INNERHEALTH

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New research where traditional Chinese medicine was found to safely and effectively treat patients with persistent atopic dermatitis - or eczema, as it's commonly known - could lead more physicians to prescribe complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to treat the allergic condition.

In the study presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York analyzed 14 patients with persistent atopic dermatitis who received traditional Chinese medicine at Ming Qi Natural Health Center in Manhattan between August 2006 and May 2008. The treatments consisted of Erka Shizheng Herbal Tea, a bath additive, creams and acupuncture.

The study authors utilized two measures: the SCORAD index to gauge atopic dermatitis severity and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) to calculate impairment to life quality.

Baseline median scores for SCORAD and DLQI were 89 and 17, respectively. After a median of eight months treatment, the median scores fell to 11 for SCORAD and 1 for DLQI.

In all but one patient, SCORAD measures decreased between 60 to 90% after 3.3 months of treatment. More than 50% improvement in DLQI scores was documented in all but one patient after 2.4 months of treatment.

Patients also reported a reduction in the use of steroids, antibiotics and antihistamines within 3 months of being treated with traditional Chinese medicine. There were no abnormalities of liver and kidney function observed.

While the researchers concluded that the use of traditional Chinese medicine is safe and effective for patients with persistent atopic dermatitis, especially those with a severe case and significant life quality impairment, it is still recommended to speak with a physician before taking any complementary or alternative medicines.

The AAAAI represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 6,500 members in the United States, Canada and 60 other countries.

Notes

- This study was presented during the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) on March 13-17 in Washington, DC. However, it does not necessarily reflect the policies or the opinions of the AAAAI.

- A link to all abstracts presented at the Annual Meeting is available on the AAAAI Web site http://aaaai.org/media/newsroom/am2009/

WASHINGTON - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) has reintroduced legislation that would make acupuncture a covered service for Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program participants.

The congressman's Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act would provide access to acupuncture for Medicare's 44 million beneficiaries and the 8 million federal workers, their dependents and retirees who are covered under the FEHB.

"Acupuncture has long been credited with relieving pain, nausea, digestive problems, and many other ailments.  It is entirely unacceptable that Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits program don't cover acupuncture treatment and thus force plan participants to forego acupuncture or pay for it entirely out of their own pocket," Hinchey said. "The majority of private insurers cover acupuncture, yet the federal government's health plans continue to ignore this very valid and effective form of medical treatment.  In a country as great as ours no American should ever be denied access to any legitimate forms of medical care that can make them healthier and more comfortable."

Hinchey has introduced the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act since 1993, his first year in Congress.  Hinchey previously advocated for acupuncturists at the state level, where as a member of the New York State Assembly, he introduced and secured passage of legislation to license acupuncturists in the state.

"Passage of this bill would provide 52 million Americans with health coverage for acupuncture services.  This is the humane thing to do and I encourage my colleagues to pass this important piece of legislation," Hinchey said.

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Attilio D'Alberto

A number of different food supplements can bestow a benefit when you are trying to lose weight. Most of the Chinese herbs we recommend are specifically matched to your condition. For example, Chinese medicine knows a condition called :heat accumulating in the stomach meridian." This condition is associated with indisriminate gnawing hunder, and continuous cravings for rich foods. However, we also know about a condition called "cold in the stomach" which can produce cravings. Therefore, when using Chinese herbs, it's best to  consult an herbalist who is certified by the NCCAOM in Chinese herbology.

There are a number of other food supplements for weightloss that you can obtain on the internet.

• 5-HTP is an amino acid that interacts with serotonin levels in the brain. It reduces anxiety, depression, and cravings for carbohydrates. It is most useful for individuals who tend to eat when they feel emotionally low or when they are nervous.
• is an amino acid that interacts with serotonin levels in the brain. It reduces anxiety, depression, and cravings for carbohydrates. It is most useful for individuals who tend to eat when they feel emotionally low or when they are nervous. 
• Spirulina is a one-cell freshwater algae that has a mineral content that is similar to the mineral content of human blood. Spirulina tends to reduce cravings because it signals your body that it is receiving what it needs. It is frequently combined with COQ10, an enzymes that bestows multiple health benefits in addition to reducing hunger.
• is a one-cell freshwater algae that has a mineral content that is similar to the mineral content of human blood. Spirulina tends to reduce cravings because it signals your body that it is receiving what it needs. It is frequently combined with , an enzymes that bestows multiple health benefits in addition to reducing hunger.

 

At INNERHEALTH we recommend Leantain, a product that combines green tea with certified African hoodia. This product has shown to reduce body fat when compared to placebos. Most people fail to gain benefit from hoodia because they do not take the recommended dosage, or they do not have genuine African extract, which is the only one that is effective. Leantain, a product from HealthConcerns, is certified and produces excellent results.

Sometimes we also recommend GreenExcellence, another product by HealthConcerns, a product that has shown to stabilize blood sugar levels and specifically helps individuals who struggle with sugar cravings, or that are at risk for diabetes.

One of the best ways to demonstrate the effectiveness of acupuncture is by looking not only at clinical results, but also at potential cost reduction compared to standard medical treatment.

• A study from Spain, published in the June 2007 issue of the journal Acupuncture in Medicine, showed there is a cost benefit to acupuncture treatment in terms of reduced use of analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications.
• A research team led by Jorge Vas, MD, examined the records for 5,981 patients who sought treatment during a nine-year period, in order to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture for non-oncological pain.
• In looking at the cost for medications consumed before and after acupuncture treatment, the researchers found the mean difference to be €7.1 (US $9.70) per week, per patient. The greatest cost saving was for patients with headaches, with a mean difference of €26.1 (US $35.70) per week, per patient. The smallest difference was for patients treated for neck pain, with a mean difference of €6.6 (US $9.02) per week, per patient.
• Among the 5,690 patients who completed treatment, the mean success rate was 79.7%, with the highest rates (93%) for patients with headache. The mean reduction in pain intensity amounted to a 67% fall from baseline levels. No severe adverse event was recorded.

In looking at the findings, the researchers concluded: "The favorable response rate obtained for most of the patients, the absence of severe adverse events and the reduction in the consumption of analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs all suggest that our experience could profitably be extended to other primary health care clinics for the treatment of nonmalignant pain."

The holiday season can be a stressful time for some people. Research shows that 20 percent of Americans are worried that stress will affect their health, yet 36 percent say they deal with stress by eating or drinking alcohol. While these behaviors may reduce stress in the short term, they contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle that can negatively affect your health.

“Achieving a healthy lifestyle comes from adopting behaviors over time that help to manage stress in effective ways that don’t at the same time take a toll on your physical health and body,” says Russ Newman, Ph.D., J.D., APA executive director for professional practice.

There are many lifestyle and behavioral changes you can do to manage stress and reduce your risk for health problems, including exercise and meditation.Identify the sources of stress in your life and look for ways to reduce and manage them.


Seeing a professional like a psychotherapist to learn to manage stress is helpful when used along with structured exercise programs and other lifestyle changes. Consider taking up a regular relaxation program, such as meditation or yoga.

Avoid trying to fix every problem at once, if possible. Focus instead on changing one existing habit (e.g., eating habits, inactive lifestyle). Set a reasonable initial goal and work toward meeting it.

Enlist the support of friends, family, and work associates. Talk with them about your goals and what they can do to help. Social support is particularly critical for maintaining behavioral change, such as stopping smoking. Don't ignore the symptoms of depression. Feelings of sadness or emptiness, loss of interest in ordinary or pleasurable activities, reduced energy, and eating and sleep disorders are just a few of depression’s many warning signs. If they persist for more than two weeks, discuss these issues with a medical provider. Psychotherapy may be helpful for you to work through emotional issues and past trauma.

Acupuncture is a proven modality for reducing stress and in conjunction with counseling can offer a unique approach taking both emotional and physiological aspects into consideration. The holiday season places additional demands on many people and we often feel obligated to participate in events that are demanding. You may want to spend some time contemplating what would make the holidays restful and special for you and communicate that in a direct but undemanding manner to your immediate family members. Consider trying new activities, such as visiting a museum together, spending time at hot springs, or anything else that you have been wanting to do but have always put off.

Having a joyous Season is within everyone’s grasp with some simple foresight and minor changes. We wish you a healthy and peaceful holiday season.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the oldest continuous systems of medicine in history, with recorded instances dating as far back as two thousand years before the birth of Christ. Chinese medicine is quite complex and can be difficult for some people to comprehend. This is because TCM is based on a different paradigm that is rooted in ancient Chinese beliefs that we live in a universe in which everything is interconnected. What happens to one part of the body affects every other part of the body. The mind and body are not viewed separately, but as part of an energetic system.

Many of the concepts emphasized in TCM have no true counterpart in Western medicine. One of these concepts is qi (pronounced "chi"), which is considered a vital force or energy responsible for controlling the workings of the human mind and body. Qi flows through the body via channels, or pathways, which are called meridians.

There are a total of 20 meridians: 12 primary meridians, which correspond to specific organs, organ systems or functions, and eight secondary meridians. Imbalances in the flow of qi cause illness; correction of this flow restores the body to balance. Other concepts (such as the Yin/Yang and Five Element Theories) are equally important in order to have a true grasp of traditional Chinese medicine.

From a Western perspective, a wealth of research in the last decade using sophisticated neuroimaging technology has increased our understanding of the biomedical effects of acupuncture. Researchers have used MRIs to see what happens inside the brain while an acupuncture treatment is administered. The answers we are finding seem to open up ever more complex questions. Acupuncture clearly has multiple simultaneous effects, including changes in neurotransmitters, such as the internal pain control substances. Acupuncture effects many parts of the brain simultaneously, including brain centers associated with emotions, mood, stimulation intensity, and with the specific body parts we intend to treat. Acupuncture also has a local effect where we insert the needles, such as reducing inflammation.

On a different front, medical researchers have used statistical procedures to demonstrate that acupuncture treatments produce measurable benefits when compared to placebo controls for such disorders as PTSD, anxiety, depression, osteoarthritis, and neck and back pain.

A small team of military doctors has begun treating wounded troops suffering from severe or chronic pain with acupuncture.

The technique is proving so successful that the Air Force will begin teaching "battlefield acupuncture" early next year to physicians deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan, senior officials will announce tomorrow.

The initiative marks the first high-level endorsement of acupuncture by the traditionally conservative military medical community, officials said.

Using tiny needles that barely penetrate the skin of a patient's ear, Air Force doctors here say they can interrupt pain signals going to the brain.

Their experience over several years indicates the technique developed by Col. Richard Niemtzow, an Air Force physician, can relieve even unbearable pain for days at a time.

That enables badly wounded patients who arrive here by medevac aircraft to begin to emerge from the daze of pain-killer drugs administered by surgeons in the field.

"This is one of the fastest pain attenuators in existence - the pain can be gone in five minutes," said Niemtzow, a physician, acupuncturist and senior adviser to the Air Force surgeon general.

He and others stressed that tiny needles cannot replace morphine and other powerful drugs used in combat medicine. And they acknowledged that acupuncture doesn't work for everyone.

But neither does acupuncture provoke the kind of adverse side effects, allergic reactions and potential addiction associated with powerful psychotropic drugs often used to dull the pain of the severely wounded.

"We use acupuncture as an adjunct" to traditional therapy, said Niemtzow. "The Chinese have used it for 5,000 years. It works, and it's powerful."

The procedure developed by Niemtzow is a variation of traditional Chinese acupuncture in which long, hair-thin needles are inserted into the body at any of hundreds of points to ease pain.

Niemtzow's variation uses one or more needles inserted into any of five points on the ear. The needles, which penetrate about a millimeter (or 4/100ths of an inch) into the skin, fall out after several days. The procedure can be repeated.

The ear acts as a "monitor" of signals passing from body sensors to the brain, he said. Those signals can be intercepted and manipulated to stop pain or for other purposes.

Even 18th-century pirates were convinced of the value, piercing their lobes with earrings "to improve their night vision," Niemtzow said with a grin.

He calls his procedure battlefield acupuncture because it's easily learned and requires no cumbersome equipment. A pack of needles can easily be carried in a pocket.

The method can be taught in a few hours to doctors, medics and combat troops, most of whom already have learned traditional battlefield first aid.

Col. Anyce Tock, chief of medical services for the Air Force Surgeon General, said yesterday that the service has authorized 32 active-duty physicians to begin "battlefield acupuncture"' training.

Doctors at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany are using the practice to treat severely wounded troops in transit from the battlefield to Andrews and on to Walter Reed Army Medical Center or the Bethesda Naval Hospital for long-term care.

Battlefield acupuncture has been especially effective among patients suffering from a combination of combat wounds, typically a brain injury or severed limbs, burns and penetrating wounds along with severe disorientation and anxiety.

For these patients, the alleviation of pain is a critical step in their eventual healing and recovery.

"We get damaged and psychologically troubled people here, and our approach is to turn down their pain, let them relax, get some sleep, and then they can focus on their healing," said Air Force Col. Stephen M. Burns.

Burns, a physician who is chief of the acupuncture clinic here, makes weekly rounds treating wounded troops at Walter Reed.

He said badly injured patients might be coping with three or four levels of painkillers, "and all they can do is sit in bed or in a chair."

"God bless 'em, they've already had too many surgeries and too much pain," he said. "We can knock down that pain so they can begin to get on with their lives."

"Acupuncture has been very helpful for people for whom other treatment has failed," said Lt. Col. Terri L. Riutcel, an Air Force psychiatrist who deployed to Iraq last year where she treated victims of roadside bomb blasts, among other injuries.

Acupuncture "is very well tolerated and there are very few side effects," apart from occasional bruising, she said. "I think it has tremendous potential for military medicine."

Battlefield acupuncture caught the eye of U.S. Army Rangers, who often operate in remote locations. At their invitation, Niemtzow and his team trained some Rangers last summer.

Nonetheless, advocates of the practice recognize that they must overcome skepticism within the ranks of military doctors.

"Oh, sure, some haven't gotten the word," said Burns, the clinic chief. "We are very much ahead of the curve."

Acupuncture works better than drugs like aspirin to reduce the severity and frequency of chronic headaches, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

A review of studies involving nearly 4,000 patients with migraine, tension headache and other forms of chronic headache showed that that 62 percent of the acupuncture patients reported headache relief compared to 45 percent of people taking medications, the team at Duke University found.

"Acupuncture is becoming a favourable option for a variety of purposes, ranging from enhancing fertility to decreasing post-operative pain, because people experience significantly fewer side effects and it can be less expensive than other options," Dr. Tong Joo Gan, who led the study, said in a statement.

"This analysis reinforces that acupuncture also is a successful source of relief from chronic headaches."

Writing in Anesthesia and Analgesia, they said 53 percent of patients given true acupuncture were helped, compared to 45 percent receiving sham therapy involving needles inserted in non-medical positions.

"One of the barriers to treatment with acupuncture is getting people to understand that while needles are used, it is not a painful experience," Gan said. "It is a method for releasing your body's own natural painkillers."

They found it took on average five to six visits for patients to report headache relief.

Other studies have shown that acupuncture helped alleviate pain in patients who had surgery for head and neck cancer, can relieve hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms and can reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea.