We follow the health sections of mainstream media sources such as The New York Times, CNN and WebMD, and lately we’ve been seeing more and more stories related to Complementary Alternative Medicine.  It’s exciting to see this adoption of holistic remedies by conventional health practitioners and hope that it continues to become more commonplace as we enter 2011.  Here are a few of the latest articles:

Acupuncture Goes Mainstream

WebMD: Acupuncture, which has been practiced for millennia in China, is a small part of her own practice. But she makes frequent referrals to the clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine. There, acupuncture, which uses needles to stimulate specific parts of the body, is increasingly popular for problems like chronic pain, allergies, and asthma. Five thousand patients underwent acupuncture at the facility in 2009, up from 3,600 in 2007.

Light Therapy for Depression

The New York Times: Antidepressants like Prozac and Paxil are widely used to treat depression, but a much less costly alternative called bright light therapy, in which a patient sits under an artificial light for a set period of time each day, is not. Light therapy is typically recommended for seasonal affective disorder, the “winter blues” brought on by shorter days and limited sun. Some psychiatrists prescribe it for this condition, often as a last resort when patients fail to respond to drugs.

Green Tea May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

WebMD: Regular consumption of green tea may offer protection against Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and may also slow growth of cancer cells, new research indicates. Green tea, an ancient Chinese remedy, has been shown to have protective properties in undigested, freshly brewed forms. But a research team at Newcastle University in the U.K. set out to determine whether the protective substances remained active after digestion. And in the study, they did.

Remedies: Garlic for Athlete’s Foot

The New York Times: “Garlic has long been considered a powerful natural antifungal,” said Dr. Lawrence D. Rosen, chief of pediatric integrative medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey and a pediatrician at the Whole Child Center in nearby Oradell. Dr. Rosen pointed out that studies have found garlic effective against a number of fungal infections, including those caused by Candida and other common pathogens.

Acupuncture has been getting more mainstream acceptance within the medical community as more and more studies show it’s efficacy in alleviating symptoms. In fact, the study, “Acupuncture for Depression During Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial” in the March issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology shows acupuncture as a successful alternative to antidepressants for pregnant women. The study is a a first-of-its-kind from Stanford University School of Medicine researchers and looked at 150 women whose pregnancies were between 12 and 30 weeks gestation and who met the criteria for major depressive disorder.

Depression can affect up to 14% of pregnant women. Characterized by feelings of dread, gloom and hopelessness, and a loss of interest in normally pleasurable activities, depression during pregnancy is suggested to be caused by an influx of hormones combined with the stress of a major life change. If left untreated, depression can be dangerous for both mom and baby, and is linked to poor birth outcomes and postpartum depression. Antidepressant medication is sometimes prescribed during pregnancy, however many women opt not to take antidepressants while pregnant due to safety concerns. “Because there’s this concern about medication among pregnant women and their physicians, it’s important to find an alternative,” said Rachel Manber, PhD, who led the study.

The women who participated in the Acupuncture study were randomized to receive one of three treatments: acupuncture specific for depression; control acupuncture, during which needles were inserted in points not known to help alleviate depressive symptoms; or massage. The researchers found that women who received acupuncture specific for depression experienced a greater rate of decrease in symptom severity. The response rate was 63 percent for the women receiving depression-specific acupuncture, compared with 44 percent for the women in the other two treatment groups combined.

The researchers conclude:

“Overall, the acupuncture protocol we tested yielded a response rate comparable to the rates observed in standard treatments for depression and was associated with relatively few and mild side effects, suggesting that this standardized acupuncture protocol could be a viable treatment option for depression during pregnancy.”

Many of the BioVeda Health & Wellness Centers offer Acupuncture services as part of our Holistic Healing program.  Contact us to find a center in your area that offers Acupuncture and benefit from holistic healing today!

Holistic Healing is becoming more mainstream as evidenced by the United States Military’s acceptance of holistic healing methods such as acupuncture, manual therapy, relaxation techniques and an overall holistic approach to physical and emotional well being.  The following article, “Holistic Healing Gaining Ground in Military” was reported in The Fort Leavenworth Lamp Online by Sgt. Lindsey Bradford:

BAGHDAD – Since the Army introduced the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program in October 2009, there has been much focus on a holistic approach to physical, emotional, social, spiritual and family well-being.

But what is holistic healing exactly?

According to Lt. Col. Erica Clarkson, a U.S. Forces-Iraq physical therapist, holistic healing is an approach that uses natural methods to improve health, without using drugs or surgery to correct problems.

Clarkson has been practicing holistic healing for 17 years, and has continued to treat service members in Iraq at the Courage Clinic, in the Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory.

Some of Clarkson’s holistic modalities include acupuncture, manual therapy, relaxation techniques and prescribed exercises specific to each patient’s physical ailment.

“There are no significant adverse side effects like there are with using drugs to treat problems,” she said. “Different medicines have been linked to ulcers and other gastrointestinal irritations, and even death.”

For Lt. Col. Chad Sundem and Maj. Dorothy de Leon, the holistic healing approach has proved very beneficial in recovering from injuries they sustained.

Sundem, the aide-de-camp for I Corps commander Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., was suffering from calf strains, a pinched nerve and arm numbness when he began seeing Clarkson. He received weekly acupuncture treatments for the problems.

The treatment has been tremendous in helping his condition, he said.

“I didn’t have to resort to any other methods of treatment. Acupuncture healed the problems quickly. In my case, it brought semi-instant pain relief and a more rapid recovery overall,” Sundem said.

De Leon was suffering from plantar fasciitis in her left foot and tendonitis in her right elbow before seeking acupuncture treatments with Clarkson. Although the USF-I Red Team officer had to use anti-inflammatory medication in addition to the acupuncture, she also performed prescribed stretching exercises.

“Before this deployment, I’d always wanted to try acupuncture for other pains, but never had the opportunity. I’m completely sold on the treatment,” de Leon said.

Ice, rest and massage have also contributed to de Leon’s successful treatment, all of which she did on her own time.

For those who are not able to receive the acupuncture portion of holistic healing, Clarkson recommends doing Internet research for things that can be done during someone’s down time.

“You will get the most benefit from this when you do the prescribed exercises on your own time, which is much preferred,” Clarkson said. “The Internet is a great resource. Without acupuncture, you can still research and find your acupressure points.”

Each point is linked to a different part of the body, Clarkson said. For example, acupressure points in the right hand are linked to the left foot. By applying pressure to acupressure points in the body, pain can sometimes be relieved.

The holistic approach to treatment is also offered at stateside military hospitals, and has become a growing skill set.

“You can’t give a pill for everything. You have to get to the root of the problem,” said Clarkson.

Clarkson said the new holistic approach the Army has taken is a step in the right direction and is gaining popularity throughout the service.

“It has taken the Army a long time to get to this point,” she added. “(The Army) is opening up and seeing the benefits. It’s really a great thing.”

Editor’s note: Sgt. Lindsey Bradford works in the U.S. Forces-Iraq Public Affairs Office.

A new research study published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology looks at the use of acupuncture to treat menstrual pains.  They conclude that there is convincing evidence that acupuncture is effective in reducing pain.

“Around 40 – 50% of young women have experienced primary dysmenorrhea, or menstrual cramps, the cause of which is usually unknown (when the causes are known, it is referred to as ‘Secondary’ dysmenorrhea, eg. uterine fibroids, pelvic infection, endometriosis etc). For some women, the pain can become more severe or may last for longer as they grow older. There are also other related symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, migraine, backache and mood swings. Common treatments include exercise, applying heat onto the lower abdomen or the use of painkillers. The use of acupuncture to treat dysmenorrhea has in recent years been the subject of study but results have so far been inconclusive.”

Researchers from the Oriental Hospital at Kyung Hee University Medical Centre in Korea reviewed the use of acupuncture to treat menstrual pain. “They examined women of reproductive age with primary dysmenorrhea, comparing those who were treated with acupuncture with a control group, which included no treatment, placebo treatment, or pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatments (eg. psychological interventions). The types of acupuncture evaluated were classical acupuncture, electroacupuncture, laser acupuncture, electrical auricular acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, auricular acupressure and acupoint injection.”

“According to researchers, the data reviewed showed that acupuncture was the preferred option for reducing pain when compared to pharmacological treatment or herbal remedies. The researchers observe that there is convincing evidence on the effectiveness of using acupuncture to treat pain as it stimulates the production of endorphins and serotonin in the central nervous system.”

Many BioVeda Health and Wellness Center practitioners utilize Acupuncture methods to reduce or alleviate pain.  Contact a provider near you to learn more!

Reference
“Acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhoea: a systematic review.”
Cho S-H, Hwang E-W.
BJOG 2010; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2010.02489.x.

Source
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Preventative medicine and alternative therapies will have a place in President Obama’s new healthcare plan.  In a town hall meeting in Arnold Missouri, as released on Whitehouse.gov in Remarks by the President April 29, 2009, President Obama addressed a question related to alternative medicine and it’s future within the newly proposed healthcare program:

Q    I’m a licensed acupuncturist and licensed massage therapist in Florissant.  And so –

THE PRESIDENT:  I could use one right now.  (Laughter.)  My back is stiff.  I’ve been working hard.

Q    I’ll be happy to help you.  (Laughter.)  And this kind of fits into what you were just talking about as far as health care.  I’m wondering, as a practitioner of Oriental medicine, knowing that the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization has discovered through their studies that alternative medicine often is more cost-effective and very effective, how will alternative medicine fit in your new health care program?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, look, my attitude is that we should — we should do what works.  So I think it is pretty well documented through scientific studies that acupuncture, for example, can be very helpful in relieving certain things like migraines and other ailments — or at least as effective as more intrusive interventions.

I will let the science guide me.  We just swore in an outstanding new Secretary of Health and Human Service, Kathleen Sebelius, former governor of Kansas.  (Applause.)  It’s good to see that a Jay Hawk got applause on this side of the border here. (Laughter.)  But she’s going to do an outstanding job.  And my charge to her is, as we’re going through health care reform let’s find out what works.

I think one basic principle that we know is that the more we do on the prevention side, the more we can obtain serious savings down the road.  So giving children early checkups, making sure that they get immunized, making sure that they are diagnosed if they’ve got eyesight problems, making sure that they’re taught proper nutrition to avoid a life of obesity — those are all issues that we have some control over.  And if we’re making those investments, we will save huge amounts of money in the long-term.

Unfortunately, the hardest thing to do in politics — and certainly in health care reform — has been to get policymakers to make investments early that will have long-term payoffs.  Because people — their attitude is, well, I’ll be out of office by the time that kid grows up; and, the fact that they’re healthy, that doesn’t help me.  And in the private sector insurance system, oftentimes insurers make the same calculation. Their attitude is, well, people change jobs enough for us to pay for the preventive medicine now when the problem may not crop up for another 20 years and they’ll be long out of our system, so we don’t want to reimburse it because it will make things more costly.  That’s the logic of our health care system that we’re going to have to change.

The recovery package put a huge amount in prevention.  We are, in our budget, calling for significant increases in prevention.  And my hope is, is that working in a bipartisan fashion we are going to be able to get a health care reform bill on my desk before the end of the year that will start seeing the kinds of investments that will make everybody healthier.  All right?  (Applause.)

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