Analogies: Helpful and Flawed
An insightful post at Brilliant Blog urges us to seek analogies to achieve breakthroughs. This is a key part of my “product development.” Finding analogies in nature that can explain needling’s effect on the body and brain, eg pearl formation, parasite invasion (they suppress immune function), a sunburn (stimulating healing) etc etc. Faulty analogies are at…
Read MoreHormone Replacement Therapy Decreases Heart Rate Variability
Heart Rate Variability is a measure of the body’s stress levels, and my area of research. In this simple study, they compared women on Hormone Replacement Therapy and those who were not. Heart Rate Variability was better in when women were not taking Hormone Replacement Therapy. Go natural whenever possible!! Clin Auton Res. 2014 Feb…
Read MoreWhy We Have Cancer
This is the hair raising story of a biology researcher, scientist, and UC Berkeley professor Tyrone Hayes, who tried to sound the alarm about a fertilizer called “atrazine.” He found atrazine was a hormone disruptor and lead to genital malformations in frogs. Further epidemiological studies showed that children born during fertilizing season in the…
Read MoreAcupuncture as Appropriate for Knee Arthritis as Synvist
Of course, I would have loved to see acupuncture come in with a resounding recommendation, but given the panel, I will take what I can get. They didn’t dismiss acupuncture and it came in tied with Synvist injections. In the category of “always recommended” there was exercise and strength training and “weight management” and corticosteroid…
Read MorePlacebo Effect Varies with Type Administered
This study compiled many studies already performed and showed that sham acupuncture and sham surgery had a higher placebo effect than a sham pill for migraine treatment. The commentary challenges the researchers take away lesson, however, and feel that clinicians should harness the placebo effect if it works better than standard treatment. Given that the…
Read MoreAntibiotics: The Sobering Truth
The link below is to a detailed article about the hazards and long term implications of antibiotics and the importance of your gut flora. AcupunctureToday.com-Your-Gut-Why-You-Should-Be-Very-Afraid-1389910102 http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32839
Read MoreKnee Surgery for Meniscus Repair No Better Than Placebo
Of course, surgery is one of the most powerful placebos that exist. But the studies that have actually looked at placebo surgery are vanishingly rare. So bravo that they looked, and shame on surgeons that they so seldom scrutinize the real value of their procedures. THURSDAY, Dec. 26, 2013 (HealthDay News) — Improvements in knee…
Read MoreGuidelines for Hypertension Medications Eased
Common sense guidelines instead of arbitrarily treating a number in the elderly. Still fairly strict, BP should be below 150/90 in people over 60 years, 140/90 in younger patients. I have quite a few patients I’m treating for High Blood Pressure and I must say, acupuncture can be really effective in keeping blood pressure low…
Read MoreAnti-Bacterial Soap Must Show Efficacy
We have discussed the hazards of these antibacterial soaps. They lead to antibiotic resistance and even allergies in some people. The report also mentioned hormonal imbalances, which I will have to look into.
Read MoreDangers of Supplements
In a recent study and opinion piece, experts urge consumers to skip their supplements in favor of spending that money on a gym membership and better, fresher, more healthy food. I do prescribe herbs for certain conditions, but they come from Health Concerns, a local company that sources all of its herbs carefully and domestically. …
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