Friday, January 28th, 2011 at 3:08 pm
Here is a research study just released that shows eating trans fats can lead to depression. There is little doubt that lousy foods or foods that we may have a sensitivity to can cause emotional issues. It is sad to think about the number of kids on medication yet there is no attention paid to what the eat. Our over medicated poor diet children becoming over medicated poor diet adults. I have had countless people tell me how much better they feel emotionally once they started to eat better. Some were just eating a lot of sugar, others had immune reactions to foods such as with a histamine reaction causing anxiety.
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Thursday, January 13th, 2011 at 9:44 am
Proper nutrition is always a big part of my fertility workups. Even if people say they just want acupuncture because they read that it can help I always discuss diet. I feel that nutrition plays a large role in the chances of getting pregnant. If we eat a food that we are sensitive to thus causing an immune reaction and a cascade of inflammatory molecules it can reduce our chances of procreating. Both in females and males. (Unfortunately it is often the females that get labeled ‘infertile’ even when it is a male problem. If the sperm are within normal limits the guy usually gets a pass. Many practitioners practitioners question this methodology.) A healthy diet will also lead to healthier pregnancy, postpartum and offspring as there are many studies that show diet during pregnancy effects offspring health.
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Tuesday, January 11th, 2011 at 9:11 am
Acupuncture is a very effective therapy for chronic pain conditions. However treatments must be on a regular basis which is the downside. The upside is that it is most likely a better option than drugs which carry various ‘side effects’ and many which can harm the liver. The ‘side effects’ of acupuncture are beneficial where patients report feeling more energized and calm.
Below is a study that was just released evaluating acupuncture for chronic neck pain.
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Saturday, January 8th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
J Nutr. 2010 Dec 22.
Imhoff-Kunsch B, Stein AD, Villalpando S, Martorell R, Ramakrishnan U.
Nutrition and Health Sciences Program Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322.
Abstract
(n-3) PUFA, including DHA, are essential for neural development and accumulate extensively in the fetal and infant brain. (n-3) PUFA concentrations in breast milk, which are largely dependent on maternal diet and tissue stores, are correlated with infant PUFA status. We investigated the effect of prenatal DHA supplementation on PUFA concentrations in breast milk at 1 mo postpartum. In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial conducted in Mexico, pregnant women were supplemented daily with 400 mg DHA or placebo from 18-22 wk gestation to parturition. Fatty acid concentrations in breast milk obtained from 174 women at 1 mo postpartum were determined using GLC and were expressed as % by wt of total detected fatty acids. Breast milk DHA concentrations in the DHA and placebo groups were (mean ± SD) 0.20 ± 0.06 and 0.17 ± 0.07 (P < 0.01), respectively, and those of α-linolenic acid (ALA) were 1.38 ± 0.47 and 1.24 ± 0.46 (P = 0.01), respectively. Concentrations of EPA and arachidonic acid did not differ between groups (P > 0.05). Maternal plasma DHA concentrations at 1 mo postpartum correlated positively with breast milk DHA at 1 mo postpartum in both the placebo and DHA groups (r = 0.4; P < 0.01 for both treatment groups). Prenatal DHA supplementation from 18-22 wk gestation to parturition increased concentrations of DHA and ALA in breast milk at 1 mo postpartum, providing a mechanism through which breast-fed infants could benefit.
Tuesday, January 4th, 2011 at 6:38 am
Below is the abstract of a recent research article that stimulating a certain acupuncture point GB-34 known as “Yang Ling Quan” (translated loosely to Yang Mound Spring) helped improve gait in the elderly. It was a randomized control trial which is what makes it a bit more interesting. Stimulating one point on each person is not acupuncture as acupuncture is individualized based on a person’s pattern. However it does show that needles inserted into the subcutaneous tissue can have therapeutic physiological effects that have yet to be clearly understood (although there are many theories as to why acupuncture works so effectively for a wide variety of conditions).
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011 Jan;92(1):7-14.
Stimulation of Acupoint ST-34 Acutely Improves Gait Performance in Geriatric Patients During Rehabilitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
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