5
Ways Acupuncture Creates Lasting New Year's Resolutions
It
is the beginning of a new year and, once again, a time to reflect on
what changes we can make to improve our lives. If you are intent on
improving your health this year, acupuncture and Oriental medicine
may be the very thing you need to "stick" to those
resolutions.
Here's how acupuncture can help you achieve your
goals:
Resolution 1: Reach Target Weight and Stay
There
Losing weight is the #1 most common New Year's
Resolution. Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine can help you reach
your goal weight and maintain it by promoting better digestion,
smoothing emotions, reducing appetite, improving metabolism, and
eliminating food cravings.
From an Oriental medicine
perspective, the acupuncture points, foods and herbs that are chosen
to assist with weight loss directly influence the Qi of the Spleen
and Liver systems to treat the root imbalances that are causing the
weight gain.
From a Western perspective, acupuncture and
Oriental medicine have been shown to have an 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.
Resolution 2: Stay Sharp
Your New
Year’s resolution may be to learn a new language or take a class at
your local college. However you choose to exercise your brain,
acupuncture can help. Numerous studies suggest that acupuncture can
help improve memory, mental clarity, concentration and cognitive
function.
One recently published study (see below) shows how
acupuncture can be used to treat memory impairment induced by
diabetes and cerebral ischemia. Other studies have looked at how
acupuncture affects the performance of students during an exam,
post-menopausal "brain fog", Alzheimer's disease and vascular
dementia. All results, thus far, have been
positive.
Resolution 3: Relieve Pain
Naturally
If pain is keeping you from living your life to
the fullest, acupuncture can help. Increasingly, people are looking
for more natural approaches to help relieve painful conditions
instead of relying on medications. Acupuncture has no side effects
and can be helpful for all types of pain, regardless of what is
causing the pain or where the pain is located. Some studies have
shown the pain relief it provides can last for
months.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain before
and after acupuncture treatment for pain shows dramatic decreases in
activity in the pain centers of the brain - up to 70%.
In
addition to reducing pain, acupuncture also hastens the healing
process by increasing circulation and attracting white blood cells
to an injured area.
Resolution 4: Quit
Smoking
Acupuncture has turned a growing number of
cigarette cravers into permanent ex-smokers. In fact, researchers
say that acupuncture is a promising treatment for all types of
addiction from cigarettes to heroin.
In one study, a team
from Yale University successfully used auricular (ear) acupuncture
to treat cocaine addiction. Results showed that 54.8% of
participants tested free of cocaine during the last week of
treatment, compared to 23.5% and 9.1% in the two control groups.
Those who completed acupuncture treatment also had longer periods of
sustained abstinence compared to participants in the control
groups.
The acupuncture treatments for smoking cessation
focus on jitters, cravings, irritability, and restlessness; symptoms
that people commonly complain about when they quit. It also aids in
relaxation and detoxification.
Resolution 5: Eliminate
Stress
Stress reduction is always on the top ten list for
New Year’s resolutions and for a good reason. Stress is often the
cause of illness and the deterioration of health. Numerous studies
have demonstrated the substantial benefits of acupuncture in the
treatment of stress, anxiety and lowering blood pressure
In
addition to acupuncture, Oriental medicine offers a whole gamut of
tools and techniques that can be integrated into your life to keep
stress in check. These tools include Tui Na, Qi Gong exercises,
herbal medicine, dietary therapy, meditations and acupressure that
you can administer at home.
Needless to say, if the stress in
your life is throwing you off balance, consider coming in for a
treatment to regain peace of mind and stay healthy.
Call
now to see how Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help you with
your New Year’s Resolutions!
Acupuncture
Improves Memory and Learning Capacity
Acupuncture
can significantly improve learning and memory capacity that has been
impaired by hyperglycemia and cerebral ischemia, according to a new
study.
A study published in the journal, Neuroscience
Letters, reported on whether electroacupuncture (acupuncture
needles stimulated with a mild electrical current) could improve
learning and memory in rats whose memory and cognitive functions
were impaired by the decreased circulatory effects of diabetes
resulting in cerebral ischemia.
In the study, the effects of
the acupuncture treatments were measured with a passive avoidance
test, an active avoidance test, the Morris water maze and
electrophysiology. With all tests, significant improvements were
seen in restoring memory and learning capacity.
The
researchers remarked that previous investigations have demonstrated
that electroacupuncture can improve primary and secondary symptoms
such as peripheral neuropathy and diabetic encephalopathy in
diabetic rats. They believe that the positive results of this study
warrant further investigation.
Source: Neuroscience
Letters Volume 443, Issue 3, 10 October 2008, Pages
193-198
doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2003.10.071
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In
This Issue
- 5 Ways Acupuncture Creates Lasting New Year's Resolutions
- Acupuncture Improves Memory and Learning Capacity
- Acupuncture Point for Mental Clarity: Du 20
- Healthy Brain Habits
Acupuncture
Point for Mental Clarity: Du 20
Feeling
a little foggy? Having trouble concentrating? Massage
the acupuncture point, Du 20 for some mental clarity. Du 20
is located on the top of the head, midway between the ears. It is
used to clear the mind and improve focus. Stimulate the
point with your index finger for 30-45 seconds for a quick "brain
boost".
Healthy
Brain Habits
Here
are some steps you can take to help optimize brain health and
sharpen your memory:
Eat More Produce - Studies that
focus on food and memory show that the more produce you eat, the
better. One 25-year Harvard Medical School study of more than 13,000
women showed that the participants who ate relatively high amounts
of vegetables over the years had less age-related decline in memory.
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage) and
leafy green vegetables had the biggest effect on helping women
retain their memory during the course of the study. In another
study, the phytochemicals, anthocyanin (found in berries of all
colors and cherries) and quercetin (found in onions, kale and
apples), actually reversed some of the age-related memory deficits
in laboratory animals. Heart Health – A healthy heart
makes for a healthy brain. Because oxygen and nutrients are carried
in the blood stream, anything that impedes blood flow will starve
those all-important brain cells. Review your blood pressure and
cholesterol level. Know your numbers and if they are elevated, take
immediate measures to bring them down. Sleep – When we
sleep, the brain has time to recharge. Studies show that 7-8 hours
of sleep a night helps to strengthen memory. Acupuncture is
effective at treating sleep problems, so please let us know if you
are having trouble sleeping. Exercise - Regular
physical activity has been shown to decrease the risk of dementia
and Alzheimer’s disease by about half. Exercise increases blood flow
to the brain and helps regulate blood sugar levels; both of which
improve brain function and memory. Aim for 30 minutes a
day. Challenge Your Brain - Keep your mind active and
challenged. Brain function decreases with age. Studies show that
cognitive exercise can improve blood flow to the brain. Spend at
least 15 minutes each day on a mental exercise such as a crossword
puzzle, journaling or learning a new language to slow memory
loss. |
