Acupuncture Newsletter

2008-05-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

May Newsletter
Stress, Anxiety, and Acupuncture

Even as the winter weather goes on and on, we should still celebrate spring! Spring is a time of growth and rejuvenation. My children are starting to outgrow their clothes as the energetics of spring propels them ever upward. The trees are blooming, new leaves are growing, and my lawn needs to be mowed weekly. The movement of plants pushing their way through the soil and up into the sun is the energy of the liver. Spring is governed by the liver- the force of growth and mover of qi. If the liver is stagnant then we feel stressed and worried. If the liver cannot move qi we get uncomfortable, anxious and angry (the emotion of the liver). You may experience a stuck feeling in your throat, heartburn, or an upset stomach. Maybe you are just jittery and don’t know how to express it, or get hot and flushed when pressed. If the liver becomes too stagnant then you can develop headaches, especially the kind that wrap around your head.
In our northwest culture we are supposed to be laid back all the time, not let anything bother us and that makes it hard to express when we are angry. Anger is natural when expressed properly. It is the motive force that drives us forward to change, to excel, to better ourselves. Top athletes channel their anger into exceptional human feats. When they let their anger get away from them, they are kicked out for fouls. We value anger, the movies we love are full of it! Yet there are very few places we can express it ourselves. The best way to get it out is through movement. Many people join the gym or enjoy outdoor activities. If your liver was being held back all winter by stagnation, your symptoms will manifest or become stronger. Now is the time to start a good positive physical routine. Movement is the name of the game- when you move your body the qi is allowed to flow and you will feel the stress melt away as the liver expresses the pent up energy. Go for a walk everyday. Plot one mile in your neighborhood and walk that mile everyday. If walking is too mellow for you, or too boring, go for a bike ride, join a pool and swim, yoga, pilates, tai chi, the list goes on and on. Just do something daily so that it becomes part of your everyday routine. If you don’t find a good routine, your stress may shorten your life.
Oh yes and that brings us to acupuncture, you all know the relaxing feeling of lying on the table and having your pain melt away. Well, I can tailor your treatment to enhance that feeling, by moving the liver qi. If you have trouble getting into a good movement routine because of pain then I can help with that too. I do not have a magical solution for stress, when it is everyday life that is stressing you, but I certainly can help bring your overall stress level to a manageable level.
As a final word on stress I want to point out the importance of massage in managing stress. (Did you know we have both a female and a male massage therapist at the Alpine Acupuncture location?) Most of us hold some of our stress in our muscles and it greatly helps to have the muscles worked out so that we can retrain our body to come out of the stress state. In a nutshell acupuncture and massage can move you into the parasympathetic (rest and digest) state so that you can be reminded what it feels like to relax.

Here are some great statistics on stress from the American Psychological Association.

• Two thirds of Americans say they are likely to seek help for stress. (APA Survey 2004)
• 45% of workers list job insecurity has a significant impact on work stress levels. (APA Survey 2004)
• 61% of workers list heavy workloads as a significant impact on work stress levels. (APA Survey 2004)
• Executives and managers tend to have the most stressful jobs, while self-employed workers are the least stressed. (APA Survey 2004)
• A majority of workers (52%) are more stressed because of work than home. (APA Survey 2004)
• 54% of workers are concerned about health problems caused by stress. (APA Survey 2004)
• One in four workers have taken a mental health day off from work to cope with stress. (APA Survey 2004)
• 62% of Americans say work has a significant impact on stress levels. (APA Survey 2004)
• 73% of Americans name money as the number one factor that affects their stress level. (APA Survey 2004)
• Fifty-four percent of Americans are concerned about the level of stress in their everyday lives. (APA Survey 2004)

http://apahelpcenter.org/articles/topic.php?id=6

A friend of mine sent me a great link that talks about the connection of our environment and stress. It also talks about a social system that propels us to shop in order to feel better. I strongly encourage you take 20 min and watch this short video and lessen your carbon footprint. http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Another link along the same lines from public radio. “We are what we buy — a glib adage to be sure, but it prompts an interesting question: Is our consumer society sustainable? American Public Media takes on that question in this special series. We follow consumerism from its origins to its dominance in the world's economy and, arguably, its culture. And we examine how, and if, it might be adapted to reduce its destructive consequences while keeping store shelves stocked.”
http://sustainability.publicradio.org/consumed/

Poems and Inspirations:

These spiritual window-shoppers,
who idly ask, 'How much is that?' Oh, I'm just looking.
They handle a hundred items and put them down,
shadows with no capital.

What is spent is love and two eyes wet with weeping.
But these walk into a shop,
and their whole lives pass suddenly in that moment,
in that shop.

Where did you go? "Nowhere."
What did you have to eat? "Nothing much."

Even if you don't know what you want,
buy _something,_ to be part of the exchanging flow.

Start a huge, foolish project,
like Noah.

It makes absolutely no difference
what people think of you.
-Rumi

Concerns About Plastics In Baby Bottles, Canned Foods, And More

BPA (Bisphenol A) has recently been under scrutiny for causing reproductive problems later in life when ingested by children due to its strong estrogenic properties. Here is a Medscape article and a good Internet page with lots of sighted scientific evidence.

FDA Eyes Bisphenol A Concerns:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/573720?src=mp&spon=17&uac=106086SK

Leading Baby Bottle manufacturer says Bisphenol-A not a Danger
http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Plasticizers/BPA-Baby-Bottle2apr02.htm

For those of you who like research…

http://www.alpineacupuncture.com/Stress.htm

Acupuncture is great at relieving stress, as is massage. I am not a counselor and encourage you to seek out a counselor/spiritual leader if you are in need of someone to talk things through with or if in danger of harming yourself or others. This newsletter does not constitute medical or nutritional advice.

Acupuncture and Allergies

2008-04-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

Carleton Magus
Alpine Acupuncture 425-391-7777

April Newsletter

Happy Spring! Here come the pollens, tree saps, molds, flowers and allergies. Many people suffer from allergies and we all know the symptoms: itchy watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing and in some cases- asthma. As an acupuncturist these symptoms are easily explained with diagnoses such as wind-heat, wind cold, or dampness. That is the symptom picture. The underlying reason you have this symptom picture is often wei qi deficiency. But what does that mean and how can you combat it?

There are many theories as to why more and more people are developing allergies: environmental pollution, lack of omega-3 fatty acids in our diet, changes in food quality. We no longer live with nature, we have created an artificial world to live in so our bodies no longer adjust readily to the changes in the natural world and we react. In spring all the plants burst forth and our immune system, overwhelmed by the input, releases histamine.

Histamine causes reactions in our body that leads to the uncomfortable symptoms of allergies. But why? Allergies are a sign that something is off in our bodies. Our immune system is reacting in a way that it should not be reacting. Acupuncture can help balance your body so that it no longer over reacts to normal stimulus such as pollen, dust, and pet allergies. The protective aspect of the immune system is called wei qi in TCM. When a person gets a cold we say that wind has invaded- either wind cold or wind heat. Wei qi is our defense against the “wind”. Allergies are often seen as a wind heat invasion (with symptoms of itchy watery eyes). I would begin treating this wind invasion by asking, “what is going on in the body that allows the wind to invade?” “Why is the wei qi deficient?” I would then treat the root and the branch. The root is what is going on in the body and the branch is your allergy symptoms. Allergy treatment is done over a course of treatments beginning with acupuncture and graduating to Chinese herbs. I will see someone weekly for a couple weeks then give them one or two herbal supplements to aid the root and branch of allergy symptoms, treating both the wei qi and underlying pathology that is leading to wei qi deficiency. I may also ask you to eat healthier or avoid certain foods for a time.

Self Help or What You Can Do At Home:

The first and foremost allergy prevention is to make sure you are taking your fish oil (make sure it is a brand that eliminates heavy metals from the oil). Fish oil mediates inflammation and can calm down your allergic response. The next most important thing you can do for yourself is live a life of moderation. You should eat a variety of cooked foods in moderation, sleep enough but not too much and exercise regularly. But of course I say this every newsletter, as this advice is the core of good health. Also you should avoid alcohol as ‘Alcohol consumption can provide histamine, trigger its release, and prevent a histamine breakdown.’
If you are doing these things for your health and you are still having trouble with allergies come in and talk to me. We can work together on finding your constitutional solution.

I wanted to honor the recent visit of the Dali Lama with a verse.
“In explaining his greatest sources of inspiration, he often cites a favorite verse, found in the writings of the renowned eighth century Buddhist saint Shantideva:

For as long as space endures
And for as long as living beings remain,
Until then may I too abide
To dispel the misery of the world.”

I have been sitting and pondering the meaning. Maybe you should too.

Quote from: http://www.tibet.com/DL/biography.html

I found the following information interesting when looking into histamine:

“Histamine is a hormone/chemical transmitter and important protein that is involved in local immune responses, regulates stomach acid production and acts as a mediator in allergic reactions.” This is the bad part we most often read about.

The purpose of Histamine

* Histamine is released as a neurotransmitter, necessary for our brain cells to “communicate” properly. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are used to relay, amplify and modulate electrical signals between a neuron and other cell.
* Histamine is necessary to modulate sleep
* During an orgasm, histamine is released, and has been connected to the sex flush among women. However, men with high histamine levels may suffer from premature ejaculations.

Alcohol consumption can provide histamine, trigger its release, and prevent a histamine breakdown.”

http://www.healthmad.com/Conditions-and-Diseases/Allergies-and-Histamine.38749

For those of you who like the scientific stuff…

Research on Allergies:

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized-controlled clinical trial

* B. Brinkhaus1,41Department of Medicine I, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen4Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany,
* J. Hummelsberger22International Society of Chinese Medicine (SMS), Munich,
* R. Kohnen33The IMEREM, Institute for Medical Research Management and Biometrics, Nuremberg,
* J. Seufert11Department of Medicine I, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen,
* C.-H. Hempen22International Society of Chinese Medicine (SMS), Munich,
* H. Leonhardy22International Society of Chinese Medicine (SMS), Munich,
* R. Nögel22International Society of Chinese Medicine (SMS), Munich,
* S. Joos11Department of Medicine I, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen,
* E. Hahn11Department of Medicine I, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen,
* D. Schuppan11Department of Medicine I, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen

*
1Department of Medicine I, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen; 2International Society of Chinese Medicine (SMS), Munich; 3The IMEREM, Institute for Medical Research Management and Biometrics, Nuremberg; 4Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany

Background: Patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) increasingly use complementary medicine. The aim of this study was to determine whether traditional Chinese therapy is efficacious in patients suffering from seasonal AR.

Methods: Fifty-two patients between the ages of 20 and 58 who had typical symptoms of seasonal AR were assigned randomly and in a blinded fashion to (i) an active treatment group which received a semi-standardized treatment of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and (ii) a control group which received acupuncture applied to non-acupuncture points in addition to a non-specific Chinese herbal formula. All patients received acupuncture treatment once per week and the respective Chinese herbal formula as a decoction three times daily for a total of 6 weeks. Assessments were performed before, during, and 1 week after treatment. The change in severity of hay fever symptoms was the primary outcome measured on a visual analogue scale (VAS).

Results: Compared with patients in the control group, patients in the active treatment group showed a significant after-treatment improvement on the VAS (P = 0.006) and Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (P = 0.015). Improvement on the Global Assessment of Change Scale was noted in 85% of active treatment group participants vs 40% in the control group (P = 0.048). No differences between the two groups could be detected with the Allergic Rhinitis Symptom Questionnaire. Both treatments were well-tolerated.

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that traditional Chinese therapy may be an efficacious and safe treatment option for patients with seasonal AR.

A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Childhood Persistent Allergic Rhinitis

Published online November 1, 2004
PEDIATRICS Vol. 114 No. 5 November 2004, pp. 1242-1247 (doi:10.1542/peds.2004-0744)

Daniel K. Ng, FRCP*, Pok-yu Chow, FHKCPaed*, Shun-pei Ming, BChinMed{ddagger}, Siu-hung Hong, BNursing{ddagger}, Sunny Lau, BSc§, Debbie Tse, BSc§, Wilson K. Kwong, FHKCPaed*, Mui-fong Wong, BChinMed{ddagger}, Wilfred H. Wong, MMedSc||, Yu-ming Fu, MRCPCH*, Ka-li Kwok, FHKAM(Paed)*, Handong Li, BChinMed{ddagger} and Jackson C. Ho, FRCP*

* Department of Paediatrics
{ddagger} Chinese Medicine Clinical Research and Service Centre
§ Department of Physiotherapy, Kwong Wah Hospital, Hong Kong
|| Department of Paediatrics and Adolescents, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Objective. To compare active acupuncture with sham acupuncture for the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis among children.

Methods. Subjects with persistent allergic rhinitis were recruited from the pediatric outpatient clinic. They were randomized to receive either active acupuncture or sham acupuncture. Main outcome measures included daily rhinitis scores, symptom-free days, visual analog scale scores for immediate effects of acupuncture, daily relief medication scores, blood eosinophil counts, serum IgE levels, nasal eosinophil counts, patients' and parents' preferences for treatment modalities, and adverse effects.

Results. Eighty-five patients were recruited from the pediatric outpatient clinic at Kwong Wah Hospital, in Hong Kong. Thirteen patients withdrew before randomization; 35 patients (mean age: 11.7 ± 3.2 years) were randomized to receive active acupuncture for 8 weeks, and 37 patients (mean age: 11 ± 3.8 years) were randomized to receive sham acupuncture for 8 weeks. Acupuncture was performed twice per week for both groups. Both the assessing pediatricians and the patients were blinded. There were significantly lower daily rhinitis scores and more symptom-free days for the group receiving active acupuncture, during both the treatment and follow-up periods. The visual analog scale scores for immediate improvement after acupuncture were also significantly better for the active acupuncture group. There was no significant difference in the following outcome measures between the active and sham acupuncture groups: daily relief medication scores, blood eosinophil counts, serum IgE levels, and nasal eosinophil counts, except for the IgE levels before and 2 months after acupuncture in the sham acupuncture group. No severe adverse effects were encountered. Numbness, headache, and dizziness were found in both the active and sham acupuncture groups, with no difference in incidence, and the effects were self-limiting.

Conclusions. This study showed that active acupuncture was more effective than sham acupuncture in decreasing the symptom scores for persistent allergic rhinitis and increasing the symptom-free days. No serious adverse effect was identified. A large-scale study is required to confirm the safety of acupuncture for children.

Treatment for seasonal allergic rhinitis by Chinese herbal medicine: a randomized placebo controlled trial.

Altern Ther Health Med. 2003 Sep-Oct;9(5):80-7.Links

Xue CC, Thien FC, Zhang JJ, Da Costa C, Li CG.

RMIT Chinese Medicine Research Group, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, Australia.

CONTEXT: Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is widely used to treat seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), however, evidence of efficacy is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a Chinese herbal formulation for the treatment of SAR. DESIGN: Randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial. SETTING: RMIT Chinese Medicine Clinic. PATIENTS: 55 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (active 28, placebo 27). INTERVENTIONS: CHM extract capsule (containing 18 herbs) or placebo, given daily for 8 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary measure of efficacy were changes in severity of nasal and non-nasal symptoms using a Five Point Scale (FPS) measured by both patients and the practitioner. The secondary measure was the change in score for the domains measured in the Rhinoconjunctivitis and Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) assessed by patients. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients completed the study (active 24, placebo 25). After eight weeks, the severity of nasal symptoms and non-nasal symptoms were significantly less in the active treatment group than in the control group, both for measurements made by patients and those by the practitioner. Comparison of active and placebo treatment groups RQLQ scores also indicated significant beneficial effects of treatment (end point Section 1: P < 0.05; Section 2: P < 0.01). Intention-to-treat analyses of categorical items showed moderate to marked improvement rates were 60.7% and 29.6% for active and placebo respectively. Eleven patients reported mild adverse events including 1 withdrawn from the trial. CONCLUSIONS: This CHM formulation appears to offer symptomatic relief and improvement of quality of life for some patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Give a call!

2008-02-27T11:54:00.001-08:00

February

2008-02-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

Carleton Magus
Alpine Acupuncture
425-391-7777

February Newsletter

Happy Valentines Day, everyone! I hope that midwinter is finding you well. As you may know, Alpine Acupuncture grows best with your support! The best referrals come from you. I appreciate it when you to tell your friends and family about the great benefit you have found from acupuncture. We have an exciting upcoming event to share with those you love: mark your calendar for Saturday February 23rd, 10- 2:30, for the 4th Annual Health Fair at Pickering Barn. It’s a great opportunity for your friends and family to learn about acupuncture and receive a complementary tongue and pulse diagnosis at the Alpine Acupuncture table and also discover all sorts of info on other health care resources. See you there!

This month’s newsletter is dedicated to your digestion. Your digestion is the cornerstone of your health; your gut is the first line of defense for your immune system. Energy comes from food, so proper digestion is key in order to feel vital! When your digestion is not working properly you can become sensitive to food, leading to gas, bloating, fatigue after meals, and trouble focusing. I will discuss a healthy and balanced diet along with some typical digestive disorders that acupuncture can help.

To quote my wife, “the only diet is The Diet”. We’ve all heard about fad diets and programs, but when it comes down to it, the only thing that really works (for weight loss, food sensitivities and tummy troubles) is to change how you eat over the long term. The first and foremost thing you can do for your digestion and your health is to eat a healthy well balanced diet. If you take care of yourself on a daily basis, you will gain health and vitality. The trend in our society is to grab at the latest trend diet and do that for a while. Then when we get bored or frustrated and go off that diet and eat whatever again, sometimes binging and gaining even more weight. This is called yo-yo dieting and wreaks havoc on our body, both in regards to weight and digestion.

So what is a healthy well balanced diet? There are many resources available to us, including healthy eating food tours at local health food stores, wonderful cookbooks and online sources of support groups and recipes (let me know if you need more info!) What I am going to discuss is the TCM philosophy of eating. Eat in moderation and at a regular time of day. Use oils, fats, sweeteners, and spices sparingly. And eat warm, nutritious and easy to digest foods, especially during winter months. The first and foremost thing you can do is to eat in moderation. In order to eat in moderation you need to listen to you body and stop eating when you are full. In order to do this you shouldn’t eat on the run and don’t eat in front of the television (even snacks). You digest more than your food, you also digest you surroundings. Eat in a calm environment, savoring what you eat and when you start feeling full, stop eating. Your mother was wrong-you don’t need to clean your plate!

Just as important as eating in moderation is the timing of when you eat. You need to eat before you are starving, and around the same time everyday, with the bigger meals earlier in the day. Your body works well with rhythm. If you eat at regular intervals then your digestion will be ready for the food you put into it. If you eat your bigger meals earlier in the day your digestive tract will be able to rest while you sleep at night. There are two benefits to this. The first is that you will be fresh and ready the next day to digest your food and the second is that you will sleep better. Eating your bigger meals earlier in the day gives your body the energy it needs when it needs it and you will more efficiently burn calories. If you eat a big meal before you go to bed your body stores the calories, and your digestion does not get the much needed break while you sleep.

The digestive tract works better with warm food. You should eat your vegetables steamed or lightly and quickly fried. By warming your vegetables your digestion does not need to work as hard to break them down. Lean meats, fish and poultry should be eaten daily in moderation and if you are cooking them yourself you should include a little dried ginger to aid your digestion. It is also a good idea with greens and raw vegetables to have some sort of vinegar with them, this aids digestion and helps utilize some of the vitamins. Cold raw food should be eaten in moderation, as these are harder to digest. A good exception to this rule is traditional foods. Many traditional raw foods are prepared in a way that makes them easier to digest. A good example of this is sushi. Included in the rice is vinegar, which is good for the digestion, along with the pickled ginger. And of course, miso soup is also commonly served alongside to warm up the digestion!

Eat from a variety of vegetables, grains, meats and fruits. Variety is the spice of life. Try something new every day! Our world is flooded with wheat, cheese, high fat/sugar and processed food. The easiest way to improve your health is to eat variety every day. A simple rule of thumb is to eat more whole grains. Eat more variety of grains and to make sure you are eating your vegetables. Sugar is not your enemy and neither is fat. Your body needs sugars and fats, but it does not need refined sugars and saturated fats. Avoid fried foods. Avoid junk foods. Enjoy butter. Enjoy simple desserts. Enjoy beef. Just enjoy these foods once or twice a week. This way you won’t feel deprived and yet you won’t overindulge. Again moderation and awareness are the keys to living in health. It is important to eat organic so your body does not have to process the excess chemicals and it is important to eat meats that are not heavily processed so you do not get the extra sodium and nitrates. The American Dietetic Association recommends you eat two servings of fish a week. I strongly encourage you look through the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch website so that you can make an educated decision about what fish you eat!
I also recommend that you carry around Seafood Watch’s wallet guide to safe fish that you can download from Monterey Bay Aquarium at the link above.

If you have digestive issues then you should know that digestive health is a goal of acupuncture. If your digestion is healthy then your body and mind stay healthy. Digestive complaints that acupuncture can help with are heartburn, IBS and Crohn’s to name just a few. If I was to rank the top three areas of a patient’s health that acupuncture can help I would put digestion as my number two after pain. Acupuncture can help all sorts of digestive disorders. I have included below three studies highlighting the benefits of acupuncture for people with Heartburn, IBS and Crohn’s. I can also help you with your diarrhea, constipation, acute GI upset, and nausea.

Research:

Calcium and Vitamin D:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/569488

Clinical trial: acupuncture vs. doubling the proton pump inhibitor dose in refractory heartburn.

Original article
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 26(10):1333-1344, November 2007.
DICKMAN, R. *,+; SCHIFF, E. ++,[S]; HOLLAND, A. ++,[P]; WRIGHT, C. [P]; SARELA, S. R. *; HAN, B. *; FASS, R. *

Summery of the abstract: The current standard of care in proton pump inhibitor failure is to double the proton pump inhibitor dose, despite limited therapeutic gain. The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of adding acupuncture vs. doubling the proton pump inhibitor dose in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease patients who failed symptomatically on proton pump inhibitors once daily. Thirty patients with classic heartburn symptoms who continued to be symptomatic on standard-dose proton pump inhibitors were enrolled into the study. Patients were randomized to either adding acupuncture to their proton pump inhibitor or doubling the proton pump inhibitor dose over a period of 4 weeks. The acupuncture + proton pump inhibitor group demonstrated a significant decrease in the mean daytime heartburn, night-time heartburn and acid regurgitation scores at the end of treatment when compared with baseline, while the double-dose proton pump inhibitor group did not demonstrate a significant change in their clinical endpoints. Adding acupuncture is more effective than doubling the proton pump inhibitor dose in controlling gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-related symptoms in patients who failed standard-dose proton pump inhibitors.

Copyright (C) 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Chinese Herbal Medicine

Alan Bensoussan, MSc; Nick J. Talley, MD; Michael Hing, MBBS, FRACP; Robert Menzies, PhD; Anna Guo, PhD; Meng Ngu, PhD

JAMA. 1998;280:1585-1589.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disorder for which there is no reliable medical treatment. The Objective of the study is to determine whether Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is of any benefit in the treatment of IBS. This is a Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted during 1996 through 1997. A total of 116 patients were recruited through 2 teaching hospitals and 5 private practices of gastroenterologists, and received CHM in 3 Chinese herbal clinics. Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the active treatment groups had significant improvement in bowel symptom, and global improvement scores as rated by patients and by gastroenterologists. Patients reported that treatment significantly reduced the degree of interference with life caused by IBS symptoms. Chinese herbal formulations individually tailored to the patient proved no more effective than standard CHM treatment. On follow-up 14 weeks after completion of treatment, only the individualized CHM treatment group maintained improvement. Chinese herbal formulations appear to offer improvement in symptoms for some patients with IBS.

Acupuncture and Moxibustion in the Treatment of Active Crohn's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Study
Stefanie Joosa, Benno Brinkhausa, Christa Maluchea, Nathalie Maupaia, Ralf Kohnenb, Nils Kraehmera, Eckhart G. Hahna, Detlef Schuppana

a. Department of Medicine I (Gastroenterology), Research Group for Alternative Medicine, Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, and
b. Institute for Medical Research Management and Biometrics, Nuremberg, Germany

Digestion 2004;69:131-139 (DOI: 10.1159/000078151)

Background: Acupuncture has traditionally been used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease in China and is increasingly being applied in Western countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of active Crohn's disease (CD). Methods: A prospective, randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical trial was carried out to analyze the change in the CD activity index (CDAI) after treatment as a main outcome measure, and the changes in quality of life and general well-being, serum markers of inflammation (alpha1-acid glycoprotein, C-reactive protein) as secondary outcome measures. 51 patients with mild to moderately active CD were treated in a single center for complementary medicine by three trained acupuncturists and randomly assigned to receive either traditional acupuncture (TCM group, n = 27) or control treatment at non-acupuncture points (control group, n = 24). Patients were treated in 10 sessions over a period of 4 weeks and followed up for 12 weeks. Results: In the TCM group the CDAI decreased from 250 ± 51 to 163 ± 56 points as compared with a mean decrease from 220 ± 42 to 181 ± 46 points in the control group (TCM vs. control group: p = 0.003). In both groups these changes were associated with improvements in general well-being and quality of life. With regard to general well-being, traditional acupuncture was superior to control treatment (p = 0.045). alpha1-acid glycoprotein concentration fell significantly only in the TCM group (p = 0.046). Conclusions: Apart from a marked placebo effect, traditional acupuncture offers an additional therapeutic benefit in patients with mild to moderately active CD.

Copyright © 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Carleton Magus
Alpine Acupuncture
425-391-7777

AlpineAcupuncture.com

Acupuncture and SAD (seasonal affective disorder)

2008-01-15T13:48:00.000-08:00

January Newsletter

Hello and Happy New Year! I hope your holiday season finds you well and in good spirits. On December 2, my wife Katja and I welcomed our third boy, Avery Kaelin. We had a wonderful home birth with our midwives during the snowstorm and floods! At one month, he is chubby and nursing well and has a very calm spirit.

Announcements for this newsletter include my New Year’s special: for the month of January, refer a friend for an appointment and receive a complementary treatment for yourself, good for Acupuncture or Massage.

Starting the week of January 21, 2008, clinic hours will change to allow me to see patients before and after normal work hours. If the new hours make it hard for you to keep your appointment times, let me know! If the new hours are helping you to get in more frequently, let me know that too! Tuesday 8a-3:30p, Wednesday 9a-7p, Thursday 8a-7p, Friday 8a-7p.

Also for the month of January, receive 10% off the already-below retail prices of Nordic Naturals products available at the clinic (when you mention this newsletter). Nordic Naturals features the highest quality cod liver oil, a very important supplement during the winter months (read below!).

SAD (seasonal affective disorder)

Winter is here and now is the time when we want to sleep. Our body’s natural cycles move with the sun. Melatonin is regulated by light and we are moving into the darkest time of the year. Fatigue is a natural and normal part of the winter months yet we work on a nine to five schedule throughout the year. The natural yearly rhythm is not factored into the modern lifestyle. We wake up before the sun in the winter, the we drag ourselves to work and down a cup or two of coffee to get through the morning. Many people at our latitude feel some effects from the darkness, a little sleepier, somewhat more anxious (or is that the coffee?) Living in the northwest we don’t get much sun in the winter and the summer sun is not as bright here. Our bodies are bereft of much needed UV radiation to synthesize vitamin D-a vitamin needed for immune function and emotional stability. So, how are we supposed to stay healthy and alert during the dark dreary days of winter? Allow acupuncture and simple supplements to brighten your day! Acupuncture is very good at balancing hormones, regulating emotions and aiding in depression. What is Seasonal Affective Disorder and how do we know if it’s just winter blues or a serious disorder?

Symptoms of winter-onset Seasonal Affective Disorder include:
* Depression
* Hopelessness
* Anxiety
* Loss of energy
* Social withdrawal
* Oversleeping
* Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
* Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
* Weight gain
* Difficulty concentrating and processing information

Signs in Children include:
*Fatigue
*Irritability
*Academic problems

Most people in the Northwest will recognize in themselves some symptoms of this disorder. If you do, you need to determine how much it is affecting your life and consult you health care provider. The symptoms usually commence in the fall and early winter with symptoms peaking between December and February and becoming better in the spring and summer. To help fight the winter blues it is best to continue your exercise routine through out the whole year. Also you may consider a light box or dawn simulating alarm clock. There is good evidence to support the effectiveness of dawn-simulating alarm clocks. These come on with dim light and gradually increase in brightness over a period of 30 to 90 minutes leading up to the person’s normal wakening time. More research has been conducted on light boxes. If trying a light box, use it for 30 minutes in the morning after waking and at a brightness of 10,000 lux. Get a model that has a 30-day guarantee and if it isn’t working for you after three weeks send it back.

The light box and alarm clock will help with your circadian rhythm and gently telling your body it is time to wake up. The added benefit of the light box is that it will help with vitamin D synthesis. I am an advocate of vitamin D supplementation in the winter, it helps with immune function and mood symptoms. There are several ways to take D but you must be careful of what type of D you take and how much as it is a fat soluble vitamin and can build up in the body. The most bioavailable form is 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) or D3. The natural way to get D3 is a high quality Cod Liver oil. If you prefer a specific vitamin D supplement, there is a good quality supplement on the market. For specific dosing and brands please come and see me. You may want to consult your physician for a base level of vitamin D (blood test) if you are suffering from serious effects of SAD or repeated winter illness. The two abstracts below illustrate how vitamin D is useful for SAD and immune health.

Vitamin D Protects Against Colds & Flu

It has long been observed that incidence of colds and influenza rises in the fall and winter months and wanes in the spring and summer. This is the opposite of serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, which increase in the summer and decrease dramatically as the amount of daylight diminishes. Research has shown adequate blood levels of vitamin D stimulate the genetic expression of antimicrobial peptides in human monocytes. These peptides demonstrate a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Vitamin D also has other immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory activity.
An article published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection reports on a three-year study of 208 African-American postmenopausal women (who are at great risk of vitamin D deficiency) who were supplemented with vitamin D or placebo. For the first two years the active group received 800 IU daily, which was increased to 2,000 IU daily in the last year of the study. In the three years of the study 34 patients reported cold and flu symptoms, eight in the supplemented group and 26 in the placebo group (p<0.002). This showed that participants who got a placebo had a 300-percent greater risk of having a cold or flu, and that vitamin D supplementation provided a highly significant protective effect.

Aloia JF. Epidemic influenza and vitamin D. Epidemiol Infect 2007;135:1095-1096.’
Dr. Thomas Donahue

Randomized comparison of the effects of the vitamin D3 adequate intake versus 100 mcg (4000 IU) per day on biochemical responses and the wellbeing of patients
Reinhold Vieth, Samantha Kimball, Amanda Hu and Paul G Walfish

Background
For adults, vitamin D intake of 100 mcg (4000 IU)/day is physiologic and safe. The adequate intake (AI) for older adults is 15 mcg (600 IU)/day, but there has been no report focusing on use of this dose.

Methods
We compared effects of these doses on biochemical responses and sense of wellbeing in a blinded, randomized trial. In Study 1, 64 outpatients (recruited if summer 2001 25(OH)D <61 nmol/L) were given 15 or 100 mcg/day vitamin D in December 2001. Biochemical responses were followed at subsequent visits that were part of clinical care; 37 patients completed a wellbeing questionnaire in December 2001 and February 2002. Subjects for Study 2 were recruited if their 25(OH)D was <51 nmol/L in summer 2001. 66 outpatients were given vitamin D; 51 completed a wellbeing questionnaire in both December 2002 and February 2003.

Results
In Study 1, basal summer 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] averaged 48 ± 9 (SD) nmol/L. Supplementation for more than 6 months produced mean 25(OH)D levels of 79 ± 30 nmol/L for the 15 mcg/day group, and 112 ± 41 nmol/L for the 100 mcg/day group. Both doses lowered plasma parathyroid hormone with no effect on plasma calcium. Between December and February, wellbeing score improved more for the 100-mcg/day group than for the lower-dosed group (1-tail Mann-Whitney p = 0.036). In Study 2, 25(OH)D averaged 39 ± 9 nmol/L, and winter wellbeing scores improved with both doses of vitamin D (two-tail p < 0.001).

Conclusion
The highest AI for vitamin D brought summertime 25(OH)D to >40 nmol/L, lowered PTH, and its use was associated with improved wellbeing. The 100 mcg/day dose produced greater responses. Since it was ethically necessary to provide a meaningful dose of vitamin D to these insufficient patients, we cannot rule out a placebo wellbeing response, particularly for those on the lower dose. This work confirms the safety and efficacy of both 15 and 100 mcg/day vitamin D3 in patients who needed additional vitamin D.

Nutrition Journal 2004, 3:8