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Acupuncture for Athletes

By: Diane Joswick, L.Ac., MSOM

All athletes and coaches are involved in a constant search for ways to improve performance and gain a competitive edge over their rivals. Many are finding that acupuncture can often provide that edge.

By following the principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), an acupuncture treatment can strengthen body function and restore internal harmony and balance. Professional sports teams and top athletes regularly have an acupuncturist on staff to treat injuries and to keep them performing at their peak.

Some of the best Olympic athletes are incorporating acupuncture into their wellness programs. China's most popular sportsman, the 7 foot 6 inch China basketball center, Yao Ming, used acupuncture and Oriental medicine to help him recover after undergoing surgery on his ankle in April, 2007.

Chinese swimmer, Wang Qun, was photographed doing some last minute training in Beijing with round marks on her back from an acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine treatment. The marks on the swimmers back were caused by cupping. Cupping is a technique in which a glass cup or bamboo jar is suctioned onto the body. It is used to relieve muscle pain, especially back pain from stiffness or injury; and to clear congestion in the chest, which can occur with common colds and influenza.

Studies on Acupuncture to Enhance Athletic Performance

Studies have shown that acupuncture has measurable effects on the flow of blood to certain areas of the body, which could in turn boost athletic performance. One such study conducted at the Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine involved athletes running 5,000 meters, and afterwards sitting for acupuncture treatments before they had a chance to catch their breath. The heart rates of the athletes who received the treatments recovered more quickly than those in the control group.

Another study published in the American Journal of Acupuncture measured the effects of acupuncture on anaerobic threshold and work capacity during exercise in healthy young males. Researchers found that individuals in the acupuncture treatment group had higher maximal exercise capacity and were able to perform higher workloads at the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) than individuals in the placebo group. The individuals that received acupuncture also had lower heart rates.

Acupuncture is well known for its effectiveness in reducing most types of pain, including sports-related injuries.

Acupuncture can be used to help decrease swelling, spasms and inflammation. Additionally, it can be used to control pain, increase range of motion and help promote healing. Because of its broad range of applications, acupuncture can be used during any of the phases of injury. The focus is not only to treat the injury but also to treat any underlying conditions that may predispose an individual to injuries. This is especially important when treating chronic or recurrent injuries that interfere with life activities or athletic performance.

Injuries occurring from sports are mostly due to trauma or overuse syndromes involving the musculoskeletal system and its soft tissues. Trauma to these soft tissues, including ligaments, tendons and muscles are generally the result from falls, blows, sprains/strains, collisions, compressions crushing and disruptions of the healing processes due to inflammation.

Some Commonly Treated Sports Injuries:

• Muscle Pull
  
• Neck Pain
  
• Shoulder Impingement
  
• Tennis Elbow
  
• Lower Back Strain
  
• Groin Pull
  
• Hamstring Strain
  
• Runner's Knee
  
• Shin Splints
  
• Ankle Sprain
  
• Achilles Tendonitis
  
• Arch Pain

If you have suffered an injury, want to avoid surgery, or would like to speed your post surgical recovery, acupuncture can help. Call me today for more information or to schedule an appointment.

IVF Complications???

Oh here's an interesting study about birth risks and the use of IVF for fertility issues.

Apparently there was a study done of more than 1.2 million births in Norway that found an increased risk of low birth weight, premature birth or still birth after fertility treatment. However, further analysis showed this was unlikely to be related to the treatment itself.

In the latest study, babies born after fertility treatment were on average 25g smaller at birth, were born two days earlier and had a 31% increased risk of stillbirth.

However, when the researchers looked in more detail at a subgroup of 2,500 women who had had babies naturally and through fertility treatment they found no significant difference in outcomes between the two kinds of births.

This suggest that the increased chance of complication is not from the IVF but from the factors causing the fertility problems in the first place. This is telling me two things:

1. IVF can make you get pregnant but doesn't take care of the fertility problems (typical of western medicine though)
2. If you treat the fertility problems, you will not only get pregnant, but have a healthy child too.

So what is the best choice for fertility problems? It's not western medicine using IVF or other methods since it doesn't address the root problem. But Chinese medicine corrects the root problem and promotes overall health, which means:

• Able to become pregnant
• Able to carry the baby full term
• Decreased pregnancy concerns (morning sickness, dizziness, etc.)
• Strong efficient labor
• Health baby
• Decreased post-partum issues
• Overall better health of the Mother and the Child

Why You Should Avoid Statin Drugs

As you know I'm not a proponent for western medication, because of all the side effects and how they are usually just cover ups. So here I am reading an article about statin drugs, and some alternatives.

As many may know, a lot of the "super" drugs are heavily marketed by drug reps, and they make a lot of money to do so. Pharmaceutical drug companies can make Billions (yes with a B) with some of their drugs, and that's why they want people to use those drugs over more affordable drugs that may actually be better for you. A good example is Calcium Channel Blockers vs. Diuretics.

Ok so back to statins. A major problem with these (and most drugs) is the benefits are usually overstated and the risks are understated. Sure, many people have a hard time getting their cholesterol reduced just with diet and exercise (most aren't good at following a plan), so they may need extra help. But are statins the answer?

"in 2001, a statin marketed under the name Baycol was pulled from pharmacy shelves after being associated with rhabdomyolysis - a muscle-wasting condition in which toxic by products from muscle fragments enter the bloodstream and clog the kidneys, potentially causing organ failure and eventual death. ........ Some scientists have also questioned whether statin-associated spikes in blood levels of liver enzymes indicate trouble in the organ, and there is ongoing debate about the drugs causing memory loss"

As we know, most western drugs are highly toxic to the kidneys, liver or both. In both Western and Chinese medicine we know the liver has a strong association with the blood. So when the liver starts to get compromised, the blood gets compromised and then your overall health gets compromised. Since the liver produces most of the cholesterol that our body needs, when it isn't working well anymore, then that changes our body's function to deal with cholesterol, and we'll end up with problems. It makes sense that we should take care of our liver.

"While experts warn of understated risks, a growing number suggests that the benefits are equally overstated. A recent article in Business Week cited aggressive drug company marketing that employs tricky statistics (one statin ad boasted a 36 percent reduction in the risk of a heart attack even though the drug was only slightly more effective than a placebo). 'If you've already had a heart attack, taking a statin has a small but very real effect, but you'd need at least 50 people to take it for 5 years for one of them to benefit. Yet all will incur great costs for the drugs and the doctor visits, and will worry and risk side effects' ~ Dr. Jerome Hoffman M.D., professor of clinical medicine at UCLA"

So it would seem that a nice natural, safe and effective alternative is needed. Well, Chinese medicine has worked for over 3,500 years and it's always been natural, safe and effective.

So here are some things you can do to help, besides seeing your Chinese medicine practitioner.

For lowering your LDL, you can enjoy:

• Red Grape Fruit ~ 1 daily reduces levels by 20%
  
• Steel Cut Oat Meal ~ 3/4 cup daily reduces levels by 15%
  
• Pecans ~ 1oz daily reduces levels by 13%
  
• Pistachios ~ 3oz daily reduces levels by 12%
  
• Promise Activ Spread ~ 3 servings daily reduces levels by 10%
  
• Macadamia Nuts ~ 1.5oz daily reduces levels by 9%
  
• Pinto Beans ~ 1/2 cup daily reduces levels by 7%
  
• Walnuts and Almonds ~ 1oz daily reduces levels by 7%
  
• Peanuts ~ 1oz daily reduces levels by 6%
  

For raising your HDL, you can enjoy:

• Orange juice ~ three 8oz glasses daily boosts levels by 21%
• Hazelnuts ~ 1.5ox daily boosts levels by 13%
• Dark Chocolate ~ 2.5oz daily boosts levels by 11%
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil ~ 2 Tbsp daily boosts levels by 4%

For lowering your triglycerides, you can enjoy:

• Fish Oil ~ 4 grams daily reduces levels up to 45%
• Peanuts ~ 3oz daily reduces levels by up to 24%
• Pistachios ~ 2-3oz daily reduces levels by 10 points

There are also many Chinese medicine herbs that help with lowering your cholesterol, and you can't go wrong with also taking Grape Seed Extract.

So in general here are some things to live by:

• If it's not food, don't eat it ~ eat natural foods as much as possible
• Reduce your meat intake ~ 10% of the meal should be meat, the rest vegetable and rice
• Enjoy 5-6 small meals throughout the day ~ a handful of almonds can be considered one meal for your snack
• Drink your water without ice and at room temperature
• Vegetables should be slightly steamed ~ raw is too hard on your digestive system
• Exercise, Exercise, Exercise ~ just a little goes a long way, Tai Ji (tai chi) is a wonderful form to start as young as possible

Hoping you a long and healthy life ~ White-Eagle

New Decision

So I figured that on the rare occasion of posting an occasional full article from somewhere, I'll make my blog more of a commentary, but give you a link to go to the full article.

Also I'll be adding something new every Monday and Thursday, and then the newsletter should be coming out every other week.

Good reading, and if you have any questions, just call the office.

With All Good Medicine
White-Eagle

8 Drugs Doctors Would Never Take

If they won't use these medications, why should you?

By: Morgan Lord, Photographs by: Bill Diodato

With 3,480 pages of fine print, the Physicians' Desk Reference (a.k.a. PDR) is not a quick read. That's because it contains every iota of information on more than 4,000 prescription medications. Heck, the PDR is medication -- a humongous sleeping pill.

Doctors count on this compendium to help them make smart prescribing decisions -- in other words, to choose drugs that will solve their patients' medical problems without creating new ones. Unfortunately, it seems some doctors rarely pull the PDR off the shelf. Or if they do crack it open, they don't stay versed on emerging research that may suddenly make a once-trusted treatment one to avoid. Worst case: You swallow something that has no business being inside your body.

Of course, plenty of M.D.'s do know which prescription and over-the-counter drugs are duds, dangers, or both. So we asked them, "Which medications would you skip?" Their list is your second opinion. If you're on any of these meds, talk to your doctor. Maybe he or she will finally open that big red book with all the dust on it.

Advair

It's asthma medicine . . . that could make your asthma deadly. Advair contains the long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) salmeterol. A 2006 analysis of 19 trials, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that regular use of LABAs can increase the severity of an asthma attack. Because salmeterol is more widely prescribed than other LABAs, the danger is greater -- the researchers estimate that salmeterol may contribute to as many as 5,000 asthma-related deaths in the United States each year. In 2006, similarly disturbing findings from an earlier salmeterol study prompted the FDA to tag Advair with a "black box" warning -- the agency's highest caution level.

Your New Strategy No matter what you may have heard, a LABA, such as the one in Advair, is not the only option, says Philip Rodgers, Pharm.D., a clinical associate professor at the University of North Carolina school of pharmacy. For instance, if you have mild asthma, an inhaled corticosteroid such as Flovent is often all you need. Still wheezing? "Patients can also consider an inhaled corticosteroid paired with a leukotriene modifier," says Dr. Rodgers. This combo won't create dangerous inflammation, and according to a Scottish review, it's as effective as a corticosteroid-and-LABA combo.

Avandia

Diabetes is destructive enough on its own, but if you try to control it with rosiglitazone -- better known by the brand name Avandia -- you could be headed for a heart attack. Last September, a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study found that people who took rosiglitazone for at least a year increased their risk of heart failure or a heart attack by 109 percent and 42 percent, respectively, compared with those who took other oral diabetes medications or a placebo.

The reason? While there have been some reports that Avandia use may cause dangerous fluid retention or raise artery-clogging LDL cholesterol, no one is sure if these are the culprits. That's because the results of similar large studies have been mixed. So the FDA has asked GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of Avandia, to conduct a new long-term study assessing users' heart risks. There's only one problem: The study isn't expected to start until later this year.

Your New Strategy Stick with a proven performer. "I prefer metformin, an older, cheaper, more dependable medication," says Sonal Singh, M.D., the lead author of the JAMA study. "Avandia is now a last resort." Dr. Singh recommends that you talk to your doctor about cholesterol-lowering medicines, such as statins or the B vitamin niacin. Swallowing high doses (1,000 milligrams) of niacin daily may raise your HDL (good) cholesterol by as much as 24 percent, while at the same time lowering your LDL and triglyceride levels.

Celebrex

Once nicknamed "super aspirin," Celebrex is now better known for its side effects than for its pain-relieving prowess. The drug has been linked to increased risks of stomach bleeding, kidney trouble, and liver damage. But according to a 2005 New England Journal of Medicine study, the biggest threat is to your heart: People taking 200 mg of Celebrex twice a day more than doubled their risk of dying of cardiovascular disease. Those on 400 mg twice a day more than tripled their risk, compared with people taking a placebo.

And yet Celebrex, a COX-2 inhibitor, is still available, even though two other drugs of that class, Bextra and Vioxx, were pulled off the market due to a similar risk of heart damage. The caveat to the consumer? In 2004, the FDA advised doctors to consider alternatives to Celebrex.

Your New Strategy What you don't want to do is stop swallowing Celebrex and begin knocking back ibuprofen, because regular use of high doses of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding. A safer swap is acupuncture. A German study found that for people suffering from chronic lower-back pain, twice-weekly acupuncture sessions were twice as effective as conventional treatments with drugs, physical therapy, and exercise. The strategic needling may stimulate central-nervous-system pathways to release the body's own painkillers, including endorphins and enkephalins, says Duke University anesthesiologist Tong-Joo Gan, M.D. You can find a certified acupuncturist in your area at acufinder.com.

Ketek

Most bacteria in the lungs and sinuses don't stand a chance against Ketek, but you might not either. This antibiotic, which has traditionally been prescribed for respiratory-tract infections, carries a higher risk of severe liver side effects than similar antibiotics do. "Ketek can cause heart-rhythm problems, can lead to liver disease, and could interact poorly with other medications you may be taking," says Dr. Rodgers. "Unfortunately, it's still available, and although many doctors are aware of the risks, some may still prescribe it without caution." In February 2007, the FDA limited the usage of Ketek to the treatment of pneumonia.

Your New Strategy Can't imagine catching pneumonia? The last time the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculated the top 10 killers of men, this deadly lung infection (along with the flu) came in seventh. Avoid backing yourself into a corner where you might need Ketek by always signing up for your annual flu shot -- if you have pneumonia, it'll reduce your risk of dying of the infection by 40 percent. And if you still end up staring at a scrip for Ketek, Dr. Rodgers recommends asking to be treated with one of several safer alternatives, such as Augmentin or the antibiotics doxycycline or Zithromax.

Prilosec and Nexium

Heartburn can be uncomfortable, but heart attacks can be fatal, which is why the FDA has investigated a suspected link between cardiac trouble and the acid-reflux remedies Prilosec and Nexium. In December 2007, the agency concluded that there was no "likely" connection. Translation: The scientific jury is still out. In the meantime, there are other reasons to be concerned. Because Prilosec and Nexium are proton-pump inhibitors, they are both incredibly effective at stopping acid production in the stomach -- perhaps too effective.

A lack of acid may raise your risk of pneumonia, because the same stuff that makes your chest feel as if it's burning also kills incoming bacteria and viruses. You may also have an elevated risk of bone loss -- in the less acidic environment, certain forms of calcium may not be absorbed effectively during digestion. "The risk of a fracture has been estimated to be over 40 percent higher in patients who use these drugs long-term, and the risk clearly increases with duration of therapy," says Dr. Rodgers.

Your New Strategy When you feel the fire, first try to extinguish it with Zantac 150 or Pepcid AC. Both of these OTC products work by blocking histamine from stimulating the stomach cells that produce acid. Just know that neither drug is a long-term fix.

"To really cure the problem, lose weight," says Michael Roizen, M.D., chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic and coauthor of YOU: The Owner's Manual. That's because when you're overweight, excess belly fat puts pressure on and changes the angle of your esophagus, pulling open the valve that's supposed to prevent stomach-acid leaks. This in turn makes it easier for that burning sensation to travel up into your chest.

Visine Original

What possible harm to your peepers could come from these seemingly innocuous eyedrops? "Visine gets the red out, but it does so by shrinking blood vessels, just like Afrin shrinks the vessels in your nose," says Thomas Steinemann, M.D., a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Overuse of the active ingredient tetrahydrozoline can perpetuate the vessel dilating-and-constricting cycle and may cause even more redness.

Your New Strategy If you still want to rely on Visine, at least make sure you don't use too many drops per dose and you don't use the stuff for more than 3 or 4 days. But you'd really be better off figuring out the underlying cause of the redness and treating that instead. If it's dryness, use preservative-free artificial tears, recommends Dr. Steinemann. Visine Pure Tears Portables is a good choice for moisture minus side effects. On the other hand, if your eyes are itchy and red because of allergies, pick up OTC antiallergy drops, such as Zaditor. It contains an antihistamine to interrupt the allergic response but no vasoconstrictor to cause rebound redness.

Pseudoephedrine

Forget that this decongestant can be turned into methamphetamine. People with heart disease or hypertension should watch out for any legitimate drug that contains pseudoephedrine. See, pseudoephedrine doesn't just constrict the blood vessels in your nose and sinuses; it can also raise blood pressure and heart rate, setting the stage for vascular catastrophe. Over the years, pseudoephedrine has been linked to heart attacks and strokes. "Pseudoephedrine can also worsen symptoms of benign prostate disease and glaucoma," says Dr. Rodgers.

Your New Strategy Other OTC oral nasal decongestants can contain phenylephrine, which has a safety profile similar to pseudoephedrine's. A 2007 review didn't find enough evidence that phenylephrine was effective. Our advice: Avoid meds altogether and clear your nasal passages with a neti pot, the strangely named system that allows you to flush your sinuses with saline ($15, sinucleanse.com). University of Wisconsin researchers found that people who used a neti pot felt their congestion and head pain improve by as much as 57 percent. Granted, the flushing sensation is odd at first, but give it a chance. Dr. Roizen did: "I do it every day after I brush my teeth," he says.

(For my readers, just let me let you know that all these health conditions these drugs are supposed to treat, they can all be treated naturally, effectively and safely with Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine ~ White-Eagle)

Allergy Alert: Breathe Easy, Naturally

By Dr. Maoshing Ni, L.Ac., D.O.M., Ph.D.

Itchy, watery eyes, running nose, an aching head, and sinus congestion. Sound familiar? You may be among the 37 million people in the United States who suffer from allergic rhinitis or sinusitis. Consider combating your springtime woes naturally with these time-tested self-healing techniques.

Allergens in the Air

When your sinuses, the air-filled hollow cavities around your nose and nasal passages, become inflamed, fluid can accumulate and interfere with normal drainage of mucus in the sinuses. This condition is known as acute sinusitis. The result? You may have trouble breathing through your nose and feel your eyes and facial tissue swell up.

Your symptoms may include a headache, fever, a nagging cough, post-nasal drip, thick green or yellow discharge, and a feeling of facial "fullness" that gets worse when you lean forward; during a severe sinus infection, some people even experience a toothache.

This uncomfortable condition has many possible causes, including bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, allergies, or a deviated septum. Synonymous with spring, allergic rhinitis, commonly called hay fever, is the inflammatory result of your immune system's overreaction to allergens in the air.

Pollen is one famous offender. Other allergens include dirt, pollution, animal hair, food particles cloth fibers, and mold. A healthy alternative to allergy medication is Allergy Tamer, which is a blend of effective Chinese herbs to naturally relieve allergy symptoms.

Surprising Secrets for Sinus Health

Here are some all-natural ways to gain freedom from sinus suffering.

• Clear your sinuses and your mind with a steamy stovetop spa. Add a few drops of wintergreen oil to a pot of boiling water and inhale the steam. Take care not to be burned by the vapor.
• Herbs and spices like ginger, scallion, basil, garlic, oregano, cayenne peppers, white pepper, horseradish and turmeric will have your sinus passageways unblocked in no time!
• The supplement bromelain - a papaya and pineapple-based enzyme - helps reduce histamine release, the body's natural allergic response.
• Clear your nasal passageway daily for healthy, happy sinuses. Add 1 tsp of sea salt, 1 drop of oregano oil, and 1 drop of wintergreen to a cup of warm water. Fill a small-spouted squeeze bottle with this warm solution. Squirt into one nostril at a time and blow out through the nose. Alternate nostrils.
• Press one clove of garlic, mix with 1 tsp of olive oil and soak a clean cotton ball with the oil mixture and place in nostrils after having washed the nostril with warm salt water. Leave in for 20 minutes and repeat three times a day until the symptoms clear up.
• These two simple self-massage practices that follow are incredibly effective for relieving sinus congestion. For both, sit at the tip of a sturdy chair with your back erect, spine stretched, and your head tilted slightly forward.

  1. Inhale and gently press your forehead just inside the temples with your palms. Exhale and release. Repeat three times.

  2. Cross your middle and index fingers by placing the tips of your middle fingers on top of the fingernails on your index fingers. Rub the sides of your nose 36 times in a circular motion, warming your fingers first if they're cold.

What You Eat Affects Your Sinus Health

Avoid the foods that produce mucous and dampness: dairy products, cold and raw foods, corn (including corn syrup), and simple sugars. Choose whole grains like quinoa, amaranth and brown rice instead of wheat, rye and barley, which are typically high allergy grains. Opt for papaya, cranberries, pear, pineapple, cherries, mango, and citrus fruits. Eat more green vegetables such as artichoke, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and spinach.

Both alcohol and smoking should be avoided during a sinus flare-up as they irritate the respiratory tract and worsen nasal inflammation. Also, sinus congestion is often worse with lack of quality rest so be sure to get plenty of sleep and keep your stress level low.

I hope that you find the ways to keep your sinuses clear and freely flowing. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao