4 Beneficial Winter Herbs
Did You Know...Science Proves Acupuncture Restores Motivation?
Acupuncture Enhances Motivation
A study published by the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine looked at the holistic effects of acupuncture treatments. The study looked at how acupuncture treatments were conducted and evaluated. One of the areas this study looked at is how acupuncture influences the function of the brain. By using functional MRI imaging, the researchers were able to see certain areas of the brain were stimulated during the acupuncture treatments. The anterior insula and striatum, areas involved in motivation processing, were very responsive to the treatments. The study confirmed acupuncture on specific points can activate motivation centers in the brain, thus leading to increased physical motivation in the participants.
Everybody experiences times where they have no motivation. Lack of motivation can be caused by many things: weather, depression, nutritional deficiencies, rejection and even not exercising.
Lacking motivation can be detrimental to your health. Even though everybody knows they should be exercising and eating right and getting proper sleep, many of us choose not to. This becomes a bad habit that can actually develop into depression, fatigue, insomnia and even nutritional deficiencies that can cause even worse physical problems. We tell ourselves we don’t have time or we have no motivation or willpower. These are just stories we tell ourselves. EVERYBODY has time to care for themselves. It’s just a choice we have to make.
Acupuncture can help put the pep back in your step when it comes to motivation. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), lack of motivation is considered some sort of blockage along the energetic pathways that run throughout the body. Most commonly, this affects the gallbladder and liver pathways. Over time, this lack of motivation frequently develops into depression. When the body is depressed, nothing seems possible. But the fact of the matter is that, there are underlying causes to depression that begin with the lack of motivation.
The reason TCM works so well at addressing and correcting motivation problems is because it addresses the body holistically. When people go to their doctor and tell them that they have no motivation, they are frequently prescribed antidepressants. But the problem with antidepressants is they don’t address the underlying causes of the issue. TCM looks at everything: the body, the mind, the environment and the emotions. This allows for treatments to be customized to the needs of the patient instead of a one size fits all approach.
As mentioned, the liver and gallbladder pathways are most commonly associated with lack of motivation. When either or both of these pathways become blocked, motivation dissipates and people become depressed. One of the first things that happens is emotions become involved and send signals to the digestive tract. This is why many times, people who lack motivation or who have developed depression have no appetite. Energy comes from eating healthy foods. But when we have no appetite, we tend to crave things like sweets and carbohydrates because they give us the “emotional high” that temporarily sedates the depression and lack of motivation. But this quickly goes away and we end up right back where we started.
The gallbladder pathway is important when motivation is lost. The gallbladder pathway is associated with courage and decisiveness. Lack of motivation causes most people to not be decisive. The inability to decide or act or the lack of motivation to act is associated with a weakness of the gallbladder system. Regular acupuncture treatments can help with this issue, as well as moving energy along both the liver and gallbladder pathways, thus restoring balance to the body and increasing motivation.
CITATION:
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/739708/
Studies Show Acupuncture Helps Breathing
Research Update: Acupuncture and Respiratory Issues
The Journal of Complementary Medicine Research conducted a study that compiled the research from multiple trials to evaluate the effects of acupoint application for asthma in adults. Eight separate studies were included in the review. The results indicated acupoint application decreased the production of immunoglobulin E and increased the amount of air people could exhale in a single breath – a common way to diagnose asthma, because lung congestion reduces one’s exhalation capacity. The review concluded acupoint application, whether it be acupressure or acupuncture, helps improve pulmonary function, while reducing the levels of immunoglobulin E and interleukins in the blood.
Respiratory issues and deaths associated with them have shot up tremendously over the past 35 years in the United States. The number of deaths from chronic respiratory illnesses jumped from 41 in 100,000 in 1980 to 53 in 100,000 by 2014. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is the leading cause of respiratory deaths, but other ailments like asthma, interstitial lung disease and pneumoconiosis (a disease of the lungs due to inhalation of dust, characterized by inflammation, coughing, and fibrosis) are also contributors. In many cases, symptoms are merely masked or managed through the use of pharmaceuticals. But, alternatives like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can address both the symptoms and the root causes of the disease.
Traditional Chinese Medicine considers how the psyche affects the physical body, making emotional wellness just as important as physical health.
In TCM, every organ is associated with a series of properties. These associations provide clues that help the TCM practitioner locate the root of the physical problems, while guiding them through the treatments. The lungs are associated with grief and sadness, the season of fall, the color white and the pungent flavor. The energy of the lungs is very important to all aspects of human life. When the body’s energy is imbalanced, disease or illness my take root
The lungs are known as the “Prime Minister” in TCM. They control breath and energy, while assisting the heart with the circulation of blood throughout the body. The lungs also control the skin, which breathes through the opening and closing of the pores, helping to regulate body temperature both through perspiration and shivering.
Acupuncture can be a great asset in balancing the energy of the lungs. The function of the lungs is to descend and dispense energy downwards and to dissipate it outwards. When acupuncture points are stimulated the flow of your lung energy can greatly improve, while opening up the airways and increasing the uptake of oxygen within the cells of the whole body. Acupuncture also helps relax the muscles associated with breathing, allowing lung energy to flow properly.
Research: Acupuncture and the side effects of chemotherapy
A 2018 study published in the World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion looked at the effect of acupuncture treatments on rectal cancer patients who were experiencing hand-foot syndrome caused by their chemotherapy treatments. Hand-foot syndrome is a known side effect of chemotherapy characterized by redness, swelling, tingling, numbness, itching and pain in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
The researchers found acupuncture significantly reduced all of the symptoms associated with hand-foot syndrome to the extent they considered 17 percent of patients completely cured and the treatments were significantly effective in 70 percent of patients.
To conduct the study, researchers from Chongqing Cancer Institute recruited 60 patients with rectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Half of the patients received acupuncture and half were treated simply by taking B6 vitamins. Their hand-foot syndrome was scored using two internationally recognized scales indicating symptom severity and physical disability.
The patients in the acupuncture group received 30-minute treatments every day for two weeks. The patients in the B6 vitamin group took the supplement daily for two weeks.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, hand-foot syndrome indicates poor energy and blood circulation, a deficiency in energy and blood or dampness leading to a blockage in energy that prohibits nourishment from reaching the skin and muscles, causing numbness and pain. The acupuncture treatments were directed at promoting blood and energy circulation and removing stagnation.
After the treatments, patients in both groups showed improvement, but symptoms and physical disabilities for the patients in the acupuncture group decreased significantly more than for the patients in the B6 vitamin group. Based on the analysis of the scores, in the acupuncture group, the treatments cured five patients were effective for 16 patients, meaning their symptom score was downgraded to the lowest possible number on the scale and their physical ability score increased to between 80 and 89 out of 100 possible points. The treatments were effective for 70 percent of patients compared with 36 percent of patients in the B6 vitamin group.
The report concludes, “The results demonstrate that an integrative model of patient care utilizing acupuncture as a treatment modality produces significantly less adverse effects associated with chemotherapy.”
Research consistently shows acupuncture is effective at increasing circulation throughout the body, improving the flow of blood and therefore nutrients to injured cells, muscles or tissues.
Thermography can detect abnormalities in breast tissue And Much More!
How come people rarely question the efficacy and safety of mammograms, prescription drugs, cat scans and surgery when recommended by physicians but they scrutinize herbal medicine, Acupuncture, Thermography and Chiropractic?
How come they want to see proof that these "alternatives" are safe and work well when in some cases such as Acupuncture they have been helping people heal for over 3,000+ years? Or in the case of Thermography- it is a FDA approved medical device and has over 30 years of medical studies(on 10,000 people) to back up its place alongside other medical testing.
I have compiled a few studies about Thermography that may help you make an informed decision regarding your healthcare. I sincerely hope that you find these helpful.
Breast thermography and cancer risk prediction.
Michel Gautherie, Ch. GrosPublished in Cancer 1980
DOI:10.1002/cncr.2820450110
Thermography makes a significant contribution to the evaluation of patients suspected of having breast cancer. The obviously abnormal thermogram carries with it a high risk of cancer. This report summarizes the results of patients with questionable or stage Th III thermograms. From approximately 58,000 patients, most of whom had breast complaints, examined between August 1965 and June 1977, the conditions or a group of 1,245 women were diagnosed at initial examination as either normal or benign disease by conventional means, including physical examination, mammography, ultrasonography, and fine needle aspiration or biopsy, when indicated, but nevertheless categorized as stage Th III indicating a questionable thermal anomaly. Within five years, more than a third of the group had histologically confirmed cancers. The more rapidly growing lesions with shorter doubling times usually show progressive thermographic abnormalities consistent with the increased metabolic heat production associated with such cancers. Thermography is useful not only as a predictor of risk factor for cancer but also to assess the more rapidly growing neoplasms.
Breast Thermography A Non-invasive Procedure
Dr. Mercola Discussing Breast Thermography
Breast Thermography Questions Answered
Cut Your Risk Of Death In Half
4 Years And 10,000 Studies-Breast Thermography
Every woman should include breast thermography as part of their regular breast heath care. I have recommended the use of this technology extensively over the years in my newsletter. Thermography has the unique ability to “map” the individual thermal fingerprint of a woman’s breasts. Any change in this map over the course of months and years can signal an early indication of possible tumors or other abnormalities. In fact, studies have shown that an abnormal infrared image is the single most important indicator of high risk for developing breast cancer.
Susan M. Lark, M.D.
Distinguished Author and Leading Expert in Women’s Health
Breast thermography is an excellent adjunctive arrow in the quiver of tools for breast screening. Whereas structural screening looks for static anatomical abnormalities, thermography reveals physiological changes in the breast allowing for earlier intervention in the detection of premalignant and malignant processes. Additionally, breast thermography allows for proactive rather than just reactive measures in the fight against breast cancer. However, it is not intended to replace structural screening, but rather is an extremely valuable addition to armamentarium.
Scott T. Miles, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., C.T.T.
Fellow - American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Infrared imaging of the breast should be an integral part of any breast cancer screening program due to its value as an independent risk factor for breast cancer and its value as a prognostic indicator.
Jonathan Head, Ph.D.
Tumor Cell Biologist and Pioneer in Breast Cancer Vaccines
Director of Research - EEH Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Center
Associate Professor of Biochemistry - Tulane University
Is Mammography The Only And Best Choice?
Mammography Is a Recipe for Net Harm
Written by ACCT May 06, 2015
Eric J. Topol, MD
The medical community prides itself on evidence to drive important decision-making. But when the evidence is contrary to entrenched medical practice, it has a hard time coming to terms. Such is the case for mammography recommendations. All of the data now available point to significant net harm—far more risk than benefit— for routine mammography. If this were a drug, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would never approve it. Last year, the Swiss Medical Board, after reviewing all of the data, recommended abolishing mammography.[1]
But last week, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued new draft recommendations regarding who should undergo screening and how often. There was no support for routine screening in women younger than 50 or older than 74 years. But the recommendation for women aged 50-74 years is to undergo mammography every 2 years. There has never been a large study of mammography done every 2 years, so the basis for that periodicity of screening is questionable. But there are abundant data for annual screening and they are not at all supportive of continuing this practice.
A systematic assessment based on all of the evidence available from 1960-2014 showed that for 10,000 women in their 50s, who are screened annually over the course of a decade, there are only 5 individuals whose breast cancer deaths are prevented.[2] But there are over 6100 women who have false-positive tests that lead to additional imaging and unnecessary biopsy procedures. This > 60% false-positive rate is an indicator of a remarkably poor test with respect to accuracy, no less the large toll of emotional turmoil that it engenders.
What about all of the biopsies that are performed? A recent study also underscored yet another level of imprecision: the problem of interpreting biopsies by pathologists when there is agreement among three experts about the presence of cancer only 75% of the time.[3] Added to the net harm of mammography is over-diagnosis, which occurs in 20%-30% of women who have an abnormal result but in whom cancer would not be apparent unless the scan was performed.
Nevertheless, these women often undergo surgery and receive chemotherapy or radiation (or a combination of all of these treatments), even though there is little to no impact on prognosis. Such individuals typically believe that their lives have been saved even though the data point against that assertion. A Harvard study published in the current issue of Health Affairs demonstrated that the cost of these false-positive studies and over-diagnosis was approximately $4 billion per year.[4] This is on top of the current US costs of annual mammography of nearly $10 billion.
It is time to reboot how we screen for breast cancer. Until now, the use of mass screening suggests that we are unable to differentiate the risk in any given individual. So instead of a smart approach that uses family history and genetics, we have dumbed it down and treated all women the same. As a result, we have come to rely on a test that is notoriously inaccurate but has become a fixed part of American medical practice since it was introduced almost 50 years ago. With the tens of millions of low-risk women unnecessarily undergoing screening each year, any test would be vulnerable to a high rate of false positives. That applies to higher-resolution scans, too, such as magnetic resonance, digital mammography and ultrasound. Indeed, there is a better path forward.
Why Family History and Genomics Matter
There is strong evidence that family history is critical for defining risk. Beyond family history, we have the ability to sequence the genes known to carry high-risk mutations. Dr Mary-Claire King, who discovered the BRCA1 gene, has advocated that all women age 30 and older should be screened for mutations that carry a high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.[5] She’s right. And at some point, why not add men, who unknowingly can pass along important BRCA mutations to their daughters?
We didn’t have a way to widely implement such a recommendation until this past week when a collaboration, called BRCA Share, was reported between the two largest central lab companies—Laboratory Corporation of America and Quest Diagnostics —as was the announcement of a new genetic testing company called Color Genomics. For $249, Color Genomics is offering, via a saliva sample, sequencing of the BRCA genes along with 17 other genes that carry a high risk for familial cancer. For 1 year of mammography costs in the United States, we could now perform such genetic testing for over 56 million women. The unrelenting plummeting of the cost of sequencing—and a much more expansive approach to the whole genome (instead of just ~20 genes)—is just around the corner.
When she announced her choice to undergo bilateral mastectomy in 2013, Angelina Jolie wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times : “But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action. Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of.” Just a couple of years later, the Angelina Effect on heightening awareness and the US Supreme Court decision against Myriad Genetics’ BRCA testing monopoly have introduced exciting opportunities for adopting a new approach. We shouldn’t be scared of it. It doesn’t even require a blood test anymore. We should take it on, study it, and exploit the progress in genomic science to develop an intelligent, evidence-based, and economically attractive precise path forward.
References
1.Biller-Andorno N, Jüni P. Abolishing mammography screening programs? A view from the Swiss medical board. N Engl J Med. 2014; 370:1965-196. Abstract
2.Elmore JG, Kramer BS. Breast cancer screening toward informed decisions. JAMA. 2014;311:1298-1299. Abstract
3.Elmore JG, Longton GM, Carney PA, et al. Diagnostic concordance among pathologists interpreting breast biopsy specimens. JAMA. 2015;313:1122-1132. Abstract
4.Ong MS, Mandl KD. National expenditure for false-positive mammograms and breast cancer overdiagnoses estimated at $4 billion a year. Health Aff (Millwood). 2015:34;576-583. Abstract
5.King, MC, Levy-Lahad E, Lahad A. Population-based screening for BRCA1 and BRCA2. 2014 Lasker Award. JAMA. 2014;312:1091-1092. Abstract
Kidney Boosting Smoothie
Cranberry Ginger Smoothie Recipe
The kidneys are vital organs that allow our bodies to process waste and turn it into urine and filter our blood of toxins before it gets back to the heart. The kidneys also maintain our overall fluid balance and create hormones that regulate blood pressure, support bone health and produce red blood cells. To support your kidneys, it’s beneficial to stay plenty hydrated and avoid extra salt in your food.
Jam-packed with vitamins and healthy fats and low in sodium from all the fresh fruits and veggies, this smoothie is a kidney-boosting wonder!
Cranberries are often praised for their bladder-healthy benefits. They are also full of Vitamin C and fiber and have anti-inflammatory effects. Walnuts are a great source of healthy fat and also benefit the kidneys, according to traditional Chinese medicine. You can make this smoothie with water or almond milk for an extra calcium boost. Making sure you have enough calcium in your diet can help to prevent kidney stones. Lastly, ginger is always a great smoothie addition, making the flavor more dynamic and contributing to the smoothie’s anti-inflammatory effects.
To make, combine the ingredients in a blender and enjoy!
Ingredients:
● 1 cup water, almond milk, hemp seed milk, or rice milk (organic "milks")
● 1 ½ ounces organic baby spinach
● 2 ounces organic cranberries (fresh or frozen)
● 2 organic dates
● 1 chopped organic pear
● ½ inch fresh organic ginger
● 3 tablespoons organic walnuts
● 1 cup ice