of a possible 100. That's not even a passing grade.
Here are some examples of the specific findings:
And if you think we've improved since 2006, take a look at this.
What can you do to change this? Vote for a candidate that's committed to reforming health care. Take responsibility for your own health by engaging in preventative care, keeping yourself well and leading a healthy, balanced life.
More on this sooner rather than later...
In 2006, The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health Care System published a study called The National Scorecard on U.S. Health System Performance, which provided the first ever comprehensive, soup-to-nuts evaluation of the U.S. health care system.
Our health care system was ranked based on 37 indicators, including, quality, efficiency, access, satisfaction, etc.
On average, the U.S. scored 66 out of a possible 100. That's not even a passing grade.
Here are some examples of the specific findings:
- One third of U.S. residents over the age of 65 are under insured.
- One third of U.S. residents under the age of 65 have problems paying their medical bills.
- Barely half of the adults surveyed received preventative screening based on markers of age and sex.
- Our infant mortality rate is more than double that of the top three countries surveyed.
And if you think we've improved since 2006, take a look at this.
What can you do to change this? Vote for a candidate that's committed to reforming health care. Take responsibility for your own health by engaging in preventative care, keeping yourself well and leading a healthy, balanced life.
More on this sooner rather than later...
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Health, Acupuncture, and Happiness
This morning I read about a study that contains new statistics about how U.S. citizens perceive their quality of life. It turns out that 49 percent of the U.S. residents surveyed reported that they were thriving, 47 percent are struggling, and 4 percent are suffering.
Not such a great score, considering that 83 percent of Denmark's residents report that they are thriving.
The study was a joint venture between Gallup, the long famous polling house, and Healthways, a company that partners with corporations to improve the health of workers. The holistic data presented above is further broken down into categories that examine job satisfaction, commute time, exercise habits, chronic illness, and much more.
Basically, only about half of the people in the United States are happy, and, according to this study, there seems to be a strong correlation between health and happiness.
Other researchers dispute the link, saying that there are too many variables to make a direct correlation between health and happiness, but they can't deny that a relationship exists. There's an entire class of medication - tricyclic antidepressants - that is specifically indicated for depression caused by chronic pain.
To me, it's a given. I've been blessed with good health for most of my life, but when something goes wrong, I feel it. And it bothers me. When I was 28 I broke my thumb doing yoga, and I went from being a happy, active yogi to being a slightly depressed 28-year-old.
Perhaps instead of looking problematic positive correlation between health and happiness, we should look at the cut-and-dried, clinically-proven link between chronic pain and depression. When people don't feel good in their bodies, they don't feel good in their minds.
Another interesting piece of data is that the United States health care system ranks 37th in the world. That's not real high, my fellow Americans.
For me, that just means that I need to take more responsibility for my own health. It means that I'm going to stay active so that my overall health is good. I'm going to put an effort to maintaining my own wellness - getting regular acupuncture treatments, taking preventative herbal medicine, getting regular massage, visiting the dentist regularly, eating well, and relaxing often - and not expecting someone else to take care of me down the road.
The more responsibility you take for your physical and mental health now, the less expensive it will be for you and your family later. The choice is yours.
Not such a great score, considering that 83 percent of Denmark's residents report that they are thriving.
The study was a joint venture between Gallup, the long famous polling house, and Healthways, a company that partners with corporations to improve the health of workers. The holistic data presented above is further broken down into categories that examine job satisfaction, commute time, exercise habits, chronic illness, and much more.
Basically, only about half of the people in the United States are happy, and, according to this study, there seems to be a strong correlation between health and happiness.
Other researchers dispute the link, saying that there are too many variables to make a direct correlation between health and happiness, but they can't deny that a relationship exists. There's an entire class of medication - tricyclic antidepressants - that is specifically indicated for depression caused by chronic pain.
To me, it's a given. I've been blessed with good health for most of my life, but when something goes wrong, I feel it. And it bothers me. When I was 28 I broke my thumb doing yoga, and I went from being a happy, active yogi to being a slightly depressed 28-year-old.
Perhaps instead of looking problematic positive correlation between health and happiness, we should look at the cut-and-dried, clinically-proven link between chronic pain and depression. When people don't feel good in their bodies, they don't feel good in their minds.
Another interesting piece of data is that the United States health care system ranks 37th in the world. That's not real high, my fellow Americans.
For me, that just means that I need to take more responsibility for my own health. It means that I'm going to stay active so that my overall health is good. I'm going to put an effort to maintaining my own wellness - getting regular acupuncture treatments, taking preventative herbal medicine, getting regular massage, visiting the dentist regularly, eating well, and relaxing often - and not expecting someone else to take care of me down the road.
The more responsibility you take for your physical and mental health now, the less expensive it will be for you and your family later. The choice is yours.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Acupuncture Relieves Pain. Any Kind of Pain.
This weekend my grandmother called and left me a message telling me that she read an article that said that acupuncture was good for arthritis, and she wanted to let me know. Of course I already knew, but I thanked her for the information and acted like she'd just told me something interesting. She's my grandmother for christssake.
My conservative Midwestern family never knew what the hell to think about acupuncture. I remember being at the Thanksgiving dinner table with 10 people, some friends and some family. My Uncle Michael asked me, "So, how's that acupuncture going?" "Great," I said. Then the subject quickly switched to movies people had seen and what they thought about them.
As I studied acupuncture, I was dubious about some of the claims that instructors, clinicians, and textbooks made, but one thing became crystal clear as soon as I started practicing in the student clinic: acupuncture reduces pain.
Sometimes acupuncture eliminates pain completely, sometimes it simply reduces it. In rare cases, acupuncture doesn't do anything. The only time I've seen this happen is when there is some sort of organic disruption - for example, a slipped disc pressing directly on a nerve.
(I had a case of this a week or two ago and it's still eating at me. It's always frustrating when someone doesn't get relief, and, this might surprise some of you, it doesn't happen that often.)
But for sensations of pain and stiffness from conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic injuries and much more, acupuncture reduces and sometimes eliminates pain.
That's why people keep coming back for acupuncture. Not because they enjoy the sensation of tiny needles being rammed into their soft tissues, but because it eases their suffering, reduces their pain sensation, and makes life more bearable.
My conservative Midwestern family never knew what the hell to think about acupuncture. I remember being at the Thanksgiving dinner table with 10 people, some friends and some family. My Uncle Michael asked me, "So, how's that acupuncture going?" "Great," I said. Then the subject quickly switched to movies people had seen and what they thought about them.
As I studied acupuncture, I was dubious about some of the claims that instructors, clinicians, and textbooks made, but one thing became crystal clear as soon as I started practicing in the student clinic: acupuncture reduces pain.
Sometimes acupuncture eliminates pain completely, sometimes it simply reduces it. In rare cases, acupuncture doesn't do anything. The only time I've seen this happen is when there is some sort of organic disruption - for example, a slipped disc pressing directly on a nerve.
(I had a case of this a week or two ago and it's still eating at me. It's always frustrating when someone doesn't get relief, and, this might surprise some of you, it doesn't happen that often.)
But for sensations of pain and stiffness from conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic injuries and much more, acupuncture reduces and sometimes eliminates pain.
That's why people keep coming back for acupuncture. Not because they enjoy the sensation of tiny needles being rammed into their soft tissues, but because it eases their suffering, reduces their pain sensation, and makes life more bearable.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
How Chinese Medicine Explains Stress
Let's try talking about the elephant in the room without using the "e" word. I'm going to describe the qualities of a healthy and relaxed person using terminology from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Then, by comparing your state of being to someone who's healthy and relaxed, you can decide for yourself whether or not you are suffering from str***.
Let me introduce a couple of terms before we get started.
The first is "qi," pronounced chee, which refers to the life force or energy that infuses every living thing. It's like the force from Star Wars - it surrounds us, binds us, holds the galaxy together. For those of you who think visually, the literal translation of the Chinese character means "steam rising from rice as it cooks."
Anyhoo, qi is a big deal in traditional Chinese medicine. Although it is something that cannot be smelled, tasted, or touched, it is the "yang" or active force that motivates all bodily functions, as well as the function of the body as a whole. In traditional Chinese medicine, qi is what pushes your blood through the vessels, what keeps your heart beating, and what turns the signal from your brain to move into an action in your muscles.
If this still isn't making sense, think of qi as electricity. It powers all of the systems in your body like the energizer bunny. When you qi is flowing, all of your organs are functioning smoothly, you are happy and relaxed. Little difficulties don't bother you because you are able to "go with the flow."
In traditional Chinese medicine, we diagnose and treat disturbances in the flow of qi. One of the main problems that arises is called "qi stagnation." There can be many causes of qi stagnation - a physical injury, depression, anger, or frustration - but the result is the same. Things just aren't moving the way that they should be.
When patients come into my office who are under stress, I usually diagnose some sort of qi stagnation.
What's the remedy for qi stagnation?
Acupuncture and herbs are extremely effective, but honestly the best remedy for qi stagnation is to move more. Any type of exercise will do - walking, housework, running, dancing, yoga, pilates, spinning... even just blasting music and jumping around your living room. Just do it. Get out there and move and you will feel better.
Let me introduce a couple of terms before we get started.
The first is "qi," pronounced chee, which refers to the life force or energy that infuses every living thing. It's like the force from Star Wars - it surrounds us, binds us, holds the galaxy together. For those of you who think visually, the literal translation of the Chinese character means "steam rising from rice as it cooks."
Anyhoo, qi is a big deal in traditional Chinese medicine. Although it is something that cannot be smelled, tasted, or touched, it is the "yang" or active force that motivates all bodily functions, as well as the function of the body as a whole. In traditional Chinese medicine, qi is what pushes your blood through the vessels, what keeps your heart beating, and what turns the signal from your brain to move into an action in your muscles.
If this still isn't making sense, think of qi as electricity. It powers all of the systems in your body like the energizer bunny. When you qi is flowing, all of your organs are functioning smoothly, you are happy and relaxed. Little difficulties don't bother you because you are able to "go with the flow."
In traditional Chinese medicine, we diagnose and treat disturbances in the flow of qi. One of the main problems that arises is called "qi stagnation." There can be many causes of qi stagnation - a physical injury, depression, anger, or frustration - but the result is the same. Things just aren't moving the way that they should be.
When patients come into my office who are under stress, I usually diagnose some sort of qi stagnation.
What's the remedy for qi stagnation?
Acupuncture and herbs are extremely effective, but honestly the best remedy for qi stagnation is to move more. Any type of exercise will do - walking, housework, running, dancing, yoga, pilates, spinning... even just blasting music and jumping around your living room. Just do it. Get out there and move and you will feel better.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
I'm Here. I'm Stressed. Get Used to It.
Bless me, readers, for I have sinned. It's been ten days since my last blog posting.
I can tell you that I've been busy, but you'll just roll your eyes and say "whatever!" It is the truth, though. I've been treating patients, finishing up a writing project for a deadline, researching complicated cases and making sure I get my recommended daily exercise.
Juggling all of these variables has had me a little stressed out. Yes, I'll admit it. I have stress. The past week has been challenging. I don't care if you lose respect for me. I'm a human being, I'm not perfect, and sometimes I experience stress.
Most of my patients refuse to admit that they are stressed out. I"ll ask them,"How is your stress level?" and if they say "fine" with a tight, don't-ask-me-any-questions edge in their voice, I know that they are either lying or in some sort of denial. Or so stressed out that beginning to talk about it would cause a tiny fissure in the facade that they present to the world that could lead to a full-on crack-up.
Long story short, when they say "fine," I never press it. I just know that they are stressed out. And I try to work something into the treatment to help them relax.
Part of the problem is that there seems to be a certain amount of social shame attached to stress. Everyone knows that stress is bad, and no one likes to be around someone who is stressed out. We know that stress is bad for us, but we can't seem to get rid of it. For example, if your job is stressful, you can't just quit because then you would get evicted, and that would be more stressful.
Ignoring it doesn't make it go away, and the effects on the physical body are real. In October of 2000, the National Institute of Health published a study outlining the effects of stress on the immune system. In 2006, a British medical journal published a study linking workplace stress to both heart disease and diabetes. The list goes on and on.
It's time for us to be real. This denial isn't helping anyone, and admitting that you have a problem is the first step to solving it. Let's all say it together: I'm stressed out!
Now what can you do about it? Plenty. Exercise, meditation, yoga, dance, massage, acupuncture, laughing, sex... I feel more relaxed just thinking about how to work these things into my day.
Again, I apologize for the radio silence, but I'm sure you understand. I'm off to go running, do some yoga, get a massage and drink lots and lots of water. Then I'm going to go home, sit on my butt and eat ice cream. What are you going to do?
I can tell you that I've been busy, but you'll just roll your eyes and say "whatever!" It is the truth, though. I've been treating patients, finishing up a writing project for a deadline, researching complicated cases and making sure I get my recommended daily exercise.
Juggling all of these variables has had me a little stressed out. Yes, I'll admit it. I have stress. The past week has been challenging. I don't care if you lose respect for me. I'm a human being, I'm not perfect, and sometimes I experience stress.
Most of my patients refuse to admit that they are stressed out. I"ll ask them,"How is your stress level?" and if they say "fine" with a tight, don't-ask-me-any-questions edge in their voice, I know that they are either lying or in some sort of denial. Or so stressed out that beginning to talk about it would cause a tiny fissure in the facade that they present to the world that could lead to a full-on crack-up.
Long story short, when they say "fine," I never press it. I just know that they are stressed out. And I try to work something into the treatment to help them relax.
Part of the problem is that there seems to be a certain amount of social shame attached to stress. Everyone knows that stress is bad, and no one likes to be around someone who is stressed out. We know that stress is bad for us, but we can't seem to get rid of it. For example, if your job is stressful, you can't just quit because then you would get evicted, and that would be more stressful.
Ignoring it doesn't make it go away, and the effects on the physical body are real. In October of 2000, the National Institute of Health published a study outlining the effects of stress on the immune system. In 2006, a British medical journal published a study linking workplace stress to both heart disease and diabetes. The list goes on and on.
It's time for us to be real. This denial isn't helping anyone, and admitting that you have a problem is the first step to solving it. Let's all say it together: I'm stressed out!
Now what can you do about it? Plenty. Exercise, meditation, yoga, dance, massage, acupuncture, laughing, sex... I feel more relaxed just thinking about how to work these things into my day.
Again, I apologize for the radio silence, but I'm sure you understand. I'm off to go running, do some yoga, get a massage and drink lots and lots of water. Then I'm going to go home, sit on my butt and eat ice cream. What are you going to do?
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
How to Live Past 90 Years of Age
There's living, and then there's living well. Everyone's definition of living well is different, and some people truly enjoy things that are considered bad for them. Finding joy in life is more difficult that any of us would like, so I try not to make people who pass through my clinic feel bad about any behavior they engage in, no matter how unhealthy. That behavior might be the one thing that's making their life bearable.
Aside from this highly individual and subtle emotional truth, there are, unfortunately, objective measures that tell us that certain behaviors are bad for our bodies. Smoking is one of those behaviors. Don't get me wrong, I used to smoke and I used to truly enjoy it. But studies show that smokers are twice as likely to die before the age of 90 than non-smokers.
Smoking is just one example. Others include binge drinking, drug use, riding a motorcycle, and unprotected sex. These things feels good when you are doing them, but the odds of them shortening your lifespan are high.
If living a long and healthy life is something you are interested in doing, engaging in these five behaviors will increase your odds and keep you feeling great for the years you do hang around, according to a recent study published in the Chicago Tribune.
1. Don't Smoke - Again, you are twice as likely to die before the age of 90 if you do. At this point, everyone knows the risks. Just be sure that if you are doing it, you are will ing to accept the consequences.
2. Keep a Healthy Weight - Obesity increases your risk of dying young, and it also increases your likelihood of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
3. Avoid High Blood Pressure - This puts a strain on your cardiovascular system and increases your risk of both heart attack and stroke. There are natural treatments for mild high blood pressure, but anything with a systolic number higher than 140 needs to be medicated. Seriously.
4. Exercise Regularly - This study found that participants who exercised regularly decreased their risk of dying by 20 to 30 percent. Get active and stay active.
5. Avoid Diabetes - This disease increased participant's chance of dying before age 90 by 86 percent.
Sure this study has some flaws, it only studied men and advice like "avoid diabetes" sounds like hurtful b.s. to someone who actually has diabetes, but the message is clear and simple: take care of your body just like you would take care of a classic car. Give it top quality fuel, take it out for a joyride regularly. Don't go to fast, don't go too slow. Keep it in the garage when you aren't driving it. Check the fluids, get a tune-up.
I used to smoke, and quitting was one of the hardest things that I ever did. I did it when I was young because I was angry, and then it turned into this pseudo-friend that would keep me company no questions asked. I know that quitting is hard - I help people do it all the time - but it's one of the most worthwhile things you can do to improve your health.
Aside from this highly individual and subtle emotional truth, there are, unfortunately, objective measures that tell us that certain behaviors are bad for our bodies. Smoking is one of those behaviors. Don't get me wrong, I used to smoke and I used to truly enjoy it. But studies show that smokers are twice as likely to die before the age of 90 than non-smokers.
Smoking is just one example. Others include binge drinking, drug use, riding a motorcycle, and unprotected sex. These things feels good when you are doing them, but the odds of them shortening your lifespan are high.
If living a long and healthy life is something you are interested in doing, engaging in these five behaviors will increase your odds and keep you feeling great for the years you do hang around, according to a recent study published in the Chicago Tribune.
1. Don't Smoke - Again, you are twice as likely to die before the age of 90 if you do. At this point, everyone knows the risks. Just be sure that if you are doing it, you are will ing to accept the consequences.
2. Keep a Healthy Weight - Obesity increases your risk of dying young, and it also increases your likelihood of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
3. Avoid High Blood Pressure - This puts a strain on your cardiovascular system and increases your risk of both heart attack and stroke. There are natural treatments for mild high blood pressure, but anything with a systolic number higher than 140 needs to be medicated. Seriously.
4. Exercise Regularly - This study found that participants who exercised regularly decreased their risk of dying by 20 to 30 percent. Get active and stay active.
5. Avoid Diabetes - This disease increased participant's chance of dying before age 90 by 86 percent.
Sure this study has some flaws, it only studied men and advice like "avoid diabetes" sounds like hurtful b.s. to someone who actually has diabetes, but the message is clear and simple: take care of your body just like you would take care of a classic car. Give it top quality fuel, take it out for a joyride regularly. Don't go to fast, don't go too slow. Keep it in the garage when you aren't driving it. Check the fluids, get a tune-up.
I used to smoke, and quitting was one of the hardest things that I ever did. I did it when I was young because I was angry, and then it turned into this pseudo-friend that would keep me company no questions asked. I know that quitting is hard - I help people do it all the time - but it's one of the most worthwhile things you can do to improve your health.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
How Yin-Yang Philosphy Can Benefit Your Body
If the last post about duality and yin-yang philosophy seemed a little out of left field, this next post should bring it all together.
Yin and Yang are two opposite aspects of the same thing, and one of the main goals of Traditional Oriental Medicine is to bring opposites into balance. All conditions that pass through the clinic are differentiated in terms of the Eight Principles, which are four pairs of opposites that help the health care provider determine a course of treatment that is safe, effective and won't make the condition worse.
The first pair of principles is interior versus exterior, or did the condition originate in the environment or did it arise because of an internal imbalance. Is the patient sneezing because of an external pathogen like a bacteria (common cold) or because of an immune system imbalance (allergy)? Is their digestive disturbance the result of food poisoning, or a chronic condition like IBS?
The second pair of principles is cold versus heat. This means, is the condition cold in nature or hot in nature. Is the knee pain caused by coldness and stiffness, or is it red ans swollen? Is the patient sweating or do they have chills?
Why is this important? It helps you from creating more injury with your treatment. Most people have heard that ginger tea is good for stomach problems. In many cases, it is. But ginger is hot in nature, and if a patient has acid reflux, the ginger could make it worse. Peppermint, which is cold in nature, would be just the thing.
The third pair of principles is deficiency versus excess. This is a little more complicated, so bear with me. Let's take the idea of heat in the body. It can arise for a variety of reasons. A woman in her fifties might have hot flashes because of a hormonal deficiency, while someone who is overweight might feel hot because they have an excess of adipose tissue. Some treatments drain excess from the body, some nourish the body to eliminate deficiency.
The fourth and final pair of principles is yin and yang. For more information on yin and yang, refer to the last post, or look here.
I studied European herbalism for many years, and as soon as I learned these basic principles, the effectiveness of my treatments in both the European and Chinese systems improved dramatically.
Yin and Yang are two opposite aspects of the same thing, and one of the main goals of Traditional Oriental Medicine is to bring opposites into balance. All conditions that pass through the clinic are differentiated in terms of the Eight Principles, which are four pairs of opposites that help the health care provider determine a course of treatment that is safe, effective and won't make the condition worse.
The first pair of principles is interior versus exterior, or did the condition originate in the environment or did it arise because of an internal imbalance. Is the patient sneezing because of an external pathogen like a bacteria (common cold) or because of an immune system imbalance (allergy)? Is their digestive disturbance the result of food poisoning, or a chronic condition like IBS?
The second pair of principles is cold versus heat. This means, is the condition cold in nature or hot in nature. Is the knee pain caused by coldness and stiffness, or is it red ans swollen? Is the patient sweating or do they have chills?
Why is this important? It helps you from creating more injury with your treatment. Most people have heard that ginger tea is good for stomach problems. In many cases, it is. But ginger is hot in nature, and if a patient has acid reflux, the ginger could make it worse. Peppermint, which is cold in nature, would be just the thing.
The third pair of principles is deficiency versus excess. This is a little more complicated, so bear with me. Let's take the idea of heat in the body. It can arise for a variety of reasons. A woman in her fifties might have hot flashes because of a hormonal deficiency, while someone who is overweight might feel hot because they have an excess of adipose tissue. Some treatments drain excess from the body, some nourish the body to eliminate deficiency.
The fourth and final pair of principles is yin and yang. For more information on yin and yang, refer to the last post, or look here.
I studied European herbalism for many years, and as soon as I learned these basic principles, the effectiveness of my treatments in both the European and Chinese systems improved dramatically.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Leading a Balanced Life
Sounds boring, right? That's what I used to think.
Traditional Oriental Medicine* is based heavily on two philosophies: yin-yang and the five elements. Many Americans not familiar with the philosophy think that yin-yang is just a redundant tattoo, but the meaning is much deeper.
Yin and yang refer to two opposite aspects of the same thing. It is most often described using the image of a mountain that has a sunny side and a shady side. Yin refers to the shady side, and yang is the sunny side. Yin is cold, yang is heat. Yin is female, yang is male.
In addition to opposing each other, yin and yang also generate each other, feed each other, and transform into each other. Day turns into night which turns into day. A person who is sick gets a fever that is so high they get the chills. A person knows they are getting frostbite when the get a burning sensation on their fingertips.
In Traditional Oriental Medicine, the goal is to bring the mind and body back into balance. Not too hot and not too cold. Not too fat and not too thin. Not too strong and not to weak.
At first, this was a hard concept for me to grasp. I though the further you can run, the better. I was raised with the Guiness Book of World Records mentality of pushing your body as far as possible to achieve greatness. More is better.
Maybe it's because I was raised Catholic. I was taught that things were either good or evil, and you should always be trying to be really really good. If you weren't being really really good, you were probably being evil. The idea of just being didn't really enter the question. They figured you were always up to something.
The only thing was neither good nor evil was purgatory, which was a place you got held prisoner before they let you into heaven if you weren't good enough. It was a waiting room where absolutely nothing happened. I remember thinking that even though hell was supposed to be horrible at least there was something going on.
This concept of duality in which good and bad are separate is unique to Western culture. In Eastern philosophy, good and bad can exist together in a balanced or unbalanced way. Duality does not mean choosing between two things, but exists in every object, concept, and action that can be expressed. It's almost never black and white, it's usually shades of gray. This is the theory of yin and yang.
How does this theory apply to your physical health?
Here are a few examples: Running is good, but is it necessary to run a whole marathon? Ice cream is delicious, but do you need the whole container? Dieting is healthy is you are overweight, but it's important to eat food from time to time.
Give it a shot. You just might like it.
*There's been so much debate over the most politically correct term for this medicine that I don't know what is most correct at the moment. This is the term that's on my diploma.
Traditional Oriental Medicine* is based heavily on two philosophies: yin-yang and the five elements. Many Americans not familiar with the philosophy think that yin-yang is just a redundant tattoo, but the meaning is much deeper.
Yin and yang refer to two opposite aspects of the same thing. It is most often described using the image of a mountain that has a sunny side and a shady side. Yin refers to the shady side, and yang is the sunny side. Yin is cold, yang is heat. Yin is female, yang is male.
In addition to opposing each other, yin and yang also generate each other, feed each other, and transform into each other. Day turns into night which turns into day. A person who is sick gets a fever that is so high they get the chills. A person knows they are getting frostbite when the get a burning sensation on their fingertips.
In Traditional Oriental Medicine, the goal is to bring the mind and body back into balance. Not too hot and not too cold. Not too fat and not too thin. Not too strong and not to weak.
At first, this was a hard concept for me to grasp. I though the further you can run, the better. I was raised with the Guiness Book of World Records mentality of pushing your body as far as possible to achieve greatness. More is better.
Maybe it's because I was raised Catholic. I was taught that things were either good or evil, and you should always be trying to be really really good. If you weren't being really really good, you were probably being evil. The idea of just being didn't really enter the question. They figured you were always up to something.
The only thing was neither good nor evil was purgatory, which was a place you got held prisoner before they let you into heaven if you weren't good enough. It was a waiting room where absolutely nothing happened. I remember thinking that even though hell was supposed to be horrible at least there was something going on.
This concept of duality in which good and bad are separate is unique to Western culture. In Eastern philosophy, good and bad can exist together in a balanced or unbalanced way. Duality does not mean choosing between two things, but exists in every object, concept, and action that can be expressed. It's almost never black and white, it's usually shades of gray. This is the theory of yin and yang.
How does this theory apply to your physical health?
Here are a few examples: Running is good, but is it necessary to run a whole marathon? Ice cream is delicious, but do you need the whole container? Dieting is healthy is you are overweight, but it's important to eat food from time to time.
Give it a shot. You just might like it.
*There's been so much debate over the most politically correct term for this medicine that I don't know what is most correct at the moment. This is the term that's on my diploma.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Old Age is the One Disease You Don't Look Forward To Being Cured Of
This morning I was conversing with an unusually enlightened 25-year-old massage therapist about the idea of mindful living. "When I go to the gym, I see the elderly women coming out of their aqua aerobics class," she said. "I look at their bodies while they are changing and I think, 'That's coming.'"
It's true. We are human beings. We are born, we grow up, we have fun (hopefully much of the time), we grow old (again, hopefully) and then we die. Aging is a natural process.
It's a complicated issue for people in the United States, and I didn't realize how complicated until I started studying Chinese medicine and working with infertility patients.
When I was a girl growing up in the 70s and 80s, I was told that I could have it all - a career, a family, a fantastic education and extracurricular activities. I could bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan. All because I was a woman. I was taught to use birth control until I was "ready" to start a family. No one ever gave me a deadline.
I know I'm not the only woman in my age group who's put off getting married and having a family in the interest of career, self discovery, and artistic and worldly exploration. How can I be so certain? Because of ads like this.
Another tip-off were the infertility patients I would see in the clinic. Women who, approaching the age of 40, decide it's time to start a family and go off birth control pills. They come to the clinic because they aren't getting their periods, or they can't stop bleeding, or they've tried for a year or more and can't conceive.
It's not their fault. No one told them there was a time limit. No one explained to them how taking the birth control pill for twenty years straight would affect their endocrine system. That's because no one knew. Typically clinical trials for drugs last anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months. The long term affects of taking medications aren't discovered until a significant portion of the population takes that medication for a long period of time.
For example, a recent study shows that Botox Cosmetic injected into the muscles of your face can possibly travel to your brain stem. The effects of this transmission are not yet known, nor are the long term affects of using Botox to smooth wrinkles.
Getting old is uncomfortable. It connotes death, the end of the line, the weakening of the physical body. That brings up many issues, none of them comfortable. But is the answer injecting poison into your face for a few more months of smooth skin? Is the answer buying a Ferrari with custom rims?
Maybe the answer is accepting yourself for who and what you are, becoming comfortable with the good and changing the bad. Accepting responsibility for the choices that you've made and actively pursuing what you currently want.
Enough on this soapbox. I need a cup of coffee.
It's true. We are human beings. We are born, we grow up, we have fun (hopefully much of the time), we grow old (again, hopefully) and then we die. Aging is a natural process.
It's a complicated issue for people in the United States, and I didn't realize how complicated until I started studying Chinese medicine and working with infertility patients.
When I was a girl growing up in the 70s and 80s, I was told that I could have it all - a career, a family, a fantastic education and extracurricular activities. I could bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan. All because I was a woman. I was taught to use birth control until I was "ready" to start a family. No one ever gave me a deadline.
I know I'm not the only woman in my age group who's put off getting married and having a family in the interest of career, self discovery, and artistic and worldly exploration. How can I be so certain? Because of ads like this.
Another tip-off were the infertility patients I would see in the clinic. Women who, approaching the age of 40, decide it's time to start a family and go off birth control pills. They come to the clinic because they aren't getting their periods, or they can't stop bleeding, or they've tried for a year or more and can't conceive.
It's not their fault. No one told them there was a time limit. No one explained to them how taking the birth control pill for twenty years straight would affect their endocrine system. That's because no one knew. Typically clinical trials for drugs last anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months. The long term affects of taking medications aren't discovered until a significant portion of the population takes that medication for a long period of time.
For example, a recent study shows that Botox Cosmetic injected into the muscles of your face can possibly travel to your brain stem. The effects of this transmission are not yet known, nor are the long term affects of using Botox to smooth wrinkles.
Getting old is uncomfortable. It connotes death, the end of the line, the weakening of the physical body. That brings up many issues, none of them comfortable. But is the answer injecting poison into your face for a few more months of smooth skin? Is the answer buying a Ferrari with custom rims?
Maybe the answer is accepting yourself for who and what you are, becoming comfortable with the good and changing the bad. Accepting responsibility for the choices that you've made and actively pursuing what you currently want.
Enough on this soapbox. I need a cup of coffee.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Drink Up!
Practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine has been an eye-opener for me on many levels. My initial consultations with patients reveal lifestyles so varied that I think the word normal no longer has any relevance. People who don't exercise think that's normal. People who do an hour of cardio every day think that's normal. Normal is relative.
One thing that never fails to shock me in the clinic is people who don't drink water. I always ask people what they eat and drink. Most practitioners ask about diet, but learned early on that asking the open-ended question"What do you drink throughout the day?" yields a wider variety of results than you might think.
In my experience, 3 to 5 percent of people don't drink water. "I don't like the taste," they say. Or "I'm just not thirsty."
Okay. You may or may not like water, but it is the basis of life and you need to drink it. Soda causes a completely different series of chemical reactions in your body. Soda doesn't count. Neither does beer.
Don't believe me? I'll let the facts speak for themselves.
We've all heard the statistic that our bodies are 60-70 percent water on average. But did you know that your brain is 95 percent water? and your blood is 85 percent water? and your lungs 95 percent water?
A mere 2 percent drop in your body's water level can cause symptoms of mild dehydration, such as fuzzy thinking, trouble with basic math, daytime fatigue, headaches, aching joints and muscles... sound familiar? That's probably because and estimated 75 percent of American have mild, chronic dehydration.
How much water should you drink? A simple equation is to take your body weight and divide it in half. This will tell you how many ounces of water you should consume each day. For example, if you weigh 120 pounds, you should consume 60 ounces of water a day (approximately 1.8 liters).
You lose water through urination, respiration, and sweating. If you are active, you need to drink approximately a cup for every 20 minutes you exercise. If you consume diuretics that increase your urine output such as caffeine and alcohol, you need to replace the water you lose.It's recommended that you consume one extra glass of water for each alcoholic beverage you consume.
Stay tuned for more on the magical powers of water and other simple tricks that will keep you healthy naturally.
Sources:
http://nutrition.about.com/od/hydrationwater/a/waterarticle.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-education/water-health.htm
One thing that never fails to shock me in the clinic is people who don't drink water. I always ask people what they eat and drink. Most practitioners ask about diet, but learned early on that asking the open-ended question"What do you drink throughout the day?" yields a wider variety of results than you might think.
In my experience, 3 to 5 percent of people don't drink water. "I don't like the taste," they say. Or "I'm just not thirsty."
Okay. You may or may not like water, but it is the basis of life and you need to drink it. Soda causes a completely different series of chemical reactions in your body. Soda doesn't count. Neither does beer.
Don't believe me? I'll let the facts speak for themselves.
We've all heard the statistic that our bodies are 60-70 percent water on average. But did you know that your brain is 95 percent water? and your blood is 85 percent water? and your lungs 95 percent water?
A mere 2 percent drop in your body's water level can cause symptoms of mild dehydration, such as fuzzy thinking, trouble with basic math, daytime fatigue, headaches, aching joints and muscles... sound familiar? That's probably because and estimated 75 percent of American have mild, chronic dehydration.
How much water should you drink? A simple equation is to take your body weight and divide it in half. This will tell you how many ounces of water you should consume each day. For example, if you weigh 120 pounds, you should consume 60 ounces of water a day (approximately 1.8 liters).
You lose water through urination, respiration, and sweating. If you are active, you need to drink approximately a cup for every 20 minutes you exercise. If you consume diuretics that increase your urine output such as caffeine and alcohol, you need to replace the water you lose.It's recommended that you consume one extra glass of water for each alcoholic beverage you consume.
Stay tuned for more on the magical powers of water and other simple tricks that will keep you healthy naturally.
Sources:
http://nutrition.about.com/od/hydrationwater/a/waterarticle.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-education/water-health.htm
Sunday, March 30, 2008
(Healthy) Life in the Big City
When most people think about acupuncture or herbal medicine or yoga, they think of some barefoot vegan California native wearing hemp jewelry sitting in a lotus position and chanting in a language they don't understand to worship a deity they read about in a magazine last week. Most people probably imagine some PT Barnum-style guru who seeing ghosts and performs exorcisms and sits on top of crystals in their spare time.
That's not me. I'm a bonafide city dweller who was raised in the American Midwest who believes in facts above faith, rationality before raising the dead.
So why did I become an acupuncturist? How did I get sucked into taking herbal medicine and dietary supplements instead of prescription medications like the rest of the world?
The fact is that ten years ago, I was suffering from health problems that modern medicine couldn't seem to identify or fix; and acupuncture, herbal medicine, and dietary therapy were the only things that gave me relief. I learned about natural healing so that I could not only survive but thrive, overcome my problems and lead a happy and healthy life.
The fact is that your body is always trying to reach homeostasis, or a state of balance. Most people don't know enough about the way that their bodies work to care for them properly, and hence they cause problems. Natural healing means getting out of the way of your own body, and letting yourself get better.
Sounds simple, but modern life is complicated. By necessity, so are our choices and the ramifications of those choices. So that's what I'm going to write about - how to stay healthy and live in the city without losing your nutcakes.
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