Sustain Community Acupuncture » In the Press

Acupuncture and Weight Loss II

admin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:30:41 +0000

Acupuncture and Weight Loss:

Weight loss is a lifestyle obsession for many Americans where the focus is fixated on calories, carbs and cardio and the goal is always to cut pounds and get sexy abs. For successful weight loss that lasts a lifetime the focus needs to be on the following 4 key elements.
1. A diet rich in lean proteins, green leafy vegetables, nuts, berries and colorful vegetables.

Why it works: Lean protein is thermogenic and encourages a higher metabolism. Green leafy vegetables and nuts contain healthy fats and lots of fiber that help lower cholesterol and detox the Liver. Excess refined sugars and starchy carbohydrates trigger an exaggerated insulin response, slowing metabolism, and promoting systemic inflammation and fat accumulation.

2. An active lifestyle of many different physical activities including about 60 minutes of walking a day. We like to take a morning and evening walk of 20 – 30 minutes each.

Why it works: Walking oxygenates the blood, lowers stress and aiding in digestion. This gives us more energy, better focus and works out the kinks from sitting at a desk all day.

3. Establish a regular and adequate sleep schedule.

Why it works: Sleep is the essential element missing in a majority of our patients’ lives. Many people who have chronic low energy, fatigue and early signs of adrenal insufficiency need more sleep rather than more energy or stimulants. Sleep allows the body to reset itself, get out of the “flight or fight” mode of our daily lives and replenish its resources. Inadequate sleep promotes an adverse cortisol response leading to increased hunger, especially sugar cravings, and accumulation of belly fat.

4. Relax! A daily practice of stress relief is the fourth essential element of a healthy body weight and a healthy life. Some people meditate, others read or take a few minutes to watch the clouds.

Why it works: Stress elevates cortisol, which signals the brain to overeat and encourages fat storage. Setting aside personal time that is only yours gives you a mental and physical break that lets the body, mind and spirit give a sigh of relief before you head back into your daily duties. Some people find guided meditation is best while others find sitting in the sun and enjoying the day is ideal.

Where Acupuncture is beneficial for weight loss is that it had been shown to have a beneficial effect on the function of the nervous system, endocrine system, digestive system, food cravings, and metabolism. All of which can help to energize the body, maximize the absorption of nutrients, regulate elimination, control overeating, suppress the appetite, and reduce anxiety. Patients also report sleeping better, feeling more rested and less stressed after each treatment.

Patients also find that while working with a practitioner as a coach to encourage them in their goals that it is easier to stay on track and focused through stressful times when they might be prone to overeating or skipping a daily walk.

Body Image is also a crucial factor when considering weight loss. Many patients don’t like the body they have or feel inadequate when compared to models and actors on T.V. In fact, a Psychology Today survey found that 56% of the women and about 40% of the men who responded to their survey in 1997 were dissatisfied with their overall appearance. We can not all fit into the heroine sheik ideals of fashion magazines or get those bronzed (airbrushed) abs of the fitness magazines but it is possible through simple good habits and daily practice to achieve a lean healthy body that we feel comfortable in and that will be healthy, attractive and functional for a long time.

Sustain Community Acupuncture offers wellness for all, naturally. Located in San Diego between the Hillcrest and North park Neighborhoods, Sustain Community Acupuncture offers affordable Acupuncture, Herbal Therapy and Medical Massage. For questions about this article or for a consultation please call 619.358.9508 or contact us here.

Acupuncture on Oprah

Sustain Staff — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:15:14 +0000

Angela, an audience member with shoulder pain explains how she’s seen doctors, had X-rays and tried massage, but nothing has worked. She’s now considering acupuncture but wants Dr. Oz to weigh in.

Just a few years ago, Dr. Oz says, many Western doctors would have written off acupuncture and other “alternative” medicines even though acupuncture could make sense for Angela. “Here’s the irony—acupuncture has been around for 2,500 years in China,” Dr. Oz says. “There are a billion people in another part of the world who use these therapies.”

In this episode of Oprah, Dr. Oz shares the benefits of acupuncture.

To watch the video and read more about it click here.

New article about acupuncture appears in the Wall Street Journal

admin — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:45:17 +0000

Decoding an Ancient Therapy: High-Tech Tools Show How Acupuncture Works in Treating Arthritis, Back Pain, Other Ills

Acupuncture has long baffled medical experts and no wonder: It holds that an invisible life force called qi (pronounced chee) travels up and down the body in 14 meridians. Illness and pain are due to blockages and imbalances in qi. Inserting thin needles into the body at precise points can unblock the meridians, practitioners believe, and treat everything from arthritis and asthma to anxiety, acne and infertility.

Acupuncture in the Wall Street Journal I

As fanciful as that seems, acupuncture does have real effects on the human body, which scientists are documenting using high-tech tools. Neuroimaging studies show that it seems to calm areas of the brain that register pain and activate those involved in rest and recuperation. Doppler ultrasound shows that acupuncture increases blood flow in treated areas. Thermal imaging shows that it can make inflammation subside.

Acupuncture in the Wall Street Journal II

Does It Work?

While scientists say further research is essential, some studies have provided evidence of acupuncture’s effects.

Arthritis of the Knee: Acupuncture significantly reduced pain and restored function, according to a 2004 government study.
Headaches: Two 2009 reviews found that acupuncture cut both tension and migraine headaches.
Lower Back Pain: Acupuncture eased it in a big study last year, but so did a sham treatment where needles didn’t penetrate the skin.
Cancer: Has proven effective in reducing nausea and fatigue caused by chemotherapy.
Infertility: Improves the odds of pregnancy for women undergoing in-vitro fertilization, according to a 2008 review of seven clinical trials.
Addiction: Often used to help quit smoking, drinking, drug use and overeating, but there is no conclusive evidence that it works.

Read the whole article here.

Anti cancer drugs are making their way into our water supply

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:15:36 +0000

Anti cancer drugs are making there way into our water supply

Powerful anti-cancer drugs are of particular concern as they can be excreted unaltered from the body into the sewerage system. They are thought to be potentially dangerous because they are highly toxic to dividing cells, are easily dissolved in water and are difficult to destroy by conventional water-treatment techniques.

About 50 of these “cytotoxic” drugs are prescribed to patients in Britain and researchers are concerned they may have an additive effect – where small concentrations of two or more drugs become more poisonous when absorbed together at the same time in drinking water.

Seasonal Allergies and Traditional Chinese Medicine

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:00:55 +0000

With seasonal allergies torturing one-third of Americans, ancient acupuncture can provide a new kind of relief. While over-the-counter medications often come with unwanted side-effects, acupuncture does not. This makes it a welcome alternative for people looking for a new way to combat allergies this season.

Acupuncture is defined as a method of preventing and treating disease, illness, injury or pain by allowing the body to heal naturally and improve the way it functions. This is done by stimulating biologically significant points on the surface of the body.

In traditional Chinese medicine, these strategic points are usually stimulated by the insertion of acupuncture needles.

Diagnosing an allergy using traditional Chinese medicine is far more individualized than it would be with Western medicine. Allergies are analyzed by the pattern of symptoms seen in the specific patient, and the treatment is designed to relieve these particular symptoms.

How effective is traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of seasonal allergies? In a study published in the September 2004 issue of Allergy magazine, the researchers concluded that a combination of Chinese herbs and weekly acupuncture sessions showed promise as a treatment for relieving the symptoms of seasonal allergies.

For seasonal allergy sufferers still suffering with traditional Western medical treatments, or weighed down by unwanted side effects like drowsiness, may find relief in acupuncture. In fact, these patients may discover what Hippocrates learned centuries ago, the body has its own incredible power to heal.

Acupuncture and pelvic pain during pregnancy

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:30:14 +0000

Acupuncture Relieves Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy

Acupuncture and strengthening exercises help relieve pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy and are effective complements to standard treatment, finds a study published online by the BMJ today.

Pelvic girdle pain is a common complaint among pregnant women worldwide, but no cure exists.

Researchers in Sweden identified 386 pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain. Women were randomly divided into three groups; one received standard treatment (a pelvic belt and a home exercise programme), another received standard treatment plus acupuncture, and the third received standard treatment plus stabilising exercises to improve mobility and strength.

Acupuncture: the new Botox?

Sustain Staff — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:31:00 +0000

Despite being a toxin, Botox is used by many patients in America to make skin firm and aide with signs of wrinkles. As popular as this cosmetic treatment is, it still is a toxin and poses many health risks.

Fortunately, acupuncture has emerged as a new and natural treatment for facial rejuvenation. By stimulating energy and increasing circulation, many patients are noticing a significant change in their appearance – the natural way.

Read the full report and watch the video from ABC here.

World Health Organization reports on Acupuncture

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:45:41 +0000

The World Health Organization Interregional Seminar drew up the following provisional list of diseases that lend themselves to acupuncture treatment. The list is based on clinical experience, and not necessarily on controlled clinical research: furthermore, the inclusion of specific diseases are not meant to indicate the extent of acupuncture’s efficacy in treating them.

***The associated success stories are not an implied guarantee.

INFECTIONS	EYES-EARS-NOSE-THROAT
colds and flues	deafness
bronchitis	ringing in the ear
hepatitis	menier’s
	earaches
INTERNAL	poor eyesight
hypoglycemia	dizziness
asthma	sinus infection
high blood pressure	sore throat
ulcers	hay fever
colitis
indigestion	DERMATOLOGICAL
hemorrhoids	eczema
diarrhea	acne
constipation	herpes
diabetes
MUSCULO-SKELETAL and NEUROLOGICAL	GENITO-URINARY and REPRODUCTIVE
arthritis	impotence
neuralgia	infertility
sciatica	pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)
frozen shoulder	pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
tennis elbow	vaginitis
back pain	irregular period or cramps
bursitis	morning sickness
tendonitis
stiff neck
Bell’s palsy	MENTAL-EMOTIONAL
trigeminal neuralgia	anxiety
headache	depression
stroke	stress
cerebral palsy	insomnia
polio
meneir’s disease
sprains

Acupuncture and reducing stress during pregnancy

Sustain Staff — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 02:33:32 +0000

A recent study from the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine showed that acupuncture is an effective treatment for depression during pregnancy.

Depression can harmfully effect a mother and her unborn child. 20% of women experience depression during pregnancy, and little research is dedicated to developing treatments for this. Thankfully, a recent research showed that women who received acupuncture had a greater decrease in their depression.

To read more about the study, read the article from the Examiner here.

“She who hides her symptoms, cannot expect to get well.”

admin — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:00:27 +0000

I was recently reading a fantastic article at SDGLN.com that discussed the importance of finding a safe trusted practitioner as well as being completely forthcoming about medical history and the symptoms that are present at the time of treatment.

Andrea Beth Damsky, L.Ac., MSTOM, Dipl. OM writes “She who hides her symptoms, cannot expect to get well.” Some years ago, I saw this quote on a wall at an AIDS/HIV testing facility. I remember it came from some tribe in Africa, and the truth of it chilled me to the bone. I wrote it down and never forgot it.

She discusses the challenges the gay and lesbian community has encountered in the past with the medical establishment as well as the education has been done, that ensures everyone knows how to seek out and receive the best medical attention possible.