What is the thyroid?

The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland that sits in the front of the neck. It is responsible for energy, metabolism, hormone regulation, body weight and blood calcium levels. Thyroid disorders stem from either an overproduction (hyperthyroidism) or underproduction (hypothyroidism) of thyroid hormones. When your thyroid is not functioning properly, your body can experience a variety of symptoms:

Hyperthyroidism:

• Weight loss despite increased appetite
• Increased heart rate, heart palpitations, higher blood pressure, nervousness, and excessive perspiration
• More frequent bowel movements, sometimes with diarrhea
• Muscle weakness, trembling hands
• Development of a goiter (an enlargement in your neck)
• Lighter or shorter menstrual periods

Hypothyroidism:

• Lethargy, slower mental processes or depression
• Reduced heart rate
• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Tingling or numbness in the hands
• Development of a goiter (an enlargement in your neck)
• Constipation, heavy menstrual periods or dry skin and hair

Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can be diagnosed by testing the levels of thyroid hormones in your blood. Hormones secreted by the thyroid are measured, as well as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), a chemical released by the pituitary gland that triggers hormone production in the thyroid. Some milder forms of hypothyroidism can also be detected by a consistently low basal body temperature.

How can acupuncture help?

Both Western and Eastern medicine offer various methods to restore thyroid hormone levels. Western treatments rely mainly on drugs and surgery while Eastern treatments aim to restore immune function as well as balance the production and release of thyroid hormones through a variety of approaches ranging from acupuncture and herbal remedies to lifestyle changes and special exercises.

In the treatment to thyroid problems, acupuncture can be used to restore hormonal balance, regulate energy levels, smooth emotions and help manage sleep, emotions and menstrual problems. There are several powerful acupuncture points on the ear and the body that can be used to regulate the production of thyroid hormones. Treatments take all of your symptoms into account and are aimed at balancing the energy within the body to optimize health.

When it comes to lifestyle changes, a diet rich in protein, calcium, magnesium, and iodine helps support thyroid function while certain foods known as goitrogens may interfere with thyroid hormone production and should be limited. These include cruciferous vegetables (such as cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts), peanuts, and soy. Stress reducing exercises such as yoga or tai chi can also be beneficial.

If you have a thyroid problem, call for a consultation. A custom-tailored treatment plan will be created to suit your individual needs so that you can feel better quickly and safely!

How to Monitor Your Basal Temperature

Blood tests may not be sensitive enough to detect milder forms of hypothyroidism. Monitoring your body’s basal (resting) temperature is often used to identify a thyroid hormone deficiency.

To track your basal temperature accurately, follow these guidelines:

• Shake the thermometer below 95°F at night and place it where you can reach it without getting out of bed.
• The following morning, before you get out of bed, take your temperature via your armpit for 10 minutes while staying as still as possible.
• Keep records of your temperature for at least three days. (Women should do this during the first two weeks of the menstrual cycle, as their basal temperature may rise during the latter half.)
• Normal basal body temperatures fall between 97.4° F and 97.8° F. If your basal temperature is consistently low, you could be mildly hypothyroid.

Three Foods to Support Thyroid Function

Seaweed – Iodine is an essential element that assists the thyroid in producing thyroid hormone. By increasing iodine intake, patients have seen an increase in the production of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). The best natural source of iodine is kelp, bladderwrack and other seaweeds.

Coconut Oil – Virgin coconut oil is praised by health experts for its ability to lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar. It is made up largely of medium chain fatty acids, or triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are known to speed metabolism, promote weight loss, and raise basal body temperatures.

Brazil nuts and walnuts – These nuts contain high amounts of selenium. Many hypothyroid patients have been found to have deficiencies in this trace mineral.

I’d love you to take a moment and view my paintings! I’ve carried a passion for creating art all my life and I’m stretching my wings and taking the plunge by sharing my artwork, (long since buried) with the public.

I am proud of myself for having the courage to go on this journey and I’d love the support of my friends and acquaintances.

I recently received four sets of greeting cards which feature my artwork and they are absolutely Beautiful!!!

You can visit a small slideshow of some of my work here:

You may also visit my art gallery at: http://pamela-maloney.fineartamerica.com/

Thank you so much for your support!

Wishing you Radiant Health and warm blessings,

Pamela Maloney

Summer is ruled by the fire element. The fire element corresponds to the heart and small intestine, the southerly direction, the climatic condition of heat, the color red, the emotion of happiness or joy, the sound of laughter, the taste of bitterness and the odor of burning. Fire controls the blood vessels and is reflected in the face and complexion.

Signs that the fire element is in balance include a strong and healthy heart, a calm mind and the ability to sleep soundly. When the fire element is imbalanced, we may either lack joy (depression) or have an excess of joy (mania). Indicators of an imbalance in the fire element also include agitation, nervousness, heartburn, and insomnia.

This is a great time to schedule your acupuncture summer tune up! Call for more information.

Mango and Peach Salsa

An easy and healthy peach and mango salsa recipe. The delicate flavors of mangos and peaches combine with onions and garlic in this sweet-and-savory salsa recipe. Try it with chips for a light snack on a hot summer night, or add to a vegetable burrito for an unusual twist.

INGREDIENTS:
2 mangos, peeled and chopped
2 fresh peaches, peeled and chopped
1 sweet onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced (optional)
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
dash salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. If you have a food processor, you can process all the ingredients in chunks, rather than dicing and chopping.

Chill for at least one hour, to allow flavors to combine, and stir well before serving.

Serve chilled and enjoy!

Benefits of Acupuncture in Cancer Care

On Sunday June 6th, cancer survivors celebrated the 23rd annual National Cancer Survivors Day, sponsored by the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation. The event, which includes hundreds of gatherings across the US, is a time to celebrate life. Here are some ways that acupuncture can help while being treated for and recovering from cancer.

Cancer treatments are aggressive and cause numerous unwanted side effects as well as a lowered immune system. Acupuncture is an excellent adjunctive therapy in cancer treatments because of its ability to relieve pain, reduce side effects, accelerate recovery and improve quality of life.

What Acupuncture is used for during Cancer Treatment

Acupuncture provides a total approach to health care for people with cancer. It can be used to address many of the concerns that come up during and after chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy and surgery.

According to the National Cancer Institute, acupuncture may cause physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland, and parts of the brain. These responses can cause the body to release proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals that control a number of body functions. It is proposed that, by these actions, acupuncture affects blood pressure and body temperature, boosts immune system activity, and causes the body’s natural painkillers, such as endorphins, to be released.

Areas that acupuncture has shown the most promise include:

• Nausea and Vomiting
• Dry Mouth, Night Sweats and Hot Flashes
• Stress, Anxiety and Fatigue
• Pain Management
• Increasing White Blood Cell Count

To learn more about how acupuncture can safely and effectively be incorporated into care for people with cancer, please call for a consultation today.

Source: National Cancer Institute. www.cancer.org

Chemo-Induced Nausea Study

Effect of Acupuncture on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting

According to the National Cancer Institute, of all the investigated effects of acupuncture on cancer-related or chemotherapy-related symptoms and disorders, the positive effect of acupuncture on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is the most convincing.

Numerous studies have consistently shown acupuncture to be effective in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting as well as as postoperative and morning sickness nausea and vomiting.

A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial investigated the effect of electro-acupuncture on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in 104 patients with breast cancer who were undergoing a highly emetogenic (causes vomiting) chemotherapy regimen. The patients were randomly assigned to receive low-frequency electro-acupuncture at classic acupuncture points for nausea and vomiting once daily for 5 days, minimal needling at control points with mock electro-acupuncture on the same schedule, or no adjunct needling. All patients received concurrent antiemetic drugs (prochlorperazine, lorazepam, and diphenhydramine) and high-dose chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, and carmustine).

The main outcome measures were the total number of emesis (vomiting) episodes and the proportion of emesis-free days occurring during the 5-day study period. The data revealed significantly fewer emesis episodes in the electro-acupuncture treatment group compared with those in the minimal needling and drug-only control groups.

Source: Shen J, Wenger N, Glaspy J, et al.: Electroacupuncture for control of myeloablative chemotherapy-induced emesis: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 284 (21): 2755-61, 2000.

Produce Aisle Picks
Cantaloupe – a great source of carotenoids, plant chemicals that act as antioxidants shown to reduce the risk of lung cancer.

Kale and cabbage – cruciferous vegetables are widely considered to be one of the healthiest food choices you can make. Included in this family of vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage and bok choy. Cruciferous vegetables are high in vitamins, fiber, and potent anti-cancer phytochemicals.

According to the American Institute for Cancer, there is solid evidence that links cruciferous vegetables and protection against cancer. Studies have shown that this vegetable group has the ability to stop the growth of cancer cells for tumors in the breast, uterine lining, lung, colon, liver, and cervix. And studies that track the diets of people over time have found that diets high in cruciferous vegetables are linked to lower rates of prostate cancer.

It is recommended that we eat 3-5 servings of cruciferous vegetables per week. It’s best to eat these veggies raw or only lightly steamed so they retain their cancer fighting phytochemicals.

Freezer Aisle Pick
Edamame (soybeans) – These cancer-fighting beans contain phytoestrogens, that may help prevent estrogen-driven cancers by binding to estrogen receptors. They are also good for the men of the household since evidence suggests the isoflavones found in soy products may help fight prostate cancer.

Cereal Aisle Pick
Whole Grain Oats – Oats have the highest proportion of soluble fiber of any grain. Fiber is rich in antioxidants, helps fight colon cancer and phenolic compounds in whole grains my help reduce the risk of certain GI cancers. Pick cereals high in folate, fiber and/or flaxseed.

Beverage Aisle Picks
Orange juice – this favorite breakfast beverage is a powerful source of folate which has been linked to lowered risk for GI and pancreatic cancer.

Green tea – green tea is lower in caffeine than coffee and can help prevent prostate cancer and possibly bladder cancer.

Pomegranate juice – this juice is extremely antioxidant-rich and helps prevent colon and prostate cancer.

Soy milk – also made from soy beans, soy milk works the same way as edamame to fight cancer.

Household Aisle Picks

Sunscreen – summer is starting, so lather on the SPF each and every time you go out in the sun to block exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Mop or damp cloth – it’s important to get rid of dust without spreading it around your home. Recent evidence has shown that dust can contain carcinogens that are known to cause cancer.

GMOs have been proven in independent tests to be harmful to life, yet our government has declared that they are substantially equivalent to normal food, and require no special handling or labeling. If we go to a grocery store and purchase anything that is processed, chances are it contains GMO. What are the ramifications of this to us on a personal health level? Why are we being used as human guinea pigs?

GMO and Morgellon’s Disease.

Since the Clinton administration made biotechnology “a strategic priority for U.S. government backing” (1), giant transnational agri-business concerns have aggressively taken over the global food chain by flooding it with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) without regard for the consequences to the earth or its inhabitants. This takeover not only has the potential for global economic devastation, but threatens the earth’s population with far-reaching health concerns as well. One health concern that seems to coincide with the GMO revolution is Morgellons disease. What if the advent of Morgellons disease has something to do with the ingestion of GMO foods?

Morgellons Disease – What is it?

Very little can be found regarding this disease. Originally, sufferers were told that their problem was imaginary. This was of little comfort to the people who were suffering.

Morgellons Disease sufferers report strange, fiber-like material sticking out of sores or wounds that erupt on the skin. This is accompanied by painful, intense itching, that has been described as “an ever present sensation as if something is crawling under the skin.” (2)

On May 18, 2006, KGW, a local news channel reporting out of the Oregon area published this story:

Strange sickness: Mystery disease horror story (excerpt)

[Dr. Drottar] The disabled family practice doctor felt like bugs were crawling under her skin. “If I fully tell people what has gone on with me medically, they think they’re in the twilight zone,” said Drottar. She woke up with the feeling that fluid was flowing just below her skin. Often black or blue hair like fibers protruded from her skin, she said. “I thought I had been exposed to asbestos. I thought I was having asbestos fibers come out of my skin. I was pulling long, thin, small hair-like fibers that were extremely sharp that could literally pierce through my finger nails,” Drottar said.

In addition to the feeling of bugs and the fibers, Drottar also suffered from severe depression, chronic fatigue and a weakened immune system. As a result, she had to give up her family practice, Drottar said. (3) Here is a picture of a Morgellons lesion included in the KGW report:

The Morgellons Research Foundation - Fibers embedded in skin removed from facial lesion of three year old boy, 60x.

Morgellons and GMO – the Link

Little information has been revealed concerning the long-term health effects of GMO crops on humans or animals, and even less information can be had regarding research correlating Morgellons with GMO foods. This is suspicious right off the bat, because it would seem that there would be a natural curiosity regarding a link between Genetically Modified Organisms that people ingest regularly and inorganic fibers that protrude from a person’s skin. This would be right up a geneticist’s alley, and quite worthy of intensive research. So, why aren’t there a ton of published studies? Why is it so difficult finding anything related to this? Could it be that companies such as Monsanto have enough clout to effectively squash these stories? If they have enough clout to ruin countries by deceiving impoverished farmers into purchasing patented GMO seeds, and then take it a step further and force these poor people to purchase seeds year after year instead of harvesting their own, then they have enough clout to ask our more than willing corporate government to manipulate the press… again.

According to Mike Stagman, PhD, “Genetic Engineering is a nightmare technology that has already caused MANY disease epidemics – documented but unpublicized.” (4)

Well Monsanto, you let at least one study slip through. With the help of a couple of search engines, the following article by Whitley Strieber published on October 12, 2007, titled “Skin Disease May Be Linked to GM Food” was found, which concludes that the fibers taken from a Morgellons sufferer contain the same substance that is “used commercially to produce genetically-modified plants.” Here is the article:

Skin Disease May Be Linked to GM Food

12-Oct-2007

Many people-and most physicians-have written off Morgellons disease as either a hoax or hypochondria. But now there is evidence that this mysterious disease may be REAL and related to GENETICALLY MODIFIED food!

The skin of Morgellons victims oozes mysterious strands that have been identified as cellulose (which cannot be manufactured by the human body), and people have the sensation of things crawling beneath their skin.

The first known case of Morgellons occurred in 2001, when Mary Leitao created a web site describing the disease, which had infected her young son. She named it Morgellons after a 17th century medical study in France that described the same symptoms.

In the Sept. 15-21 issue of New Scientist magazine, Daniel Elkan describes a patient he calls “Steve Jackson,” who “for years” has “been finding tiny blue, red and black fibers growing in intensely itchy lesions on his skin.” He quotes Jackson as saying, “The fibers are like pliable plastic and can be several millimeters long. Under the skin, some are folded in a zigzag pattern. These can be as fine as spider silk, yet strong enough to distend the skin when you pull them, as if you were pulling on a hair.”

Doctors say that this type of disease could only be caused by a parasite, but anti-parasitic medications do not help. Psychologists insist that this is a new version of the well-known syndrome known as “delusional parasitosis.” While this is a “real” disease, it is not a physically-caused one.

But now there is physical evidence that Morgellons is NOT just psychological. When pharmacologist Randy Wymore offered to study some of these fibers if people sent them to him, he discovered that “fibers from different people looked remarkably similar to each other and yet seem to match no common environmental fibers.” When they took them to a police forensic team, they said they were not from clothing, carpets or bedding. They have no idea what they are.

Researcher Ahmed Kilani says he was able to break down two fiber samples and extract their DNA. He found that they belonged to a fungus.
An even more provocative finding is that biochemist Vitaly Citovsky discovered that the fibers contain a substance called “Agrobacterium,” which, according to New Scientist, is “used commercially to produce genetically-modified plants.” Could GM plants be “causing a new human disease?” (5)

GMO – Not on My Watch!

The giant transnational corporations behind the GMO revolution are hitting us in our most vulnerable spot – our bellies. Most people have been brought up with an innate trust that what they purchase from the stores is safe to eat. This is no longer true, since most processed foods contain genetically engineered ingredients that can have disastrous effects on both animal and human health. What you purchase from the corner store might just change your DNA and create such frightening symptoms that the general public simply does not believe it. What is worse is that when you go to the doctor to get help, he/she tells you what you are experiencing is all in your head. This is rubbish! It is up to people who care to make the correlations between what we eat and what happens to our bodies. Remember the old saying – “you are what you eat?” Well, this author believes it is true.

Notes
1) Engdahl, F.W. (2007). Seeds of Destruction.
2) Stagman, M. Phd. (2006). GMO Disease Epidemics: Bt-cotton Fiber Disease.
3) Porter, L. (2006). Strange sickness: Mystery disease horror story.
4) Stagman, M. Phd. (2006). GMO Disease Epidemics: Bt-cotton Fiber Disease.
5) Strieber, W. (2007). Skin Disease Might be Linked to GM Food.

Pamela Maloney
docpamm .at. gmail.com
Rootdown Podcast

Over-the-counter versions include Omeprazole (Prilosec OTC, Zegerid OTC) and Lansoprazole (Prevacid 24HR).

Also, because these products are used by a great number of people, it’s important for the public to be aware of this possible increased risk and, when prescribing proton pump inhibitors, health care professionals should consider whether a lower dose or shorter duration of therapy would adequately treat the patient’s condition.

We at Health Freedom Alliance have warned about the dangers of Gardisil shot before and now want to pass along a plea by Jasmine’s mother and hope you will forward it to your friends and loved ones.

“It is too late for my daughter, but while they investigate her death why doesn’t the government put a stop to this vaccine? Why won’t they stop it and save a whole generation of young girls from potentially being maimed for life or possibly dying? Have they no regard for humanity? And how can pharmaceutical companies get away with murder by succeeding with a fast tracked poison to be administered into people knowing it could have a disastrous outcome? In the bible it stated that the love of money is the root of all evil. Isn’t that the truth!”

Ms Renata, we feel your pain and are sickened by the systems and complicit media that propel the lies and disinformation regarding this useless vaccine. We pledge to spread your story far and wide in hopes to save lives. Thank you for speaking out!

The nation’s premier public health agency knowingly used flawed data to claim that high lead levels in the District’s drinking water did not pose a health risk to the public, a congressional investigation has found. And, investigators determined, the agency has not publicized more thorough internal research showing that the problem harmed children across the city and continues to endanger thousands of D.C. residents.

A House investigative subcommittee concludes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made “scientifically indefensible” claims in 2004 that high lead in the water was not causing noticeable harm to the health of city residents. As terrified District parents demanded explanations for the spike in lead in their water, the CDC hurriedly published its calming analysis, knowing that it relied on incomplete, misleading blood-test results that played down the potential health impact, the investigation found.

The city utility says lead levels have been in the safe range in D.C. water since 2006, after a chemical change to reduce lead leaching. But the House report raises concerns about children in 9,100 residences throughout the city with partial lead-pipe replacements. Their parents may not know CDC research has found that children in such homes are four times as likely to have elevated lead in their blood.

The House science and technology subcommittee investigation, scheduled to be released Thursday, was spurred last year by one scientist’s research and Washington Post reporting suggesting that the 2004 CDC analysis was missing many test results for children who might have lead poisoning. With its final report, the committee reveals that the missing data showed clear harm to children from the water – and that CDC authors knew the data was flawed. It finds that CDC officials “failed in their public health duty.”

Pediatric lead experts advise concerned parents to monitor their children’s behavior to determine whether they have noticed coordination, hearing or mental-focus problems or changes. Parents who witness such changes should have their children’s blood tested for lead.

Late Wednesday, the CDC declined to directly rebut the House investigators’ findings. Instead, it released a brief re-analysis based on the missing tests, which it said confirms the original 2004 findings that residents did not suffer significant harm.

The agency acknowledged, however, that its 2004 claim that no children had been found with lead poisoning was “misleading,” because it referred to only one part of its study. Another part showed that children living in homes serviced by a lead pipes were more than twice as likely as other D.C. children to have unsafe lead in their blood.

Yanna Lambrinidou, head of a parents’ activist group that formed in the lead crisis, said the CDC, the city water utility, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the D.C. Health Department knew that lead was spiking in the water but did little to fix it or warn the public.

“CDC gave the perpetrators of D.C.’s lead crisis a ‘get out of jail free’ card,” Lambrinidou said. “They will finally have to answer for what they did.”

When nearly 1 million residents throughout the District and in small parts of Falls Church and Arlington learned from a Post article in January 2004 that they had been exposed to unsafe lead in water for at least a year, the CDC analysis was largely used to quiet public anger. The study has since been cited as evidence that even astronomically high lead levels are not cause for concern.
Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), the subcommittee chairman, said the CDC report “left the public health community with the dangerous and wrong impression that lead-contaminated water is safe for children to drink.”

Lead is a toxic metal long known to cause brain damage and developmental delays in fetuses and children when they or their pregnant mothers ingest significant amounts. Marc Edwards, a Virginia Tech scientist who early on questioned the paper, said it’s time for the CDC to retract its findings and for the senior author of the 2004 report, Mary Jean Brown, to resign. The House subcommittee’s investigation also chides the CDC for not alerting the public to its subsequent research that contradicted its earlier claims. This 2007 research determined a clear link between the water problem and lead poisoning in D.C. children. For example, it showed that city children with high levels of lead in their blood were significantly more likely to live in homes with lead pipes, and after the city fixed its water treatment problem, the CDC saw a “dramatic reduction” in lead poisoning.

The committee also urged release of this research to alert residents to a continuing, lurking threat in the estimated 9,100 D.C. homes where water utility crews replaced part of the lead service pipe bringing water to the house. The CDC study concluded that the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority’s $93 million effort to reduce lead risks after the 2004 lead crisis had largely backfired: Children living in homes with partial lead pipe replacements were four times as likely to suffer from unsafe levels of lead as those in homes without lead pipes.

The House science subcommittee reserves its strongest criticisms for Brown, the CDC’s director of lead poisoning prevention. She worked with D.C. health officials to review blood-test results and frame the CDC’s response. Brown led a team in publishing the conclusion that the lead problem wasn’t having a serious health impact.

But the committee said it found evidence that Brown knew that the D.C. Health Department data was missing thousands of blood-test results in a critical period of the lead crisis. She told investigators that she believed all the missing data was for low blood-lead levels, but she never tried to obtain the original results to check.

The committee did go back to the labs for the original test results for 2002-03 and learned that three times as many children had elevated lead levels as reported, 954 instead of 315. This means child lead poisoning was rising, not falling or staying the same, as the CDC had claimed.

In one part of the 2004 report, the CDC paper analyzed the blood of children and adults living with lead levels in their tap water 20 times the amount raising concern – and said not one was suffering from elevated lead. Brown and her co-authors knew, however, that most of those tested had been drinking bottled or filtered water before their blood was analyzed.

A public health expert and co-author suggested to Brown in an e-mail that the report mention this factor because “this may help to explain why currently none of the persons have blood lead levels above the level of concern.” It was never mentioned.

Brown acknowledged to investigators that she “didn’t have a lot of confidence” in the results but didn’t delay the report’s release because many federal agencies were pushing the CDC to publish.

In internal e-mails at the time, Brown expressed pleasure that the drumbeat of media reports was easing. “Today has been the first day in over a month that there wasn’t a story on lead in water in the Washington Post and also the first that I haven’t been interviewed by at least one news outlet,” Brown wrote to her boss. “I guess that means it worked!”

Arthritis is one of the most pervasive diseases in the United States and is the leading cause of disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every three Americans (an estimated seventy million people) is affected.

For most people, arthritis pain and inflammation cannot be avoided as the body ages. In fact, most people over the age of fifty show some signs of arthritis as joints degenerate over time. Fortunately, arthritis can often be managed with acupuncture.

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is not just one disease; it is a complex disorder that comprises more than one hundred distinct symptoms and can affect people at any stage of life. Two of the most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While these two forms of arthritis have very different causes, risk factors and effects on the body, they share a common symptom-persistent joint pain.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the United States. OA begins with the breakdown of joint cartilage, resulting in pain and stiffness. Commonly affected joints include the fingers, knees, hips, and spine. Other joints affected less frequently include the wrists, elbows, shoulders, and ankles. When OA is found in a less frequently affected joint, there is usually a history of injury or unusual stress to that joint. Repetitive injury and physical trauma may contribute to the development of OA. If you have a strenuous job that requires repetitive bending, kneeling, or squatting, for example, you may be at high risk for OA of the knee.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. Inflammation of the joint lining, called the synovium, causes pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth, and redness. The affected joint may also lose its shape, resulting in loss of normal movement.

Eastern View of Arthritis

In Oriental medicine, arthritis is called “Bi Syndrome.” Bi Syndrome manifests as pain, soreness, or numbness of muscles, tendons and joints. Arthritis is treated according to which type of Bi Syndrome it falls into:

1. Moving (Wind) Bi Syndrome: Pain in the joints is widespread and moves from one area of the body to another. This is often accompanied by fever and chills.

2. Stationary (Damp) Bi Syndrome: The pain is localized and does not move. The body and limbs feel heavy and there is numbness and swelling.

3. Painful (Cold) Bi Syndrome: Severe pain in one part, or over one half of the body which becomes worse with cold and diminishes with warmth.

4. Heat Bi Syndrome: The flesh is hot, the area of pain is red and swollen, and the pain increases upon contact.

The type of Bi Syndrome the arthritis falls into will determine which acupuncture points and other treatment options will be utilized. The purpose of acupuncture is to trigger your body’s innate ability to self heal. Treatments take all of your symptoms into account and are aimed at balancing the energy within the body, increasing the flow of qi and blood to the affected area, bringing down swelling and inflammation, relieving pain, and helping to prevent re-occurrence of the arthritis.

If you have arthritis and would like to learn more about how acupuncture can help, call now for a consultation.

Studies on Acupuncture for Arthritis

Studies show that acupuncture can stimulate the production of hormones that reduce pain and inflammation.

In a German study, 3,500 people with osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee received 15 sessions of acupuncture combined with their usual medical care. The results showed that the patients that had acupuncture had less pain and stiffness, improved function and better quality of life than their counterparts who had routine care alone. The improvements occurred immediately after completing a three-month course of acupuncture and lasted for at least another three months, indicating osteoarthritis is among conditions treated with acupuncture.

Another study, published in the journal Pain, looked at the effects of acupuncture among 40 adults with osteoarthritis of the knee. Among the patients in the study, those who had a daily acupuncture session for 10 consecutive days reported greater improvement in their pain compared with patients who received a “sham” version of the therapy.

Resources:
Pain Online, December 15, 2009.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, November 2006; vol 54: pp 3485-349

Anti-inflammatory Diet

Your diet plays a crucial role in helping you avoid or control arthritis.

The first objective of a healthy diet is to help you lose weight if you are overweight. Being overweight can cause additional stress to your joints.

Another way a balanced, varied diet can help ease the pain of arthritis is by providing vitamins and minerals that keep your joints healthy and avoiding “damp” foods such as dairy products and greasy or spicy foods.

Here are some other healthy and delicious choices to include in your diet.

• Ginger – Ginger has been found to be a natural anti-inflammatory. make tea by combining one-half teaspoon of grated ginger root with eight ounces of boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain and add honey to taste.
• Fresh pineapple – Bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple, reduces inflammation. Be sure the pineapple is fresh, not canned or frozen.
• Cherries – Recent research has shown that tart cherries are an excellent source of nutrients that may help to reduce joint pain and inflammation related to arthritis.
• Fish – Cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep joints healthy as well as reduce pain and swelling. If you don’t care for fish, consider supplementing your diet with fish oil capsules.
• Turmeric – Another natural anti-inflammatory. You can sprinkle turmeric on scrambled eggs, add it to soups, or mix it into sauces or salad dressings.

Facial rejuvenation acupuncture can improve muscle tone, increase collagen production, tighten pores and boost circulation and moisture in the skin. Moreover, when acupuncture is used to create overall balance within the body, the physical, mental and emotional patterns that contribute to aging are addressed, helping you look and feel younger.

The theory behind facial acupuncture is that hair-thin needles inserted along wrinkles and frown lines stimulate energy and relax the muscles. This leads to a tightening of the facial muscles, which decreases sagging of the facial skin, and an increase in the production of collagen, filling in fine lines and wrinkles.

Benefits of Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture

• Increases the production of collagen and elastin
• Improves muscle tone (preventing further aging and wrinkles)
• Improves local lymph and blood circulation
• Softens or erases fine lines and wrinkles
• Reduces the depth of deeper lines
• Decreases bags (puffiness) under the eyes
• Reduces or eliminates acne and rosacea
• Provides a consistently smoother and brighter face

To look and feel years younger, facial rejuvenation acupuncture offers less risk, expense and recovery time than medical alternatives. While this procedure cannot reshape facial features, it is a more subtle rejuvenation that can take years off one’s face safely and naturally while improving overall health.

Treatments are personalized for each patient. If you would like to learn more about facial rejuvenation acupuncture, please call for a consultation today!

The 5-Minute Acupressure Face Lift

Here is a 5-Minute Acupressure Face Lift to smooth wrinkles and firm up the face.

To draining the lymph system and smooth the skin

• Begin at the center of the forehead using the thumbs, and stroke across the eyebrows. Repeat 3 times.
• With the pads of the thumb, move from the outside edge of the eyebrows to the hollow in front of the ear (Fig 1).
• Using 3 inner fingers of both hands to massage the back of the neck from middle towards outside for 30 seconds with circular motion.

To lift and tone the face, chin and neck

• Stroke upward in lines from the eyebrows into the hairline. Repeat 3 to 5 times (Fig 2).
• Press on DU20 (the point on the very top of the head) to bring energy upward. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
• Using the pads of the thumbs, stroke in a circular motion from the eyebrow to temple to jawline and to the points below the eye. Repeat 9 to 12 times (See Fig 3).
• For neck wrinkles: Stroke upward from the collar bone to the jawline. Repeat 3–5 times (See Fig 4).

Recipe for Nourishing Beauty – Sweet Rice Congee

Sweet black rice, when cooked with longan berries (euphoria longana) and Chinese dates, becomes a congee that nourishes blood and Qi.

In the Oriental medicine system of food cures, these three foods work together to enhance beauty and longevity.

• The sweet rice promotes the flow of liver Qi, which helps keep angry feelings at bay and leads to calmness.
• The Chinese dates (different from the Mediterranean variety) nourish blood and spleen, promoting restful sleep and mental clarity.
• Longan fruit, a blood enhancer, was used by the ancients to add luster to the skin. From a Western perspective, we know that longans contain large amounts of Vitamin C and phenolic compounds, which may help to detoxify and protect the liver.

Sweet Rice Congee
(Taken from Ancient Healing for Modern Women, by Dr. Xiolan Zhao, C.M.D.)

Ingredients:

6 cups water
1 cup black sweet rice (wash before using)
1/2 cup dried longan fruit
10 Chinese dates
2 tablespoons raw sugar
1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

Instructions:

In a large heavy saucepan, add 6 cups of water, black sweet rice, longan fruit, dates, and raw sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Garnish with ginger. Makes four servings.

Note: All ingredients are available at most Asian grocery stores.