Quote of the day:'In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired. In the pursuit of the Tao, every day something is dropped.'
Tao te Ching 6th century BCE.
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NEWS from The Journal of Chinese Medicine summarises recent research in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, as well as diet, lifestyle, exercise, relaxation and meditation and other miscellaneous subjects. Much of this information will help practitioners to accurately inform patients of the benefits or risks of lifestyle choices and give informed answers to patients questions, aid in the practice of preventive medicine and help practitioners take care of their own health.
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Below are a few of our recent news items and titles of all items in the current news
Latest News
ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES IVF SUCCESS RATE
A meta-analysis of seven clinical trials in which acupuncture was used to support embryo transfer during IVF has concluded that it improves rates of pregnancy and live birth. Dutch and American researchers analysed results from seven clinical trials (selected as eligible from a total of 108), all published since 2002 and carried out in four Western countries. They included data on 1366 women and compared acupuncture given within one day of embryo transfer, with sham acupuncture, or no additional treatment. All except one used a similar acupuncture protocol (based on Paulus et al). The analysis showed that combining real acupuncture with embryo transfer was associated with significant and clinically relevant improvements in clinical pregnancy rate. Women who underwent acupuncture were 65% more likely to have a successful embryo transfer procedure and 91% more likely to have a live birth. On the basis of ‘number needed to treat’, this means that ten women undergoing IVF would need to be treated with acupuncture to bring about one additional pregnancy. (Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008 Mar 8;336(7643):545-9.)
ACUPUNCTURE REDUCES SCOLIOSIS
One session of acupuncture seems to have an influence on the deformity of some scoliosis patients. In a controlled single blind crossover study, verum acupuncture, carried out according to TCM principles, was compared with sham acupuncture and just lying in a group of 24 girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. In a subgroup of patients with Cobb’s angle (a measurement used for evaluation of curvature in scoliosis) of no more than 35 degrees, significant changes in surface rotation and lateral deviation of vertebrae were found after real acupuncture only. (Acupuncture in the treatment of scoliosis - a single blind controlled pilot study. Scoliosis. 2008 Jan 28;3:4.)
SCALP ACUPUNCTURE FOR AUTISM
Scalp acupuncture (SAP) may improve language development in children with autism. Twenty autistic children (4-7 years old) were divided into two groups, both of which underwent twice-weekly sessions of language therapy aimed at stimulation of cognitive and verbal abilities, over a period of nine months. Half of them also received twice-weekly SAP sessions using: Du 20, 26, GV17, temple needles and Yamamoto's New Scalp Acupuncture cerebrum and aphasia points. Both groups showed a significant improvement in cognitive and expressive language skills, but the improvement was markedly greater in those who also had SAP. (Scalp acupuncture effect on language development in children with autism: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Mar;14(2):109-14.)
CHINESE HERBS FOR ECZEMA
A Chinese herbal formula had been found to reduce the production of inflammatory proteins linked with causing eczema. A Hong Kong team assessed the effects of the ‘Pentaherbs formulation’ (PHF, containing honeysuckle flower (jin yin hua), peppermint (bo he), peony root bark (mu dan pi), atractylodes rhizome (cang zu), and phellodendron bark (huang bai)) on immune cell cultures and patients with atopic eczema. In the in vitro study, the researchers isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from randomly chosen transfusion blood samples. Cell cultures were then exposed to PHF and the effects on cell growth and production of inflammatory mediators were analysed. PHF reduced production of four inflammatory mediators: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), following stimulation of the cells with microbial toxins. In the second part of the experiment, 28 Chinese patients (5-21 years old) with moderate to severe eczema were treated with PHF for three months. Most continued to take steroid medication. Blood samples were taken at the beginning and end of this period. Although there was no change in the amount of steroids used by the patients, they found that levels BDNF and TARC reduced over the three months. (In vitro and clinical immunomodulatory effects of a novel Pentaherbs concoction for atopic dermatitis. Br J Dermatol. 2008 Mar 13 [Epub ahead of print].)
Plus ...
Acupuncture benefits prostate painAcupuncture promising for pelvic pain
Acupuncture for cancer-related fatigue
Acupuncture cost-effective for headache
Acupuncture cost-effective for dysmenorrhoea
Acupuncture improves autonomic regulation in migraine
Acupuncture benefits immunity
Deep and shallow needling produce similar brain response
Acupuncturists don’t feel the pain
CONSORT has improved reporting of acupuncture studies
Taking part in trials changes the treatment
Hawthorn significantly benefits heart failure
Chinese herbs for eczema
Honey better than drugs for kids’ night-time coughs
High meat intake linked to cancer
Mediterranean diet and regular exercise prevent death
Steam your greens
Oats for cholesterol reduction
Sweet drinks linked to gout
Green tea prevents fatty liver
Green tea helps burn fat
Green tea and prostate cancer
Caffeine and miscarriage
Vitamin D protects against heart disease and cancer
Eat three meals a day
Obesity linked with cancer risk
Elective caesareans increase risk of breathing problems
Small babies prone to depression later in life
Eczema linked with poor intestinal flora at birth
Bra size linked to diabetes
Middle age makes you miserable – official
Drink to healthy ageing
Four healthy habits add 14 years to life
Exercise slows ageing
It’s never too late to get healthy
Healthy seniors live longer
Worrying increases heart attack risk
Tai chi for children’s asthma
Tai chi for diabetes
Tai chi for stress reduction
Tai chi for heart failure
Tai chi improves balance and prevents falls.
How does tai chi improve balance?
Pain, the brain and qigong
TM best for hypertension
A ‘quickie’ is best
Heart bypass with acupuncture anaesthesia
Medicinal plants face extinction
Money makes you happy, but only if you give it away.
Sociable people get fat, but worriers are thin
High earners drink more
Spruce tree salve best for bedsores
